To the Year 3014 or Bust - General Futurama Discussion

[Reply #680 on:]

Yeah, there is no way I am that talented.

*edit*

Katey Sagal on 'Sons of Anarchy', 'Futurama' and sex scenes

For those who just want the part were she talks about Futurama:

Katey also touched on the upcoming "Futurama"/"The Simpsons" crossover event. It was first announced during the Comic-Con panel for "The Simpsons" that the the voice sessions for the crossover will be recorded in August. The goal is to use the special episode as either the Season 25 finale or Season 26 premiere of "The Simpsons."

Sagal reveals that she only found out about the crossover right before walking out for "Futurama's" panel, which took place prior to "The Simpsons'." "I got a text from my agent that said, 'Oh, by the way ...,' and I said, 'Yeah, of course.'"

Unfortunately, Katey has no idea what the episode will be about just yet. While she immediately agreed to the project, she was given no details. "I don't know if they've written it yet. They probably haven't written it," she jokes.

[Reply #681 on:]

Thanks Danny! I love interviews.

[Reply #682 on:]

Thanks Danny!  I love Katey Sagal.

[Reply #683 on:]

Yeah, I love Katey. She's probably my favorite character in Sons of Anarchy. Has she ever picked up an award for that? Somebody deserves to get shot if she hasn't.

[Reply #684 on:]

Yeah, I love Katey. She's probably my favorite character in Sons of Anarchy. Has she ever picked up an award for that? Somebody deserves to get shot if she hasn't.

She won a golden globe for SOA in 2011.

[Reply #685 on:]

Guys, guys! I think Futurama just might be going to the year 3014! Check out what I posted in the news thread!

[Reply #686 on:]

Guys, guys! I think Futurama just might be going to the year 3014! Check out what I posted in the news thread!

Netflix would be good for it. It'd give the show more creative freedom.

[Reply #687 on:]

Guys, guys! I think Futurama just might be going to the year 3014! Check out what I posted in the news thread!

Netflix would be good for it. It'd give the show more creative freedom.

And it might actually turn out to be better on Netflix, too.

I just have a feeling in my gut that Comedy Central is the Central Blame for all of those pop-cultural references/episodes. I think they wanted Futurama to have alot of those, because Comedy Central's network is stock full of shows like that. I mean think about it, did the movies have alot of those...? 

So if Futurama comes back, I'd like it to be on another network. Comedy Central just wasn't the right home for it. I knew that right from the start.

Like why does a network like that want to be involved with such a clever show, when they have shows like Tosh.0, The Colbert Report, South Park, etc. It possibly could have been for the high ratings they knew it would get once it returned. I dunno. But I knew it wasn't the home it deserved. And the past seasons show it. Not to say it isn't good (it's holding up pretty damn good in my opinion), but it's like CC wanted them to dig the show into more of a Sitcom category, since the network mostly shows stuff like that. And wanted to get rid of the Sci-Fi Comedy. I mean it could be possible, cause the only proof I have to show of it, is how they show alot of the new episodes more in reruns than old ones now.

I could be right, I could be wrong. But that is what I am generally thinking about, concerning the show getting picked up.

[Reply #688 on:]

I just have a feeling in my gut that Comedy Central is the Central Blame for all of those pop-cultural references/episodes. I think they wanted Futurama to have alot of those, because Comedy Central's network is stock full of shows like that. I mean think about it, did the movies have alot of those...? 

Does the network of broadcast even have all that much of a say in the content when it's produced by a different company altogether? Not to mention all accounts from the writers have indicated that Comedy Central's notes have been very minimal for the most part.

Like why does a network like that want to be involved with such a clever show, when they have shows like Tosh.0, The Colbert Report, South Park, etc.

Okay, so Tosh is just plain trashy shit, but are you seriously implying that The Colbert Report and South Park aren't clever?

[Reply #689 on:]

I just have a feeling in my gut that Comedy Central is the Central Blame for all of those pop-cultural references/episodes. I think they wanted Futurama to have alot of those, because Comedy Central's network is stock full of shows like that. I mean think about it, did the movies have alot of those...?  

Does the network of broadcast even have all that much of a say in the content when it's produced by a different company altogether? Not to mention all accounts from the writers have indicated that Comedy Central's notes have been very minimal for the most part.

Well, I don't know much about how much of a say the network of broadcast has, but even if they are minimal, the writers still would have probably been asked to include that kind of stuff, and kept including lots of it because they really wanted to impress the network, and that would definitely help them keep going on.

