Season 5?

I read in this newsgroup that FOX isn't ordering more episodes because they have enough for a fifth season. Does this mean there are enough episodes in total to syndicate M-F? Can I expect to watch Futurama M-F on Fox 11 (Los Angeles)? It can take one of the Simpson's time slots (and possibly be one of those crossover shows also being on KCOP 13 - the other FOX owned station in LA).

In article , "Drewdawg" wrote:

Errr ... KCOP is UPN, not Fox, and thus owned by Viacom, which also owns CBS.

corrections below "John C. Baker" wrote in message news:[email]...

they

one

station

CBS.

Err, ARGH! Close, but bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzt!!!! Check the records at www.fcc.gov dude! Fox owns both KTTV and KCOP. I won't flame you now, but you do owe me an apology.

Oh, what about the subject?

"Drewdawg" wrote in message news:Kaxl8.2360$[email]...

be

but

Here's the story

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Media giant Viacom announced Wednesday that it will acquire KCAL-TV, the last major independent broadcast station in the Los Angeles market, for $650 million.

Viacom, which owns CBS and its Los Angeles outlet KCBS-TV Channel 2, will buy the station from Young Broadcasting Inc. The acquisition will give Viacom two major stations in the nation's second largest television broadcast market and will enable the company to operate under a duopoly. Three years ago, the Federal Communications Commission eased its rules to allow a single entity to own two television stations in a single market.

The acquisition is expected to close in mid-year 2002, and is subject to FCC review and the expiration of antitrust waiting periods.

Viacom also owns the upstart UPN network and could switch KCAL to UPN when UPN's current affiliation deal with Fox-owned KCOP Channel 13 ends next year. Viacom owns 34 stations, with 15 of them UPN affiliates and the remainder CBS units.

(Copyright 2002 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

"Drewdawg" wrote in message news:Kaxl8.2360$[email]...

be

but

OK then. Can anyone comment on Futurama being on five days a week?

On Thu, 21 Mar 2002 19:53:59 -0800, "Drewdawg" wrote:

It's not.

Or do you mean in theory?

With only 72 episodes, the entire series would repeat three times a year with 40 days to spare. People would get bored of it quickly and then it would be canceled. Since VCRs are well under $100 and tapes are $1.50, dedicated fans will all tape them and no one else wants to see them that frequently.

Look at what happened to MST3K when CC ran it every day. The ratings started dropping and soon it was canceled. Unless they do a lot more episodes, it would be better to run Futurama once or twice a week.

--Larry

in line "Larry" wrote in message news:[email]...

CRAP! I read here (somewhere) that they haven't ordered more episodes because they had enough for a fifth season. Maybe this 5th season is in addition to the 72 episodes you cite. That should put the total to at least 100 (though 20 eps per season is woefully weak).

I agree. I say give it at least 200 episodes, then syndicate. However, if FOX gets stupid and yanks it, it would be cool that syndication is a possibility (so those of us who haven't taped it off prime-time can watch it again).

Drewdawg wrote:

Then again, alt.tv.futurama would be in for a slew of "They cut <insert your favorite gag from an episode> out of the episode!" the way alt.tv.simpsons was back beginning in September of 1994 (unfortunately, Google's archives seem to have a blind spot for alt.tv.simpsons between September 17 and October 14, 1994, so most of the original syndication-bashing posts are missing).

(I'm also pretty sure the "72 episodes" includes what Fox plans as the entire fifth season.)

On Fri, 22 Mar 2002 18:47:11 -0800, "Drewdawg" wrote:

Unfortunately, unless they order more, there's only 72 total. Since it took them almost three years to run the first 48, the 24 new ones would last into a fifth year.

As of now, there have been 50 or 51 shown and 21-22 left to show. Hopefully, they'll order more before all the writer and animators get other jobs. It is looking a bit doubtful, but you never know.

--Larry