FOX has ordered nine additional episodes of the freshman drama "Fringe," giving the series a full-season commitment.

Created by J.J. Abrams & Alex Kurtzman & Roberto Orci, "Fringe" premiered last month with an big-budget 90-minute pilot, generating only so-so-ratings.

With the benefit of a "House" lead-in, subsequent episodes have improved on that pilot audience, allowing FOX to call "Fringe" the season's most top new series among adults 18-49.

"We're having a blast working on this show with this great team of producers and amazing cast," says FOX Entertainment President Kevin Reilly. "The series has really taken off creatively, and it's exciting to see that the audience is responding. We believe this is the first full season of many years to come."

In its most recent airing on Tuesday, Sept. 30, "Fringe" averaged 10 million viewers and a 4.3 rating in the key 18-49 demo, both increases over the totals for the previous week.

"Fringe" stars Anna Torv as an FBI agent working with a recently institutionalized scientist (John Noble) and his estranged son (Joshua Jackson) to investigate a bizarre series of apparently connected events. Other series stars include Lance Reddick, Kirk Acevedo, Blair Brown, Jasika Nicole.

The Warner Bros. TV production is only the second new series of the season to receive its back-nine order, following The CW's vote of confidence for "90210."