Futurama has been a lot like the bastard child of animated tv-shows. Loved by its friends and close relatives, but totally ignored by any kind of authority (or tv-network) figure. But it seems the tide has turned on this sweet little show. On june 10th 2009 Comedy Central and 20th Century Fox Television announced they are bringing back the show with 26 all new episodes.
To celebrate this wondrous occasion, ZeroDown animation has put together a (completely unscientific and heavily biased) shortlist of 6 reasons why you should be glued to your television set when those new episodes start airing.
6. Lovely love triangles
One of the more interesting things about Futurama is how the show handles the love lives of it’s main protagonists. The constant sexual herassment of Leela by one Zapp Branigan, to name an example. But the show doesn’t shy away from an inter-alien relationship or two. And there are even characters that are their own grandfather. Bet you never saw that on Days of our Lives, did you?
5. Bender, Bender and ehm, more Bender
Oh look: it’s a metal version of Homer Simpson, was many a response when Bender first hit tv-screens around the world. But he has grown into one of the most adored misfits ever to grace an animation desk. “Bite my shiny metal ass” Need I say more?
4. Celebrity headcases
What do you do when you set a show 1000 years into the future, but still want to use celebrity guest stars? You chop off their heads and put them in a jar of course! Now I’d like to have been at that brainstorm session.
3. It actually looks cooler in HD
While some shots of The Simpsons look a bit bland since the show went HD in it’s 20th season, Futurama was simply made for the HD era. Just look at the Blu-ray versions of the movies, with all their groovy 3D effects and shots with lots of stuff happening on screen. This looks stunningly good on a 1080p display.
2. Voice talent
Ah, what would Bender be without John DiMaggio? Or the line “good news everyone” without Billy West? Or would Leela be as vamp-like (or camp-like) without our dear Katey Sagal? No sirree! Without the great voice talent Futurama would be no hotter than cold poop on a stick.
1. It works better as a tv-show
And the one reason the new episodes will be a godsent is simply because this show, like Dark Matter, is stronger in compact form. However nice the four direct-to-video movies were, the real power of Futurama comes in short controlled bursts. A new adventure every week, with all the ingredients named above… it’s simply too good to resist.
The new season of Futurama will start somewhere in 2010 on Comedy Central. So be sure to look out for more details on the precise airdates as they become available.
This blog post was brought to you by Glagnar’s Human Rinds. It’s a buncha muncha chruncha human!
I absolutely adored Wuthering Heights and fell in love with Heathcliff as most girls do.