Futurama on GawkerTV

[on:]

Just wrote this for GawkerTV, I'd love to hear what you think! http://tv.gawker.com/5491017/five-reasons-futurama-is-one-of-the-most-underrated-series-of-all-time

[Reply #1 on:]

Well, I am most certainly inclined to agree.  Especially with Dr Zoidberg.  But I think you focus too much on the science-fiction aspect (which is unstable, but not the entire picture), and forget the more - extremely decent - down to Earth episodes, such as "I, Roommate".

While some fans here will tell you that they found season 1 to be a lot of strange experiments, some voices being off, the slow pacing of the plots are actually quite decent too.  For instance, I often consider the contrast between "My Three Suns" and "Love and Rocket" to be quite striking in terms of pacing.  Yet I love each episode.

And most importantly about Futurama is that the usual 'formula'-format I have become used to in many shows, such as Firefly, How I Met Your Mother, Family Guy, the list goes on, Futurama seems to have no real formula, except, perhaps for the introduction in the first act, but you need to introduce the plot, don't you?  Sure, they use the missions as an excuse for the plot, but not always.

And I even enjoy the subpar episodes, such as "The Cryonic Woman", "That's Lobstertainment!" and "A Leela of Her Own", which I cannot express the same consistency of enjoyment for other shows, save perhaps Firefly.

As for the new season, I may be naïve, but I am looking forward positively.  I understand that people consider the films subpar, and conclude the writers have lost the gist, but I think the problem with the films were two things; length and writers being too 'experimental'.  But these two factors will be gone from the coming season, so I am optimistic.

I hope that was a decent reaction?

Edit:  Wait wait wait, you are the Arianna Reiche?  The one who voiced for Star Control 2?!  Blimey, I do apologise for my nerdgasme.

Edit 2:  Hm, I guess I scared her away.  I assume she had hoped no one would remember that game.  Your father was a genius.

Edit 3:  Hm, after using some of my Google Fu, I can tell that it indeed is the same Arianna Reiche.  Well my my my.  Who would have thought that she also would have decent taste in television?  (that's a sarcastic rhetorical remark, of course she would)  Also, are they bringing back another Star Control game?  Or shall I look for that hope as I do with a second season of Firefly?

[Reply #2 on:]

good points svip.

i too agree that with the long storylines (movies) deterred from the plots due to their length. because of this, the stories did have to stray from the beaten path in order to fill up the large length of time.

after seeing south park start to loose it's originality and creative edge the past couple of years, it does make me consider the possibility that futurama could lose its 'magic'. ill continue to have faith though, because although some if the plots in the movies weren't the greatest, the side jokes and content were still there.