The Network of Cartoons

Guilt-ridden over doping off over the Christmas holidays, Your Truly went to two fun factories today.

In the morning it was Film Roman/ Starz Media, snugged up against the fabled Bob Hope Airport. The current season of Simpsons half-hours is wending its way to an end, and artists and directors have resigned themselves to a season of shorter schedules and longer hiatuses.

"Nobody feels valued here like they did a few years ago. Most people now feel like their disposable. Se sure don't feel we have the leverage we used to..."

"We hear rumors that they're not going to do another Simpsons feature until after the series is over. And we've got no idea how long the series will keep going ..."

I offered the suggestion that the series would be going a while, since if they close down production it will cause the money-making machine called Simpsons merchandising to shrink to unacceptable proportions. (And personally, I think a lot of these folks have more clout than they know.) ...

After lunch I motored to Cartoon Network, where an old hand told me:

"There aren't as many projects happening around here as before. The ones going on now are:

1) Chowder, which is pretty well done except for a little bit left in post. Most of the crew left long ago.

2) Flapjack; it's half through its current order of six shows, and we don't know if there's going to be more beyond the six.

3) Generator Rex. This pup is working through its first order of twenty episodes, and three shows are back from overseas and in editing. We've got six new scripts greenlit beyond the first twenty.

4) The Regular Show is a newer comedy series that started in November with a first order of six episodes. They're going to have to make a decision soon about doing more shows if they want to keep the crew together.

5) Ben Ten. This series is still going, but I don't know how much more work they've got.

Down at Nick, I understand they've got an order for twenty-six more half-hours of Fan Boy and Chum Chum. My friends on it are happy about this, since the way Nick works, that should be another couple of years of employment ..."

So that's what my CN spies and stoolies tell me. I've seen Cartoon Network busier, but I'm informed that there is another series in development. (My spies declined to tell me what it was.)