Matt Groening Q & A in Entertainment Weekly

[on:]

Here it is:

"With the brilliant, unjustly cancled Futurama's last 18 episodes now out on DVD,  we asked creatoe Matt Groening to reflect on the funniest show of the 31st century."

EW: When did you realize that Fox wouldn't make Futurama the next Simpsons?

MG:  We had the guliiotine handing over our heads before the show even went on the air.  Fox's executives never understood the show, and I wasn't able to explain it to them to thir satisfaction.

EW:  Any chance of a Family Guy-like resuscitation?

MG:  Our Adult Swim rerun rations are fantastic, and David X. Cohen and I are throwing around ideas of how to keep it alive.  It's a very ambitious and expansive show,which has been a sticking point.

EW: Do you have unfinished business?

MG:  All science-fiction epics have an underlying theme that things are not what they seem, and we haven't revealed all of the secrets embedded in the show.  We even have characters we created at the begining of the series that we haven't gotten around to introducing yet!


See there is still hope.  for all of you people here on the boards don't give up.  I haven't

Futurama's not dead yet!!!

[Reply #1 on:]

When was this interview made?  Judging that it mentions the release of Season 4, I'm assuming it was recently.

Futurama may not be dead, but it's on life support and FOX is slowing pulling the plug.  Something big needs to happen to convince me otherwise. 

Something like Family Guy's revival. That was something big for Family Guy.  Something big needs to happen for Futurama.

[Reply #2 on:]

Sept. 10th.  Its the Fall TV preview Edition.  that guy from Friends is on the cover.  All futurama needs is a little more publicity. Like Family Guy got it with the large number of DVD sales.

Futurama's not dead yet!!!

[Reply #3 on:]

That is what I'm saying, Futurama needs more publicity.  CN is doing the best they can with their promos, but that isn't enough.

[Reply #4 on:]

ya  I know too but Fox doesn't want to spend any money on it, and since they are making money on it with out spending money in there eyes it's the perfect business.  So as much as I don't want to say this I think the only way that fox will sell the rights back to Matt or to some other channel, is to stop making money on it.  And the only way that is going to stop is if we do not buy any more Futurama products.  And you know that is never going to happen.

Futurama's not dead yet!!!

[Reply #5 on:]

If people stop buying Futurama products, then FOX just won't give a damn.

FOX doesn't like Futurama period and they aren't going to spend money on it if people stop buying products.

You know is sucks that FOX refuses to promote Futurama, while it promotes other classic sci-fi franchises. This is one of the times, I hate irony.  FOX is released some of the most popular shows and movies of sci-fi.

Star Wars
Aliens
Independence Day
Planet of the Apes
X-Files
X-men
Predator
and others.

Futurama would make them richer.

[Reply #6 on:]

Yes me too Three of my favorit TV shows are on fox

24
Arrested Devlopment
The Simpsons

and I hate fox so much

Futurama's not dead yet!!!

[Reply #7 on:]

I only hate fox for what theyve done to futurama  i quite admire their distribution of the simpsons franchise

[Reply #8 on:]

On the publicity note: do what you can to get the attention of big publicity mills, like Entertainment Weekly.  If we all wrote in letters to the editor regarding that brief interview, they are bound to publish a few.  If they get enough input, they might even do a bigger feature.  So how about this ... write a letter to EW, and ask them why that interview was so short.  Time? Space?  Apathy (I hope not!)?  SHow your support for Futurama and, more importantly, your support and appreciation for Matt and David in their efforts to keep the show alive.  Those are just some suggestions; keep it personal and be yourself.

Don't worry about the right time to send in a letter here, just send one in within the next week or so.  And don't stop with EW ... gain support in your blogs, if you have one, or in any circulated periodical - whether it's a small local newspaper, or a worldwide web journal.  I'm sure a lot of periodicals will at least consider an on-spec (unsolicited) entertainment article, especially if they think it might be juicy.

I think the EW article may have finally opened up a window for us; we just have to use it while it's open.

(edit): Letters to EW may be sent to ew_letters@ew.com.  You must include your full name, address, and daytime telephone number.

[Reply #9 on:]

Hmmm, not a bad Q&A. We dont get to hear from Groening about Futurama's future too often so it's good to hear he's still trying to save it.

[Reply #10 on:]

I think there is more to that interview than that... It seems a little unfinished.

Still good info Shock.

[Reply #11 on:]

Shock, was that interview part of a larger article, or did EW just run a small, few line Q and A?  And, if not, what was the rest of the article about?

[Reply #12 on:]

 

Originally posted by Shockwave04:
...and we haven't revealed all of the secrets embedded in the show.  We even have characters we created at the begining of the series that we haven't gotten around to introducing yet!

Awwww... We're missing this?

     

[Reply #13 on:]

That's all there was, a quarter of a page with the picture of Fry, Leela and Bender on the yellow hover scooter.

Still, that brief interview is enough to make nerds like me salivate. We all knew that Leela was a mutant by the time they revealed it, and we had the Nibbler sub-plot figured out pretty good, but what other tricks did they have up their sleves? We also know the Proffessor's bastard son, but new characters? (Drools)

[Reply #14 on:]

I love how EW said that show was unjustly cancelled. It seems that even after the show's cancellation so long ago, the fire still burns as brightly as it did in 1999. I feel somewhat renewed in my hopes of a rebirth. It may be a long shot, but the fact that there's even a chance at all makes me feel pretty damn good.

