“The Simpsons” is moving to cable television. FXX, a relatively new network offspring of FX, recently bought the cable and streaming rights to the 24 seasons (and ongoing).
The purchase price is not publicly disclosed, but analysts estimate that the highly grossing show was bought for a whopping price in the range of $550 million to $1 billion (or more). It will begin airing in August 2014.
But why FXX? The only notable animated shows FX broadcasts/broadcasted are/were Archer and Unsupervised — one of which received solid ratings. One would expect Adult Swim — known for its re-runs of McFarland’s animated comedies and other animated shows — to add “Simpsons” to its lineup. Though after reviewing the lackluster ratings of shows that have moved from FX TO FXX — “Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell” lost more than 80% of its viewers after the move — one can clearly see why FXX desperately needs a show like “Simpsons.” With more than 530 episodes, the show can be broadcasted on a daily basis and never have to repeat an episode for more than a year.
The real question is: How will those without cable television be able to watch reruns of the show? Netflix won’t be able to stream the show due to FXX’s exclusive rights. The show will also no longer be on Fox. It seems like quite a lot of people will be getting the short end of the stick.
Source:
Carter, Bill. “‘Simpsons’ Reruns Sold to FXX in First Cable Deal.” The New York Times. The New York times Company, 15 Nov. 2013. Web. 15 Nov. 2013.
As a big Simpons fan, I was drawn to this review. In my honest opinion, this signifies that the end is near for the tv series which doesn’t necessarily come as a surprise to me after running for almost a quarter century, but ill miss not having the Simpsons to turn to 8 PM on channel 5 every Sunday. With the move, the Simpsons will undoubtedly lose viewership (not mine of course but it will lose viewers) it has seen a steady decline in recent years and I think it has lost some of its luster. Ill be interested to see what changes if any are made to the marketing of the show to a different audience and/or change it’s subject matter. Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie, you will be missed.
The Simpsons is a beloved t.v. show that has brought laughter to thousands of households. I do agree that the move will probably negatively affect the shows ratings. The familiarity of the show being on the same channel will be a disappointment to many. However, it has been discussed over the years that The Simpsons has been losing popularity anyways, as the years have gone by. This article: http://whatculture.com/tv/the-downfall-of-the-simpsons.php, discusses how the plots have transformed from hysterical to pointless. The article also remarks on how the jokes have become less tactful and more tasteless.
I’ve seen The Simpsons a few times; however, I am not a huge fan of the show so initially when I saw your blog post, I didn’t really care. After reading your article and post, I realized that the move from Fox to FXX is a major change for the show and will impact it greatly. Although hard-core fans are upset by the move, they will probably still continue to watch the show on its new channel; however, The Simpsons will still probably lose a lot of viewers. Since it will now be shown on cable television, many people who do not have cable won’t have the opportunity to watch the show. In addition, many people now watch their shows online through Hulu or Netflick, they will also lose the opportunity to watch The Simpsons because of the exclusive rights. Although The Simpsons is a good show, it has been running for a long time and predict the end will soon be near.
That an interesting move. I always loved watching The Simpsons but never was an addict. I feel bad for the Simpsons move from Fox to FXX, they are going to lose so many viewers. In addition to the viewers, like you said, people will not even be able to stream it through Netflix. I am sure the real die hard fans will continue to watch The Simpsons on FXX but It’s just not the same show anymore. It is going to lose so much popularity. I do have to say though The Simpsons show has been around for so long, it cannot last forever. No show lasts forever; they all eventually die out. The Simpsons show is probably nearing its end.
The Simspons used to be my favorite television show for a long time, before Family Guy became popular. It was always something that I remember talking to my friends about, and getting yelled at by my parents for watching. The only thing about TV shows like the Simpsons that irks me is the lack of a continuing storyline throughout the series. It also lost its novelty after a certain point, at least in my opinion. A series should only go on for so long before it ends, because if it doesn’t it doesn’t really feel like a series anymore.