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Remember Reddit: Futurama is coming back in June with new episodes. But if we want it to stay on the air, we really need to watch it through official channels and not just wait for torrents/DVDs. (self.self)

submitted ago by Uncoolio

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I torrent as much as anyone - and I predict that many people will come up with reasons that they can't possibly watch it using a method that rewards the content creators.

But if we all torrent it, the show is going to fail again. We have a chance here to show them that nerds will reward intelligent programming. Yes, buying the DVDs will help. But if none of us watch it on the air, they're going to stop making them.

Yes, watching a show at a certain time, and sitting through commercials, is inconvenient, but patronizing the arts has always been inconvenient.

DO IT FOR THE HYPNOTOAD.

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[–]prionattack 103 points104 points ago

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If you aren't a Nielsen family, does it really matter how you get it?

[–]nimmothemad 19 points20 points ago

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I think satellite takes statistics as well but for most people it doesn't matter.

[–]ej00807 0 points1 point ago

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Really how? I think that's a one way street.

Tivo user might be counted. If the network is progressive they might have an online system, advertiser paid streaming.

You want to keep this show going, i do, talk it up with your friends after every episode.

[–]Iamthelolrus 25 points26 points ago

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Luckily I am in a Nielsen household. We don't have a television but that isn't going to stop me from saying I watched Futurama.

So far the only responses I've given them have been "Lord of the G-String" and "The Hills Have Thighs".

[–]prionattack 6 points7 points ago

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Caprica would be nice too, if you're going to manipulate things :).

[–]jambarama 17 points18 points ago

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Nielsen attaches a box to your TV to monitor what you watch. If you don't have a TV, you aren't a Nielsen household.

[–]Iamthelolrus 45 points46 points ago

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Nope. They sent us a diary that we're supposed to fill out every week and send back to them. We also got $2 out of it.

[–]jambarama 11 points12 points ago

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Huh, I didn't know they did the diary with TV, my bad. I knew they did that for radio, but I thought all TV monitoring was the box.

[–]intrados 19 points20 points ago

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My family was a Nielsen family once too and we also just filled out a diary.

[–]FreeCandy 8 points9 points ago

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Same thing with my family, except we're a Frank family.

[–]adzm 5 points6 points ago

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An unsightly, hot, loud, cumbersome mess of wires and boxes. Ugh.

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point ago

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How on earth does that work? It somehow magically monitors what you are watching through sat/cable/PVR and/or the TV's internal tuner?

[–]HenkPoley 0 points1 point ago

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I believe they record audio and match it to transmissions lateron.

[–]swac -1 points0 points ago

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Please watch Chuck.

[–]FreeCandy 7 points8 points ago

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Unless of course you value your free time. Then don't.

[–][deleted] -4 points-3 points ago*

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I call bullshit. I am a Nielsen household and they don't use the diary anymore. And more importantly, why would the do this with someone has no tv. Oh ya, and they pay more than $2. Pretty much every detail you gave was not inline with my experience with the company.

[–]HenkPoley 1 point2 points ago

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In 2007 they still used diaries.

[–][deleted] 2 points3 points ago

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Cool. It's 2010.

[–]HenkPoley 0 points1 point ago

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Read the text. It's not like the reason for the diaries was all solved in these 3 years.

[–]harsesus -1 points0 points ago

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Are you sure their practices are the same throughout the country? If not then STFU.

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point ago

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Do you have any idea what you're talking about? If not then STFU. I've been with Nielson for several months, interacted with their reps quiet a bit and talked to them on the phone many times.

The point is, these guys are fucking pros at what they do and if they had any clue this bro didn't have a tv they'd nix his ass right away. They get on our ass anytime there is anything wrong with the data.

Yet this bro claims he's just making shit up on their old diary system and sending it in.

[–]chancesarent 1 point2 points ago

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The bro content of your post is off the charts! I'd wager that your Nielsen family rates Jersey Shore very highly.

[–]jotate 4 points5 points ago

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How does one become a Nielsen family? Wouldn't it be a worthwhile effort for like-minded individuals (such as redditors) to go out of their way to become Nielsen families and influence good shows to stay on air?

