Will there be any new Futurama after the movies? Now with added rumormongering!

[Reply #80 on:]

how many people here watched futurama the first time it was on FOX?  i know that i rarely did.  and it wasnt because i didnt like the show or know about it, it was because of how FOX aired it.  it was either pre-empted for footbal or golf or whatever else they thought was more important or they couldnt figure out what time to air it.  they were a full production season ahead when the show was cancelled.  on most of the audio commentaries on season 4 they would mention that the episode hadnt aired yet.  what makes you think that anything would be different this time?  what time slot are they going to give it?  the simpsons arent going anywhere and the new flavor seth mcfarlane has most of the other time slots with his shows.  so do they bring it back before the simpsons again and let episodes not air or do they air later on in the evening after advertisers stop paying a premium?  what about airing it on a different night?  they tried that too and it didnt work.  all of us here love the show and would watch it no matter what, but most of the futurama fans (and maybe even alot of the posters here) got to know it from cartoon network and not fox.  having futurama back on fox would be like going back to an abusive spouse.  they didnt respect the show before and they wont respect it now.  i would love to have futurama back as a series and i would even pay for cable to get it, but futurama already failed at FOX.  why would we want to see that happen again?

[Reply #81 on:]

Here in Australia they aired it on channel 7 for the first two seasons then it got moved to like 2 am or some such obscure time and everyone just seemed to forget about it unless they had Austar (or foxtel) then in 2006 or so the started putting the reruns on channel ten which was kinda cool except for the fact that I already had all the dvds then later they put the BBS episodes on in 2008 and then the BWABB episodes... And now we wait for the BG episodes... (sits down looking impatient)

[Reply #82 on:]

Ah yes, the timeslot issue.  Indeed, if FOX are serious about reviving the show, they better give it the timeslots it deserve.  I am not saying prime time, but a stable one, where it will be... every single week.

Not that I would be able to watch FOX anyway, but I know how ratings matter to FOX and their advertisers.

[Reply #83 on:]

I was definitely never a regular viewer when the show aired on Fox. I would catch an episode here and there--I started watching around 2002, so I guess that's the fourth broadcast season--but I never went out of my way to see an episode. Then, I read an article about the show's cancellation, and I was more upset than I probably had a right to be, my non-viewership being one of the causes for the show's death and all. I watched the remaining episodes that Fox burned off during the summer--"Obsoletely Fabulous", "Bender Should Not Be Allowed on Television", and, of course, "The Devil's Hands are Idle Playthings". I found the finale very touching, so I guess that's where my true interest was born. A while later--a few months, maybe--when Fox was still, for whatever reason, airing reruns on Sunday nights, there was a Double Feature of sorts (which pissed me off; it was easy enough to find time to air not one, but two episodes when the show was already cancelled, but they couldn't find room on their schedule during its run?). They aired "Less Than Hero" and "The Why of Fry" (two episodes that remain my favorites). I had seen the show at both its goofy and shippy best, and that's when I started buying the DVDs and watching the reruns on Adult Swim and, you know, posting at PEEL.

In other words, I only became a truly obsessed fan after the show's cancellation. But, like mohawkdan said, I think that a lot of fans only "discovered" the show through Cartoon Network. So if anything, that just means the show has a bigger fanbase now than it did during its original run.

Anyway. I don't think airing the show on Fox again is necessarily a death sentence; like you guys say, it's all about the timeslot the network chooses to give it. It would definitely make sense to air it on Sunday nights, because that's where Fox drops all its animated shows, but I think a timeslot during the week might be better ratings-wise. Animation tends to do poorly on weeknights, but I think, if aired at 9 or 9:30, the show would attract enough viewers to keep it alive. Of course, airing a new run of episodes on Comedy Central could also be advantageous, since the standards are a bit more lenient when it comes to ratings (a small share by Fox's standards could be a passable one by CC's). Being the snob I am, though, I think Futurama deserves to play in the big leagues--network TV--but ultimately I want it to be placed where it will have the most success.

[Reply #84 on:]

Maybe it will replace King of the Hill on Sundays so it would air after the simpsons.

[Reply #85 on:]

I really hope there will be some more Futurama. I like it better than The Simpsons, Family guy etc...

[Reply #86 on:]

Maybe it will replace King of the Hill on Sundays so it would air after the simpsons.

Unlikely. That slot is probably reserved for Seth MacFarland's new series "The Cleveland Brown Show", in fall 2009.

[Reply #87 on:]

I will not be watching that show.

[Reply #88 on:]

For once I agree with Books.

[Reply #89 on:]

Wow, Fox opts to put more unfunny derivative and nonsensical shit on the air over something that might actually be good. I'm so surprised.

[Reply #90 on:]

I think we all know what we shouldn't be doing to maybe be sending a hint of the message.

Hold on, I'll rephrase that.

If none of us watch that show, possibly FOX will see less ratings than they hoped for and it might get them thinking, a little.

[Reply #91 on:]

Problem with that theory is that 95% of the people in the world are blithering idiots. The kind of people who would love that crap.

