Variety story on the cancellation...

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20020213/tv_nm/television_futurama_dc_1

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'Futurama' Waiting to See if It Has One Wed Feb 13, 1:38 AM ET By Josef Adalian

HOLLYWOOD (Variety) - The future's not so bright for "Futurama."

Fox Broadcasting has told the cartoon's executive producer, Matt Groening, that it can't immediately commit to ordering any additional episodes beyond those that have already been produced for this season and next. Because of the long lead time for animated projects, Groening needed a commitment this month in order to keep the show's scribes on staff and the skein in production for the 2003-04 season.

The network could still order more episodes down the line, though that seems a long shot. The final call on whether to revive the series should Fox order more episodes would be Groening's.

Of the 72 episodes of "Futurama" in the can, only 48 have aired. The show was preempted through most of the fall and early winter due to NFL overruns; a similar air pattern will likely reduce the number of episodes that'll air next year. Despite virtually no promotion and frequent pre-emptions, "Futurama" has still managed to win its 7 p.m. Sunday slot this season in teens, adults 18-34 and adults 18-49. Executives at producer 20th Century Fox TV have already had early talks about launching the show in syndication, though no deals are close.

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In article , [email] wrote:

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20020213/tv_nm/television_futurama_dc_1

Meaning our best bet would seem to be Comedy Central or maybe Sci-Fi Channel. (Hey! Anybody up for a few hundred more Earth: Final Conflict promos, followed by a few hundred Lexx promos, followed by a few hundred Outer Limits promos... Sci-Fi has got AIR TO FILL, if you know what I mean.)

While people have been complaining about cancellations since the 40's, and even speaking as a fan, there seem to be very, very few traditional reasons to cancel Futurama. And FOX execs know perfectly damn well that production can't just sit on hold for a year - they know this means cancellation.

Anybody here a FOX shareholder? You'll be happy to know they want to exchange first-run, prime-time advertising revenue with split/barter syndication ad revenue. (That's bad.)

David Z Houston TX

Same article at CNN.com, posted this morning: http://www.cnn.com/2002/SHOWBIZ/TV/02/13/television.futurama.reut/index.html

First of all, I'm surprised only 48 of 72 episodes have run. I know it's probably old news to most here. I know a lot of shows have been preempted and whatnot, but 72?? Jeez, that's a LOT of unaired episodes. I figured there were only 6-10 unaired eps.

Second, I'm pissed just as everybody else is that Futurama's getting really crappy treatment from Fox. The time slot it's in is practically a death sentence. It's a tribute to it's creators and fans that it still manages to win its time slot. The ONLY time it's getting any promotion at all seems to 10 minutes before it actually airs; I can't remember the last time I saw a commercial for it on a weeknight.

Chris

"Bart Van Hemelen" wrote in message news:[email]...

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20020213/tv_nm/television_ futurama_dc_1

In article , [email] says...

You can check out the list of missing eps when you follow the link in my sig.

-< Moon >-

chris wrote:

http://www.cnn.com/2002/SHOWBIZ/TV/02/13/television.futurama.reut/index.html

You know the worst part of learning about the unaired episodes? It's knowing in advance that we are in for another year or two of preemptions, cancellations, and interruptions! Fox execs have already factored that into their decision.

in article [email], Andy Blanchard at [email] wrote on 2/13/02 4:16 PM:

With the writing and production staffs finding other jobs, I think it's wishful thinkin'

yeah, at 4 new episodes per season, that's, uh, 6 more years!

"Andy Blanchard" wrote in message news:[email]...