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{{Infobox television
| image                = [[File:Futurama title screen.jpg|265px|The opening title card for ''Futurama'']]
| format              = [[Animated sitcom]]
| genre                = [[Sitcom]]<br />[[Adult animation]]<br />[[Science fiction]]<!-- Do not change genres without talk page discussion -->
| creator              = [[Matt Groening]]
| developer            = Matt Groening<br />[[David X. Cohen]]
| voices              = [[Billy West]]<br />[[Katey Sagal]]<br />[[John DiMaggio]]<br />[[Tress MacNeille]]<br />[[Maurice LaMarche]]<br />[[Lauren Tom]]<br />[[Phil LaMarr]]<br />[[David Herman]]<br />[[Frank Welker]]
| theme_music_composer = [[Christopher Tyng]]
| opentheme            = "Theme from ''Futurama''"
| country              = United States
| language            = English
| num_seasons          = 7
| num_episodes        = 140
| executive_producer  = Matt Groening<br />David X. Cohen<br />[[Ken Keeler]]
| producer            = Lee Supercinski<br />[[Claudia Katz]]
| editor              = Paul D. Calder
| runtime              = 22 minutes
| company              = [[The Curiosity Company]]<br />[[20th Century Fox Television]]
| distributor          = [[20th Television]]
| network              = [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] <small>(1999–2003)</small><br />[[Comedy Central]] <small>(2008–2013)</small>
| picture_format      = [[480i]] ([[Aspect ratio (image)#4:3 standard|4:3]] [[Standard-definition television|SDTV]]) <small>(1999–2003)</small><br />[[1080i]] ([[16:9]] [[High-definition television|HDTV]]) <small>(2010–2013)</small>
| audio_format        = [[Dolby Surround]] <small>(1999–2003)</small><br />[[Dolby Digital]] 5.1 <small>(2008–2013)</small>
| first_aired          = '''Original series''':<br />{{Start date|1999|3|28}}&nbsp;– {{End date|2003|8|10}}<br />'''Revived series''':<br />{{Start date|2008|3|23}}
| last_aired          = {{End date|2013|9|4}}
| list_episodes        = List of Futurama episodes
| related              = ''[[The Simpsons]]''
| website              = http://www.comedycentral.com/shows/futurama/index.jhtml
}}
 
'''''Futurama''''' <!-- see [[WP:TENSE]]-->i<!--DO NOT-->s<!--change to "was"--> an American [[adult animation|adult]] [[Animated series|animated]] science fiction sitcom created by [[Matt Groening]] and developed by Groening and [[David X. Cohen]] for the [[Fox Broadcasting Company]]. The series follows the adventures of a late-20th-century New York City pizza delivery boy, [[Fry (Futurama)|Philip J. Fry]], who, after being unwittingly [[cryonics|cryogenically]] frozen for one thousand years, finds employment at Planet Express, an interplanetary delivery company in the [[Retro-futurism|retro-futuristic]] 31st century. The series was envisioned by Groening in the late 1990s while working on ''[[The Simpsons]]'', later bringing Cohen aboard to develop storylines and characters to pitch the show to Fox.
 
In the United States, the series aired on Fox from March 28, 1999, to August 10, 2003, before ceasing production. ''Futurama'' was then aired in reruns on [[Cartoon Network]]'s [[Adult Swim]] from 2003 to 2007, until the network's contract expired. It was revived in 2008 as four [[direct-to-video]] films; the last of which was released in early 2009. [[Comedy Central]] entered into an agreement with [[20th Century Fox Television]] to syndicate the existing episodes and air the films as 16 new, half-hour episodes, constituting a fifth season.<ref name=RottenTomatoesMattGroenigClarifiesFuture>{{cite web|url= http://www.rottentomatoes.com/news/1648183/|title=Groening's Bargain to Yield Four ''Futurama'' Movies|agency=Reuters|date= January 28, 2007|accessdate=June 3, 2008|first=Fred|last=Topel}}</ref><ref name=reuters>{{cite web|last=Wallenstein|first=Andrew|url= http://entertainment.tv.yahoo.com/entnews/va/20060622/115104459800.html|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20061106224128/http://entertainment.tv.yahoo.com/entnews/va/20060622/115104459800.html|archivedate=June 11, 2006|title="Futurama" gets new life on Comedy Central|agency=Reuters|date=June 22, 2006|accessdate=June 3, 2008}}</ref>
 
In June 2009, producing studio [[20th Century Fox]] announced that Comedy Central had picked up the show for 26 new half-hour episodes, which began airing in 2010 and 2011.<ref name="FutoncriticBBS">{{cite web|url=http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news.aspx?id=7549|title=Comedy Central's 'South Park,' 'Lil' Bush,' More to Return in March |date=August 2, 2007|accessdate=November 8, 2008}}</ref><ref name="Vulture">{{cite web|title=Things Are Looking Good for Another Season of Futurama|url=http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2011/02/futurama_renewed.html|work=[[Vulture]]|date=February 2, 2010|accessdate=February 28, 2010|author=Josef Adalian and Vlada Gelman}}</ref> The show was renewed for a [[Futurama (season 7)|seventh season]], with the first half airing in June 2012 and the second set for early summer 2013.<ref name="Renewal">{{cite web|title='Futurama' renewed for two more years!|url=http://insidetv.ew.com/2011/03/24/futurama-renewed/|date=March 24, 2011|accessdate=March 24, 2011|first=James|last=Hibberd}}</ref><ref name="CCSeason7announcement">{{cite web|url=http://www.comedycentral.com/press/press_releases/2011/032811_futurama-renewed-for-26-new-episodes.jhtml|title=COMEDY CENTRAL® RENEWS "FUTURAMA" FOR 26 NEW EPISODES|date=March 29, 2011|accessdate=March 30, 2011}}</ref> It was later revealed that the seventh season would be the final season, as Comedy Central announced that they would not be commissioning any further episodes. The series finale aired on September 4, 2013,<ref name="canceled">{{cite web | author=Dave Itzkoff | title=Comedy Central Cancels 'Futurama' | url=http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/04/22/comedy-central-cancels-futurama | date=April 22, 2013 | accessdate=April 22, 2013}}</ref> though Groening has said he will try to get it picked up by another network.<ref>{{cite news| url= http://www.3news.co.nz/Futurama-axed-again/tabid/418/articleID/295227/Default.aspx|work=3 News NZ |title= Futurama axed again| date=April 23, 2013}}</ref>
 
Throughout its run, ''Futurama'' has received critical acclaim. The show has been nominated for 17 [[Annie Award]]s and 12 [[Emmy Award]]s, winning seven of the former and six of the latter. It has also been nominated four times for a [[Writers Guild of America Award]], winning two for the episodes "[[Godfellas]]" and "[[The Prisoner of Benda]]", been nominated for a [[Nebula Award]] and has received [[Environmental Media Awards]] for episodes "[[The Problem with Popplers]]" and "[[The Futurama Holiday Spectacular]]".<ref name=EMATFHS>{{cite web|url=http://www.ema-online.org/awards/21st-awards/|title=21st Annual Environmental Media Awards|date=October 2011|accessdate=April 9, 2012}}</ref> ''Futurama''-related merchandise has also been released, including a [[tie-in]] [[Futurama Comics|comic book series]] and [[Futurama (video game)|video game]], calendars, clothes, and figurines.
 
==Production==
 
===Development===
Fox expressed a strong desire in the mid-1990s for [[Matt Groening]] to create a new series, and he began conceiving ''Futurama'' during this period. In 1996, he enlisted [[David X. Cohen]], then a writer and producer for ''The Simpsons'', to assist in developing the show. The two spent time researching science fiction books, television shows, and films. When they pitched the series to Fox in April 1998, Groening and Cohen had composed many characters and story lines; Groening claimed they had gone "overboard" in their discussions.<ref name="theface">{{cite journal |last=Needham |first=Alex |url=http://web.archive.org/web/20000824051707/www.frcr.com/library/the_face1.html |title=Nice Planet...We'll Take It! |journal=The Face |issue=33 |date=October 1999}}</ref> Groening described trying to get the show on the air as "by far the worst experience of my grown-up life."<ref name="motherjones">{{cite web | title=Matt Groening | work=[[Mother Jones (magazine)|Mother Jones]] | url=http://www.motherjones.com/media/1999/03/matt-groening | last=Doherty | first=Brian | date=March /April 1999 | accessdate=January 14, 2007}}</ref>
 
Fox ordered thirteen episodes. Immediately after, however, Fox feared the themes of the show were not suitable for the network and Groening and Fox executives argued over whether the network would have any creative input into the show.<ref name="Needham">{{cite news|first=Alex|last=Needham|url=http://web.archive.org/web/20000824051707/www.frcr.com/library/the_face1.html|title=Nice Planet...We'll Take It!|date=October 1999|accessdate=June 3, 2008}}</ref> With ''The Simpsons'' the network has no input.<ref name="Snierson">{{cite news |first= Dan|last=Snierson|url=http://web.archive.org/web/20000824042829/www.frcr.com/library/ew_online1.html| title= Space Case|work= [[Entertainment Weekly]]| date= March 26, 1999| accessdate= June 3, 2008}}</ref> Fox was particularly disturbed by the concept of [[suicide booth]]s, [[Zoidberg|Doctor Zoidberg]], and [[Bender (Futurama)|Bender]]'s anti-social behavior.<ref name=1ACV03Production2>{{cite video| people= Cohen, David X.; Groening, Moore, Rich; Vanzo, Gregg; Horsted, Eric; Haaland, Bret; West, Billy|year= 2002| title= Futurama: Volume One DVD commentary for the episode "[[I, Roommate]]"| medium= DVD| publisher= 20th Century Fox| quote='''Matt Groening:''' Well, I think that's a good idea– I always wanted to have Bachelor Chow right now and so– this was– Anyway, the network really– really was freaked out by the show, the suicide booths– and lobster creatures and Bender being so anti-social and so– yeah, this was our show to tone things down. This script was written specifically to their specifications.}}</ref> Groening explains, "When they tried to give me notes on ''Futurama'', I just said: 'No, we're going to do this just the way we did ''Simpsons''.' And they said, 'Well, we don't do business that way anymore.' And I said, 'Oh, well, that's the only way I do business.'"<ref name="Mr. Showbiz">{{cite web| url= http://web.archive.org/web/20000824051817/www.frcr.com/library/mrshowbiz1.html| title= Groening Bites the Hand that Feeds|work=Mr. Showbiz| date=April 8, 1999|accessdate=June 3, 2008}}</ref> The episode "[[I, Roommate]]" was produced to address Fox's concerns, with the script written to their specifications.<ref name=1ACV03Production2/><ref name= 1ACV03Production>{{cite video|people=Cohen, David X.; Groening, Moore, Rich; Vanzo, Gregg; Horsted, Eric; Haaland, Bret; West, Billy|year=2002|title=Futurama: Volume One DVD commentary for the episode "[[I, Roommate]]"|medium=DVD|publisher=20th Century Fox|quote='''Matt Groening:''' This is the third episode in the series. And this is the series that– had a trouble beginning– with the Fox Network, who felt that the show was too outrageous and too much out of space. This was our attempt, the third episode, to bring the show back to Earth. }}</ref> Fox strongly disliked the episode, but after negotiations, Groening received the same independence with ''Futurama''.<ref name= 1ACV03Production3>{{cite video|people=Cohen, David X.; Groening, Moore, Rich; Vanzo, Gregg; Horsted, Eric; Haaland, Bret; West, Billy|year=2002|title=Futurama: Volume One DVD commentary for the episode "I, Roommate"|medium=DVD|publisher=20th Century Fox|quote='''Matt Groening:''' And their reaction, David? '''David X. Cohen:''' "Worst. Episode. Ever." '''Groening:''' Yeah, they really– they really hated this script, and&nbsp;— sorry, Eric&nbsp;— and this was the point at which, we decided we wanted to do the show that we wanted to do. Their notes made no sense anyway, they're completely contradictory. And so– we did what we wanted.}}</ref>
 
The name ''Futurama'' comes from a pavilion at the [[1939 New York World's Fair]]. Designed by [[Norman Bel Geddes]], the [[Futurama (New York World's Fair)|Futurama pavilion]] depicted how he imagined the world would look in 1959.<ref name="Strange Sounds">{{cite book|last=Taylor|first=Timothy Dean|title=Strange Sounds: Music, Technology & Culture|year=2001|isbn=0-415-93684-5|pages=104–105}}</ref> Many other titles were considered for the series, including "Aloha, Mars!" and "Doomsville", which Groening notes were "resoundly rejected, by everyone concerned with it".<ref name=1ACV05>{{cite video|people=Cohen, David X.; Groening, Moore, Rich; Vanzo, Gregg; DiMaggio, John|year=2002|title=Futurama: Volume One DVD commentary for the episode "[[Fear of a Bot Planet]]"|medium=DVD|publisher=20th Century Fox|quote='''Groening:''' The original name for this show was not "Futurama", by the way. There was a long long list of possible names, the only two I remember which were resoundingly rejected, by everyone concerned with it; "Doomsville" was my number one choice. And my number two choice&nbsp;— and I don't even know why I thought this was a good idea for a name&nbsp;— somehow, "Aloha, Mars" struck me and that was also not particularly...}}</ref><ref name="UGOFuturamaNames">{{cite web|url=http://www.ugo.com/tv/futurama-facts-you-never-knew|title=Futurama Facts You Never Knew|last=Fitzpatrick|first=Kevin|date=August 4, 2011|publisher=UGO|accessdate=August 5, 2011}}</ref>
 
It takes approximately six to nine months to produce an episode of ''Futurama''.<ref name="Saunders">{{cite news| first= Dusty| last= Saunders| url= http://web.archive.org/web/20000824051917/www.frcr.com/library/denver1.html| title=Fox's far-out Futurama looks like a hit| work=[[Rocky Mountain News|Denver Rocky Mountain News]]|date=March 25, 1999 |accessdate=June 3, 2008}}</ref><ref name="SciFiWeekly2" /> The long production time results in several episodes being worked on simultaneously.<ref name="GroeningChat">{{cite web|url=http://web.archive.org/web/20000929144303/frcr.com/library/april6_matt_g_chat.html|title=Online Chat with Matt Groening|work=[[TV Guide]]|date=April 6, 1999|accessdate=June 3, 2008}}</ref>
 
===Executive producers===
[[File:David X. Cohen & Matt Groening by Gage Skidmore.jpg|thumb|left|200 px|[[David X. Cohen]] and [[Matt Groening]] at the ''Futurama'' panel of [[San Diego Comic-Con International|Comic-Con]] 2009.]]
Groening and Cohen have served as executive producers and [[Showrunner|show runners]] during the show's entire run, and also function as creative consultants. [[Ken Keeler]] became an executive producer for Season 4 and subsequent seasons.
 
