‘Futurama’ season 11 first impressions: Same old fun and humor with surprising maturity

Futurama is back again, this time on Hulu.

July 24, 2023

Futurama is a series that keeps coming back. The show initially ran on Fox for four seasons before being cancelled. It was revived on Comedy Central but eventually came to an end as well. Now, Hulu is bringing it back for a third time.

The season 11 (or eight depending on how you’re counting) picks up immediately after the Comedy Central run. It feels great to have the old gang back together again and the cast hasn’t missed a beat in the near decade since Futurama last aired a new episode. The season premiere has plenty of amusing self-aware jokes referencing it’s many cancellations as well as their current streaming home. “The Impossible Stream” serves as a nice transition episode reintroducing the characters and allowing the show to regain its footing after such a long hiatus.

Afterwards, the show hits the floor running and the following five episodes, that were provided to the press, are in fine form. The writing seems sharper than ever incorporating many aspects of current events, but finding innovative yet zany ways to present them. Cryptocurrency, the Amazon consumer stranglehold, and more are covered. Despite the comedy, it never detracts from the insightful social commentary allowing Futurama to hit on many different levels.

Another of those levels being the fun shenanigans the Planet Express crew get into. Somehow an episode leverages Nibbler, Leela’s pet, and his poop into an adventure that mirrors a recent film. Other times, we gain more backstory into a peripheral character such as Santa Claus. Each time it builds upon the existing mythology of the universe while presenting an entirely new and fresh story.

The best part of these episodes of Futurama is the new direction it takes its loveable bunch of characters. We see growth in many of them as they enter a new stage in their lives. It’s been almost a quarter of a century since the series first aired so they were bound to develop past the dysfunctional immature co-workers. Though it’s not too much. This newly found maturity makes the emotional beats that much more impactful, particularly with the relationships between Kiff and Amy and of course, Leela and Fry.

Many reboots and revivals rely on nostalgia and deliver the same safe experience as before for comfort watching for its fans. The new season of Futurama is not that. It’s willing to evolve its characters and take them to new areas while still providing much of what made the earlier iterations great. Combine that with some of the strongest writing, and season 11 is sure to satisfy viewers new and old alike.