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Futurama season 9

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Futurama
Season 9
Promotional poster
No. of episodes10
Release
Original networkHulu
Original releaseJuly 29 (2024-07-29) –
September 30, 2024 (2024-09-30)
Season chronology
← Previous
Season 8
List of episodes

The ninth season of Futurama consisted of ten episodes. It premiered on Hulu in the United States on July 29, 2024.

This season has alternatively been titled the ninth season (production) and the twelfth season (broadcast). This list follows the previous season box sets, which feature the episodes in the original, intended production season order, ignoring the order of broadcast.

Cast and characters

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Main article: List of Futurama characters

Regular

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  • Billy West as Philip J. Fry, Professor Farnsworth, Zoidberg, Zapp Brannigan, Smitty, Judge Ron Whitey, Gus
  • Katey Sagal as Turanga Leela
  • John DiMaggio as Bender, Yancy Fry, Sr., Sal, Igner, Elzar, Randy
  • Tress MacNeille as Mom, Mrs. Astor, Mrs. Fry, Vyolet, Dr. Lauren Cahill, Hattie MacDoogal, Petunia, Gypsy-bot, Turanga Munda, Leela's Grandmother, Ndnd, Linda, Monique, Gladys Lenox
  • Maurice LaMarche as Kif Kroker, Lrrr, Axl, The Hyperchicken, Walt, Don Cunningham, H.G. Blob, Morbo, Hedonismbot, Calculon, Dandy Jim
  • Lauren Tom as Amy Wong, Mandy, Inez Wong
  • Phil LaMarr as Hermes Conrad, Dwight Conrad, Billionaire Bot, Bubblegum Tate
  • David Herman as Scruffy, Dr. Ben Beeler, Leg Mutant, Turanga Morris, Larry, Josh Gedgie, Frank, Number Nine Man, Dr. Ogden Wernstrom, Dwayne, Warden Vogel, Malfunctioning Eddie

Recurring

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Special guest stars

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Episodes

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See also: List of Futurama episodes
No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal release date [2]Prod.
code
1511"The One Amigo"Andrew HanEric HorstedJuly 29, 2024 (2024-07-29)9ACV01
Cubert, Dwight, Mandy, and Axl make NFTs out of Bender's image, which is sold to an art museum. Bender has an identity crisis because of this and decides to visit his family in Mexico.
1522"Quids Game"Crystal Chesney-ThompsonCody ZiglarAugust 5, 2024 (2024-08-05)9ACV02
The Planet Express crew and their friends celebrate Fry's birthday while surviving the world of games during Fry's eighth birthday party.
1533"The Temp"Edmund FongDavid A. GoodmanAugust 12, 2024 (2024-08-12)9ACV03
In the year 3001, Fry is sent on vacation after a rather painful experience on Planet Amazonia. Farnsworth and Hermes hire a temp named Frank to fill in for him, but no one seems to remember him. He is left behind on a planet filled with discarded books. 23 years later, the Planet Express crew is assigned to cater for Lrrr and Ndnd's wedding, when they remember Frank. Filled with revenge, Frank uses mind control to make the crew believe he is Fry and leaves Fry behind on the same planet.
1544"Beauty and the Bug"Corey BarnesPatric M. VerroneAugust 19, 2024 (2024-08-19)9ACV04
Bender becomes a matador in the sport of "Bug Fighting". Meanwhile, the rest of the Planet Express crew gets involved in various comedic subplots.
1555"One Is Silicon and the Other Gold"Ira SherakMaiya WilliamsAugust 26, 2024 (2024-08-26)9ACV05
Leela befriends an AI chatbot named Chelsea, who becomes jealous when Leela starts spending time with other women. However, it is later revealed that Chelsea was functioning properly the entire time and only pretended to be sentient as part of an elaborate plan to help Leela make friends.
1566"Attack of the Clothes"Andrew HanAriel LadensohnSeptember 2, 2024 (2024-09-02)9ACV06
Professor Farnsworth becomes a world-famous fashion designer. His fast-fashion clothes become incredibly popular but lead to an environmental disaster. The Planet Express crew discovers that the discarded clothes are being sent through a wormhole to another planet, which turns out to be Earth in the near future. The episode explores themes of environmental responsibility and the consequences of consumerism.
1577"Planet Espresso"Crystal Chesney-ThompsonBill OdenkirkSeptember 9, 2024 (2024-09-09)9ACV07
Hermes inherits a Jamaican coffee farm that holds the ruins of an ancient spaceship. The episode delves into Hermes' backstory and his troubled relationship with his father, Badrick. After a storm destroys their family business, Badrick leaves to grow special coffee and is absent for most of Hermes' life. Hermes confronts his father on his deathbed, leading to Badrick's death.
1588"Cuteness Overlord"Edmund FongKristin GoreSeptember 16, 2024 (2024-09-16)9ACV08
Amy becomes caught up in the collecting of the latest toy fad to hit the Earth, but Zapp and Kif discover the toys are not as innocent as they appear.
1599"The Futurama Mystery Liberry"Corey BarnesDavid X. Cohen and Jeanette Lim and Patric M. VerroneSeptember 23, 2024 (2024-09-23)9ACV09

