Over at Film Roman

Although I know it's silly to go to studios between Christmas and New Year's because many are as empty as Dodge City during a gunfight , Tuesday I ... went to studios.

Cartoon Network had a few artists working away like demons in selected cubicles, but it was mostly pretty quiet. And at Film Roman/Starz Media ...

... the King of the Hill and Goode Family crews are winding down. As a Gooder told me:

"The first batch of episodes are finishing up, and I'm out of here in January. Who knows if we get a pick up? The show won't be on the air until Spring, and the network will probably take its time about deciding on a full season. I'm going to have to get out there and look for work way before that happens ..."

King of the Hill staff still doesn't know if some other network will pick up a new season of Hank Hill et famille. All anyone appears to be sure of is that Fox is satiated, so it's up to CBS or some other conglom to step up to the punch bowl and drink.

Up on The Simpsons, they're revising the long-time opening to fill the format of the wider, high-def teevee screen. Same elements that everyone has known and loved, now updated to reflect two decades of the shows ever-broadening scope ... and the changes brought by last year's feature.

Television animation in one sentence? Most everybody scrambles to land the next assignment.

Add On: Several KOTH staffers stopped me in the hall to say they're jumping over to Cleveland at Fox Animation. (Happily, Fox has kept prime-time animated shows bubbling ...)