[Reply #15 on:]

There must be more to that interview.  I don't think that EW would call up Matt Groening and ask him three questions, do you?  Maybe that was a little preview of and up coming interview.  I don't know about you guys but I'm going to E-mail them like Zoidberg227 said.  this could be the time when the fans are heard and not the  guys with all of the money.

Futurama's not dead yet!!!

[Reply #16 on:]

I bet there's more, but since Futurama is not like the Simpsons in terms of publicity, they had to cut everything but the important questions. 

[Reply #17 on:]

I emailed them too. I really hope they publish the full interview.

[Reply #18 on:]

In this weeks EW they had Futurama Vol. 4 listed #4 in there  most sold DVD's list.

Futurama's not dead yet!!!

[Reply #19 on:]

Does it happen to say how many copies it actually sold?

[Reply #20 on:]

no just that it's #4


Futurama's not dead yet!!!

[Reply #21 on:]

At least we know now that even Matt hasn't given up hopes for the show's comeback yet. Let's hope he will find a way and FOX will be convinced soon.

[Reply #22 on:]

Well, I wrote a letter, and got a call today from EW, asking me permission to publish it, and confirming my information, so expect to see it next issue.  My guess it'll hit mailboxes and newsstands by Wednesday.  And of course, once I get it, I'll post it here for those of you who don't subscribe and don't want to buy the issue.

[Reply #23 on:]

yes! we've got even more hope! I will buy EW, if i can find it.
Futurama's not dead yet! 

[Reply #24 on:]

*gasp*

I may be the Morpheus of AFF, but Zoidberg227, you are the One.

[Reply #25 on:]

Extended version of the interview:
 http://www.ew.com/ew/groening

[Reply #26 on:]

Man Reading that interview makes me hate FOX more then ever.
I think maybe EW should do an online poll, just to see how many people love Futurama.

[Reply #27 on:]

Ahh, the extended interview is a bit better than what they provided in print.  And, for those of you looking for my letter, it finally appeared in the October 1 issue, but they edited it a bit.  Here's the full version:

I’ll admit something straight away.  I'm a Futurama nerd.  So, imagine my joy when I discovered your brief interview with creator Matt Groening in the Sept. 10 issue (p. 153, Josh Wolk).  For hopeless nerds like me, vying for a resurrection a la Family Guy, it was a bright ray of hope in an otherwise dark, clouded future for the show.  Firstly, however, I must express my disappointment in the brevity of the interview.  It revealed so much.  But, akin to Futurama, it left so much in the dark.  More importantly, though, I would like to thank you for showing support for the show, and would like to express my gratitude toward Groening and David X. Cohen for their continuing efforts to keep Futurama alive.   Thank you all, and may Zombie Jesus himself smile upon you and your creation.

[Reply #28 on:]

I knew that was you! The e-mail address they gave looked familiar. 
And I agree with DogDoo8,they should put a poll on the EW website asking how many people like Futurama.

[Reply #29 on:]

 

Originally posted by *Zoidberg227*:
*Thank you all, and may Zombie Jesus himself smile upon you and your creation.*

Nice touch!

Remind me. If we ever meet, I owe you a beer and not just any beer, a good beer maybe even German beer.   

[Reply #30 on:]

I need to go pick that thing up, for historical purposes.

[Reply #31 on:]

That, of course, was the version I wrote them ... the edited version that they published is as follows:

Bright 'Futurama'

I’ll admit something straight away: I'm a Futurama nerd. So, imagine my joy when I discovered your brief interview with creator Matt Groening (DVD & Video).  For hopeless nerds like me - vying for a resurrection a la Family Guy - it was a bright ray of hope in an otherwise clouded future for the show.  However, I was disappointed in the brevity of the interview: it revealed a lot, but left so much in the dark.  More importantly, though, I would like to thank you for showing support for the show, and would like to express my gratitude toward Groening and David X. Cohen for their continuing efforts to keep Futurama alive.

If there was one line in there that I didn't want them to take out, it was the part about Zombie Jesus.  Maybe they just didn't get it.    But thanks to them anyway for publishing it. 

DogDoo, is Olde Fortran or LoBrau OK?

[Reply #32 on:]

Spectacular! I'm with DD8. If you're ever in Bellingham, you are so getting a latte out of me. And a devil duckie, because I give those to everyone.

[Reply #33 on:]

Devil Duckies...

Those things are cool, they sell them at gowings.

Now I want one..... 

P.S. Hey Zoid 227. Maybe even "Pap's Blue Robot".

[Reply #34 on:]

Futurama is dead, gone, cancelled, through.  All hope is pretty much lost.  FOX will never bring the show back, unless the powers that be, are stripped of their power or Cartoon Network is available to pbuy the rights to Futurama.  However, I thought that will happen, because FOX may never sell the rights because they enjoy getting richer off the DVD sales.


I've said it before, Futurama can earn high ratings, and huge DVD sales, that just means money in FOX's pockets, but they won't waste a penny in paying for new episodes.

why? because they don't like Futurama.  They tolerated Family Guy and it's getting a second chance, but FOX just doesn't like Futurama.