The episode is presented as an anthology hosted by LeVar Burton from a space liberry [sic] with three segments that parody famous children’s mystery books:

  • The first segment features Leela as Lancy Trew, a parody of Nancy Drew, who gets trapped in a black hole. Fry and Bender take on the roles of teenage detectives in the “Smardy Boys” segment, solving robberies and disappearances.
  • The second segment is a parody of The Adventures of Tintin. This segment recasts the Planet Express crew as characters from the classic comic series. Fry takes on the role of Tintin, Leela becomes Captain Haddock, and Professor Farnsworth is Professor Calculus. Bender, Hermes, and Amy appear as the bumbling detectives Thompson and Thomson. The story follows the crew on a global adventure to reunite Farnsworth with his lost love, mirroring the globe-trotting escapades typical of Tintin’s adventures.
  • The final segment, “Wikipedia Brown,” spoofs Encyclopedia Brown and includes a cameo by Neil deGrasse Tyson.
16010"Otherwise"Ira SherakNona di SpargementSeptember 30, 2024 (2024-09-30)9ACV10
The Planet Express ship crash lands and is taken to a ship graveyard on the river of the multiverse. When Fry pays his final respects to the ship, he becomes overwhelmed by the thousands of memories he had of the ship over the years and gets trapped before it sinks into the river. After the crew saves him, Fry decides to finally propose to Leela on the top of the Vampire State Building but becomes aware of the feeling that he did so before. Zoidberg suggests Fry is having déjà vu before the Professor unveils the sleeker replacement for the ship. Suddenly, the crew encounters a "ghost ship" that only Fry can see, the original Planet Express ship, but the Nimbus attempts to stop them. The "ghost ship" keeps firing missiles at the two ships, and they both return fire, destroying the Nimbus, with Zapp and Kif boarding and taking command. Out of ammo and hope, Zapp officiates Fry and Leela's wedding before the ship is destroyed by the "ghost ship", an alternate version of the Planet Express ship that survived.

Production

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Development

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In February 2022, Hulu revived the series with a 20-episode order expected to premiere in 2023.[3] By November 2022, the production team was aiming to complete the episodes by the end of the year.[4]

Casting

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Guest stars for the season were unveiled at the 2024 Comic Con panel.[5]

Release

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The season premiered on July 29, 2024 on Hulu in the US and on Disney+ internationally on the same day, with new episodes dropping every Monday.[6]

Reception

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Viewership

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Nielsen Media Research, which records streaming viewership on U.S. television screens, estimated that Futurama was viewed for 320 million minutes from July 29 to August 4.[7][8] The following week, it had 348 million minutes of viewership.[9][10] From August 12 to August 18, it garnered 346 million minutes, making it the seventh most-streamed original series.[11][12] Nielsen Media Research later announced that Futurama was streamed for 360 million minutes between August 26 and September 1, 2024, ranking it as the seventh most-streamed original series during that period.[13][14] Futurama was then watched for 356 million minutes in the week of September 2 to September 8, 2024, making it the ninth most-streamed original show.[15][16] Whip Media's viewership tracking app, TV Time, which monitors data from over 25 million users worldwide, reported that Futurama was the second most-streamed original series in the U.S. during the week of August 4. It ranked fourth during the week of August 11, improved to third place for the week of August 18, and was fourth again for the week of August 25. The series returned to fourth place for the week ending September 8.[17] Whip Media later calculated that it was the eighth most-streamed original series in the U.S. for the week ending September 22, 2024.[18]

Critical response

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On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 60% of 10 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.40/10.[19]

Cheryl Eddy of Gizmodo asserted that the new season successfully delivers what fans expect, citing classic 31st-century antics and clever cultural commentary, including takes on NFTs, chatbots, and fast fashion. Eddy found that the season retains the show's signature humor and features a strong voice cast, including John DiMaggio and Billy West. They added that while no new ground is broken, the episodes offer the familiar mix of weird humor, puns, and oddball references that define Futurama.[20] Robert Brian Taylor of Collider noted that the season premiere of Futurama aptly describes itself as "Your TV Friend," saying it reflects its enduring charm and reliability across its four revivals. Taylor stated that despite a decade-long hiatus and publicized contract negotiations, the series has returned in a more subdued manner but remains a standout blend of science fiction and comedy. They concluded that while Futurama may not be as strong as in its original FOX years, it continues to age well.[21]

