"Futurama" Returns: How the Writers Keep Track of 25 Years of Lore
The spaceship Planet Express is back! After a prolonged hiatus, Futurama is finally returning to television, this time on Hulu with a brand new season. With 25 years of history, spanning multiple cancellations and revivals, the show’s writers are faced with the daunting task of keeping all the intricate lore straight.
As the show prepares for its highly anticipated season 12 premiere, executive producers David X. Cohen and Claudia Katz discussed the secrets behind maintaining continuity in a world as vast and complex as Futurama.
The Importance of Behind-the-Scenes Consistency
One key factor in the show’s ability to return time and again lies in the consistency of its behind-the-scenes team. Cohen highlighted the importance of the Rough Draft Studios animation team, who have been involved from the very beginning.
"Rough Draft has all the art going back forever," he explains. “And like every 10 years when we get renewed, they have to redraw everything at a higher resolution because the TV has more scan lines.”
Katz reinforces this point, recounting the recent reanimation of the show’s iconic title sequence in 4K, which revealed previously unnoticed details. "[We] were seeing things that we’d never noticed before…we were like, ‘What is that? Did you put that in there?’ ‘No, that’s always been there.’ ‘Oh, cool,’” she remarked.
Beyond animation, the consistency extends to the voice actors and writers. "I will say that there’s been a lot of continuity behind the scenes," Cohen continues. "Many of the same animators and producers at Rough Draft Studios…our entire voice cast has stayed with the show throughout, which has been super critical and a little bit lucky statistically."
The writing staff, too, shares a long history with the show, with many writers having worked on Futurama for 20+ years. This experienced crew is complemented by new writers who are lifelong fans, bringing a fresh perspective to the writing room.
Facing the Challenge of Keeping the Lore Straight
Despite all this continuity, the show’s sheer volume of lore, spanning so many years and countless episodes, can be challenging to maintain. Even the writers themselves have to rely on external resources to keep track of every detail.
"The embarrassing admission that I’m about to make is that in the writers room, we are frequently consulting these fan sites to see what happened in the old episodes. Even those of us who wrote the episodes," Cohen admits. He even recounts a personal anecdote about participating in a Futurama trivia night and coming in second to a dedicated fan – a testament to the encyclopedic knowledge of the show’s passionate fanbase.
The Power of the Fandom
This dedication from the fanbase doesn’t just extend to trivia nights. They are a critical part of the show’s legacy, playing a crucial role in the preservation and dissemination of its complex lore.
The writers rely on the fandom to help keep track of minute details, even the seemingly insignificant ones that other viewers might miss. "Sometimes, we just forget stuff too. Like, there’s an animation error… The writers didn’t say anything about it. But Leela’s dad, his mouth used to open side to side but now it opens [up and down]. But then it’s going to go back to [the first way]."
Cohen acknowledges that, like all time-traveling shows, Futurama has its share of continuity errors. He even uses humor to address them: “He’s got very flexible jaws! So in some sense, some things do fall through the cracks of time."
Looking Forward: A Bright Future for Futurama
The return of Futurama is a testament to the enduring love for the series, both from its dedicated fanbase and from the show’s creators. With two more seasons confirmed, the show promises to continue its legacy of witty humor, engaging storylines, and a galaxy full of unique characters.
The show’s ability to navigate through cancellations, revivals, and even its own intricate lore is a testament to its longevity. The dedicated team behind Futurama is committed to providing a quality show that continues to entertain fans both old and new, proving that even in a complex future of infinite possible timelines, the adventures of Fry, Leela, Bender, and the rest of the Planet Express crew can continue for years to come.
