A good sign that your series has become a pop culture fixture is its rewatchability. The long-running series, and current Hulu original, Futurama continues to stake that claim, thanks to its ever-supportive fanbase. As creators Matt Groening and David X. Cohen’s animated entertainment continues to run into the 2024 TV schedule, that subject continues to grow in relevance through the new batch of episodes making up what’s known as Season 12.

So, when speaking with the cast for the episodes we’re currently seeing play out, it was the perfect time to ask John DiMaggio and Billy West what the most rewatchable episodes are. And thanks to further participation from fellow co-stars David Herman and Lauren Tom’s responses, it’s safe to say that tear-jerkers are now officially part of the formula for this shiny metal staple of adult animation.

John DiMaggio and David Herman’s Choices For Futurama’s Most Rewatchable Episodes

Digging into the magic that was the press days for Futurama Season 12, I went in with the knowledge that this year marked the 25th anniversary of its debut on Fox. Part of that beautiful reality inspired me to ask about Futurama potentially ending (again), which delivered the wonderful news that the future is already in progress, with a new season in production!

Another key piece of knowledge I brought to the table was how Reddit named Futurama as the most rewatchable TV show, which then sparked my curiosity as to what the cast of the series felt were the stories with the most potential to revisit.

When asking that question in David Herman and John DiMaggio’s interview room, Mr. Herman prompted his Futurama co-star for a particular episode he was hung up on. That led DiMaggio to share with CinemaBlend what he feels is the surefire formula for an episode with infinite replay:

Strangely enough, the episode that DiMaggio was looking for with “Anime Futurama” was “Reincarnation,” one of the installments that would come from the Comedy Central years. Although “Anthology of Interest” was the Season 2 episode that kicked off the template that John DiMaggio cites above.

However, when it comes to more traditional episodes, there’s some further rhyme and reason that both men considered when answering the question. David Herman in particular helped flesh out the concept of a “rewatchable” episode, which then saw his Futurama cohort continue to rattle off some prime episodes.

Continuing their discussion with CinemaBlend, here’s how Herman attempted to define a “rewatchable episode”:

David Herman: In terms of re-watchable, what criteria do you apply to re-watchable? Were you just saying what, what was the best one? … The bottom doesn't fall out, that's what you want out of re-watchable, right? … There's depth.

John DiMaggio: There’s “Jurassic Bark,” “Roswell That Ends Well,” “Amazon Women on the Moon.” “Mars University.” “A Head in the Polls,” that's a good one. There's all sorts of ones.

You don’t earn a reputation as one of the best-animated shows of all time by merely telling jokes. The real mileage in Futurama’s appeal, as exhibited in their remarks above, comes from the novelty that helps reinvent the series periodically. Of course, that reinvention isn’t a total one, as the well-regarded comedy has always played to several layers of humor.

The more serious side would be discussed further with stars Lauren Kim and Billy West, as their choices for the most rewatchable Futurama episodes happen to be some mythic tear-jerkers. And yes, there’s more “Jurassic Bark” talk, so if you need to prepare yourself for that eventuality, take a moment before you continue reading.

Lauren Tom And Billy West’s Rewatchable Futurama Episodes Are Total Heartbreakers

Some of the most memorable dramatic moments from sitcoms have come through Futurama’s. “Jurassic Bark” alone is the episode that most fans jump straight to when it comes to recalling somber moments involving the Planet Express crew.

But shaking things up a little was Billy West, the voice of Fry himself! In his response to CinemaBlend, he called out the following episode as his go-to rewatchable:

Acting as one of the cornerstones to the iconic love story between Leela (Katey Sagal) and Fry, “The Devil’s Hands Are Idle Playthings” is such a fantastic choice. Not only is there the perfect mix of heart and humor that helps identify Futurama’s overall appeal, but it also served as the bittersweet first series finale the show encountered. This seems to be another recurring theme in this franchise’s history, as Season 10’s finale “Meanwhile” was another romantic ode to this perfect pair, just as Comedy Central’s 2013 cancellation went into effect.

Of course, we came into this conversation talking about “Jurassic Bark,” the Season 3 episode that introduced sci-fi comedy fans to “I Will Wait For You,” the mournful ballad from The Umbrellas of Cherbourg. Seymour the dog’s story has been remembered time and again by aficionados of the story so far. As Lauren Tom shared with CinemaBlend, there are some special reasons why that episode is a favorite:

Season 12 has had its own heartbreaker reminiscent of what Tom was talking about thanks to the second episode "Quids Game." I won't spoil it here, but a surprise visit to Fry's past brings up some memories that not only ask further questions of the Futrurama canon, but also wind up with a finale that ranks among the most tissue-worthy.

