Good news, everyone! Futurama, the beloved sci-fi cartoon, is back for its 11th season after a 10-year hiatus. The new episodes premiered today on Hulu in the US and on Disney+ elsewhere around the world. With such a long absence, fans may wonder if the show can still capture the same magic and relevance it had a decade ago. However, fear not! The new season successfully reboots the show in the year 3023, still set 1,000 years in the future, and retains the same spirit and energy that made it a hit.
Futurama first hit the airwaves in 1999, nearly a quarter of a century ago. It emerged from the shadow of its sister show, The Simpsons, and quickly gained a passionate fanbase. The show’s initial four seasons were a success, featuring multiple award-winning episodes like “Roswell That Ends Well” and “Godfellas.” While the main characters, Fry and Leela, delivered plenty of hilarious lines, it was the foul-mouthed, beer-drinking robot, Bender, who arguably became the most popular character of the series.
For those unfamiliar with the show, Futurama centers around Fry, a pizza-delivery boy who gets cryogenically frozen on New Year’s Eve in 1999 and wakes up 1,000 years later. The new season picks up after a few years of time being stopped, and Professor Farnsworth manages to reboot the universe, allowing everyone to seamlessly continue where they left off. “We’re back, baby!” exclaims Bender as he lights up a cigar.
Throughout its run, the show has faced numerous cancellations and revivals, a fact that it happily mocks in the new season. The characters even manage to convince robotic executives from “Fulu” to bring back a canceled robot soap opera that Fry loves. To help him catch up on missed seasons, they encase him in a Dune-style stillsuit that provides sustenance and even drills into his skull. Bender himself gets a chance to write a couple of episodes, but they turn out poorly, showing that even 1,000 years in the future, AI still struggles with writing.
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However, the return of Futurama almost didn’t happen. Last year, as the new season was in development, the voice actor behind Bender, John DiMaggio, pulled out of the revival, demanding better pay for the entire cast. This led to strong backlash from fans under the hashtag #BenderGate. Fortunately, the issue was eventually resolved, and DiMaggio returned to his role.
Created by Matt Groening and David X. Cohen before the Y2K era, smartphones, and social media, Futurama has weathered the changes in technology and culture remarkably well. It predates other animated space comedies like Rick and Morty and Star Trek: Lower Decks, both of which are also still going strong. While Futurama is less dark than Rick and Morty and less scientifically focused than Star Trek, the three shows share overlapping influences and have contributed to the renewed popularity of animated sci-fi.
In its return, Futurama also takes the opportunity to reference the 2020s more than its counterparts. The show-within-a-show, reminiscent of The Twilight Zone, now nods to Black Mirror. There is also an episode focused on Bitcoin, complete with crypto scams and lost money. Another episode features a server farm that raises ethical dilemmas, not regarding energy consumption but about the robots’ heads powering it. The new season also tackles subjects like a Covid-like outbreak, the use of Ivermectin (for deworming), cancel culture, and 3D printing.
With its revival, Futurama proves that it still has plenty to offer both longtime fans and new viewers. Despite the passing of time, its unique blend of humor, social commentary, and imaginative storytelling remains as relevant and entertaining as ever. So, buckle up and get ready for another wild ride in the world of Futurama!
