# Futurama Fans Take Note! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 27, 2004, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/futurama-fans-take-note/236777 "2004-03-27T18:37:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2004, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/futurama-fans-take-note/236777/1 "2004-03-27T18:37:26Z")
Thanks to a [fan site](http://www.gotfuturama.com/), I’ve discovered that Matt Groening is going to be hosting a [special week long edition of Adult Swim.](http://www.animationinsider.net/article.php?forum_id=7&topic_id=9052) Also, [Groening’s going to appear on _The Simpsons_](http://www.usatoday.com/life/2004-03-25-coming-attractions_x.htm) as the creator of _Futurama_! Hmm, perhaps Matt’s working harder to get Fox to bring the show back than I thought. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![LilShieste](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9f8e36/32.png) [@LilShieste](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LilShieste)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2004, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/futurama-fans-take-note/236777/2 "2004-03-27T19:24:05Z")
This is going to be very cool. > [@Tuckerfan](#): > > Hmm, perhaps Matt’s working harder to get Fox to bring the show back than I thought. And _this_ would be even cooler. Thanks for the heads-up, **Tuckerfan**! LilShieste ---
**Author:** ![The\_Great\_Zamboni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@The\_Great\_Zamboni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Great_Zamboni)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2004, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/futurama-fans-take-note/236777/3 "2004-03-28T02:07:50Z")
This would be great! I hope Fox sticks it in the time slot Bernie Mac used to occupy, right after The Simpsons, so it doesn’t keep getting kicked by football games. ---
**Author:** ![emekthian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecae2f/32.png) [@emekthian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emekthian)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2004, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/futurama-fans-take-note/236777/4 "2004-03-28T03:20:47Z")
> [@](#): > > This would be great! I hope Fox sticks it in the time slot Bernie Mac used to occupy, right after The Simpsons, so it doesn’t keep getting kicked by football games. I kinda hope the new episodes go on Adult Swim, and that Fox doesn’t see a penny of the ad revenue. Who knows, it might even be more popular than it would be on Fox. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Great\_Zamboni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@The\_Great\_Zamboni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Great_Zamboni)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2004, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/futurama-fans-take-note/236777/5 "2004-03-28T15:59:24Z")
> [@emekthian](#): > > I kinda hope the new episodes go on Adult Swim, and that Fox doesn’t see a penny of the ad revenue. Who knows, it might even be more popular than it would be on Fox. That leaves out those of us that don’t have cable or satellite, and that’s not fair. I don’t care if Fox gets ad revenue or not. I just want to see the show. ---
**Author:** ![Paranoid\_Randroid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/paranoid_randroid/32/18_2.png) [@Paranoid\_Randroid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paranoid_Randroid)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2004, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/futurama-fans-take-note/236777/6 "2004-03-28T16:54:57Z")
There’s no way in heaven _or_ hell that Cartoon Network could afford new episodes of the lavishly-animated Futurama. I do so wish they could. It’s really a beautiful show to look at. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2004, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/futurama-fans-take-note/236777/7 "2004-03-28T18:07:53Z")
> [@Cheese Monster](#): > > There’s no way in heaven _or_ hell that Cartoon Network could afford new episodes of the lavishly-animated Futurama. I do so wish they could. It’s really a beautiful show to look at. Actually, they could, but they’d have to trim some of the other things in their line up. Seth seemed to indicate that CN had offered to pony up $400,000 per episode, which was about $600,000 short of what they needed per ep. _Futurama_ probably comes in slightly higher than _FG_. ---
**Author:** ![emekthian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecae2f/32.png) [@emekthian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emekthian)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2004, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/futurama-fans-take-note/236777/8 "2004-03-28T20:35:39Z")
> [@](#): > > That leaves out those of us that don’t have cable or satellite, and that’s not fair. I don’t care if Fox gets ad revenue or not. I just want to see the show. Which is why I only “kinda” hope that. I just don’t like the idea of Fox getting ad revenue when they caused the show to be canceled. Of course, if the choice was between no Futurama at all and Futurama on Fox, I’d definately choose the latter. And I’m sure that’s better for those without cable too. ---
**Author:** ![SuperNova](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea666f/32.png) [@SuperNova](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuperNova)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2004, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/futurama-fans-take-note/236777/9 "2004-03-28T21:11:13Z")
Groening isn’t hosting on Cartoon Network till May! D’oh. ---
**Author:** ![LonesomePolecat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a88e57/32.png) [@LonesomePolecat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LonesomePolecat)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2004, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/futurama-fans-take-note/236777/10 "2004-04-05T16:19:20Z")
So what happened to the special episode with Mr. G? Last night all we got was a couple of re-runs. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2004, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/futurama-fans-take-note/236777/11 "2004-04-05T21:54:57Z")
> [@LonesomePolecat](#): > > So what happened to the special episode with Mr. G? Last night all we got was a couple of re-runs. If you’ll check the post above yours, you’ll see that it’s in **May** that Groening’s hosting. ---