[–][deleted] 12 points13 points ago

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They do random mailings. I got a short pamphlet and sent it back. They decide if you fit their needs.

[–]The_K_Man 5 points6 points ago

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If they get the final say to count you in, isn't that sort of biasing the results?

[–][deleted] 3 points4 points ago

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I think they just are trying to control for the self-selection bias due to the voluntary nature of replying to the mailing.

[–]r3m0t 2 points3 points ago

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No, they're just trying to get a representative sample (age, gender, children etc) without paying too many people.

[–]spiralstaircase 2 points3 points ago

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It's based on random sampling, so "chance" decides for you—not even Nielsen.

[–][deleted] 1 point2 points ago

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They do look for certain demo's. If they need 1 more house with out kids and you have kids they will skip you. So the selection is random but if you don't fit the criteria they will skip you.

[–]spiralstaircase 0 points1 point ago

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I actually work at a very large media research company and can confirm the sampling is indeed random within the industry.

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point ago

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I'm just telling you what they told me. They asked if we had kids we said no they said good because they were full on families with kids and needed a household without kids.

[–][deleted] 2 points3 points ago

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If we can get Redditors involved in the process, TV may actually change for the better (Discovery's Planet Earth and Softcore Porn FTW).

[–]prionattack 0 points1 point ago

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I think it's as close as they can get to a "random" sample. My husband did it for a few months before we got married, but hasn't been asked back.

[–][deleted] -1 points0 points ago

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They just came and knocked on my door.

[–]mitchandre 0 points1 point ago

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I think so. If I was a cable company I would have found a way to get what my viewers watch from TV along time ago.

[–]HardwareLust 0 points1 point ago

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Nope.

[–][deleted] 25 points26 points ago

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Australians don't get that luxury. It will probably air here six months after it airs in the US, at a shitty timeslot, then three weeks later it will get pulled indefinitely.

[–]harsesus 0 points1 point ago

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Well its the same here (US) with Doctor Who, and was the same with most seasons of Farscape.

[–]butteryhotcopporn 0 points1 point ago

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You guys are like historical re-enactors for people who don't remember a time before torrents.

"Yes kids, people used to worry about shows not being aired in their country when they were in others"

[–]harsesus 0 points1 point ago

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Ha... The subject was TV, I was staying on subject. I made sure all my DVD players play video files for a reason ;)

[–]learn2die101 17 points18 points ago

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It's totally gonna be hosted online, legally. that will be how i watch it. They get ratings, i don't have to pay for tv.

[–]TheEllimist 2 points3 points ago

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Yeah, it wouldn't be surprising at all if it were put on Hulu/comedycentral.com, and I'll definitely watch it through there since I don't have cable anyway. Even though it kind of lacks the convenience of getting a show through a torrent RSS, I'm more than happy to support the show any way I can.

[–]turtlestack 6 points7 points ago

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I only have internet so is there any other official way I can watch it?

I really want to support the show but the last time I did add tv to my Comcast package they said my speedy i-net connection would be slowed down to a lower tier if I didn't go digital and it sucked so I dropped the tv again and have Netflix now (which I love).

So any advice would be great, otherwise I'll just patiently wait for the DVD's and buy them with real money.

[–]Doomed 7 points8 points ago

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Maybe comedycentral.com will stream the episodes.

[–]ChainsawAsh 1 point2 points ago

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This seems highly likely. Watch it there if you don't have a TV.

[–]Trollforaday 3 points4 points ago

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I am guessing it'll be on Hulu.

[–]Aperture_Kubi 0 points1 point ago

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Nope, Comedy Central pulled everything off Hulu last I checked.

[–][deleted] 2 points3 points ago

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Clever girl.

[–]siegfail 32 points33 points ago

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HEY. IT DOESN'T MATTER UNLESS YOU'RE A NIELSON FAMILY. kthnxbai :-)

[–]Uncoolio[S] 9 points10 points ago

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Then watch it online through Comedy Central's website. And if for some reason they aren't streaming it, email them or join their forum and demand it.

