Futurama, the cult animated comedy series created by Matt Groening, is getting the deluxe art book treatment.
Abrams ComicArts, one of the leaders in the trendy format, will release The Art of Futurama, billed as the first art book to delve into the development and history of the acclaimed sci-fi comedy.
The book will be replete with the cool behind-the-scenes visuals the Art of books are known for and will come with commentary from the Groening, showrunner David X. Cohen and producer Claudia Katz.
It examines the first seven seasons of the series, which first aired on Fox in 1999. Readers will be able dive into the development and visual history of all 150 episodes, including brand–new content, never–before–seen concept art, sketches, developmental work, and a complete episode guide for the Emmy-winning show.
For the uninitiated, Futurama was a social satire that cented on a slacker named Philip J.
Abrams ComicArts, one of the leaders in the trendy format, will release The Art of Futurama, billed as the first art book to delve into the development and history of the acclaimed sci-fi comedy.
The book will be replete with the cool behind-the-scenes visuals the Art of books are known for and will come with commentary from the Groening, showrunner David X. Cohen and producer Claudia Katz.
It examines the first seven seasons of the series, which first aired on Fox in 1999. Readers will be able dive into the development and visual history of all 150 episodes, including brand–new content, never–before–seen concept art, sketches, developmental work, and a complete episode guide for the Emmy-winning show.
For the uninitiated, Futurama was a social satire that cented on a slacker named Philip J.
- 4/30/2024
- by Borys Kit
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
"Futurama" is no stranger to out-there stories, but sometimes, even this show needs an excuse to break the rules. That's where the anthology episodes come in: installments featuring three seven-or-so-minute-long themed segments where the status quo of the show doesn't apply.
"Futurama" inherited this formula from co-creator Matt Groening's previous series, "The Simpsons." However, "The Simpsons" developed a consistent formula for its anthology episodes: "Treehouse of Horror," where the Simpsons family (and friends) are put through parodies of horror/sci-fi stories (from "The Twilight Zone" to "Death Note"). "Treehouse of Horror" has been an annual "Simpsons" tradition since season 2, but the series isn't constrained by this. A handful of "Simpsons" episodes are anthologies of a different flavor (see "Simpsons Bible Stories" in season 10 or "Tales from the Public Domain" in season 13).
"Futurama," though? The sci-fi show doesn't have an equivalent tradition, perhaps as part of the show's efforts to not compete with "The Simpsons.
"Futurama" inherited this formula from co-creator Matt Groening's previous series, "The Simpsons." However, "The Simpsons" developed a consistent formula for its anthology episodes: "Treehouse of Horror," where the Simpsons family (and friends) are put through parodies of horror/sci-fi stories (from "The Twilight Zone" to "Death Note"). "Treehouse of Horror" has been an annual "Simpsons" tradition since season 2, but the series isn't constrained by this. A handful of "Simpsons" episodes are anthologies of a different flavor (see "Simpsons Bible Stories" in season 10 or "Tales from the Public Domain" in season 13).
"Futurama," though? The sci-fi show doesn't have an equivalent tradition, perhaps as part of the show's efforts to not compete with "The Simpsons.
- 4/28/2024
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
Itchy and Scratchy are responsible for some of the most memorable episodes of "The Simpsons." Every fan will fondly remember "The Itchy and Scratchy and Poochie Show" or Marge's crusade against the ultra-violent kids' cartoon in "Itchy & Scratchy & Marge." Indeed, "The Itchy and Scratchy and Poochie Show" landed at number five on /Film's ranking of the best episodes of "The Simpsons," with "Itchy and Scratchy Land" coming in at number 15.
Clearly, then, "Itchy and Scratchy" was more than a parody of "Tom & Jerry"-style cartoons. Though the central joke was as simple as "What if Tom & Jerry was super violent," the show-within-a-show was often used as a way to extend the cultural satire that was so integral to "The Simpsons." Plus, as legendary writer John Schwartzwelder once told The New Yorker, it allowed the writers a break from the rules of the show overall:
"We could show...
Clearly, then, "Itchy and Scratchy" was more than a parody of "Tom & Jerry"-style cartoons. Though the central joke was as simple as "What if Tom & Jerry was super violent," the show-within-a-show was often used as a way to extend the cultural satire that was so integral to "The Simpsons." Plus, as legendary writer John Schwartzwelder once told The New Yorker, it allowed the writers a break from the rules of the show overall:
"We could show...
- 4/26/2024
- by Joe Roberts
- Slash Film
When we think of fully realized fictional worlds, we tend to think of fantastical genre places like Middle-earth or the "Star Wars" universe. These are settings with intricate history and mythology; places not of our world.
One location we don't normally consider to be as intricate is Springfield. Plenty of sitcoms have fleshed-out worlds with characters the audience gets to know and care for over time, but few shows have as intricate a world with as much detail as "The Simpsons."
Sure, Springfield doesn't have fantasy elements or mythological creatures (most of the time), and it doesn't need them. This is as thoroughly constructed and fleshed out a world as "Dune," or Discworld, with its own unique history of deception, an abundance of colorful side characters like the enigmatic Dr. Marvin Monroe, a corrupt system of power, unique institutions, and more.
Before you light up your torches, think about how much we know about Springfield.
One location we don't normally consider to be as intricate is Springfield. Plenty of sitcoms have fleshed-out worlds with characters the audience gets to know and care for over time, but few shows have as intricate a world with as much detail as "The Simpsons."
Sure, Springfield doesn't have fantasy elements or mythological creatures (most of the time), and it doesn't need them. This is as thoroughly constructed and fleshed out a world as "Dune," or Discworld, with its own unique history of deception, an abundance of colorful side characters like the enigmatic Dr. Marvin Monroe, a corrupt system of power, unique institutions, and more.
Before you light up your torches, think about how much we know about Springfield.
- 4/20/2024
- by Rafael Motamayor
- Slash Film
The smug, arrogant Comic Book Guy (Hank Azaria), proprietor of the Android's Dungeon, first appeared in the "The Simpsons" episode "Three Men and a Comic Book". In the episode, he sold a rare and expensive copy of "Radioactive Man" #1 to the young collectors Bart (Nancy Cartwright), Milhouse (Pamela Hayden), and Martin (Russi Taylor). The comic cost $100 -- a fortune to the three young boys -- and they had to pool their money to make the sacred purchase.
The trio, however, never decided who would serve as the comic book's official caretaker, and they immediately became suspicious that one of them was angling to steal it from the other two. A "Treasure of the Sierra Madre" drama slowly unfolds. The Comic Book Guy, having seen the boys' folly beforehand, became a Mephistophelean figure, cackling at his customers' hubris.
In every one of Comic Book Guy's subsequent appearances, he would be grumpy,...
The trio, however, never decided who would serve as the comic book's official caretaker, and they immediately became suspicious that one of them was angling to steal it from the other two. A "Treasure of the Sierra Madre" drama slowly unfolds. The Comic Book Guy, having seen the boys' folly beforehand, became a Mephistophelean figure, cackling at his customers' hubris.
In every one of Comic Book Guy's subsequent appearances, he would be grumpy,...
- 4/13/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Not many animated series have made as huge an impact as The Simpsons did on the world. Ever since its release, the series has had a massive fan following. In fact, the series apparently became so popular in its release year that it started receiving reviews from the First Lady of the United States of America back in the day.
The Simpsons
Barbara Bush opens up about The Simpsons
The Simpsons will arguably go down in history as one of the greatest animated series of all time. The series was created by Matt Groening, James L. Brooks, and Sam Simon back in 1989 and revolves around the story of a dysfunctional family that burlesques a lot of things including society, politics, popular pop culture, and more.
SUGGESTEDLatest Fortnite Leak Opens the Door for The Simpsons to Make An Appearance Finally
However, despite being a success in the early 90s, the First...
