Cancellation Buzz: Are Cartoons the Most Savable TV Shows? - Featured | kendra | Discussion

Cancellation Buzz: Are Cartoons the Most Savable TV Shows? - Featured

by kendra | 19:12 EDT, 02 Nov, 2010

Topics: Futurama, Family Guy, The Simpsons

In light of the announcement that Futurama has been officially reborn, the previous resurrection of Family Guy, and the recent renewal of The Simpsons, the longest running show in primetime history, for 2 more seasons, it makes me wonder - are cartoons the most savable TV shows?

Now of course this becomes an issue of the obvious in that you can't very well resurrect another favorite show like Friends years later because the actors have moved on, they've gotten older, and they can't hold up the same sort of storylines that were entertaining when the show started.

But all those facts seem to point to that when a show has been canceled too soon like in the cases of Family Guy, Futurama, Firefly, Arrested Development, Jericho, Moonlight, Pushing Daisies, Life and oh so many more, are the only ones we can really have hope for the cartoons that could be brought back relatively easily at any time?

For instance, Jericho returned quickly after big fan efforts, but couldn't sustain itself with viewership and interest, but do you expect another show like Firefly could have done better for itself if it were brought back? Also, in fan efforts including our own Cancellation Buzz, we were able to help out in saving shows we love like Chuck - but like Jericho, this was saved during cancellation rumors and/or directly after original cancellation.

So are cartoons our only canceled favorites for which we can carry a torch of hope for more than a few months (or even moments) after their cancellation?

Share your thoughts!

Comments

SC-Master | 05:05 EDT, 12 Jun, 2009

There is alot of reasons why cartoons are more savable then tv shows, and the first reason as u pointed out yourself is the age of the actors, and since cartoons only use voice actors that doesnt play a major part. The most important part i guess would be that cartoons is cheaper to produce then shows, since u would have to pay all the actors and staff.

tvqueen | 07:36 EDT, 12 Jun, 2009

In addition to the age, there's the fact that, unlike cartoon characters, most actors move on to other projects. Getting the old gang back together would then mean paying to get actors out of other obligations. That extra cost would be a stop to networks who have seen failing ratings for the shows before the cancellation. With cartoons, if you can't find the original voice actor, another can be substituted with no change to actual story.

NGrady666 | 04:28 EDT, 01 Aug, 2009

the two greatest factors benefitting cartoons over live action shows are, first, the smaller crew and cast requirement of cartoons, which allow for not only single actors to play multiple (if not all) roles, but given advances in animation programing, a smaller crew. this means there is less conflict in gathering and scheduling for show production (not to mention the smaller cost of less people). the second is the unbounded potential of characters and settings not held to the physical laws of reality. what i mean to say is, cartoons have the potential to visually address issues and situations that otherwise couldn't be done. this allows them to create a unique following that can't be taken, one the show is canceled, by similarly themed shows; each animated show has its own style of portraying reality unique to them. with the limits imposed by reality, live action shows only have so many ways of portraying the same scenario before repeating itself, and thus are easier to replace then revive.

NGrady666 | 22:29 EDT, 01 Aug, 2009

oh, and on that note, i am personally hoping for a revival of Dilbert, the cartoon. mostly because i think its a incredibly clever show, but also because it doesn't follow the dynamic of the main characters being fat idiots (FGuy, simpsons, clevland show, king of the hill, etc.) which is the kinda plot repetition that i think is the downfall of live action shows.

thetravellerjohn21 | 01:03 EDT, 04 Sep, 2009

very beautifully put ngrady666. Im very glad to see so many intelligent minds on this site. Makes conversations and discussions that much better. Go to a site such as aol or something and everyone on there was the IQ of a slow three year old child.

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