Past Emmy winner "Futurama" got axed by Fox network in 2003 after five seasons, but it's developed such a strong cult following since then on DVD and TV reruns that Comedy Central has picked up the show.

"A spokesperson for 20th Century Fox Television confirms that the cable net has ordered  26 new episodes of Matt Groening and David X. Cohen's late, great animated series to air beginning in 2010," reports Mike Ausiello at EW.com.

"Futurama" won the Emmy as best animated program in 2002, beating "King of the Hill," "South Park" and even Groening's "The Simpsons." It was also nominated in 1999 (getting clobbered by "King of the Hill"), 2003 (crushed by "The Simpsons") and 2004 (skewered by "Samurai Jack").

Its appeal to Emmy voters is extraordinary considering how they usually eschew TV shows with such a snarky slacker sensibility --  too much like Emmyless "Beavis and Butthead." Sure, "The Simpsons" -- which has won best animated program 10 times -- is about a slacker too. Homer is that on an epic scale, in fact, but "The Simpsons" fits the traditional family formula like Emmy's past best comedy series champs "Everybody Loves Raymond" or "The Cosby Show,"  which feature dads who are also idiots within families where moms and (some) kids are wise. But in those cases, the setup is familiar, comfy to conservative Emmy voters.