The Simpsons
Barbara Bush opens up about The Simpsons
The Simpsons will arguably go down in history as one of the greatest animated series of all time. The series was created by Matt Groening, James L. Brooks, and Sam Simon back in 1989 and revolves around the story of a dysfunctional family that burlesques a lot of things including society, politics, popular pop culture, and more.
SUGGESTEDLatest Fortnite Leak Opens the Door for The Simpsons to Make An Appearance Finally
However, despite being a success in the early 90s, the First...
- 4/4/2024
- by Shikhar Tiwari
- FandomWire
Matt Groening’s long-running animated sitcom The Simpsons is known for its satirical humor, social commentary, and memorable characters. Initially premiered in 1989, it follows the lives of the dysfunctional Simpson family in the fictional town of Springfield. While the series remains an iconic part of Television history and has since become a cultural phenomenon, it has faced its share of controversy and critique.
The Simpsons
And the same was the case for the episode titled Blame It on Lisa, which follows the family on a trip to Brazil to visit an orphan whom Lisa is sponsoring. However, the series depicts the Simpson family encountering various misadventures in Rio, leading to criticism for a skewed and inaccurate depiction of Brazil.
The Simpsons Episode That Incited Outrage Across the Entire Nation of Brazil
The Season 13 episode of The Simpsons, Blame It on Lisa follows the Simpson family traveling to Brazil after they...
The Simpsons
And the same was the case for the episode titled Blame It on Lisa, which follows the family on a trip to Brazil to visit an orphan whom Lisa is sponsoring. However, the series depicts the Simpson family encountering various misadventures in Rio, leading to criticism for a skewed and inaccurate depiction of Brazil.
The Simpsons Episode That Incited Outrage Across the Entire Nation of Brazil
The Season 13 episode of The Simpsons, Blame It on Lisa follows the Simpson family traveling to Brazil after they...
- 4/4/2024
- by Laxmi Rajput
- FandomWire
Warning: This post contains mentions of sexual assault.
As the golden era of "The Simpsons" started to die down in the late '90s, a bunch of other adult animated sitcoms rose to prominence, all vying for the cultural power Matt Groening's series once had. From "Futurama" to "King of the Hill" to "South Park," there was no shortage of shows that put their own spin on "The Simpsons" formula, and many of them are still going strong even today. But whereas the "South Park" writers stayed pretty respectful towards "The Simpsons," acknowledging explicitly in their 2006 "Cartoon Wars" special that the older show is far classier and more prestigious than their own, the writers of another prominent raunchy cartoon aimed for far more of a rivalry.
"Family Guy," with its familiar premise of an oafish father trying and failing to do right by his long-suffering wife and his three children,...
As the golden era of "The Simpsons" started to die down in the late '90s, a bunch of other adult animated sitcoms rose to prominence, all vying for the cultural power Matt Groening's series once had. From "Futurama" to "King of the Hill" to "South Park," there was no shortage of shows that put their own spin on "The Simpsons" formula, and many of them are still going strong even today. But whereas the "South Park" writers stayed pretty respectful towards "The Simpsons," acknowledging explicitly in their 2006 "Cartoon Wars" special that the older show is far classier and more prestigious than their own, the writers of another prominent raunchy cartoon aimed for far more of a rivalry.
"Family Guy," with its familiar premise of an oafish father trying and failing to do right by his long-suffering wife and his three children,...
- 4/3/2024
- by Michael Boyle
- Slash Film
In 1977, aspiring cartoonist Matt Groening moved from his hometown of Portland, Oregon to Los Angeles with dreams of becoming a writer. Like most people who move to Los Angeles with dreams of becoming a writer, he took on some of the most menial jobs imaginable. Groening worked in a sewage treatment plant, as a dishwasher, and as a waiter. All the while, Groening worked on what would become his signature creation, the "Life in Hell" comic strip.
Groening would leave "Life in Hell" comics in a small corner of Licorice Pizza, the celebrated Los Angeles record store where he occasionally worked. It was an embittered strip about modern life, a harsh critique of life, love, school, and work. Groening attacked everything the establishment celebrated as normal and good, finding nothing but misery in the real world.
"Life in Hell" was picked up by Wet Magazine and, later the Los Angeles Reader.
Groening would leave "Life in Hell" comics in a small corner of Licorice Pizza, the celebrated Los Angeles record store where he occasionally worked. It was an embittered strip about modern life, a harsh critique of life, love, school, and work. Groening attacked everything the establishment celebrated as normal and good, finding nothing but misery in the real world.
"Life in Hell" was picked up by Wet Magazine and, later the Los Angeles Reader.
- 3/30/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
In the "The Simpsons" episode "Flaming Moe's, the put-upon bartender Moe Szyslak (Hank Azaria) finds his bar struggling to stay afloat in the wake of increased job satisfaction and family bliss in the city. Homer (Dan Castellaneta) suggests Moe try a new cocktail. Homer then reveals the recipe for a cough syrup-infused drink — the Flaming Homer — that becomes more flavorful after you set it on fire. Moe mixes one and it's an instant hit. Moe also instantly claims credit for inventing the drink, much to Homer's consternation.
The redubbed Flaming Moe is a huge success, and Moe's dive bar quickly grow into a massive event space where Aerosmith performs. Eventually Homer, fed up with not receiving any credit or money, reveals the secret ingredients and Moe's quickly returns to being a dive.
This episode, written by Robert Cohen, was inspired by a similar "rivalry" between "Simpsons" creator Matt Groening and...
The redubbed Flaming Moe is a huge success, and Moe's dive bar quickly grow into a massive event space where Aerosmith performs. Eventually Homer, fed up with not receiving any credit or money, reveals the secret ingredients and Moe's quickly returns to being a dive.
This episode, written by Robert Cohen, was inspired by a similar "rivalry" between "Simpsons" creator Matt Groening and...
- 3/30/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
When Futurama premiered on Fox in March 1999, it did so almost a decade after Matt Groening had broken open the gates of modern mainstream TV animation with The Simpsons. The intervening 10 years had seen more mature animated fare on the small screen, from the edgy Ren and Stimpy to the cult favorite The Critic. Though The Critic was created by two longtime Simpsons writers (and led to a moderately controversial crossover between the two), Futurama marked Groening’s first new series since The Simpsons.
- 3/28/2024
- by Josh Spiegel
- Primetimer
Helldivers 2 keeps things going with new content every day. The community of the title is very active, always trying to improve how it spreads democracy across the galaxy. Arrowhead Game Studios constantly introduces new menacing enemies, requiring the Helldivers 2 players to prepare for each one.
But the game is always looking for new ways to make reference for the players; there is even a planet called Omicron, like in Matt Groening’s animated series, Futurama. In the TV show, this planet has some terrible aliens that just hate monuments.
A Futurama Reference in Helldivers 2 Lrrr, ruler of the planet Omicron Persei 8. This Futurama reference is on a similar-named planet from Helldivers 2.
The team behind Helldivers 2 has its own way of paying homage to different pop culture things. The game has a ton of similar things, like the movie Starship Troopers, and it also has some armor that looks like Battlestar Galactica.
But the game is always looking for new ways to make reference for the players; there is even a planet called Omicron, like in Matt Groening’s animated series, Futurama. In the TV show, this planet has some terrible aliens that just hate monuments.
A Futurama Reference in Helldivers 2 Lrrr, ruler of the planet Omicron Persei 8. This Futurama reference is on a similar-named planet from Helldivers 2.
The team behind Helldivers 2 has its own way of paying homage to different pop culture things. The game has a ton of similar things, like the movie Starship Troopers, and it also has some armor that looks like Battlestar Galactica.
- 3/24/2024
- by Lucas Lapetina
- FandomWire
"Futurama" is, at least on one level, a workplace show. The main characters all met because they are co-workers at Planet Express, an interplanetary delivery company. Planet Express, however, is more of a background setting and an excuse to have the characters organically occupy the same space. "Futurama" stories either tend to reach deep into weird sci-fi or involve the characters' personal lives. Plots rarely surround the business and its inner workings.
