Back to the small screen again?

[on:]

Interesting CNN article regarding the future of Futurama. Now they are talking about new epsiodes on FOX again.

 

From the article:
There also was speculation that Fox was looking to resurrect the animated series "Futurama," from "The Simpsons" creator Matt Groening, on its Sunday lineup the same way that "Family Guy" was brought back last year. The network has an option for new episodes, which currently are being produced for Cartoon Network's Adult Swim late-night block.

[Reply #1 on:]

Wow that sentence really needs to be rephrased so as to not be read as "New episodes are being produced for Adult Swim."

[Reply #2 on:]

Yeah, whoever wrote that article either doesn't know what's going on or has very poor control of grammar.

We'll just have to wait for Billy West to give us the lowdown (again).

[Reply #3 on:]

Just got done reading the article.  I'll take Futurama coming back either way, new episodes on FOX or Adult Swim, or movies.  I can see some people are unsure and don't know if this is true or not because of past expirience with the Billy West rumors.  Hey, I understand. 

I'm still staying positive about this.  I just know know Futurama will come back.  Hell, if CNN and TV Guide were talking about a possible return, then it's bound to happen! 

[Reply #4 on:]

All this talk is good and all, but I'm not going to get excited until I actually see the episodes.

[Reply #5 on:]

I'm not going to be completely certain of anything untill we hear the same story twice.  I mean seriously, have there been two articles in a row that didin't give different stories?  Matt Groening and Billy West's confirmation of the four movies makes me think that they're by far the most likely to happen, but at this point Im not sure we can rule anything out.

[Reply #6 on:]

I don't believe this article though I really wish it were true!!! I don't even get cartoon network in Canada no fair!! It's kinda weird though I know what time Futurama is on, on that network though I don't even get the chanel

[Reply #7 on:]

Dear news media:

STOP CONFUSING ME!!!!         

Also, it's really damn embarassing to have your mother tell you something about something you're obsessed with before you know it, but I guess she happened to be watching CNN at the right time.  Silly daytime-TV watchers.

EDIT: Also, the implicit [adult swim] plug is just Turner cross-promotion.  Don't you know anything about TV networks?

[Reply #8 on:]

ive heard this countless times, but, like every other time, im brimming with hope.

[Reply #9 on:]

There she goes...
There she goes again...

Signed, Intendant Commander Xanfor

[Reply #10 on:]

I'll won't believe that their making new futurama until after i've watched one. Even half way through a new ep i'll still be expecting it to cut out and have Billy's face appear saying "Sorry guys, i thought this was a new episode but it turns out it's not done yet. I guess i just got my info from conflicting sources"

[Reply #11 on:]

What are we badmouthing Mr. West for? He's not responsible this time. And besides, how many times has he actually misinformed us? I think he's just as much of a 'Futurama' fan as we are, and can be prone to the same exaggerations.
Who knows? Perhaps he's reading this right now. Perhaps he is one of us!
(I'm not confessing anything)

Signed, Intendant Commander Bil-, I mean, Xanfor

[Reply #12 on:]

I'd be really surprised if AS picked it up - it's an expensive show to make, especially for a cable network.

[Reply #13 on:]

No, no, FOX has the copyright to it, so Turner won't get it first.

Signed, Intendant Commander Xanfor

[Reply #14 on:]

I wasn't badmouthing Mr. West, but he has been kind of all over the place with his announcements, and being a source close to Matt and DXC it just get's annoying when we get our hopes up over and over again only to be told "sorry guys, i was misinformed about the 10 new seasons, but i think they're still making those 100 straight to DVD movies."
He should just wait until what he's been told is concrete before going public.

[Reply #15 on:]

I agree with Blane. I've read old posts by West about new seasons then I skip ahead five pages and the fans are complaining about how it was false information etc.

I don't like getting my hopes up and down again and again. After a while you get sick of it and you just want to hear concrete information.

[Reply #16 on:]

I found the original article at the Hollywood Reporter, which seems to be a lot more specific about what's going on with the show right now. It specifically states that TCFTV is currently producing episodes of the show, which will air on CN, and might also be picked up by FBC for next year. If that last part is true, we'll officially know about it next Thursday after FOX's upfront presentation for the 06-07 season.

 

Fox unveils early pickups for nascent fall schedule

Fox Broadcasting Co. has jumpstarted more of its 2006-07 primetime schedule with early pickups for two drama pilots, "Primary" and "American Crime."

"The Shield" veteran Glen Mazzara has joined "Primary" as executive producer alongside creator Craig Silverstein and Tim Story, who directed the pilot. The 20th Century Fox TV project stars Ron Livingston and Rosemarie DeWitt as male and female hostage negotiators who balance their budding relationship and their job. "Crime," featuring Victor Garber in an ensemble about high-profile defense attorneys, hails from Warner Bros. TV and Jerry Bruckheimer Television.

