The very talented cartoonist -Matt Groening first got the idea of the animated science cartoon in the mid-1990s while he was working on the very successful The Simpsons. He then invited David X. Cohen to help develop the characters and story to pitch the show to Fox.
Futurama has enjoyed quite a following and has been very successful in every sense. In terms of awards and recognitions, it was ranked one of the top 60 Greatest TV Cartoons of All Time by TV Guide in 2013. The series got seventeen Annie Awards winning 7, twelve Emmy Awards nominations winning 6 and the Writers Guild of America Award nomination 4 times winning 2 for different episodes.
With 7 seasons and 140 episodes which were aired between March 1999 to August 2003, reruns between 2003-2007 and new episodes between 2010-2013, the series focuses of the adventures of slacker Philip J. Fry who is revived in the 31st century after being cryogenically preserved for 1000 years.
The show captures a wide range of themes including hopefulness of humanity, existential darkness, politics, loss, to mention a few. The best of the episodes are well encompassing covering science fiction, humour, intelligence, tenderness and of course humanity.
Here is a list of 10 of the shows best episodes cut across all the seven seasons.
1. Season 1, Episode 1
Space Pilot 3000
This episode is short but dense in a lot of back story about (Fry) the main character. With the several humorous scenes, the episode set the precedence for the general tone of the show.
It in this episode we learn that Fry (a pizza delivery guy) was cryogenically frozen and wakes up 1000 years in the future. He meets a robot named Bender and Cyclops named Leela.
2. Season 4, Episode 11
“Where No Fan Has Gone Before”
Despite being set in the 31st century, the show makes lots of allusions to modern pop culture. This episode stars cast members from the original Star Trek and has been called a parody of an episode in Star Trek. It’s a commentary about the zealousness of modern fandom is spot on.
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3. Season 3 Episode 7
“The Day The Earth Stood Stupid”
The ethos of this episode is to show that heroes come in different shapes and IQs. While Fry might not appear as the ‘brave’ and ‘smart’ conventional hero, he holds his own and defeats ‘Big Brain’.
We also meet the evil Brainspawn and get to know that Nibbler isn’t a dumb little animal as most assume but is one of the oldest beings sworn to protect the universe. The episode has several allusions to The Day the Earth Stood Still and remains one of the highest-rated in the series.
4. Season 3, Episode 14
“Time Keeps on Slippin”
This episode captures the whole essence of the show. In it, we see science – which is the bedrock of the show-, humour and the sincerity and sadness of Fry’s struggles. We see Fry trying hard to understand how he finally got Leela to love him. The ending is bittersweet and beautiful.
5. Season 2, Episode 15
“The Problem with Popplers”
Just like Matt’s well celebrated other show “The Simpsons”, this show is also good at lampooning something, a perceived ill in the society or someone. In this episode, big business fast-food retailers are targeted. After Fry discovers a snack called Popplers after they land on an alien planet.
The food is tasty and very addictive. Leela’s conscience is attacked after a Poppler awakens in her hands and she leads the charge to stop eating them.
6. Season 3, Episode 22
The 30% Iron Chef
When Bender who doesn’t have the ability to taste decides that he wants to become a chef, he employs the help of a famous chef named Elzar who refuses him but he gets the TV chef Helmut Spargle who teaches Bender to make delicious food. Bender then has a cook-off with Elzar.
7. Season 6, Episode 7
“The Late Philip J Fry”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QWA3DITRtw
In this episode, viewers are treated to a beautiful and sentimental ending to the universe. With the Professor’s forward only time machine, the show continues to explore themes of loss, love and the nature of existence and the universe.
8. Season 1, Episode 8
“A Big Piece of Garbage”
In this episode, Fry is the one that comes up with the winning formula (fighting garbage with garbage) when Professor Farnsworth fights his foe Dr. Ogden to prevent a huge ball of interplanetary space rubbish from landing on earth as it will cause death and destruction. The allusion to Armageddon isn’t lost on viewers.
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9. Season 4, Episode 7
“Jurassic Bark”
This episode has been dubbed the most heartbreaking on Futurama ever. It is the most tear-inducing episode on the show as Fry discovers a canine skeleton of his old dog in a museum.
He then attempts to clone him to get his old best friend back. The episode explores the forlorn implications of time travelling, loss, nostalgia, moving on, and loyalty. It just confirms that the entire premise of the show is sad.
10. Season 4, Episode 10
“The why of Fry”
In this episode, Fry gets to know some hard truths. Like the fact that he didn’t mistakenly fall into the cryogenic tube but was pushed in by Nibbler because he was the only one who could save the universe. This episode neatly ties up several major storylines. His love for Leela and willingness to save her is what keeps the universe going.