Also, South Park is pretty clever. Not exactly like Futurama used to be, but somewhere in the same neighborhood. Or well it used to be that way. And I never watched The Colbert Report, so I really have no say on that. But I mean looking at the majority of stuff being broadcasted on CC anymore though. It is all mostly "trashy shit", as you said about Tosh.0.

*Edit* I did watch the Daily Show one time, and thought it was pretty crappy. Political? I think not. So I kinda inferred that The Colbert Report is the same way.

[Reply #690 on:]

Well, I don't know much about how much of a say the network of broadcast has, but even if they are minimal, the writers still would have probably been asked to include that kind of stuff, and kept including lots of it because they really wanted to impress the network, and that would definitely help them keep going on.

But all accounts from the writers seem to suggest that Comedy Central have had minimal involvement and given them far more freedom than Fox ever did. And the show's always had its share of awkward topical humour, just to a far lesser extent. Perhaps the writers responsible for that make up a larger portion of the writers' room following the staff cutbacks. Not to mention the natural shift in tone that would occur in the writing after being shut down for several years.

If you don't like the direction the show's taken with the writing, blame the writers, not the ONLY network that was willing to renew Futurama - for 52 new episodes, no less, which in itself is fucking mind-blowing given how expensive Futurama is, especially when compared to the usual budget for a Comedy Central show. Futurama fans should all be grateful to Comedy Central for ever picking us up for more episodes. It's not like anyone could predict what the quality of these episodes would be like (or how they would be received by the fans) until they actually aired.

Also, South Park is pretty clever. Not exactly like Futurama used to be, but somewhere in the same neighborhood. Or well it used to be that way. And I never watched The Colbert Report, so I really have no say on that. But I mean looking at the majority of stuff being broadcasted on CC anymore though. It is all mostly "trashy shit", as you said about Tosh.0.

*Edit* I did watch the Daily Show one time, and thought it was pretty crappy. Political? I think not. So I kinda inferred that The Colbert Report is the same way.

Seems a bit weird to include South Park in your list of examples then. I would say South Park, The Colbert Report and the Daily Show are all very smart shows, albeit inconsistent in quality (which is understandable given the way South Park is produced, along with the fact that Colbert and The Daily Show have to come up with a whole show's worth of topical material each night. It's hit or miss, but even at its worst, nowhere near the same ballpark as shit like Tosh. Coupled with the fact that Colbert and Stewart, in particular, are VERY intelligent and very politically aware, which really shows during their interviews/unscripted segments).

But, while I think all these shows are clever, I don't think they serve any type of comparison as far as personal taste is concerned. "Mind-boggling science fiction comedy" is very clever. "Sharp, witty political satire" is also very clever. Both are clever in extremely different ways. All these shows are at the top of their game in their fields of comedy. But their fields of comedy are incomparable to begin with.

[Reply #691 on:]

South Park was, for a while, incredibly consistent in its quality. It's only in the last few years that it's become hit and miss.

[Reply #692 on:]

Season 16 of South Park was just terrible, in my opinion. The show's absolute worst. I like South Park, but I wouldn't say it's cleverly written. Maybe a little bit here and there.

[Reply #693 on:]

South Park was, for a while, incredibly consistent in its quality. It's only in the last few years that it's become hit and miss.

Seasons 6-8 is the most solid run the show's ever had and even they had a few mediocre episodes. Season 12 was the most fucking god-awful the show's ever done, yet two of my all time favourire episodes are in it... So, even at its best/worst, there's some variance to be had. Which is understandable with a show that is made from scratch in a mere 6 days. Even if they realise an episode is shit, if it's too late into production they have to stick to it regardless. There must be an incredibly tense atmosphere at all times in the writers' room.

As for season 16, it definitely wasn't up to the quality of 13-15, but I appreciate the all-out weirdness of the first half, and felt the latter half was mostly good. Plus, it gave us the zip-lining episode, InSecurity, A Nightmare on Face Time and the most gut-wrenchingly hilarious commentary on the Lance Armstrong case ever. Way better than some of the ruts Matt and Trey have worked themselves into in the past.

