Simpsons might be cancelled by Fox

[Turtletrekker]

Screw the cast, fire them and get new voice actors, it's not a big deal, people will notice the different voices, but will get used to it after 3 or 4 episodes.

I would consider re-casting to be the same as cancellation.

 

[Caliburn24]

Deadline just posted something about this that surprised me...

Fox has been hamstrung by a 17-year-old deal that limits syndication to local TV stations. “At the time, cable was a relatively insignificant contributor to major off-network syndication revenues; but over the ensuing years, cable grew to be as big an opportunity as (if not bigger than) local broadcast,” Banks says. But if the show is canceled, then the restriction evaporates and Fox can offer reruns to additional markets — especially cable or an online service such as Netflix. Banks figures Fox can score $1.5M for each of 506 episodes. That delivers $750M and with a cash flow (EBIT) margin of 60%, and a tax rate of 35% it adds 10 cents in earnings for each News Corp share. 20th Century Fox TV wants to keep The Simpsons going but is playing hardball, saying that it “cannot produce future seasons under its current financial model.” The cast offered to take a 30% pay cut, but Fox wants 45%.

http://www.deadline.com/2011/10/would-the-simpsons-be-worth-more-dead-or-alive/

We're not just talking about breaking even on producing new episodes of the Simpsons, we're talking about Fox losing money to keep the Simpsons going.

I have no idea whether or not those numbers are accurate, and it seems certain that it is a negotiating ploy, but it could topple the show if true.

 

[Turtletrekker]

Let FOX cancel it. Then it can be picked up by a cable outlet where it would probably be more entertaining that it is on FOX.

 

[Gil T.Azell]

Fox says can't afford more "Simpsons" without cuts

 

[Amaris]

Cancel The Simpsons so I can get it on Netflix Instant Watch, or at least renegotiate a deal to allow for Netflix!

 

[23skidoo]

So when is someone going to ask if Fox is about to declare bankruptcy? I mean that's what I'm reading between the lines. If they can't afford to produce a frelling cartoon, then it must be in dire straits. I expect Fox to be off the air or merge with another network (a la UPN and The WB) within a couple years if that's the case.

If I were involved in any other show being produced for Fox, I would be starting to get nervous. And I'm not being sarcastic or snarky. It's the way I'm seeing it based on the stories I'm seeing. The clear sign that Fox is about to die will be if they pull a similar stunt with American Idol. Or if they stop taking scripted pilots.

Alex

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

I honestly don't believe The Simpsons can be cancelled.

Even if they did, it would keep showing up on FOX Sunday nights anyway.

 

[Caliburn24]

At least two of the Simpsons voice actors are paid over 400,000$ per episode. We're not talking about small amounts of money.

 

[donners22]

Only about 11 years too late to go out on a high then.

 

[Skywalker]

I watched last Sunday for the first time in a while and based on what I saw I think it may be time to retire that show.

It was time to retire it about a decade ago.

 

[Jefferies]

I don't understand the bad flack that the Simpsons gets these days. Its still a fun show with a lot of good sentiment. If you don't like it don't watch it and just be happy for those who can still enjoy it. Is that so hard to do?

 

[Sci]

At least two of the Simpsons voice actors are paid over 400,000$ per episode. We're not talking about small amounts of money.

Sure. But there's no "should" involved here. The only principle at stake is whatever the traffic can bear; these actors have no obligation to take a pay cut if they don't want to.

Either Fox will decide it's worth it to pay the actors what they want, or it won't and the show will be cancelled, that's all. But the actors have no obligation to keep doing this job for less compensation than they want.

 

[Takeru]

Screw the cast, fire them and get new voice actors, it's not a big deal, people will notice the different voices, but will get used to it after 3 or 4 episodes.

I assume this is a parody comment.

No, I'm serious, I think every voice actor is replacable, they are not that important, but I also don't care if they recast roles on live action shows. I care about characters, not the persons that play them ... as long as they don't suck.

 

[TemporalFlux]

They'll just get Seth McFarlane to voice all the Simpsons characters. Come to think of it, isn't his Flintstones remake coming next year? Fox could be viewing that as a Simpsons replacement.

 

[Admiral Shran]

A Simpsons cancellation?

I'll believe it when I see it.

 

[the G-man]

So when is someone going to ask if Fox is about to declare bankruptcy? I mean that's what I'm reading between the lines. If they can't afford to produce a frelling cartoon, then it must be in dire straits.

That's not what they're saying. They are saying this particular show (which recently saw a ratings low) is no longer profitable. If any entertainment show stops being profitable a network either cancels it or finds way to cut costs.

That being said, this is probably a negotiating ploy.

 

[gh4chiefs]

Screw the cast, fire them and get new voice actors, it's not a big deal, people will notice the different voices, but will get used to it after 3 or 4 episodes.

I assume this is a parody comment.

No, I'm serious, I think every voice actor is replacable, they are not that important, but I also don't care if they recast roles on live action shows. I care about characters, not the persons that play them ... as long as they don't suck.

I think, and it's just my opinion, that you would probably be in the minority on this line of thought. Dan Castanella (sp?) IS Homer Simpson. As are the other voice actors for their characters. If you just plug in new voices, it's not going to fly.

Now possibly they could totally reboot, retool, whatever, change the look of the animation, etc, etc, and have a "New Simpsons" and that might work. Maybe.

 

[barnaclelapse]

They should just call FOX's animation block "One concept repeated over and over again" if they cancel "The Simpsons."

I look at it this way: "The Simpsons" was co-developed by an Oscar-winning filmmaker, and many of its show-runners, writers and producers have gone on to create a slew of successful TV shows and movies (including several for Pixar).

"Family Guy" and the like have some great writers, producers and show-runners, but I just can't put their best work on any of those three shows up against the creativity, flexibility and overall appeal of "The Simpsons." I just can't.

I'm hopeful that Fox will work something out. You can rant about declining quality all you want (and I disagree with that), but at the end of the day that network still needs "The Simpsons." That's just my take.

I'm also getting just a little tired of what I can only describe as "Simpsons" hipsters. If you don't like the show anymore then don't watch it, and don't be so smug in your opinion (I'm not really going after anyone in particular here).

 

[BillJ]

Let FOX cancel it. Then it can be picked up by a cable outlet where it would probably be more entertaining that it is on FOX.

20th Century Fox Television produces The Simpsons, if it's not on Fox then it's done.

 

[tomalak301]

I don't mean to sound picky regarding verbage, but how can a show that's been on for 20+ years be "cancelled?"