If we could ask for anything Wizard, it would be better ratings
Planet Express has a full load of deliveries…which they will they might or might not deliver. From a trip to the past and an adventure in Roswell to a quest to reunite the cast of Star Trek, the gang of Planet Express may destroy the future before it even happens.
Futurama—Season 4 aired from December 9, 2001 to April 21, 2002 on Fox. The season won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program (For Programming Less Than One Hour) for the season premiere “Roswell That Ends Well” and a Writers Guild of America award for animation for “Godfellas”. The episodes of the season were collected in Futurama—Volume 2, 3, and 4.
Futurama for me always had an uphill battle by living in the shadows of its big brother The Simpsons. Watching Futurama however, it is easy to see that it is a very different entity. While The Simpsons in its own way feels like it is more episodic (with tons of continuing plotlines), Futurama feels a bit more plot driven than character driven.
Together again!
This season is one of the stronger seasons of Futurama. Not only do we have a return of the fun “Anthology of Interest” which is equivalent of a Simpsons Halloween episode, but you have the reveal that Planet Express caused the Roswell incident, Leela’s true origin revealed, and Bender becoming god of a small race of people who evolve on him.
The season is capped off by a Star Trek reunion in “Where No Fan Has Gone Before”. The makers of the show were able to get everyone from the original cast back (minus DeForest Kelly who passed away in 1999 and James Doohan’s Scotty who was replaced by the frequently killed Welshie). It is an actually a nice ode to fans of the original Star Trek.
Futurama is a good series and well worth checking out now that it has ended (again). I skipped most of Futurama during its original run and it has been fun going back and rediscovering this cartoon. If you wrote off Futurama in the past, give it a second chance!
Futurama—Season 4 Complete Episode Guide:
“Roswell that Ends Well”
4.1 Roswell That Ends Well Airdate: 12/09/01
When the Planet Express gang watches a sun go supernova while fry accidentally microwaves a metal container, they end up back 1947…where they cause the Roswell incident. Bender finds his grandfather stationed on the base and sets out to keep him from getting killed while Zoidberg is held as a prisoner of the army.
“A Tale of Two Santas”
4.2 A Tale of Two Santas Airdate: 12/23/01
It is Xmas again and the world is fearing the return of Santa. When Fry, Bender, and Leela are forced to make a delivery to Santa’s elves on Neptune, Fry vows to stop Santa once and for all. Bender takes Santa’s place on Earth, but Earth’s out to stop him!
“Anthology of Interest II”
4.3 Anthology of Interest II Airdate: 01/06/02
Professor Farnsworth fixes his What If? machine to predict the future and Bender learns what would happen if he was human, Fry questions what would happen if life were more like a video game, and Leela wonders what would happen if she found her real identity.
“Love and Rocket”
4.4 Love and Rocket Airdate: 02/10/02
Valentine’s Day is coming and Planet Express has a Romanticorp contract. The ship gets an upgrade, and Bender finds himself in love with the new ship…leading to a bad break-up.
“Leela’s Homeworld”
4.5 Leela’s Homeworld Airdate: 02/17/02
Leela’s been named orphan of the year by her orphanage and finds herself questioning where she came from. When Bender pollutes the underworld of the mutants with a dead killer whale, Fry, Leela, and Bender find themselves pulled into the underworld…and Leela’s origin is revealed!
“Where the Buggalo Roam”
4.6 Where the Buggalo Roam Airdate: 03/03/02
Amy takes her coworkers to Mars to introduce Kif to her parents. When the buggalos are stolen during a dust storm, Kif decides to find the buggalos to impress Amy’s parents. When Amy is captured by Martians, Amy’s parents call in Zapp Brannigan for help.
“A Pharaoh to Remember”
4.7 A Pharaoh to Remember Airdate: 03/10/02
Bender wishes that he would be remembered for something. A trip to Osiris 4 leads to Leela, Bender, and Fry’s enslavement to make pyramids. When the pharaoh is killed, Bender decides to make himself the new pharaoh.
“Godfellas”
4.8 Godfellas Airdate: 03/17/02
Bender is accidentally shot into space. When a miniature population lands on him, they believe that Bender is a god…and Bender uses that to his advantage. Fry sets out on a quest to save Bender from the emptiness of space.
“Future Stock”
4.9 Future Stock Airdate: 03/31/02
Planet Express finds itself on the verge of financial collapse. Fry makes a friend of another ’80s cryogenic survivor which leads to a hostile takeover of the company…and a move on Mom.
“A Leela of Her Own”
4.10 A Leela of Her Own Airdate: 04/07/02
Leela is spotted by a talent scout and recruited to be the first woman to play Major League Blernsball…becoming famous due to beaning players. Leela learns her actions have consequences for real female players.
“30% Iron Chef”
4.11 30% Iron Chef Airdate: 04/1/02
Bender finds that no one likes his cooking and runs away. When he becomes a Rohobo, he finds a chef to help him cultivate his skill…and finds himself in a cooking competition against Elzar. Dr. Zoidberg destroys a model and attempts to frame Fry for the crime.
“Where No Fan Has Gone Before”
4.12 Where No Fan Has Gone Before Airdate: 04/21/02
Fry learns that Star Trek has been banned after developing into a religion and sets to retrieve the series and the original cast by travelling to Omega-3 where the last copies of the show were banished. When the Planet Express arrives on Omega-3, they discover a being called Melvar holding the cast hostage and find escape means working together.
Related Links:
Futurama—Season 1 Review and Complete Episode Guide
Futurama—Season 2 Review and Complete Episode Guide
Futurama—Season 3 Review and Complete Episode Guide
Futurama—Season 5 Review and Complete Episode Guide
Futurama: Bender’s Big Score (2007)
Futurama: The Beast with a Billion Backs (2008)