[Reply #92 on:]

Wow, Fox opts to put more unfunny derivative and nonsensical shit on the air over something that might actually be good. I'm so surprised.

This is FOX!  If anything, if they renew Futurama, you ought to be surprised.

I can see the headlines, "FOX pleases fans".

FOX are a bit like those executbots.  "More reality shows!"

But seriously, Seth MacFarland's shows are good investments for FOX.  I am not a fan, personally, but apparently a lot of people are, and they are tuning in, and the ratings are up, and the advertisers are happy.  That's the scheme.

Now, Futurama, I believe, could pull this too, if it was renewed, but only on the condition that it was aired in a decent timeslot.

[Reply #93 on:]

This afternoon, I was actually having a real-life (*shudder*) discussion about the merits of Futurama over the non-merits of Family Guy, et. al. My basic argument was that, while Seth MacFarlane's shows are funny, there's no need for three of 'em. I don't care if they focus on the Griffins, the Browns, or the Smiths--they are all essentially the same stupid-ass show. The characters are flat, the storylines are non-existent, and the gags--though usually amusing--are nonsensical throwaways. A joke coming out of Peter's mouth could just as easily come out of Cleveland's or Stan's. The same can't be said for Futurama, where each character has a distinct personality. Futurama is a character-driven show, while Seth MacFarlane's shows are gag-driven. And, I mean, there's nothing wrong with that. But when 60% of the Sunday night schedule is essentially the same show, then I have a problem.

I don't know. I guess it just pisses me off that a show like Futurama--which is smart and hilarious and touching and unique--gets no love from the network, or from most viewers. Seth MacFarlane, that lovable bastard, is basically ruining Fox for other animated shows.

[Reply #94 on:]

Now seriously, some one's gotta say something about the "American Dad is just like Family Guy" thing, it's not true, American Dad is actually quite a good show. It's not like Family Guy and the gags aren't just random throwaways and, as much as everyone keeps saying because they've never watched both shows, the characters are different to the one's in Family Guy... But whatever, no one's gonna agree with me...

[Reply #95 on:]

I'm not knocking the quality of Family Guy or American Dad. I mean, I'm not a regular viewer of the latter, but I actually do enjoy Family Guy. My problem is that, while the shows have ostensibly different premises and characters, they seem very similar stylistically. They're both shows about the not-so-nuclear family, and The Cleveland Show looks like it'll be the same sort of thing. I'm not saying the shows aren't funny, or even that they're poorly-written--as a viewer, though, I imagine that much less effort is put into producing an episode of FG or AD, than is put into producing an episode of Futurama. Like I said, Futurama has much more depth to it; the writers balance humor and emotion, crafting situations and characters that draw the viewer in. MacFarlane's shows lack that depth (again, that's not bad--it's just a personal observation). It'd just be nice to see DXC & Co.'s efforts rewarded as handsomely as MacFarlane's are.

Me, bitter? Why do you say that?

[Reply #96 on:]

FG and AD are both very novel, or at least were when they were first introduced; FG  because of all the random cutaway gags and its sheer crassness, and AD because of its super-sharp political satire.

The Cleveland Show, on the other hand, so far has billed itself as a spin-off domestic comedy featuring one of the least memorable characters on FG.  Hard to see the value in that.

[Reply #97 on:]

isnt family guy written by manatees?  i wonder if they are the same writers for the other seth shows?

[Reply #98 on:]

isnt family guy written by manatees?  i wonder if they are the same writers for the other seth shows?

I find AD's plots to be very tightly written and clever for the most part, unlike FG's thinner plots filled out with 15 minutes of cutaways.

[Reply #99 on:]

Wasn't it only the cutaway gags that were written by manatees?

[Reply #100 on:]

So apparently MG is expecting the show to continue on in one form or another, whether it be a season or a theatrical movie. YAY! Heres the interview...

http://www.futurama-madhouse.com.ar/miscpics/zoomag_mg_interview.jpg

[Reply #101 on:]

Thanks for the link, trickster. I don't think what MG's saying is all that different from what we've heard from DXC and Billy West, but the more news we get on the possible return of the show, the better. That the show's getting any media attention at all makes me happy.

Also: Am I the only one who wouldn't exactly go nuts over a Futurama movie? I mean, I'll be happy with whatever form of new Futurama we get, but these DVD movies have been kind of hit-or-miss (I thought BBS and TBWaBB flowed nicely as movies, and the second half of ItWGY, too, but BG just had terrible pacing and a meandering plot). I'd actually get a much bigger thrill from seeing the show back in episodic format, getting the respect it deserves from whatever network chooses to air it. 

[Reply #102 on:]

I agree with Gorky but I think a Futurama movie would be good I just think it would be better if it came back to tv first for a couple of seasons before we got a theatrical movie.

[Reply #103 on:]

British tabloids aren't exactly paragons of journalistic accuracy.  That being said, they quoted MG as saying "we're talking with 20th Century Fox and we really hope it happens" (emphasis added).  This differs from what DXC/MG/Billy West have said before -- that Fox has been discussing it, but only internally.  If the quote is indeed accurate, then that is progress.

