Sure, people complain about Fox for it’s repeated canceling of shows involving Joss Whedon and/or Terminators, but at least the network is now stepping up and offering a boost to the J.J. Abrams co-created show Fringe. The Futon Critic reports Fringe will return from it’s winter hiatus on January 7, but then that following Monday, Fox will air a new episode after a new episode of House.

The duo will be facing off with some heavy competition in the form of NBC’s Chuck and Heroes, ABC’s The Bachelor, and CBS comedies like How I Met Your Mother and The Big Bang Theory. Then in February, the Fringe will take a seven-week break to allow the mid-season drama Past Life, starring Kelli Giddish (All My Children) and Richard Schiff (West Wing) is about “an unlikely pair of past-life detectives who investigate whether what is happening to you today is the result of who you were before.”

Fringe will then return on April 1. According to TV Guide, as of the December 4 episode, “Snakehead”, Fringe had it’s highest ratings since the season premiere, with an audience of 6.9 million viewers. So, it’s good to see not only the show succeeding, but Fox putting their faith into it.

Fringe, much like some of the new hour-long dramas on FOX, has been picking up quite a bit of steam this season. Things have been heating up quite a bit with Agent Dunham and the mysterious Massive Dynamic, as well as some interesting developments between Walter and Peter.

We’ve got some brand new clips from tonight’s episode, “Earthling”, for you. In the first, Walter (John Noble,) takes on a puzzling investigation where victims inexplicably disintegrate into ash. He and Peter (Joshua Jackson) discuss the trials. In the second clip, Agent Dunham (Anna Torv) and Agent Broyles (Lance Reddick) discuss this week’s strange killer, and how it could be connected to the others.

Catch the two exclusive clips from tonight’s episode right after the jump. Be sure to catch “Earthling”, airing tonight from 9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT on FOX.