A question for all Futurama viewers OUTSIDE of North America.

[#40 :]

I seem to recall the commentary in Into the Wild Green Yonder mentioning that some parts were unintentionally funny to people here in the UK due to their choice of words. So it works both ways.

[#41 :]

I don't remember that, but it's sort of true. The 'Bend Gay' joke from 'Bendless Love' has an extra layer of humour to us Brits.

[#42 :]

I don't think 'bittersweet' means what you think it means.

I don't think Svip knows what 'bittersweet' means.

[#43 :]

I don't think 'bittersweet' means what you think it means.

I don't think Svip knows what 'bittersweet' means.

I know what it means, I just wouldn't use it that context.  It seems... wrong.  Bittersweet is not 'nice and horrid', but 'emotional and painful'.  Vastly different choices of words.

[#44 :]

I don't remember that, but it's sort of true. The 'Bend Gay' joke from 'Bendless Love' has an extra layer of humour to us Brits.

They were probably talking about the word "bend". Some of the other scenes in Bendless Love, such as where they talk about the Professor being bent, has a totally different meaning to us.

[#45 :]

That's exactly what cyber turnip just said, my dear poppler.

[#46 :]

He's a menace to every straight person in the company!

[#47 :]

Has there been any word yet as to when the new series of Futurama will air in the UK? I've been watching the new series online via streaming, but I'm just curious as to when it will officially air in the UK. I know that England get new episodes of South Park about 2 days after America do. Why can't old Futurama be the same?

[#48 :]

We don't use that kind of language here. Thar be ladies.

[#49 :]

Has there been any word yet as to when the new series of Futurama will air in the UK? I've been watching the new series online via streaming, but I'm just curious as to when it will officially air in the UK. I know that England get new episodes of South Park about 2 days after America do. Why can't old Futurama be the same?

Because Comedy Central owns all of the rights to South Park whereas it only owns the rights to air Futurama in America.

And no. To the best of my knowledge there hasn't been any official word on it yet. My guess is that Sky One will eventually pull their finger out and air them but we'll probably get a DVD release before then and I don't have Sky One anyway so I couldn't care less.

[#50 :]

I find myself laughing at references even if don't understand them.

[#51 :]

I agree that a lot of the content makes fun of North America. Of course there are always the stereotypical jokes about other nationalities which I love, but for the most part North America pop culture takes the brunt of the blows. Good to know all you other PEEL'ers out there love it even if sometimes you may not understand it.

I just talked to my Canadian friends the other day who had no idea who Susan Boyle was so chalk one up for the Brit's!

[#52 :]

That's weird, considering the fact that it was a viral video a year ago. Maybe they don't use YouTube.

[#53 :]

No, peanut butter is fine. But in Australia jelly refers to what Americans call jello, what they call jelly we call jam. So, when I hear jelly sandwich (usually peanut butter and jelly) I picture jello on the sandwich.

Granted they do eat weird things over there now. (marshmallow sandwich spread, anyone?)

We do that too here in Canada! I always kind of knew what "jelly" was because of the expression "peanut butter and jelly" (definitely an Americanism) but we call it jam here. Although I use the expression "peanut butter and jelly," I couldn't imagine calling it "jelly" outside that context. "I'm having a piece of toast with jelly" just doesn't sound right to my Canadian ear.

That's weird, considering the fact that it was a viral video a year ago. Maybe they don't use YouTube.

I bet you can find lots of Americans that don't know who Susan Boyle is, it just depends. I'm Canadian and I think all my friends here know of Susan Boyle... also Youtube. Canadians are crazy about youtube.

[#54 :]

I am Canadian but was traveling through Scotland during the time of Susan so I knew who she was. For the record, I had no idea idea what "going viral" meant until I read this post and looked it up. I NEVER use youtube and rarely use the computer for anything outside of my emails and PEEL of course.

[#55 :]

SweetZombieJesus: your friend is dumb not all canadian, I and everyone I know, Know about Susan Boyle so just beat your friend for me. All glory to Canada!! XD

edit: Yeah I forgot, Us in quebec are less dumb than the rest of the canada... no offense fellows 

[#56 :]

The one problem I run into when doing this is that I feel Futurama is very much a North American show.

To the extent that it was conceived, created, and written in North America by North Americans (and animated in Korea). So yeah, it references primarily North American culture, as a Japanese show would reference Japanese culture, an Australian show would reference Australian culture, etc...

[#57 :]

The one problem I run into when doing this is that I feel Futurama is very much a North American show.

To the extent that it was conceived, created, and written in North America by North Americans (and animated in Korea). So yeah, it references primarily North American culture, as a Japanese show would reference Japanese culture, an Australian show would reference Australian culture, etc...

There are many that choose a more general audience, though. A program created in a certain country doesn't have to choose that as their audience. And for that matter, Futurama is much more America than for example The Simpsons. But that's not necessarily a bad thing.

[#58 :]

Huh?  I always considered The Simpsons to be more American than Futurama.

[#59 :]

...Yeah, far more American.

And why would an American animation "choose" (to the extent that it is possible for writers who are Americans and think like Americans) to appeal to another audience when the American audience is their biggest one?

[#60 :]

Huh?  I always considered The Simpsons to be more American than Futurama.

Gosh, that was meant to be the other way around. Futurama is far less American than for example The Simpsons.

And why would an American animation "choose" (to the extent that it is possible for writers who are Americans and think like Americans) to appeal to another audience when the American audience is their biggest one?

An appeal to a more general audience makes for a bigger audience than appealing to only Americans. There are shows that consciously doesn't include references that large parts of their audience wouldn't understand.

[#61 :]

I can enjoy British and American shows quite easily because of the cultural similarities. It's the same as being able to enjoy something when you are a kid, then watch it 10 years later, still enjoy it, but realise there were so many adult jokes in there you didn't even notice because you didn't understand. So if I went to live in the U.K or America for 10 years (or any other country) I'd begin to notice and appreciate even more of the jokes in a show made by people in that country/culture. But you can enjoy something without knowing everything. In fact it's good if you enjoy it, because if you do notice something you don't understand, you can look it up and educate yourself about it. If you're not lazy.