Futurama (TV Show): 20 Interesting Facts You Might Not Know

Futurama is an animated American Science Fiction sitcom created by Matt Groening (the same person who also brought us The Simpsons).

Futurama chronicles the exploits of Philip J. Fry (a laid-back individual who undergoes cryogenic preservation for 1,000 years). Fry awakens on December 31, 2999 and secures employment at the interstellar delivery firm Planet Express, where he teams up with one-eyed mutant Leela and robot Bender.

The series features the voice talents of Billy West, Katey Sagal, John DiMaggio, Tress MacNeille, Maurice LaMarche, Phil LaMarr, Lauren Tom and David Herman.

There’s probably a lot that you don’t know about this series (which is available to stream on Disney+ in South Africa), but today my aim is to change that…

Here are 20 Interesting Facts you might not know about Futurama

1. Matt Groening stated that viewers managed to crack the alien language glimpsed in the background on the very night the pilot episode aired.

The only clue to deciphering the code in that episode was a sign displaying “Drink Slurm.” The sign was shown once with the word “Drink” written in the alien script and once in English. Consequently, the producers devised a second, more intricate alien code for use in subsequent episodes.

2. A subtle recurring gag in Futurama is the notion that in the future, owls have taken the place of pigeons and rats as nuisance animals. A keen observer will notice owls scavenging for food on the ground or emerging from mouse holes in many episodes.

3. After Fox initially advised against its use, Matt Groening acquired the rights to utilize the 30th Century Fox logo. Several months later, Fox reversed their stance and expressed admiration for it.

4. Bender’s first words in the series are “bite my shiny metal ass.”

5. The series gets its name from “Futurama” (a renowned exhibition at the 1939 New York World’s Fair by General Motors). The exhibition showcased a visionary depiction of a futuristic environment.

6. Professor Hubert J. Farnsworth was named after the inventor Philo T. Farnsworth, one of the pioneers of television, whose invention was premiered at the 1939 New York World’s Fair, along with the “Futurama” exhibit.

7. Katey Sagal (who you might remember as Peg from Married With Children) stands out as the sole member of the main cast who voices only one character and does so using her natural voice, without any disguises or alterations.

8. Bender’s antenna serves a multitude of functions throughout the series, including as an antenna itself, a timer button for his internal digital camera, a lever for dispensing beer, a mailbox flag, a measure of his masculinity, a lever for dispensing popcorn butter, a cigarette lighter, a pager vibrator, a flushing lever, a cooking timer, an alarm clock snooze button (accidentally activated by Fry), a light for indicating voice mail messages, a button for deleting all voice mails, a cap for a beer still, an activator for a binary time machine, a dispenser for motor oil suntan lotion, a button for dispensing audio tapes, and a controller for a laser rock show.

9. Matt Groening drew inspiration for Bender’s appearance from the robot Necron 99/Peace in Ralph Bakshi’s animated post-apocalyptic fantasy film Wizards (1977).

10. Throughout the seasons of Futurama, Bender has confessed to being composed of forty percent titanium, forty percent scrap metal, forty percent dolomite, forty percent wire, forty percent luck, and forty percent chromium.

11. Certain sound effects in the show are sourced from other science fiction television series, such as The Jetsons (1962) and Star Trek (1966).

12. Futurama premiered on Fox in 1999 and was eventually cancelled after a four season run in 2003. The fith, sixth and seventh season of the show aired on Comedy Central (between 2009 and 2013). The show was revived again in 2023, airing on Hulu for it’s 8th Season.

13. At the onset of each episode of Futurama, during the opening credits and theme song, there is consistently varied text displayed at the bottom of the screen. Following the theme song’s conclusion, there is always a distinctive display on the screen before the ship collides into it.

14. At one juncture, the Futurama writer’s room comprised three individuals with PhDs, seven with master’s degrees, and boasted “over 50 collective years at Harvard University,” according to David X. Cohen. Cohen stated that the show featured several bona fide scientists among its writing staff.

15. Bender harbors a clandestine desire to become a folk singer. Whenever a magnet is affixed to his head, it diminishes his inhibitions, prompting him to spontaneously perform a folk song.

16.  Season three, episode three, “The Cryonic Woman,” marked the final episode to air in the twentieth century (in the year 2000). Following this, season three, episode four, “Parasites Lost,” became the inaugural episode of the year 2001 (ushering in the third millennium).

17. The characters make mention of a food item known as “Soylent Green,” reminiscent of a 1970s science fiction film featuring a low-cost food product that is clandestinely composed of human beings.

18. Leela’s name is inspired by the character Leela, who was a companion to the Fourth Doctor in the television series Doctor Who.

19. Both The Simpsons and Futurama occasionally reference each other, despite existing as fictional TV shows within their respective universes.

This poses a paradox as they can’t both be fictional due to these cross-references. Interactions between characters from both series add another layer of complexity, blurring the line between fiction and reality within their fictional worlds.

For instance, when Seymour from Futurama encounters the minigolf course from The Simpsons, it challenges the very fabric of their universe.

20. Futurama has already been renewed for a 9th Season on Hulu. It’s expected to be available to stream in July 2024.

Check out the trailer for the upcoming season below:

Watch this space for updates in the Facts category on Running Wolf’s Rant.