Inside Move: 'Futurama' may get new lease on life Toon with a past may get new life on Fox TV By MICHAEL SCHNEIDER "Futurama" may live to see the year 3000 after all. Talks have begun at 20th Century Fox TV to revive the animated skeinskein, which takes place in the next millennium, much in the same way "Family Guy""Family Guy" found new life after cancellation. The studio is in early discussions to put "Futurama" back in production and create a limited number of episodes of the Emmy Award-winning skein -- although it's too soon to tell where those segs might end up. A reprep for 20th Century Fox TV declined comment. The final original episode of "Futurama" aired on Fox in August 2003. But since then, the skein has found new life -- and fans -- via DVD releases and repeatedly high-rated airings on the Cartoon Network. "Futurama" remains popular enough that Comedy CentralComedy Central even stole away off-netoff-net rights to the show's repeats late last year; it will switch to the laffer cablercabler in 2008. A similar resurgence in interest for "Family Guy" persuaded 20th Century Fox TV to revive that show, which has produced two seasons of new episodes and a DVD since coming back from the dead. "Family Guy" now resides as Fox's Sunday 9 p.m. tentpole. "Futurama" scored three Emmys in its five-season run, including the 2002 award for animated series. But it lived an unusual existence on Fox, with short seasons, late launches and long gaps between airings. That allowed Fox to air five seasons of "Futurama," even though technically only four were produced. "The Simpsons""The Simpsons" creator Matt Groening and "Simpsons" vet David X. Cohen were behind "Futurama," which bowed on Fox in March 1999. The animated skein revolved around Fry, a pizza delivery boy who's accidentally frozen for 1,000 years. He wakes up in the year 3000 and befriends cyclops Leela and cranky robot Bender -- all of whom work for the intergalactic delivery service run by Fry's distantly descended nephew, Prof. Farnsworth. Before "Futurama" comes back into being, however, 20th first must secure deals with the show's production team, as well as voice stars including Billy West (Fry), Katey Sagal (Leela) and John DiMaggio (Bender). Meanwhile, even after the cancellation new "Futurama" stories have continued to be churned out via the "Futurama" comicbook, published by Groening's Bongo Comics imprint. Date in print: Wed., Jan. 4, 2006, Los Angeles http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=slanguage_result&slang=skein&page=Slanguage&display=skein I seem to recall some people having some trouble with industry terms like "skein" the last time I posted a Variety article. If you read the story on Variety's page, these types of words are linked to a glossary. "Skein," for example, means a TV series. Oh, and I think these tems are silly too. I love this show and I think one of the reasons it was so great was that people like David X Cohen, who wrote for the Simpsons in it's prime, were driving the show.
Bring it back once the Simpsons finally ends. That way Groening can devote his full mind to it and it will be great.
The Simpsons could go on for 4 or more years. Besides, Groening had time for both before. It's not like he writes and directs the episodes, he just approves or disapproves of what the staff does.
I liked it more once it was on Cartoon Network for some reason. Some of those shows seem to work better later at night. It would be cool if it came back.
I like Futurama better than the Simpsons these days. I just can't watch the Simpsons much anymore, for some reason. Futurama is great though. Off-topic, but did anyone watch Scrubs last night. Damn that show is hilarious.
Further proof that Fox has no idea how to run a network. Futurama was killed because they couldn't promote it properly, a la Family Guy. I would be psyched for a return, I think that Futurama is a more consistent series than the Simpsons.
Alright, Oski2005. You are really starting to freak me out. The repeated words I can deal with, but the whole 'skein' thing is downright weird. Here's another example from one of your previous posts: LinkSkeinLinkSkeinSkeinLinkLink
I think the main reason is because on Cartoon Network you knew when the show was going to be on. For the last couple of years on FOX, I had no idea when new Futuramas were showing.....it would go away for like month, come back for an episode and then disappear again....
mothereffing f***. i remembered at 7 pm to watch it at 8 and then completely forgot about it until just now. if they would just show it every tuesday or have started it like any other series i wouldn't have just missed last night's episode, dammit.
It was my first time to watch it, I was told by the other Arrrested Development lovers that it was great so I gave it a try.. Funny show, I think it takes some time getting some of the humor, but I loved the "Bank Farter" joke..
