Rent Futurama: Series 4 (2002)

Futurama: Series 4 review by Mark McPherson - Cinema Paradiso

Season 4 of Futurama is by far one of the most polarizing. It features some of the best episodes of the series while also showcasing some of the worst with tired ideas. Some of these episodes remain hallmarks of the series that are continually referenced to showcase that this dark comedy indeed has some heart. Some of these episodes have aged about as well as milk. And some of them are more compelling on a mindless level of ridiculousness.

Let’s just skip right to the absolute must-watch episode of the season: "Jurassic Bark". The episode concerns Fry discovering a fossilized version of his favorite dog from when he lived in the 20th century. While Fry decides whether or not to clone his dog to have that same sense of pet love again, we see the full story of what happened to the dog Seymour. When Fry was frozen and did not show up back at the pizza place, Seymour waited. And waited. And waited. The last shot of the episode features an aged Seymour lying down on the pavement and closing his eyes, making for one of the most tearful episodes of the entire run.

Another touching episode is "Leela's Homeworld", where Leela finds out that she isn’t an alien but a mutant from the sewers. Her parents, residing under the streets of New New York, have been ashamed to admit what they had done to provide a better life for their daughter. Yet they also keep a close eye on her throughout her years in a touching montage of her tentacled mother secretly tucking her in or leaving snacks while she works late.

There are a few episodes that focus on important topics of the era. "A Taste of Freedom" focuses on the dangers of patriotism, a rather bold episode to push forward in the heightened terror and nationalistic rhetoric of a post 9/11 world. "Crimes of the Hot" takes aim at climate change and how even in the 31st century, mankind still takes quick routes instead of long-term solutions to the environment (though this was made pretty obvious in season one where they launch a garbage ball into space).

Then there are the episodes that are really just funny concepts and hold up as just that. "Bender Should Not Be Allowed on TV" seems like an episode that has a lot to say about censorship but it really only just wants to showcase more of how much Futurama can get away with by having Bender make lots of crude remarks and be a bad influence on children. "Teenage Mutant Leela's Hurdles" finds the crew dealing at a rapid rate and forcing them to seek the fountain of youth, which is mostly just an excuse to make visual gags out of the characters becoming younger. There’s plenty of funny lines in this episode as well (“Now I need a fake-ID to rent Ultra Porn.”).

Star Trek fans will no doubt savor the silliness of the episode "Where No Fan Has Gone Before", where the surviving members of the original Star Trek series are trapped on a planet with the geekiest of fans who forces them to act out his fan script. There isn’t much of a point to this episode besides just being an astute and funny ode to Star Trek.

But, wow, there are some stinkers in this season. "Less Than Hero" is such a tired parody of the 1960s Batman show that just doesn’t work. "The Why of Fry" is another time-travel episode that relies more on previous episodes than being genuinely intriguing for the questioning of destiny. "Obsoletely Fabulous" finds Bender being labeled obsolete and leading a revolution on new tech. "Spanish Fry" finds Fry being abducted by aliens with a lot of tired jokes about genitals.

And then there’s the most poorly aged episode, "Bend Her", where Bender switches his gender for the sole purpose of winning a competition and marrying rich. There’s extremely problematic messaging with how gender is gatekept by Leela and Amy, who literally demand Bender stay out of their gender. While seemingly not overtly transphobic, the very staging practically broadcasts this staging that those who are trans are only in it for gain.

Considering it was looking as though this was going to be Futurama’s last season, the show ends on a high note with "Bend Her"The Devil's Hands Are Idle Playthings", where Fry makes a deal with the devil to become a masterful musician. He does so in hopes of winning the heart of Leela. And while Fry ultimately has to give back his talents, he still continues onward in hoping to impress Leela, a warming note to end the series on. Of course, Futurama would continue with movies and more episodes in later years, but it’s still a solid way to end an otherwise intelligent and hilarious animated comedy.