Futurama News Archive for July 2003
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 We've been holding back news on the Season 4 DVD set (Europe) release date lacking credible sources. Now FOX HE has spoken and touts with November 17th. This is of course subject to change. The set will include the final 18 episodes of the Futurama cycle together with commentary for each of them and hopefully some neat extras. The set is again done as contract work by the same people who did a great job on Season 1 to 3 and executive producer Cohen is said to be helping with some of the things for a first time. |
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 I have been away for a while, and now I'm back so I decided to go through my pile of fan art. I'm sorry for the long wait times. Check out several new submissions from various submitters and Otis P Jivefunk. I must also ask you in the future to include if you want your email address published with your art and that you only send art to fanart@gotfuturama.com, if you want to ask questions feel free to contact me or the fan art email. |
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With the 55th Primetime Emmy nominations being announced on the 17th of this month, networks & production companies are busy printing "for your consideration" ads. While I didn't see one specifically for Futurama (anyone?), FOX put out a combined front page ad on The Daily Variety of June 5th which includes Futurama among 15 other shows. The irony is that it touts the FOX-logo as a "Proof of Quality" when half the shows on display are either cancelled or went through severe remodelling. Now, I liked some of these shows (eg, Futurama), but why'd they cancel quality? Anyway... A second Emmy for Futuarma in the 'Outstanding Animated Program (<1 h)' category after winning it last year seems hard to imagine. Still, lets hope for some nominations. |
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 The top 100 telecasts on Cartoon Network for the month of May are in and Futurama continues to score quite well, though not as good as in April. With a 2.1/4 rating each, it captured ranks 6, 9 and 10 among the ten most viewed CN programs throughout May. Thanks to lfv for mapping these to the episodes:
#06 - "The Day the Earth Stood Stupid" - 2.1/4 #09 - "Parasites Lost" - 2.1/4 #10 - "Amazon Women in the Mood" - 2.1/4 #17 - "How Hermes Requisitioned His Groove Back" - 2.1/4 #24 - "The Luck of the Fryrish" - 2.0/4 #31 - "The Honking" - 2.0/4 #36 - "Bender Gets Made" - 2.0/4 #39 - "Raging Bender" - 2.0/4 #50 - "The Cryonic Woman" - 1.9/4 #55 - "War is the H-Word" - 1.9/4 #66 - "A Clone of My Own" - 1.9/4 #68 - "A Bicyclops Built For Two" - 1.9/4 #76 - "Bendless Love" - 1.8/3 #95 - "Anthology of Interest I" 1.8/3 #100 - "Mothers' Day" - 1.8/3
Number 1 and 3 were runs of the Powerpuff Movie. Contrary to prior predictions, Family Guy did not manage to outrun Futurama that month. Its best performance landed it on rank 22. |
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 According to a report by the Daily Express (national newspaper of East Malaysia), the Futurama episode "Fear of a Bot Planet" was deemed unsuited for the Malaysian public by the Film Censorship Board. No reasoning was readily avaiable for this February ruling and frankly, I wouldn't know what's worse about this episode than others. Known for a strong censoring regime regarding sex, swearing and violence, board chairman Shaari Mohamad Noor once commented the rationale of the institution as "to instil good morals and values in our people, we have to stop importing films that are not appropriate for our country."
So, be careful with buying Season 1 VCDs and DVDs over there. Possession, distribution and sale of banned titles in any form in Malaysia is punishable by a maximum 30,000 ringgit fine and three years in jail. |
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 A few notes on the remaining episodes:
The missing of 4ACV06 "Bender should not be allowed on TV" had many people including me wonder. The reason for this one to be postponed so much is that FOX aimed at using it as the series finale. Curiosity Company intervened to have the planned for semi-finale "The Devil's Hands Are Idle Playthings" go last instead. FOX promised to do so, but 4ACV06 still ended up second last (eg, not last).
Both 4ACV06 and tomorrow's 4ACV17 will have a special opening theme. You'll like it. Also, they have a bonus at the end during the credits. Sadly, FOX is known to cut these off. Still, don't switch off your TV before you are sure that FOX screwed it.
Thanks to DXC for clarifying these things. |
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 After one month of Futurama drought, Spanish Fry gets things up again! - Episode Reviews: Tell others, us and yet others what you thought of today's episode. It's more interesting if you write more than 2 words though

- Episode Capsule: This document will hopefully become a nice guide to the episode, so add all the goofs, references and notable things you were able to find.
- Episode Trivia: Think you paid attention while watching? Try this.
The multimedia part will follow tomorrow. Now leave your horn alone and get to work!
Oh, and do we have a birthday child on the Futurama crew today by chance? Congrats! |
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 OK, some hours earlier than mArc promised, here is the multimedia side of the new episode:- Framegrabs: You think you spotted Fry's second horn? Well you can check our framegrabs to check back your favorite moments of the episode.
- Sounds & Quotes: Did you really enjoy the jokes of Bender this episode? You can check out some classic lines (thanks to edel).
