Is Futurama more or less indestructible at this point? Similar to the Terminator or Novak Djokovic, the animated sci-fi comedy keeps making a comeback - this time with a 20-episode revival series on Hulu (or Disney+ in the UK). During its heyday, Futurama was a fantastic TV show, although it lived in the shadow of The Simpsons (both created by cartoonist Matt Groening, featuring his signature art style). Nevertheless, Futurama thrived on its own creative merits. The original 72-episode run on Fox, starting in 1999, remains remarkably relevant even today. Set 1,000 years in the future, in the city of New New York, Futurama served as an ideal platform to satirize the quirks of contemporary life.
Then, in 2003, it got cancelled. For five years, Futurama seemed destined to become a perennial entry on every list of "TV series that were cancelled too soon," a constant reminder of what could have been. But in 2008, it was resurrected for four straight-to-DVD films. It was evident that something had changed during the interim; the humor wasn't as effortless, and the plotlines weren't as compelling.
Yet, for Futurama fans, it was far better than nothing. In 2009, the series made a comeback once more, this time on Comedy Central. Here is where the series truly transformed - episodes increasingly focused on on-the-nose topical parody. One episode depicted the citizens of New New York falling for an addictive "eyePhone" app, while another used a "robosexual" marriage bill to satirize the then-topical same-sex marriage ban in California. The series continued for five years, concluding in 2013. Now, after a decade's absence, it returns with a season premiere ("The Impossible Stream") that delves into streaming services, NFTs, and anti-PC humor. Futurama may not be exactly the same as it was, but it has gradually become an intriguing study of changing times.
Futurama's unique style of satire isn't well-suited for lasting relevance in an era of rapid technological advancement. When the show first aired in 1999, the internet was still in its infancy, and early episodes reflected an attitude towards the web vastly different from what it would become just a decade later. For example, a parody of file-sharing site Napster in season three's "I Dated a Robot" might be almost incomprehensible to present-day viewers. Similarly, the concept of Bender running a back-alley matchmaking service in the season two episode "Put Your Head on My Shoulders" seems quaint in the age of dating apps.
Politically, Futurama was steeped in Gen X cynicism and Bush-era politics. Jokes about Earth's president being the disembodied head of Richard Nixon and multiple appearances by Al Gore playing himself were recurring themes. However, these jokes may not resonate in the same way today, though Nixon still appears in the latest season. Notably, Futurama was off-air throughout the entire Donald Trump presidency, which some might consider a blessing given the show's political themes.
Certain aspects of the series have not aged well, including a misjudged episode from the first revival featuring a singing boil named Susan, a play on Susan Boyle from Britain's Got Talent. Other instances are more complex, like the fourth season's "Bend Her," where Bender undergoes a mechanical gender reassignment operation to win an Olympic medal. Today, it's unlikely that a progressive show would approach such a plotline. The writers' comfort with exploring such themes in 2003 reflects both the prevailing ignorance surrounding transgender issues at the time and the more recent rise of the anti-trans lobby. The current cultural landscape, particularly the "culture war," didn't exist in the same way back then. In the latest season, it appears that the 31st century is finally getting its own equivalent of today's cancel culture, as episode eight is titled "Zapp Gets Cancelled" with a foreboding tone.
Futurama serves as a striking reminder to be cautious about one's desires: sometimes, it's better to end on a high note rather than continue in a state of mediocrity. With each reboot, the show has returned slightly altered, resembling its former self yet somehow feeling off, akin to the resurrected cat in Stephen King's Pet Sematary. As a whole, the series appears messy and narratively inconsistent, as efforts to update its satire have warped its once-cohesive vision of the future. However, these very flaws infuse it with renewed interest. Futurama becomes a captivating glimpse into how the world has evolved over the past 25 years.
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