After 72 astounding half-hour episodes and four inconsistent straight-to-DVD movies, Futurama returns tonight on Comedy Central in the US. It’s easy to forget that the show started over 11 years ago on Fox – after an extended absence from the air, it’s a relief that the animated sci-fi sitcom is coming back to our screens in the form it’s renowned for.
At its peak (which was essentially seasons two through four), Futurama was as good as The Simpsons in its heyday (let’s say seasons four through nine), high praise indeed, given that many consider the latter to be the greatest television series of all time. Its popularity was nowhere near as heightened, sure, but the audience that did seek it out was loyal, prompting the production of the DVD movies and now this new set of episodes.
Comedy Central has ordered two seasons of Futurama – because of the clip below and many more besides, I’m hopeful they’ve got a few more years left in them yet:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byB3dsnLN-A