 Near the end of the first season in late May 2009 , actor Kirk Acevedo announced he was " fired " off of the show from his Facebook page . Executive producer Jeff Pinkner denied it soon after , explaining that " like all things on Fringe , there is more to this story than meets the eye " and reminded viewers that an alternate version of his character had already appeared in a first season episode . Later that summer at Comic @-@ Con in July he reiterated that " rumors of Charlie 's demise are premature , " and at the August Television Critics Association press tour he commented about Charlie possibly showing up in the previously visited parallel universe . " Momentum Deferred " marked the actor 's last appearance in the prime universe . In response to why the character was killed off , Entertainment Weekly 's Michael Ausiello reported that the " storyline dictated . Charlie wasn 't going to have much to do this season , and rather than waste Kirk 's time , they cut him loose " . The character 's doppelganger from the parallel universe returned in the season finale " Over There " . 
