"Good news everybody!"
Notes on the end of season one.
So the first real question, as we wrap up season one of this series must be "did Groening get it right? Did he differentiate "Futurama" from his other global brand, the phenomenal "Simpsons"?" I know that's technically two questions but there you go. Well, in the first season you can see that there is some small reliance on the "parent series", but that soon diminishes and "Futurama" stands steadily on its own two feet. Never really free from the threat of the Network axe, it would in fact be cancelled twice, the second time (so far) holding no reprieve. In fairness, rather like Seth McFarlane's bloated "Family guy", after it was renewed the first time "Futurama" did really well, like someone given a second chance and determined to prove themselves, but in latter years and towards the end of the final season it seems to have slipped. But that is a story for a much later time.
For now, we can relax and enjoy the adventures of the weird and wonderful characters we've ben introduced to. There are semi-relationships developing between Fry and Bender, Fry and Leela and maybe even Fry and Amy, with others such as Zapp Branigan's hopeless quest to woo Leela and Zoidberg's hapless attempts to gain respect or indeed even recognition from anyone seeming doomed to failure. After the initial shock of waking a thousand years in the future, Fry has adapted rather quickly to life in the 31st century, and in many ways all he's done is updated his old lifestyle. He's still lazy, arrogant, easily bored and easily distracted. He's still in basically a dead-end job and really, nobody respects him. He had hoped to be captain of the Planet Express Ship, but Professor Farnsworth, despite being family, didnt even consider that idea. Not that surprising, as Fry has never flown anything in his life, much less a spaceship!
Some very cleevr ideas have been advanced in the series, with much more to come. The idea ofthe Mooon being a theme park is inspired, while the Trisolarians --- although incongruous --- are a totally new concept that works quite well. Groening and his team have explored, as do the Simpsons, social issues such as environmental resources, pollution, inequality and prejudice, and will delve into more weighty topics in future seasons, though always with a healthy does of humour and a satirical bent, sometimes at the series itself, utilising the old maxim, if you can't laugh at yourself who can you laugh at?
We've seen, too, the vital role that robots play inthe 31st century, and how it irks Bender that his brethern are, as he sees it, oppressed (though only when it means he can get out of work or make a fast buck, ideally both). Robots will continue to be a huge factor in "Futurama". We've already seen a whole planet run by robots --- who seem about as incompetent as humans --- and been introduced to the Church of Robotology, with its very real Robot Devil. Robots are subject to addictions too we see, though the alcohol Bender consumes, rather than be seen as a vice and something to avoid, is in fact vital for his proper operation, as we assume it is for all robots. Later we will learn of Robot Wrestling, robot doctors and the Robot Mafia --- the entire Robot Mafia --- and will even encounter robot ghosts!
There are many weird and ofbeat adventures to experience yet for the crew of the Planet Express Ship, and really up to season five and its first cancellation the quality hardly flags once. Even after that, when "Futurama" comes back after four full-length DVD movies and a fan campaign, it's as strong as ever. Perhaps the series will secure another, alternate channel for future seasons, but for now we have a whole lot to look forward to. To quote the opening episode: "Welcome to the world of tomorrow!"