TV Home Forum

The Simpsons in the UK

(April 2020)

This site closed in March 2021 and is now a read-only archive
SW
Steve Williams
I might be misremembering, but I vaguely recall when C4 started showing Simpsons, the 9pm Friday slot was for new to terrestrial TV, while 6 was the endless loop of early repeats? I could be wrong but would make sense. Remember when the 9pms became less common it was more as a filler inbetween series of stuff such as Big Brother, MPD and such and such.


"Hot oil wrestling, foxy boxing and such and such!"

As you say, when C4 first showed it in 2004, it was new episodes at 9pm and repeats at 6pm, and they showed I think an entire series in the Friday 9pm slot, that was in autumn/winter 2004. Then there was a long gap before they showed the following series at 9pm, but then halfway through that I think it moved to 8.30 and that was pretty much the last time they showed it in primetime, and they just showed new episodes at 6pm in between the repeats, like BBC2 did. Although by this point I had Sky so I wasn't relying on C4 to show them like I did with BBC2.

That was a similar issue with Family Guy over here before it's 00s resurgance, was shown by both Sky One and Channel 4 in daytime and early evening slots and cut to ribbons. It was only once it turned up on BBC2, in late slots, it started getting treated properly. Looking back now it seems suprising they ever tried putting Family Guy in those slots, its reputation as an adult show is pretty entrenched now.


Indeed, seems bizarre now. As I say, C4 had already dropped Family Guy before it arrived on BBC2 and it was absolutely American Dad that was the main attraction on BBC2, that got all the trailers and publicity (there was a big article in the Radio Times) and Family Guy just came with it. As I mentioned, initially they were shown on Saturday nights but it didn't really work and over Christmas 2005 they stripped them every night around midnight. They persisted with American Dad on BBC2 for a bit longer - for a while it was on Sunday nights after MOTD2 - but moved Family Guy to BBC3 quite quickly, and even on BBC3 it initially got a very late slot, I remember recording it around midnight. It wasn't until about 2007 it moved to around 10pm.

Of course, these days it's the reverse and ITV2 bought the rights to get Family Guy and American Dad came with it. Even though American Dad is a million times better these days, I really enjoy it.

Futurama's had plenty of morning & daytime airings over the years. It still gets it on Sky One from time to time.


Of the original four series of Futurama, C4 showed the first two at 6pm, then the third on Friday night at around midnight, and the fourth on Saturday mornings as part of T4. They didn't show any of the later specials or series.

C4 buying Futurama was a bit like when E4 bought The Cleveland Show, they were obviously annoyed they missed out on the original show which another channel had made a smash hit, so they bought the next thing from the same creators. But all The Cleveland Show did was emphasise that they didn't have Family Guy.
IN
Interceptor
As you say, when C4 first showed it in 2004, it was new episodes at 9pm and repeats at 6pm, and they showed I think an entire series in the Friday 9pm slot, that was in autumn/winter 2004. Then there was a long gap before they showed the following series at 9pm, but then halfway through that I think it moved to 8.30 and that was pretty much the last time they showed it in primetime, and they just showed new episodes at 6pm in between the repeats, like BBC2 did. Although by this point I had Sky so I wasn't relying on C4 to show them like I did with BBC2.

I'm pretty sure there was occasional primetime showings... I seem to recall a mini-marathon of Treehouse of Horrors around 2005/6ish.


I have a feeling it would occasionally fill up Friday late nights too, but I might be mixing that up with the period a little earlier when a random mix of animation would appear (or not!) week to week. This was the last place I saw Family Guy on Channel 4.
NW
nwtv2003
Futurama's had plenty of morning & daytime airings over the years. It still gets it on Sky One from time to time.