"Primary" and "Crime" join the drama pilot "Vanished" and the comedy pilot " 'Til Death," in getting series orders from Fox well in advance of the broadcast networks' fall schedule unveilings, set to unfold next week in New York. Buzz was building on Friday that Fox was eyeing a renewal of the domestic comedy "The War at Home" as a possible companion to " 'Til Death," starring Brad Garrett and Joely Fisher as a long-married couple.

There also was speculation that Fox was looking to resurrect the animated series "Futurama," from "The Simpsons" creator Matt Groening, on its Sunday lineup the same way that "Family Guy" was brought back last year. The network has an option for new episodes of the series, which 20th Century Fox TV at present is producing for Cartoon Network's Adult Swim.

Meanwhile, the chatter also was beginning to build last week that NBC is eyeing a move of its veteran drama "ER" out of the Thursday 10 p.m. slot that has been its home since the series premiered in 1994. There was speculation that the peacock could look to bolster its fortunes on Tuesday or Wednesday by shifting "ER" to a 9 p.m. or 10 p.m. slot and pair it with "Law & Order" or "Law & Order: SVU." NBC's new drama "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip," which earned its formal greenlight last week, was said to be the contender for the Thursday 10 p.m. berth if "ER" makes a move.

At ABC, the industry's focus was centered last week on whether a move was in store for Sunday dynamos "Desperate Housewives" or "Grey's Anatomy." There was talk that "Housewives" could be headed for a Monday berth, as ABC prepares for its first fall launch without "Monday Night Football" in 36 years, and that "Grey's" could be bumped up from its current 10 p.m. slot to 9 p.m. Sunday in order to give a new show the benefit of its lead-in.

The pilot pickup picture at ABC is still hard to read, but good vibes seem to be surrounding drama "Day Break," starring Taye Diggs as a cop on the run; the untitled bank-heist drama from writers Hank Steinberg and K.J. Steinberg; as well as "Drift," "Six Degrees" and the telenovela adaptation "Ugly Betty." Among comedies, the heat still seems to be on the rock star comedy "Him and Us"; the untitled Beckerman/Burnett project starring Donal Logue; "In Case of Emergency," starring David Arquette and Greg Germann; and "Help Me Help You," featuring Ted Danson. "George Lopez" and "Freddie," two ABC comedies that had been on the bubble for renewals, are said to be looking good to return.

CBS is said to be poised to add hot midseason drama "The Unit" and midseason comedy "The New Adventures of Old Christine" to its previously announced roster of returning series, while veteran "The King of Queens" is not expected back in the fall. Among pilots, the top drama contenders at CBS are said to include "Jericho," about a small town isolated from the rest of the world after a nuclear disaster; "Shark," starring James Woods as a celebrity attorney-turned-prosecutor; and the untitled legal drama from "CSI" executive producer Carol Mendelsohn.

Over at the CW, the pilot "Flirt," starring Wayne Brady, continues to look like the one to beat on the comedy side. Meanwhile, it seems like the fate of WB Network's "Reba" is all but sealed. The comedy, starring Reba McEntire, is not expected to make the move to CW for a sixth season after UPN and WB fold their tents in the fall. The show at present is wrapping up the first year of a two-year pickup struck last year between WB and "Reba" producer 20th Century Fox TV, which means its cancellation won't come cheap for CW. Sources said the decision will cost CW as much as $20 million, including compensating the studio for lost syndication revenues from the sixth-season episodes that will not be produced.

[Reply #17 on:]

It means to say:

'The network has an option for new episodes of the series, which 20th Century Fox TV at present is licensing to Cartoon Network's Adult Swim.'

Nobody's producing anything, or there'd be new episodes.

[Reply #18 on:]

Cartoon Network ran a blurb last night about the story "FOX is considering reviving Futurama - LIES.  The only thing that is happening is the 4 DVD's.  CN will not be airing the DVD's"

[Reply #19 on:]

Precisely. How would the DVD's sell if they were aired?

[Reply #20 on:]

You still can't totally rule out the possibility of Futurama coming back to TV. The number of Futurama fans has grown huge in the past few years and the DVD's are selling great. In fact, I went to Border's the other day and on the best selling DVD rack, Futurama Vol. 4 was number 1. There's a speck of hope there.

[Reply #21 on:]

There's always a small chance it'll come back to TV, and frankly, I hope it does.

[Reply #22 on:]

 

Originally posted by Xanfor:
There's always a small chance it'll come back to TV, and frankly, I hope it does.

Same here.

Though I think F*x will wait to see how well or poorly the DVD's sell before considering having new episodes produced.

[Zoidberg]
We can only hope!
[/Zoidberg]

[Reply #23 on:]

"...forget the moldy old antics of Conan O'Brien"
"We can only hope"
hahaha I loved that, it's great when guest stars dont care when they get a little made fun of.

anyway, I found this stuff.

Adult Swim Ratings Soar
 
Cartoon Network's Adult Swim programming block has seen its ratings increase dramatically over the same period a year ago.  Roughly a half million people between 18 and 34 watch the block, up 23% from a year ago.  Adult Swim was #1 in its time period (on basic cable) among adults 18-24. 

 

Futurama was in basic cable's top 50 programs for adults 18-34.