Futurama: An Appreciation

Discussion in 'Science Fiction & Fantasy' started by 1001001, Aug 22, 2013.

  1. 1001001

    1001001 Serial Canon Violator Moderator

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    As we wind down to the series finale, I thought it appropriate to take a moment to reflect on what I consider the best animated show of all time.

    Futurama was wonderfully animated, rich and thick like a great chocolate shake.

    The top tier characters were just about perfect. Not only that, the second tier (Amy, Zoidberg, Hermes) were excellent, as were even the third tier characters (Mom, Zap Brannigan, Kif, Calculon of course) and hell the fourth tier (Robot Devil, Scruffy, Nibbler) too.

    Futurama could move you. It had heart and soul. Think The Luck of the Fryish, Jurassic Bark, Game of Tones. When was the last time The Simpsons moved you? 10-15 years ago? Has Family Guy ever done it?

    The romance between Fry and Leela (they'd better not screw this up!!!!) is epic. So hopeful. A mutant and a reject from the past, finding love in the 3000's! Brilliant! Think Fry's Holophoner episode, or the worms in Fry's sandwich. Or Leela being stung by the space bees. If you aren't rooting for these two, you're dead inside!

    And how about the vision? Far from the ideal Star Trek future, this is a realistic vision, where we have a bunch of new stuff, but we're still lazy morons with a bloated bureaucracy and political corruption ("NIXON'S BACK!!!!"). We have more toys, but really haven't learned anything. "Society is never gonna make any progress until we all learn to pretend to like each other."

    Bender...sure some will argue he's nothing more than a robot version of Homer Simpson, but that sells him short. An absolute breakout character. He's an awful, anti-social creature ("And on more than one ocassion, he stole my blood!"). But we still love him. What great depth and characterization is that?

    I know there's already a thread for the final season, but let's take this thread to remember all the Greatness that is Futurama. Let us share our memories, favorite episodes, and favorite quotes one last time, in honor of the (almost) late, great, Futurama.

    And if you don't like that, well: "JAM A BASTARD IN IT, YOU CRAP!!"

    :techman:
     
  2. Ar-Pharazon

    Ar-Pharazon Admiral Premium Member

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    I absolutely agree with you on all counts. I don't hate a single episode, but certainly like some more than others.

    I'm hoping for some movies, ala "season 5" in the future.

    Bender made the series for me, but the entire cavalcade of characters has always been great too.

    "Are you tryin' ta steal from the Donbot?"
    "I'm tryin', but he ain't makin' it easy!"
     
  3. 1001001

    1001001 Serial Canon Violator Moderator

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    Mom: By "Monkey cake" I meant "Your Ass!!"
    (Triple slap)

    Mom: "Now I'm off to some charity BS for knocked-up teenage sluts."

    Mom is one of my favorites.

    :techman:
     
  4. ManOnTheWave

    ManOnTheWave Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Three Hundred Big Boys. It's my favorite Futurama episode, featuring just about every character, touching on all of their ongoing themes, and using them all to great effect, and even adds in new or throw away characters (Whale biologist!). There are more emotional or significant episodes, but every disjointed character moment is funny and leads beautifully to Fry's revelatory coffee high. It's the single episode I have to drag out and watch on DVD every so often.
     
  5. Mistral

    Mistral Vice Admiral Admiral

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    I'm going with an acknowledged classic. To me it is everything that made Futurama stand out from any other animated series. Jurassic Bark. I was lucky enough to see this for the first time via dvd. No commercial breaks. I mean, how many other cartoons could make you cry? I sat in the dark when the episode ended, tears running down my face. That, to me, is a sign of animated greatness.
     
  6. BillJ

    BillJ The King of Kings Premium Member

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    "That's not an astronaut, it's a TV comedian! And he was just using space travel as a metaphor for beating his wife."

    The first run on Fox was really incredible, but I'm not as warm and fuzzy about the Comedy Central episodes (though they have hit a few out of the park). To this day, my wife and son refuse to re-watch Jurassic Bark.
     
  7. dansigal

    dansigal Captain Captain

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    My favorite scene/quote may still be the very first one:

    "Space. It seems to go on and on forever and then you get to the end and a gorilla starts throwing barrels at you."
     