The biggest reminder that "Futurama" does indeed take place in an office is the presence of Hermes Conrad (Phil Lamarr), the company bureaucrat. Hermes takes care of all the paperwork and accounting and does so with gusto. He's a freewheeling limbo champion who is also weirdly fastidious and obsessed with red tape and organization. In the episode "How Hermes Requisitioned His Groove Back", Hermes sings an upbeat calypso number about how great it is to be a bureaucrat.
The biggest reminder that "Futurama" does indeed take place in an office is the presence of Hermes Conrad (Phil Lamarr), the company bureaucrat. Hermes takes care of all the paperwork and accounting and does so with gusto. He's a freewheeling limbo champion who is also weirdly fastidious and obsessed with red tape and organization. In the episode "How Hermes Requisitioned His Groove Back", Hermes sings an upbeat calypso number about how great it is to be a bureaucrat.
- 3/24/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
"What state is Springfield in?" is a question almost every "The Simpsons" fan has asked, desperate to bring the characters a bit closer to reality. It's also a question with no answer (unlike the recently-answered question of how Homer Simpson keeps his job).
The book "The Springfield Confidential" -- an inside look at "The Simpsons" by former showrunner Mike Reiss (with help from Mathew Klickstein) -- explains the origin of Springfield's name. Creator Matt Groening chose it because it was such a common and generic name for American towns. Springfield was also the name of the town in the 1950s sitcom "Father Knows Best," which likewise treated its setting as "Anytown, USA."
"I was thrilled because I imagined that [Springfield in 'Father Knows Best'] was the town next to Portland, [Oregon], my hometown. When I grew up, I realized it was just a fictitious name," Groening recounted.
Aside from Oregon, here are some other notable Springfields in the United States.
The book "The Springfield Confidential" -- an inside look at "The Simpsons" by former showrunner Mike Reiss (with help from Mathew Klickstein) -- explains the origin of Springfield's name. Creator Matt Groening chose it because it was such a common and generic name for American towns. Springfield was also the name of the town in the 1950s sitcom "Father Knows Best," which likewise treated its setting as "Anytown, USA."
"I was thrilled because I imagined that [Springfield in 'Father Knows Best'] was the town next to Portland, [Oregon], my hometown. When I grew up, I realized it was just a fictitious name," Groening recounted.
Aside from Oregon, here are some other notable Springfields in the United States.
- 3/24/2024
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
In the third episode of "Futurama," called "I, Roommate," Fry (Billy West) is still sleeping at Planet Express, not yet having found a place to live. Fry is a slob, however, and his filthy detritus and unsanitary lifestyle become a nuisance for his coworkers. "Someone's been leaving food around," Hermes (Phil Lamarr) says at a company meeting, "and it's attracting owls. And I, for one, am tired of cleaning those owl traps."
Owls? Yes, it seems that by the year 3000, owls will have replaced rats as New York City's most prolific species of warm-blooded vermin. The owls are rarely addressed directly on "Futurama," but filthy alleyways and garbage-strewn streets are always lousy with owls. From the looks of the animation, they are northern saw-whet owls, although their precise species has never been clarified. Weirdly, the owls are a joke unto themselves, and no one ever makes puns or gags at their expense.
Owls? Yes, it seems that by the year 3000, owls will have replaced rats as New York City's most prolific species of warm-blooded vermin. The owls are rarely addressed directly on "Futurama," but filthy alleyways and garbage-strewn streets are always lousy with owls. From the looks of the animation, they are northern saw-whet owls, although their precise species has never been clarified. Weirdly, the owls are a joke unto themselves, and no one ever makes puns or gags at their expense.
- 3/23/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
In the "The Simpsons" episode "Future-Drama", Bart (Nancy Cartwright) and Lisa (Yeardley Smith) visit the mad scientist Professor Frink (Hank Azaria) to get a glimpse into their future. Frink has invented a future-predicting computer, and the Simpson children ask to see what they might look like as teenagers. In the year 2013, Bart is dating a cool skateboarder named Jenda (Amy Poehler) and Lisa, on her way to medical school, has had an on-again-off-again relationship with Milhouse (Pamela Hayden). Marge has been dating Krusty the Clown (Dan Castellaneta) after leaving Homer for committing a flagrant financial crime.
To ensure the episode is sufficiently surreal, there is a scene wherein the teenage Bart and the older Homer (Castellaneta) pass through a quantum tunnel and emerge on the other side with a robot they mysteriously accumulated. The robot is Bender (John Dimaggio), the drunken droid from Matt Groening's "Futurama," a series that,...
To ensure the episode is sufficiently surreal, there is a scene wherein the teenage Bart and the older Homer (Castellaneta) pass through a quantum tunnel and emerge on the other side with a robot they mysteriously accumulated. The robot is Bender (John Dimaggio), the drunken droid from Matt Groening's "Futurama," a series that,...
- 3/17/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
"Futurama" is set a thousand years from our present. The show begins in the year 2999, as the world of tomorrow celebrates a happy New Year, and has since moved forward to correspond to the year the episode was aired — the latest, semi-satisfying season 11, reviewed by /Film here, was set in 3023.
This means that the show is set in New New York City (in the state of New New York). In "Space Pilot 3000," while our everyman hero Philip J. Fry slumbers in cryogenic suspension for a millennium, the metropolis outside is destroyed twice by alien invaders. Late in the pilot, Fry, Bender, and Leela find themselves underground in the ruins of old New York City; the place Fry once called home is the foundation upon which his new one rests.
Despite the thousand years of destruction and rebuilding, New New York still has a Statue of Liberty (though who knows if...
This means that the show is set in New New York City (in the state of New New York). In "Space Pilot 3000," while our everyman hero Philip J. Fry slumbers in cryogenic suspension for a millennium, the metropolis outside is destroyed twice by alien invaders. Late in the pilot, Fry, Bender, and Leela find themselves underground in the ruins of old New York City; the place Fry once called home is the foundation upon which his new one rests.
Despite the thousand years of destruction and rebuilding, New New York still has a Statue of Liberty (though who knows if...
- 3/3/2024
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
"Futurama" is first and foremost a comedy, but by setting events a thousand years in the future, it invited itself to have the kind of worldbuilding you'd see in more straight-laced science fiction. The writers aren't just out to make their audience laugh, but to invest them in a futuristic world.
The "Futurama" writers are learned science-fiction nerds themselves. Series co-creator David X. Cohen has degrees in physics and computer science, while David A. Goodman, who wrote the "Futurama" episode "Where No Fan Has Gone Before," (which featured most of the original "Star Trek" cast) went on to write for "Star Trek: Enterprise." Since the writers are nerds, they know how obsessive nerds think and engage with media by overanalyzing it.
The creators of "Futurama" admit they've even relied on fans to preserve the series' continuity, checking the "Futurama" wiki rather than rewatching episodes themselves. An audio commentary track for the series premiere,...
The "Futurama" writers are learned science-fiction nerds themselves. Series co-creator David X. Cohen has degrees in physics and computer science, while David A. Goodman, who wrote the "Futurama" episode "Where No Fan Has Gone Before," (which featured most of the original "Star Trek" cast) went on to write for "Star Trek: Enterprise." Since the writers are nerds, they know how obsessive nerds think and engage with media by overanalyzing it.
The creators of "Futurama" admit they've even relied on fans to preserve the series' continuity, checking the "Futurama" wiki rather than rewatching episodes themselves. An audio commentary track for the series premiere,...
- 3/2/2024
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
Bender (John Dimaggio), the drunken alcoholic robot on Matt Groening and David X. Cohen's sci-fi sitcom "Futurama" is fueled by alcohol. Indeed, if Bender doesn't have a cocktail once or twice a day, he begins to rust, his batteries begin to run down, and he behaves as if he's drunk. Of course, consuming too much booze also makes Bender behave like he's drunk, so it's a careful balance to ensure he's functional. If that seems unclear, don't worry. The characters on "Futurama" don't quite have a grasp of it either. When Bender claims to have seen a werewolf car (!), Fry (Billy West) responds by saying "You've been drinking too much, or too little. I forget how it works with you. Anyway, you haven't drunk exactly the right amount."
