canned eggs
Space Pope
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« on: 07-13-2003 20:49 »
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While we all agree it's tragic that Futurama was cut down in its prime, I also detect among posters here some measure of relief that, in dying early, the show was spared the indignity of "jumping the shark." Especially in light of the slow and painful decline in quality on the Simpsons, which provides an ideal and accessible object lesson in the fate of shows people just can't let go of in time. This all reminds me very much of the philosophy of the turn-of-the-century English poet A.E. Housman. His view is that, while it is tragic to die young, it is pathetic to grow old, and the one evil may be lesser than the other. It is better to burn out, they say, than fade away. This is very movingly captured in his poem "to an athlete dying young." This, in an ironic twist, is the very same poem Krusty excerpts in one of his innumerable attempts to retire, on the Simpsons. Whenever I read this poem (which is in the public domain), it always reminds me of the fate of Futurama:
The time you won your town the race We chaired you through the market-place; Man and boy stood cheering by, And home we brought you shoulder-high.
To-day, the road all runners come, Shoulder-high we bring you home, And set you at your threshold down, Townsman of a stiller town.
Smart lad, to slip betimes away From fields where glory does not stay And early though the laurel grows It withers quicker than the rose.
Eyes the shady night has shut Cannot see the record cut, And silence sounds no worse than cheers After earth has stopped the ears:
Now you will not swell the rout of lads that wore their honours out, Runners whom renown outran And the name died before the man.
So set, before its echoes fade, The fleet foot on the sill of shade, And hold to the low lintel up The still-defended challenge-cup.
And round that early-laurelled head Will flock to gaze the strengthless dead, And find unwithered on its curls The garland briefer than a girl's.
This isn't really one of those yes-or-no questionnaire threads, I'm sure questions like this have been asked before, but I want to find out what people think of this philosophy regarding Futurama; who will travel the stoic road and agree that an early death at the height of the show's glory and dignity befits it best, and who says "screw dignity as long as we get more Futurama!"
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Coop
Professor
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Wow, quite a naysayer alexvilagosh. But I agree somewhat, I think a movie would be really cool and a game even cool though. But I agree the episodes have been slipping.
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Anarchist
Professor
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I disagree completely. I think Futurama died *before* its prime. Sure, 4ACV had some mediocre episodes, but it also had some of the best ones. Futurama's fate is the exact opposite of that of The Simpsons.
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zoidyzoid
Professor
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I'm somewhere in between. I am glad that Futurama never 'Jumped the shark' but I think there was at least one good season left. A movie would be great in a way, but it would have to be at the standard of one of the better episodes, or else it would "cheapen and crappen the whole of Futurama".
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Anarchist
Professor
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« Reply #12 on: 07-13-2003 22:00 »
« Last Edit on: 07-13-2003 22:00 »
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For a movie something really crappy and unimaginative would have to happen, like Fry and Leela getting together or something. On behalf of all the shippers in the Futurama community, I give you a virtual bitchslap for that remark. Heh, just kidding. Seriously though, Futurama had some excellent plotlines that spanned the entire length of the show. They could easily come up with grade-A movie material. It doesn't *have* to be written to last 22 minutes to be good and to be Futurama. And working something like Fry and Leela getting together into the movie can be done in a very good way, without making it "crappy and unimaginative".
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Anarchist
Professor
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Three ways, Venus. Happy, sad, and bitter-sweet.
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zoidyzoid
Professor
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A movie could work, but it could alo suck. And as you can see from the mixed reviews and opinions of most, if not all episodes, it's hard to please everyone.
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El Zilcho
Professor
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A movie would also probably be (co)written by DXC, and the two eps he wrote were pure genius.
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evilmonkey1686
Crustacean
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I think a Futurama movie would work because it is more of a story then, say, Family Guy.
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zoidyzoid
Professor
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I haven't seen The Why Of Fry yet, but the others are all top notch.
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Beamer
DOOP Secretary
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Originally posted by Mercapto: Written by David X. Cohen:
- "Space Pilot 3000" (with Matt Groening)
- "Xmas Story"
- "Raiders of the Lost Arcade" from AOI2
- "The Why of Fry"
Didn't he also write the third What-If story for AOI1 (the one where Fry doesn't get frozen)? And I also thought he co-wrote The Day The Earth Stood Stupid, too?
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Mercapto
Professor
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Right, I forgot about Fry's segment in AOI1.
"The Day Earth Stood Stupid" had teleplay by Jeff Westbrook, and story by Jeff Westbrook and David X. Cohen.
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evilmonkey1686
Crustacean
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i just want closure. that was why i was so pissed about Farscape's cancellation, no closure at all. actually if you watched the last episode it had the complete opposite of closure.
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Rage Dump
Liquid Emperor
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« Reply #36 on: 07-14-2003 05:59 »
« Last Edit on: 07-14-2003 05:59 »
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@evilmonkey *Not 100% sure about this* The last episode in season 5 (futurama not farscape) was whipped up just before the show got cancelled, just in case it did get cancelled, so we should get a 'final' episode and not a 'last' episode if you get my meaning. EDIT: Got this idea from CGEF or www.TVtome.com cant remember which one
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