In the early 2000s, more adult-oriented animation experienced a renaissance. Other shows like Family Guy, Major’s Dad, and Rick and Morty began to capitalize on The Simpsons’ global popularity; in the world of animated television, there was clearly an appetite for something unique and bold. This informal and informative documentary proves that Futurama is hailed as a unique leader of these films. It’s essentially a well-informed fan film.
The show was created by Matt Groening, the man behind The Simpsons more than 30 years ago. But while “The Simpsons” is the longest-running animated series in television history, “Futurama” has had production shutdowns and start-ups, a channel switch and two cancellations. The film examines the franchise’s origins, its unique strengths, the idiosyncrasies of its offbeat characters, and what may have contributed to their unfortunate fates.
Futurama has been very confident from the start. The world and characters are well-defined, real scientists are part of the writing team, and the premise is an oddly impressive mix of sci-fi, morality games, and sly comedy. It also didn’t become a mainstream product like The Simpsons before it, so it had to have a more limited audience from the get-go.
Judging is a never-ending battle due to unpredictable time slot shifts and back-and-forth shifts caused by NASCAR events. Network executives seem indifferent at best to its continuation. After Fox dropped the series in 2003, a cult following and booming DVD sales inspired Comedy Central’s pickup five years later. The series also introduces four direct-to-video features. The film outlines this complex story and reviews the merits of each iteration of the show.
Avid fans of the show will probably be most drawn to the documentary’s in-depth exploration of its subject matter. But the narration’s knowledge and wholehearted approval are sure to impress even the most casual fan, and its visuals consist almost entirely of stunning animation pulled directly from the show. It’s good nerdy fun.
