By Hawking's chair! Futurama is back! (News thread) (No spoilers)

[Reply #40 on:]

This isnt like the movies, if were lucky we'll only have to wait a few weeks, countries other than the US will, if we're lucky...

[Reply #41 on:]

O HELL YEAH! do the bender - uh ha - do the bender

[Reply #42 on:]

I would have used "We're back, baby!" But yours is good also...

[Reply #43 on:]

damn well better.
damn commies
*mossy mutters to himself incoherently

[Reply #44 on:]

This thread poll makes no sense. Of course it's good that TEH SHOW IS ON LOL!!!!!!!!!!1

[Reply #45 on:]

TEH SHOW IS ON LOL!!!!!!!!!!1

that closely resembles what i said when i found out.

[Reply #46 on:]

Less than a year to see new episodes.  I have an idea that a few new scripts were already written (there were some scripts never used due to the shows cancellation).

Years ago, when I first met Xanfor on this message board, he made the comment that Futurama would probably go the way of Star Trek - have a movie or two then come back as a series.

I didn't agree with him.  I'm man enough to say, "I was wrong and I'm glad to be proven wrong."

Now for some reason Billy West's site is down.  It was up yesterday when 1BDI and I posted messages about the ressurection of the series.  Both of us wished Billy West well and congratulated him on being able to voice his favorite characters again.

[Reply #47 on:]

Now for some reason Billy West's site is down.

and hopefully forever.... but the show is back so who cares?

[Reply #48 on:]

The Hollywood Reporter and Variety have updated their news articles.

Cast and crew:

"It was a great way of keeping the show alive," he (MG) said, "and one of the great things was that everyone enjoyed doing them, so it's been relatively easy trying to get everyone who was originally on the show to come back."

Though no deals have been closed, all key voice cast members are expected to return for the new episodes, along with the series' core writing team.

Economics:

If Comedy Central remains the only outlet, Newman admits that "the economics will become more challenging," but the studio bets on more strong DVD sales. And with the new 26-episode order, "Futurama" will have 98 standalone episodes (plus another 16 from the DVD specials), allowing the show to be taken out for a broadcast syndication sale.

But it took Comedy Central to seal the deal. The cabler started airing all 72 off-net episodes of "Futurama," as well as the DVD episodes, in January 2008.

Since then, both 20th and Comedy Central have been kicking around ways to make a "Futurama" order make financial sense for both the studio and cable net.

"The animation on 'Futurama' has always been so intricate, and there are costs associated with that," Newman said.

In order to make the deal work some costs were trimmed -- leading to a smaller writing staff and a shorter delivery schedule, among other changes.

"Across the board, everyone is doing a little belt tightening," Newman said. "That's what's necessary to get this thing into production ... no one is going to make a big payday on the show, including the studio."

But for 20th and News Corp., the deal means there will now be enough "Futurama" episodes to potentially drive an off-net syndication sale to stations. The new batch of episodes will also lead to either one or two new DVD box sets.

Plot:

Writing has already begun on the show; Groening said he was inspired by the "Star Trek" movie this summer enough that the updated "Futurama" may take a similar tact to explain the launch of this run.

Beyond that, Groening said he and Cohen already have a pile of potential episode storylines that they never got around to producing during "Futurama's" original incarnation.

"David and I have ideas that we knocked around before we even began the first series," Groening said. "And we haven't gotten to everything yet."

[Reply #49 on:]

   [I]t's probably not going to be as good as it used to be.

Ben's (probably) right, of course. It "probably" won't be... but then again it just MIGHT!    Where there's hope there's ... sweet, sweet candy. BAM!

      Now for some reason Billy West's site is down.

   and hopefully forever.

Classy, homerjaysimpson. Real classy.
  

   Plot:

   Groening said he was inspired by the "Star Trek" movie this summer enough that the updated "Futurama" may take a similar tact to explain the launch of this run.

Uh-oh. I don't like the sound of that!

[Reply #50 on:]

   Groening said he was inspired by the "Star Trek" movie this summer enough that the updated "Futurama" may take a similar tact to explain the launch of this run.

*headdesk*

That just screams "RESET BUTTON" to me.  He could be thinking of something completely different from the movie, but that's what I'm getting from it.

