Posted October 6, 2011 Some of you may have seen the other day that Fox feel they need to cut down costs on The Simpsons and asked the actors to take a pay cut. They're refusing to go all the way (agreed to a cut, but not as much as Fox want) and now it seems that if the actors don't agree for a cut it'll finish this year and if they do it'll finish next year. More about it here (and other places probably) but it seems quite possible that there will only be one more season of The Simpsons. (Let's try and keep this away from posts that merely consist of "its not been good since [X] season" please ) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted October 6, 2011 (Let's try and keep this away from posts that merely consist of "its not been good since [X] season" please ) Someone's been reading the comments on the news posts about this! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted October 6, 2011 When it goes I will cry for weeks. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted October 6, 2011 Been reports of this in the past I'm sure they find an agreement! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted October 6, 2011 Tbh I haven't watched new episodes of the show in a couple of years now but I'd probably still be sad if it got cancelled. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted October 6, 2011 This is the first time I've heard Fox give such an ultimatum (usually it's "cut salaries or it's cancelled", not "even with a cut we're getting rid of it"). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted October 6, 2011 It's similar to the Futurama cast pay negotiations I guess but that was about bringing the show back. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted October 6, 2011 Not really sure why they need to cut their salaries considering how much money Fox make out of The Simpsons. If it goes it'll be sad but since I only have terrestrial I haven't seen a new episode for like years. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted October 6, 2011 This hasn't been good since the X season anyway. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted October 6, 2011 Since the production season with the HD shift, the quality has got better for the most part, with less of a focus on "Guest star of the week" and it has been closer (but not there) to how it was when it was at its prime, so I will be sad to see it go if this occurs. It was inevitable though. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted October 6, 2011 I haven't seen a new one for god knows how many years. Saw this today, and it made me realise how old/behind I am: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted October 6, 2011 Can't they just move it to another network? Not seen it for a while, it really lost its way a while back. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted October 6, 2011 And Lisa should be married as well! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted October 6, 2011 I will actually be destroyed. I've not been in a world without The Simpsons. Watch it regularly every week and watched every season at least twice. (including the 2 newest episodes which I've watched 3 times and twice already for the other one.) but obviously Season 1-10 ridiculous amounts and 11-20 a lot 21-23 twice each at least. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted October 6, 2011 Not really sure why they need to cut their salaries considering how much money Fox make out of The Simpsons. If it goes it'll be sad but since I only have terrestrial I haven't seen a new episode for like years. They argue that the money they make off it at the moment (from new seasons) isn't worthwhile. They'll continue making a shitload of money from it whether its on the air or not. Can't they just move it to another network? Not seen it for a while, it really lost its way a while back. Fox is pretty much the only station that runs animation. I can't imagine Comedy Central being able to afford it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted October 6, 2011 The Simpsons is shit anyway. (sorry Coolness :p) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted October 6, 2011 This horse has long, loooong since been beaten to death and I shan't be sorry to see it finally put down. We'll still always have the solid-gold classics that the show has given us in the past. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted October 6, 2011 I'll be sad to see it go, but it has lost it's flavour. I don't find it funny anymore, not for a while at least. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted October 6, 2011 I will actually be destroyed. I've not been in a world without The Simpsons. Don't worry Coolness, it's all just a dream. Now lets burn RUBBER BABY! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted October 6, 2011 Not really sure why they need to cut their salaries considering how much money Fox make out of The Simpsons. If it goes it'll be sad but since I only have terrestrial I haven't seen a new episode for like years. I was reading up on this the other day. Basically it costs them 4 million per episode. And the viewing figures have gone down from around 12 to 9 million. With long running shows the problem is that it gets more expensive but the figures stay the same. This is especially a problem because right now it's not being sold to sold as well as it could (to other stations). I can't find the article I was reading, but this one is a decent outline of what's going on. The voice cast of The Simpsons has played hardball over their salaries several times over the course of the show's 23 years on the air, each time coming back with more money that was still a minuscule amount compared to the billions and billions the show makes off syndication, merchandising and DVD sales. But this time, their demands might not have to be met-- according to reports that broke yesterday, the network is considering ending the show rather than giving the actors what they want, which is a reduced salary in exchange for a cut of all that merchandising cash. Now we have a slightly clearer idea of why the network might be willing to kill their longest running and most profitable series. According to an analysis at Deadline, The Simpsons might be worth more dead than alive. Essentially, the show has been tethered for 17 years to a syndication deal that allows them to only syndicate the show to local TV stations, which is why you see Simpsons re-runs on your local FOX station but never on Comedy Central or Spike. The deal was signed when cable was a lot, lot less important than it is now, and according to Deadline's analysis, 20th Century Fox TV could make $750 million by ending the show and signing a new syndication deal, which could allow them to stream re-runs online or to whichever cable network gives them the highest bid. There's even speculation about creating a Simpsons Channel to host all 506 re-run episodes. That kind of calculation-- provided it turns out to be true, of course-- takes away the actors' biggest bargaining chip, and makes it all the more likely they'll agree to the deal and secure a few more seasons. After all, 20th Century Fox Television knows they can make huge bank by signing a new syndication deal for The Simpsons whenever it ends, be it this year or 10 years from now. Why not get more seasons out of it if they can? This kind of conversation, you'll notice, is not at all about the quality of the show or whether or not it should be on the air; like with so many other things, the only thing anyone wants to talk about here is plain, simple money. http://www.cinemablend.com/television/Simpsons-Might-Worth-More-Money-It-Were-Cancelled-35735.html Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted October 6, 2011 (edited) The Simpsons is shit anyway. (sorry Coolness :p) Now it is. :p Seasons 1-8 and you are just factually wrong. Thanks Gaggle64 I will stay strong. It's viewing figures are more like 6 million now. Edited October 6, 2011 by Coolness Bears Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted October 6, 2011 I was reading up on this the other day. Basically it costs them 4 million per episode. And the viewing figures have gone down from around 12 to 9 million. With long running shows the problem is that it gets more expensive but the figures stay the same. This is especially a problem because right now it's not being sold to sold as well as it could (to other stations). I can't find the article I was reading, but this one is a decent outline of what's going on. http://www.cinemablend.com/television/Simpsons-Might-Worth-More-Money-It-Were-Cancelled-35735.html That report is the story that seems to be doing the rounds via denofgeek and such like. I wonder if they would cancel it syndicate it out then bring it back a few years later. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted October 7, 2011 I'll bet there'll be spin-offs! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted October 7, 2011 I just recently caught a reasonably modern episode on Sky, man it was awful. A whole episode and not a single laugh. I have fond memories of great Simpsons episodes but they ran out of material a long, long time ago and never did anything to keep it fresh. Maybe if they have one season left, they could actually let their characters evolve a little. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted October 7, 2011 Looks like they've agreed to the cuts http://uk.tv.ign.com/articles/119/1199000p1.html Am quite pleased actually that there appears to be only one series left. The Simpsons should have been allowed to die at least 10 years ago. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