===Writing===
The planning for each episode begins with a table meeting of writers, who discuss the plot ideas as a group. A single staff writer writes an outline and then produces a script. Once the first draft of a script is finished, the writers and executive producers call in the actors to do a table read.<ref name="Needham" /> After this script reading, the writers collaborate to rewrite the script as a group before eventually sending it to the animation team.<ref name="DXC Interview">{{cite web |url=http://www.gotfuturama.com/Information/Articles/DavidInterview/DavidXCohenInterview.dhtml|title=David X Cohen interview with GotFuturama.com|accessdate=June 3, 2008}}</ref> At this point the voice recording is also started and the script is out of the writers' hands.<ref name="SciFiWeekly2" />
 
===Voice actors===
{{See also|List of Futurama guest stars}}
''Futurama'' has eight main cast members. [[Billy West]] performs the voices of [[Fry (Futurama)|Philip J. Fry]], [[Professor Farnsworth]], Doctor Zoidberg, [[Zapp Brannigan]] and many other incidental characters. West auditioned for "just about every part", landing the roles of the Professor and Doctor Zoidberg.<ref name="IGNBW">{{cite web|url=http://uk.tv.ign.com/articles/652/652770p1.html|title=IGN Interviews Billy West|author=Ken P.|date=August 22, 2005|accessdate=August 22, 2005}}</ref> Although West read for Fry, his friend [[Charlie Schlatter]] was given the role of Fry.<ref name="IGNBW" /> Due to a casting change, West was called back to audition again and was promptly awarded the role. West claims that the voice of Fry is deliberately modeled on his own, so as to make it difficult for another person to replicate the voice.<ref name="IGNBW" /> Doctor Zoidberg's voice is based on [[Lou Jacobi]] and [[George Jessel (actor)|George Jessel]].<ref name="TV Squad" /> The character of Zapp Brannigan was originally created and intended to be performed by [[Phil Hartman]].<ref name="IGNBW" /><ref name="TV Squad">{{cite web|url=http://www.tvsquad.com/2006/06/15/billy-west-the-tv-squad-interview| title=Billy West: The TV Squad Interview| author=Joel Keller|date=June 15, 2006| accessdate=October 25, 2007}}</ref> Hartman insisted on auditioning for the role, and "just nailed it" according to Groening. Due to Hartman's death, West was subsequently given the role. West states that his version of Zapp Brannigan is an imitation of Hartman and also "modeled after a couple of big dumb announcers I knew."<ref name="IGNBW" /><ref name="TV Squad" />
 
[[Katey Sagal]] voices exclusively [[Leela (Futurama)|Leela]], and is the only member of the main cast to voice only one character. The role of Leela was originally assigned to [[Nicole Sullivan]].<ref name="IGNBW" /> In an interview in June 2010, Sagal remarked that she did not know that another person was to originally voice Leela until many years after the show first began; going on to state that she is still unaware who the original voice actor even is.<ref name="Futurama-rama">{{cite web|url=http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/06/24/futurama-rama-welcome-back-to-the-world-of-tomorrow/| title='Futurama'-Rama: Welcome Back to the World of Tomorrow| author=Itzkoff, Dave| work= The New York Times| date=June 24, 2010| accessdate=July 8, 2010}}</ref>
 
[[John DiMaggio]] performs the voice of the robot [[Bender (Futurama)|Bender Bending Rodríguez]] and other, more minor, characters. Bender was the most difficult character to cast, as the show's creators had not decided what a robot should sound like.<ref name="Cohen01">{{cite video| people=Cohen, David X |year=2003|title=Futurama season 1 DVD commentary for the episode 'Space Pilot 3000'| medium=DVD|publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> DiMaggio originally auditioned for the role of Professor Farnsworth, using the voice he uses to perform Bender, and also auditioned for Bender using a different voice.<ref name="DiMaggio">{{cite video| people=Dimaggio, John |year=2003|title=Futurama season 1 DVD commentary for the episode 'Space Pilot 3000'| medium=DVD|publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> DiMaggio describes Bender's voice as a combination of a sloppy drunk, [[Slim Pickens]] and a character his college friend created named "Charlie the sausage-lover".<ref name="Futurama-rama"/>
 
Tress MacNeille voices [[Mom (Futurama)|Mom]] and various other characters. [[Maurice LaMarche]] voices [[List of recurring Futurama characters|Kif Kroker]] and several supporting characters. LaMarche won the [[Emmy Award]] for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance|Outstanding Voice-Over Performance]] in 2011 for his performances as [[List of recurring Futurama characters#Lrrr|Lrrr]] and [[Orson Welles]] in the episode "[[Lrrreconcilable Ndndifferences]]".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.emmys.tv/sites/emmys.com/files/2011CreativeEmmyWinners.pdf|title=2011 Creative Emmy Award Winners|date=September 18, 2011}}</ref>
Lauren Tom voices [[Amy Wong]], and [[Phil LaMarr]] voices [[Hermes Conrad]]. [[David Herman]] voices [[List of recurring Futurama characters#Scruffy|Scruffy]] and various supporting characters. During seasons 1–4, LaMarche is billed as supporting cast and Tom, LaMarr and Herman billed as guest stars, despite appearing in most episodes. LaMarche was promoted to main cast and Tom, LaMarr and Herman to supporting cast in Season 5, and promoted again to main cast in Season 6.
 
{| class="wikitable"  style="width:100%; text-align:center;"
|-
!colspan=8|Main cast members
|-
|align=center| [[File:Billy West by Gage Skidmore 3.jpg|110x110px|Billy West]]
|align=center| [[File:Katey Sagal by Gage Skidmore 2.jpg|110x110px|Katey Sagal]]
|align=center| [[File:John DiMaggio by Gage Skidmore.jpg|110x110px|John DiMaggio]]
|align=center| [[File:Tressmacneille.jpg|110x110px|Tress MacNeille]]
|align=center| [[File:Maurice LaMarche by Gage Skidmore 2.jpg|110x110px|Maurice LaMarche]]
|align=center| [[File:Lauren Tom by Gage Skidmore.jpg|110x110px|Lauren Tom]]
|align=center| [[File:Phil LaMarr by Gage Skidmore.jpg|110x110px|Phil LaMarr]]
|align=center|
|- style="text-align:center;"
| style="width:12.5%;"| [[Billy West]]
| style="width:12.5%;"| [[Katey Sagal]]
| style="width:12.5%;"| [[John DiMaggio]]
| style="width:12.5%;"| [[Tress MacNeille]]
| style="width:12.5%;"| [[Maurice LaMarche]]
| style="width:12.5%;"| [[Lauren Tom]]
| style="width:12.5%;"| [[Phil LaMarr]]
| style="width:12.5%;"| [[David Herman]]
|-
| style="width:12.5%;"| [[Fry (Futurama)|Philip Fry]], [[Professor Farnsworth]], [[Zoidberg|Doctor Zoidberg]], [[Zapp Brannigan]], various
| style="width:12.5%;"| [[Leela (Futurama)|Leela]]
| style="width:12.5%;"| [[Bender (Futurama)|Bender]], various
| style="width:12.5%;"| [[Mom (Futurama)|Mom]], various
| style="width:12.5%;"| [[List of recurring Futurama characters#Kif Kroker|Kif Kroker]], various
| style="width:12.5%;"| [[Amy Wong]], various
| style="width:12.5%;"| [[Hermes Conrad]], various
| style="width:12.5%;"| [[List of recurring Futurama characters#Scruffy|Scruffy]], various
|}
 
In addition to the main cast: [[Frank Welker]], voices Nibbler, and [[Kath Soucie]] voices Cubert and supporting and minor characters. Like ''The Simpsons'', many episodes of ''Futurama'' feature guest voices from a wide range of professions, including: actors, entertainers, bands, musicians, and scientists. Many guests stars voice supporting characters, although many voice themselves; usually as their own head preserved in a jar. Recurring guest stars include: [[Dawnn Lewis]], [[Tom Kenny]], [[Dan Castellaneta]], [[Al Gore]], and [[George Takei]], among others.
 
{{hidden end}}
 
===Animation===
[[File:FuturamaExplosionCGI.jpg|thumb|Computer-generated explosion]]
[[Rough Draft Studios]] animates ''Futurama''. The studio receives the completed script of an episode and [[storyboard]]s it into over 100 drawings. It then creates a pencil-drawn [[Storyboard#Animatics|animatic]] with 1000 frames. Rough Draft's sister studio in South Korea renders the 30,000-frame finished episode.<ref name="Needham" />
 
In addition to traditional cartoon drawing, Rough Draft Studios often uses [[Computer-generated imagery|CGI]] for fast or complex shots, such as the movement of [[Spacecraft|spaceships]], explosions, [[nebula]]e, and snow scenes. The opening sequence is entirely rendered in CGI. The CGI is rendered at 24 [[Frame rate|frames per second]] (as opposed to hand-drawn often done at 12 frames per second) and the lack of [[Digital artifact|artifacts]] makes the animation appear very smooth and fluid. CGI characters look slightly different due to spatially "cheating" hand-drawn characters by drawing slightly out of proportion or off-perspective features to emphasize traits of the face or body, improving legibility of an expression. [[PowerAnimator]] is used to draw the comic-like CGI.<ref name="Scott Vanzo">{{cite web|url=http://www.peelified.com/Futurama-Forum-1/Topic-520-0-D_Animation_in_Futurama.html|title=Scott Vanzo of Rough Draft Studios e-mail response|accessdate=June 20, 2001}}</ref>
 
The series began high-definition production in [[Futurama (season 5)|season 5]], with ''[[Futurama: Bender's Big Score|Bender's Big Score]]''. The opening sequence was re-rendered and scaled to adapt to the show's transition to 16:9 [[widescreen]] format.
 
For the [[Reincarnation (Futurama)|final episode]] of [[Futurama (season 6)|season 6]], ''Futurama'' is completely reanimated in three different styles: the first segment of the episode features black-and-white [[Fleischer Studios|Fleischer]] and [[Walter Lantz]] style animation, the second is drawn in the style of a [[Display resolution|low-resolution]] video game, and the final segment is in a style of Japanese [[anime]].<ref name=YahooDXC>{{cite web|url=http://tv.yahoo.com/news/article/ustv.associatedcontent.com/ustv.associatedcontent.com-futurama-producer-david-x-cohen-talks-holiday-special|title='Futurama' Producer David X. Cohen Talks Holiday Special|date=November 19, 2010|accessdate=November 29, 2010}}</ref>
 
===Original cancellation and revival===
{{see also|List of Futurama episodes}}
Groening and Cohen wanted ''Futurama'' to be shown at 8:30&nbsp;pm on Sunday, following ''The Simpsons''. The Fox network disagreed, opting instead to show two episodes in the Sunday night lineup before moving the show to a regular time slot on Tuesday.<ref name="Radio Times">{{cite news |first=Andrew|last=Duncan|url=http://web.archive.org/web/20000824042839/www.frcr.com/library/radio_times1.html|title=Matt Groening Interview with Radio Times|work=Radio Times|date=September 24, 1999|accessdate=June 3, 2008}}</ref> Beginning with its second broadcast season ''Futurama'' was again placed in the 8:30 Sunday spot,<ref name="Villanueva">{{cite news |first=Annabelle|last=Villanueva|url=http://web.archive.org/web/20000929143556/frcr.com/library/cinescape1.html|title=Fall TV Preview: Tricks and Treats|publisher=Cinescape|date=September–October 1999|accessdate=June 3, 2008}}</ref> but by mid-season the show was moved again, this time to 7:00&nbsp;pm on Sunday, its third position in under a year.<ref name="Winer">{{cite news |first=Adam|last=Winer|url=http://web.archive.org/web/20000824051659/www.frcr.com/library/ew_online3.html|title=Futurama Shock|work=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|date=December 9, 1999|accessdate=June 3, 2008}}</ref>
 