Early in the series, Bender had more of a "drunken" voice, with actor Dimaggio giving the character a slightly raspier effect as well as a slight,...
Early in the series, Bender had more of a "drunken" voice, with actor Dimaggio giving the character a slightly raspier effect as well as a slight,...
- 3/2/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
As Academy Awards contenders go, “The Holdovers” remains a combined odds frontrunner at Gold Derby in one category (Best Supporting Actress), second in two others and more of an obvious longshot in two more following its three Spirit Awards triumphs on Sunday. But the one thing the Alexander Payne-directed film featuring Oscar nominees Paul Giamatti and awards season juggernaut Da’Vine Joy Randolph, along with dazzling newcomer Dominic Sessa, has going for it as Oscar voting winds down is an impressive number of endorsements of support from famous folks who have moderated Q&As or made their photo presence felt at FYC events simply because they love the film.
While it doesn’t quite match the long list of actors whose backing helped earn Andrea Riseborough a surprise Best Actress nomination last year, it’s still a pretty solid collection of members of the celebrity community who are lending their face,...
While it doesn’t quite match the long list of actors whose backing helped earn Andrea Riseborough a surprise Best Actress nomination last year, it’s still a pretty solid collection of members of the celebrity community who are lending their face,...
- 2/26/2024
- by Ray Richmond
- Gold Derby
One of the best (and silliest) qualities of "Futurama" is just how much the world of the future hasn't changed from the present. Yes, there are alcoholic robots and aliens all around, but the characters are always just so happening to deal with the same basic social issues of the audience's time, from global warming to corporate greed to bitcoin. History repeats itself, it seems, and according to "Futurama" it repeats itself in thousand-year cycles.
Case in point was the 2010 episode "Proposition Infinity," an episode that was clearly inspired by California's Proposition 8, in which California voters in the 2008 election voted to effectively ban gay marriage in the state. The controversial proposition is so infamous in part because of how quickly voters' views on gay marriage would change; if the proposition had been on the ballot just a year later, it's likely most Californians would've voted against it. If it had...
Case in point was the 2010 episode "Proposition Infinity," an episode that was clearly inspired by California's Proposition 8, in which California voters in the 2008 election voted to effectively ban gay marriage in the state. The controversial proposition is so infamous in part because of how quickly voters' views on gay marriage would change; if the proposition had been on the ballot just a year later, it's likely most Californians would've voted against it. If it had...
- 2/17/2024
- by Michael Boyle
- Slash Film
Voice actor Billy West plays several of the lead characters on Matt Groening and David X. Cohen's 31st-century sitcom "Futurama." His voice for Fry, he has said, is essentially how he sounded when he was in his 20s. He also voices the elderly Professor Farnsworth, the incompetent lobster Dr. Zoidberg, the blow-hard Shatnerian space captain Zapp Brannigan, and the severed head of Richard Nixon. He's also played a wide variety of store clerks, alien slugs, terrifying robots, and North Pole elves in his tenure on "Futurama." There is nothing, it seems, he can't do.
It also takes a great deal of professionalism to be so silly. Voice actors, especially prolific ones, have to recall how dozens of characters sound in a split second, able to call up whatever voices a scene needs. In West's case, he likely has to have conversations with himself, using two or more unique voices in a single scene.
It also takes a great deal of professionalism to be so silly. Voice actors, especially prolific ones, have to recall how dozens of characters sound in a split second, able to call up whatever voices a scene needs. In West's case, he likely has to have conversations with himself, using two or more unique voices in a single scene.
- 2/15/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
On David X. Cohen and Matt Groening's 31st-century sci-fi sitcom "Futurama," the world's citizens are hooked on a high-octane ultra-soap-opera called "All My Circuits," a long-running TV series starring a cast of mostly robots. The main character in "All My Circuits" is a tall, egocentric blowhard named Calculon who is constantly discovering evil twins, engaging in robotic infidelities, and discovering multiple personalities. In a strange metanarrative twist, the Calculon on "All My Circuits" is played by a robot ... that also happens to be named Calculon, and also happens to be an egocentric blowhard.
In reality, Calculon is played by veteran voice actor Maurice Lamarche, one of the best voice actors currently working. Maurice Lamarche plays Calculon with a bloviating confidence that only seems to infect famous actors. Calculon eventually reveals that he is many hundreds of years old, and changes his identity every few decades. In previous lives, he...
In reality, Calculon is played by veteran voice actor Maurice Lamarche, one of the best voice actors currently working. Maurice Lamarche plays Calculon with a bloviating confidence that only seems to infect famous actors. Calculon eventually reveals that he is many hundreds of years old, and changes his identity every few decades. In previous lives, he...
- 2/10/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
In the 1993 "The Simpsons" episode "Marge vs. the Monorail," the corrupt nuclear power plant owner Mr. Burns (Harry Shearer) is busted by the Epa for stuffing glowing toxic waste into trees at the local park (the trees sprout tentacles and the squirrels gain eyeball lasers). As punishment, Mr. Burns is fined $3 million, which he happens to have in his wallet. Springfield, suddenly flush with cash, has a town meeting debating what to spend it on. Marge Simpson (Julie Kavner) proposes that they use the money to fix up pothole-strewn Main Street, but a mysterious flim-flam man named Lyle Lanley (Phil Hartman) interrupts her. Using a broad smile and heaps of smarmy charm -- and a "Music Man"-style musical number -- Lanley convinces Springfield to spend the money on a monorail that he will build himself.
Clearly, Lanley is a con man who sells shoddy monorails to unsuspecting cities and...
Clearly, Lanley is a con man who sells shoddy monorails to unsuspecting cities and...
- 2/9/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
At the start of Matt Groening's and David X. Cohen's 31st-century sci-fi sitcom "Futurama," the alcoholic robot Bender (John Dimaggio) sounded a little bit more like a drunken vagrant. He slurred his speech more and seemed less able to concentrate. As the show progressed, Bender became more self-assured, like the guy at the bar who — after his fourth shot of Jim Beam — is 100% confident he could thrash the bouncer. Bender became egotistical in addition to being a drunken criminal. On DVD commentary tracks, the makers of "Futurama" have said that Bender, in being a robot, allowed them more explicit depictions of violence and vice; a human character cannot drink a gallon of rotgut whiskey and smoke four cigars simultaneously, but a robot can. The Fox censors are weird.
Prior to "Futurama," Dimaggio only had a few credits to his name. His first gig was playing ancillary voices in...
Prior to "Futurama," Dimaggio only had a few credits to his name. His first gig was playing ancillary voices in...
- 2/9/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
"If there's one thing America needs, it's more lawyers." Lionel Hutz, defense attorney
There may not be a setting more suited to English language television than the courtroom.
Applying the real world rule of law to hypothetical cases dreamed up by the writers, from the tragic to the preposterous, underlines the drama in ways unique to the courtroom genre and makes champions of those who defend the wrongly (or not so wrongly) accused.
Right or wrong, innocent or guilty, these are the law talkin' guys and gals we'd want to have on our side in a court of law.
Ben Matlock, Matlock
If you're counting down TV's best defense lawyers, this one's obligatory. Ben Matlock, portrayed by TV legend Andy Griffith, wrote the playbook on dramatic reveals and turnarounds in front of the jury.
Matlock blurred the line between detective show and courtroom procedural as he would clear his clients...
There may not be a setting more suited to English language television than the courtroom.
Applying the real world rule of law to hypothetical cases dreamed up by the writers, from the tragic to the preposterous, underlines the drama in ways unique to the courtroom genre and makes champions of those who defend the wrongly (or not so wrongly) accused.