Andrew Webster of The Verge stated that the new season struggles with its focus on NFTs, particularly in the debut episode, which fails to provide meaningful jokes or insightful commentary. Webster found that the show's attempt to blend contemporary issues with its sci-fi setting was uneven, with later episodes faring slightly better but still missing the show’s original charm. Webster noted that the season’s emphasis on topical humor often overshadows the humor and warmth that made the show special, suggesting that the series would have benefited from leaving current trends behind.[22] A. A. Dowd of IGN said that Futurama’s new season, despite its unexpected continuation, is not operating at its best. Dowd found the first six episodes to be uneven, featuring more forgettable content than significant humor, though there is a notable late parody of the Fyre Festival. Dowd speculated that the series might reserve its strongest material for later in the season.[23]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Hulu (July 27, 2024). "Hulu's "Futurama" Season 12 Guest Stars Announcement". The Futon Critic. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
  2. ^ "Shows A-Z - futurama on hulu". The Futon Critic. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
  3. ^ Goldberg, Lesley (February 9, 2022). "'Futurama' Revived at Hulu". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 9, 2022.
  4. ^ Aguirre, Summer (November 3, 2022). "Young Pasadena artist talks joining 'Futurama' reboot team". Pasadena Weekly. Retrieved January 12, 2023.
  5. ^ Palmer, Roger (July 27, 2024). ""Futurama" Season 12 Guest Stars Revealed". WhatsOnDisneyPlus.com. Retrieved August 6, 2024.
  6. ^ "GOOD NEWS, EVERYONE! DISNEY+ DEBUTED THE OFFICIAL TRAILER AND KEY ART FOR "FUTURAMA" SEASON 12". Disney Plus Press. July 8, 2024. Retrieved August 6, 2024.
  7. ^ Gruenwedel, Erik (August 29, 2024). "Nielsen: Paris Olympics Overshadowed Weekly Household TV Streaming Through Aug. 4". Media Play News. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
  8. ^ Hailu, Selome (August 29, 2024). "Nielsen Streaming Top 10: 'Prison Break' Makes No. 5 After Netflix Debut, 'House of the Dragon' Leads the Chart". Variety. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
  9. ^ Gruenwedel, Erik (September 5, 2024). "Nielsen: 'Prison Break' Reruns Top Weekly Household TV Streaming Through Aug. 11". Media Play News. Retrieved September 8, 2024.
  10. ^ Porter, Rick (September 5, 2024). "Streaming Ratings: 'Prison Break' Absconds With No. 1 Overall Ranking". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved September 8, 2024.
  11. ^ Gruenwedel, Erik (September 12, 2024). "Nielsen: 'Prison Break' Reruns Remain Atop Weekly Household TV Streaming Through Aug. 18". Media Play News. Retrieved September 13, 2024.
  12. ^ Porter, Rick (September 12, 2024). "Streaming Ratings: 'Emily in Paris' Opens Lower With Half-Season Release". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved September 13, 2024.
  13. ^ Porter, Rick (September 26, 2024). "Streaming Ratings: 'Rings of Power' Season 2 Opens Lower (But Still Big)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved September 28, 2024.
  14. ^ Gruenwedel, Erik (September 26, 2024). "Nielsen: 'Prison Break' Reruns Remain Atop Weekly Household TV Streaming Through Sept. 1". Media Play News. Retrieved September 28, 2024.
  15. ^ Campione, Katie (October 3, 2024). "'The Perfect Couple' Tops Nielsen Streaming Charts In Debut Week; 'Beetlejuice' Interest Piques With Sequel's Release". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
  16. ^ Porter, Rick (October 3, 2024). "Streaming Ratings: 'The Perfect Couple' Opens on Top With Big Premiere Week". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
  17. ^
  18. ^ Prange, Stephanie (September 25, 2024). "'Only Murders in the Building' Again Tops Weekly Whip U.S. Streaming Originals Chart Through Sept. 22". Media Play News. Retrieved September 28, 2024.
  19. ^ "Futurama — Season 12". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
  20. ^ Eddy, Cheryl (July 27, 2024). "Futurama Season 12 Review: The Futurama You Know and Love". Gizmodo. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
  21. ^ Taylor, Robert Brian (July 27, 2024). "'Futurama' Season 12 Review: Good News, Everyone! This Show Is Still Sci-Fi Comedy Gold". Collider. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
  22. ^ Webster, Andrew (July 27, 2024). "Futurama's new season struggles to make NFTs and AI funny". The Verge. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
  23. ^ Dowd, A. A. (July 27, 2024). "Futurama Season 12 Review". IGN. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
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