Animation insider's thoughts on the Futurama cancellation
03-11-03, 01:02 PM
#1
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
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Animation insider's thoughts on the Futurama cancellation
My magazine recently conducted an interview with Scott Roberts, the guy who works on the Rugrats newspaper strip and the Dexter's Laboratory comics. He's also working on Wild Thornberry's. So, essentially, he's an animation industry insider with a lot of friends in the business. Most of the interview is about the industry.
We asked him about his thoughts on the Futurama cancellation, and I thought people here would find it of interest.
That essentially jives with what I've heard from others. Too bad, as Futurama was one of the best shows on television. Full interview can be found here.
We asked him about his thoughts on the Futurama cancellation, and I thought people here would find it of interest.
Question: Why do you suppose Fox gave up on Futurama?
SR: Well, I don't want to get into the dirty laundry, but some of this was already in the press - I feel that a lot of it was punishing Matt Groening for not allowing the executives to be involved in the creative end of the show. When he created The Simpsons along with Sam Simon and James L. Brooks, they were a closed shop. They were left alone to do the show their way. And there were some notes from censors once they started seeing things, but effectively, the creative control was in their own hands. The Simpsons, of course, put Fox on the map, made it much more of a network than it ever was before, and [the executives] were aware of that, so they wanted to continue that success into other venues. But when they allowed Matt Groening to develop a new show, now they wanted a bigger piece of the pie. And the executives, being non-creative people, would like to be able to go around saying, "I made that show a success; it was my input." And he denied them that right by saying "No, we don't want your input." So I think they kinda slapped it back at him by giving him very little support, putting it in a ridiculously early time slot, where it's constantly pre-empted. You're lucky if a new season is three or four episodes.
And they made the same mistake a few times of putting an animated show that was just starting to get great notice and good ratings up against something with better ratings on another network, assuming that they'd beat them. They almost killed King of the Hill by putting it opposite Home Improvement. They very nearly killed The Family Guy - which they eventually pulled the plug on anyway - by putting it opposite Frasier. It did not beat Frasier in the ratings. It was lucky that it survived at all…
SR: Well, I don't want to get into the dirty laundry, but some of this was already in the press - I feel that a lot of it was punishing Matt Groening for not allowing the executives to be involved in the creative end of the show. When he created The Simpsons along with Sam Simon and James L. Brooks, they were a closed shop. They were left alone to do the show their way. And there were some notes from censors once they started seeing things, but effectively, the creative control was in their own hands. The Simpsons, of course, put Fox on the map, made it much more of a network than it ever was before, and [the executives] were aware of that, so they wanted to continue that success into other venues. But when they allowed Matt Groening to develop a new show, now they wanted a bigger piece of the pie. And the executives, being non-creative people, would like to be able to go around saying, "I made that show a success; it was my input." And he denied them that right by saying "No, we don't want your input." So I think they kinda slapped it back at him by giving him very little support, putting it in a ridiculously early time slot, where it's constantly pre-empted. You're lucky if a new season is three or four episodes.
And they made the same mistake a few times of putting an animated show that was just starting to get great notice and good ratings up against something with better ratings on another network, assuming that they'd beat them. They almost killed King of the Hill by putting it opposite Home Improvement. They very nearly killed The Family Guy - which they eventually pulled the plug on anyway - by putting it opposite Frasier. It did not beat Frasier in the ratings. It was lucky that it survived at all…
03-12-03, 01:54 AM
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What can be said that hasnt already been said about the crap network?
To the execs who did what they did to this show...may all your children be born without anuses.
To the execs who did what they did to this show...may all your children be born without anuses.
Can't wait to own it!
03-12-03, 01:40 PM
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All these executive types like to have a hands on approach. So I'm not surprised at the petty revenge they took on Matt Groening.
I remember once Howard Stern said he pitched a show to UPN and at the he said to the UPN brass, "You know something. I know this is a good idea. But how do I know you guys can recognize a good idea." What happened to Futurama is more evidence they can't.
I remember once Howard Stern said he pitched a show to UPN and at the he said to the UPN brass, "You know something. I know this is a good idea. But how do I know you guys can recognize a good idea." What happened to Futurama is more evidence they can't.
