How Many Times Was Futurama Cancelled?
Futurama is a show that has defied death on multiple occasions. From its initial cancellation by Fox to the revival on Hulu, it has seen its share of ups and downs.
The animated sci-fi series centered on a pizza delivery guy named Fry, his surly robot Bender, and their hapless Planet Express delivery crew. Its devoted fan base helped it survive several cancellation attempts.
The first time
Futurama is often referred to as the show that never dies. Unlike Roseanne or The Simpsons, it’s survived multiple cancellations and revivals. The animated sci-fi series started on Fox in 1999 and aired four seasons before being canceled. It then found new life in reruns on Adult Swim and later Comedy Central.
It was during this period that the show really started to thrive. Episodes were becoming more rooted in on-the-nose topical parody. From an addictive eyePhone app to robosexual marriage laws, the show covered a lot of ground.
It was during this time that the first true Futurama finale aired. The episode was called The Devil’s Hands Are Idle Playthings, and it featured Fry desperately trying to prove his love for Leela. He makes a deal with the robot devil to swap hands, but, as anyone who’s ever made a demonic pact knows, things don’t always go well. Luckily, the episode did offer a satisfying conclusion for the series.
The second time
After the show was canceled, fans launched a letter-writing campaign to get the show back on the air. The show ended up returning to the air in 2007 as four direct-to-DVD movies. However, it was cancelled once again in 2013.
In an attempt to keep the show alive, the producers created the Futurama comics, which are set in the same fictional universe as the television series. The comics have a different running order and are not considered canonical.
Futurama is back with a 20-episode revival series on Hulu. The show continues the story of Fry and Leela on their wacky adventures in the 31st century. The animated sci-fi comedy has been canceled multiple times, but it always seems to find a new home. The show’s cancellations are a reminder that television networks make decisions based on money, not quality. However, it is clear that Futurama has millions of dedicated fans. And they don’t give up easily.
The third time
Futurama, which centers on a slacker who lives 1,000 years in the future, has never seemed to run out of time. It’s no surprise, then, that the animated sci-fi comedy has been resurrected three times. It was first canceled in 2003 after four production seasons, but it came back for a four-episode direct-to-DVD movies series in 2008.
That revival lasted for two more seasons before FOX again decided to cancel the show. This time, it was for good.
The cancellation was met with much outrage by fans who launched a letter-writing campaign to save the show. Eventually, the show was revived again by Comedy Central for another two seasons that aired from 2010 to 2013.
The fourth time
If you’re a fan of Futurama, chances are good that you’ve seen the show through more than one cancellation. In fact, it’s rare for a series to be revived so many times. But that’s not stopping the show from returning for a fifth season on Hulu.
During its run on Fox, Futurama was frequently slated for cancellation due to shifting timeslots and inconsistent ratings. But the show kept going, with creators Matt Groening and David X. Cohen relying on DVD sales to demonstrate that there was a large audience for the series.
The show was eventually canceled again in 2013 after five seasons, but it returned for four direct-to-DVD movies and two additional seasons on Comedy Central. And now, 10 years after its last cancellation, it’s back on the air thanks to Hulu. The latest episodes picked up right where the previous ones left off. Hopefully the show can keep up this trend and last all the way to the 31st century!