But if your complaint is that you won't watch TV that has any commercial intent... then you already know why everything from Firefly to Arrested Development to Futurama has been cancelled.

[–]siegfail 1 point2 points ago

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That was not a complaint, just a fact. I totally agree with you too ;-)

[–][deleted] 6 points7 points ago

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Looking at you space banditos.

[–]illuminachos 1 point2 points ago

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I didn't hear any maracas.

[–]Nielsen_TV_Guy 6 points7 points ago*

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I AM a Nielsen "family" using the electronic monitoring gear. I'll gladly watch it at least once.

BTW, you're welcome to AMA about it. Here is the equipment, if you're interested.

[–]roger_ 4 points5 points ago

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I think those wires ate it.

[–]adzm 1 point2 points ago

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Seriously, this thing drove me nuts! So much clutter for something that would seem relatively simple.

[–]Nielsen_TV_Guy 4 points5 points ago

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No kidding, it took about 4 hours for the tech to install. It's not really a problem as I never move the TV.

The equipment monitors the audio from the TV's left speaker. Within the audio stream is an inaudible signal that the equipment interprets. The signal carries the time as well as the ID of the station being watched.

The tech took the back off of my TV to install the wiring inside. There is another box on the outside of the TV and one on my VCR. The VCR is monitored in case I tape something off TV and play it back. The station gets a percentage of the ratings when I play back a recorded program. I understand that if I had a DVR or TIVO it would be monitored also.

The left speaker of my stereo system is also monitored in case I decide to play the audio through my stereo and mute the TV speakers.

Every morning at 2am the equipment sends the day's information back to the mothership.

[–]chrisbooth12 0 points1 point ago

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Why is something some complex in this digital age

[–]Nielsen_TV_Guy 0 points1 point ago

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I would imagine to keep people from cheating. A TV station getting their mitts on a few households could do something totally sinister.

[–][deleted] 11 points12 points ago

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I am getting a Nielsen box in the mail next week, so I will remember to watch it

[–]SmartAssX 5 points6 points ago*

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Comedy Central have been putting most of there shows on their own websites where you can watch them for free.

[–]obrysii 4 points5 points ago

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their*

[–]SmartAssX 9 points10 points ago*

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Thank's.

[–]roger_ 1 point2 points ago

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*Thank's

[–]SmartAssX 0 points1 point ago

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ty

[–]louisc -3 points-2 points ago

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*Thanks

[–][deleted] 5 points6 points ago

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ALL GLORY TO THE HYPNOTOAD

[–]beedogs 11 points12 points ago

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What if it's fucking terrible, like when we got Family Guy back on the air and it sucked?

[–]enocenip 8 points9 points ago

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Then don't watch it?

[–]butteryhotcopporn 5 points6 points ago

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What if it doesn't suck, but in the time it was off the air, you changed.

[–]ChainsawAsh 5 points6 points ago

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A lot of people have complained about the four DVD movies being bad. I don't think they were as great as the four (five) seasons, but I also think that that's mostly due to the switch from the 22-minute format to a 90-minute format. I have a strong feeling that now that the writers are back to 22-minute episodes, the quality will improve greatly.

However, if this isn't the case, I'll gladly admit it and pretend that the show ended with Wild Green Yonder (or Devil's Hands).

[–]harsesus 1 point2 points ago

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They've had specials, if it was going to suck, they would have sucked. Bender's Game was frickin awesome, etc.

[–]RobbStark 0 points1 point ago

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The other three movies were good, but not at old-school Futurama standards. I think the main problem was the length, though, and am optimistic that the shorter episodic length will help solve that problem.

[–][deleted] 1 point2 points ago

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You must be thinking of something else - Family Guy never came back. It would have been great though; Family guy was a great show, sucks that there were only three seasons.

[–]Uncoolio[S] 0 points1 point ago

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The "wait and see" attitude was applied to Firefly, and to this day we see "Why did Firefly only get 14 episodes?!" threads on Reddit. I'm sad to say I was one of those people, and I'm trying to make up for it now.