03-12-03, 04:03 PM
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Originally posted by Captain Harlock
I remember once Howard Stern said he pitched a show to UPN and at the he said to the UPN brass, "You know something. I know this is a good idea. But how do I know you guys can recognize a good idea." What happened to Futurama is more evidence they can't.
I remember once Howard Stern said he pitched a show to UPN and at the he said to the UPN brass, "You know something. I know this is a good idea. But how do I know you guys can recognize a good idea." What happened to Futurama is more evidence they can't.
03-12-03, 07:57 PM
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Originally posted by Tuan Jim
Son of the Beach?
Son of the Beach?
03-12-03, 10:27 PM
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Futurama still has episodes unseen that fox will stretch over time..
Family guy was canned and will be shown on cartoon network int he coming future were futurama is currently enjoying late night viewings at 11 daily.
Family guy was canned and will be shown on cartoon network int he coming future were futurama is currently enjoying late night viewings at 11 daily.
03-12-03, 10:43 PM
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Is there any way Cartoon Network could order new episodes? They have a lot of original shows, and from what I hear, it is getting pretty good ratings on Adult Swim.
03-13-03, 08:00 AM
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I 'm sure it's possible, but unlikely since the writing cast is most likely working on other projects now, and Groening is no doubt contractually tied to work at Fox.
Getting the voice actors lined up shouldn't be a huge problem.
At the very least, they could do a series of "movies", like they do for Scooby Doo.
Getting the voice actors lined up shouldn't be a huge problem.
At the very least, they could do a series of "movies", like they do for Scooby Doo.
03-13-03, 08:31 AM
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Originally posted by Jackskeleton
Family guy was canned and will be shown on cartoon network int he coming future were futurama is currently enjoying late night viewings at 11 daily.
Family guy was canned and will be shown on cartoon network int he coming future were futurama is currently enjoying late night viewings at 11 daily.
03-13-03, 08:36 AM
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On a 'Family Guy' sidenote, the show will air on Cartoon Network Sunday through Thursday at 1130p right after 'Futurama.' ('Home Movies' will be taking a little rest.) It's going to be a limited, 5-week run beginning April 20th. If all goes well, the show may return in the Fall.
03-13-03, 03:36 PM
#16
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Originally posted by Shemp
On a 'Family Guy' sidenote, the show will air on Cartoon Network Sunday through Thursday at 1130p right after 'Futurama.' ('Home Movies' will be taking a little rest.) It's going to be a limited, 5-week run beginning April 20th. If all goes well, the show may return in the Fall.
On a 'Family Guy' sidenote, the show will air on Cartoon Network Sunday through Thursday at 1130p right after 'Futurama.' ('Home Movies' will be taking a little rest.) It's going to be a limited, 5-week run beginning April 20th. If all goes well, the show may return in the Fall.
Bender says "Sweet zombie jesus" and "jesus" was censored out so family guy could be worse.
03-14-03, 03:05 PM
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I mean this will all due respect, but don't you think it's hypocritical that you’re complaining about censorship when you have censored the quote in your very signature?
I mean, I realize why you did it, because language like that is not acceptable on this forum. But what is in your signature is not what Tarantino wrote. You have taken it upon yourself to censor his work due to the environment in which it appears.
Some people (not necessarily me) find the use of Jesus in non-reverent context to be blasphemous, even worse than f*** or s*** or whatnot. The Standards & Practices department at Turner has deemed that using ‘Jesus’ in ‘Sweet Zombie Jesus’ is inappropriate for the environment in which it appears. Personally, I disagree, but that’s what they decided just like out of the countless lines of dialogue throughout movie history, you chose the one in your signature and censored it.
I mean, I realize why you did it, because language like that is not acceptable on this forum. But what is in your signature is not what Tarantino wrote. You have taken it upon yourself to censor his work due to the environment in which it appears.
Some people (not necessarily me) find the use of Jesus in non-reverent context to be blasphemous, even worse than f*** or s*** or whatnot. The Standards & Practices department at Turner has deemed that using ‘Jesus’ in ‘Sweet Zombie Jesus’ is inappropriate for the environment in which it appears. Personally, I disagree, but that’s what they decided just like out of the countless lines of dialogue throughout movie history, you chose the one in your signature and censored it.
