Get on the Futurama boat!
Get your packages ready, Planet Express is delivering! With threats of global warming, trips into the past and parallel worlds, and adventures to save the universe, Fry and his friends are tripping the cosmos!
Futurama—Season 5 aired from November 10, 2002 to August 10, 2003 on FOX. Season 5 was collected in Futurama—Volume 3 and Futurama—Volume 4. The series faced its first cancellation after this season and was followed by movies on Cartoon Network before returning as a series. The season was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program (for Programming Less Than One Hour) for the episode “Jurassic Bark”.
The Future Is Now!!!
Futurama was always the underdog. With tons of comparisons to its sister show The Simpsons, the series just never really seemed to catch on. I honestly didn’t watch Futurama much. By the time it had started I was working weekends and never seemed to see it. It is nice coming back to the series and trying to appreciate it for what it is instead of what it was assumed to be.
Futurama is a bit more structured than The Simpsons. The characters actually change through the course of the series and each episode isn’t necessarily a reset. Storylines continue and grow and characters develop. Events that happen early have an effect on later episodes and the freezing of Fry has been examined multiple times.
Rest easy, Seymour Asses….
One episode in particular this season stands out as a must see for fans and even non-fans. The Emmy nominated “Jurassic Bark” shows the series potential and is one of the saddest episodes I’ve seen. I’m a sucker for dog stories and the story of Fry’s dog Seymour Asses is surprisingly tender and well done. It isn’t a laugh a minute but it also doesn’t feel like a “very special episode of Blossom”. The show really pulls it off.
I do recommend going back and giving Futurama another shot if you skipped it to stick to The Simpsons. If you are a fan of sci-fi, the show actually has some merit as well with some high concept sci-fi concepts that will please fans as well. The show is quite smart and a quick watch. Now that the series has been cancelled (once again), catch up with the crew of Planet Express and enjoy a good time. Futurama—Season 5 is followed by the movie Futurama: Bender’s Big Score (2007).
Futurama—Season 5 Complete Episode Guide:
“Crimes of the Hot”
5.1 Crimes of the Hot Airdate: 11/10/02
Halley’s Comet runs out of ice to cool the Earth, and Earth faces the danger of global warming. The world decides that robots are the cause of the global warming, and Bender realizes he’s in danger.
“Jurassic Bark”
5.2 Jurassic Bark Airdate: 11/17/02
When Fry’s old pizzeria is discovered, Bender finds the fossilized body of his old dog Seymour Asses was found. When Farnsworth reveals he can clone Seymour, Bender grows jealous of Fry getting his dog back.
“The Route of All Evil”
5.3 The Route of All Evil Airdate: 12/08/02
Cubert and Hermes’ son Dwight are suspended from school and left with Planet Express for the month. When Cubert and Dwight start a competing delivery company called Awesome Express, Farnsworth and Hermes finds Awesome Express are making more money with their paper route…losing most of their staff and the company. Leela and Fry brew beer in Bender.
“A Taste of Freedom”
5.4 A Taste of Freedom Airdate: 12/08/02
It is Freedom Day on Earth and Planet Express is celebrating. When Dr. Zoidberg eats the Earth flag, he finds himself on the run from the citizens of Earth…and a declaration of war from the Decapodians.
“Kif Gets Knocked Up a Notch”
5.5 Kif Gets Knocked Up a Notch Airdate: 12/22/02
Kif and Amy find their long distance relationship is suffering, and Amy hijacks the Planet Express ship to get to him. As Amy contemplates her relationship with Kif, Kif discovers that he’s pregnant…by an unlikely subject.
“Less Than Hero”
5.6 Less Than Hero Airdate: 03/02/03
Leela and Fry use Dr. Flimflam’s Miracle Cream and discover they have superhuman powers. Now as superheroes Captain Yesterday, Clobberella, and Super King (Bender), the Justice Team sets out to stop crime. When Leela reveals her identity to her parents, it could jeopardize the team.
“Teenage Mutant Leela’s Hurdles”
5.7 Teenage Mutant Leela’s Hurdles Airdate: 03/30/03
An attempt to de-age Professor Farnsworth leads to the Planet Express team to accidentally be de-aged to teenagers. Leela sees the deaging as a chance to relive her childhood with her parents…and doesn’t want to return when Farnsworth tries to find a way to reverse the process.
“The Why of Fry”
5.8 The Why of Fry Airdate: 04/06/03
Fry finds that everyone considers him a joke, but when the universe is in danger, Nibbler’s people call upon Fry to save it…leading Fry to learn the truth about his freezing!
“The Sting”
5.9 The Sting Airdate: 06/01/03
When Farnsworth sends the crew to retrieve honey from deadly bees, Fry receives a fatal wound protecting Leela. With the guilt of Fry’s death, Leela believes she is going crazy when she starts to have prophetic dreams about Fry.
“The Farnsworth Parabox”
5.10 The Farnsworth Parabox Airdate: 06/08/03
Farnsworth creates a box with access to parallel worlds and accidentally causes a crisis as the worlds merge…where everything is different simply due to flipping a coin.
“Three Hundred Big Boys”
5.11 Three Hundred Big Boys Airdate: 06/15/03
When Nixon gives everyone $300 credit, the Planet Express sets out to spend it. Kif finds his gift to Amy eaten by a whale, Leela plans to use her whale excursion to get it back. Farnsworth uses his credits to go young while Fry decides to invest in coffee. Bender’s attempt to get a $10,000 cigar lands him in hot water while Zoidberg tries to live like a rich man.
“Spanish Fry”
5.12 Spanish Fry Airdate: 07/13/03
A trip into the woods to look for Bigfoot leads to Fry’s abduction by aliens…and the theft of his nose! When the Planet Express gang learns that “human horn” is considered an aphrodisiac to aliens, they set out to find Fry’s nose before it is too late and end up playing matchmaker to Lrrr and his wife.
“Bend Her”
5.13 Bend Her Airdate: 07/20/03
When Bender decides to enter the Olympics as a fembot, he undergoes modification to become Coilette. When Calculon falls in love with Coilette, Bender agrees to marriage…but has ulterior motives.
“Obsoletely Fabulous”
5.14 Obsoletely Fabulous Airdate: 07/23/03
Mom’s introduced Robot 1X which has made Bender obsolete. When Bender goes on the run from being upgraded, Bender finds a community of obsolete robots who he leads in a war against technology.
“Bender Should Not be Allowed on TV”
5.15 Bender Should Not Be Allowed on TV Airdate: 08/03/03
When one of the stars of All My Circuits breaks down on air a replacement is needed…and Bender is prime for the job. When Bender is revealed to be a bad role model for kids, Hermes and Farnsworth set to stop Bender.
“The Devil’s Hands Are Idle Playthings”
5.16 The Devil’s Hands Are Idle Playthings Airdate: 08/10/03
When Fry desires to learn the holophonor to impress Leela, Fry trades his hands to the Robot Devil. The Robot Devil’s attempts to get his hands back lead to tragedy and an unthinkable deal by Leela.
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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 4 Review and Complete Episode Guide
Futurama: Bender’s Big Score (2007)
Futurama: The Beast with a Billion Backs (2008)