Getting back on topic, I certainly don't think we should be bagging out the one network that's supported this show more than any other. Even Adult Swim couldn't commit to anything more than reruns, and they were considered a fucking godsend for Futurama when they started airing it. Comedy Central took a huge gamble picking up a show this expensive and ordering more episodes, and clearly it's one that hasn't paid off for them, otherwise we'd be getting even more. Bad reputation or not (and really, is there ANY tv network that's considered to be irrefutably prestigious, save from maybe AMC?), Comedy Central don't deserve to be leveled with the blame for the quality of the new Futurama episodes. It's not like they took over anything other than broadcast rights here.

[Reply #694 on:]

Season 16 of South Park was just terrible, in my opinion. The show's absolute worst. I like South Park, but I wouldn't say it's cleverly written. Maybe a little bit here and there.

I agree that season 16 was awful. The show has been very cleverly written at times, but not in season 16, and even then, it's not on par with the likes of Futurama.

Seasons 6-8 is the most solid run the show's ever had and even they had a few mediocre episodes.

I'd say that season 8 is pretty much a perfect season. There's not really a single mediocre episode in that run, if you ask me, and the hit ratio in seasons 6 and 7 is still incredibly high for any show.

Season 12 was the most fucking god-awful the show's ever done

I'd agree with that if it wasn't for season 16.

yet two of my all time favourire episodes are in it... So, even at its best/worst, there's some variance to be had.

Really? Which episodes? My main gripe with season 12 (and 16) is that they're the only seasons without any episodes that I particularly love. Like, a lot of the episodes are good enough to watch and enjoy, but the seasons are just devoid of the real "classic" episodes most seasons have. There's no 9/10 or 10/10 episodes in them.

As for season 16, it definitely wasn't up to the quality of 13-15, but I appreciate the all-out weirdness of the first half, and felt the latter half was mostly good. Plus, it gave us the zip-lining episode, InSecurity, A Nightmare on Face Time and the most gut-wrenchingly hilarious commentary on the Lance Armstrong case ever. Way better than some of the ruts Matt and Trey have worked themselves into in the past.

The zip-lining episode is one of the worst episodes of the show ever made. "Insecurity" was one of the best of season 16 and it was slightly below average by the show's standards. Same can be said for "A Nightmare on Facetime". "A Scause for Applause" might just be the worst episode of the show ever produced. It was utterly abysmal. Honestly, I re-watched season 12 recently (along with seasons 1-11, I'm currently on 13) and the quality is so much better than 16. With the exception of a few episodes, everything in season 12 is decent, it's just that none of it is great and I expect some great episodes from the show. I mean, every episode in season 8 is great. Season 16 on the other hand was about 50% decent and 50% terrible.

Anyway, we should probably take this to the South Park thread if it's going to go any further.


I can pretty much guarantee that Adult Swim would have loved to produce new episodes of Futurama, but they couldn't commit to it because they simply don't have the money. Adult Swim shows are produced on the cheap. The most expensive show that they make is almost certainly The Venture Bros and even that show is basically two guys locking themselves away in a basement for 2-3 years to produce a handful of episodes. Futurama isn't made like that and if you tried to produce it in that manor, it'd turn into a completely different show.

That said, I don't want to sound like I have a problem with Comedy Central. I completely agree that they've been a godsend to Futurama and the fans should be very thankful for what they've given us (which is basically five new seasons of the show, even if they only count as three production seasons). They've basically doubled the amount of episodes that we have.

[Reply #695 on:]

12 is actually one of my favorite South Park seasons. Also, Daily Show and Colbert are better shows than Futurama. Give them another chance, Snake.

[Reply #696 on:]

To tell you all the truth, I think each Futurama season is different and unique in it's own special way. That is part of the reason why I love the show so much. So yeah, I do think every season is different from each other (Even 3 and 4 are different from each other!). Some may share similar qualities, but they still are different from one another.

[Reply #697 on:]

To tell you all the truth, I think each Futurama season is different and unique in it's own special way. That is part of the reason why I love the show so much. So yeah, I do think every season is different from each other (Even 3 and 4 are different from each other!). Some may share similar qualities, but they still are different from one another.

It's true. I feel like season 7b's jokes are much less subtle than 7a, like they're kind of in your face, which I like. I think the show isn't getting worse-it's getting better-just in different ways.

[Reply #698 on:]

Yeah, that's a very excellent point. Even in the original run, each season had a noticably different vibe/style.

