"Futurama" is first and foremost a comedy, but by setting events a thousand years in the future, it invited itself to have the kind of worldbuilding you'd see in more straight-laced science fiction. The writers aren't just out to make their audience laugh, but to invest them in a futuristic world.
The "Futurama" writers are learned science-fiction nerds themselves. Series co-creator David X. Cohen has degrees in physics and computer science, while David A. Goodman, who wrote the "Futurama" episode "Where No Fan Has Gone Before," (which featured most of the original "Star Trek" cast) went on to write for "Star Trek: Enterprise." Since the writers are nerds, they know how obsessive nerds think and engage with media by overanalyzing it.
The creators of "Futurama" admit they've even relied on fans to preserve the series' continuity, checking the "Futurama" wiki rather than rewatching episodes themselves. An audio commentary track for the series premiere,...
The "Futurama" writers are learned science-fiction nerds themselves. Series co-creator David X. Cohen has degrees in physics and computer science, while David A. Goodman, who wrote the "Futurama" episode "Where No Fan Has Gone Before," (which featured most of the original "Star Trek" cast) went on to write for "Star Trek: Enterprise." Since the writers are nerds, they know how obsessive nerds think and engage with media by overanalyzing it.
The creators of "Futurama" admit they've even relied on fans to preserve the series' continuity, checking the "Futurama" wiki rather than rewatching episodes themselves. An audio commentary track for the series premiere,...
- 3/2/2024
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
Bender (John Dimaggio), the drunken alcoholic robot on Matt Groening and David X. Cohen's sci-fi sitcom "Futurama" is fueled by alcohol. Indeed, if Bender doesn't have a cocktail once or twice a day, he begins to rust, his batteries begin to run down, and he behaves as if he's drunk. Of course, consuming too much booze also makes Bender behave like he's drunk, so it's a careful balance to ensure he's functional. If that seems unclear, don't worry. The characters on "Futurama" don't quite have a grasp of it either. When Bender claims to have seen a werewolf car (!), Fry (Billy West) responds by saying "You've been drinking too much, or too little. I forget how it works with you. Anyway, you haven't drunk exactly the right amount."
Early in the series, Bender had more of a "drunken" voice, with actor Dimaggio giving the character a slightly raspier effect as well as a slight,...
Early in the series, Bender had more of a "drunken" voice, with actor Dimaggio giving the character a slightly raspier effect as well as a slight,...
- 3/2/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
The fourth of four "Futurama" movies, "Into the Wild Green Yonder," came out on DVD in 2009, and it was assumed to be the final word on the series. "Futurama" would eventually return in the ensuing years, but for the moment, it looked like "Green Yonder" was the final appearance of the beloved sci-fi series. As such, the story was appropriately sprawling, involving an evil, unknowable, galaxy-wide force of evil in the universe -- the Dark Ones -- and their attempt to snuff out a mysterious new planet that just appeared out in space. The planet will later be revealed to be the egg of an Encyclopod, an outsize space-faring creature that catalogs and stores the DNA of all species in the galaxy.
At the end of "Yonder," Leo Wong (Billy West) aims to obliterate the violet dwarf star that hosts the Ecyclopod planet, as he wishes to build a galaxy-wide golf course.
At the end of "Yonder," Leo Wong (Billy West) aims to obliterate the violet dwarf star that hosts the Ecyclopod planet, as he wishes to build a galaxy-wide golf course.
- 1/15/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
When Matt Groening's and David X. Cohen's "Futurama" debuted in 1999, it aired on Fox and fit neatly into the traditional network TV 30-minute time slot. Most half-hour TV shows were typically only about 22 minutes of actual programming, allowing for two extended commercial breaks roughly at the 10-minute mark and the 20-minute mark. Because they were beholden to that stringent schedule, most network TV shows worked their writing down to a science, writing stories that could only be told in a very specific way. To some readers, the structure may sound creatively limiting, but one might also recall that old saying about creation vis-à-vis necessity. For generations, TV writing expertly crafted stories that could fit into 30- or 60-minute time slots with ease, carefully writing in climactic moments or comedic punchlines right at the commercial breaks.
This structure certainly aided "Futurama," which was forced to be jaunty and light...
This structure certainly aided "Futurama," which was forced to be jaunty and light...
