The Greatest Sci Fi/Fantasy TV Shows: Considering the case for the sci fi and fantasy television shows that should be counted among the greatest of all time.
What Is It?
This series follows Philip J. Fry, a former pizza delivery boy, who falls into a cryogenic chamber and wakes up in the year 2999. He then joins the misfits working at the Planet Express interplanetary delivery company as he faces the challenges of living in this futuristic world.
Aired: FOX, 1999-2003; Comedy Central, 2008-13; Hulu, 2023-Present; 12 Seasons Totaling 160 Episodes (So Far)
Created By: Matt Groening
Starring: Billy West, Katey Sagal, John DiMaggio, Tress MacNeille, Maurice LaMarche, Phil LaMarr
Argument to Count It as One of the Greatest Sci Fi TV Shows:
This is one show where I will fudge my rules a bit and allow it to be considered, even though it is still airing. That’s because, at 12 seasons, it already has enough of a body of work to count as a sci-fi TV classic. Even if the revival ends up derailing like we saw with The X-Files (which it hasn’t so far), the prior seasons are enough to include this one in the running as one of the genre’s greats. And like The Simpsons, this show—which has survived two cancellations so far—may just run forever.
Futurama arrived on FOX in 1999, at a time when Groening’s other animated series on that network was still at the top of its game. It took the sci-fi comedy a while to hit its stride, and the network’s scheduling hijinks did little to help it. But at its best, Futurama has delivered a spot-on parody of the genre, and also a good opportunity for us to laugh at ourselves. Most importantly, the show is funny. Sure, it has its misfires, as pretty much all animated comedies do, but more often than not, it has generated at least a regular series of chuckles. Plus, it has broad appeal, with younger viewers enjoying the animated characters and antics while parents catch the more adult jokes that fly over the kids’ heads.
Most important, though, is the set of lead characters that Groening created to carry the show. You have the naive, fish-out-of-water Philip J. Fry, the confident and very competent Leela, the obnoxious, foul-mouthed yet charming Bender, the senile and eccentric Professor Farnsworth, the clumsy yet laid-back Amy Wong, and more. These colorful characters have helped bring the show to life, driven by the strong voice cast, and have since become iconic faces for sci-fi TV.
As a testament to the show’s staying power, it has survived cancellation and is still going strong. It has been renewed by Hulu through its fourteenth season (that numbering counts each of the direct-to-DVD releases as a separate season) and could continue beyond that. Whether it will hold up to the quality of its best years remains to be seen (though the Hulu run is doing pretty well so far), but on its past accomplishments alone, this show deserves to be counted as one of the greatest sci-fi TV entries of all time.
Argument Against:
Futurama has had its moments of brilliance, but there are just not enough of them. The best seasons were the FOX years, and after that, the quality of the show became rather inconsistent. While it has great characters like Fry, Leela, and Bender, the supporting cast has been far too one-dimensional. And like so many other adult animated shows, it too often devolves into gross-out and lowbrow humor. When the show is firing on all cylinders, it truly counts as a genre great. But those moments are far too few, and at twelve seasons and still going, it has certainly overstayed its welcome. Futurama is definitely a notable sci-fi TV entry, but it falls short of being considered one of the greatest shows of the genre.
Johnny Jay’s Take:
I certainly agree that Futurama can be very hit-or-miss, but when the show is at its best, I find myself laughing pretty hard. What’s more, it actually makes you think at times because its satire can be pretty biting. Of course, maybe only a third of the episodes achieve that level, but considering the show’s body of work, that is pretty impressive.
In addition, Futurama acts as a gateway to sci-fi TV to an extent. It definitely has appeal to younger viewers, and as they grow with the show, they start to appreciate some of the humor they may not have understood the first time around while also developing a love for the genre. (I have known kids who watched the show when they were young and went on to be huge sci-fi fans.) So while Futurama definitely has its fair share of misfires, when at its best, it certainly counts as a sci-fi TV great and welcomes fans of all ages to the genre.
Where Can You Watch It?
All seasons of the show are currently streaming on Hulu, and the complete series up to the Comedy Central years has been released on DVD (the numbering there condenses the direct-to-DVD releases into one season). You can also purchase those seasons VOD.
Stream or Purchase VOD
Do you consider Futurama one of the greatest sci fi/fantasy shows of all time or has it been too inconsistent and has it gone on too long? Chime in with your thoughts below or at our discussion thread at r/SciFiTV.
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What about Zoidberg?
Him, too. Another great character!