Even by the fourth season ''Futurama'' was still being aired erratically.<ref name="FoxDropEpisodes">{{cite web| url = http://www.aintitcool.com/display.cgi?id=11499| title = UPDATE UPDATED!! FUTURAMA Thing of the Past?? Or What??| work = [[Ain't It Cool News]]| date = February 12, 2002| accessdate=June 14, 2006|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20071012203856/http://www.aintitcool.com/display.cgi?id=11499| archivedate=October 7, 2007}}</ref> Due to being regularly pre-empted by sporting events, it became difficult to predict when new episodes would air. This erratic schedule resulted in Fox not airing several episodes that had been produced for seasons three and four, instead holding them over for a fifth broadcast season. According to Groening, Fox executives were not supporters of the show.<ref name="OutOfTheirMinds">{{cite web| url= http://www.chortle.co.uk/news/2003/03/19/2684/out_of_their_minds| title='Out of their minds': Groening savages TV execs|  work= Chortle| date=March 19, 2003| accessdate=April 9, 2009}}</ref> Although ''Futurama'' was never officially canceled, midway through the production of the fourth season, Fox decided to stop buying episodes of ''Futurama'', letting it go out of production before the fall 2003 lineup.<ref name="FoxStopBuy">{{cite web| url = http://tv.zap2it.com/tveditorial/tve_main/1,1002,271| archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20031014031053/http://tv.zap2it.com/tveditorial/tve_main/1,1002,271| archivedate = October 14, 2003| title = Fox Says 'No' to 'Futurama'| work = Zap2it| date = February 12, 2002 | accessdate=June 3, 2008}}</ref><ref name="FuturamaCancelled">{{cite web| url = http://www.gotfuturama.com/Futurama/News/1053009995,66450,/| title = Remeber(sic) Me after my Death!| work = Can't Get Enough Futurama| date = May 15, 2003| accessdate=June 3, 2008}}{{sic}}</ref>
 
In 2005, [[Comedy Central]] acquired the syndication rights to ''Futurama''.<ref name="ComCenSynd">{{cite web| url = http://www.turnerinfo.com/programinfoitem.aspx?P=CARTOON&CID01=f1f70fce-1735-493e-bdeb-7f2755eb5c8c&CID02=f1f70fce-1735-493e-bdeb-7f2755eb5c8c| archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20080102142245/http://www.turnerinfo.com/programinfoitem.aspx?P=CARTOON&CID01=f1f70fce-1735-493e-bdeb-7f2755eb5c8c&CID02=f1f70fce-1735-493e-bdeb-7f2755eb5c8c| archivedate = January 2, 2008| title = Adult Swim| work = [[Cartoon Network]] Pressroom| accessdate=June 3, 2008}}</ref> During the negotiations, Comedy Central discussed the possibility of producing new episodes. In 2006, it was announced that [[#Films|four straight-to-DVD films]] would be produced, and later split into 16 episodes comprising a fifth season of the show.<ref name="Katz">{{cite interview|last=Katz|first=Claudia|subjectlink=Claudia Katz|interviewer= Evan Jacobs|title=Exclusive Interview: Claudia Katz on Futurama the Movie: Bender's Big Score|url=http://www.movieweb.com/news/NEyTuBCyy6XECD|date=November 16, 2007|accessdate=June 3, 2008}}</ref> Since no new ''Futurama'' projects were in production at the time of release, the final movie release ''Into the Wild Green Yonder'' was designed to stand as the ''Futurama'' series finale. However, Groening had expressed a desire to continue the franchise in some form, including as a theatrical film.<ref name="Wired1">{{cite web | url=http://blog.wired.com/underwire/2008/11/futuramas-anima.html | title=Futurama Animators Roll 20-Sided Die With Bender's Game | last=Wortham | first=Jenna | date=November 4, 2008 | work=Wired | accessdate=February 28, 2009}}</ref> In an interview with [[CNN]], Groening said that "we have a great relationship with Comedy Central and we would love to do more episodes for them, but I don't know... We're having discussions and there is some enthusiasm but I can't tell if it's just me."<ref name="CNN">{{cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/TV/02/26/matt.groening.futurama/index.html|title=Matt Groening looks to the future|last=Leopold|first=Todd|date=February 26, 2009|publisher=CNN|accessdate=March 17, 2009}}</ref>
 
In June 2009, [[20th Century Fox]] announced that Comedy Central had picked up the show for 26 new half-hour episodes that began airing on June 24, 2010.<ref name="Renewal2010">{{cite web|title=It's official: 'Futurama' is reborn!|url=http://ausiellofiles.ew.com/2009/06/its-official-futurama-returns.html|work=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|date=June 9, 2009|accessdate=June 9, 2009|author=Ausiello, Michael}}</ref><ref name="PressCentral">{{cite web|title='Futurama' Returns to Production with an initial order of 26 New Episodes to Premiere Mid 2010|url=http://www.comedycentral.com/press/press_releases/2009/061009_futurama_returns.jhtml|work=Press Central Comedy Central Press Release|date=June 10, 2009|accessdate=June 24, 2009}}</ref><ref name="Goldman, Eric">{{cite web|url=http://uk.tv.ign.com/articles/993/993144p1.html|publisher=IGN|title=Futurama Return Made Official|author=Goldman, Eric|date=June 9, 2009|accessdate=June 10, 2009}}</ref> The returning writing crew was smaller than the original crew.<ref name="Variety2009">{{cite news|title='Futurama' returns with new episodes|work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=June 9, 2009|accessdate=June 14, 2009|author=Schneider, Michael|url=http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118004722.html?categoryid=14&cs=1}}</ref> It was originally announced that main voice actors West, DiMaggio, and Sagal would return as well, but on July 17, 2009, it was announced that a casting notice was posted to replace the entire cast when [[20th Century Fox Television]] would not meet their salary demands.<ref name="recast-variety">{{cite news |url=http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118006123.html?categoryid=14&cs=1 |title='Futurama' without original voices? |work=Variety |author=Schneider, Michael |date=July 17, 2009 |accessdate=July 18, 2009}}</ref> The situation was later resolved, and the entire original voice-cast returned for the new episodes. The dispute had stopped the original actors from appearing on the ''Futurama'' panel for Comic-Con 2009, to the disappointment of fans.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.avclub.com/articles/comic-con-day-3-cartoon-capers-and-the-ongoing-fut,30860/ | title=Comic con day 3:cartoon capers ect | publisher=A.V.Club.com | author=Keith Phipps | date=July 29, 2009 | accessdate=July 29, 2009}}</ref>
 
Near the end of a message from Maurice LaMarche sent to members of the "Save the Voices of Futurama" group on Facebook, LaMarche announced that the original cast would be returning for the new episodes.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=216285555057 | title=Save the Voices of Futurama | date=July 31, 2009 | accessdate=July 31, 2009}}</ref> The ''[[Toronto Star]]'' confirmed, announcing on their website that the original cast of ''Futurama'' signed contracts with Fox to return for 26 more episodes.<ref>Salem, Rob. [http://www.thestar.com/comment/columnists/article/674841 "Futurama cast members ink new deal with Fox"], ''Toronto Star'', July 31, 2009</ref> Similarly, an email sent to fans from Cohen and Groening reported that West, Sagal, DiMaggio, LaMarche, MacNeille, Tom, LaMarr, and Herman would all be returning for the revival.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://gizmodo.com/5345037/futurama-returning-with-full-original-cast-after-all | title = Futurama Returning with Full Original Cast After All | first = Adam | last = Frucci | publisher = [[Gizmodo]] | date=  August 25, 2009 | accessdate = August 25, 2009}}</ref>
 
Cohen told ''[[Newsday]]'' in August 2009 that the reported 26-episode order means "[i]t will be up to 26. I can't guarantee it will be 26. But I think there's a pretty good chance it'll be exactly 26. Fox has been a little bit cagey about it, even internally. But nobody's too concerned. We're plunging ahead".<ref name=newsday>[[Frank Lovece|Lovece, Frank]]. [http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/tv/futurama-finds-a-new-future-on-comedy-central-1.1402526 "'Futurama' finds a new future on Comedy Central"], ''[[Newsday]]'', August 28, 2009; posted online August 27, 2009</ref> Two episodes were in the process of being voice-recorded at that time, with an additional "six scripts ... in the works, ranging in scale from 'it's a crazy idea that someone's grandmother thought of' to 'it's all on paper'.<ref name=newsday />
 
When ''Futurama'' aired June 24, 2010, on Comedy Central, it helped the network to its highest-rated night in 2010 and its highest-rated Thursday primetime in the network's history.<ref name="Gough">{{cite web|url=http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100629/tv_nm/us_futurama|title="Futurama" returns with strong ratings|last=Gough|first=Paul J.|date=June 29, 2010|publisher=[[Yahoo! News]]|accessdate=July 1, 2010|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20100711180204/http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100629/tv_nm/us_futurama <!--Added by H3llBot-->|archivedate=July 11, 2010}}</ref> In March 2011, it was announced that ''Futurama'' has been renewed for a seventh season, consisting of at least 26 episodes, scheduled to air in 2012 and 2013.<ref name="Renewal"/><ref name="CCSeason7announcement"/> The first episode of season 7 premiered June 20, 2012, on Comedy Central.<ref name=StartSeason7A>[http://www.comedycentral.com/shows/futurama Futurama – Series | Comedy Central Official Site | ComedyCentral.com], ''[[Comedy Central]]''. Retrieved March 27, 2012</ref>
 
In July 2011, it was reported that the show had been picked up for [[Broadcast syndication|syndication]] by both local [[Network affiliate|affiliates]] and [[WGN America]]. Broadcast of old episodes began in September 2011.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blog.sitcomsonline.com/2011/07/wgn-america-fall-2011-schedule-metv.html |title=WGN America Fall 2011 Schedule; MeTV Network Celebrates Lucille Ball's 100th Birthday With 100 Episodes of Lucy Series |publisher=Blog.sitcomsonline.com |date=July 26, 2011 |accessdate=August 23, 2011}}</ref> On September 19, 2011, [[WGN America]] began re-running ''Futurama'', and now airs the series weeknights during the overnight hours, and once on Saturday nights.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wgnamerica.com/shows/futurama |title=Futurama |publisher=wgnamerica |date=October 19, 2011 |accessdate=November 1, 2011}}</ref> ''Futurama'' has since doubled its viewership in syndication.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://twitter.com/#!/Kitchelfilms/status/164409657446764544 | author=Eric Rogers | date=January 31, 2012 | title=Kitchelfilms | accessdate=January 31, 2012}}</ref>
 
Due to the uncertain future of the series, there have been four designated [[series finale]]s. "[[The Devil's Hands Are Idle Playthings]]", "[[Futurama: Into the Wild Green Yonder|Into the Wild Green Yonder]]" and "[[Overclockwise]]" have all been written to serve as a final episode for the show.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ifmagazine.com/feature.asp?article=3955 |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20100907171942/http://ifmagazine.com/feature.asp?article=3955 |archivedate=September 7, 2010 |title=Exclusive Interview: 'FUTURAMA' CO-CREATOR DAVID X. COHEN BLOWS OUT THE 100TH EPISODE CANDLE AND TALKS ABOUT THE SEASON SIX FINALE |work=If | date=September 1, 2010 |accessdate=March 19, 2012 | author=Cortez, Carl}} Archived by [[Wayback Machine]] from [http://web.archive.org/web/20100907171942/http://ifmagazine.com/feature.asp?article=3955 the original] on September 7, 2010.</ref><ref name="Exclusive Page 3">{{cite web | url=http://www.ugo.com/tv/futurama-david-x-cohen-interview?page=3 | title=Exclusive: Futurama Creator Spills on Special Last, Last Episode! (Page 3) | work=UGO | date=June 22, 2010 | accessdate=August 25, 2010 | author=Zalben, Alex}}</ref> The episode "[[Meanwhile (Futurama)|Meanwhile]]" currently stands as the show's official series finale.
 