Season 1 - Primary focus was the setting (and establishing the world of the show)
Season 2 - Primary focus was the characters (namely fleshing out supporting characters like Zoidberg, Amy and Hermes - who all get their own episode each this season, too)
Season 3 - Primary focus was story (and expanding the world of the show)
Season 4 - Primary focus was the character relationships (with a few exceptions, like the rest of the seasons)

And obviously when I say "primary focus," I mean "after the humour." Season 2 or 3 would probably be the funniest of the original run for me.

[Reply #699 on:]

Season 5 - Had a random Primary focus, to none at all!

Season 6 - Had almost the same Primary Focus as Season 3, which is a plus. Also it did establish character relationships with other characters as well. Episodes are often felt rushed and have many plotholes.

Season 7 - Primary Focus seems to be almost the same as Season 6, but focused basically on the stories, and on sitcom humor, instead of the good ole' science fiction/smart humor.

*Edit* Season 7 is pretty mixed with it's humor types. It has alot of Sitcom humor in 7A, while 7B seems to get rid of some of that and gets back on track with the sci-fi humor. Also, the pacing on episodes seems to be vastly improven on Season 7. Still, not much character developing at all on this season. And the plotholes seem to be as bad as ever.

[Reply #700 on:]

Eh, the amount of sci-fi humour in season 7 seems to be on par to how it was in season 6. 6A was certainly very, very heavy on topical humour, but aside from that, they've got a pretty healthy mixture of character/story focus. They've practically abandoned the focus on setting though, which is a shame given the limitless potential the setting holds.

And, as iffy as season 5 was, I think they should be pretty much exempt from such a list given the immense change in format/structure they had to adjust to. Each movie had its own individual goal.

[Reply #701 on:]

From the discussion of emotional episodes in the Best Episode of This Season So Far thread:

I've never been a dog person, yet JB kills me every time. Whoever directed that episode is a genius.

Similarly, TLOTF and LH consistently simulate onion-cutting, though on a smaller scale. In the latter episode's case, I think it's Katey Segal's excellent performance that makes the whole thing work, because aside from that the episode is super predictable.

I feel like other people have claimed this as well, so I must ask--what's so predictable about "Leela's Homeworld"? If it's predictable that an episode about Leela finding out about her parents has a sweet ending in which she finally meets them and all is well, then fine (though would you really want it to have been less of a happy ending than that?), but if the criticism is that it was too obvious that those hooded figures would turn out to be her parents...well, I'd think the audience was already expected to have known that; they already revealed Leela's parents to us at the end of Act I. I think that was a smart move; otherwise, then yes, the reveal at the end would have been too predictable, but that reveal wasn't for the audience, but for Leela. The drama of the episode is not that the audience is in suspense about who those hooded figures are, but instead that Leela doesn't know, and that she is even on the brink of killing them before she finds out the truth.

Besides, the ending montage then does reveal something extra for the audience--namely that her parents had been watching over her the whole time, which to me was a pleasant surprise; it had been shown throughout the episode that her parents were trying to keep track of Leela's life (they had gathered all those things that she had flushed, after all, and were well aware of her whereabouts above ground and in the sewer), but it was not clear until the end just how close they really had been to her the whole time.

[Reply #702 on:]

Season 5 - Had a random Primary focus, to none at all!

I felt like it had a 'Put the characters in drastic situations' focus. But , seeing as they're meant to be watched individually, I'm not surprised there isn't that big of a focus.

[Reply #703 on:]

By season five, do we mean the movies or broadcast season 5?

[Reply #704 on:]

I think we mean the movies, as those are usually counted as one whole season altogether.

[Reply #705 on:]

Yes, and I have always thought there was a focus on revisiting all the main themes and characters from seasons 1-4 and focus on being epic (as stated in DVD covers) as they were movies.

[Reply #706 on:]

So maybe more of a 're-introduction' theme for Season 5?

[Reply #707 on:]

Season 5 was like a retrospective celebration of the show, seeing as they were basically coming back for this one-shot selection of specials and it was the first time that they were revived.

[Reply #708 on:]

The 4 Futurama Movies were like After-School Specials for me.

Don't know why, but they seriously felt like it. Bender's Game (the worst of the 4 movies) proves it.

(Actually, TBWABB and BG are kind of at the same quality of mediocre. They both started out pretty good, but got worse as it went on).

[Reply #709 on:]

The 4 Futurama Movies were like After-School Specials for me.

So they taught you that drugs are bad, teenage pregnancy can be easily avoided, and those of different skin colors and religions are people just like you?

