Futurama: Season 6
Good news everyone! After being taken off the air in 2003, the classic sci-fiction comedy Futurama is back and better than ever. Die hard fans of the show and new comers who missed its original run are in for a treat this summer. Clever, irreverent and wickedly funny, the new season promises to boldly go on making viewers explode with laughter.
The brainchild of Simpson’s creator Matt Groenig, Futurama is the story of the adventures of the crew of the Planet Express Delivery Ship in the 31st century. The show revolves around Phillip J. Fry, a pizza delivery boy from our time frozen for a thousand years, his cycloptic love interest, Leela, and his hard drinking, hard smoking robotic roommate Bender. Supported by zany cast of superbly written characters from the crazed Professor Farnsworth to the loveably pathetic lobster Dr. Zoidberg, the world of Futurama represents a rich mosaic for Groenig and his writers to examine modern life and mock it mercilessly.
Indeed, Futurama’s satiric bite remains among the best on television and can stand up against the best episodes of South Park or the Simpsons. In the latest season, our heroes are confronted with a giant battle station that censors entire planets, nefarious plots involving the latest “eyePhone” and a fierce debate over whether humans and robots should be allowed to marry. Despite being timely, the show’s punch lines never feel forced and story and characters are never sacrificed for a cheap laugh. While the show is a work of science fiction and derives much of its humor from classics of that genre, its situations are familiar enough that casual viewers will love it.
It is not often that a television show gets a second chance to shine, and as another adult cartoon recently proved, after being resurrected it can bear little resemblance to the original gem. However, despite being off the air for years save for a series of direct to DVD movies, Groenig’s show continues to be fresh. Any television enthusiast tired of summer reruns will find themselves welcome in the world of tomorrow.
Futurama airs on Comedy Central Thursdays at 10:00PM