Well that's it for today. |
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Psst. The Slurm can with playing cards is available at eMerchandise for just under $8 again. Their stocks never held for more than a day or two after us announcing this and ~ 40 were shipped yesterday already. Rix doesn't seem to produce nearly enough to meet the demand. I was lucky to find mine at a local store which also only had that one. UPDATE: Out of stock in less than 5 hours. |
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 The weekly edition of scifi.com awarded us with the title "Site of the Week" for July 14, 2003: Fox may have failed to renew Futurama, but fans of Matt Groening's animated science-fiction comedy can still feed their insatiable desire for all things Bender & Co. by visiting Can't Get Enough Futurama. The site offers everything fans expect to find, and plenty that they don't. -- Ken Newquist at scifi.com Thanks to all the people around here who contributed over the years! |
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Last year, Futurama won the Emmy in its main category even after FOX forced the production to discontinue. Now, the 55th Annual Primetime Emmy nominations are in and Futurama again conquered one of the precious 5 slots allotted to the creative arts category of "Outstanding Animated Program (For Programming Less Than One Hour)". The competition looks as follows:- As Told By Ginger - And She Was Gone
- Kim Possible - Crush
- The Simpsons - Three Gays Of The Condo
- SpongeBob SquarePants - New Student Starfish/Clams
Futurama enters the race with the episode "Jurassic Bark" which stirred up quite some discussion and dissent among fans. The day after it aired we got a lot of hits from search terms like "Futurama Dog" as people who previously didn't get invovled into nerdy internet discussions joined in. Even by today, this episode is the most reviewed one on this site.
The winner of this year will be announced on September 13th at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. Last year, E! aired a 2 hour special. I don't yet know if they will do so again. Ironically, FOX's strategy of death by installments makes Futurama eligible for another Emmy nomination next year. |
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 Don't forget to watch the Futurama episode "Bend Her" at 7PM on FOX tonight. 3 more episodes to go after this one.
On an unrelated note: Anyone who went to SD Comic Con yesterday and saw the Futurama panel, we'd like to get a mind protocol/transcript and pictures to publish here. So get busy. Accounts by panelists are welcome, too Our own crew got stuck in traffic and one hell of a line of admission. |
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I got a first submission regarding the Sand Diego Comic Con: David P. sent me a picture of Billy West singing "Walking on Sunshine" in Fry's voice and Bender voice John Dimaggio doing his trademark laugh. The episode shown to the public was "Bender Should Not be Allowed on TV" which got a great reaction. I still would like more accounts on everything to write a second hand report on it. Pictures, too. So, if you went there, mail me what you got. Audience or panelist, all are welcome. |
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 A new episode aired, so it's time you get your lazy asses down into that chair of yours and start submitting reviews and capsule entries! For further discussion, check out this PEEL thread.
The multimedia parts and trivia questions will be a bit late this week due to business on our side. |
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Thanks to CGEF readers Mary, Gaffey, Mike M., David F., David P., Brian and Kon, I'm now able to present a report on the 5th Futurama panel at San Diego Comic Con 2003. In addition to a general overview of who was there and what happened, you'll find 8 nice pictures, spoilers for "Bender Should not be Allowed on TV" which was screened for the audience and a summary of the Question & Answer session.
Also on the convention, the i-men creators Toynami announced that they'll produce a 10 figure Futurama set consisting out of Fry, Leela, Bender, Zoidberg, Farnsworth, Calculon, Belzebot, Roberto, Morbo and URL. These supposedly come in packs of two for roughly $10. |
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 And here we go with our Bend Her multimedia update:
- Sounds & Quotes: 12 great lines from this episode to reread and relisten to.
- Frame Grabs: For those who missed a scene or just want to see one again.
- Trivia: So, you wiseguys think you know everything? Well test your knowledge with trivia!
And that's it for today  |
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 The cable channel G4TV scheduled a Saturday 26th airing of their gamer.tv feature called "In the Futurama". In this, they'll be talking to the guys behind the PS2 & XBox Futurama Video Game, which is due to be released on August 15th in America and August 1st in Europe. Problem is, the report airs at 2:30 AM ET in the morning, so you might want to set your VCR. |
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 As a nice sign that the 4ACV DVDs are heading towards Europe at the end of this year / start of next year, the British content rating group published its first ratings for the extras. There will be:- about 14 minutes of deleted scenes
- something called "pencil test" (probably a gallery)
- 3D models of the PE ship (+mods), Nimbus, Nixon-bot and various others
- the animatic for Obsoletely Fabulous
- 2 easter eggs (highlight to read): a table read for The Devil's Hands and a Star Trek panel discussion
It's not really clear if we'll see some more being added over time, but the commentaries aren't yet up and we know that all 18 of them have been recorded in addition to one extra one for Emmy nominee "Jurassic Bark", focusing on the writing process. And there might be a small DVD-Data special. Not sure about the last one.
For the envious Americans: The Season 2 DVD set is about to be released (only 17 days now!), so go preoder it at 25% off at amazon. |
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 Here we go again (next week again, and then again, but that'd be it). Time power up your steam engine and contribute.
- Reviews: See what others thought about the episode and let them know, too! But: One cross each and try to actual tell what you liked/disliked.
- Capsule: The reference document for this episode. Saw anything noteworthy, weird or wrong? Submit it!
- Trivia: 8 questions to test how well your anti-ADD training worked.
Also: Your mother!
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 Dum dum dum, email... I mean Multimedia: - Framegrabs: You absolutely loved the wooden Bender? You can! Because you can check our framegrabs to check back your favorite moments of the episode.
- Sounds & Quotes: You can check out some classic lines and listen to them.
Well that's it for today. |
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The new comic has been out for a few days now, so it's time to give it a fair review.
In this issue, Futurama writer Patric Verrone tells the story of the crew unleashing a handful of Professor Farnsworth's better to be forgotten inventions on Earth - in 7 ways.
Also, last time I told you to write them letters! Come on now, we don't want them to feel unappreciated, do we? Write to:
Bongo Comics Group P.O. BOX 1963 Santa Monica, CA 90406-1963
and add "For consideration for publication. If you publish it, it's your property." They are pretty likely to publish any fan art they get, too. |
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