Unless you mean to say they felt like made-for-TV movies (which, you know, they kind of are), with the requisite melodrama and slip-shod characterization and such. I suppose I could get on-board with that comparison, to an extent, but honestly the only movie that I would consider downright horrible is "Bender's Game." "Bender's Big Score" is a nice emotional story, "The Beast With a Billion Backs" is laugh-out-loud funny, and "Into the Wild Green Yonder" is honestly one of my favorite things the show's ever done.

The movies are certainly more flawed, on the whole, than comparable offerings of the original run--"Roswell that Ends Well" does time travel better than BBS, "Spanish Fry" does raunchy humor better than TBWaBB, "Mother's Day" does an evil Mom story better than BG--but I think they are less flawed than the average episode of the new run. And, you know, I personally think Wild Green Yonder was a better would-be finale than "Overclockwise," and unless "Meanwhile" really bowls me over (which I'm hoping--and kind of expecting--it will), then ItWGY will remain my second-favorite finale ever (behind the untouchable Devil's Hands, of course).

[Reply #710 on:]

I honestly think the last minute-or-so of Into the Wild Green Yonder made a better finale than The Devil's Hands are Idle Plaything's last minute-or-so.

I loved the thought of it ending with them all consenting to venture into the great unknown together. Devil's Hands was always a flawed and rather unfunny episode for me, though...

[Reply #711 on:]

ITWGY did have excellent idea for an ending, but that conversation with its pretense (I'm not sure how I'd describe it) was so annoying imo. Other than that, I think it would be great very end of the show.

[Reply #712 on:]

The 4 Futurama Movies were like After-School Specials for me.

So they taught you that drugs are bad, teenage pregnancy can be easily avoided, and those of different skin colors and religions are people just like you?

Hmm....Something like that.

Yeah, I guess maybe they felt like made-for-TV movies more than a After-School special. But that may be because they practically are.

And yeah, ITWGY was definitely a better send-off than Overclockwise. Took me 2-3 repeats to realize that. I mean Overclockwise was a kinda-good ep, but not a good Finale Ep. I thought ITWGY was a good movie, with a nice ending. Definitely not the best thing the show's done (I thought BBS was better. That's just my opinion though).

Also, I don't think anything could beat the Devil's Hands Finale. Meanwhile might prove me otherwise. Only time will tell.

[Reply #713 on:]

Futurama: 10 Ways Fox Should End The Show

[Reply #714 on:]

That's a neat list. Thanks for sharing Danny,

[Reply #715 on:]

Wow, what is that writer's fixation with the idea of the series ending on tragedy? This show is a comedy...

[Reply #716 on:]

I read the article you linked, Danny. Allow me to reply to some of those ideas, as though I were speaking to the author directly.

10 - Dear author, you don't seem to understand the recycling of the future. You go on about how wasteful they are but we know that they DO recycle. A lot. To the point where sandwiches are made from old discarded sandwiches.

9 - Did you seriously say "good news everybody"? Mister Andy T Coombs, you should be more ashamed of yourself than usual for bungling that iconic line.

8 - So basically "it was all a dream"? And you state that this would be a cop-out and you don't want it to happen. In an article you wrote, entitled "Futurama: 10 Ways Fox Should End The Show". Yeah, this should totally happen except that it would be a cop out and I don't want it to happen!

7 - Okay, I kind of like this one. Dark but humorous.

6 - Fry has beaten the brain spawn before. More than once. They're old hat.

5 - This idea depends on an entire race abandoning their sole defining characteristic. doesn't do it for me. Same premise with another race, maybe....

4 - That stuff works on Bender too. He wouldn't be pushing any carriages around, he'd be too busy oiling his diapers.

3 - Ehhh... this one I could see happening. But I'm still going to poo-poo it because you've not involved the PE crew in any meaningful way. It's not Futurama without the actual crew.

2 - This is quite closely related to #8. Hitting the "OK it never really happened" button from a different angle. Also, this idea doesn't require a new invention, Professor F has already got a time machine that could get them to the point you've described.

1 - I'm not going to complain too much about this one. But they'd better be SURE it's dead for good if they go this route.

[Reply #717 on:]

The idea of #3 was just used in Futurama Comic #67. Great Comic by the way, at the show's standards of good.

[Reply #718 on:]

Hopefully fox brings it back for a solid batch of a few seasons on par with the classics. They have a very different feel than the new ones to me and it would be good to have that back for a few more seasons

[Reply #719 on:]

Next week is the finale? Aww my heart is sad.