Although its second season ratings have failed to match the show's stellar launch in 2008, the Fox Network has confirmed that J.J. Abrams' Fringe will be returning for a third season this autumn.

According to Variety, Fox have been testing other shows in Fringe's Thursday night slot this spring, but none has achieved similar ratings. Paired with detective series Bones, Fringe has delivered Fox "a solid Thursday night line-up this season" while other shows, like CSI and Grey's Anatomy, have seen audience erosion over the past few months.

In their report breaking the news, Entertainment Weekly suggested that the remaining second season episodes, and the third series, would see "more visits from Leonard Nimoy and to the parallel universe." However, while star Anna Torv told Digital Spy last week that she hoped Nimoy would return, she wouldn't confirm if he had filmed a fourth appearance on the series.