8 Things That Happen In Every Episode Of Futurama

There aren’t many shows like Futurama, but the show does like to imitate itself on an episode-by-episode basis. The animated sci-fi sitcom isn’t alone in its tendency to stick to a formula, but that doesn’t stop certain commonly-occurring events from sticking out when they happen. The Futurama cast has remained intact throughout every season, so there’s an added layer of consistency to the fabric of the show that’s reinforced by its tropes. Thankfully, the repetitive nature of certain elements is as amusing as it is comfortingly familiar.

It’s clear from the execution that the ongoing use of the same jokes and similar moments is an intentional move, as there are clear variances in the scenarios that seem otherwise recognizable. Widely regarded as one of the best animated TV shows ever, Futurama has the ability to make the old seem new again by changing only a few of the minor details. With so many episodes under its belt, this is likely a huge reason why Futurama has been rescued from cancelation more than once.

8 Professor Farnsworth Showcases A Terrible (But Hilarious) Invention

The professor’s scientific breakthroughs always come with a catch

There’s no denying the immense intelligence of Professor Hubert J Farnsworth, but his comedy-edged senility also affects his scientific breakthroughs. Futurama has no shortage of inventions introduced by the professor that are immediately put to use, but they almost always have a notable downfall. Sometimes, they aren’t even that useful at all, but they still take a hilarious amount of time, effort, and resources to design and develop. It’s no wonder Futurama keeps returning to this trope, as it allows for perhaps the greatest level of creativity on behalf of the writers.

One example of a brilliant Farnsworth invention is the Anti-Pressure Pill in Futurama season 2, episode 16, “The Deep South.” The incredible breakthrough of allowing the user to survive in high-pressure environments, such as the bottom of the ocean, is diminished a little by the fact the pill itself is an uncomfortably large suppository. Another of Farnsworth’s terrible-yet-excellent inventions is the Maternifuge in Futurama season 5, episode 5, “Kif Gets Knocked Up a Notch.” By the 31st Century, one would think a less painful way of establishing a child’s genetic lineage would have been developed, and yet the professor persists.

7 Fry Says Something Stupid That Oddly Makes Sense

The Planet Express delivery boy has a compellingly alternative view of the world

Futurama is essentially a fish-out-of-water story, with Philip J Fry serving as the eyes of the audience. Originating in the 20th Century, being thrust 1000 years into the future means Fry initially has only a minor understanding of what’s happening around him. As a result, he often comes across as naive and a little dim to his friends and colleagues. However, Fry has no shortage of soundbites that sound ridiculous upon first listen, but when they’re analyzed, they actually make perfect sense, display a surprising amount of knowledge, or show more self-awareness than it was thought Fry would possess.

Fry does also have countless moments where he showcases his less-than-stellar intelligence, but some of his best quotes simply offer an alternative point of view. For example, when he forgets the word for “Idea,” he refers to the concept as a “Headache with pictures,” which is a strangely artistic way of putting it. In addition, his suggestion in Futurama season 4, episode 8, “Godfellas,” to “Rub the engine with cheetah blood” to make the ship go faster is at least thinking outside the box.

6 Bender Shows His Hidden Emotional Side

The sentient Bending Unit isn’t all short tempers and curse words

Bender is always trying to convince everyone that he’s the cold and unfeeling machine that he appears to be on the surface. However, there are often moments where he lets the mask slip and he shows that he actually feels very deeply for those around him. While part of his persona is genuinely brash and heavy-handed, it’s certainly a facet that he exaggerates to avoid others knowing that he’s an emotional robot. It’s almost as if he’s proud of his mechanical lineage but is unable to prevent his phantom humanity from winning the day at times.

Bender even has a specific voice for when he’s feeling emotional, which is audibly more vulnerable than his everyday timbre. There are a few examples throughout Futurama season 5, episode 1, “Crimes of the Hot,” when Bender bonds with a turtle after he sees himself in the creature. Confused, even Leela questions her metallic colleague why he’s so invested in the well-being of anything other than himself: “Bender, a turtle isn’t yourself. Why do you care about it?”

5 Fry & Leela’s Relationship Gets Even More Confusing

The Futurama writers seem unwilling to permanently pair off Fry & Leela

Fry and Leela follow the “Ross and Rachel” archetype of sitcom couples, but the “will they or won’t they” approach to the Futurama duo’s relationship is much more fragile than that of its Friends counterpart. Fry is hopelessly enamored with Leela throughout the show’s run, but Leela seems very undecided about whether she wants to commit to being in a relationship with the lovable idiot. As such, the status of their romantic dynamic seems to change in new ways as each episode passes.