Incidentally, it looks like Billy's site is back up.  He still hasn't commented on the new episodes yet.

[Reply #51 on:]

26 EPISODES!!!!!!!! *head explodes*

[Reply #52 on:]

Who voted bad?


By the way.. with those 26 eps FOX may get 3 seasons

[Reply #53 on:]

Ha!  I knew it!  26 new episodes on Comedy Central!  We'll finally see what happens after they go through the wormhole!  Hooray!  Futurama is finally back as new episodes!  Hooray!    Even if we have to wait a year to see new episodes, I can wait that long! 

[Reply #54 on:]

   Groening said he was inspired by the "Star Trek" movie this summer enough that the updated "Futurama" may take a similar tact to explain the launch of this run.

*headdesk*

That just screams "RESET BUTTON" to me.  He could be thinking of something completely different from the movie, but that's what I'm getting from it.

Incidentally, it looks like Billy's site is back up.  He still hasn't commented on the new episodes yet.

Dear God No!

"Okay boys, we painted ourselves into a corner.  Let's see, Leela will soon hate Fry while she falls in love with Amy.  Leela will hate Fry so much she'll try to kill him in the most horrific ways possible, yet Fry will still chase after her like a dog in heat.  Meanwhile Amy becomes Leela's lover and bondage partner."

"Bravo Mr. Groening!  (sounds of ass being kissed)  We thinking the very same thing." from the writers.


no.  No.  NO!  Don't fuck with it - we like it the way it is.

Damned RESET BUTTON!

[Reply #55 on:]

As far as the reset button goes, MG and DXC gave this interview before the release of ItWGY, and I think this bit is kind of telling:

IGN: What's still on your to-do list, then?

Groening: We painted ourselves a little bit into a corner at the end of this movie, but there's a little emotional, I don't know, satisfaction, I think. If you're a real fan. If you pay close attention, it's very quick, and that was a change we made at the very end of the process, and it's in part because a woman who is a real fan came running up to me -- I think at the San Diego Comic Con, maybe someplace else -- and begged me not to end the series without Fry and Leela having some kind of emotional connection. So without going into what it is, there's some sweetness to it.

Cohen: I was just telling Matt, even though we don't know what our fate is yet, I find myself every time I'm in the shower -- which is where I get all my best thinking done, I'm in this fog where real life hasn't entered my brain yet in the morning -- I find myself working out the next episode, what will happen after this DVD. And I feel that I have it pretty much worked out, so I'm ready to go.

So I think that MG is kind of concerned about how, exactly, to follow up the events of ItWGY (his "painted ourselves into a corner" comment suggests, to me, that he'd be a big proponent of the reset button). DXC, however, seems to know where he wants to take the show (he's talked about one particular storyline that I won't discuss in this thread, for the sake of its no-spoilers promise; Frida Waterfall talks about it in the spoiler/speculation thread). I'm thinking that he might have a way to bring Futurama back without completely disregarding what happened in ItWGY...or any of the other movies, for that matter (though there was a hell of a lot I'd like to forget).

[Reply #56 on:]

Yay futurama!

[Reply #57 on:]

Yeah, I don't see them screwing this up.  I think they'll keep doing what they've been doing.

[Reply #58 on:]

I hope they don't decide to go back in time. I also doubt they will. They're going to pick up where they left off, methinks.

Also - awesome.

[Reply #59 on:]

Yeah they've done time travel enough already and that seems like a massive cheat. I give the writers more credit than that.

[Reply #60 on:]

So I think that MG is kind of concerned about how, exactly, to follow up the events of ItWGY (his "painted ourselves into a corner" comment suggests, to me, that he'd be a big proponent of the reset button).

I really don't understand this man. He's the one - according to DXC in the ITWGY commentary - who pushed for Fry and Leela kissing in the end and now he feels like he doesn't know what to do with this plotline?
Thank god we have DXC.

[Reply #61 on:]

Awesome, awesome to the max! What clool news this is. 2 more seasons of 13 episodes each is what I heard, I haven't read it but someone told me that was what's gonna happen. I'm not hugely surprised it's returning. I was 50/50 before the movies, but once they got made I was quite confident we'd get more but it's great to have confirmation...

