# Sweet three-toed sloth of ice planet Hoth! New Futurama tonight.

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweet-three-toed-sloth-of-ice-planet-hoth-new-futurama-tonight/625797>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [June 20, 2012, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweet-three-toed-sloth-of-ice-planet-hoth-new-futurama-tonight/625797 "2012-06-20T23:11:38Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\
**Post date:** [June 20, 2012, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweet-three-toed-sloth-of-ice-planet-hoth-new-futurama-tonight/625797/1 "2012-06-20T23:11:38Z")

</div>

Just a quick reminder for fans who may have missed it, The new season starts tonight 🙂 :). So make some room on you DVRs.

I hope they found a great one to start the season, but as always, much like sex, after this long since the the last one, even bad will be pretty good.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Covered\_In\_Bees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@Covered\_In\_Bees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covered_In_Bees)\
**Post date:** [June 20, 2012, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweet-three-toed-sloth-of-ice-planet-hoth-new-futurama-tonight/625797/2 "2012-06-20T23:15:31Z")

</div>

How did last season go? I stopped watching after the first few episodes. Just wasn’t the same. Seemed too contemporary and trying too hard.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\
**Post date:** [June 20, 2012, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweet-three-toed-sloth-of-ice-planet-hoth-new-futurama-tonight/625797/3 "2012-06-20T23:57:55Z")

</div>

> [@Covered\_In\_Bees](#):
>
> How did last season go? I stopped watching after the first few episodes. Just wasn’t the same. Seemed too contemporary and trying too hard.

Improved after the first few episodes, actually ;). But really, it did IMHO. Sadly your criticisms are still valid in a general sense - it still was trying too hard and was over-reliant on topical humor that will age poorly.

Still, even weak Futurama is better than an poke in the eye with a sharp stick.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\
**Post date:** [June 21, 2012, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweet-three-toed-sloth-of-ice-planet-hoth-new-futurama-tonight/625797/4 "2012-06-21T00:13:24Z")

</div>

> [@Covered\_In\_Bees](#):
>
> How did last season go? I stopped watching after the first few episodes. Just wasn’t the same. Seemed too contemporary and trying too hard.

Yeah. I prefer to pretend the series ended with “The Devil’s Hands Are Idle Playthings”. It was a nice finale for a really good series. Everything since has felt derivative and forced.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\
**Post date:** [June 21, 2012, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweet-three-toed-sloth-of-ice-planet-hoth-new-futurama-tonight/625797/5 "2012-06-21T02:00:31Z")

</div>

Also, not only is there new Futurama, it’s a full hour! So don’t turn off the TV/DVR after the first episode.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\
**Post date:** [June 21, 2012, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweet-three-toed-sloth-of-ice-planet-hoth-new-futurama-tonight/625797/6 "2012-06-21T02:11:51Z")

</div>

Bender had his camera out but he didn’t say neat…I’m sad now. ☹

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![heathen\_earthling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/13edae/32.png) [@heathen\_earthling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/heathen_earthling)\
**Post date:** [June 21, 2012, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweet-three-toed-sloth-of-ice-planet-hoth-new-futurama-tonight/625797/7 "2012-06-21T02:56:38Z")

</div>

I don’t have a DVR or any access to TV, but I’ll try to watch this eventually somehow. I’ve been waiting for them to do an episode where Fry being unsure of something becomes a Reddit meme.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\
**Post date:** [June 21, 2012, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweet-three-toed-sloth-of-ice-planet-hoth-new-futurama-tonight/625797/8 "2012-06-21T03:23:48Z")

</div>

I was really impressed by those two episodes. Both were a lot better than the premieres for seasons 5 and 6.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\
**Post date:** [June 21, 2012, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweet-three-toed-sloth-of-ice-planet-hoth-new-futurama-tonight/625797/9 "2012-06-21T03:34:49Z")

</div>

I liked them, Ill give them a B( Bender-centric not my favorite format) and an A.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\
**Post date:** [June 21, 2012, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweet-three-toed-sloth-of-ice-planet-hoth-new-futurama-tonight/625797/10 "2012-06-21T03:51:02Z")

</div>

The conclusion of tonight’s first episode brought a tear to my eye.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\
**Post date:** [June 22, 2012, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweet-three-toed-sloth-of-ice-planet-hoth-new-futurama-tonight/625797/11 "2012-06-22T13:55:29Z")

</div>

So what did everyone think about Wednesday’s episode?