===Series finale and future===
{{main|Meanwhile (Futurama)}}
Comedy Central announced in April 2013 that they would be airing the final episode on September 4, 2013.<ref>{{cite web|last=Marechal|first=AJ|title=Toon comedy has logged seasons on Fox, Comedy Central since 1999|url=http://variety.com/2013/tv/news/futurama-cancelled-by-comedy-central-1200406963/|work=Variety|accessdate=April 22, 2013}}</ref> The producers said that they are exploring options for the future of the series as "we have many more stories to tell", but would gauge fan reaction to the news.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://insidetv.ew.com/2013/04/22/futurama-not-renewed-comedy-central/|author=Dan Snierson|date=April 22, 2013|title='Futurama' to end seven-season run on Sept. 4 – EXCLUSIVE|work=Inside TV|accessdate=April 22, 2013}}</ref> Groening and Cohen have previously expressed a desire to produce a theatrical film or another [[direct-to-video]] film upon conclusion of the series.<ref name="IGNFuturama">{{cite web|url=http://uk.ign.com/articles/2012/06/18/futuramas-back-and-bigger-than-the-red-hot-chili-peppers?page=2|publisher=IGN|title=Futurama's Back, and Bigger Than the Red Hot Chili Peppers!|author=Max Nicholson|date=April 23, 2013|accessdate=April 23, 2013}}</ref>
 
In an August 2013 interview with ''[[Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]]'', Sagal said regarding the series finale, "So I don't believe it... I just hold out hope for it because it has such a huge fan base, it's such a smart show, and why wouldn't somebody want to keep making that show; so that's my thought, I'm just in denial that it's over".  Sagal also mentioned during the same interview that Groening told her at [[San Diego Comic-Con International|Comic-Con]] that "we'll find a place" and "don't worry, it's not going to end" (in Sagal's words).<ref>{{cite web |first1=Piet |last1=Levy |title=Video: Katey Sagal talks about 'Sons of Anarchy,', 'Futurama,' Bob Dylan |type=Interview |publisher=[[Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]] |url=http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/business/221993931.html|date=September 1, 2013 |accessdate=September 6, 2013}}</ref>
 
It was announced that a special upcoming episode of ''The Simpsons'' will be an official crossover with ''Futurama''. The episode is entitled "Simpsorama" and will air as the season 25 finale several months following the conclusion of the series.<ref>{{cite web|title='The Simpsons' to join forces with 'Futurama' for crossover episode|url=http://insidetv.ew.com/2013/07/20/the-simpsons-futurama-crossover-epsidoe/|work=Entertainment Weekly}}</ref><ref>[https://twitter.com/TheJohnDiMaggio/status/380740786121220096/photo/1 Twitter / TheJohnDiMaggio]</ref><ref>[http://www.sunnewsnetwork.ca/sunnews/entertainment/archives/2013/09/20130928-084628.html Producers plan to kill off 'Simpsons' character]</ref>
 
==Characters==
{{further2|[[List of Futurama characters]]}}
''Futurama'' is essentially a workplace sitcom, the plot of which revolves around the Planet Express interplanetary delivery company and its employees,<ref name="locus">{{cite web |url=http://www.locusmag.com/2004/Reviews/04Cook_Futurama.html |title=Hey, Sexy Mama, Wanna Kill All Humans?: Looking Backwards at ''Futurama'', The Greatest SF Show You've Never Seen |accessdate=July 29, 2008 |publisher=[[Locus Online]] |date=April 26, 2004 |author= Cook, Lucius}}</ref> a small group that largely fails to conform to future society.<ref name="NYTimes">{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9800EFD61530F937A15752C0A96F958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=2| title=Groening's New World, 1,000 Years From Springfield | author=Gates, Anita| date=January 24, 1999| accessdate=June 13, 2008| work= The New York Times}}</ref> Episodes usually feature the central trio of Fry, Leela, and Bender, though occasional storylines centered on the other main characters.
* '''[[Fry (Futurama)|Philip J. Fry]]''' ([[Billy West]]) – Fry is a dim-witted, immature, slovenly, yet good-hearted pizza [[Delivery (commerce)|delivery boy]] who falls into a cryogenic pod, causing it to activate and [[cryonics|freeze]] him just after midnight on January 1, 2000. He re-awakens on New Year's Eve, 2999, and gets a job as a cargo delivery boy at Planet Express, a company owned by his only living relative, Professor Hubert J. Farnsworth. Fry's love for Leela is a recurring theme throughout the series.
* '''[[Leela (Futurama)|Turanga Leela]]''' ([[Katey Sagal]]) – Leela is the competent, [[List of one-eyed creatures in mythology and fiction|one-eyed]] captain of the [[Planet Express Ship]].<ref name="locus" /> Abandoned as a baby, she grows up in the Cookieville Minimum Security [[orphanage|Orphanarium]] believing herself to be an [[extraterrestrial life|alien]] from another planet, but learns that she is actually a [[List of recurring Futurama characters#Sewer mutants|mutant from the sewers]] in the episode "[[Leela's Homeworld]]".<ref name="LeelasHomeworld">{{cite episode| episodelink=Leela's Homeworld| title=Leela's Homeworld| series= Futurama| network=[[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox Network]] | airdate=February 17, 2002 | season=4 | number=12}}</ref> Prior to becoming the ship's captain, Leela works as a career assignment officer at the cryogenics lab where she first meets Fry. She is Fry's primary love interest. Her name is a reference to the [[Turangalîla-Symphonie]] by [[Olivier Messiaen]].{{cn|date=December 2013}}
* '''[[Bender (Futurama)|Bender Bending Rodriguez]]''' ([[John DiMaggio]]) – Bender is a [[profanity|foul-mouthed]], [[Alcoholism|heavy-drinking]], cigar-smoking, [[kleptomania]]cal, misanthropic, egocentric, ill-tempered [[robot]] manufactured by [[Mom (Futurama)|Mom's Friendly Robot Company]]. He is originally programmed to bend girders for [[suicide booth]]s, and is later designated as assistant sales manager and cook, despite lacking a sense of taste. He is Fry's best friend and [[roommate]].
* '''[[Professor Farnsworth|Professor Hubert J. Farnsworth]]''' (Billy West) – Professor Farnsworth, also known simply as "the Professor", is Fry's distant nephew.<ref name="ACloneofMyOwn">{{cite episode |title=A Clone of My Own |episodelink=A Clone of My Own |series=Futurama |network=Fox Network |airdate=April 9, 2000 |season=2 |number=10 |minutes=3}}</ref> Farnsworth founds Planet Express Inc. to fund his work as a [[mad scientist]]. Although he is depicted as a brilliant scientist and inventor, at more than one-hundred and sixty years old he is extremely prone to age-related forgetfulness and fits of temper. In the episode "A Clone of My Own", the Professor clones himself to produce a successor, [[List of recurring Futurama characters#Cubert Farnsworth|Cubert Farnsworth]], whom he treats like a son.
* '''[[Zoidberg|Dr. John A. Zoidberg]]''' (Billy West) – Zoidberg is a [[lobster]]-like alien from the planet [[Zoidberg|Decapod 10]], and the neurotic staff physician of Planet Express. Although he claims to be an expert on humans, his knowledge of human anatomy and physiology is woefully inaccurate. Zoidberg's expertise seems to be with extra-terrestrial creatures. He is homeless, penniless, and—despite being depicted as Professor Farnsworth's long-time friend—held in contempt by everyone on the crew.
* '''[[Amy Wong]]''' ([[Lauren Tom]]) – Amy is an incredibly rich, blunt, spoiled, ditzy, and accident-prone long-term [[Internship|intern]] at Planet Express. She is an engineering student at [[Mars University]] and heiress to the western hemisphere of [[Mars]]. Born on Mars, she is ethnically [[Han Chinese|Chinese]] and is prone to cursing in [[Yue Chinese|Cantonese]] and using 31st-century slang. Her parents are the wealthy ranchers [[List of recurring Futurama characters#Leo and Inez Wong|Leo and Inez Wong]]. She is [[Promiscuity|promiscuous]] in the beginning of the series and eventually enters a monogamous relationship with [[List of recurring Futurama characters|Kif Kroker]]. In the show's sixth season, she acquires her doctorate.
* '''[[Hermes Conrad]]''' ([[Phil LaMarr]]) – Hermes is the [[Jamaica]]n accountant of Planet Express. A 36th-level [[bureaucrat]] (demoted to level 37 during the series) and proud of it, he is a stickler for regulation and enamored of the tedium of paperwork and bureaucracy. Hermes is also a former champion in Olympic Limbo, a sport derived from the [[Limbo (dance)|popular party activity]]. He gave up limbo after the 2980 Olympics when a young fan, imitating him, broke his back and died. Hermes has a wife, [[List of recurring Futurama characters#LaBarbara Conrad|LaBarbara]], and a 12-year-old son, [[List of recurring Futurama characters#Dwight Conrad|Dwight]].
* '''[[Zapp Brannigan]]''' (Billy West) – Zapp Brannigan is the incompetent, extraordinarily vain captain of the [[Politics in Futurama#Democratic Order of Planets (D.O.O.P.)|DOOP]] starship ''Nimbus''. He is a satirical [[pastiche]] of [[James T. Kirk|Captain Kirk]] and [[William Shatner]]. Although Leela thoroughly detests him, Brannigan—a self-deluded [[Seduction|lady's man]]—pursues her relentlessly, often at great personal risk. He was originally going to be voiced by [[Phil Hartman]], but Hartman died before production could begin.{{cn|date=December 2013}}
* '''[[List of recurring Futurama characters|Kif Kroker]]''' ([[Maurice LaMarche]]) – Zapp Brannigan's 4th Lieutenant and long-suffering personal assistant, Kif is a member of the amphibious species that inhabits the planet Amphibios 9. Although extremely timid, he eventually works up the courage to date Amy. Kif is often shown sighing in disgust at the nonsensical rantings of his commanding officer.
* '''[[Mom (Futurama)|Mom]]''' ([[Tress MacNeille]]) – Mom is the malevolent, foul-mouthed, cruel, and narcissistic owner of MomCorp, the thirty-first century's largest shipping and manufacturing company, with a monopoly on robots. In public, she maintains the image of a sweet, kindly old woman by speaking in stereotypically antiquated statements and wearing a mechanical fat suit. She occasionally launches insidious plans for world domination and corporate takeover. She has a romantic history with the Professor which left her bitter and resentful. She has three bumbling sons, Walt, Larry, and Igner (modeled after [[The Three Stooges]]), who do her bidding despite frequent abuse, and often infuriate her with their incompetence. In ''[[Futurama: Bender's Game|Bender's Game]]'', it is revealed that Igner's father is Professor Farnsworth.
* '''[[List of recurring Futurama characters#Nibbler|Nibbler]]''' ([[Frank Welker]]) – Nibbler is Leela's pet Nibblonian, whom she rescues from an imploding planet and adopted in the episode "[[Love's Labours Lost in Space]]". Despite his deceptively cute exterior, Nibbler is actually a highly intelligent super-being whose race is responsible for maintaining order in the universe. He is revealed in "[[The Why of Fry]]" to have been directly responsible for Fry's cryogenic freezing. While the size of an average house cat, his race is capable of devouring much larger animals. He [[defecation|defecates]] [[dark matter]], which until ''Bender's Game'' is used as fuel for space cruisers in the series.
 
==Setting==
{{refimprove section|date=August 2013}}
[[File:Futurama - The Future.jpg|thumb|left|Fry's first glimpse of New New York City]]
''Futurama'' is set in New New York at the turn of the 31st century, in a time filled with technological wonders. The city of New New York has been built over the ruins of present-day New York City, referred to as "Old New York." Various devices and architecture are similar to the [[Googie architecture|Populuxe]] style. [[Global warming]], inflexible [[bureaucracy]], and [[substance abuse]] are a few of the subjects given a 31st-century exaggeration in a world where the problems have become both more extreme and more common. Just as New York has become a more extreme version of itself in the future, other Earth locations are given the same treatment; Los Angeles, for example, is depicted as a smog-filled apocalyptic wasteland.
 
Numerous technological advances have been made between the present day and the 31st century. The ability to keep heads [[isolated brain|alive in jars]] was invented by [[Ron Popeil]] (who has a guest cameo in "[[A Big Piece of Garbage]]"), which has resulted in many historical figures and current celebrities being present, including Groening himself; this became the writers' device to feature and poke fun at contemporary celebrities in the show. Curiously, several of the preserved heads shown are those of people who were already dead well before the advent of this technology; one of the most prominent examples of this anomaly is frequent Earth president [[Richard Nixon]], who died in 1994. The heads also appear to be in the age that the individual was most famous and not the older age in which they died. The Internet, while being fully immersive and encompassing all senses&nbsp;— even featuring its own digital world (similar to ''[[Tron]]'' or ''[[The Matrix (franchise)|The Matrix]]'')&nbsp;— is slow and largely consists of pornography, [[pop-up ad]]s, and "filthy" (or Filthy Filthy) [[chat room]]s. Some of it is edited to include educational material ostensibly for youth. Television is still a primary form of entertainment. Self-aware robots are a common sight, and are the main cause of global warming thanks to their [[ethanol fuel|alcohol-powered]] systems. The wheel is obsolete (no one but Fry even seems to recognize the design),<ref name="MothersDay">{{cite episode | title=Mother's Day | episodelink=Mother's Day (Futurama) | series=Futurama | network=Fox Network | airdate=May 14, 2000 | season=2 | number=14}}</ref> having been forgotten and replaced by [[Hovercar|hover cars]] and a network of large, clear [[Pneumatic tube|pneumatic transportation tubes]].
 
Environmentally, common animals still remain, alongside mutated, cross-bred (sometimes with humans) and extraterrestrial animals. Ironically, Spotted Owls are often shown to have replaced rats as common household pests. Although rats still exist, sometimes rats act like pigeons. Pigeons still exist, as well. Pine trees, anchovies and poodles have been extinct for 800 years. Earth still suffers the effects of [[greenhouse gas]]es, although in [[Xmas Story|one episode]] Leela states that its effects have been counteracted by [[nuclear winter]]. In another episode, the effects of global warming have been somewhat mitigated by the dropping of a giant ice cube into the ocean, and later by pushing Earth farther away from the sun.
 
''Futurama'''s setting is a backdrop, and the writers are not above committing [[Continuity (fiction)#Continuity errors|continuity errors]] if they serve to further the gags. For example, while [[Space Pilot 3000|the pilot episode]] implies that the previous Planet Express crew was killed by a space wasp, the later episode "[[The Sting (Futurama)|The Sting]]" is based on the crew having been killed by space bees instead.<ref name="Verrone">[[Patric Verrone|Verrone, Patric M]] (2003), DVD commentary for "The Sting", ''Futurama''. Original air date June 1, 2003. No. 12, Season 4. 20th Century Fox.</ref> The "world of tomorrow" setting is used to highlight and lampoon issues of today and to parody the science fiction genre.<ref name="Cohen01" />
 
==Themes==
Earth is depicted as being multicultural to the extent that a wide range of human, robot, and extraterrestrial beings interact with the primary characters. In some ways the future is depicted as being more socially advanced than Fry's, and therefore the audience's, reality. However, it is often shown to have many of the same types of problems, challenges, mistakes, and prejudices as the present.
 
