Rights holder / Distributor: 20th Television / Hulu
„Futurama“ (Futurama) is an American animated science fiction comedy series created by Matt Groening and developed jointly with David X Cohen. It premiered on March 28, 1999. on Fox. After its original broadcast, the series underwent several revivals, and in 2023 it returned with new episodes on Hulu. In 2026, the series continued with a new season, becoming one of the longest-running American animated series.
The story begins with Philip J. Fry, an ordinary pizza delivery man, who accidentally falls into a cryogenic chamber on New Year's Eve 1999 and wakes up a thousand years later. In the future, he meets the one-eyed alien Leela and the robot Bender, and the three gradually become part of the team of the interstellar courier company Planet Express. Together with the other members of the team, they embark on absurd space adventures that often start as a simple delivery and end with the salvation of Earth, intergalactic conflict or an encounter with a completely ridiculous alien civilization.
At the heart of the series is the voice work of Billy West, who voices Fry, Professor Farnsworth, and Doctor Zoidberg. Katey Sagal is Leela's voice, and John DiMaggio builds the unforgettable image of Bender. The main cast also includes Tress McNeil, Maurice LaMarche, Phil LaMarr, Lauren Tom и David Herman. It is the different characters and the extremely recognizable voices that make the Planet Express team one of the most successful groups of characters in modern animation.
The greatest quality of "„Futurama“" is its ability to combine absurd comedy with surprisingly serious science fiction and human themes. Beneath the jokes about robots, aliens, time travel, and future technology, the series often raises questions about loneliness, love, death, human nature, and the consequences of technological progress. Unlike many sitcoms, "„Futurama“" is not afraid to end a comic story with an emotional or even sad moment.
The world of the series is one of its greatest strengths. The New York, space colonies, alien planets, and strange future societies create a vast field for satire. The writers often use scientific ideas, mathematical concepts, and current social phenomena as the basis for jokes, but behind them there is almost always a deeper idea. It is this combination of intelligent humor and science fiction that distinguishes "„Futurama“" from traditional animated comedies.
The series has had an unusual history, having been given four direct-to-video films after its initial cancellation in 2003, which were later remade as episodes. It later returned to Comedy Central, and after another cancellation in 2013, it received a second major revival on Hulu in 2023. The new seasons retain the original cast and the series' signature satirical spirit.
„Futurama“" is establishing itself as one of the most original animated comedies in television history. The series manages to be funny, absurd, intelligent, and surprisingly emotional at the same time. Its ability to be revived again and again shows how strong the connection between the characters and the audience is, and its timeless themes and offbeat humor allow it to remain relevant even decades after its premiere.
