Futurama season 5
Futurama | |
---|---|
Season 5 | |
No. of episodes | 16 |
Release | |
Original network | Comedy Central |
Original release | March 23, 2008 August 30, 2009 | –
Season chronology | |
The fifth season of Futurama began airing in March 2008 and concluded after 16 episodes on August 30, 2009. All episodes were TV edits of the four DVD movies (originally released between November 2007 and February 2009), split into four episodes each. This list refers to the TV versions.
Production
Futurama was initially cancelled by Fox, in 2003, due to low ratings.[1][2] However, in late 2002, Cartoon Network acquired exclusive cable syndication rights to Futurama for a reported $10 million.[3] In January 2003,[3] the network began airing Futurama episodes as the centerpiece to the expansion of their Adult Swim cartoon block.[4] In October 2005, Comedy Central picked up the cable syndication rights to air Futurama's 72-episode run at the start of 2008, following the expiration of Cartoon Network's contract. It was cited as the largest and most expensive acquisition in the network's history. In 2005, it began airing every night, followed by South Park.[5] A Comedy Central teaser trailer announced the return of Futurama March 23, 2008,[6] which was Bender's Big Score divided into four episodes followed by the other three movies. The series also airs in syndication in many countries around the world.
When Comedy Central began negotiating for the rights to air Futurama reruns, Fox suggested that there was a possibility of also creating new episodes. Negotiations were already underway with the possibility of creating two or three straight-to-DVD films. When Comedy Central committed to sixteen new episodes, it was decided that four films would be produced.[7] On April 26, 2006, Groening noted in an interview that co-creator David X. Cohen and numerous writers from the original series would be returning to work on the movies.[8] All the original voice actors participated. In February 2007, Groening explained the format of the new stories: "[The crew is] writing them as movies and then we're going to chop them up, reconfigure them, write new material and try to make them work as separate episodes."[9]
The first movie, Futurama: Bender's Big Score, was written by Ken Keeler and Cohen, and includes return appearances by the Nibblonians, Seymour, Barbados Slim, Robot Santa, the "God" space entity, Al Gore, and Zapp Brannigan.[10] It was animated in widescreen and was released on standard DVD on November 27, 2007, with a possible Blu-ray Disc release to follow.[11] A release on HD DVD was rumored but later officially denied. Futurama: Bender's Big Score was the first DVD release for which 20th Century Fox implemented measures intended to reduce the total carbon footprint of the production, manufacturing, and distribution processes. Where it was not possible to completely eliminate carbon output, carbon offsets were used. They refer to the changed processes as "carbon neutral".[12]
The second movie, The Beast with a Billion Backs, was released on June 24, 2008. The third movie, Bender's Game was released on DVD and Blu-ray Disc[13] on November 3, 2008 in the UK, November 4, 2008 in the USA, and December 10, 2008 in Australia. The fourth movie, Into the Wild Green Yonder, was released on DVD and Blu-ray Disc on February 23, 2009.[14]
Since no new Futurama projects were originally in production at the time, the movie Into the Wild Green Yonder was designed to stand as the Futurama series finale. However, Groening had expressed a desire to continue the franchise in some form, including as a theatrical film.[15] In an interview with CNN, Groening said that "we have a great relationship with Comedy Central and we would love to do more episodes for them, but I don't know... We're having discussions and there is some enthusiasm but I can't tell if it's just me."[16]
On June 9, 2009, 20th Century Fox announced that Comedy Central had picked up the show for 26 new half-hour episodes that will begin airing in mid-2010.[17][18][19] A smaller writing crew returned.[20]
Episodes
No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | Prod. code | Television order |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
73 | 1 | "Bender's Big Score" (Part 1) | Dwayne Carey-Hill | Story by : Ken Keeler & David X. Cohen Teleplay by : Ken Keeler | March 23, 2008 | 5ACV01 | S06E01 |
