What made Futurama so popular and how does it remain relevant today?
With the Futurama reboot on the horizon, I thought it was appropriate to look back and see just how Futurama affected popular culture and why it has such a loyal fan base even today.
Futurama was the brainchild of Simpsons creator. Matt Groening and producer David x. Cohen and despite having a turbulent history including cancellation and re-debuting on another network. The show has stuck with fans worldwide and remains a staple of pop culture even today years after it concluded.
But why? Why does a show like Futurama who is constantly overshadowed by its more popular counterpart The Simpsons, still have a death grip on popular culture.
I believe there are multiple reasons that the show has stayed relevant from its unique setting and yet somehow relatable stories with touches of sci-fi fantasy, to its phenomenal voice acting performances and killer music content as well as some downright quotable moments which are too numerous to count, and spouted by some of the most iconic and likeable characters in all of modern animation.
Now let’s talk about how streaming services such as Disney plus have allowed the show to find a new and returning audience easier than ever before, for those of you who have been living under a rock or just don’t pay attention to pop culture or business, Disney owns the rights to Futurama and The Simpsons after it’s purchase of 20th century Fox. A purchase of that magnitude as well as some of that magical Disney marketing have allowed shows like Futurama that have been off the air for some time to stay relevant.
I’ll even admit that Futurama is one of my go-tos when it comes to a comfort show/ some comfortable background noise that I turn on when I’m doing something else or just want to relax a little after a long day.
Not to mention with the show sharp writing and unique setting the jokes contained within remain funny even today.
That’s not even mentioning some of the more heartfelt moments and references during the show’s run whether it’s the bond between Hermes and Bender, Fry and Leela, or even the buddy dynamic of Bender and Fry the show can tug at almost anyone’s heartstrings if they get invested.
After talking online with Futurama fans, some have mentioned that the show’s quotable moments have even made their way into their everyday speech patterns, if that’s not a lasting impact on society, I don’t know what is.
I am looking forward to seeing what the reboot has to offer and if it can live up to the lofty standard of what the original runs of Futurama have done for pop culture.
Leave a Reply