In some installments, Fry and Leela seem to be going steady, whereas in others, they seem nothing more than friends or even just colleagues. Even on the rare occasion when they’re each dating other people, the connection they share transcends whoever they’re each with at the time. While the show appeared to have placed them in a permanent state of togetherness in what was the final episode at the time – Futurama season 10, episode 13, “Meanwhile” – the revival has resurrected the unclear status of their pairing.

4 Dr. Zoidberg Makes A Mistake

Zoidberg has several flaws to which he often succumbs

Zoidberg is the ill-appointed physician at Planet Express, with his knowledge of human physiology being surprisingly low considering most of his colleagues originated on Earth. Therefore, it’s no surprise that the Decapodian has made several errors when treating the Planet Express crew. However, his missteps aren’t just limited to medical malpractice, but are rather more widespread than that. As an incredibly spontaneous character, Zoidberg tends to act before he thinks, and it leads to him carrying out whatever desire is in his head at the time without ever really considering what the consequences could be.

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Zoidberg’s many errors tend to stem from similar scenarios. For instance, his appetite often gets the better of him, leading to him eating – or at least attempting to eat – something that shouldn’t be consumed. However, his attempts to broaden his social circle also lead to hilarious mishaps, as he isn’t the most adept when it comes to mixing with society at large outside Planet Express. That being said, he isn’t that great at it during work hours either – it’s just that his colleagues are used to it.

3 The Planet Express Crew Lands On A Weird Alien World

Fry & the others have no shortage of new planets to explore

Although it’s primarily a sitcom, Futurama makes full use of its sci-fi subgenre. Space travel is one of the biggest tropes in sci-fi, and so Futurama doesn’t hold back on introducing exciting new planets that are quite often also very funny. The show sets itself apart from other sci-fi stories by not having to worry too much about lore or anything approaching realism. Instead, it can focus on what would make an alien world the most gimmicky and entertaining.

Some of the best episodes of Futurama take place on these varied interstellar bodies, and while certain visits may only be fleeting and make it possible for a few well-timed jokes or plot points, many journeys to the show’s alien worlds are long enough to fill an entire episode. From a planet where all the native inhabitants are made of water, all the way to a world where the cast of Star Trek: The Original Series lives on, Futurama is never short of story settings.

2 The Futurama Cast Watch A Fictional TV Show

Futurama’s fake programming are just as funny as the main show

Futurama stands proudly as a Matt Groening show in several ways, sharing many hallmarks with the creator’s flagship show, The Simpsons. The slew of in-universe TV shows is one of the biggest similarities. Whenever the Planet Express employees – mainly Fry and Bender – are kicking back and relaxing between missions, they can often be found on the couch watching a show that only exists within the world of Futurama.

While the most commonly seen show is the fictitious Channel √2 News, hosted by the irrelevant duo of Morbo and Linda, the Planet Express Crew also often enjoy Calculon’s All My Circuits robot soap opera. Perhaps the most prominent and most memorable fake TV show in Futurama is the tantalizing Everybody Loves Hypnotoad, famed for its lone, psychically-charged amphibian in the middle of the screen.

1 Someone References Another Sci-Fi Franchise

Futurama includes winks to sci-fi stories old and new

It’s very obvious that the Futurama writers are huge sci-fi fans, and not just because of the show they pen the scripts for. Futurama is filled with parodies and nods to other movies and TV shows within the genre. While the most common references are to properties like Star Wars and Star Trek, the show has also paid homage to The Matrix, ET, and Dune. Futurama is very adept at either just barely touching on a clever reference to another sci-fi property, or committing to the bit and using it as the foundation for an entire episode.

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It can be easier to spot science-fiction TV show and movie references in Futurama because of the familiarity of its setting, but the show also isn’t afraid to borrow from other properties that don’t sit within the same genre. As such, the animated sitcom has parodied movies like 1975’s One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest, 1997’s Titanic and 1981’s The Howling. Because of Futurama‘s pliable nature, it’s very easy for the writing staff to throw several references into a single scene, let alone every episode.

Futurama

Futurama follows the exploits of Philip J. Fry, a pizza delivery boy from 1999 who is cryogenically frozen for 1000 years. Waking up in the year 3000, Fry befriends a cyclops named Leela and a roguish robot named Bender, and the three find employment with Planet Express, an interplanetary delivery service. Their work takes them to all corners of the universe, exploring space and the future as imagined by Matt Groening and the creators of The Simpsons.

Cast

Katey Sagal , Billy West , Lauren Tom , Maurice LaMarche , David Herman , Tress MacNeille , John DiMaggio , Phil LaMarr

Release Date

March 28, 1999

Seasons

8

Showrunner

Matt Groening