---
title: "Futurama: the reviews"
canonical: "https://film.one/tv/futurama/reviews"
title_page: "https://film.one/tv/futurama"
critics_score: 70
critics_reviews: 7
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Futurama (1999): what the critics said

Critics' score 70 from 7 reviews: 5 positive, 1 mixed, 1 negative.

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.

## Radio Times — Jack Seale

Rating 8.5/10. 

Matt Groening’s series is at its best some of his funniest work, with sharp satirical ideas and classic character creations like the selfish robot Bender. For newcomers it is a goldmine, especially in peak seasons three to five.

[Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/programme/b-3egctd/futurama/)

## Vulture — Matt Zoller Seitz

Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 16 June 2013. 

The series is an undervalued gem whose mix of rarefied genre parody and vaudeville-style humor has endured through multiple cancellations and revivals since its 1999 debut. The critic highlights its inventive running gags, sci-fi references, and ability to balance silliness with clever writing.

[Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/2013/06/seitz-futuramas-final-frontier.html)

## The AV Club — Sam Barsanti

Rating B. 22 July 2023. 

Hulu's revival delivers pure comfort TV that feels like classic Futurama without challenging or surprising viewers. It's dependable, meta, and familiar, which is enough for fans seeking more of the same.

[Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/futurama-season-11-review-hulu-tv-revival-1850633949)

## Empire — Chris Johnson

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 3 January 2012. 

The fifth season marks a largely happy return for Bender and the crew after cancellation. It embraces misanthropy with verve but misfires on some easy targets, though nerdy randomness keeps it sharp at its best.

[Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/tv/reviews/futurama-season-5-review/)

## The Hollywood Reporter — Daniel Fienberg

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 22 July 2023. 

The new Hulu episodes deliver fun fan service and are acceptably amusing as a legacy return. They lack fresh memorable characters or mind-warping whimsy, feeling like comfortable but unadventurous hits from the past.

[Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-reviews/futurama-review-hulu-1235541554/)

## Variety — Ray Richmond

Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 28 March 1999. 

The pilot feels a tad uninspired and uneven at first but shows clear promise as a Simpsons-inspired sci-fi spoof that rewards attentive viewers. The richly textured animation and irreverent sight gags stand out as strengths amid the introduction of characters like Fry, Leela and Bender.

[Read the review](https://variety.com/1999/film/reviews/futurama-1200456806/)

## IndieWire — Wilson Chapman

Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 24 July 2023. 

The Hulu revival focuses too heavily on topical parodies of current issues. This approach causes it to lose sight of the show's special timeless satirical and whimsical strengths.

[Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/features/commentary/futurama-review-hulu-reboot-too-topical-1234884831/)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/tv/futurama.md