Steve Johnson

Host

The Simpsons Kill Cable?

Jul 22, 2014·17 visitors

Jack Terry

Cohost

Stage· 62 messages

Jul 22, 2014

Join Steve Johnson and Jack Terry as they tawk about FXX airing every Simpsons episode back to back before releasing them online and what this means for the future of television

Jack Terry · 1:00 AM

Hey Steve, how's it going tonight?

Steve Johnson · 1:00 AM

It's fantastic. How are you tonight?

Jack Terry · 1:00 AM

I'm great. I'm just getting all stocked up on my cases of Duff Beer, getting ready for the marathon of The Simpsons!

Steve Johnson · 1:01 AM

Can you believe that? FXX paid $750 million for all 552 episodes, which they plan on running in order.

Jack Terry · 1:01 AM

That's a lot of Homer and Bart all at once!

Steve Johnson · 1:02 AM

276 hours if my math is good, which is just over 11 days.

Jack Terry · 1:02 AM

I can't understand why they would do something like that.

Steve Johnson · 1:02 AM

Marketing i guess, trying to draw business to the most fledgeling of FOX's networks.

Jack Terry · 1:03 AM

They could certainly use it, although it seems like FOX is on quite a spree right now. First the huge new sports channel roll out last year, and now this event.

Steve Johnson · 1:04 AM

And let's not forget the cool $80 Billion they want to shell out for Time/Warner.

Jack Terry · 1:04 AM

Do you always capitalize the b in billion?

Steve Johnson · 1:04 AM

I do in this case!

Jack Terry · 1:05 AM

LOL! I think that this super Simpson marathon on FXX ties in perfectly with the attempted takeover of Time/Warner by FOX though, because it is two distinct examples of the future of entertainment.

Steve Johnson · 1:06 AM

Indeed. The cover story in the business section of the New York Times today was all about how the changing landscape was affecting smaller independent stations and other entertainment platforms.

Jack Terry · 1:06 AM

This is definitely the time to sit up and get noticed otherwise you might be left out in the cold.

Steve Johnson · 1:06 AM

A friend of mine works for DirecTV and he says that the merger with AT&T is all but a done deal.

Jack Terry · 1:07 AM

Speaking of DirecTV, you know that you can watch all of the Simpson episodes on demand with them, right?

Steve Johnson · 1:07 AM

All but the current season i think.

Jack Terry · 1:08 AM

Right. And you can do the same with Xfinity, the on-demand channel from Comcast, right?

Steve Johnson · 1:08 AM

Yes.

Jack Terry · 1:08 AM

Plus the FOX websites lets you watch all of the FOX shows whenever you want, which includes the Simpsons, right?

Steve Johnson · 1:08 AM

You gotta point with all of this?

Jack Terry · 1:09 AM

Why would anyone care about a marathon of Simpsons episodes? And more importantly, why does it matter that this is being done as an introduction to a new Simpsons-centric website?

Steve Johnson · 1:09 AM

I hate to say it, but i don't know how much it does.

Jack Terry · 1:10 AM

Exactly. Ten years ago when the show was more relevant, this might have been a bigger deal.

Steve Johnson · 1:10 AM

Plus ten years ago you didn't have the on demand options and the binge watching that happens now.

Jack Terry · 1:10 AM

Remind me of that because that's another point I want to make. When was the last time you watched The Simpsons?

Steve Johnson · 1:11 AM

Honestly I couldn't tell you.

Jack Terry · 1:11 AM

And for comparison, when was the last time you saw an episode of Family Guy or The Big Bang Theory?

Steve Johnson · 1:11 AM

Are you kidding? between the two of them only every time I turn on the tv.

Jack Terry · 1:12 AM

You can thank TBS for that. Reruns of The Big Bang Theory on TBS sometimes draw higher ratings than what's on the four major networks. You think The Simpsons can do that?

Steve Johnson · 1:12 AM

No because i think they have moved into a nostalgia realm.

Jack Terry · 1:12 AM

What do you mean?

Steve Johnson · 1:13 AM

The Simpsons are important to us because we grew up with them. They were our subversive show. It doesn't resonate with younger people so they don't search out the reruns.

Jack Terry · 1:14 AM

And if they do, the do so online.

Steve Johnson · 1:14 AM

Yes, and for you and i and others like us, we've probably been saturated with them, having seen most every episode at least a half dozen times, thanks to all the reruns they used to air.

Jack Terry · 1:15 AM

So I guess this means you won't be watching the marathon.

Steve Johnson · 1:15 AM

Not even if i could. I know some peoplewill make a game of it. I mean, that is what Frats are for right?

Jack Terry · 1:15 AM

My thoughts exactly. It'll be a novelty for some people, but the demand won't be there.

Steve Johnson · 1:16 AM

Think of it as old school binge watching...

Jack Terry · 1:16 AM

Oh you are so good to me! I knew I'd forget!!

Steve Johnson · 1:16 AM

That's what friends are for!

Jack Terry · 1:16 AM

Traditional programming is slowly going away. I'm certainly not sounding the death knell yet

Steve Johnson · 1:16 AM

Some people are.

Jack Terry · 1:17 AM

Some yes, and they might be right, but it will take a while. My question is: do you think that The Simpsons will ever have a primetime show run longer, in number of years?

Steve Johnson · 1:17 AM

I'm going to answer with a technicality. You still wtach wrestling?

Jack Terry · 1:18 AM

You mean the WWF?

Steve Johnson · 1:18 AM

They're called the WWE now, so I'll take that as a no. But many people still do, and they claim to have the longest running episodic show on television.

Jack Terry · 1:18 AM

How is that possible?

Steve Johnson · 1:19 AM

Because they don't show reruns. 52 weeks a year they do Monday Night Raw. Which means they only needed to be on the air less than 11 years to beat the Simpsons.

Jack Terry · 1:19 AM

And I'm guessing they have been?

Steve Johnson · 1:19 AM

They celebrated their 1000th episode sometime last year.

Jack Terry · 1:20 AM

See? Network television needs them?

Steve Johnson · 1:20 AM

Maybe not. They started their own online network earlier this year. returns are slow and there is talk about closing it down, but still...

Jack Terry · 1:21 AM

The fact is that television is changing, and part of what helped it change originally was The Simpsons. They were the first cornerstone in FOX's bid to become the 4th network.

Steve Johnson · 1:21 AM

Still, I think an 11 day marathon might just be the Worst. Idea. Ever.

Jack Terry · 1:21 AM

Ay Carumba!

Steve Johnson · 1:21 AM

D'oh!

Jack Terry · 1:22 AM

Well, on that note let me just say that if the Simpsons marathon and website is successful, I guess Rupert Murdoch will be having the last laugh. Just like Nelson.

Steve Johnson · 1:22 AM

Ha-ha!

Jack Terry · 1:23 AM

Good night Steve!

Steve Johnson · 1:23 AM

A pleasure as always Jack. Tawk to you soon!