Robots make up the largest "minority". Most robots are self-aware and have been granted freedom and self-determination, but while a few are depicted as wealthy members of the upper class, they are often treated as second-class citizens.<ref name="MothersDay" /> Likewise, robot–human relationships (termed "robosexual") are stigmatized,<ref>{{cite episode | title=I Dated a Robot | episodelink=I Dated a Robot | series=Futurama | network=Fox Network | airdate=May 13, 2001 | season=3 | number=15}}</ref> and robot–human marriages are initially depicted as illegal.<ref>{{cite episode | title=Proposition ∞ | episodelink=Proposition Infinity | series=Futurama | network=Fox Network | airdate=July 8, 2010 | season=6 | number=4}}</ref> Sewer mutants are mutated humans who must live in the sewers by law. They are initially depicted as holding [[urban legend]] status and regarded as fictional by most members of the public. This was contradicted by later episodes that depict Earth society as having enforced laws regarding mutants. However, since the conclusion of Season Six, mutants have been granted full status as citizens and are therefore granted the same rights to surface use as normal humans.
 
Religion is still a prominent part of society, although the dominant religions have evolved. A merging of the [[major religious groups]] of the 20th century has resulted in the First Amalgamated Church,<ref name="Gospel">{{cite book |last=Pinsky |first=Mark |title=The Gospel According to the Simpsons. Bigger and possibly even Better! edition |year=2003 |isbn=978-0-664-23265-8 |pages=229–235}}</ref> while [[Haitian Vodou|Voodoo]] is now mainstream. New religions include [[Oprah Winfrey|Oprahism]], [[Religion in Futurama|Robotology]], and the banned religion of [[Trekkie|''Star Trek'' fandom]]. Religious figures include [[List of recurring Futurama characters#Father Changstein-El-Gamal|Father Changstein-El-Gamal]], the [[List of recurring Futurama characters#Robot Devil|Robot Devil]], [[List of recurring Futurama characters#Reverend Lionel Preacherbot|Reverend Lionel Preacherbot]], and passing references to the Space Pope, who appears to be a large crocodile-like creature. While very few episodes focus exclusively on religion within the ''Futurama'' universe, they do cover a wide variety of subjects including predestination, prayer, the nature of salvation, and religious conversion.<ref name="Gospel" />
 
[[File:Earth Flag.svg|thumb|left|Earthican flag, "Ol' Freebie"]]
Earth has a [[World government|unified government]] headed by the President of Earth. [[List of recurring Futurama characters#Richard Nixon|Richard Nixon's head]] is elected to the position in Season Two, and holds the office in subsequent episodes. Earth's capital is Washington, D.C., and the flag of Earth is similar in design to the [[flag of the United States]], with the western hemisphere displayed in place of the fifty stars. The show is set mostly in the former United States, and other parts of the world are rarely shown. Citizens of Earth are referred to as "Earthicans," and English is shown to be the primary language of almost every sentient species.
 
The Democratic Order of Planets (D.O.O.P.) has been compared to both the United Nations and the [[United Federation of Planets]] of the ''[[Star Trek]]'' universe.<ref name="Love's Labours Lost in Space">{{cite episode | title=Love's Labours Lost in Space | episodelink=Love's Labours Lost in Space | series=Futurama | network=Fox Network | airdate=April 13, 1999 | season=1 | number=4}}</ref> Numerous other planets have been colonized or have made contact by the year 3000. Mars has been [[terraforming|terraformed]] and is home to Mars University, Mars Vegas, and tribes similar to [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|Native Americans]], though they departed upon learning that the "worthless bead" they traded their land for (the Martian surface) was actually a giant diamond worth a fortune, deciding to buy another planet and act like it is sacred.
 
A derivative of baseball, called blernsball, is played, and the New New York Mets, a laughingstock of the league, still play in [[Shea Stadium]]. A New New York Yankees team also exists.
 
Due to the fact that the world of Fry's time was destroyed, much of the knowledge of history before then was lost. In the 31st century, facts gathered by archaeologists are portrayed as grossly inaccurate. For example, in "[[The Lesser of Two Evils]]", the theme park "Past-O-Rama" presents a history in which 20th-century car factories had "primitive robot" assembly lines in which cars were not assembled by giant robotic welding arms, but by robots dressed like stereotypical cavemen. Another example comes from "[[The Series Has Landed]]", in which knowledge of the [[Moon landing]] has been lost for centuries. As a result, archaeologists came to the conclusion that the idea to go to the moon came from the infamous quote from ''[[The Honeymooners]]''.
 
==Hallmarks==
 
===Opening sequence===
Much like the [[The Simpsons opening sequence|opening sequence in ''The Simpsons'']] with its [[The Simpsons opening sequence#Chalkboard gag|chalkboard]], [[The Simpsons opening sequence#Lisa's solo|sax solo]], and [[The Simpsons opening sequence#Couch gag|couch gag]]s, ''Futurama'' has a distinctive opening sequence featuring minor gags. As the show begins, blue lights fill the screen and the [[Planet Express Ship]] flies across the screen with the title of the show being spelled out in its wake. Underneath the title is a joke caption such as "Painstakingly drawn in front of a live studio audience." or "When you see the robot: DRINK!"<ref name="Azrai">{{cite news|title=Farewell to the funny future|url=http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-14221036_ITM|author=Azrai, Ahmad|date=October 31, 2004|accessdate=January 10, 2008 | work=Asia Africa Intelligence Wire |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20080202153436/http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-14221036_ITM |archivedate=February 2, 2008}}</ref> After flying through downtown New New York and past various recurring characters, the Planet Express ship crashes into a large screen showing a short clip from a classic cartoon. These have included clips from ''[[Looney Tunes]]'' shorts, cartoons produced by [[Max Fleischer]], a [[The Simpsons shorts|short of ''The Simpsons'']] from a [[Tracey Ullman]] episode,<ref name="FlikrSlideshow">{{cite web| title=Flickr Slideshow |url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/nachop/sets/450093/show/ |accessdate=2007}}</ref> the show's own opening sequence in "[[The Devil's Hands Are Idle Playthings]]" or a scene from the episode. Most episodes in [[Futurama (season 6)|Season 6]] use an [[Abridgement|abridged]] opening sequence, omitting the brief clip of a classic cartoon. "[[That Darn Katz!]]", "[[Benderama]]" and "[[Yo Leela Leela]]" have been the only episodes since "[[Spanish Fry]]" to feature a classic cartoon clip. Several episodes begin with a cold opening before the opening sequence, although these scenes do not always correspond with the episode's plot. The opening sequence has been lampooned several times within the show, in episodes including "[[That's Lobstertainment!]]", "[[The Problem with Popplers]]", as "''Future-roma''" in "[[The Duh-Vinci Code]]" and as "''Futurella''" in "[[Lrrreconcilable Ndndifferences]]".
 
Series director Scott Vanzo has remarked on the difficulty of animating the sequence. It took four to five weeks to fully animate the sequence, and it consists of over 80 levels of [[Computer animation|3D animation]] composited together.<ref name=1ACV04OpeningSequence1>{{cite video|people=Cohen, David X.; Groening, Matt; Kelley, Brian; Sheesley, Brian; Moore, Rich; Vanzo, Scott; DiMaggio, John|year=2002|title=Futurama: Volume One DVD commentary for the episode "[[Love's Labours Lost in Space]]"|medium=DVD|publisher=20th Century Fox|quote='''Scott Vanzo:''' The final is kinda difficult for us to create, it has over 80 levels of 3D animation that are composited together, a lot of cheats, probably the single biggest scene that we have ever done, or at least we view it as a scene, so... I don't know what else to say. '''David X. Cohen:''' How long did it take just to animate that 28 seconds? '''Vanzo:''' I think we did it in about four or five weeks, all together.}}</ref> It takes approximately one hour to [[Rendering (computer graphics)|render]] a single frame, and each second of the sequence consists of around 30 frames.<ref name=1ACV04OpeningSequence2>{{cite video|people=Cohen, David X.; Groening, Matt; Kelley, Brian; Sheesley, Brian; Moore, Rich; Vanzo, Scott; DiMaggio, John|year=2002|title=Futurama: Volume One DVD commentary for the episode "[[Love's Labours Lost in Space]]"|medium=DVD|publisher=20th Century Fox|quote='''David X. Cohen''': How long does it take&nbsp;– out of curiosity, I don't even the answer to this&nbsp;– how long does it take to render one frame of that kind of degree of computer– 3D computer graphics? '''Scott Vanzo:''' We split it into a lot of different levels, because it was taking so long, and that way we can fix things a lot easier. I would say, probably about an hour a frame for that title. '''Cohen:''' And 30 frames per second? So that adds up.
}}</ref>
 
''[[Futurama: Bender's Big Score|Bender's Big Score]]'' has an extended opening sequence, introducing each of the main characters. In ''[[Futurama: The Beast with a Billion Backs|The Beast with a Billion Backs]]'' and ''[[Futurama: Bender's Game|Bender's Game]]'' the ship passes through the screen's glass and temporarily becomes part of the environment depicted therein—a pastiche of [[The Walt Disney Company|Disney]]'s ''[[Steamboat Willie]]'' and ''[[Yellow Submarine (film)|Yellow Submarine]]'' respectively—before crashing through the screen glass on the way out. In ''[[Futurama: Into the Wild Green Yonder|Into the Wild Green Yonder]]'', a completely different opening sequence involves a trip through a futuristic version of Las Vegas located on Mars. The theme tune is sung by [[Seth MacFarlane]] and is different from the standard theme tune. The end of the film incorporates a unique variation of the opening sequence; as the Planet Express ship enters a wormhole, it converts into a pattern of lights similar to the lights that appear in the opening sequence.
 
The ''Futurama'' theme was created by [[Christopher Tyng]]. The theme is played on the [[tubular bells]] but is occasionally remixed for use in specific episodes, including a version by the [[Beastie Boys]] used for the episode "[[Hell Is Other Robots]]", in which they guest starred.<ref name="Azrai" /> The theme also samples a [[Amen break|drum break originating from "Amen, Brother"]] by American soul group [[The Winstons]]; however, the drum break is replaced in Season 6. A remixed rendition of the theme is used in Season 5, which features altered instruments and a lower pitch. Season 6 also uses this remix, but it has been reduced again in pitch and tempo. The theme has been noted for its similarities to [[Pierre Henry]]'s ''Psyché Rock'' (1967).<ref>{{youtube|AOqfWj0HqNE|PIERRE HENRY&nbsp;— Psyché Rock (Pre Futurama Theme) (HQ)}}</ref>
 
It was originally intended for the ''Futurama'' theme to be remixed in every episode.<ref name=1ACV11OpeningSequence>{{cite video|people=Cohen, David X.; Groening, Moore, Rich; Vanzo, Gregg; Burns, J. Stewart; Haaland, Bret; West, Billy|year=2002|title=Futurama: Volume One DVD commentary for the episode "[[Mars University]]"|medium=DVD|publisher=20th Century Fox|quote=
'''Matt Groening:''' This is the remix theme, we were gonna remix the theme every week and then listened to this one and decided never to do it again.}}</ref> This was first trialled in the opening sequence for "[[Mars University]]", however it was realized upon broadcast that the sound did not transmit well through most television sets and the idea was subsequently abandoned.<ref name=1ACV11OpeningSequence2>{{cite video|people=Cohen, David X.; Groening, Moore, Rich; Vanzo, Gregg; Burns, J. Stewart; Haaland, Bret; West, Billy|year=2002|title=Futurama: Volume One DVD commentary for the episode "[[Mars University]]"|medium=DVD|publisher=20th Century Fox|quote=
'''David X. Cohen:''' It actually sounds pretty good, if you have a good quality TV stereo system, but it didn't transmit that well on the air. It lost a lot of the dynamic range, so it doesn't sound as good on actual broadcast as we thought it would.}}</ref> Despite this, [[Beatboxing|beatbox]] renditions of the theme performed by Billy West and John DiMaggio are used for the episodes "[[Bender Should Not Be Allowed on TV]]" and "[[Spanish Fry]]".
 
===Language===
[[File:Alien decoder Futurama.svg|thumb|220px|Alien Language 1 and its equivalent [[Latin alphabet|Latin characters]]]]<!-- Needs 'point,up-arrow' for question mark-->
There are three alternative alphabets that appear often in the background of episodes, usually in the forms of [[graffiti]], advertisements, or warning labels. Nearly all messages using alternative scripts transliterate directly into English. The first alphabet consists of abstract characters and is referred to as Alienese,<ref name="LeelasHomeworld" /> a simple [[substitution cipher]] from the [[Latin alphabet]].<ref name="AlienAlphabet1">{{cite web| url=http://www.omniglot.com/writing/futurama.htm|title=Omniglot|accessdate=June 3, 2008|archiveurl=http://archive.is/jaA4|archivedate=September 6, 2012}}</ref> The second alphabet<!-- Commented out pending citation, we currently have no firm reference that the second alien language is in fact 'Beta Crypt III':, Beta Crypt III<ref name="LeelasHomeworld" /> --> uses a more complex [[modular arithmetic|modular]] addition code, where the "next letter is given by the summation of all previous letters plus the current letter."<ref name="TheDaytheEarthStoodStupid">{{cite episode| episodelink=The Day the Earth Stood Stupid| title=The Day the Earth Stood Stupid| series= Futurama| minutes=[[Audio commentary]] 11}}</ref> The codes often provide additional jokes for fans dedicated enough to decode the messages.<ref name="Cohen01" /> The third language sometimes used is [[Hebrew language|Hebrew]]. Aside from these alphabets, most of the displayed wording on the show uses the Latin alphabet.
 
