Most critics like Futurama, and the warmest reviews are for the original run rather than the returns. The praise clusters on the writing: sharp satirical ideas, dense sci-fi references, running gags that pay off over years, and a vaudeville silliness that sits comfortably beside the cleverer material. Bender is singled out repeatedly as the character creation that carries the show, and the middle seasons are recommended as the place for newcomers to start.
The reservations attach to the revivals. Critics of the 2023 episodes find them comfortable and familiar, dependable fan service that neither surprises nor adds memorable new characters. IndieWire goes further and calls the return a misfire, arguing that its topical parodies lose the timeless quality that made the show worth reviving. Variety, reviewing the 1999 pilot, finds it uneven but promising. The spread is wide, from warm to hostile, but the hostility is aimed at the latest episodes, not the series as a whole.