http://news.altavista.com/e?efi=446&ei=2351220&ern=y
Fox Renews 'King of the Hill,' 'Futurama'
By Michael Fleming 01/05/01
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- HOLLYWOOD (Variety) - Fox has renewed "King of the Hill" for next season, and has begun talks to bring back animation warhorse "The Simpsons" for at least another year.
The network has also ordered 18 episodes of "Futurama" for next season, the animated series' fourth, bringing its grand episodic total to 72.
The full-season, 22-episode order for "King of the Hill" makes it the sixth season for the series, which debuted in January 1997.
"I think we're doing well this year, creatively and in the ratings," said "King" co-creator Greg Daniels. "I'm very pleased with how it's going. We're very excited about the renewal."
Due to the long lag time it takes to produce animated series, work has already begun on "King's" sixth season.
The full-season pickup for "King" represents another victory for the animated series, which has found new life on Sunday nights at 7:30 after a disastrous Tuesday run two years ago. "King" has given Fox a solid lead-in player for "The Simpsons," averaging 10.3 million viewers this season.
Daniels said he's not sure how long "King" will continue, but saw no reason the show couldn't go on for many years. "Hopefully we'll only be on one year past the point where we start to suck," he said.