"Futurama" not dead - yet

[Vin]

Well, "Futurama" is returning next season, as I reported at Toon Zone News (http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=19760). Right now, it won't return for 2003-2004, but at least we get another season out of it. What are you thoughts and opinions on this?

[Blue Priestess]

This... is the only bright spot of my day so far. All day long, I've been reminded why I hate my college with a seething passion, and then someone on RATMM started a discussion about whether or not you still miss MST3k (which I really do), and my show that's second in my book to MST was gonna die.

You have no idea how happy this makes me right now. It won't last, but it feels good for the time being.

Mela

[Craig Marinaro]

Yes, there are currently twenty-five unaired, completed or in-production episodes (http://www.leela.com.ar/season4.shtml)--which would suffice for a full Simpsons season, let alone for Futurama (where they seem to be averaging about thirteen a season with the constant preemptions). So they'll more than likely use up those episodes (since they're already paid for, presumably), and stretch them for at least another year or two. But by the time they get through those, the show will have been out of production for a good long time, and everyone will have gone on to other jobs. By that point, there's more or less no chance of the show ever returning.

So, in all probability, these will be the final episodes. Which means, of course, no closure, which is a true pity, considering the semi-epic arc of this show.

Maybe we'll at least finally get the DVD sets that FOX refused to release in R1 format because of the possibility of syndication.

[E. Penrose]

It had a lot of potential.

[Killtacular]

My thoughts and opinions are that Groening should scrap those episodes, and just move his show to another network.

20th Century Fox Television is talking about syndication rights as we speak, so Cartoon Network could buy those 72 episodes' syndication rights and air them. Only 48 of them have aired, meaning 24 weeks would be entirely new material for Adult Swim.

And then, since Matt Groening owns the full rights to the Futurama show, he can simply take it to another network, like, well, Cartoon Network.

Because Groening's company pays to produce the show, Cartoon Network would be paying a smaller fee to air any new episodes the team might make, than to pay to produce the episodes themselves.

This is all wishful thinking though. But Seth MacFarlane and Matt Groening aren't just about to let their dream jobs go down the toilet. I KNOW Groening doesn't want his future to be with The Simpsons.

[Anthonynotes]

My thoughts on Futurama:

Too bad...I figured its place on the Fox lineup in their execs' minds as "filler" (alongside King of the Hill) for the 7 PM EST Sunday timeblock against "60 Minutes" would keep it alive somewhat (at least until the "magic" 100 episodes that syndication seems to demand at a minimum--which'd be another season past the upcoming one I guess). Guess they figured they don't need *two* non-Simpsons animated series (or two from the same creator, when the "Simpsons" are still drawing in big ratings), and decided it wasn't worth saving (or even airing or promoting more often). As for its future, I guess there's always Comedy Central (where other canned Fox cartoon series have wound up in the past ["The Critic", "The Tick"])...

As for "Family Guy": I've heard rumors that seem to strongly indicate that Fox hasn't bothered ordering any new episodes of the show, thus effectively cancelling it....

STEWIE: What the--?! (Spits out some juice he's drinking) How *DARE* Rupert pull the rug out from under our glorious and oh-so-original program!

BRIAN: Please, kid...this show's as original as one of those New York City theme park attractions in Vegas. You yourself have got to be a ripoff of at least a half-dozen characters..let's see, there's Snowball, the Brain, a comic strip whose name's on the tip of my tongue...

STEWIE: Don't compare me to that has-been large-headed rat, *dog*! (Yelling) *BLAST IT ALL TO A THOUSAND BLOODY (BLEEPS)!* (Sets his head down on his high chair stool and sighs) Oh, well... I suppose it does give me more time to devote to my other interest in life....*WORLD DOMINATION*!

BRIAN: (Hums the "Pinky and the Brain" theme, tauntingly)

STEWIE: Oh, *shut up*....

----

Either way, I'm sure "Family Guy"'s wacky and ever-unique antics shall be missed by its hardcore, true fans...all, erm, eight of them. ;-)

-B.
Who's heard what sounds like FG clips being used by some local radio station in its promos...

[Craig Marinaro]

Who's heard what sounds like FG clips being used by some local radio station in its promos...

Bah...*our* lame, gimmicky radio stations use Simpsons sound clips! Conditions must really be as bad as you say they are out there. ;)

[Vin]

Originally posted by Craig


Bah...*our* lame, gimmicky radio stations use Simpsons sound clips! Conditions must really be as bad as you say they are out there. ;)

Let me guess Craig, WBLI?

[Anthonynotes]

Originally posted by Craig


Bah...*our* lame, gimmicky radio stations use Simpsons sound clips! Conditions must really be as bad as you say they are out there. ;)

Well, the same station (an oldies station) also uses "Simpsons" clips as well (and even clips from "The Tick" cartoon). Then again, half their playlist sounds like stuff my parents (let alone me) would've laughed at when it originally played, and they also play in-commercial bits from the disliked-by-me "Focus On the Family" group... not usually a first listening choice anyway (that'd probably be NPR, seeing as most of the commercial radio stations around here are pretty lame)...

Still, was surprising to hear the FG father talking on the radio (and on the station described above)....esp. when I figured it'd be on the obnoxious "frat-boy"-ish "alternative" rock/hard rock station that seems to broadcast on a zillion watts around here (and have utterly obnoxious DJ's/promos to boot).

-B.

[DR. BELCH]

Brainatra:
[ I've] heard what sounds like FG clips being used by some local radio station in its promos...

