Futurama: 12 Plot-Holes That Almost Ruin The Show

Much debate rages between Futurama fans with too much time on their hands as to whether Nibbler actually appeared in the first episode of Futurama or not. Some argue he was added in later for the DVD releases and re-runs, while others are adamant he was there from the premiere.

If he was, it’s one of the best set ups in television history, with the payoff and explanation coming years later. Despite this - potential - attention to detail though, there are still a fair few Futurama plot holes.

Though some have come into existence via the passage of time - we didn’t actually get suicide booths in 2008, for example - this list is more concerned with internal plot holes. Things which happen in the show which either contradict earlier episodes, go against established events or just straight up don’t make sense.

Futurama was a wonderful show and nothing here can take away from that; it’s just a bit of fun, after all. They might have you scratching your head a little on a rewatch though. Futurama has bags of rewatchability after all, even if it didn’t always make sense.

Pretty easy one to start things off.

Part of Futurama's core mythology is that they have evolved beyond the use of the wheel, something which gets specific focus in Mother's Day, where no one beyond Fry even knows what one is.

In Mother's Day, Mom begins a robotic uprising, causing all technology to rebel and leaving the incredibly dependent humans to fend for themselves. Fry then 'invents' the wheel (albeit a rather ineffective oval shaped one) to help cart the Planet Express crew around.

The Professor is even astounded, asking Fry to "'show us this 'the wheel'", confirming that not only are wheels not in use, they're completely unheard of.

However, wheels very plainly do exist within Futurama's world. While yes, cars have been replaced by hover cars, other wheels are extremely common in New New York.

We see office chairs, Bender's friend Fender (the one who gets him hooked on jacking on), and the Professor has several wheeled gadgets. When Bender bends him backwards, he uses a mini unicycle to support his head, and he has a wheel chair, one he specifically refers to as 'the one with the wheels'.