'Futurama' without original voices?

[Ohio Joe]

When "Futurama" returns to TV next year, it might be without the show's original voice cast.
Talks have broken down between 20th Century Fox TV and stars Billy West, Katey Sagal, John DiMaggio, Maurice LaMarche and Tress MacNeille over how much they should be paid to take part in the show.

The studio announced last month that it would produce 26 new episodes of "Futurama," and that Comedy Central was on board to begin airing the new episodes in mid-2010. As part of the announcement, the show's producers said stars including West, Sagal and DiMaggio had all signed on to return.

Turns out that wasn't true.

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118006123.html?categoryid=14&cs=1&nid=2562

They should just let the show die if they are not going with the original voices.

[Deja Q]

1. In intro classes for associate degrees, they teach useless shit such as "ethics" and "honesty"

I have to agree; without the voices, the show should end. Those actors MADE those characters.

Good going, FOX... :(

[tularetom]

2. It sucked even with the original voices

Chances are pretty good it'll suck more without them.

In fact all of Sunday night is starting to suck.

Simpson's has pretty much run out of gas but it will be on as long as they can crank out plots no matter how lame. King of the Hill ran out several years ago but has been on life support. Family Guy stiil shows occasional flashes of brilliance but I can't really get into American Dad.

[tridim]

4. IMO FG is as good as it's ever been. It hasn't peaked yet.

It's the only animated show that I still watch every week.

The Cleveland Show will probably be great too.

[MADem]

5. I enjoy cartoons--I happen to be a big fan of FG, American Dad, and a lot of the

animated programs. I am looking forward to Cleveland as well.

I can't stand the sitcoms with real people, but the cartoons? They appeal to me!

And I am OLD. I remember the Flintstones when each show was brand-spanking new!

[Deja Q]

8. FG is like season 3 Simpsons only more crude with topics and more crudely drawn

KotH was never all that great

American Dad was more treacle from that overpaid guy

Apart form the star wars spoof episode, FG never rebounded from its second season...

[tridim]

3. No Billy West, no show. What's the point?

[MADem]

6. It's a money fight. It's hard to feel sorry for people who want seventy five grand per EPISODE.

I mean, really--I could live on a little less, couldn't most people? Perhaps they can write in a profit-sharing piece, if the show takes off and makes more money?

The stars had all expressed interest in returning. But with the budget for "Futurama" dramatically slashed, the salary offers came in well below what the thesps were asking.

As a result, 20th has put out a casting call to find replacement voice actors for the show.

It's not the first time 20th has gone that route during a tough negotiation on one of its toons. The studio previously made a similar move on "The Simpsons" when it couldn't come to a deal with its stars. Casting feelers were sent out for replacements, but a deal was eventually made with the original cast.

The situation is unusual this time around in that 20th and Comedy Central have been kicking around ways to make "Futurama," originally produced for a broadcast network (Fox), make financial sense for a cable run. Yet there's also still a possibility -- and a window built in -- for "Futurama" to run on a broadcast network first.

It's believed that the "Futurama" cast members were asking for around $75,000 per episode; it was not clear what 20th was offering. Calls to the voice stars' reps were not immediately returned.

[Deja Q]

10. Put into perspective, $75k is nothing...

Consider Ed O'Neill and the rest wanted $500k mil per "Married w/Children" and FOX said "no" and summarily canceled it after its 11th year, a step up from its previous three...

$75k per episode is NOTHING by comparison.


Still a bit rich as I do a hell of a lot more than just talking into a microphone (give me $75k per technical or programming incident and I sure as hell would be content... but wait, mine is a job of substance, so it's peanuts. I should have gone into hollywood and become a phony just like the rest of them...)



Edited: Cost. :blush:

[shadowknows69]

13. You a PD DejaQ? You must be in radio apparently.

[baldguy]

7. Geez - that would be like recasting "Star Trek"!

[Deja Q]

9. Yeah, they'll make it an alternate reality where they can change and do everything different

but still call it the same thing anyway...

That's too complex for casual viewers to understand (a lot of people I know at work loved it, but always asked because they didn't understand the alternate reality concept. That's not my job to do, that's your job to do and you lot can never do it because anything requiring thought is too difficult for you... ALL OF WHICH IS WHY SCI-FI IS NOT FOR MAINSTREAM AUDIENCES, AND NEVER REALLY CAN BE, YOU STUPID SHOCK JOCK HACKS RUNNING HOLLYWUSS AND THE BBC THESE DAYS!!!)

*cough*

[Libertas1776]

11. Cancel it

Without the voices, its no good. Not to mention those new movie things they divide up into episodes on comedy central stink to high heaven.

[Q3JR4]

12. I agree.

No original vices, no show. You may as well let it go.


Edited to add:
That shouldn't have rhymed, but I'm not changing it now.

Q3JR4.

[shadowknows69]

14. I can't even watch any Muppet related things since Henson died.

Bugs Bunny without Mel Blanc never worked for me either.

[Ohio Joe]

15. They have still come up with some good stuff

Check out Farscape.

[trumanh59639]

16. With or without original voices

That show is crap.