Episode 1: Bender accidentally impregnates a soda machine (Wanda Sykes Hall) and a baby Bender pops out…now Bender is a dad

Episode 2: Whenever Fry takes Leela’s hand bad things happen, also the Martians have an ancient calendar that predicts the end of the world  
I’ll see how this thread takes off before I make my comments, although I can say I didn’t really like either episode

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\
**Post date:** [June 22, 2012, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweet-three-toed-sloth-of-ice-planet-hoth-new-futurama-tonight/625797/12 "2012-06-22T14:24:22Z")

</div>

I thought the second episode was the better of the two. I laughed very hard to Fry shooting out of the badger hole and a couple of the other jokes, although I don’t specifically remember which ones right now. I could’ve done with a less gross ending and I was a little surprised to see them do something so anti-scientific as “Mars blows into Earth’s orbit in a few minutes and everyone on both planets is fine (except Leela).” On the other hand I do enjoy it when they change up the fictional universe - so now I think Futurama exists in a solar system where Earth’s orbit lasts a week longer and the planet rotates the opposite way _and_ Mars is more or less in Earth’s orbit. I don’t know if they’ll really do anything with that, but it creates some fun possibilities.

I did like Wanda Sykes in the first episode, but they did telegraph the ending way in advance. I did find myself relieved they didn’t make it as heartbreaking as they could’ve.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\
**Post date:** [June 22, 2012, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweet-three-toed-sloth-of-ice-planet-hoth-new-futurama-tonight/625797/13 "2012-06-22T14:31:42Z")

</div>

[Earlier thread.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=655923)

I’m getting a little tired of one episode having Leela and Fry lovey-dovey and the next one being all business.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\
**Post date:** [June 22, 2012, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweet-three-toed-sloth-of-ice-planet-hoth-new-futurama-tonight/625797/14 "2012-06-22T14:33:35Z")

</div>

> [@Inner\_Stickler](#):
>
> [Earlier thread.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=655923)

I thought this sounded familiar. Threads merged.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\
**Post date:** [June 22, 2012, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweet-three-toed-sloth-of-ice-planet-hoth-new-futurama-tonight/625797/15 "2012-06-22T16:32:36Z")

</div>

Oops sorry I didn’t see the other thread

I thought both episodes were pretty weak. The first episode had the stupid “Fry being green” thing that had absolutely no payoff. It’s like the needed a B story because they HAD to and shoehorned it in there for the stupid thing at the end. The mom abandoning too was abrupt and stupid (with a hint of maybe racist too).

Second episode was just an episode about thing happening today, which the “old” Futurama did very rarely, and the “new” Futurama does too often. I understand the “Take my hand” trope, but didn’t think it was well executed.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\
**Post date:** [June 22, 2012, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweet-three-toed-sloth-of-ice-planet-hoth-new-futurama-tonight/625797/16 "2012-06-22T19:43:22Z")

</div>

> [@Tamerlane](#):
>
> Improved after the first few episodes, actually ;). But really, it did IMHO. Sadly your criticisms are still valid in a general sense - it still was trying too hard and was over-reliant on topical humor that will age poorly.

Let’s not forget the original run did an episode about everyone getting a $300 check from the government so this isn’t really new.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\
**Post date:** [June 22, 2012, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweet-three-toed-sloth-of-ice-planet-hoth-new-futurama-tonight/625797/17 "2012-06-22T20:41:37Z")

</div>

> [@Quimby](#):
>
> Let’s not forget the original run did an episode about everyone getting a $300 check from the government so this isn’t really new.

You know, I never connected the $300 “fun bill” with the real life cheques (probably because I’m Canadian). So I don’t think that idea is really dated at all.

Now a singing boil named Susan, on the other hand… ☹

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\
**Post date:** [June 22, 2012, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweet-three-toed-sloth-of-ice-planet-hoth-new-futurama-tonight/625797/18 "2012-06-22T22:56:29Z")

</div>

I’d say these were solid episodes. Not among the best, but far better than most of last season was.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![heathen\_earthling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/13edae/32.png) [@heathen\_earthling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/heathen_earthling)\
**Post date:** [June 22, 2012, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweet-three-toed-sloth-of-ice-planet-hoth-new-futurama-tonight/625797/19 "2012-06-22T23:27:07Z")

</div>

I’ve seen both episodes now. The biggest problematic cliché in modern _Futurama_ is that they keep doing “Fry/Leela/Bender/everybody is GOING TO DIE!!!” episodes, which of course they don’t. They didn’t overuse that kind of plot quite as often in the first few seasons.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\
**Post date:** [June 23, 2012, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweet-three-toed-sloth-of-ice-planet-hoth-new-futurama-tonight/625797/20 "2012-06-23T00:09:20Z")

</div>

> [@Quimby](#):
>
> Let’s not forget the original run did an episode about everyone getting a $300 check from the government so this isn’t really new.

Even in the original run there was a lot of topical humor. They had one entire episode focused on Lucy Lu and another on Bela Fleck. And that episode with the “single female lawyer show” which is so topical I can’t even remember the name of the show it was supposed to be spoofing.

Hell, the whole “preserved head in a jar” thing is basically a device for them to introduce topical humor, I don’t see how its some new element added to the show.

Anyhoo, I liked the two new episodes.

[Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweet-three-toed-sloth-of-ice-planet-hoth-new-futurama-tonight/625797.md?page=2)
