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Futurama is an animated sci-fi comedy series by The Simpsons creator Matt Groening. It follows the adventures of the employees of the interplanetary delivery service Planet Express. Taking place at the turn of the 31st century in New New York, Earth is now inhabited by a variety of alien species, and advancements in technology make the wackiest scenarios possible in the Futurama universe. Following two cancelations, Futurama has most recently been revived by Hulu, which concluded its newest season in September 2024. Futurama has been renewed for two additional seasons through 2026. A complicated mix of production and broadcast order has resulted in the series having nine production seasons and twelve broadcast seasons, with episodes overlapping in some of these seasons. To combat confusion, the seasons and episodes mentioned from here on out will follow the broadcast season order.
Each season of Futurama has its strengths and weaknesses, bringing viewers fantastic episodes like “Jurassic Bark” and “The Luck of the Fryrish.” As the quality of the show arguably fluctuated due to cancelations and network changes, Futurama’s earlier seasons are often favored over their Comedy Central and Hulu counterparts. With Futurama’s twelfth season finished and viewers anticipating its thirteenth, it's worth a look back at how Futurama’s seasons compare to one another. These are the best Futurama seasons, ranked by their quality, originality, and overall significance to the humor, tone, and charm of the show.
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Release Date March 28, 1999
Seasons 9
10 Season 9
Number of Episodes: 13
Image via Fox
Bender (John DiMaggio) experiences fatherhood with a soda machine, while Leela (Katey Sagal) struggles with her parents’ divorce as her mother dates Zapp Brannigan (Billy West). The crew grapples with an ancient prophecy predicting Earth's doom, Hermes (Phil LaMarr) replaces his body with machinery in a quest for efficiency and Bender embarks on a soul-searching journey to discover free will. Fry (West) faces amnesia after a sausage-making accident and Leela and Amy (Lauren Tom) dive into the gritty Butterfly Derby with a dangerous addiction to performance-enhancing nectar. From casino heists to robot fox rescues and a surreal nature documentary, the season blends humor with heartfelt moments.
Season 9 feels consistently uninspired. While episodes like "Naturama" and "Free Will Hunting" offer brief moments of creativity and character exploration, the season struggles to deliver the originality and sharp humor fans expect. The focus on Bender in several episodes, such as his robotic fox rescue in "31st Century Fox," feels repetitive, overshadowing the rest of the characters. Though not without its highlights, this season leans on safe, familiar tropes rather than pushing boundaries, making it an unremarkable addition to Futurama.
9 Season 8
Number of Episodes: 13
Image via Comedy Central
The crew faces gender-swapping experiments after meeting an alien in search of equality, while Bender’s self-replication spirals into global chaos. Fry tries a new career as a cop but inadvertently reintroduces the common cold, causing a futuristic pandemic. Leela finds fame as a Hollywood creator and obsession hunting a four-dimensional space whale, while Bender hides from the Robot Mafia. Time travel hijinks alter the American Revolution and Fry’s well-meaning attempt to nurture an alien egg unleashes a monster. From uncovering dark secrets about Zoidberg’s (West) past to a surreal finale showcasing alternate animation styles, the season balances sharp humor, wild sci-fi and poignant character moments.
Futurama’s eighth season suffers from uneven storytelling and banality. Episodes like "Neutopia" and "Cold Warriors" struggle to land. Attempts at historical drama and episodes like "Fry Am The Egg Man" lack the sharpness of earlier seasons. However, the anthology episode, "Reincarnation," plays with different animation styles and ends the season on a high note. While the season lacks the energy it once had, standout episodes, albeit fewer than in previous seasons, provide a glimmer of the cleverness and heart that makes Futurama a classic.
8 Season 10
Number of Episodes: 13
Image via Comedy Central
Professor Farnsworth (West) joins street racers and accidentally traps the crew in a 2-D universe, while Fry and Leela’s romantic getaway becomes chaotic. Fry befriends Lrrr's (Maurice LaMarche) son (Lauren Tom) after being stranded on Omicron Persei 8 and Bender finds trouble as a folk singer, firefighter, and even while searching the galaxy for his missing "shiny metal rear end." Leela unearths a genetic engineering conspiracy, Zoidberg finds love and the crew faces terrifying aliens and dreamlike missions. Highlights include a cartoon parody anthology, Calculon’s (LaMarche) resurrection, and Fry’s emotional marriage proposal to Leela amidst a time-altering invention. The season ends on a note of love and laughter.
Comedy Central’s final season of Futurama redeems its past missteps, delivering a heartfelt conclusion while retaining the show’s signature humor. A focus on Fry and Leela’s relationship brings viewers to the emotionally resonant finale “Meanwhile.” Episodes like “2-D Blacktop” recapture the show’s earlier charm, balancing clever premises with sharp comedy, and “Game of Tones” showcases thoughtful storytelling. However, other episodes seem to lack originality. Despite its imperfections, this season ends Futurama’s run on Comedy Central on a high note, offering fans a satisfying sendoff filled with humor, love, and adventure.
7 Season 7
Number of Episodes: 13
Image via Comedy Central
After a wormhole crash leaves Leela in a coma, Fry copes by creating a robotic version of her, while Farnsworth’s revival attempts lead to hilarious chaos. Leela is stranded with Zapp on an Eden-like planet, Fry’s social media antics humiliate her, and Bender campaigns for robosexual marriage after a romance with Amy. From unearthing Leonardo da Vinci’s secret in future Rome to battling intelligent alien cats and exploring robotic evolution, the crew faces bizarre challenges. Highlights include mind-swapping mishaps, Lrrr’s midlife crisis after a failed Earth invasion, Leela leading a mutant rebellion, and a festive three-part holiday special celebrating X-mas, Robanukah, and Kwanzaa.
The seventh season of Futurama marks a triumphant return, proving the series could thrive under Comedy Central with a mix of clever writing and nostalgic humor. Standout episodes like “The Late Philip J. Fry” and “The Prisoner of Benda” deliver classic laughs and inventive sci-fi. Episodes such as “Lethal Inspection” provide fresh insights into Bender’s backstory, while “Lrreconcilable Ndndifferences” explores Lrrr’s midlife crisis. Despite occasional weaker entries, the season maintains the series’ wit and heart, affirming its revival’s purpose while entertaining longtime fans with its signature tone and fresh plots.
6 Season 6
Number of Episodes: 16
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In this action-packed season, the Planet Express crew faces universal chaos and personal dilemmas as scams, time travel, and intergalactic threats abound. A trio of nudist aliens dupes the crew, leading to Bender's mind control and Fry's mysterious tattoo revealing a time-travel secret. As Earth's inhabitants are exiled by alien scammers, Fry battles paradoxes, Leela finds love and Hermes loses his head—literally. A rip in space introduces Yivo (David Cross), a tentacled alien with amorous intentions, while dark matter shortages spark a surreal quest into a medieval fantasy world. Finally, Fry uncovers mind-reading powers to stop a corporate plot to destroy the Violet Star, while Leela joins eco-feminist rebels to protect the galaxy from destruction.
Season 6 (initially released as four direct-to-video films) marked the show’s return, combining humor, heart and epic storytelling despite its unconventional format. Highlights like “Bender’s Big Score” stand out, while “Into the Wild Green Yonder” makes for a great conclusion to the season. However, the serialized structure creates pacing issues, with some episodes feeling less impactful, especially “Bender’s Game.” The season balances surreal humor, like Fry’s paradoxical adventures, with poignant character moments, particularly in the evolving relationship between Fry and Leela. This experimental season offers thrilling, inventive escapades that successfully reintroduce the series’ charm and wit.
5 Season 1
Number of Episodes: 9
Image via 20th Television
This season introduces Fry, a pizza delivery boy from 1999 who is accidentally frozen and awakens in the year 2999, where he joins the oddball Planet Express crew. Fry adjusts to his new reality by befriending Leela, a determined pilot, and Bender, a rowdy robot. Their adventures take them to a lunar amusement park, a robot-only planet where Bender becomes a celebrity, and a collapsing world where Leela meets her pet, Nibbler (Frank Welker). Fry becomes a billionaire thanks to 1,000 years of interest, buys the last can of anchovies and inadvertently becomes king of a liquid alien race. From battling a giant garbage ball to rescuing Bender from Robot Hell, the crew experiences an array of bizarre scenarios.
The debut season of Futurama introduces its eccentric characters and futuristic world, setting the stage for the series. Fry’s arrival in the 30th century, his bond with Bender, and his budding friendship with Leela provide a strong emotional foundation, while episodes like “A Fishful of Dollars” blend clever humor with heartfelt storytelling. With such a brief season, some of the supporting cast like Zoidberg and Amy are left underutilized, but the sharp writing and dynamic relationships between the main trio shine. While it lacks the broader scope and emotional depth of later seasons, the debut season is a charming and promising start to Futurama.
4 Season 4
Number of Episodes: 12
Image via Comedy Central
The Planet Express crew embarks on wild adventures that span time and space. From traveling to 1947 Roswell and encountering UFO hysteria to uncovering Leela's true origins in the sewers of New New York, their adventures are as bizarre as they are heartfelt. Bender grapples with godhood, tyranny, and his dream of culinary fame, while Fry confronts his own past and battles corporate greed. Leela breaks barriers as the first female blernsball player and faces existential questions about belonging.
Season 4 balances bold storytelling with rich character development. Highlights include “Roswell That Ends Well,” which hilariously explores time travel paradoxes, and “Leela’s Homeworld,” a poignant exploration of Leela’s origins. The season pushes boundaries with inventive episodes like “Anthology of Interest II,” exploring alternate realities, and “Where No Fan Has Gone Before,” a tribute to Star Trek. Bender’s ventures and Amy’s family dynamics add depth to the ensemble, while Fry’s affection for Leela continues to drive heartfelt moments. With a perfect blend of humor, drama, and sci-fi ingenuity, Season 4 solidifies itself as a standout chapter in the series’ legacy.
3 Season 2
Number of Episodes: 20
Image via Fox
From narrowly escaping the doomed Titanic spaceship and unearthing the horrifying secret behind Slurm soda, to appeasing alien invaders by re-enacting a lost 20th-century TV show, the crew faces an array of challenges. Bender wrestles with loyalty as a Robot Mafia recruit and a pro-wrestler, while Fry stumbles through romantic mishaps and a college rivalry with a genius monkey. Meanwhile, Leela confronts questions about her identity and species. Amid battles with rampaging robots, alien threats, and personal dilemmas, the crew’s misadventures reveal both the absurdities and heart of their futuristic world.
Season 2 builds on the strong foundation built in Season 1, embracing the creativity of its futuristic world while expanding its cast and storytelling. With standout episodes like “A Flight to Remember” and “Mars University,” the show mixes playful parodies of classics like Titanic and Star Trek with heartfelt character moments. Side characters like Amy, Hermes, and Zoidberg get more time to shine, while the series deepens its focus on the crew’s dynamics. Highlights include the debut of Anthology of Interest, Fry and Amy’s accidental body-sharing mishap, and Zoidberg’s comedic quest for love.
2 Season 3
Number of Episodes: 15
Image via Fox
Bender encounters it all—curses, love, and fame—from becoming a Were-car to romancing a fembot and touring with Beck. Fry’s journey is equally eventful: reuniting with his 20th-century girlfriend, battling Brain Spawn to save humanity, and confronting his family legacy in Old New York. Leela’s storylines explore self-acceptance, aiding environmental causes, and her pet Nibbler's cosmic role. From military misadventures and alien invasions to time disruptions and celebrity robot romances, the crew navigates chaos with humor, revealing the bonds that make them a dysfunctional yet endearing family.
Futurama’s third season shares similar characteristics with its fifth season, combining its signature humor with deeper emotional narratives. With standout episodes like “The Luck of the Fryrish,” “Time Keeps on Slipping,” and “The Day the Earth Stood Stupid,” the season showcases some of the show’s most iconic and inventive storytelling. The season embraces the series’ sci-fi roots with bold, continuity-rich narratives. Balancing offbeat comedy with heartfelt moments, Season 3 boosts Futurama’s status as a notable animated series, consistently pushing boundaries while staying true to its charming, off-kilter universe.
1 Season 5
Number of Episodes: 16
Image via Fox
The Planet Express crew tackles personal growth and universe-spanning chaos with humor and heart. Fry faces emotional trials, from cloning his fossilized dog to discovering his destiny as humanity's savior, while also making a dangerous deal with the Robot Devil (Dan Castellaneta) to win over Leela. Leela, Fry, and Bender briefly become superheroes, Amy fears she is not ready to be a mother when Kif (LaMarche) becomes pregnant and the crew battles everything from global warming to space bees. Other adventures include trips to parallel universes, wild spending sprees and Fry losing his nose to alien poachers.
Season 5 marks a peak in the series’ quality, blending outrageous humor, clever storytelling, and emotional moments. As the final season of the show’s original FOX run, it features iconic episodes like the heartbreaking “Jurassic Bark,” and “The Devil’s Hands Are Idle Playthings,” a memorable end to the season. Along with these two episodes that add some emotional depth to Fry is “The Why of Fry,” which elaborates on Fry as a character, adding dynamic. “Kif Gets Knocked Up a Notch” addresses complex themes with charm and wit. Other notable episodes include “Three Hundred Big Boys” and “The Farnsworth Parabox.” Season 5’s bold ideas and emotional resonance prove Futurama was still at its creative peak despite marking its first cancelation.
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