Futurama returns for its 12th season on July 29—which, of course, just a few years ago felt like an impossibility. Thanks to Hulu, the canceled and often renewed series has dropped its new episodes in 10 years in 2023, and there are more to come even after this latest batch of 10. Its continued existence is confirmed at the moment, so there is only one. the question that remains to be asked: is it still worth tuning?
io9 watched the first six episodes for this review (no spoilers!), and the short answer is “yes.” No new ground is broken here; taken as a whole, the episodes represent what fans have come to expect Futuramawhich are 31st century shenanigans revolving around the misadventures of the Planet Express.
Also present as usual are smart ideas that reflect 21st century culture, this time including NFTs—a concept so confusing in the distant future that only children fully understand it—and the dangers of chatbots, toxic co-workers, and fast fashion. There are also timeless themes, including childhood trauma (thoughtly viewed through a highly borrowed lens Squid game), animal rights, searching for family roots, and the difficulty of forming friendships as an adult.
And, of course, there are all the things that really do Futurama, Futurama: ridiculously weird asides, pun-filled brand names, momentary withdrawals, and quick oddball references that make you want to pull back to double-check your eyes.
Along with this is a great cast, especially John DiMaggio as Bender, who finds ways to make even his character’s well-worn lines sound funny every time, but also Billy West (who plays Fry, Professor Farnsworth, Zapp Brannigan, and Zoidberg), Katey Sagal (Leela), Phil LaMarr (Hermes), Lauren Tom (Amy), and the dynamic voice of Tress MacNeille, Maurice LaMarche, and David Herman as various other characters. There are, as always, guest stars in season 12, but we won’t spoil their reveal here.
Season 12 of Futuramacreated by Matt Groening and developed by Groening and David X. Cohen, debuts July 29 on Hulu; weekly episode drops, so you’ll have to wait until the end of September if you want to binge at the same time.
Looking for more io9 news? Check out when you can expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe in film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
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