The Making of Futurama was a Sh*t Show (Part 2)

Being canceled three times is hard. Let’s talk about how difficult it was to revive Futurama, from the evolution of television over three decades, to Fox (then Disney) undercutting voice actors’ salaries.

In the entertainment world, there are millions of dollars on the line and troubled productions are bound to happen. Whether it's big egos, bigger budgets, or just plain bad luck, we are going behind-the-scenes on these disastrous, never ending, and sometimes dangerous productions. From the creators of WTF Happened To This Movie?, It Was A Sh*t Show is a video essay/documentary/podcast series looking at some of your favorite films and tv shows, and why they were such a nightmare to make.

Chapters:
00:00 - Intro
00:32 - Family Guy Canceled & Renewed
01:46 - Can Futurama Be Revived?
02:29 - Adult Swim & The Rise of Cable
04:13 - TV on DVD Changes the Game
05:21 - Fox & Comedy Central Agree to 4 Movies
06:52 - Into The Wild Green Yonder’s Troubles
07:56 - Futurama Returns: November 27, 2007
09:48 - Comedy Central Wants More Futurama
12:44 - Fox Bullies Futurama’s Voice Cast
13:55 - Overclockwise: A Potential Finale
14:48 - Futurama Reborn: June 24, 2010
15:58 - Meanwhile: The Fourth Finale
18:20 - Simpsorama: An Adequate Crossover
19:06 - Rick and Morty & The Rise of Adult Animation
21:21 - Disney & Hulu vs John DiMaggio
23:47 - Futurama Rebooted: July 24, 2023
24:49 - The Importance of Voice Actors

Sources:

Featured Footage:
Chappelle's Show (2003–2006)
Family Guy (1999 -)
Futurama (1999 -)
I Know That Voice (2013)
Rick and Morty (2013 -)
Seinfeld (1989–1998)
The Simpsons (1989 -)

Nerdist: Futurama Live! (2013)

Music:
Christopher Tying - Futurama OST
Devin Townsend Project - Bend It Like Bender!
Gerald Fried - Fight Music (Star Trek)
Katrina and the Waves - Walking on Sunshine
Pierre Henry - Psyche Rock
Ryan Hudson - Sh*t Show Theme

#itwasashtshow #futurama #mattgroening

[oldmandoinghighkicksonlyin]

This was superbly edited. Matching the script to clips of the show must’ve taken ages and an encyclopedic knowledge of the show.

[basdenchris]

The scary door intro was prime. So excited for this sequel

[TheRealEtaoinShrdlu]

"...he had to cut his writing staff in half."

Hmm, sounds expensive. Medical and legal costs.

[Ryanneey]

Futurama will always have a special place with me. I swear a quarter of their ratings come from me rewatching it over and over again! 😅

[Nthsey]

That Box Network clip of them hitting themselves and jabbering in gibberish is my single favorite thing the Futurama team has ever produced.

I would love to have been a fly on the wall when the network censor first reacted to it.

[VocalClassics]

As one in the voice/audio industry, I really appreciate you drawing attention to the amazing actors behind the lines--and to the gall the industry has in ignoring the value a VA brings. Thanks!

[AlejandroSilva-mryy]

The outro is so bittersweet. We really might just lose all that talent for an unprecedented generational cognitive demise

[vivaarchive]

Thanks for unraveling the rights situation. I remember reading the odd article every couple of years that Futurama has changed its distributor yet again, and this paints the complete picture!

[MyTwoCentsofNonsense]

I’m a simple man: playing the clip of Hermes getting his head cut off as you talk about making small cuts for TV, chefs kiss

[Puerco-Potter]

The introduction was marvelous, you all deserve a raise!

[scotthallgv]

Newest FUTURAMA episodes are okay and feels like the writers havent quite gotten their feet under them yet. It feels a lot like season 1 where it was fine and showed some potential but its not quite there yet.

[ccricers]

It's remarkable to see a show going from network TV, to direct to DVD, then cable and finally streaming services. Most long running TV series maintain their presence in the same place.

[AlejandroSilva-mryy]

This show is the very definition of a hidden gem and I mean that in every way you can interpret it

[TrickyNick]

I appreciate that it says "axed" and not "asked" in the captions

[Sharkbaby]

I know people have been complaining about each revival not being as good as the original since they started but as someone who has been watching since day 1 I submit that the show has always been 10/10 on average and I will welcome each and every time they decide to bring it back. Each episode of Futurama is a gift (just like "It was a Sh*t Show)!

[ADGgaming]

One day artists will be paid what their art is truly worth.. This was a masterpiece of a video!

[christophernichols]

Always a pleasant surprise when a new episode drops

[GratefulEd]

Good for you for highlighting labour issues and the importance of voice acting

[theneonchimpchannel]

When it comes to Futurama, I preferred watching it on DVD as there was always so many bonus features that kept it fresh. The commentary tracks alone were worth the money. As for streaming, I can't say as I care for it beyond sites like YouTube. Physical media will always be better as far as I'm concerned and I'm not interested in paying monthly subscription fees.

[benbouman]

"The Tick" and "Firefly" were legit!