[Reply #104 on:]

British tabloids aren't exactly paragons of journalistic accuracy.  That being said, they quoted MG as saying "we're talking with 20th Century Fox and we really hope it happens" (emphasis added).  This differs from what DXC/MG/Billy West have said before -- that Fox has been discussing it, but only internally.  If the quote is indeed accurate, then that is progress.

Indeed.  I think the tabloid took Matt Groening's statement about a theatrical release out of context though, cause Matt Groening have been saying similar things before, if he really is that sure that there is going to be a return, why would he mention a film as pure speculation?

I think Zoo is trying to spice up the speculation for a film.  While tabloids make take comments out of context, I cannot see how the "we're talking with 20th Century Fox [...]" quote can be any clearer.  And we may not even have to wait till the 28th of March, but we certainly may have something to celebrate.

Edit: For people who needs the development of the speculation and news, we keep track of it at our wiki; http://theinfosphere.org/Future_of_Futurama.

[Reply #105 on:]

Maybe it will replace King of the Hill on Sundays so it would air after the simpsons.

Hmmm. I'm thinking that if they aired two episodes of Simpsons preceeded by an episode of something boring, bracketing an episode of Futurama and followed by an episode of Firefly... they'd have never cancelled either of Futurama or Firefly for a start. The thing with FOX is that they take a good show, and put it in a crappy timeslot, possibly trying to turn a crappy timeslot into a better one, but fail miserably and end up thinking that since the show is not doing so well, the show is clearly at fault and needs to be canned. Somebody is in charge of strategic broadcasting there, and needs to have their desk smashed over their head.

[Reply #106 on:]

Honestly though Zoo magazine I mean that's like reading your news from the Daily Sport. 

[Reply #107 on:]

Another interview (this one with DXC) about the future of the show:

"I don't know if there will be more DVDs, or if the show might return to TV in some way," Cohen told Wired.com. "But the return of Futurama is being discussed. I'm just not privy to those discussions."

There's no official word, but I think the future looks positive," Cohen said. "The DVDs are selling well, and that helps. I admit I've developed an addiction to checking our sales rankings on Amazon."

Nothing new, exactly, but that there's active discussion of this in the media is definitely a good thing. Corny--and unlikey--as it sounds, I really am crossing my fingers for an announcement from Fox on the 28th. It'd be both classy and cliche of them, giving us an update on the show's tenth anniversary.

[Reply #108 on:]

Its easy to blame FOX but if people were intelligent enough to get Futurama's humor the ignorant crap like Family Guy and whatever spinoff they are planning wouldn't be such huge money makers. At this point I am glad that I got to see 4 movies after the series was canceled and am not getting my hopes up for any more Futurama.

[Reply #109 on:]

Bring us all down why don't ya?

[Reply #110 on:]

Nah, I.C.'s got a point. We should be grateful for what we got--a four-movie deal is nothing to sneeze at. I just feel like this show has so much more life in it; I still care about the characters and their adventures. But if the show never comes back, I'm more or less satisfied with the ending we got, and with the journey as a whole.

A girl can dream, though.

[Reply #111 on:]

Nah, I.C.'s got a point. We should be grateful for what we got--a four-movie deal is nothing to sneeze at. I just feel like this show has so much more life in it; I still care about the characters and their adventures. But if the show never comes back, I'm more or less satisfied with the ending we got, and with the journey as a whole.

A girl can dream, though.

I thought the quote was "A man can dream, though, a man can dream".

Anyway, while I would be accepting these four films as the end of the show, I still don't see why we cannot get our hopes up right now.  This is the closest the show will ever be to be renewed.  We may not get another chance at it.

If the show does not get renewed, fine, we got 16 more episodes (well, 18 if you count the two special episodes).

[Reply #112 on:]

Special episodes? what you talkin' 'bout svip?!

[Reply #113 on:]

special eps?????? Now we're all paranoid.

[Reply #114 on:]

Special episodes? what you talkin' 'bout svip?!

Uh, Everybody Loves Hypnotoad: "Amazon Adventure" and "The Lost Adventure".

http://theinfosphere.org/Episode_Listing#Special_episodes

Odd how Adventure appears in both.

[Reply #115 on:]

I demand a 3rd special on All My Circuits!

[Reply #116 on:]

"Nothing is over as long as there's one thin ray of hope."

There obviously will be more Futurama, even if you don't count comics and calendars. The films are selling well enough to merit a new *something*. But if not, we have had a good run and the last film had a better ending than the previous last-episode-ever had.

[Reply #117 on:]

"Nothing is over as long as there's one thin ray of hope."

Yeah, you shouldn't give up hope just because it's hopeless!  You gotta hope even more and cover your ears and go "LALALALALA!"

[Reply #118 on:]

"Nothing is over as long as there's one thin ray of hope."

Yeah, you shouldn't give up hope just because it's hopeless!  You gotta hope even more and cover your ears and go "LALALALALA!"

I'D ALSO LIKE A PACK MULE!

[Reply #119 on:]

AT ONCE SIR!