Several English expressions have evolved since the present day. For example, the word ''Christmas'' has been replaced with ''Xmas'' (pronounced "''ex''-mas"), and the word ''[[wikt:ask|ask]]'' with ''aks'' (pronounced ''axe''). According to David X. Cohen it is a running joke that the French language is [[extinct language|extinct]] in the ''Futurama'' universe (though the culture remains alive), much like [[Latin]] is in the present.<ref name="SpacePilot3000">{{cite episode |title=Space Pilot 3000 |episodelink=Space Pilot 3000 |series=Futurama |network=Fox Network |airdate=March 28, 1999 |season=1 |number=01 |minutes=[[Audio commentary]] 20}}</ref> In the French dubbing of the show, German is used as the extinct language instead.
 
===Humor===
Although the series uses a wide range of styles of humor, including [[self-deprecation]], [[black comedy]], [[off-color humor]], [[slapstick]], and [[Surreal humour|surreal humor]], its primary source of comedy is its [[Satire|satirical]] depiction of everyday life in the future and its [[parody|parodical]] comparisons to the present.<ref name="locus" /> Groening notes that, from the show's conception, his goal was to make what was, on the surface, a goofy comedy that would have underlying "legitimate literary science fiction concepts."<ref name="tvsquad">Keller, Joel (January 31, 2007). [http://www.tvsquad.com/2007/01/31/matt-groening-talks-about-futuramas-comeback/ Matt Groening talks about Futurama's comeback]. [[Weblogs, Inc.#TV Squad|TV Squad]]. Retrieved February 1, 2007.</ref> The series contrasted "[[low culture]]" and "[[high culture]]" comedy; for example, Bender's catchphrase is the insult "Bite my shiny metal ass" while his most terrifying nightmare is a vision of the [[Arabic alphabet#Numerals|number]] ''2'', a joke referring to the [[Binary number|binary numeral system]] (Fry assures him, "there's no such thing as two.").<ref name="locus"/>
 
The series developed a [[cult following]] partially due to the large number of [[in-joke]]s it contains, most of which are aimed at "[[nerd]]s."<ref name="locus"/> In [[Audio commentary|commentary]] on the DVD releases, David X. Cohen points out and sometimes explains his "nerdiest joke[s]."<ref name="ragingnerd">{{cite episode | title=Raging Bender | episodelink=Raging Bender | series=Futurama | network=Fox Network | airdate=February 27, 2000 | season=2 | number=8}}</ref> These included [[mathematical joke]]s&nbsp;— such as "[[Loews Cineplex Entertainment|Loew's]] <math>\aleph_0</math>-plex" ([[aleph number|aleph-null]]-plex) movie theater,<ref name="ragingnerd"/>&nbsp;— as well as various forms of science humor&nbsp;— for example, Professor Farnsworth, at a racetrack, complains about the use of a [[Photo finish|quantum finish]] to decide the winner "No fair! You changed the outcome by measuring it," a reference to the [[observer effect (physics)|observer effect]] in [[quantum mechanics]].<ref>{{cite episode | title=The Luck of the Fryrish | episodelink=The Luck of the Fryrish | series=Futurama | network=Fox Network | airdate=March 11, 2001 | season=3 | number=4}}</ref> In the season six episode "[[Law and Oracle]]", Fry and the robot peace officer URL track down a traffic violator who turns out to be [[Erwin Schrödinger]], the 20th century quantum physicist. On the front seat of the car is a box, and when questioned about the contents, Schrödinger replies "A cat, some poison, and a cesium atom." Fry asks if the cat is alive or dead, and Schrodinger answers "It's a superposition of both states until you open the box and collapse the wave function." The run is a reference to the [[Schrödinger's cat]] thought experiment of quantum mechanics. The series makes passing references to [[quantum chromodynamics]] (the appearance of [[Strong interaction|Strong Force]]-brand glue),<ref>{{cite episode | title=The 30% Iron Chef | episodelink=The 30% Iron Chef | series=Futurama | network=Fox Network | airdate=April 14, 2002 | season=3 | number=22}}</ref> [[computer science]] (two separate books in a closet labeled [[P versus NP problem|''P'' and ''NP'']] respectively, referring to the possibility that P and NP-complete problem classes are distinct),<ref>{{cite episode | title=Put Your Head on My Shoulders | episodelink=Put Your Head on My Shoulders | series=Futurama | network=Fox Network | airdate=February 13, 2000 | season=2 | number=7}}</ref> electronics (an X-ray&nbsp;— or more accurately, an "F-ray"&nbsp;— of Bender's head reveals a 6502 microprocessor),<ref>{{cite episode | title=Fry and the Slurm Factory | episodelink=Fry and the Slurm Factory | series=Futurama | network=Fox Network | airdate=November 14, 1999 | season=1 | number=13}}</ref> and [[genetics]] (a mention of Bender's "robo- or R-NA").<ref>{{cite episode | title=Teenage Mutant Leela's Hurdles | episodelink=Teenage Mutant Leela's Hurdles | series=Futurama | network=Fox Network | airdate=March 30, 2003 | season=4 | number=9}}</ref> The show often features subtle references to classic science fiction. These are most often to ''Star Trek''&nbsp;— many soundbites are used in [[homage]]<ref name="locus"/>&nbsp;— but also include the reference to the origin of the word ''robot'' made in the name of the robot-dominated planet [[Karel Čapek|Chapek]] 9,<ref>{{cite episode | title=Fear of a Bot Planet | episodelink=Fear of a Bot Planet | series=Futurama | network=Fox Network | airdate=April 20, 1999 | season=1 | number=5}}</ref> and the black rectangular monolith labeled "Out of Order" in orbit around Jupiter (a reference to [[Arthur C. Clarke]]'s [[Space Odyssey|''Space Odyssey'' series]]).<ref>{{cite episode | title=Put Your Head on My Shoulders | episodelink=Put Your Head on My Shoulders | series=Futurama | network=Fox Network | airdate=April 20, 1999 | season=2 | number=10}}</ref> Bender and Fry sometimes watch a television show called ''The Scary Door'', a humorous parody of ''[[The Twilight Zone (1959 TV series)|The Twilight Zone]]''.<ref name="Drawn To TV">{{cite book| last=Booker| first=M. Keith| title=Drawn to Television: Prime-Time Animation from The Flintstones to Family Guy| pages=115–124}}</ref>
 
Journalist/critic [[Frank Lovece]] in ''[[Newsday]]'' contrasted the humor tradition of Groening's two series, finding that, "''The Simpsons'' echoes the strains of [[Irish American|American-Irish]] [[vaudeville]] humor&nbsp;— the beer-soaked, sneaking-in-late-while-the-wife's-asleep comedy of [[Edward Harrigan|Harrigan and Hart]], McNulty and Murray, the [[Four Cohans]] (which, yes, included [[George M. Cohan|George M.]]) and countless others: knockabout yet sentimental, and ultimately about the bonds of blood family. ''Futurama'', conversely, stems from [[American Jews|Jewish-American]] humor, and not just in the obvious archetype of Dr. Zoidberg. From vaudeville to the [[Catskill Mountains|Catskills]] to [[Woody Allen]], it's that distinctly rueful humor built to ward away everything from despair to petty annoyance&nbsp;— the 'You gotta do what you gotta do' philosophy that helps the 'Futurama' characters cope in a mega-corporate world where the little guy is essentially powerless".<ref name=newsday /> Animation maven [[Jerry Beck]] concurred: "I'm Jewish, and I know what you're saying. Fry has that [type of humor], Dr. Zoidberg, all the [vocal artist] [[Billy West]] characters. I see it. The bottom line is, the producers are trying to make sure the shows are completely different entities".<ref name=newsday />
 
==Reception, legacy, and achievements==
 
===Success===
''Futurama'''s 7:00&nbsp;pm Sunday timeslot caused the show to often be pre-empted by sports and usually have a later than average season premiere. It also allowed the writers and animators to get ahead of the broadcast schedule so that episodes intended for one season were not aired until the following season. By the beginning of the fourth broadcast season, all the episodes to be aired that season had already been completed and writers were working at least a year in advance.<ref name="SciFiWeekly2">{{cite web |url=http://www.scifi.com/sfw/interviews/sfw7897.html |title=David X. Cohen boards the Planet Express to find meaning in Futurama |publisher=Sci Fi Weekly|date=December 17, 2001|accessdate=June 3, 2008 |archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20080610080245/http://www.scifi.com/sfw/interviews/sfw7897.html |archivedate = June 10, 2008|deadurl=yes}}</ref>
 
When ''Futurama'' debuted in the Fox Sunday night line-up at 8:30&nbsp;pm between ''The Simpsons'' and ''[[The X-Files]]'' on March 28, 1999, it managed 19&nbsp;million viewers, tying for 11th overall in that week's [[Nielsen ratings]].<ref name="Bauder">{{cite news |first=David|last=Bauder|url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=MWSB&p_theme=mwsb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB82C9405B7CAA1&p_field_direct-0=document_id|title=New animated show 'Futurama' may be a score for Fox|publisher=[[Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]]|date=April 1, 1999|accessdate=June 3, 2008}}</ref> The following week, airing at the same time, ''Futurama'' drew 14.2&nbsp;million viewers. The third episode, the first airing on Tuesday, drew 8.85&nbsp;million viewers.<ref name="DailyTV">{{cite web |url=http://web.archive.org/web/20000824051808/www.frcr.com/library/dailytv1.html|title=Groening's Gripe|date=April 1999|accessdate=June 3, 2008}}</ref> Though its ratings were well below ''The Simpsons'', the first season of ''Futurama'' rated higher than competing animated series: ''[[King of the Hill]]'', ''[[Family Guy]]'', ''[[Dilbert (TV series)|Dilbert]]'', ''[[South Park]]'', and ''[[The PJs]]''.<ref name="Sterngold">{{cite news |first=James|last=Sterngold|url=http://web.archive.org/web/20000824051735/www.frcr.com/library/new_york_times1.html|title=Futurama: Bringing an Alien and a Robot to TV Life|work=The New York Times|date=July 22, 1999|accessdate=June 3, 2008}}</ref>
 
When ''Futurama'' was effectively canceled in 2003, it had averaged 6.4&nbsp;million viewers for the first half of its fourth broadcast season.<ref name="MLMag">{{cite web|url=http://www.medialifemagazine.com/news2002/feb02/feb11/4_thurs/news7thursday.html|title= Fox puts 'Futurama' order on hold|date=February 14, 2002|accessdate=June 3, 2008}}</ref>
 
In late 2002, [[Cartoon Network]] acquired exclusive cable syndication rights to ''Futurama'' for a reported ten million dollars.<ref name="APArchiveCN">{{cite news| url = http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-11097857.html| title = Cartoon Network to Air 'Futurama'| agency = [[Associated Press]]| date = September 11, 2002| accessdate = April 15, 2012}}</ref> In January 2003,<ref name="APArchiveCN" /> the network began airing ''Futurama'' episodes as the centerpiece to the expansion of their [[Adult Swim]] cartoon block. In October 2005, Comedy Central picked up the cable syndication rights to air ''Futurama''{{'}}s 72-episode run at the start of 2008, following the expiration of Cartoon Network's contract.<ref name="ComCenSynd"/> It was cited as the largest and most expensive acquisition in the network's history. It airs every night on Comedy Central and WGN.<ref name=variety>{{cite news|author=Dempsey, John |url=http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117931802.html?categoryid=14&cs=1| title="Futurama" in Comedy Central's future via big deal|work=Variety|date=October 27, 2005|accessdate=October 27, 2005}}</ref> A Comedy Central teaser trailer announced the return of ''Futurama'' March 23, 2008,<ref name="FoxStopProduction">{{cite web| url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/news/02021902.shtml| archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20030419181300/http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/news/02021902.shtml| archivedate = April 19, 2003| title = Silver screen Simpsons, Futurama facing finish?| publisher = [[BBC News]]|date=January 19, 2001|accessdate = June 3, 2008}}</ref> which was ''[[Futurama: Bender's Big Score|Bender's Big Score]]'' divided into four episodes followed by the other three movies. The series also airs in syndication in many countries around the world.
 
On June 24, 2010, the season six premiere, "[[Rebirth (Futurama)|Rebirth]]", drew 2.92 million viewers in the 10&nbsp;pm timeslot on Comedy Central.<ref name="Gorman">{{cite web|url=http://tvbythenumbers.com/2010/06/25/thursday-cable-ratings-futurama-returns-strong/55378?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Tvbythenumbers+%28TVbytheNumbers%29|title=UPDATED Thursday Cable Ratings: Futurama  Returns Strong; Plus Burn Notice, Royal Pains, NBA Draft  & More|last=Gorman|first=Bill|date=June 25, 2010|accessdate=June 26, 2010}}</ref> The second episode of the sixth season, "[[In-A-Gadda-Da-Leela]]", aired at 10:30&nbsp;pm, immediately following the season premiere. "In-A-Gadda-Da-Leela" drew 2.78 million viewers.<ref name="Gorman" /> This was the series' premiere on the network, with original episodes—the fifth season had previously aired on the network, but it had originally been released in the form of the four direct-to-video films.
 
