If you're looking for a science fiction cartoon that is full of hilarious characters and sharp writing, then you should look no further than Matt Groening's Futurama. As one of the most beloved cartoons of its generation, Futurama soared on Fox from 1999 to 2003, producing some of the finest in comedy animation. It created a vision of the future that seemed credible while also being just nutty enough to sustain 22 minutes of humor week to week, along with a very grounded protagonist in Fry that was a charming stand-in for 20th century humans. And even though it was born from the same pedigree as The Simpsons, Futurama was able to attain an even higher degree of quality than perhaps any animated show ever did. Futurama's first run on Fox was easily the single best animated program ever made, with its consistent quality from episode to episode serving as a hallmark of its excellence in its writing, characterization and fantastic blend of science fiction tropes with wonderful characters. And even though its revival on Comedy Central in 2008 was welcome, and even produced some stand-out episodes of its own, the initial Fox run was magic in a bottle. So hit that next button and we'll get started counting down the 50 best episodes of Futurama, a daunting task if there ever was one.