**Author:** ![LonesomePolecat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a88e57/32.png) [@LonesomePolecat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LonesomePolecat)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2004, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/futurama-fans-take-note/236777/12 "2004-04-06T12:01:29Z")
> [@Tuckerfan](#): > > If you’ll check the post above yours, you’ll see that it’s in **May** that Groening’s hosting. But it was supposed to have been last Sunday evening that he was to appear as an animated character on the Simpsons. I even recall promos for it. What happened? Why didn’t they broadcast that episode of the Simpsons after promoting it? ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2004, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/futurama-fans-take-note/236777/13 "2004-04-06T22:06:28Z")
> [@LonesomePolecat](#): > > But it was supposed to have been last Sunday evening that he was to appear as an animated character on the Simpsons. I even recall promos for it. What happened? Why didn’t they broadcast that episode of the Simpsons after promoting it? The pat answer is because it’s Fox and they always foul things up, but it might have something to do with basketball game on opposite it (at least I think there was, I don’t know, I was watching _The Simpsons_). ---
**Author:** ![The\_Great\_Zamboni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@The\_Great\_Zamboni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Great_Zamboni)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2004, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/futurama-fans-take-note/236777/14 "2004-04-07T15:18:29Z")
> [@Tuckerfan](#): > > The pat answer is because it’s Fox and they always foul things up, but it might have something to do with basketball game on opposite it (at least I think there was, I don’t know, I was watching _The Simpsons_). That episode was not aired because the voice actors went on strike and the episode didn’t finish production. New episodes might occur very far away, or never again. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2004, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/futurama-fans-take-note/236777/15 "2004-04-08T00:56:14Z")
> [@The Great Zamboni](#): > > That episode was not aired because the voice actors went on strike and the episode didn’t finish production. New episodes might occur very far away, or never again. ☹ So what you’re saying is: that the pat answer was right! ---
**Author:** ![capelcleggs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e95f7d/32.png) [@capelcleggs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capelcleggs)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2004, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/futurama-fans-take-note/236777/16 "2004-04-08T01:39:32Z")
Er, no – all the episodes for this season have finished production. (Animated episodes are produced months in advance.) Fox just rescheduled the episode for April 18, that’s all. As for Futurama coming back, it has two strikes against it: a) It’s very expensive because of all the special animated effects, and b) Its DVDs sold well but didn’t top the charts the way the awful FAMILY GUY did. FAMILY GUY can go back into production because they can have a lowish budget (relative to other animated sitcoms, I mean) and count on DVD sales to make up the rest of the cost. Futurama doesn’t have that going for it; it’s got a cult following but not this inexplicable fanatic following that FAMILY GUY has attracted. And don’t get me started on PINKY AND THE BRAIN being long-cancelled while FAMILY GUY is acclaimed for that blatant Brain ripoff, Stewie (a big-headed little guy who wants to take over the world and talks in flowery language – how darn original!). Sorry, I’m bitter. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2004, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/futurama-fans-take-note/236777/17 "2004-04-08T02:03:31Z")
Make of it what you will, but Rough Draft Studios offices was literally 4 blocks from where I live. I say _was_ becase they closed up that office a couple of months ago. ---
**Author:** ![Trigonal\_Planar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/0ea827/32.png) [@Trigonal\_Planar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trigonal_Planar)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2004, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/futurama-fans-take-note/236777/18 "2004-04-08T05:20:18Z")
**capelcleggs** Glad to see I’m not the only one who thinks Family Guy is absolutely NOT funny and that Stewie is a blatant, less funny rip-off of The Brain (which was an awesome show, btw). ---
**Author:** ![Mockingbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c68b51/32.png) [@Mockingbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mockingbird)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2004, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/futurama-fans-take-note/236777/19 "2004-04-08T05:58:38Z")
> [@Trigonal Planar](#): > > **capelcleggs** > > Glad to see I’m not the only one who thinks Family Guy is absolutely NOT funny and that Stewie is a blatant, less funny rip-off of The Brain (which was an awesome show, btw). Please. When it was just a segment on Animaniacs it was fresh and funny. On its own it was a tired, hacknayed, trite show that went flat faster than a generic cola. Stewie and Brain have one thing in commonP: a desire for world domination. And that, as any Bond movie can show you is NOT original. ---
**Author:** ![capelcleggs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e95f7d/32.png) [@capelcleggs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capelcleggs)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2004, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/futurama-fans-take-note/236777/20 "2004-04-08T06:22:52Z")
While I do prefer “Pinky and the Brain” as an Animaniacs segment, their show was often brilliant – the episode that was almost entirely done in tongue twisters (“You sacked the cocky khaki kicky sack sock plucker”), or the fake “reunion” special, or the satire of Foreign aid (they create their own nation, “Brainania,” to dupe the State Department out of a huge foreign aid loan). Or the truly mind-blowing “Pinky and the Brain and Larry,” a hilarious spoof of the network’s demand for a new character (which alas eventually led to Elmyra being added to the show). Despite the limited premise the writers were ingenous in finding variations on it, and it worked because the two lead characters were so funny. And Stewie had a lot more in common with Brain than the world domination thing: there was the huge head on a small body, the shifty oval-ish eyes, the tendency to talk in flowery, threatening language, the running gag that he makes dire threats that no one takes seriously (“Actually, I am a lab mouse trying to dominate the world” “Ha ha! You wacky little wallpaper hangers crack me up!”). Stewie is the Brain except his voice is Rex Harrison instead of Orson Welles. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/futurama-fans-take-note/236777.md?page=2)