  8. Asbo Zaprudder

    Asbo Zaprudder Admiral Admiral

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    Oh no! I should be able to think of something appreciative to write...but I am already in my pajamas.
     
  9. 1001001

    1001001 Serial Canon Violator Moderator

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    "If anyone needs me, I'll be in the Angry Dome!"

    I love that line. I really want to add an Angry Dome to my house.

    One of my favorite episodes is Obsoletely Fabulous.

    "We'll soon stage an attack on technology worthy of being chronicled in an anthem by Rush!"

    :techman:
     
  10. JD

    JD Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    I think Futurama has one of my favorite casts of any animated series. I was trying to list my favorite characters and I realized I was listing pretty much every character who has appeared in more than a couple episode.
    I've had a life long love of animation and Futurama is one of my absolute favorites. I don't think any piece of animated entertainment has ever gotten to me the way the end of Jurrasic Bark did. My family has pretty much always had dogs, so I think that hit me especially hard.
     
  11. 1001001

    1001001 Serial Canon Violator Moderator

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    My son refuses to re-watch that episode too.

    His favorite is the Werecar episode for some reason. I don't know why...

    :lol:

    A few more episodes came to mind today. I love Santa episodes, especially the first one. I love Kif Gets Knocked up a Notch, War is the H Word (pretty much anything with Zap and Kif).

    "Kif, I have made it with a woman. Inform the men!"
     
  12. bigdaddy

    bigdaddy Vice Admiral Admiral

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    I refuse to watch most of the movies. :lol:

    The show has commentary for every episode, that's amazing to me, some are better than the episodes, aka the movies.

    I haven't seen this season, but I know what happens in the series finale 3.0 and it sounds so fun! Like they knew this was coming.
     
  13. 1001001

    1001001 Serial Canon Violator Moderator

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    Bender's Game is the only one I've re-watched. I enjoy that one, even if the LOTR satire wasn't exactly timely.

    :lol:

    I really disliked The Beast with a Billion Backs, and I can usually find something to enjoy in every episode. That one I never revisit.

    Quote for the day: "You'd sacrifice this beautiful woman for a moderately attractive ape? You've been smoking some bad granola."

    :techman:
     
  14. RJDiogenes

    RJDiogenes Idealistic Cynic and Canon Champion Premium Member

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    Good thread, everyone. :bolian:

    I completely agree with everything you posted, digits (except that I like the better future of Star Trek :rommie:). Futurama is not only the best animated series ever, but one of the best series ever, period. The sheer amount of storytelling, characterization, themes, deeper meanings and the superhuman level of background detail is mind boggling. Oh, and it had comedy, too-- intelligent, lowbrow, pop cultural, historical, political, self-referential, character-based, slapstick-- they missed nothing. I don't have the encyclopedic knowledge that some of you have, but my favorite episode was the flashback to Fry's brother-- was that "Luck of the Fryish?" And, of course, "Jurassic Bark."
     
  15. 1001001

    1001001 Serial Canon Violator Moderator

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    Oh, I like the future in Star Trek better, I just think the future in Futurama is far more likely.

    :lol:


    Well said.

    My TiVo is picking up several episodes today labeled "Fanarama". Does anyone know what this is? A fan chosen marathon of best episodes, perhaps? It doesn't give any description.
     
  16. DonIago

    DonIago Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Love the show. Much like certain other things, I'd say even when it's bad it's still pretty good. :)
     
  17. RJDiogenes

    RJDiogenes Idealistic Cynic and Canon Champion Premium Member

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    No argument there, unfortunately. :rommie:
     
  18. 1001001

    1001001 Serial Canon Violator Moderator

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    So the fan chosen Top Ten played today.

    The top 3 were: The Luck of the Fryish, The Devil's Hands are Idle Playthings, and Jurassic Bark.

    Can I pick 'em or what???

    ;)
     
  19. bigdaddy

    bigdaddy Vice Admiral Admiral

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    My favorite is probably Roswell that Ends Well. :)
     
  20. 1001001

    1001001 Serial Canon Violator Moderator

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    That was in the top ten. I don't remember where though.

    Zoidberg is great in that one.

    :lol: