"A Big Piece of Garbage" is a stellar send up of nearly everything that the 20th century is mocked for, from beanie babies to its disturbing reliance on AOL. With a clearly Armageddon influenced plot, the episode brilliantly mocks the questionable waste disposal of humanity and even throws in a few Simpsons gags for good measure. There's also a subplot between Farnsworth and his arch-rival; the criminally underused Ogden Wernstrom. The mash up between space disaster movies and feuding scientist movies here is fantastic, allowing Farnsworth to really shine in one of his absolute best episodes.
39. The Series Has Landed
As the first episode to air after the series premiere, this episode has a lot to live up to, and it delivers. Fry's desire to keep some part of the 20th century with him is one of his most endearing qualities, as he's clearly a man that isn't terribly smart, but is confident about the things he loves. Despite his lack of intelligence, Fry's description of the moon is absolutely beautiful. He describes it with so much heart and passion, that you can't help but just want to hug the guy right there. The stranger in a strange land influence is pretty spot on in this episode, a stern reminder that Fry's journey to the future is not without its casualties.