Right or wrong, innocent or guilty, these are the law talkin' guys and gals we'd want to have on our side in a court of law.
Ben Matlock, Matlock
If you're counting down TV's best defense lawyers, this one's obligatory. Ben Matlock, portrayed by TV legend Andy Griffith, wrote the playbook on dramatic reveals and turnarounds in front of the jury.
Matlock blurred the line between detective show and courtroom procedural as he would clear his clients...
- 2/8/2024
- by Gilbert Smith
- TVfanatic
Who doesn't love Dr. Zoidberg? Everyone! Everyone doesn't love Dr. Zoidberg. At least that's one of the running gags of "Futurama," the undying sci-fi sitcom created by Matt Groening and David X. Cohen. Dr. Zoidberg, voiced by Billy West, is a pathetic dumpster-dwelling lobster monster whose body is lousy with parasites and who sprays his peers with ink when startled. He's grievously awkward and doesn't have any friends. What's more, he's a terrible doctor, completely baffled by the anatomy of the mammals he works with; his diagnoses tend to be for fish-related ailments like fungi.
Naturally, the "Futurama" writers love writing Zoidberg scenes. It's actually astonishing how much humor the "Futurama" writing staff has been able to mine from having a big lobster on the show. There are more gags and jokes about sea life than one might think. For example, when Zoidberg vomits, he ejects liquid from both his...
Naturally, the "Futurama" writers love writing Zoidberg scenes. It's actually astonishing how much humor the "Futurama" writing staff has been able to mine from having a big lobster on the show. There are more gags and jokes about sea life than one might think. For example, when Zoidberg vomits, he ejects liquid from both his...
- 2/4/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
The premise of David X. Cohen and Matt Groening's "Futurama" is pretty simple. On New Year's Eve in the year 1999, a feckless and directionless pizza delivery boy named Fry (Billy West) accidentally falls into a cryogenic freezing tube and remains suspended for a thousand years. He awakens just as the world rings in the year 3000, and eventually takes a job working for a distant nephew named Professor Farnsworth (West), who owns a space-bound delivery company of his own. He also develops a crush on an impatient cyclops named Leela (Katey Sagal). The world of the year 3000 is replete with sci-fi trappings familiar to any fan of the genre; there are robots, aliens, space travel, and ineffable technologies.
The central joke of "Futurama" is that, despite all of humanity's advancements, human beings are still dumb and petty and concerned with their selfish creature comforts and base impulses. Fry may have been whisked into the future,...
The central joke of "Futurama" is that, despite all of humanity's advancements, human beings are still dumb and petty and concerned with their selfish creature comforts and base impulses. Fry may have been whisked into the future,...
- 2/3/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
In the case of most animated movies and TV shows, the voice actors are recorded separately and at different times. An actor can come to the studio based on their own schedule, record their own lines without any of their co-stars in the building, and "bank" an episode before the animation begins. Typically, behind-the-scenes footage of voice actors plying their craft tends to feature them alone in a soundproof booth.
There are, of course, plenty of exceptions to the rule. Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill famously acted out their scenes together for "Batman: The Animated Series," and "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem" saw the four titular turtle teens all recording together. One can see the advantages and disadvantages of both individual and group recordings right away. The former can make for a streamlined animation process that can bend to the schedule of an actor, while the latter can produce...
There are, of course, plenty of exceptions to the rule. Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill famously acted out their scenes together for "Batman: The Animated Series," and "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem" saw the four titular turtle teens all recording together. One can see the advantages and disadvantages of both individual and group recordings right away. The former can make for a streamlined animation process that can bend to the schedule of an actor, while the latter can produce...
- 1/28/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
When Matt Groening and David X. Cohen's animated sci-fi comedy "Futurama" began to be developed in the late 1990s, it was not treated with the respect one might expect for a follow-up to "The Simpsons." Where Groening's previous cartoon dealt in the classic sitcom setup of a dysfunctional family, "Futurama" was a harder sell, set in the year 3000 but in a world that largely looked like the late '90s. Only with aliens and spaceships.
Fox, the channel on which the show premiered, should have been a good home. After all, "The Simpsons" was an incredible success, at that point entering its 10th year on the network. Mike Judge and Greg Daniels had produced the excellent "King of the Hill" for Fox, giving the channel another animated sitcom hit. Seth McFarlane's "Family Guy" was in development around the same time. All of these shows would become part of Fox's...
Fox, the channel on which the show premiered, should have been a good home. After all, "The Simpsons" was an incredible success, at that point entering its 10th year on the network. Mike Judge and Greg Daniels had produced the excellent "King of the Hill" for Fox, giving the channel another animated sitcom hit. Seth McFarlane's "Family Guy" was in development around the same time. All of these shows would become part of Fox's...
- 1/27/2024
- by Anthony Crislip
- Slash Film
"Space Pilot 3000," the first episode of Matt Groening's and David X. Cohen's sci-fi sitcom "Futurama," sees the bumbling, directionless Fry (Billy West) delivering a pizza to a cryogenics laboratory on New Year's Eve, 1999. While at the facility, Fry notices that his delivery is for someone named "I.C. Wiener," and he figures he has been pranked. As the world counts down to the year 2000 outside, Fry eats the pizza and cracks open a beer in solitude, toasting another lousy millennium. He then falls backward in a chair and tumbles into an open cryogenics pod. It slams shut and automatically activates. Fry remains frozen for 1,000 years.
Throughout "Futurama," the characters would periodically return to the cryogenics lab where Fry was frozen to find others from Fry's time being freshly resurrected (e.g. Pauly Shore). The cryogenic freeing was a handy way to get 20th-century characters into the year 3000 without...
Throughout "Futurama," the characters would periodically return to the cryogenics lab where Fry was frozen to find others from Fry's time being freshly resurrected (e.g. Pauly Shore). The cryogenic freeing was a handy way to get 20th-century characters into the year 3000 without...
- 1/14/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
"Futurama" is a fantastic series, but it's destined to rank second place in creator Matt Groening's legacy. How could it not when the man has "The Simpsons" on his resume?
"The Simpsons" is a genuine American cultural institution — everyone knows who the titular family is — and while plenty complain "The Simpsons" has declined over the years, there are others who insist it's still good. It has run continuously for 30+ years, so there's still an audience for it. "Futurama," since its 1999 debut, has been on-again/off-again with cancellations and revivals (it's currently in an on-again phase thanks to Hulu).
Still, the "Futurama" team has plenty to be proud of with their show and tries not to see it as in competition with "The Simpsons." The two shows are "different animals," said "Futurama" voice actor Billy West at the London McM Expo in May 2011.
At this Expo, West sat on a...
"The Simpsons" is a genuine American cultural institution — everyone knows who the titular family is — and while plenty complain "The Simpsons" has declined over the years, there are others who insist it's still good. It has run continuously for 30+ years, so there's still an audience for it. "Futurama," since its 1999 debut, has been on-again/off-again with cancellations and revivals (it's currently in an on-again phase thanks to Hulu).
Still, the "Futurama" team has plenty to be proud of with their show and tries not to see it as in competition with "The Simpsons." The two shows are "different animals," said "Futurama" voice actor Billy West at the London McM Expo in May 2011.
At this Expo, West sat on a...
- 1/8/2024
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
Unarguably, the Matt Groening-created animated sitcom The Simpsons is one of the most successful and popular television series of all time. Known by all and sundry, The Simpsons is a multigenerational show that has entertained audiences since it premiered on December 17, 1989. Over the years, the Fox animated show has created and beaten several records in television history. The Simpsons isn’t only the longest-running animated and scripted Primetime series but also the longest-running sitcom series in American television history. The series revolves around the dysfunctional Simpsons family, whom audiences have come to love. Part of the success of The...
