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"Futurama" will end seven-season run on Sept. 4

On Monday, Comedy Central said that it would not be ordering any additional seasons of the animated series "Futurama," about a hapless delivery boy from the year 1999 who is cryogenically frozen and awakens in the 31st century.

Comedy Central previously brought "Futurama" back to life after it was canceled by Fox in 2003. The series, from the "Simpsons" creator Matt Groening and David X. Cohen, originally ran on Fox for 72 episodes between 1999 and 2003. Comedy Central acquired syndication rights to these episodes in 2005, and after four direct-to-DVD "Futurama" movies produced by the Fox studios were successful, Comedy Central commissioned new seasons of the series, which they began showing in 2010.

The series won the Emmy for Outstanding Animated Program twice, in 2002 and 2011. It has steadily declined in the ratings though, averaging 2.6 million viewers in 2010, 2.3 million in 2011, and 1.7 million in 2012.

Comedy Central said the final season of "Futurama" will premiere on June 19 and conclude on Sept. 4. Groening said in a statement: "I'm very proud of the upcoming season. If this is indeed the end of 'Futurama,' it's a fantastic finish to a good, long run."

Meanwhile, Dave Bernath, the network's executive vice president of program strategy and multiprogramming said in a statement: "Having the opportunity to bring 'Futurama' back for 52 episodes over these last four years has been a thrill for all of us at Comedy Central. The upcoming season promises to be the best final season of 'Futurama' yet."

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