Further From FOX: Is 'Fringe' Season 5 Going To Get Cancelled?

As would be expected, FOX entertainment president Kevin Reilly remained somewhat noncommittal during his Pasadena press tour stop Sunday.

Speaking very generally, this much can be gathered: "Terra Nova" probably gets a second season this year; it sure sounds like "House" will probably not be back next fall; and it's entirely possible that someone from "The X Factor" may be edging toward the door.

The warning toward "Fringe"? It was considerably more blunt, reports Entertainment Weekly. Reilly's statement about a possible fifth season was one big "'Fringe,' I love you...but..."

"'Fringe' has been a point of pride," Reilly said. "I share the passion for the show the fans have. I love that FOX, after letting down genre fans over the years [came through with 'Fringe']. I love that fans stuck with it after it moved to Friday. It has vastly improved our Friday night."

That's a promising start. He even admitted that his own network has occasionally screwed the pooch handling other far-flung, sci-fi-tinged shows. One must think that nobody who adored Joss Whedon's "Firefly" would exactly argue.

That being said . . .

"The hesitation in my voice is that it's an expensive show," Reilly admitted. "We lose a lot of money on the show. But with that rating on that night it's almost impossible for us to make money on it. We're not in the business of losing money. We need to figure out if there's a [deal with studio Warner Bros. that] will make sense or will this be it."

Reilly later reportedly added that the J.J. Abrams drama's writers must present a completed season finale script before the network, Warner Bros. and show-runners will start negotiating a renewal.

"I'm not quietly doing the 'soft cancel' here," Reilly added. "Please don't start the letter-writing campaign. I can't take it. I hope we get some credit with the fans for seeing through a great show."

Abrams later expressed his own optimism.

"For some sick reason, I'm hopeful," he said. "There's some stuff coming up this season that's so great. Maybe it's dumb optimism that the good work [of show-runners] will be rewarded. And if not on FOX, maybe somewhere else."

Star Joshua Jackson was likewise understanding concerning Reilly's position.

"He could not have been more clear," Jackson said. "He's not running a charitable foundation. And if the show is really not making money [then that should be it.] But the important thing to me is that our writers are given a chance to finish the show because it's a serialized show."