- 1/6/2024
- by Onyinye Izundu
- TVovermind.com
Prior to the debut of "Futurama" in 1999, preeminent voice actor Billy West was already a towering presence in his field. He had previously played Doug Funnie in the hit Nickelodeon series "Doug," in addition to voicing the Larry Fine-like Stimpson J. Cat on "The Ren & Stimpy Show" opposite show creator John Kricfalusi. When Kricfalusi was fired for missing deadlines, West took over the role, playing both leads for the bulk of the series. West also played Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd in the 1996 oddity "Space Jam" and has voiced the Honey Nut Cheerios Bee and the Red M&m in myriad TV commercials.
In the normal course of seeking more work, sometime in the late '90s, West found himself in front of the casting directors for Matt Groening's and David X. Cohen's new sci-fi sitcom. West, of course, would be cast in multiple roles for "Futurama,...
In the normal course of seeking more work, sometime in the late '90s, West found himself in front of the casting directors for Matt Groening's and David X. Cohen's new sci-fi sitcom. West, of course, would be cast in multiple roles for "Futurama,...
- 12/26/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
When it comes to making fun of a TV-obsessed culture, Matt Groening's shows are pretty great. His first animated sitcom "The Simpsons" would frequently feature its characters sitting around watching lazy television, from the over-alarmist Kent Brockman to the absurdly-inappropriate-for-kids "Itchy & Scratchy Show." The first layer of this running joke is that TV is bad and it rots your soul; the second layer is that this criticism is coming from a TV show itself, which we're watching. We can laugh at Homer and Bart as they amuse themselves over a braindead "When Buildings Collapse" documentary, but we can't judge them because we know we're guilty of the same thing.
Groening's next sitcom "Futurama" takes place in the same basic world of "The Simpsons," but a thousand years in the future. The world here has all the same problems as our current one, but they're taken to their logical extreme after centuries of rampant consumerism.
Groening's next sitcom "Futurama" takes place in the same basic world of "The Simpsons," but a thousand years in the future. The world here has all the same problems as our current one, but they're taken to their logical extreme after centuries of rampant consumerism.
- 12/25/2023
- by Michael Boyle
- Slash Film
If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Rolling Stone may receive an affiliate commission.
Quick Answer: Watch The Simpsons live without cable with DirecTV Stream or fuboTV; stream the show on-demand through Disney+.
The Simpsons continues to be one of the most popular shows on television, a whopping 35 years and counting since the animated series first premiered in 1989. Now, fans of Homer, Marge, Bart and family can binge The Simpsons by streaming the cartoon online.
How to Watch The Simpsons Without Cable...
Quick Answer: Watch The Simpsons live without cable with DirecTV Stream or fuboTV; stream the show on-demand through Disney+.
The Simpsons continues to be one of the most popular shows on television, a whopping 35 years and counting since the animated series first premiered in 1989. Now, fans of Homer, Marge, Bart and family can binge The Simpsons by streaming the cartoon online.
How to Watch The Simpsons Without Cable...
- 12/20/2023
- by Tim Chan
- Rollingstone.com
On "Futurama," the character of Amy Wong (Lauren Tom) works at Planet Express as an intern and as a student of Professor Farnsworth (Billy West). She's a fashion-obsessed rich girl, the daughter of ultra-wealthy parents, who sometimes resents her wealth, but wholly embraces access to it. She's also staggeringly intelligent and often helps the Professor with his wild inventions and bizarre quests. In the 2008 "Futurama" movie "The Beast With a Billion Backs," Amy married her longtime paramour Kif (Maurice Lamarche), an invertebrate salamander-like alien. In the most recent season of "Futurama," Amy and Kif are raising three children.
Lauren Tom plays Amy incredibly well, communicating her intelligence and her ditziness in equal measures. Her wealth sometimes disconnects her, and she's sometimes gullible, but she's still incredibly affable. Sample dialogue: "Fool me seven times, shame on you. Fool me eight or more times, shame on me." The ensemble would not be complete without her,...
Lauren Tom plays Amy incredibly well, communicating her intelligence and her ditziness in equal measures. Her wealth sometimes disconnects her, and she's sometimes gullible, but she's still incredibly affable. Sample dialogue: "Fool me seven times, shame on you. Fool me eight or more times, shame on me." The ensemble would not be complete without her,...
- 12/18/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Fans of "Futurama" might have noticed the Number 9 Man early on. He was a bald man with mauve skin and a grey beard wearing a long white nightshirt with the number 9 emblazoned on it. He could be seen in backgrounds and crowd scenes, yet another unusual feature in the bizarro, alien-riddled "Futurama" landscape. His number 9 was a mystery, and the character didn't have any lines or significant part to play until the 2009 "Futurama" movie "Into the Wild Green Yonder." Sci-fi fans might have posited (as this author did) that the Number 9 Man was a reference to the classic 1967 sci-fi series "The Prisoner," wherein Patrick McGoohan plays an ex-spy who was unexpectedly imprisoned in a bizarre carnival town and rechristened Number 6.
While "Futurama" co-creators David X. Cohen and Matt Groening would likely be flattered by the comparison to "The Prisoner" -- they are undoubtedly fans -- it seems that the Number...
While "Futurama" co-creators David X. Cohen and Matt Groening would likely be flattered by the comparison to "The Prisoner" -- they are undoubtedly fans -- it seems that the Number...
- 12/11/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
"Futurama" may be set in the 31st century, but a lot of its humor relies on the pop culture of the 20th and 21st. As early as episode 10, "A Flight to Remember" (the season 2 premiere going by broadcast order), "Futurama" was parodying contemporary movies: in this case, "Titanic," then the highest-grossing film of all time. The episode's title comes from another movie about the 1912 ship sinking, "A Night to Remember."
The Planet Express crew takes a vacation on the Titanic; this one is a spaceship rather than an ocean cruiser. On board, Bender romances the Countess de la Roca, a robot who looks suspiciously like Rose DeWitt Bukater (Kate Winslet). Amy's parents are also on the cruise, while Zapp Brannigan is the ship's captain. So, both Amy and Leela rope Fry into pretending to be their respective boyfriend to get the elder Wongs and Zapp, respectively, off their backs (it...
The Planet Express crew takes a vacation on the Titanic; this one is a spaceship rather than an ocean cruiser. On board, Bender romances the Countess de la Roca, a robot who looks suspiciously like Rose DeWitt Bukater (Kate Winslet). Amy's parents are also on the cruise, while Zapp Brannigan is the ship's captain. So, both Amy and Leela rope Fry into pretending to be their respective boyfriend to get the elder Wongs and Zapp, respectively, off their backs (it...
- 12/10/2023
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
Disney Entertainment recently hosted a holiday get-together for creators, showrunners and creative executives under overall deals with a toast to the New Year ahead.
Dana Walden, co-chairman of Disney Entertainment joined executives across the studios and platforms including Eric Schrier (DTS), Karey Burke (20th TV), Tracy Underwood (ABC Signature), John Landgraf (FX/Fxp), Marci Proietto (20th TV Animation), Tara Duncan (Onyx Collective) as well as Joe Early (Det), Charlie Andrews (Dbt), Craig Erwich, Nick Grad and Gina Balian (FX).
Guests included Liz Meriwether, Steve Levitan, Matt Groening, Loren Bouchard, Zoanne Clack, Alec Berg, Raamla Mohamed, Noah Hawley, Nick Kroll, Milo Ventimiglia, Nina Jacobson, Yvette Lee Bowser, Destin Daniel Cretton, Kelvin Yu, Jenni Konner, Liz Tigelaar, Prentice Penny, Warren Littlefield, Saladin Patterson and many more.
See the photo gallery below.
Reconnecting with creators, showrunners and creative executives under overall deals, Disney Television Studios, Onyx Collective, Fxp celebrated being...
Dana Walden, co-chairman of Disney Entertainment joined executives across the studios and platforms including Eric Schrier (DTS), Karey Burke (20th TV), Tracy Underwood (ABC Signature), John Landgraf (FX/Fxp), Marci Proietto (20th TV Animation), Tara Duncan (Onyx Collective) as well as Joe Early (Det), Charlie Andrews (Dbt), Craig Erwich, Nick Grad and Gina Balian (FX).
