FOX Network Orders Two New Episodes of “In Living Color”

http://www.deadline.com/2011/10/fox-to-reboot-in-living-color-with-keenan-ivory-wayans/

“Fox is bringing back its groundbreaking 1990s sketch comedy series In Living Color with the series’ creator and star, Keenen Ivory Wayans, on board as host and executive producer. Fox has ordered two In Living Color half-hour specials to air as part of the network’s 25th anniversary celebration in midseason with a series option behind them, meaning that in success, the reboot will join Fox’s schedule as a regular series next season. I hear it was Wayans’ idea to revive the popular sketch comedy series with a new cast. The new In Living Color will be produced by his production company Ivory Way Prods. in association with 20th Century Fox TV’s Fox 21.”

 

“The show helped launch the careers of a slew of comedy actors — its cast included Wayans; his siblings Damon, Shawn, Kim and later Marlon; as well as Jim Carrey, Jamie Foxx and David Alan Grier — and of course Jennifer Lopez as one of the Fly Girls. It spawned such iconic characters as “Men on Film,” starring flamboyant film critics Blaine Edwards (Damon Wayans) and Antoine Merriweather (Grier); Homey D. Clown (Damon Wayans), a dour urban kiddie entertainer whose catchphrase was “Homey don’t play that!”; streetwise scam artists “The Home Boys” (Keenen Ivory and Damon Wayans); and Fire Marshall Bill (Jim Carrey), a disfigured safety expert. “

 

I have a lot of mixed feelings about this idea.

I have plenty of fond memories of the Fox Sunday night line up way back when !!

The Simpsons

Married With Children

In Living Color

and

Parker Lewis

I remember the first season of all of those shows and recall how cutting edge and “dangerous” they were !! (except for Parker Lewis)

As mentioned above, Homey D. Clown and  Men on Film were some of the best sketches done !!! (I never really cared for most of the Jim Carrey characters except for Vera D’milo”)

I don’t think that there will be anyway that Keenen will be able to capture the the raw energy and be able to “get away” with what they did in the first run.

I will probably watch at least the first show if they do make these.

 

 

Recession hits cartooning !!!

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/fox-says-cant-afford-more-simpsons-without-cuts-185337352.html

 

“The future of animated TV comedy “The Simpsons” was up in the air on Tuesday after 20th Century Fox Television said it could no longer afford to produce the show without a huge pay cut for its cast.

Fox Television, a unit of News Corp, issued a tough statement after a report that it had threatened to end the subversive series unless the voice actors take a 45 percent pay cut.

“We believe this brilliant series can and should continue, but we cannot produce future seasons under its current financial model,” Fox said.

“We are hopeful that we can reach an agreement with the voice cast that allows ‘The Simpsons’ to go on entertaining audiences with original episodes for many years to come,” the statement added.

”

I’ve been a big fan of “The Simpsons” since I watched the very first episode.

I am however a big supporter of limiting the life span of television programs.  It would be best to end a series 1 episode BEFORE they Jump the Shark !!!

I don’t know when The Simpsons jumped, but they did.

I wonder if it has been calculated as to how much economic activity that this one television series had a hand in.