It’s on every weekday at 5:30 and 6:00pm on Sky One sandwiched between The Simpsons either side of it. Futurama never took off both sides of the Atlantic, it was bit more of a cult when the expectation was that it was going to be Simpsons 2.0, but it never managed that. Probably explains why Channel 4 only gave the first series a peak time run, and the rest of the series got binned off at random times. They had a phase of showing then new episodes of Futurama and South Park at 2:00am on Friday nights for a while around 2001/2.
JA
JAS84
Is that so? Sky should consider altering their schedule then. They usually avoid showing The Simpsons at the same time as Channel 4, but C4 are now using The Simpsons to replace Hollyoaks two days a week - so if Sky are showing Simpsons at 6.30, it's on Channel 4 and Sky One at the same time. If Sky showed Futurama from 6pm to 7pm and Simpsons from 5pm to 6pm, that would remove the clash.
AA
Amber Avenger
Futurama's had plenty of morning & daytime airings over the years. It still gets it on Sky One from time to time.


It’s on every weekday at 5:30 and 6:00pm on Sky One sandwiched between The Simpsons either side of it. Futurama never took off both sides of the Atlantic, it was bit more of a cult when the expectation was that it was going to be Simpsons 2.0, but it never managed that. Probably explains why Channel 4 only gave the first series a peak time run, and the rest of the series got binned off at random times. They had a phase of showing then new episodes of Futurama and South Park at 2:00am on Friday nights for a while around 2001/2.


It's a little harsh to say Futurama never took off, as you admit yourself it still takes up a fair chunk of Sky One's schedule, no mean feat for a show that debuted 21 years ago and hasn't had any new episodes in the last seven years. Off the top of my head, the only other show that consistent in the schedules for Sky 1 over the same period is The Simpsons!

Futurama may have floundered about a little on C4, but it's always been pretty strong for Sky. At the turn of the century, the Sunday night block of New Simpsons, Futurama and/or Malcolm in the Middle was pretty strong ratings wise for Sky standards.

Certainly not a mainstream hit I'll give you that, but compared to The Simpsons there are hardly any other phenomenons that come close to the success and cultural resonance it has had in the past 30 years so I understand the comparison to The Simpsons, but it's ultimately pointless as almost nothing matches up to it. Nothing mentioned in this thread anyway, Family Guy and South Park have the legs but are both cult followings compared to The Simpsons mainstream cut-through.
RD
rdd Founding member
There are shows every year in the States that struggle to reach 13 episodes (ie half a season) - Futurama got 140 over fourteen years so I wouldn’t label it a failure by any stretch of the imagination. Measured against the Simpsons, probably one of the most iconic shows in the history of television, any show would pale, but judge it against the average US TV show instead.
NW
nwtv2003
My point was that whilst Futurama was popular it never gained Simpsons level of popularity. I love the show myself but I prefer The Simpsons and many people I know weren’t as keen on Futurama. You have to remember that when Futurama premiered in the UK in 1999/2000 it was being promoted as the next big thing, but it never achieved that. To be fair to Sky they’ve always treated Futurama very well, even giving it a good run on Sky3/Pick for a while too.

From memory Sky at that time had The Simpsons, Futurama, Family Guy, The PJ’s (remember that?) and South Park all on Sky One, all were deemed to be the next big hit.
JA
james-2001
The PJs was strange... didn't Eddie Murphy have something to do with that?
AA
Amber Avenger
My point was that whilst Futurama was popular it never gained Simpsons level of popularity.


I know, my point was literally nothing else ever has.

To be fair, you did say Futurama never took off, which isn't the same as saying it was popular IMO
NW
nwtv2003
The PJs was strange... didn't Eddie Murphy have something to do with that?


He was one of the creators and a voice in the programme. To my surprise according to IMDB the show ran for 3 series. I don’t think Sky One showed anything beyond the first series, however I’m happy to be corrected.
JA
james-2001
Don't forget Sky ran King Of The Hill for years as well.
RE
Revolution
Xilla posted:
I remember 2 episodes of King of the Hill initially being skipped by Sky, and broadcast a year later as part of a "too hot for prime time" strand at about 11PM.

Channel 4, who had initially been broadcasting the show in that timeslot anyway on Friday nights, were airing repeats on Wednesdays at 6PM, and had no problem showing both episodes uncut!

The episode Homer smokes marijuana I believe got an airing at 11pm.

Around late 2002, they would air episodes at that timeslot, in addition to the 7pm hour.

Newer posts