74 | 2 | "Bender's Big Score" (Part 2) | Dwayne Carey-Hill | Story by : Ken Keeler & David X. Cohen Teleplay by : Ken Keeler | March 23, 2008 | 5ACV02 | S06E02 |
75 | 3 | "Bender's Big Score" (Part 3) | Dwayne Carey-Hill | Story by : Ken Keeler & David X. Cohen Teleplay by : Ken Keeler | March 23, 2008 | 5ACV03 | S06E03 |
76 | 4 | "Bender's Big Score" (Part 4) | Dwayne Carey-Hill | Story by : Ken Keeler & David X. Cohen Teleplay by : Ken Keeler | March 23, 2008 | 5ACV04 | S06E04 |
77 | 5 | "The Beast with a Billion Backs" (Part 1) | Peter Avanzino | Story by : Eric Kaplan & David X. Cohen Teleplay by : Eric Kaplan | October 19, 2008 | 5ACV05 | S06E05 |
78 | 6 | "The Beast with a Billion Backs" (Part 2) | Peter Avanzino | Story by : Eric Kaplan & David X. Cohen Teleplay by : Eric Kaplan | October 19, 2008 | 5ACV06 | S06E06 |
79 | 7 | "The Beast with a Billion Backs" (Part 3) | Peter Avanzino | Story by : Eric Kaplan & David X. Cohen Teleplay by : Eric Kaplan | October 19, 2008 | 5ACV07 | S06E07 |
80 | 8 | "The Beast with a Billion Backs" (Part 4) | Peter Avanzino | Story by : Eric Kaplan & David X. Cohen Teleplay by : Eric Kaplan | October 19, 2008 | 5ACV08 | S06E08 |
81 | 9 | "Bender's Game" (Part 1) | Dwayne Carey-Hill | Story by : Eric Horsted & David X. Cohen Teleplay by : Eric Horsted | April 26, 2009 | 5ACV09 | S06E09 |
82 | 10 | "Bender's Game" (Part 2) | Dwayne Carey-Hill | Story by : Eric Horsted & David X. Cohen Teleplay by : Eric Horsted | April 26, 2009 | 5ACV10 | S06E10 |
83 | 11 | "Bender's Game" (Part 3) | Dwayne Carey-Hill | Story by : Eric Horsted & David X. Cohen Teleplay by : Michael Rowe & Eric Kaplan | April 26, 2009 | 5ACV11 | S06E11 |
84 | 12 | "Bender's Game" (Part 4) | Dwayne Carey-Hill | Story by : Eric Horsted & David X. Cohen Teleplay by : David X. Cohen & Patric M. Verrone | April 26, 2009 | 5ACV12 | S06E12 |
85 | 13 | "Into the Wild Green Yonder" (Part 1) | Peter Avanzino | Story by : Ken Keeler & David X. Cohen Teleplay by : Ken Keeler | August 30, 2009 | 5ACV13 | S06E13 |
86 | 14 | "Into the Wild Green Yonder" (Part 2) | Peter Avanzino | Ken Keeler | August 30, 2009 | 5ACV14 | S06E14 |
87 | 15 | "Into the Wild Green Yonder" (Part 3) | Peter Avanzino | Ken Keeler | August 30, 2009 | 5ACV15 | S06E15 |
88 | 16 | "Into the Wild Green Yonder" (Part 4) | Peter Avanzino | Story by : Ken Keeler & David X. Cohen Teleplay by : Ken Keeler | August 30, 2009 | 5ACV16 | S06E16 |
Reception
IGN had mostly positive reviews on the 4 DVD movie releases of the season.[21][22][23][24]
Home releases
Futurama: The Collected Epics | ||||
Release Dates | Set Details | |||
A boxset containing the four Futurama feature-length DVD releases in their entirety. | ||||
Region 1 | Region 2 | Region 4 | ||
— | October 19, 2009 | November 4, 2009[25] |
Futurama: Bender's Big Score | ||||
Set details | Special features | |||
|
| |||
DVD release dates | ||||
Region 1 | Region 2 | Region 4 | ||
November 27, 2007 | April 7, 2008 | March 5, 2008[26] |
Futurama: The Beast with a Billion Backs | ||||
Set details | Special features | |||
|
| |||
DVD release dates | ||||
Region 1 | Region 2 | Region 4 | ||
June 24, 2008 | June 30, 2008 | August 6, 2008[27] |
Futurama: Bender's Game | ||||
Set details | Special features | |||
|
| |||
DVD release dates | ||||
Region 1 | Region 2 | Region 4 | ||
November 4, 2008 | November 3, 2008 | December 10, 2008[28] | ||
Blu-ray Disc release dates | ||||
Region A | Region B Europe | Region B Australia | ||
November 4, 2008 | November 3, 2008 | December 10, 2008[29] |
Futurama: Into the Wild Green Yonder | ||||
Set details | Special features | |||
|
| |||
DVD release dates | ||||
Region 1 | Region 2 | Region 4 | ||
February 24, 2009 | February 23, 2009 | March 4, 2009[30] | ||
Blu-ray Disc release dates | ||||
Region A | Region B Europe | Region B Australia | ||
February 24, 2009 | February 23, 2009 | March 4, 2009[31] |
References
- ^ "Fox Says 'No' to 'Futurama'". Zap2it. February 12, 2002. Archived from the original on July 13, 2009. Retrieved 2008-06-03.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|dead-url=
ignored (|url-status=
suggested) (help) - ^ "Remember Me after my Death!". Can't Get Enough Futurama. May 15, 2003. Retrieved 2008-06-03. [sic]
- ^ a b "Toon Net Gets 'Futurama'". Daily Variety. September 9, 2002. Retrieved 2008-05-28.
