‘The Simpsons’ will join FXX in syndication as part of enormous new deal
“The Simpsons” finally has a home on cable TV, and it’s on a network that at the moment is really desperate for a win. Today, FXX (which, it should be noted, is one of the cable sister stations to the show’s first-run broadcaster in Fox) has signed on to be the exclusive owner of the rights to broadcast the long-running animated comedy. Surprisingly, the is the first time that the show will be broadcast on cable, even though many networks have syndicated the show in primetime and late-night for years.
Just stop for a minute to think about everything that this deal could entail for FXX. There are over 24 seasons of the show right now and well over 500 episodes, and the network can program all of them into a schedule. You could do marathons just of Treehouse of Horror Specials, or ones about some other holidays or geared towards specific characters, even smaller roles like Ned Flanders. The possibilities here for the network are endless, at least so long as people tune in to watch.
Some animated shows like “Family Guy” have fared pretty well on cable, and “Futurama” even did well enough on Comedy Central that the network briefly brought it back from the dead. So for FXX, this has to be a good sign that it will get an opportunity to improve its standing somewhat among cable. Right now, “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” and “The League” are two of the only things it has going for it; remember, the decision was made recently to cancel “Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell,” as the show barely even scored more than 10,000 viewers on some nights (which, of course, is simply too low to be acceptable even with good reviews).
Personally, we love the deal for all parties involved. It gives “The Simpsons” a place where it will surely get plenty of burn thanks to FXX’s weak schedule at the moment, and it instantly gives the young network some more credibility that a TBS or even an FX proper would not need.
What do you think about the move for FXX, and do you think that all parties involved here are winners? Be sure to share below!
Photo: FXX