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Matt Groening Talks About Futurama's Comeback
Joel Keller writes "When I was at the Television Critics Association press tour earlier last month, I briefly talked to Matt Groening about Futurama's comeback. I posted the interview to TV Squad a couple of days ago. The man behind the Simpsons and Futurama talks about the latter's comeback, the fun of doing sci-fi in a comedy format, and a few words about the first episode to air on Comedy Central."
Is there a single Sci-fi movie, book, or TV series they DIDN'T lampoon in the first four seasons? The Fry-Leela love story ran its complete arc. Every character did everything people do in their 20s. Even the hottie trust fund chick is spoken for. Did I miss something?
f u cn rd ths u cn gt a gd jb n cmptr prgmng
Whiipii Ka'yeee ... ze'R Baaakk !!! :-)
it died because:
it wasn't given a consistent timeslot
it was constantly preempted by sporting events
it was NEVER promoted by fox
fox is stupid
i don't need to cite sources, as all of these are fairly well established (or i'm lazy)
Good thing it was for something that made a difference like a cartoon show instead of something dull and drab like privacy rights or DRM.
I haven't seen a lot of Family Guy, but I saw it as "joke on the horizon flashing it's lights wildly - joke arrives but you already know what it is - joke stays for an extra agonising minute as the character sings the second verse of the song the initially funny reference was to so that everyone will catch the pop reference". To me it seemed as pointless as "Man In The Moon" which seemed to be about how funny racist jokes are if you pretend it's about a country that doesn't exist - there's something in some brands of US humor I don't get. Simpsons, Futurama, Marx Bros, Chaplin and most of Mel Brooks is the stuff I can see as funny.
Does Matt Groening even work on The Simpsons anymore? It's had a "design by committee" feel to it for years.
What's the ugliest part of your body? Some say your nose, some say your toes, but I think it's your mind. -Zappa
...joke stays for an extra agonising minute...That is the joke. They don't leave it hanging out there so "everyone will catch it", they let it fester in all it's painful glory; then when you can't stand it any more they push a little farther, then move on. Lather, rinse, repeat.
Both Futurama and Family Guy have fantastic subtleties that can often come in unexpected packaging - it's up to the viewer to catch on and appreciate them.Family Guy, I think, could be a lot better than it is if only the writers would grow up. They really do have some funny stuff, but the problem is every other joke is a sex joke that can only possible entertain prepubescent boys and idiots. Sex jokes are like deep fried foods: in moderation, they're not necessarily bad, but overused, they can ruin the show. If the writers would just quit watering it down with the same crap idiots have been giggling about since junior high, the show would have a much higher quality.
And I'm going to be ... high ... as a kite by then.
I'm a... Rocket Man... Rock-it man.
To have Stewie covering Shatner was the Best. Homage. Ever.
... and then they built the supercollider.
It was too smartish for the perceived audience?
The problem is, that was only funny the first time they did it, not the next fifty. I'm convinced that they only made Family Guy series 4+ because they were told to, rather than because they had any ideas.
Similarly, the Simpsons has outstayed its welcome by around a decade. I don't think Futurama should come back, there's a lot to be said for ending a show when it's still good.
Wow. You are completely wrong. Some of the best episodes were in the last season.