- ^ "Adult Swim". Cartoon Network Pressroom. Archived from the original on 2008-01-02. Retrieved 2008-06-03.
- ^ Dempsey, John (October 27, 2005). ""Futurama" in Comedy Central's future via big deal". Variety. Retrieved 2005-10-27.
- ^ "Silver screen Simpsons, Futurama facing finish?". BBC News. 2001-01-19. Archived from the original on 2003-04-19. Retrieved 2008-06-03.
- ^ Katz, Claudia (2007-11-16). "Exclusive Interview: Claudia Katz on Futurama the Movie: Bender's Big Score" (Interview). Interviewed by Evan Jacobs. Retrieved 2008-06-03.
{{cite interview}}
: Unknown parameter|subjectlink=
ignored (|subject-link=
suggested) (help) - ^ Rabin, Nathan (2006-04-26). "Matt Groening". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 2008-06-03.
- ^ "Rhymes with Raining". Crave Online. 2007-02-26. Archived from the original on 2009-02-15. Retrieved 2007-03-25.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
ignored (|url-status=
suggested) (help) - ^ "Ain't It Cool News: "Ben Sinister Has Read The New FUTURAMA 'Movie'!!"". Archived from the original on 2006-08-06. Retrieved 2008-06-03.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
ignored (|url-status=
suggested) (help) - ^ (April 5, 2008). Tales of Interest: The Simpsons and Futurama in high-definition. HDTVTotal.com.
- ^ ""Futurama" Feature Length Movie DVD Specs". 2007-11-14. Archived from the original on 2008-04-06. Retrieved 2008-06-03.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
ignored (|url-status=
suggested) (help) - ^ Hornig, Andreas (2008-07-28). "Futurama's third direct-to-disc movie "Bender's Game" on Blu-ray". HDTVTotal.com. Retrieved 2008-08-10.
- ^ "Into the Wild Green Yonder at Blu-ray.com". Blu-ray.com. Retrieved 2009-02-23.
- ^ Wortham, Jenna (2008-11-04). "Futurama Animators Roll 20-Sided Die With Bender's Game". Wired.com. Retrieved 2009-02-28.
- ^ Leopold, Todd (2009-02-26). "Matt Groening looks to the future". CNN.com. Retrieved 2009-03-17.
- ^ Ausiello, Michael (2009-06-09). "It's official: 'Futurama' is reborn!". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on 2009-06-11. Retrieved 2009-06-09.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|dead-url=
ignored (|url-status=
suggested) (help) - ^ "'Futurama' Returns to Production with an initial order of 26 New Episodes to Premiere Mid 2010". Press Central Comedy Central Press Release. 2009-06-10. Archived from the original on 2011-06-05. Retrieved 2009-06-24.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
ignored (|url-status=
suggested) (help) - ^ Goldman, Eric (2009-06-09). "Futurama Return Made Official". IGN. Retrieved 2009-06-10.
- ^ Schneider, Michael (2009-06-09). "'Futurama' returns with new episodes". Variety. Retrieved 2009-06-14.
- ^ http://dvd.ign.com/articles/836/836327p1.html
- ^ http://dvd.ign.com/articles/884/884698p1.html
- ^ http://bluray.ign.com/articles/927/927779p1.html
- ^ http://dvd.ign.com/articles/956/956729p1.html
- ^ "Futurama: The Collected Epics (4 Disc Box Set)". EzyDVD. Archived from the original on February 8, 2016. Retrieved August 19, 2013.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|dead-url=
ignored (|url-status=
suggested) (help) - ^ "Futurama: Bender's Big Score". EzyDVD. Retrieved August 19, 2013.
- ^ "Futurama: The Beast With a Billion Backs". EzyDVD. Retrieved August 19, 2013.
- ^ "Futurama: Bender's Game". EzyDVD. Retrieved August 19, 2013.
- ^ "Futurama: Bender's Game (Blu-ray)". EzyDVD. Retrieved August 19, 2013.
- ^ "Futurama: Into the Wild Green Yonder". EzyDVD. Retrieved August 19, 2013.
- ^ "Futurama: Into the Wild Green Yonder (Blu-ray)". EzyDVD. Retrieved August 19, 2013.