[Reply #62 on:]

Futurama had 72 original and the 16 movie episodes bringing the total to 88 episodes so far.  With the DVD sales seemingly successful, I was always fairly confident we would get at least 12 more episodes in one way or another, to bring the total to 100 episodes.  It was in 20th Century's best interest to get Futurama to at least 100 episodes.  Then they could make even more money off it by selling it to non-cable, regular broadcast syndication all across the US.

But 26 new episodes! Wow.  That makes me think 20th Century or Comedy Central see potential in continuing it as a regular series beyond the 26 new episodes.

From the Hollywood Reporter article

20th TV has the right to shop the new "Futurama" episodes to a broadcast network, with Comedy Central getting a second window for a reduced license fee. Fox is the prime target, and the studio had had a preliminary conversation but no serious talks are expected in the near future.

So if the FOX network doesn't take it would any of the other networks even be interested in it at all?  I know we will get to see it on Comedy Central either way.

ABC
CBS
NBC
CW

Think any of those networks would want it if FOX doesn't?

[Reply #63 on:]

This thread is a no-brainer.  Of COURSE it's awesome that Futurama is back! 

[Reply #64 on:]

Well, if The Cleveland Show does go well then I doubt we'll see Futurama on Fox again. Of the other networks, none have had an animated show in eons. I don't think that the CW would have the money to buy it, ABC has its own problems, NBC just got rid of 5 hrs of programming per week with Leno but is the last place network right now and Futurama's a kind of show they like (sci-fi, witty, etc), and I'm not sure if Futurama's really a CBS kind of a show, although it would do fantastic paired with How I Met Your Mother and they love buying shows with promise and letting them run over there (unlike, say, every other network), and it's a Viacom network.

So, in conclusion, I don't see Fox pulling The Cleveland Show when they still have lots more of episodes to air, and I don't see them going down to 7:30 to air new cartoons after the debacle that caused Futurama to be here now. Of the other networks, the most likely would be either NBC or CBS, with the latter being more likely of the two.

[Reply #65 on:]

Of the other networks, none have had an animated show in eons.

Isn't ABC currently airing the animated show "The Goode Family" How is that doing in the ratings? I haven't seen it or heard about it much, so maybe it's not doing so well.

So if ABC is truly interested in having an animated show they might be interested in Futurama.

[Reply #66 on:]

Aww snap. I saw the rumor story the other day, and now it's confirmed. Awesome.

[Reply #67 on:]

websurfer: According to this, it's not looking good for it. I hadn't even heard about it before you mentioned it.

[Reply #68 on:]

Does anyone think that Comedy Central might try to break the 26 episodes up into 2 separate 13 episode seasons over 2 years?  I fear they might.

If that's the case I would much prefer a broadcast network gets the show first because they would presumable show 20+ episodes a year, and we wouldn't have to wait as long between episodes.  But if that doesn't happen I'm perfectly happy with 13 episode seasons, it's much better than no Futurama.

To me if I was a network executive it seems like a smart move to pickup Futurama. It already has a built in fan-base.  It could help a competing network start an animation block similar to FOXs. But then again I'm not a network executive.

[Reply #69 on:]

websurfer, I had mentioned it in the "Comic-Con" thread which is linked from the first page of this thread. Here's what I said:

Also, please note that it does not say a 26-episode season. On Comedy Central, seasons of South Park are usually ~14 episodes and have 7 in the spring and 7 in the fall. This will likely be the case with Futurama. Given how it takes time to reboot-up production, how South Park's seasons work, and that the article says "air beginning in 2010", I'd say first part of Broadcast Season 7 will be in early October 2010 and the second part will be in late March 2011. Yes, that's a whole year away {hears n00bs crying} but remember it took over 2 years between announcement and release of Bender's Big Score, so saying it'll air at latest in Fall 2010 is amazingly quick in comparison.

However, I feel that shorter seasons for the 26 episodes will allow for the show to be more likely to be renewed for a longer length of time. If the first part of the first new season does well, they'll likely say "well, let's invest for the long term now", possibly increasing the order for the second season and insuring a third or more. With a 26-episode network season (which is a pretty long for even network standards), the expectations are extremely high and the choice to renew has to be made early since animation takes a while. With two seasons, you can wait until the first season pans out before buying more, and you won't have to have to wait for the studio to re-reboot production.

