Why was Futurama cancelled?

[Tosh]

This is puzzling to me that the Simpsons is still going at 16 series but this was stopped after 4. Futurama is generally more popular over here and certainly far funnier at the end IMO. So what happened?

[Duke]

The public has no taste. Futurama was far superior to the Simpsons.

~D

[nolanfan34]

[ QUOTE ]
The public has no taste.

[/ QUOTE ]

Exactly. The show never found a good time slot really. I think it's funny the whole way through pretty much.

[pshreck]

For about 5 seasons, just about every Simpsons episode was gold. Thats enough to gain popularity for decades, even if you start to have a ton of weaker episodes (like the Simpons has now, rarely very funny stuff).

For the first 2 seasons of Futurama, it was an on and off show. They would have some great episodes, but way too many that just flat out sucked for 30 minutes. You wont gain many fans if you cant keep them interested in the early seasons. If a show isnt very likely to be funny, I wont set aside time to watch it every week, which is how it was for Futurama.

[Tosh]

[ QUOTE ]
For about 5 seasons, just about every Simpsons episode was gold. Thats enough to gain popularity for decades, even if you start to have a ton of weaker episodes (like the Simpons has now, rarely very funny stuff).

For the first 2 seasons of Futurama, it was an on and off show. They would have some great episodes, but way too many that just flat out sucked for 30 minutes. You wont gain many fans if you cant keep them interested in the early seasons. If a show isnt very likely to be funny, I wont set aside time to watch it every week, which is how it was for Futurama.

[/ QUOTE ]

Don't get me wrong, I like The Simpsons too, but the first 2 seasons of that were rather mediocre; I would say that seasons 1 and 2 of Futurama are far better. Seasons 3 and 4 of Futurama were pure quality, and better than anything The Simpsons ever was IMO. I wonder if Futurama came first it would be the one still going instead of The Simpsons.

[Nottom]

Futurama is a "Sci-Fi" type cartoon, Sci-Fi shows have a somewhat limited audience although the fans tend to be much more hardcore. I'm not going to try and compare Futurama and Star Trek or anything like that, but I think the Simpsons is much more mainstream which I'm sure helps out with its popularity.

[BusterStacks]

... and also Futurama wasn't funny. So you know, there was that.

[Tosh]

[ QUOTE ]
Futurama is a "Sci-Fi" type cartoon, Sci-Fi shows have a somewhat limited audience although the fans tend to be much more hardcore. I'm not going to try and compare Futurama and Star Trek or anything like that, but I think the Simpsons is much more mainstream which I'm sure helps out with its popularity.

[/ QUOTE ]

I kind of don't buy that. For a start Star Trek is one of the most popular programmes of all time and I honestly don't think there is a parallel in the types of viewers for both shows either.

Maybe there is a bit of a benefit to The Simpsons being more 'mainstream' but I do think a lot of it is to do with it being around first.

[istewart]

Family Guy making a return though.

Seinfeld is better than all of em.

[Tosh]

[ QUOTE ]
Family Guy making a return though.

Seinfeld is better than all of em.

[/ QUOTE ]

Family Guy is the best of the lot, when is it scheduled to start showing again?

I always felt Seinfeld was overrated though.