===Awards===
{| style="width: 100%"
! style="text-align: left" | <big>'''Wins'''</big><ref name="FuturamaAwards">{{cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0149460/awards|title=Awards for "Futurama" (1999)|accessdate=June 12, 2006}}</ref>
! style="text-align: left" colspan="2" | <big>'''Nominations'''</big><ref name="FuturamaAwards"/>
|-
| style="vertical-align:top; width:33%; font-size:x-small;" | <span style="font-size: small">'''[[Annie Award]]s:'''</span>
* Outstanding Individual Achievement for Directing in an Animated Television Production
** 2000–''Brian Sheesley'' for episode "[[Why Must I Be a Crustacean in Love?]]"
* Outstanding Individual Achievement for Voice Acting by a Male Performer in an Animated Television Production
** 2001–''[[John DiMaggio]]'' as [[Bender (Futurama)|Bender]] for episode "[[Bendless Love]]"
* Outstanding Individual Achievement for Writing in an Animated Television Production
** 2001–''Ron Weiner'' for episode "[[The Luck of the Fryrish]]"<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.annieawards.com/29thannieawardwinners.htm |title= 29th Annual Annie Award Nominees and Winners |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20050312140353/http://www.annieawards.com/29thannieawardwinners.htm |archivedate=March 12, 2005}}</ref>
** 2014–''[[Lewis Morton]]'' - ''Futurama'' - 20th Century Fox Television
* Outstanding Directing in an Animated Television Production
** 2003–''[[Rich Moore]]'' for episode "[[Roswell That Ends Well]]"
* Best Home Entertainment Production
** 2008–''[[Futurama: Bender's Big Score|Bender's Big Score]]''
** 2009–''[[Futurama: The Beast with a Billion Backs|The Beast with a Billion Backs]]''
** 2010–''[[Futurama: Into the Wild Green Yonder|Into the Wild Green Yonder]]''
* Best General Audience Animated TV/Broadcast Production
** 2014–''Futurama'' - 20th Century Fox Television
<span style="font-size: small">'''[[Emmy Award]]s:'''</span>
* Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation
** 2000–''Bari Kumar'' (color stylist) for episode "[[A Bicyclops Built for Two]]"
** 2001–''Rodney Clouden'' ([[storyboard artist]]) for episode "[[Parasites Lost]]"
* Outstanding Animated Program
** 2002–"[[Roswell That Ends Well]]"
** 2011–"[[The Late Philip J. Fry]]"<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.emmys.com/nominations/2011/Outstanding%20Animated%20Program |title= Primetime Emmy Awards nominations for 2011 – Outstanding Animated Program |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20120306000501/http://www.emmys.com/nominations/2011/Outstanding%20Animated%20Program |archivedate=March 6, 2012}}</ref>
* Outstanding Voice-Over Performance
** 2011–[[Maurice LaMarche]], ''as Lrrr & Orson Welles'' for episode "[[Lrrreconcilable Ndndifferences]]"<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.emmys.com/nominations/2011/Outstanding%20Voice-Over%20Performance |title= Primetime Emmy Awards nominations for 2011 – Outstanding Voice-Over Performance |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20120317215935/http://www.emmys.com/nominations/2011/Outstanding%20Voice-Over%20Performance |archivedate=March 17, 2012}}</ref>
** 2012–[[Maurice LaMarche]], ''as Clamps, Donbot, Hyper-Chicken, Calculon, Hedonism Bot & Morbo'' for episode "[[The Silence of the Clamps]]"
 
<span style="font-size: small">'''[[Environmental Media Awards]]:'''</span>
* Comedy–TV Episodic
** 2000–"[[The Problem with Popplers]]"
** 2011–"[[The Futurama Holiday Spectacular]]"<ref name=EMATFHS/>
 
<span style="font-size: small">'''[[Writers Guild of America Award]]:'''</span>
* Animation
** 2003–''[[Ken Keeler]]'' for episode "[[Godfellas]]"
** 2011–''[[Ken Keeler]]'' for episode "[[The Prisoner of Benda]]"
| style="vertical-align:top; width:34%; font-size:x-small;" | <span style="font-size: small">'''[[Annie Award]]s:'''</span>
* Outstanding Achievement in an Animated Television Program
** 1999–Futurama. ''The Curiosity Company'' in association with ''20th Century Fox Television''
* Outstanding Individual Achievement for Writing in an Animated Television Production
** 1999–''[[Ken Keeler]]'' for episode "[[The Series Has Landed]]"
* Outstanding Achievement in a Primetime or Late Night Animated Television Program
** 2000–Futurama. ''The Curiosity Company'' in association with ''20th Century Fox Television''
* Outstanding Individual Achievement for Directing in an Animated Television Production
** 2000–''[[Susie Dietter]]'' for episode "[[A Bicyclops Built for Two]]"
* Outstanding Achievement in a Primetime or Late Night Animated Television Production
** 2001–Futurama. ''The Curiosity Company'' in association with ''20th Century Fox Television''
* Outstanding Achievement in an Animated Television Production
** 2003–Futurama. ''The Curiosity Company'' in association with ''20th Century Fox Television''
* Outstanding Music in an Animated Television Production
** 2004–''[[Ken Keeler]]'' for episode "[[The Devil's Hands Are Idle Playthings]]"
* Outstanding Writing in an Animated Television Production
** 2004–''Patric Verrone'' for episode "[[The Sting (Futurama)|The Sting]]"
** 2011–''[[Michael Rowe]]''; Futurama. ''The Curiosity Company'' in association with ''20th Century Fox Television''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://slurmed.com/news/2010-12-07/futurama-nominated-for-2-annie-awards-2011 |title=Futurama nominated for 2 Annie Awards 2011 |publisher=Slurmed.com |date=December 7, 2010 |accessdate=August 23, 2011}}</ref>
** 2013–''[[Eric Horsted]]'' for episode "[[The Bots and the Bees]]"
* Best Animated Television Production
** 2011–''Futurama. ''The Curiosity Company'' in association with ''20th Century Fox Television''
* Outstanding Achievement, Editorial in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production
** 2014–''Paul D. Calder'' - ''Futurama'' - 20th Century Fox Television
| style="vertical-align:top; width:33%; font-size:x-small;" | <span style="font-size: small">'''[[Emmy Award]]s:'''</span>
* Outstanding Animated Program
** 1999–"[[A Big Piece of Garbage]]"
** 2001–"[[Amazon Women in the Mood]]"
** 2003–"[[Jurassic Bark]]"
** 2004–"[[The Sting (Futurama)|The Sting]]"
** 2012–"[[The Tip of the Zoidberg]]"
* Outstanding Music and Lyrics
** 2004–The song "I Want My Hands Back" for episode "[[The Devil's Hands Are Idle Playthings]]"
 
<span style="font-size: small">'''[[Nebula Award]]:'''</span>
* Best Script
** 2004–''[[David A. Goodman]]'' for episode "[[Where No Fan Has Gone Before]]"
 
<span style="font-size: small">'''[[Writers Guild of America Award]]:'''</span>
* Animation
** 2004–''Patric Verrone'' for episode "[[The Sting (Futurama)|The Sting]]"
** 2011–''Patric Verrone'' for episode "[[Lrrreconcilable Ndndifferences]]"
|}
 
===Achievements===
;The Futurama Theorem
 
On August 19, 2010, Comedy Central aired "[[The Prisoner of Benda]]", an episode written by [[Ken Keeler]]. To support the plot of this episode, Keeler, a PhD mathematician, penned "The Futurama Theorem", also known as "Keeler's theorem", which establishes (with [[mathematical proof]]) an algorithm for reversing the results of a particular [[body swap]] scenario.
 
;Other honors
 
In January 2009, [[IGN]] named ''Futurama'' as the eighth best in the "Top 100 Animated TV Series".<ref name="IGN100">{{cite web|url=http://tv.ign.com/top-100-animated-tv-series/8.html|title=Top 100 Animated TV Series|date=January 2009|publisher=IGN|accessdate=March 22, 2010}}</ref>
 
At the 2010 [[San Diego Comic-Con International]], [[Guinness World Records]] presented ''Futurama'' with the record for "Current Most Critically Acclaimed Animated Series".<ref name="Cordova">{{cite web|url=http://ccinsider.comedycentral.com/2010/07/24/comedy-central-at-comic-con-day-three-futurama-panel/|title=Comedy Central at Comic-Con: Day Three, Futurama Panel|last=Cordova|first=Gonzalo|date=July 24, 2010|work=Comedy Central Insider|publisher=[[Comedy Central]]|accessdate=August 1, 2010|archiveurl=http://archive.is/Xtla|archivedate=July 10, 2012}}</ref>
 
==Other media==
 
===Comic books===
{{Main|Futurama Comics}}
 
First started in November 2000, ''Futurama Comics'' is a comic book series published by [[Bongo Comics Group|Bongo Comics]] based in the ''Futurama'' universe.<ref name="comics">{{cite news| url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=NewsLibrary&p_multi=CSGB&d_place=CSGB&p_theme=newslibrary2&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0F34B832C954DA1A&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM |title=Groening lanches 'Futurama Comics' |date=November 19, 2000 |accessdate=July 16, 2007}}</ref> While originally published only in the US, a UK, German and Australian version of the series is also available.<ref>Press release (September 25, 2002) [http://www.gotfuturama.com/Information/Articles/titan.shtml Do you want Fry with that?] ''Titan Publishing''. Retrieved from gotfuturama on March 4, 2007</ref> In addition, three issues were published in Norway. Other than a different running order and presentation, the stories are the same in all versions. While the comics focus on the same characters in the ''Futurama'' [[fictional universe]], the comics may not be [[canon (fiction)|canonical]] as the events portrayed within them do not necessarily have any effect upon the continuity of the show.
 
Like the TV series, each comic (except US comic #20) has a caption at the top of the cover. For example: "Made In The USA! (Printed in Canada)." Some of the UK and Australian comics have different captions on the top of their comics (for example, the Australian version of #20 says "A 21st Century Comic Book" across the cover, while the US version does not have a caption on that issue). All series contain a letters page, artwork from readers, and previews of other upcoming Bongo comics.
 
===Films===
{{see also|Futurama (season 5)}}
When Comedy Central began negotiating for the rights to air ''Futurama'' reruns, Fox suggested that there was a possibility of also creating new episodes. Negotiations were already underway with the possibility of creating two or three [[Direct-to-video|straight-to-DVD]] films. When Comedy Central committed to sixteen new episodes, it was decided that four films would be produced.<ref name="Katz"/> On April 26, 2006, Groening noted in an interview that co-creator David X. Cohen and numerous writers from the original series would be returning to work on the movies.<ref name="DVDMovieAnnounced">{{cite web|url=http://www.avclub.com/articles/matt-groening,13984/|title=Matt Groening|author=Rabin, Nathan|publisher=[[The A.V. Club]]|date=April 26, 2006|accessdate=June 3, 2008}}</ref> All the original voice actors participated. In February 2007, Groening explained the format of the new stories: "[The crew is] writing them as movies and then we're going to chop them up, reconfigure them, write new material and try to make them work as separate episodes."<ref>{{cite web|date=February 26, 2007|title=Rhymes with Raining|work=Crave Online|url= http://www.craveonline.com/articles/filmtv/04647510/rhymes_with_raining.html|accessdate=March 25, 2007}}</ref>
 
The first movie, ''[[Futurama: Bender's Big Score]]'', was written by [[Ken Keeler]] and Cohen, and includes return appearances by the [[List of recurring Futurama characters#Nibblonians|Nibblonians]], Seymour, Barbados Slim, [[List of recurring Futurama characters#Robot Santa|Robot Santa]], [[Godfellas|the "God" space entity]], [[List of recurring Futurama characters#Al Gore|Al Gore]], and Zapp Brannigan.<ref name="AIC-BendersBigScore">{{cite web|url=http://www.aintitcool.com/display.cgi?id=24076|title=Ain't It Cool News: "Ben Sinister Has Read The New FUTURAMA 'Movie'!!"|accessdate=June 3, 2008 |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20060806011505/http://www.aintitcool.com/display.cgi?id=24076 |archivedate=August 6, 2006}}</ref> It was animated in widescreen and was released on standard DVD on November 27, 2007, with a possible [[Blu-ray Disc]] release to follow.<ref name="Simpsons and Futurama in HD">(April 5, 2008). [http://www.hdtvtotal.com/module-pagesetter-viewpub-tid-1-pid-1146.html Tales of Interest: The Simpsons and Futurama in high-definition]. HDTVTotal.com.</ref> A release on [[HD DVD]] was rumored but later officially denied. ''Futurama: Bender's Big Score'' was the first DVD release for which 20th Century Fox implemented measures intended to reduce the total carbon footprint of the production, manufacturing, and distribution processes. Where it was not possible to completely eliminate carbon, output [[carbon offset]]s were used, thus making the complete process [[carbon neutrality]].<ref name="2Snaps">{{cite web|url=http://www.2snaps.tv/9812689|title="Futurama" Feature Length Movie DVD Specs|date=November 14, 2007| accessdate=June 3, 2008}}</ref>
 