Craig:
Bah...*our* lame, gimmicky radio stations use Simpsons sound clips! Conditions must really be as bad as you say they are out there. ;)
I'll see your radio deejay gimmicks and raise you a Daria clip KIYS (Jonesboro) plays from time to time...another great show that is now cancelled. At least the producers were allowed to make that decision rather than the network, which seemed to want another couple of seasons yet arranged schedules with the show noticeably absent for months. [scratches head] Eh.
As for Futurama, I've only just managed to start rewatching it recently, being saddled with a fitful cable feed, so I've missed some eps (just saw the brainworm ep a couple weeks back and feel very out-of-the-loop, as that one's a year old at least). Hopefully I can see them some way in syndication.

[Craig Marinaro]

Well, I've also heard some Futurama clips on the "pop" stations my sisters listen to (recall "It's like there's a party in my mouth, and everyone's throwing up!"). Perhaps not the best representation of the show's style of humor, perhaps, but.....

Re: The Futurama Situation

http://www.gotfuturama.com/ reports that the show will be moving to a Thursdays @ 9:30 slot beginning at the end of February. Would've been nice if they'd done that *during* football season...but perhaps this is an indication that FOX has finally decided to test the fans' theory that the show is failing miserably because of the lousy slot. So now nobody has an excuse not to watch, darnit--everybody tune in and maybe we can convince them to keep the show around!

[Jimmy Kustes]

Thursday is a worse time slot than Sunday! Remember when it was on Tuesday! The only problem was that they moved the shows around too much! Here is what they should have done to save the network!

Sunday
8:00 Futurama
8:30 King of the Hill
9:00 X-Files

Tuesday
8:00 70's Show
8:30 Malcolm in the Middle
9:00 The Tick
9:30 Family Guy

Then shove all the rest of the garbage in the death slots.

[Vin]

Originally posted by Duncanzits
Thursday is a worse time slot than Sunday! Remember when it was on Tuesday! The only problem was that they moved the shows around too much! Here is what they should have done to save the network!

Sunday
8:00 Futurama
8:30 King of the Hill
9:00 X-Files

Tuesday
8:00 70's Show
8:30 Malcolm in the Middle
9:00 The Tick
9:30 Family Guy

Then shove all the rest of the garbage in the death slots.

Personally, I'd rather watch "Futurama" on a Thursday night, then at 7:00 PM on Sunday.

[Craig Marinaro]

True, Thursday isn't the best night, if we had our pick--but let's face it, Futurama isn't gettin' anything as prime as, say, Sunday at 8:30. It had its chance, and Malcolm is pulling 'em in just fine. It's just not gonna happen.

But NBC's Thursday lineup isn't nearly as strong as it once was. And at least it's actually on *in* prime time, as opposed to 7 PM, which is pretty much prime time limbo. I know most of my friends outside the Internet (where people tend to be less obsessive) say they remember the show, and they'd watch it if it was on at a reasonable time. As Matt Groening once said, "I'm still out playing ball then."

[Killtacular]

David Cohen, FUTURAMA producer, talks about the cancellation at cinescape. The show is not "still alive", it's in jeopardy.


"Obviously, they are letting us go out of production which means we're going to lose all of our writers and probably all of our animators. In the event which is probably a long shot, but by no means zero chance that they do decide they do want more episodes down the line. A whole new team would have to be put together, which is a big task."
"It’s not good news. It doesn’t bode well," he conceded. "It’s the old ‘on hiatus’ thing. Once you’re in that fabled hiatus you don’t come out of it."
"So write those letters," Cohen asked. "Gail Berman, president of Fox Network. And Sandy Grushow, chairman of Fox Entertainment group. Physical letters are considered more effective than emails."

[Terminatah]

Thursday at 9:30 sounds a bit fishy, almost like they're setting up Futurama to fail. It should never have left the Tuesday 8:30 slot. But at least they won't be up against Friends or Survivor. In fact, Friends is the only thing holding together NBC's Thursday night lineup, which is why NBC is paying over $150 million just to keep it going for one more season.

A physical letter writing campaign sounds great. We need to get this show back into production as soon as possible. Someone find out the addresses of Gail Berman and Sandy Grushow.

I seriously feel ill every time I'm reminded of Futurama's current status.

-Terminatah

[Jimmy Kustes]

I really hope it gets syndicated. You don't even know how many eps I have missed...and I have seen almost all of Season 1 and 2!

[Anthonynotes]

Originally posted by Duncanzits
Thursday is a worse time slot than Sunday! Remember when it was on Tuesday! The only problem was that they moved the shows around too much! Here is what they should have done to save the network!

Sunday
8:00 Futurama
8:30 King of the Hill
9:00 X-Files

Tuesday
8:00 70's Show
8:30 Malcolm in the Middle
9:00 The Tick
9:30 Family Guy

Then shove all the rest of the garbage in the death slots.

And watch all the "Simpsons" fans go beserk and call for your head at seeing that show shoved off the network (of course, Fox would never move such a ratings-grabber/cash cow from Sundays at 8)...
:-)

Re: NBC vs. Fox Thurs. nights: Agreed with what Craig said re: NBC...."Friends" will be entering its ninth season, and seems to be holding together their lineup that night (I'd also say along with "Will and Grace", though that show isn't as big a ratings-grabber as "Friends" is). As for 9:30 PM, presumably "Futurama" probably won't have to worry as much about NBC's influence unless they air back-to-back "W&G" episodes...

As for next fall: I presume Fox will be airing at 7 PM Sundays some filler show (like they did pre-Futurama coming along). Also wonder how much longer "King of the Hill" can go along (still on the schedule, and still quietly chugging away apparently even without as much Fox promotion as the "Simpsons" gets...); not sure which season it's on (sixth?).

-B.