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Futurama May Strike Back (on DVD)

Posted by timothy on from the can't-get-enough-amy dept.

Nik writes "Hot on the heels of Family Guy's revival, Can't Get Enough Futurama is reporting that 'there is renewed talk at FOX about bringing fresh Futurama content directly to DVD.' While nothing is confirmed at this point, it is apparently the first time that a division of Fox has considered producing new episodes of the animated sci-fi series in some time."

14 of 307 comments (clear)

  1. If they bring this back.. by Nifrith · · Score: 5, Funny

    .. the Simpsons can kiss my shiny metal ass.

    1. Re:If they bring this back.. by SamSim · · Score: 5, Funny

      BITE. BITE. BITE MY SHINY METAL ASS. It was the first thing Bender said in the series. Variations include "glorious golden ass" and "splintery wooden ass". He said it at least a dozen times. It was his catchphrase. I don't know how you could forget it.

      --
      qntm.org
  2. Sound Great by knoebelsPT · · Score: 5, Insightful

    No commercials, new episodes, no network censors. I'll be the first in line

  3. Niche marketing vs. Broadcasting by PornMaster · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Well, it makes sense that if they didn't see enough financial benefit to broadcasting it, but there's a strong enough fan base, to sell it to them directly. Capitalism working well. Bravo!

    --
    500GB of disk, 5TB of transfer, $5.95/mo
    1. Re:Niche marketing vs. Broadcasting by nunchux · · Score: 5, Informative

      Futurama is a widely liked show, compared to much of the content available at any one time, yet it's still not cost effective to broadcast?

      Futurama was also a very expensive show. There's a huge list of writers, producers and God-knows-what-they-do executives who are paid quite a bit of money per episode. That's the real problem with the networks-- it's not the actual cost of making a show, it's that every production is top-heavy with people in suits who are paid ghastly sum to give notes. I'm speaking from experience here-- the contact list for a typical network production (animated or live) has more executives than cast and crew. And with so many people with veto power, it's really difficult for something without a very broad appeal to survive.

      Futurama is and was great, but it should have been a cable show. With a low overhead it would have found a comfortable audience and could have lasted for years. But at a network, the cost per episode was literally dozens of times what it costs to produce a cable show like Spongebob or Aqua Teen-- and since it wasn't a hit on the scale of The Simpsons, it had to go.

  4. YEY! Adult swim helps us all out~ by cocoacow · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I think this is proof that adult entertainment is really evolving. And who do we have to thank for all this wonderfullness? Adult Swim.
    They have really shown the world that we want more animation, just like they get in japan. And what better then more episodes of my most favorite show of all time, (besides the simpsons). Seems the quick dissemination of television shows to DVD also really helps show those network borgs just how much we really love a show. Take that Nielsen!

    --
    `B Flicks, `Cool Lick'ah, `Sweet Talk' `in' ManG'
  5. Better than the Simpsons by vitalyb · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I'd hate to offend anyone this is really just what I believe Futurama is. Shows continue if they hit the largest common dominator of the mob watching the show, sadly (aka "2 Fast 2 Furious") the common dominator is quite low.

    Result:
    Simpsons are on their what? 10th season? Futurama was canceled after 5 seasons (and correct me if the numbers are wrong, that's not the point).

    I like Simpsons as well (even if not too much) but as far as humor goes, Futurama is more witty, complicated and deep.

  6. Re:Sci-fi series? by forkazoo · · Score: 5, Funny

    I'd assume the "sci fi" misconception stems from the fact that it takes place in the future, and there are space ships and aliens, and they travel to different planets, and a robot is a main character. It amazes me the number of people who don't realise that it is a historical medical drama. Really just a Dr. Quinn rip off.

  7. How long... by Cyno01 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Before TV is nothing but a preview for DVDs or some sort of streaming on demand system. How many cancled shows have been released on DVD with a bunch of episodes that never even aired?

    --
    "Sic Semper Tyrannosaurus Rex."
  8. Re:I'll believe it when I see it by ucblockhead · · Score: 5, Insightful
    Not necessarily, as airtime is a limited resource. They probably assume that they can put another show in its place that'll bring in more ad revenue. This is quite rational if a show has a strong fan base but gets low overall numbers.


    The shows that do best are stuff that appeals enough to lots and lots of people so that they watch it instead of the other channel. (Roughly speaking.) Lots of people watch stuff on TV just because it's there. A show that most people don't care for but that a few people love will do horribly.


    DVD sales are the opposite. A show makes lots of money on DVD if it can convince someone to pay $59.95 or more for a season. The only people who are going to do this are rabid fans. So on DVD, a show with a bunch of rabid fans will do better than a show that everyone sort of likes but no one loves.


    That's why a "Firefly" can sell more DVDs than "Everybody Loves Raymond". Fewer people like "Firefly", so it got poorer ratings. But the number of people who loved "Firefly" is greater than those who loved "Everybody Loves Raymond", so it sold more DVDs.


    If shows start going "straight to DVD", it could be very good for those of us who likes niche shows. Producers will have to worry less about appealing to the entire TV viewing population and will pay more attention to the rabid fanbase.

    --
    The cake is a pie
  9. iTunes video downloads by Jesse_132 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    It would be great if apple could leverage their iTunes music store by adding the ability to buy episodes directly.

  10. Re:let the quotes begin! by aslate · · Score: 5, Funny

    Fry: You got that off the internet? In my day we only used the internet for pornography.

    Professor: Oh, that's still true.

    Hermes: Behold the internet!

    Fry: My God! It's full of ads!

  11. Re:NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN by Dachannien · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Except that Billy West (voice of Fry, Prof. Farnsworth, Zoidberg, Zapp Brannigan) has indicated that David X. Cohen (writer, exec producer) has talked with the Fox executives, and they were very open to going forward with this. This isn't just rumors from some comic con, this is coming from the actual people who make the show.

  12. They Forgot The Important Link! by aslate · · Score: 5, Informative

    Quoted from Billy West's Message Board:

    Well, I spoke to David X.Cohen because we did promos for a new Futurama compilation and he said that they did have talks with the top guys at FOX and they were extremely impressed with the sales of the Futurama DVDs. The idea was to make a Futurama movie right to DVD and then a 2nd and a 3rd. That's what's being discussed. Fox is trying to figure out a budget for the whole project, and it sounded like David X. was very jazzed!

    I would love more than anything to do that show again. I thought it was best experience on every level... creatively, voice-wise, writing, animation and the laughs. The laughs. Writers and performers that respected each other.

    It's got a bit more effect when you have a quote from a voice-actor talking with a producer.