Guests included Liz Meriwether, Steve Levitan, Matt Groening, Loren Bouchard, Zoanne Clack, Alec Berg, Raamla Mohamed, Noah Hawley, Nick Kroll, Milo Ventimiglia, Nina Jacobson, Yvette Lee Bowser, Destin Daniel Cretton, Kelvin Yu, Jenni Konner, Liz Tigelaar, Prentice Penny, Warren Littlefield, Saladin Patterson and many more.
See the photo gallery below.
Reconnecting with creators, showrunners and creative executives under overall deals, Disney Television Studios, Onyx Collective, Fxp celebrated being...
- 12/8/2023
- by Robert Lang
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: UTA has signed writer and producer Jameel Saleem for representation in all areas.
Currently, Saleem is in his fourth season on the Fox animated series, Bob’s Burgers as a consulting producer after three years of serving as a co-executive producer. He is currently writing an untitled Horror Comedy project for Matt Stone and Trey Parker’s Park County as well as the video game South Park: Snow Day!
Saleem previously wrote on the long-running hit series South Park, created by Stone and Parker, which aired its 26th season earlier this year. His other credits include Matt Groening’s Disenchantment for Netflix and Bill Lawrence’s Whiskey Cavalier for ABC.
Saleem will continue to be represented by his manager, Sheree Guitar, at Sheree Guitar Entertainment and his lawyer Jonathan Shikora from the firm of Lichter, Grossman, Nichols, Adler, Feldman and Clark.
Currently, Saleem is in his fourth season on the Fox animated series, Bob’s Burgers as a consulting producer after three years of serving as a co-executive producer. He is currently writing an untitled Horror Comedy project for Matt Stone and Trey Parker’s Park County as well as the video game South Park: Snow Day!
Saleem previously wrote on the long-running hit series South Park, created by Stone and Parker, which aired its 26th season earlier this year. His other credits include Matt Groening’s Disenchantment for Netflix and Bill Lawrence’s Whiskey Cavalier for ABC.
Saleem will continue to be represented by his manager, Sheree Guitar, at Sheree Guitar Entertainment and his lawyer Jonathan Shikora from the firm of Lichter, Grossman, Nichols, Adler, Feldman and Clark.
- 11/15/2023
- by Rosy Cordero
- Deadline Film + TV
In the very first episode of "Futurama," Professor Hubert Farnsworth (Billy West) a doddering old relic of the scientific intelligentsia and mad scientist extraordinaire, was about 149 years old. It would later be revealed (in 2000's "A Clone of My Own") that he had lied about his age and that he was actually 159 years old. Then, thanks to a mystical time-acceleration whirlpool on a distant planet, as seen in the 2003 episode "Teenage Mutant Leela's Hurdles," the Professor would age forward even further. At last count, the character was hovering somewhere around 175.
The Professor is rarely seen in anything other than a lab coat and slippers. He also always wears incredibly thick glasses that obscure his eyeballs. The Professor's eyes have never been seen on "Futurama." When Mom (Tress MacNeille) removes his glasses before a moment of intimacy in the 2000 episode "Mother's Day," he is only seen from behind. She remarks that...
The Professor is rarely seen in anything other than a lab coat and slippers. He also always wears incredibly thick glasses that obscure his eyeballs. The Professor's eyes have never been seen on "Futurama." When Mom (Tress MacNeille) removes his glasses before a moment of intimacy in the 2000 episode "Mother's Day," he is only seen from behind. She remarks that...
- 11/13/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Even with a lascivious, rapacious character like Zapp Brannigan, things can be taken too far.
In Matt Groening's and David X. Cohen's "Futurama," Zapp Brannigan (Billy West) is the captain of an outsized warship called the Nimbus, and works for an organization called the Democratic Order of Planets, or Doop. Brannigan is a vain, idiotic blowhard who treats his crew like trash and clumsily flirts with any woman within spitting distance. He often touts his sexual prowess, even though he is notoriously bad at sex. He loves his thigh-revealing velour uniform, murders alien invaders without considering the consequences, and calls his quarters "the love-nasium." He can't pronounce the word "champagne" correctly. Zapp is a terrible person.
That, of course, is the joke. In interviews, actor Billy West has said that Zapp Brannigan is what would happen if actor William Shatner was in charge of the starship Enterprise rather than Captain Kirk,...
In Matt Groening's and David X. Cohen's "Futurama," Zapp Brannigan (Billy West) is the captain of an outsized warship called the Nimbus, and works for an organization called the Democratic Order of Planets, or Doop. Brannigan is a vain, idiotic blowhard who treats his crew like trash and clumsily flirts with any woman within spitting distance. He often touts his sexual prowess, even though he is notoriously bad at sex. He loves his thigh-revealing velour uniform, murders alien invaders without considering the consequences, and calls his quarters "the love-nasium." He can't pronounce the word "champagne" correctly. Zapp is a terrible person.
That, of course, is the joke. In interviews, actor Billy West has said that Zapp Brannigan is what would happen if actor William Shatner was in charge of the starship Enterprise rather than Captain Kirk,...
- 11/11/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
In the world of "Futurama," no one is allowed to utter the words "Star Trek" without facing arrest and severe legal penalties. It seems that by the year 3000, Trekkies had gone from being a loose-knit group of geeks to being a full-blown religion. After years of a Trekkie religion, schisms began to form in the church, leading to inevitable and prolonged Holy Wars. To solve the problem once and for all, humanity agreed to load every episode of the original series onto a rocket and launch them into deep space where they would never darken humanity's doorstep again. The severed heads of William Shatner, Nichelle Nichols, Walter Koenig, DeForest Kelley, and George Takei -- all of them kept alive in jars -- were also loaded onto a rocket and sent into space. Leonard Nimoy's head stayed on Earth and took a job in the local Head Museum. James Doohan's fate was not shared,...
- 11/6/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
In the 31st century of Matt Groening's and David X. Cohen's "Futurama," Christmas has evolved. Instead of fir trees, for instance, people decorate palm trees. Gift exchanges are still common, but families don't merely gather together to enjoy the warmth of the holiday season. They gather together because a rogue robotic Santa Claus, judging the entire world to be "naughty," annually flies around the Earth murdering anyone outdoors with guns and missiles. Families gather out of fear. Robot Santa was initially played by John Goodman, but the role was taken over by John Dimaggio after his first appearance.
Eventually joining Robot Santa in his holiday shenanigans was the Kwanzaa-Bot played by late rapper Coolio, and, with the release of "Bender's Big Score" in 2007, the Chanukah Zombie played by Mark Hamill. The machinations of the film's plot had all of Earth's denizens stranded at the North Pole of Neptune,...
Eventually joining Robot Santa in his holiday shenanigans was the Kwanzaa-Bot played by late rapper Coolio, and, with the release of "Bender's Big Score" in 2007, the Chanukah Zombie played by Mark Hamill. The machinations of the film's plot had all of Earth's denizens stranded at the North Pole of Neptune,...
- 11/4/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
There are more adventures of Phil, Leela, and Bender in our future. Hulu has announced the Futurama series has been renewed for seasons 13 and 14 and a total of 20 episodes.
A sci-fi animated comedy series, the Futurama TV show was created by Matt Groening and developed by Groening and David X. Cohen. The voice cast includes John Dimaggio, Katey Sagal, Billy West, Maurice Lamarche, Phil Lamarr, Tress MacNeille, Lauren Tom, and Dave Herman. The story revolves around Philip J. Fry (West), a New York City pizza delivery boy who accidentally freezes himself in 1999 and gets defrosted in the year 3000. He befriends hard-drinking robot Bender (Dimaggio) and falls in love with cyclops Leela (Sagal). The trio finds work at the Planet Express Delivery Company, founded by Fry's doddering descendant, Professor Hubert Farnsworth (West). Together...
