The Impossible Stream

This episode is a very solid return to form for the iconic series Futurama, which is a bit surprising, considering the last episode aired over a decade ago. It leaned pretty heavily on meta jokes about cancellation and revival (especially in the post-credit scene) but had other good jokes hidden within. It already feels classic and quotable, just like an episode from the original run. The fact that this is just a reintroduction to the series makes me very excited for the episodes that aren't yet out.

Besides, any episode involving the great Calculon and his UNHOLY ACTING TALENT is worthy of a thumbs up from me.

Honestly the episode itself was fine. Had some funny jokes. I was real worried going in, but I'm a bit more optimistic now. It's just a strange choice for a first episode. It feels really detached from anything significant that already happened in the series. And some of the quips and slapstick were a little too overt to land for me. It's kind of it's own little thing with no continuity, and it was fine. Just a little odd. This episode would have made more sense being put halfway into the season or something. But again, there were actual good things about this episode and it looks like the show is in competent hands. Excited to see where they go from here.

Enjoyable start to the episode, but then it just flushes itself down the tubes of meta jokes. How many shows do we need where the script is full of obvious and subtle winks to the audience? This episode would've been fantastic if we haven't already seen this sort of thing 100 times.

But we have.

Even so, I can appreciate that the new episode still carried some of the old spirit of mildly funny gags. And I mean that sincerely positively. Futurama rarely felt like it was trying too hard. Rather than writers always needing a punchline, it was more about creating an environment of irony, idiocy, and sci-fi world-building, and the reboot did retain some of that. It was more-of-the-same Futurama at first, and then more-of-the-same other shows.

Hopefully they got the latter out of their system, and can get back to pure Futurama in the remaining new episodes.

I'm so glad Futurama is back. This first episode was great too. I don't feel like they undid/soiled the great ending they had last time. Just continuing what's great about the show. Every character felt authentic to who they've always been and the hijinx is par for the coarse. Im so stoked for the coming season. Im rating this episode a 9, because the previous ending was no doubt a 10. I would give this a 10 but I can't say this was better than that ending. So 9. And for me this is the perfect way to reboot a series. Everyone who loves Futurama should take a moment to just rate it real quick. Make sure our love for it is known.

The writing for this episode is fairly consistent with the most recent seasons. Not entirely funny or compelling like the earliest seasons. But ultimately not bad either, my expectations were low and they exceeded them so I'm happy with that. Here's hoping the remaining episodes are equal or better. I'm not expecting Rick and Morty levels of depth or humour just a simple relaxing show with sci Fi concepts and the goofyness of Fry and Bender.

This episode is essentially taking a bit of a dig at streaming services and is fairly meta. Which every other TV show is doing at the moment too. Gone are the days of space adventures for the time being at least.