A good sign that your series has become a pop culture fixture is its rewatchability. The long-running series, and current Hulu original, Futurama continues to stake that claim, thanks to its ever-supportive fanbase. As creators Matt Groening and David X. Cohen’s animated entertainment continues to run into the 2024 TV schedule, that subject continues to grow in relevance through the new batch of episodes making up what’s known as Season 12.
So, when speaking with the cast for the episodes we’re currently seeing play out, it was the perfect time to ask John DiMaggio and Billy West what the most rewatchable episodes are. And thanks to further participation from fellow co-stars David Herman and Lauren Tom’s responses, it’s safe to say that tear-jerkers are now officially part of the formula for this shiny metal staple of adult animation.
John DiMaggio and David Herman’s Choices For Futurama’s Most Rewatchable Episodes
Digging into the magic that was the press days for Futurama Season 12, I went in with the knowledge that this year marked the 25th anniversary of its debut on Fox. Part of that beautiful reality inspired me to ask about Futurama potentially ending (again), which delivered the wonderful news that the future is already in progress, with a new season in production!
Another key piece of knowledge I brought to the table was how Reddit named Futurama as the most rewatchable TV show, which then sparked my curiosity as to what the cast of the series felt were the stories with the most potential to revisit.
When asking that question in David Herman and John DiMaggio’s interview room, Mr. Herman prompted his Futurama co-star for a particular episode he was hung up on. That led DiMaggio to share with CinemaBlend what he feels is the surefire formula for an episode with infinite replay:
Oh, the ‘Anthology Of Interest.’ That’s the best. Those are the best ones, right? The ones where there are three separate episodes within one episode, those are some of the greatest and re-watchable because it shows off not only the writing staff, but the cast. Like there’s the one where they did, you know ‘Anime Futurama. And Dave played The Professor in that one.’ You know, ‘Oh, you make me laugh.’ And it was just like – that killed me. But those are the ones I love. Those are the funniest, those are some of the funniest ones.
Strangely enough, the episode that DiMaggio was looking for with “Anime Futurama” was “Reincarnation,” one of the installments that would come from the Comedy Central years. Although “Anthology of Interest” was the Season 2 episode that kicked off the template that John DiMaggio cites above.
However, when it comes to more traditional episodes, there’s some further rhyme and reason that both men considered when answering the question. David Herman in particular helped flesh out the concept of a “rewatchable” episode, which then saw his Futurama cohort continue to rattle off some prime episodes.
Continuing their discussion with CinemaBlend, here’s how Herman attempted to define a “rewatchable episode”:
David Herman: In terms of re-watchable, what criteria do you apply to re-watchable? Were you just saying what, what was the best one? … The bottom doesn’t fall out, that’s what you want out of re-watchable, right? … There’s depth.
John DiMaggio: There’s “Jurassic Bark,” “Roswell That Ends Well,” “Amazon Women on the Moon.” “Mars University.” “A Head in the Polls,” that’s a good one. There’s all sorts of ones.
You don’t earn a reputation as one of the best-animated shows of all time by merely telling jokes. The real mileage in Futurama’s appeal, as exhibited in their remarks above, comes from the novelty that helps reinvent the series periodically. Of course, that reinvention isn’t a total one, as the well-regarded comedy has always played to several layers of humor.
The more serious side would be discussed further with stars Lauren Kim and Billy West, as their choices for the most rewatchable Futurama episodes happen to be some mythic tear-jerkers. And yes, there’s more “Jurassic Bark” talk, so if you need to prepare yourself for that eventuality, take a moment before you continue reading.
Lauren Tom And Billy West’s Rewatchable Futurama Episodes Are Total Heartbreakers
Some of the most memorable dramatic moments from sitcoms have come through Futurama’s. “Jurassic Bark” alone is the episode that most fans jump straight to when it comes to recalling somber moments involving the Planet Express crew.
But shaking things up a little was Billy West, the voice of Fry himself! In his response to CinemaBlend, he called out the following episode as his go-to rewatchable:
‘The Devil’s Hands [Are Idle Playthings]’ … The [one with] Robot Devil. And it was like an operetta. Yes. We got to sing and Katey [Sagal] sang and she sings, she’s an amazing singer. She’s a musician, and we just love her to pieces. And I got to sing like Fry. And then a couple of the others. But Dan Castellaneta played the Robot Devil, and it was just epic, because the guy is so brilliant. You know that’s so inspirational when these moments happen. But yeah, that was my favorite, [with] the Holophonor.
Acting as one of the cornerstones to the iconic love story between Leela (Katey Sagal) and Fry, “The Devil’s Hands Are Idle Playthings” is such a fantastic choice. Not only is there the perfect mix of heart and humor that helps identify Futurama’s overall appeal, but it also served as the bittersweet first series finale the show encountered. This seems to be another recurring theme in this franchise’s history, as Season 10’s finale “Meanwhile” was another romantic ode to this perfect pair, just as Comedy Central’s 2013 cancellation went into effect.
Of course, we came into this conversation talking about “Jurassic Bark,” the Season 3 episode that introduced sci-fi comedy fans to “I Will Wait For You,” the mournful ballad from The Umbrellas of Cherbourg. Seymour the dog’s story has been remembered time and again by aficionados of the story so far. As Lauren Tom shared with CinemaBlend, there are some special reasons why that episode is a favorite:
And I guess for me, because my favorite kind of entertainment has always got pulling on the heartstrings and is funny. In books and movies, that’s what I’m drawn to, things that make me laugh and cry. So ‘Jurassic Bark’ will always be a classic, and it just gets to me every time. … I also am such a dog person that we don’t deserve dogs. I’ve had dogs my entire adult life, and I just, yeah.
Season 12 has had its own heartbreaker reminiscent of what Tom was talking about thanks to the second episode “Quids Game.” I won’t spoil it here, but a surprise visit to Fry’s past brings up some memories that not only ask further questions of the Futrurama canon, but also wind up with a finale that ranks among the most tissue-worthy.
Look, I’m partially sorry to do this, but with all of this discussion of Futurama’s all-time heartbreaker, I have to throw in a clip. We’ve been dancing around Seymour’s story for long enough that we need to just have that cathartic cry that’s been building up this whole time. You’ve been warned:
You know something: that ending wasn’t a total emotional meltdown. It’s another sign of Futurama’s ability to shift from Professor Farnsworth’s sterling defiance of God’s natural order to a montage that still makes me cry. It’s so easily rewatchable because it honors the sadness, while also rewarding the comedy.
And if David Herman’s tease for an upcoming episode is anything to go by, we might have more of that coming soon:
But I can tell you there’s also new, in Season 12, in terms of rewatchability, ‘Amy sets out to collect the cutest toys in the universe, but they are not as harmless as they appear.’ Rewatch that!
I’m certainly going to have to rewatch that episode David’s alluding to, as it appears that he’s referencing the upcoming entry “Cuteness Overlord.”
We’ll just have to wait until that episode airs on September 16th, with David Herman’s teasing voice echoing in our heads for the duration of that wait. What you don’t have to wait for is watching (or re-watching) Futurama! You can catch almost every single moment of merriment and madness through the power of a Hulu subscription.
And don’t forget that weekly trips to the world of tomorrow are boarding every Monday, at midnight ET, on Fulu; er I mean Hulu. Tissues are optional, but probably advised, as who knows when you’ll need them next?