A sci-fi animated comedy series, the Futurama TV show was created by Matt Groening and developed by Groening and David X. Cohen. The voice cast includes John Dimaggio, Katey Sagal, Billy West, Maurice Lamarche, Phil Lamarr, Tress MacNeille, Lauren Tom, and Dave Herman. The story revolves around Philip J. Fry (West), a New York City pizza delivery boy who accidentally freezes himself in 1999 and gets defrosted in the year 3000. He befriends hard-drinking robot Bender (Dimaggio) and falls in love with cyclops Leela (Sagal). The trio finds work at the Planet Express Delivery Company, founded by Fry's doddering descendant, Professor Hubert Farnsworth (West). Together...
- 11/3/2023
- by TVSeriesFinale.com
- TVSeriesFinale.com
A scene from ‘Futurama’ season 11 (Photo by: Matt Groening/Hulu)
Futurama won’t be wrapping up anytime soon. The popular animated series returned after a 10-year break with season 11, and season 12 is targeting a 2024 premiere. Ahead of season 12’s debut, Hulu has officially renewed Futurama for seasons 13 and 14.
Season 11, which premiered on July 24, 2023, features the voices of John Dimaggio, Billy West, Katey Sagal, Tress MacNeille, Maurice Lamarche, Lauren Tom, Phil Lamarr, and David Herman. Series creator Matt Groening executive produces along with David X. Cohen, Ken Keeler, and Claudia Katz.
Hulu’s offers this description of the animated show’s 10-episode 11th season:
“After a brief ten-year hiatus, Futurama has sprung triumphantly from the cryogenic tube, its full original cast and satirical spirit intact. The ten all-new episodes of season eleven have something for everyone. New viewers will be able to pick up the series from here, while long-time fans...
Futurama won’t be wrapping up anytime soon. The popular animated series returned after a 10-year break with season 11, and season 12 is targeting a 2024 premiere. Ahead of season 12’s debut, Hulu has officially renewed Futurama for seasons 13 and 14.
Season 11, which premiered on July 24, 2023, features the voices of John Dimaggio, Billy West, Katey Sagal, Tress MacNeille, Maurice Lamarche, Lauren Tom, Phil Lamarr, and David Herman. Series creator Matt Groening executive produces along with David X. Cohen, Ken Keeler, and Claudia Katz.
Hulu’s offers this description of the animated show’s 10-episode 11th season:
“After a brief ten-year hiatus, Futurama has sprung triumphantly from the cryogenic tube, its full original cast and satirical spirit intact. The ten all-new episodes of season eleven have something for everyone. New viewers will be able to pick up the series from here, while long-time fans...
- 11/2/2023
- by Rebecca Murray
- Showbiz Junkies
You can’t keep Futurama down. The animated series developed by Matt Groening and David X. Cohen has cheated death time and time again, and it’s been announced that Hulu has renewed Futurama for two more seasons.
Futurama has been picked up for an additional 20 episodes, which will serve as seasons 13 and 14 (or 10 and 11). Hulu originally ordered 20 episodes of Futurama last year, and the first 10 episodes wrapped up their run in September. So this renewal means that fans have 30 more episodes of Futurama to look forward to. Good news indeed.
Related Futurama: The Future Express crew is crash landing in Fortnite for a limited crossover event
The original series aired on Fox from 1999-2003 but returned with four direct-to-dvd movies several years later. The success of those movies led to the show returning to television for two more seasons consisting of 26 episodes each before it was cancelled yet...
Futurama has been picked up for an additional 20 episodes, which will serve as seasons 13 and 14 (or 10 and 11). Hulu originally ordered 20 episodes of Futurama last year, and the first 10 episodes wrapped up their run in September. So this renewal means that fans have 30 more episodes of Futurama to look forward to. Good news indeed.
Related Futurama: The Future Express crew is crash landing in Fortnite for a limited crossover event
The original series aired on Fox from 1999-2003 but returned with four direct-to-dvd movies several years later. The success of those movies led to the show returning to television for two more seasons consisting of 26 episodes each before it was cancelled yet...
- 11/2/2023
- by Kevin Fraser
- JoBlo.com
“Futurama” is coming back for more adventures after being renewed for Seasons 13 and 14 — an additional 20 episodes — at Hulu.
The beloved adult animated series, which originally premiered in 1999, follows Philip J. Fry (Billy West), a New York City pizza delivery boy who accidentally freezes himself in 1999 and gets defrosted in the year 3000. Fry goes on to befriend a hard-drinking robot named Bender (John Dimaggio) and falls in love with cyclops Leela (Katey Sagal).
The trio find work at the Planet Express Delivery Company, founded by Fry’s elderly doddering descendant, Professor Hubert Farnsworth. Together with accountant Hermes Conrad, assistant Amy Wong and alien lobster Dr. John Zoidberg, they embark on adventures that take them to every corner of the universe.
After its initial run on Fox, a roller-coaster of cancellations and resurrections ensued. Four successful direct-to-dvd releases between 2007 and 2009 led to the show’s rebirth on Comedy Central from 2010 to 2013. In...
The beloved adult animated series, which originally premiered in 1999, follows Philip J. Fry (Billy West), a New York City pizza delivery boy who accidentally freezes himself in 1999 and gets defrosted in the year 3000. Fry goes on to befriend a hard-drinking robot named Bender (John Dimaggio) and falls in love with cyclops Leela (Katey Sagal).
The trio find work at the Planet Express Delivery Company, founded by Fry’s elderly doddering descendant, Professor Hubert Farnsworth. Together with accountant Hermes Conrad, assistant Amy Wong and alien lobster Dr. John Zoidberg, they embark on adventures that take them to every corner of the universe.
After its initial run on Fox, a roller-coaster of cancellations and resurrections ensued. Four successful direct-to-dvd releases between 2007 and 2009 led to the show’s rebirth on Comedy Central from 2010 to 2013. In...
- 11/2/2023
- by Lucas Manfredi
- The Wrap
Hulu has ordered two more seasons of the adult animated series Futurama.
The streamer revived the series in 2022 with a 20-episode order. Season 11 premiered July 24 on Hulu on and was on Nielsen’s Top 10 originals series list for six weeks.
Season 12 is expected to debut on Hulu in 2024. The 20-episode latest order is for Seasons 13 and 14.
The animated series premiered in 1999 and quickly gained a faithful following and acclaim, including two primetime Emmys for Outstanding Animated Program. The series follows Philip J. Fry (Billy West), a New York City pizza delivery boy who accidentally freezes himself in 1999 and gets defrosted in the year 3000. In this astonishing New New York, he befriends hard-drinking robot Bender (John Dimaggio) and falls in love with cyclops Leela (Katey Sagal). The trio find work at the Planet Express Delivery Company, founded by Fry’s doddering descendant, Professor Hubert Farnsworth. Together with accountant Hermes Conrad (Phil Lamarr...
The streamer revived the series in 2022 with a 20-episode order. Season 11 premiered July 24 on Hulu on and was on Nielsen’s Top 10 originals series list for six weeks.
Season 12 is expected to debut on Hulu in 2024. The 20-episode latest order is for Seasons 13 and 14.
The animated series premiered in 1999 and quickly gained a faithful following and acclaim, including two primetime Emmys for Outstanding Animated Program. The series follows Philip J. Fry (Billy West), a New York City pizza delivery boy who accidentally freezes himself in 1999 and gets defrosted in the year 3000. In this astonishing New New York, he befriends hard-drinking robot Bender (John Dimaggio) and falls in love with cyclops Leela (Katey Sagal). The trio find work at the Planet Express Delivery Company, founded by Fry’s doddering descendant, Professor Hubert Farnsworth. Together with accountant Hermes Conrad (Phil Lamarr...
- 11/2/2023
- by Lynette Rice
- Deadline Film + TV
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