Maybe it will suck... but if you refuse to watch until it proves itself - it's never going to get a chance to. That's how TV works.

[–]Vzzbxx -1 points0 points ago

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How dare you say that about Family Guy? Why, if you were a woman I'd slug you.

[–]Macbeth554 1 point2 points ago

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Unfortunately I live in South Korea at the moment, but if I was in the states I would do what I could to watch it, if nothing else then on Hulu.

[–]netzdamon 1 point2 points ago

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Like most shows I'll tell my dvr to record it and still watch it online as I'm never in front of my tv.

[–]lunchboxg4 1 point2 points ago

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Also TiVo collects anonymous viewing data, so be sure to record it. Season Passes for all.

[–]jtablerd 1 point2 points ago

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Nice try, David X Cohen.

[–]rasteri 2 points3 points ago

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I'm in the UK, and we won't see it for probably 6 months after you guys. So, I'm sorry, I'm going to sodding well torrent it.

[–][deleted] 1 point2 points ago

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They should Hulu that shit anyway. TV needs to just GTFO.

[–]botlove 2 points3 points ago

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fistpump.

[–]mikeokay 0 points1 point ago

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I'm in neilson online computer monitor, and will watch it on hulu at least

[–]AnonymousSkull 0 points1 point ago

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Futurama is my favorite show. I've bought all the DVDs, and a lot of the merchandise as well. Zoidberg sits on my dashboard. But I can't afford anything except basic cable -so I may have to go to a friends house to watch.

[–]xjgzja 0 points1 point ago

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any idea if they lookup the # of snatches?

[–]Enoxice 0 points1 point ago

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As long as this second run has a better timeslot than "After football. You know, if we have time" I'll be watching.

[–]cranktheguy 0 points1 point ago

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If only they could find some way of playing it when I am watching tv. Hopefully it will be on Hulu.

[–]ThoughtNinja 0 points1 point ago

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That's how I planned on watching it anyway. Fastest way to catch the new episodes as they are released.

[–]jagheterlinus 0 points1 point ago

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Seeing how I don't live in the US, and thus not being able to buy it from iTunes Store or watch it on television, I'll download.

But hey, if it starts running on swedish television (in a year or two) I'll watch it or at least have the television on while its showing.

[–]beanso 0 points1 point ago

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Sorry, I would love to do it, but I don't have a TV.

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point ago

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and on that day, when they tapped the cask, all that came out was water...

[–]Hwaaa 0 points1 point ago

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I'm a Futurama fan and I'll try to watch but I don't think Reddit alone will make much of a difference. Futurama's fate is out of our hands.

[–]PixelTreason -1 points0 points ago

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We buy the shows we want to support on iTunes. If they don't make the shows available on iTunes in a timely manner then they lose our business.

It makes me sad because there are some shows I would love to support but they are not available at all on iTunes. :( I hate feeling like I need to send an angry email to a company saying, "Dammit, I want to pay you for your hard work, let me do so, please!"

[–]myhandleonreddit 1 point2 points ago

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The reality is that nobody but iTunes gets money off of iTunes.

[–]PixelTreason 7 points8 points ago

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Really? I'd definitely like to see your evidence for that statement, I'm interested.

[–]Oryx -3 points-2 points ago

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If they can bring this back, where the fuck is the return of Firefly?

[–]obrysii 6 points7 points ago

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It's dead. Forget it. Serenity (the movie) was a loss. It is never coming back.

[–]hawaiianrule -2 points-1 points ago

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Psssh, Futurama ain't coming back in June. They have been saying that Futurama has been coming back for the past 5 years and still nothing.

I will believe it when I actually see it.

[–]seeker135 -1 points0 points ago

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Unless you have a mating service dairy (rating service diary), you don't really count.

[–]dirtymoney -3 points-2 points ago

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uh huh. I dont have cable and if it is hosted online legally... I still dont have a stable internet connection that would allow me to watch a streaming half hour show.... sooooooo.....

torrenting is the only way for me.

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