Let's hope it works better than in Back In The Red.

I'm actually disappointed by this news; I'd prefer the films *and* a fifth season. But I'm just glad we're getting more Futurama at all, to be honest, as I never thought it'd happen...

Yes, this is slightly disappointing.

You guys are nuts! A series of films would mean a much tighter focus on narrative than a fifth season would...at least presumably. I guess it all comes down to taste...

I'm not a big fan of the idea that they're splitting the films into half-hours for television, but at least it gets Futurama a) back on TV and b) in front of a new audience, since it's a change of networks. And at least they're writing new material for the sake of letting the episodes stand alone...

Personally I think this is an excellent development, but, for your own benefit, I'd imagine that if the ratings are high for the Comedy Central airings, a proper new season wouldn't be unlikely...

A series of films would mean a much tighter focus on narrative than a fifth season would

The Family Guy movie wants to have a word with you. This is exactly the same thing - making a movie with a view to chopping it up into episodes with a small amount removed and a small amount added as appropriate - it didn't work that well, and the movie was obviously structured so it could be split into three.

I'd rather have the movies OR a series, rather than movies being chopped into a series. I'm slightly concerned that this will mean 2 releases, as well, DVD releases of the "movie" versions and DVD releases of the series. If, like Family Guy, the episodic versions of the movies are slightly different, this would mean fans will need to buy both to get the complete set. I don't usually whinge about DVD releases since we're not being forced to buy them, but I have to be honest and say this is not an attractive prospect.

To be fair, the three "individual" episodes that made up the Stewie movie were far, far better than anything else produced since the series came back. I didn't see them in their chopped form, and even watching the movie without the knowlege that it was three episodes stuck together with a vague underrunning story, it still felt like three episodes stuck together with a vague underrunning story, but still.

(also, apologies for sullying a Futurama thread with talk of Family Guy)

Oh yeah, no insult to the quality of the jokes, but couldn't remotely be called a movie any more than you can plug three episodes of Friends or Lost together and call it a movie..

I have no problem with a stronger narrative for Futurama. However, attempts at splicing episodes a) from film to tv, or b) from tv to film have - for the most part - been completely unsuccessful. It is good that they're writing additional material, and we can only hope that this causes Comedy Central to pick it up for another season.

Yeah, it's really the splitting up that I'm not that keen on. I've never seen that work *really* well. Still, if anyone can make it work, the Futurama team can.

>The Family Guy movie wants to have a word with you.

No it doesn't, as "tighter focus on narrative" is almost verbatim what David X. Cohen has said of the recent writing sessions. I linked to the interview not all that long ago.

Also, I don't know that I made clear the fact that these are four full-length films that will be released and THEN aired on Comedy Central in chunks. They will exist as films, and I'm positive that the re-airing on Comedy Central is an attempt to make them more profitable and more visible...neither of which I'm opposed to.

Even if the splitting absolutely DEMOLISHES the films, well, we still HAVE the films in their complete form on DVD, so there wouldn't be much use in complaining...

I can't imagine the episodes being hideously awful. It's just that, well, it's not ALL NEW Futurama. They should make an all-new, all-the-time channel for Futurama. Or an IV drip, and just feed it directly into my brain in half-hour chunks.

Yeah, I know we're not losing anything seeing as we're getting the films. I suppose it's just that it's... well, less new Futurama than I was expecting, and the fact that I worry about how it'll translate to being cut into chunks just makes me slightly more disappointed.

But I suspect that yeah, it'll be so successful that either new films, or another TV series, will be commissioned...

Watching the episodes after watching the films is going to be necessary, but boring. They should just air them as films and use the extra effort of adding material to make another one. Releasing something in two forms simultaneously is just irritating.

>They should just air them as films and use the extra effort of adding material to make another one.

This much I agree with. I get the feeling, though, that it's Comedy Central who decided to air them in chunks as a "season" rather than just buy the rights to air the films.

Certainly here in America a season of programming is more profitable than the airing of an already-released film...so I guess this is Comedy Central's way of maximizing viewers.

Which, again, is not a bad thing, because it's going to be ratings and sales of DVD that determine what happens to Futurama after this...so I don't care if Comedy Central dangles a pair of CGI tits in the upper left corner the entire time...whatever it takes to get people tuning in and some more episodes commissioned.

I'm sure this will work far better than the Family Guy movie because, well, Family Guy is cack.

And THAT is why I love Pete Martin.

They. Ripped. Off. Red. Dwarf.

>And THAT is why I love Pete Martin.

Aw, shucks.

It occured to me today that I think I'm excited about the idea of the films rather than another season because with the films, they'll only really need to develop four storylines (or, less likely, one giant storyline), which means much more time and attention devoted to getting it right.

With a season, they'd have 25 or so new storylines to contend with...and while they can obviously do it, I'd much rather see them handle the films brilliantly than churn out a hit-and-miss return season. I'd really hate to see them make it back to television only to end up having writers' meetings where they say things like, "Oh, I don't know...maybe Bender can be a clown or something. And Zoidberg finds a treasure map..."

>I'd really hate to see them make it back to television only to end up having writers' meetings where they say things like, "Oh, I don't know...maybe Bender can be a clown or something. And Zoidberg finds a treasure map..."

Like they've already been doing with The Simpsons for years...

Sorry, couldn't resist. It's just I saw another one of those three-part "HA HA Simpsons as historical characters" episodes on tonight. (Homer as Henry VIII, and Lisa as Sacagawea. **sigh**) Had a few amusing one-liners, but overall...against some of the early episodes, it's a steaming pile of "meh".

DVD listing on Amazon already?

The odds of this being premature (I truly doubt it'll be released this year as production hasn't even started) are high, but God knows where they got their plot summary. It might be valid...there's no way to know at this early stage.

One thing's for sure...valid or not, just SEEING the listing there is exciting enough.

Billy West says they're recording next week.

And yes, that's really Billy West. I don't frequent his board but I've heard often that he's very good about responding personally to any post that isn't utter nonsense.

They might be recording things RIGHT NOW.

I've weed a little bit.

At this rate I could probably start a new Futurama thread every few days...and it's sorely tempting to do so...but for now I'll keep the interview links coming:

http://www.tvsquad.com/2007/01/31/matt-groening-talks-about-futuramas-comeback/

Groening gives the show's loyal fans all the credit in the world for helping the show come back. "The continued devotion of the fans, chiefly on the Internet, kept us thinking that maybe we could bring this back," he said.

He also mentions, toward the end of that interview, that the cancellation of Futurama will actually factor into the logic of the show in some way:

"We have a really funny run about being cancelled; it's a metaphor for being cancelled; it's very funny." So, instead of a straight take on cancellation, like Family Guy did, cancellation will be represented by something else. Wonder what it is?

Is it out of line for me to say that 2008 suddenly feels much too far away?

I think "someone" will see some favorable ratings and throw enough cash at "someone" to get the series going again, eh?