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The Daily OrangeBack to the future
New episodes of 'Futurama' arrive after four year hiatus
By AJ Chavar
Posted: 3/31/08, 12:01 AM EST Section: Clicker
Good news, everyone!
The cult sci-fi animated series "Futurama" is back on the air after the FOX network dropped it back in 2003.
Well, it's kind of back.
First, Cartoon Network aired the show from 2003-2007, and then Comedy Central picked up the show, which is best known for its extremely nerdy science jokes, irreverent humor and plentiful celebrity cameos.
The only catch is the "new" episodes airing right now - and which will culminate in a mashed-together sixth season - aren't actually new, but serialized versions of the straight-to-DVD "Futurama" movies currently being made.
"Futurama," for the uninitiated, is about Fry, a pizza delivery man who, on New Year's Eve 2000, ends up in the year 3000. Once there, he teams up with his new best friend, Bender, an alcoholic, cigar-smoking, whoremongering robot; Leela - his one-eyed love interest; and The Professor - a 160-something year old inventor and professor who is actually Fry's great-great-great (etc.) nephew.
Normally a straight-to-DVD movie is the hex on a dying franchise, but in the case of "Futurama," it looks to be a fantastic revival of the series.
So far, "Bender's Big Score" has been the only movie released, and Comedy Central is chopping it up into a couple episodes to satisfy fans who haven't seen it yet.
The writers have no qualms about addressing the cancellation of the show, alluding to it several times in the opening of the movie, with references to the BOX network (the conglomerate that manages all delivery companies, including Planet Express) canceling Planet Express. The BOX network and its executives are a running gag throughout the movie, but where "BBS" really wins is that it isn't self-contained. The writers are very aware the movie needs to fit in context with the series, and they do a great job of tying in references to past episodes, obscure "Futurama" facts and running jokes within the series itself.
Writing has always been the strongest part of "Futurama," at times the very talented writing team almost seems to have written the series entire story-arc at once, with things from the first episode being critical plot points in the fifth season, time-warps, explanations for why Fry is in the future and his importance for being there. They also make seemingly unrelated side-stories connect in mind-bogglingly meaningful ways.
The cult sci-fi animated series "Futurama" is back on the air after the FOX network dropped it back in 2003.
Well, it's kind of back.
First, Cartoon Network aired the show from 2003-2007, and then Comedy Central picked up the show, which is best known for its extremely nerdy science jokes, irreverent humor and plentiful celebrity cameos.
The only catch is the "new" episodes airing right now - and which will culminate in a mashed-together sixth season - aren't actually new, but serialized versions of the straight-to-DVD "Futurama" movies currently being made.
"Futurama," for the uninitiated, is about Fry, a pizza delivery man who, on New Year's Eve 2000, ends up in the year 3000. Once there, he teams up with his new best friend, Bender, an alcoholic, cigar-smoking, whoremongering robot; Leela - his one-eyed love interest; and The Professor - a 160-something year old inventor and professor who is actually Fry's great-great-great (etc.) nephew.
Normally a straight-to-DVD movie is the hex on a dying franchise, but in the case of "Futurama," it looks to be a fantastic revival of the series.
So far, "Bender's Big Score" has been the only movie released, and Comedy Central is chopping it up into a couple episodes to satisfy fans who haven't seen it yet.
The writers have no qualms about addressing the cancellation of the show, alluding to it several times in the opening of the movie, with references to the BOX network (the conglomerate that manages all delivery companies, including Planet Express) canceling Planet Express. The BOX network and its executives are a running gag throughout the movie, but where "BBS" really wins is that it isn't self-contained. The writers are very aware the movie needs to fit in context with the series, and they do a great job of tying in references to past episodes, obscure "Futurama" facts and running jokes within the series itself.
Writing has always been the strongest part of "Futurama," at times the very talented writing team almost seems to have written the series entire story-arc at once, with things from the first episode being critical plot points in the fifth season, time-warps, explanations for why Fry is in the future and his importance for being there. They also make seemingly unrelated side-stories connect in mind-bogglingly meaningful ways.
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