A couple of days ago, Collider got the scoop from an inside source that Comedy Central had ordered 13 new episodes of the ultra-popular sci-fi cartoon, Futurama. This was huge news that everyone had been anxiously waiting to hear about after we found out that Fox was pondering what to do with the show after a successful four-movie direct-to-DVD run. While I too was buzzing with excitement, I must admit, I was also incredibly skeptical due to the fact that this was the exact same order that Comedy Central made in 2006 before the four movies came out, and because when we last heard news, Futurama was waiting on Fox, not Comedy Central. Who was I to know they could tag team.
As it turns out, Collider’s insider was on the scent, and we can all now rejoice: Futurama is OFFICIALLY coming back to the air on Comedy Central, who have ordered not 13 episodes, but 26 new episodes!
20th Century Fox has put out a press release stating that due to the success of the four movies and the popularity of the show’s reruns on Comedy Central, they have made an initial order of 26 half-hour episodes that will also air on Comedy Central. Fox also retains the rights to air these episodes on a broadcast network, if they so choose.
That’s right, kids — not only are we getting Futurama back, but we’re getting it back in its true format: 30-minute episodes. For those who hate Matt Damon and his math, that’s 13 brand new hours of Futurama bliss. Better yet, they mention in the press release that this is an initial order, so when these new episodes begin airing in 2010, watch every single second so that we can keep this thing going for as long as possible this time!
Futurama co-creators Matt Groening and David X. Cohen both commented on the news that their six-year break was over and the show was finally coming back.
Groening said:
We’re thrilled ‘Futurama’ is coming back. We now have only 25,766 episodes to make before we catch up with Bender and Fry in the year 3000.
Cohen added:
We’re excited and amazed that the show is coming back, perhaps due to some sort of mysterious time loop. We look forward to working with COMEDY CENTRAL and 20th Television to make this the best iteration of the loop yet!
Another interesting comment was made by 20th Century Fox TV Chairmen Gary Newman and Dana Walden.
When we brought back ‘Family Guy’ several years ago, everyone said that it was a once-in-a-lifetime thing – that canceled series stay canceled and cannot be revived. But ‘Futurama’ was another series that fans simply demanded we bring back, and we couldn’t have been happier when Matt and David agreed that there were many more stories yet to tell.
So while Fox has given us oh, so many reasons to hate them over the years — this is now twice that they’ve recognized the fans’ voices, and remedied their initial mistake. For that, I can bite the bullet and say Fox, thank you for at least giving these shows their fair second chance, it is undeniably appreciated.
This of course means that I can not go this whole piece without mentioning the one big show left for Fox to fix for us: Firefly (Read: Once Again, The Choices That Might Ignite The Glorious Return Of “˜Firefly’). That plus Futurama and Family Guy were always together in that category and now two have been resurrected. With this we take away a message: never give up, never surrender! Oh, wait…right, that was another thing. My woopsie.
Maybe with this success, they might just be a little more open to the Firefly direct-to-DVD movies that we’ve heard so many rumors about.
Good news everyone!
Comment by Devon — June 10, 2009 @ 9:07 am
This really is awesome (nice Devon)…now if they would just make a new Married with Children with Bud having a family of his own, and of course Kelly busting in with at least a cameo every week, things would be all right in the world.
Comment by tstar69 — June 11, 2009 @ 6:41 am