- 9/6/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Futurama, Season 1, Episode 1: “Space Pilot 3000”
Written by David X. Cohen and Matt Groening
Directed by Rich Moore and Gregg Vanzo
Aired March 28th, 1999 on Fox
An average half-hour TV comedy lasts for 1,260 seconds, yet it only takes twenty-five of those seconds for The Simpsons’ presence to be felt in “Space Pilot 3000.” Some of that influence is visual, as Futurama’s inhabitants bear the same over-inflated eyes and pronounced overbites of their yellow counterparts. Yet the biggest piece of The Simpsons to be found in “Space Pilot” is its humor. After those twenty-five seconds are up, the episode has already delivered three punchlines, one twisting Star Trek with Donkey Kong and another printed on a pizza box. Rapid-fire pace, pop-culture literacy and sign gags- three hallmarks The Simpsons had already honed to perfection in the ten years it ran before “Space Pilot” ever aired. Futurama series creator Matt Groening and...
Written by David X. Cohen and Matt Groening
Directed by Rich Moore and Gregg Vanzo
Aired March 28th, 1999 on Fox
An average half-hour TV comedy lasts for 1,260 seconds, yet it only takes twenty-five of those seconds for The Simpsons’ presence to be felt in “Space Pilot 3000.” Some of that influence is visual, as Futurama’s inhabitants bear the same over-inflated eyes and pronounced overbites of their yellow counterparts. Yet the biggest piece of The Simpsons to be found in “Space Pilot” is its humor. After those twenty-five seconds are up, the episode has already delivered three punchlines, one twisting Star Trek with Donkey Kong and another printed on a pizza box. Rapid-fire pace, pop-culture literacy and sign gags- three hallmarks The Simpsons had already honed to perfection in the ten years it ran before “Space Pilot” ever aired. Futurama series creator Matt Groening and...
- 6/27/2013
- by Adam Bellotto
- SoundOnSight
Outstanding Guest Actor In A Comedy Series Saturday Night Live • NBC • SNL Studios in association with Universal Media Studios and Broadway Video Justin Timberlake, Host Outstanding Animated Program Futurama • The Late Philip J. Fry • Comedy Central • The Curiosity Company in association with Twentieth Century Fox Television Matt Groening, Executive Producer David X. Cohen, Executive Producer Ken Keeler, Executive Producer Dan Vebber, Co-Executive Producer Patric M. Verrone, Co-Executive Producer Josh Weinstein, Co-Executive Producer Eric Horsted, Co-Executive Producer Michael Rowe, Co-Executive Producer Lee Supercinski, Produced By Claudia Katz, Produced By Gregg Vanzo, Animation Executive Producer Lewis Morton, Written by Peter Avanzino, Supervising Director/Directed By Scott Vanzo, Director of Computer Graphics Ira Sherak, Assistant Director Outstanding Original Music And Lyrics Saturday Night Live • Host: Justin Timberlake (Song Title: Justin Timberlake Monologue) • NBC • SNL Studios in association with Universal Media Studios and Broadway Video Katreese Barnes, Music by Seth Meyers, Lyrics by Justin Timberlake,...
- 9/10/2011
- by NIKKI FINKE
- Deadline TV
Outstanding Guest Actor In A Comedy Series Saturday Night Live • NBC • SNL Studios in association with Universal Media Studios and Broadway Video Justin Timberlake, Host Outstanding Animated Program Futurama • The Late Philip J. Fry • Comedy Central • The Curiosity Company in association with Twentieth Century Fox Television Matt Groening, Executive Producer David X. Cohen, Executive Producer Ken Keeler, Executive Producer Dan Vebber, Co-Executive Producer Patric M. Verrone, Co-Executive Producer Josh Weinstein, Co-Executive Producer Eric Horsted, Co-Executive Producer Michael Rowe, Co-Executive Producer Lee Supercinski, Produced By Claudia Katz, Produced By Gregg Vanzo, Animation Executive Producer Lewis Morton, Written by Peter Avanzino, Supervising Director/Directed By Scott Vanzo, Director of Computer Graphics Ira Sherak, Assistant Director Outstanding Original Music And Lyrics Saturday Night Live • Host: Justin Timberlake (Song Title: Justin Timberlake Monologue) • NBC • SNL Studios in association with Universal Media Studios and Broadway Video Katreese Barnes, Music by Seth Meyers, Lyrics by Justin Timberlake,...
- 9/10/2011
- by NIKKI FINKE
- Deadline Hollywood
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