The second movie, ''[[Futurama: The Beast with a Billion Backs|The Beast with a Billion Backs]]'', was released on June 24, 2008. The third movie, ''[[Futurama: Bender's Game|Bender's Game]]'', was released on DVD and Blu-ray Disc<ref>{{cite web|first=Andreas| last=Hornig|date=July 28, 2008|accessdate=August 10, 2008|url=http://www.hdtvtotal.com/module-pagesetter-viewpub-tid-1-pid-1210.html|title= Futurama's third direct-to-disc movie "Bender's Game" on Blu-ray|publisher=HDTVTotal.com}}</ref> on November 3, 2008, in the UK, November 4, 2008, in the USA, and December 10, 2008, in Australia. The fourth movie, ''[[Futurama: Into the Wild Green Yonder|Into the Wild Green Yonder]]'', was released on DVD and Blu-ray Disc on February 23, 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/movies.php?id=1889|title=Into the Wild Green Yonder at Blu-ray.com|publisher=Blu-ray.com|accessdate=February 23, 2009}}</ref>
 
===Video game===
{{Main|Futurama (video game)}}
On September 15, 2000, ''Unique Development Studios'' acquired the license to develop a ''Futurama'' video game for consoles and handheld systems. [[Fox Interactive]] signed on to publish the game.<ref name="VideoGame1">{{cite web|url=http://www.gamespot.com/news/2628824.html?q=Futurama|title=Futurama Finds a Developer|accessdate=July 25, 2006}}</ref> [[Sierra Entertainment]] later became the game's publisher, and it was released on August 14, 2003.<ref name="VideoGame2">{{cite web|url=http://www.gamespot.com/news/6025618.html?q=Futurama|title=Sierra to bring Futurama game to the US|accessdate=June 3, 2008}}</ref> Versions are available for [[PlayStation 2]] and [[Xbox (console)|Xbox]], both of which use [[Cel shading|cel-shading]] technology. However, the game was subsequently canceled on the [[GameCube|Nintendo GameCube]] and [[Game Boy Advance]] in North America and Europe.<ref name="VideoGame3">{{cite web|url=http://www.gamefaqs.com/console/gamecube/data/583447.html|title=Futurama Info&nbsp;— Futurama Information&nbsp;— Futurama Release Date|accessdate=June 3, 2008}}</ref>
 
==Broadcast==
{{refimprove section|date=July 2013}}
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Season !! Network !! Time slot
|-
| 1 (1999) || rowspan="4" | [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] || Sunday at 8:30–9:00 pm (EST)<br /><small>(March 28<ref>[http://tvtango.com/listings/1999/03/28 TV Listings for March 28, 1999]</ref> – April 4, 1999<ref>[http://tvtango.com/listings/1999/04/04 TV Listings for April 4, 1999]</ref>)</small><br />Tuesday at 8:30–9:00 pm (EST)<br /><small>(April 6<ref>[http://tvtango.com/listings/1999/04/06 TV Listings for April 6, 1999]</ref> – May 18, 1999<ref>[http://tvtango.com/listings/1999/05/18 TV Listings for May 18, 1999]</ref>)</small>
|-
| 2 (1999–2000) || Sunday at 8:30–9:00 pm (EST)<br /><small>(September 26<ref>[http://tvtango.com/listings/1999/09/26/futurama TV Listings for September 26, 1999]</ref> – December 19, 1999<ref>[http://tvtango.com/listings/1999/12/19 TV Listings for December 19, 1999]</ref>)</small><br />Sunday at 7:00–7:30 pm (EST)<br /><small>(February 6<ref>[http://tvtango.com/listings/2000/02/06 TV Listings for February 6, 2000]</ref> – May 21, 2000<ref>[http://tvtango.com/listings/2000/05/21 TV Listings for May 21, 2000]</ref>)
|-
| 3 (2001–2002) || rowspan="2" | Sunday at 7:00–7:30 pm (EST)<ref>[http://tvtango.com/listings/2000/11/05/futurama TV Listings for November 5, 2000]</ref><ref>[http://tvtango.com/listings/2001/05/13 TV Listings for May 13, 2001]</ref><ref>[http://tvtango.com/listings/2001/12/09/futurama TV Listings for December 9, 2001]</ref><ref>[http://tvtango.com/listings/2002/04/21 TV Listings for April 21, 2002]</ref><ref>[http://tvtango.com/listings/2002/11/10/futurama TV Listings for November 10, 2002]</ref><ref>[http://tvtango.com/listings/2003/08/10 TV Listings for August 10, 2003]</ref>
|-
| 4 (2003)
|-
| 5 (2008–2009) || rowspan="3" | [[Comedy Central]] || Thursday at 10:00–10:30 pm (EST)<ref>[http://tvtango.com/listings/2010/06/24/futurama TV Listings for June 24, 2010]</ref><ref>[http://tvtango.com/listings/2011/09/08 TV Listings for September 8, 2011]</ref>
|-
| 6 (2010–2011) || Thursday at 10:00–10:30 pm (EST)<ref>[http://tvtango.com/listings/2010/06/24/futurama TV Listings for June 24, 2010]</ref><ref>[http://tvtango.com/listings/2011/09/08 TV Listings for September 8, 2011]</ref>
|-
| 7 (2012–2013) || Wednesday at 10:00–10:30 pm (EST)<ref>[http://tvtango.com/listings/2012/06/20/futurama TV Listings for June 20, 2012]</ref><ref>[http://tvtango.com/listings/2013/09/04 TV Listings for September 4, 2013]</ref>
|}
 
''Futurama'' premiered and originally aired in the United States on the Fox network, March 28, 1999&nbsp;– August 10, 2003.  Adult Swim carried the series in the US January 1, 2003&nbsp;– December 31, 2007, followed by Comedy Central March 23, 2008&nbsp;– September 4, 2013.  Syndicated broadcast of the series in the US began in Fall 2011.<ref>{{cite news|title=Breaking News – "Futurama" is Set to Premiere This Fall in Broadcast Syndication {{!}} TheFutonCritic.com|url=http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news/2011/04/05/futurama-is-set-to-premiere-this-fall-in-broadcast-syndication-714110/20110405twentieth01/|accessdate=March 25, 2012|newspaper=The Futon Critic|date=April 5, 2011}}</ref>
 
Canadian networks [[YTV (TV channel)|YTV]], [[Teletoon at Night]] and [[Global Television Network|Global Television]] broadcast ''Futurama'' March 28, 1999&nbsp;– August 10, 2003.{{citation needed|date=July 2013}}<!--Note: The data in the International Broadcast table was ambiguous. It's not clear which Canadian station aired the series first or what happened to the series after 2003. The table can be found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Futurama&oldid=565748072 Maybe we should cut Canada if sense can't be made out of it? -->
 
The series was broadcast in Australia on the following stations: [[Seven Network]] aired the series from December 2, 1999&nbsp;– 2003, [[Fox8]] from 2000–present, [[Network Ten]] between 2005–2010, and on [[Eleven (TV channel)|Eleven]] January 11, 2011&nbsp;– present.
 
Audiences in New Zealand received the series on the following stations: [[TV2 (New Zealand)|TV2]] March 28, 1999&nbsp;– 2005, [[The BOX (New Zealand)|the BOX]] from 2000–2010, [[C4 (TV channel)|C4]] from 2005–2011, [[Comedy Central (New Zealand)|Comedy Central]] between 2010–2013, and on [[Four (New Zealand)|Four]] from 2011–2013.
 
''Futurama'' currently airs in Ireland on networks [[3e]], [[Comedy Central (UK and Ireland)|Comedy Central]], [[Pick TV]] and [[Sky1]].
 
The series was carried by the following networks in the United Kingdom: [[Sky1]] from September 21, 1999&nbsp;– present, [[Channel 4]] from 2000–2004, [[Fox (UK and Ireland)|Fox]] from January 12, 2013&nbsp;– present, and the series currently airs on [[Pick TV]] and [[Sky2]].
 
==Merchandise==
{{refimprovesect|date=December 2013}}
While relatively uncommon, several action and tin figurines of various characters and items from the show have been made and are being sold by various hobby/online stores. When the show was initially licensed, plans were made with Rocket USA to produce wind-up, walking tin figurines of both Bender and Nibbler with packaging artwork done by the original artists for the series.<ref name="PushingTin">{{cite web| url=http://www.space.com/sciencefiction/toyfair_tinworks_000229.html| archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20100128185620/http://www.space.com/sciencefiction/toyfair_tinworks_000229.html| archivedate=January 28, 2010| title=Pushing Tin: Space Toys With Golden-Age Style| author=Janulewicz, Tom| date=February 29, 2000| accessdate=July 16, 2007}}</ref> The Bender toy included a cigar and bottle of "Olde Fortran Malt Liquor" and featured moving eyes, antenna, and a functioning compartment door; it received an "A" rating from [[Syfy#Science Fiction Weekly|Sci Fi Weekly]].<ref name="ToyReview">{{cite web| url=http://www.scifi.com/sfw/cool/sfw6707.html| title=Bender: Matt Groening's Futurama inspires a nostalgia for the inventive toys of future past| author=Huxter, Sean| date=March 5, 2001| accessdate=July 16, 2007|archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20071011135728/http://www.scifi.com/sfw/cool/sfw6707.html |archivedate = October 11, 2007|deadurl=yes}}</ref> A can of Slurm actually contains a deck of cards featuring the Planet Express crew as the face cards. A two-deck pack of cards was also released.
 
I-Men released five two-packs of {{convert|2.5|in|mm|sing=on}} high figures: Fry and [[List of recurring Futurama characters#Calculon|Calculon]]; Zoidberg and [[List of recurring Futurama characters#Morbo|Morbo]]; Professor Farnsworth and [[List of recurring Futurama characters#Officer URL|URL]]; [[List of recurring Futurama characters#Robot Devil|Robot Devil]] and Bender; Leela and [[List of recurring Futurama characters#Roberto|Roberto]]. Each figure comes with a corresponding collectable coin that can also double as a figure stand.
 
The collectible releases include a set of bendable action figures, including Lieutenant [[List of recurring Futurama characters#Kif Kroker|Kif Kroker]], Turanga Leela, and Bender. There have also been a few figures released by Moore Action Collectibles, including Fry, Turanga Leela, Bender, and the Planet Express ship. In late 2006, Rocket USA brought out a limited edition "super" heavyweight die-cast Bender. Another special edition Bender figure was released at the [[San Diego Comic-Con International|San Diego Comic Con]] (SDCC) in 2006; the figure was called "Glorious Golden Bender."
 
[[Toynami]] produced new ''Futurama'' figures.<ref name="Toynami Figurines">{{cite web|url=http://www.action-figure.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=19970|title=Futurama SDCC Exclusive and Toy news|accessdate=June 3, 2008|archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20070929034559/http://www.action-figure.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=19970 |archivedate = September 29, 2007|deadurl=yes}}</ref> The first series of the Toynami figures is separated into 3 waves: wave one, released in September 2007, featured Fry and Zoidberg; wave two, released in January 2008, consisted of Leela and Zapp (who comes with Richard Nixon's head-in-a-jar); the third wave, released in June 2008, includes Bender and Kif. Each figure comes with a build-a-figure piece to assemble the Robot Devil. The second series of Toynami figures includes Captain Yesterday (A Fry variant from "[[Less Than Hero]]") and Nudar in the first wave. The second wave includes Super-King (Bender from "Less Than Hero") and [[List of recurring Futurama characters#Calculon|Calculon]], and the third wave includes Clobberella (Leela from "Less Than Hero") and Amy Wong. The figures in series 2 include pieces to build Robot Santa. The third, and current, series of the Toynami line includes Professor Farnsworth (who comes with Nibbler), and Hermes. Wave 2 was released in February 2010 and includes Chef Bender and Mom, who comes with a removable fat-suit. Series 3 figures come with pieces to build [[List of recurring Futurama characters#Roberto|Roberto]]. Series 9 will include [[List of recurring Futurama characters#Officer URL|URL]] and Wooden Bender (from "[[Obsoletely Fabulous]]") and Series 10 will include [[List of recurring Futurama characters#Robot Mafia|Clamps]] and [[List of recurring Futurama characters#Robot Mafia|Joey Mousepad]]. Series 11 consists of [[List of recurring Futurama characters#Robot Mafia|The Donbot]] and [[List of recurring Futurama characters#Flexo|Flexo]]. That wave will not have a specific Build A Bot character, planned [[List of recurring Futurama characters#Morbo|Morbo]]. All figures feature multiple points of articulation and character-specific accessories.
 
In August 2009 [[Kidrobot]] released 3-inch vinyl mini figurines of some of the cast. These are sold in "blind" box form and each comes with an accessory. Probability of receiving each of the characters is printed on the side, with two special mystery characters having unknown probabilities.
 
==References==
{{reflist|30em}}
 
==External links==
{{portal|Futurama|Animation|Comedy|Television}}
{{Wikipedia books|Futurama}}
* {{wiktionary-inline|Appendix:Futurama|''Futurama''}}
* * {{Wikiquote-inline|Futurama|''Futurama''}}
* {{Commons category-inline|Futurama|''Futurama''}}
* {{Official website|http://www.comedycentral.com/shows/futurama/index.jhtml}}
* {{IMDb title|id=0149460}}
 
{{Futurama}}
{{Matt Groening}}
{{Fox Animation}}
{{Comedy Central programming}}
{{Prime time animated television series}}
{{Rough Draft Studios}}
{{EmmyAward AnimationLessThanHour 2001-2025}}
{{Good article}}
 
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