[Reply #70 on:]

Great Zombie Jesus!  What great news.  Come on, mid-2010!  No fears -  there is no such thing as "bad Futurama" when you consider the alternative. 

Also, how about a nice little "thank you" to Cartoon Network for keeping it going until CC picked it up and Fox agreed to the dvds? 

[Reply #71 on:]

[Reply #72 on:]

newby chiming in.....

i am a big time fanboy of futurama. when i found out we were getting a couple of new seasons after we got the 4 movies,i almost lost my cool. i am really happy david gets to work out some more of the stories he probably has had in his mind for the past few years.

i am sure that like myself,some of you guys have listened to the commentaries over and over(i know them almost as well as the actual episodes). i usually use them to fall asleep to(not that they are boring,i just sleep better when someones talking...i am sure you married guys can understand). hearing the explanations of the more complex math and physics "jokes" is very interesting to me.

i am interested to see how they deal with the fry/leela kiss at the end of the last movie.

[Reply #73 on:]

Welcome to PEEL, the corpse! We got some rules around here (ugh, I know) and they can be found in these FAQs found on our wiki, WikiPEELia. Read them, learn then, love them, and enjoy your stay!

[Reply #74 on:]

i am sure that like myself,some of you guys have listened to the commentaries over and over(i know them almost as well as the actual episodes). i usually use them to fall asleep to(not that they are boring,i just sleep better when someones talking...i am sure you married guys can understand). hearing the explanations of the more complex math and physics "jokes" is very interesting to me.

That was weird, I could have sworn you were me for a second there.

[Reply #75 on:]

I'm still taking in the full shock of Futurama actually coming back. New episodes. New material I xan watch and new exciting plots that will unravel the mysteries stuff things up and put them together again. And I sure hope that of is much better than the last futurama mo is. Hooray!

Typos typos typos I have no time to change them.

[Reply #76 on:]

websurfer, I had mentioned it in the "Comic-Con" thread which is linked from the first page of this thread. Here's what I said:

Also, please note that it does not say a 26-episode season. On Comedy Central, seasons of South Park are usually ~14 episodes and have 7 in the spring and 7 in the fall. This will likely be the case with Futurama. Given how it takes time to reboot-up production, how South Park's seasons work, and that the article says "air beginning in 2010", I'd say first part of Broadcast Season 7 will be in early October 2010 and the second part will be in late March 2011. Yes, that's a whole year away {hears n00bs crying} but remember it took over 2 years between announcement and release of Bender's Big Score, so saying it'll air at latest in Fall 2010 is amazingly quick in comparison.

However, I feel that shorter seasons for the 26 episodes will allow for the show to be more likely to be renewed for a longer length of time. If the first part of the first new season does well, they'll likely say "well, let's invest for the long term now", possibly increasing the order for the second season and insuring a third or more. With a 26-episode network season (which is a pretty long for even network standards), the expectations are extremely high and the choice to renew has to be made early since animation takes a while. With two seasons, you can wait until the first season pans out before buying more, and you won't have to have to wait for the studio to re-reboot production.

October 2010?  I think we can expect them earlier.  If you read some of the news, you would have noticed the line,  and I paraphrasing, "part of the deal was to trim production, so a trimmed writing staff and shorter delivery schedule".

If they are first going to air in October 2010, they are not holding up to their end of the bargain.

[Reply #77 on:]

i just hope they realise that squeezing them out the door asap could damage them, and lose them money.

[Reply #78 on:]

A lot of computer rendering went into Futurama - it was/is very complex compared to The Simpsons or Family Guy, however computers are a lot faster than a decade ago.  Since several episodes are made at the same time and RDS has the basics of the characters, ships and other common effects, it's not like they're starting from scratch.

Animation is only part of the story - the stories themselves must be worthy of the name Futurama.

[Reply #79 on:]

26 episodes?? That'll be Futurama's biggest season ever! And just passing Simpsons biggest seasons too!
Also when this shows, Futurama will be over 100 Episodes!!! Hot diggity daffodil!