Look, I’m partially sorry to do this, but with all of this discussion of Futurama’s all-time heartbreaker, I have to throw in a clip. We’ve been dancing around Seymour’s story for long enough that we need to just have that cathartic cry that’s been building up this whole time. You’ve been warned:

You know something: that ending wasn’t a total emotional meltdown. It’s another sign of Futurama’s ability to shift from Professor Farnsworth’s sterling defiance of God’s natural order to a montage that still makes me cry. It’s so easily rewatchable because it honors the sadness, while also rewarding the comedy.

And if David Herman’s tease for an upcoming episode is anything to go by, we might have more of that coming soon:

I’m certainly going to have to rewatch that episode David’s alluding to, as it appears that he's referencing the upcoming entry “Cuteness Overlord.”

We’ll just have to wait until that episode airs on September 16th, with David Herman’s teasing voice echoing in our heads for the duration of that wait. What you don’t have to wait for is watching (or re-watching) Futurama! You can catch almost every single moment of merriment and madness through the power of a Hulu subscription.

And don’t forget that weekly trips to the world of tomorrow are boarding every Monday, at midnight ET, on Fulu; er I mean Hulu. Tissues are optional, but probably advised, as who knows when you'll need them next?

Seth MacFarlane is getting a lot of press as of late for his work on The Orville (which is no longer on Fox) but, of course, many know him for his work in animation. MacFarlane is the mastermind behind Family Guy, American Dad, and The Cleveland Show, so he’s had a lot of success in that medium. So much so that one might assume he cut his teeth working on The Simpsons before crafting his own hits. And when he was asked about that, he answered and gave a thoughtful shoutout to Matt Groening, Al Jean and their collaborators.

Seth MacFarlane answered the question during an interview for Wired's Autocomplete Interview and his opening response, “I fucking wish,” really says it all. While MacFarlane didn’t create or work on The Simpsons ahead of his other work in animation, it's very clear that he has no problem giving props to the people who do work on the long-running animated sitcom:

Seth MacFarlane went on to note that he’s friends with the creator of the Fox series, Matt Groening, as well as other notable names from the show like Al Jean, Mike Reiss, and Mike Scully. It’s clear by the things MacFarlane said about the show that he values what it's done for animation and how it paved the way for future shows like Family Guy. 

Though the actor and writer didn't work on The Simpsons, the series did have a crossover with Family Guy back in 2014. “The Simpsons Guy” featured the characters meeting each other in what seems like a once-in-a-lifetime event, and MacFarlane provided the voices for his usual characters like Brian, Stewie, and Peter. The episode definitely turned some heads and in hindsight, serves as a perfect example of how Matt Groening's show influenced the FG, which didn't truly rip it off. 

There was once a point in which Simpsons was considered “edgy” in pop culture but, in an age where South Park and Family Guy continually push the envelope with controversial humor, it’s perceived as much tamer now. Other critics expressed just that when “The Simpsons Guy” was released and noted how the melding of the shows' varying comedy styles felt somewhat jarring. 

Seth MacFarlane’s Family Guy has followed in The Simpsons’ footsteps in a number of ways, but there are still things it needs to accomplish for itself. For example, the franchise hasn’t had a big-screen adaptation, while other shows that came after it,  like Bob’s Burgers have had animated features. Seth MacFarlane claimed in 2019 that it's still something he wants to do and that he even has an idea for a story. There hasn't been any news yet but, when it comes to making a film, I'd take some cues from the Simpsons buddies he admires so much.

Family Guy airs on Fox on Sundays at 9:00 p.m. ET. The summer season is approaching, and with so many shows ending for the season, now is as good a time as ever to look up what new shows are premiering and find some new things to watch. You can also stream episodes of Seth MacFarlane's show by streaming them with a Hulu subscription.

The Simpsons recently received another renewal over at Fox and, for all the positive press the acclaimed animated series has gotten over the past decades, one controversy has loomed over its head as of late. The Simpsons removed Apu Nahasapeemapetilon from its series after complaints that the character was problematic, and while the show has taken steps to ensure the character won't be offending audiences anytime soon, Apu has yet to be re-integrated into the series. But that could be changing soon.

For those who may have lost hope that Apu would ever return to The Simpsons, there has been a significant development. Creator Matt Groening recently spoke to USA Today about the show and, when asked about Apu, he had this to say:

The news is sure to be exciting for fans, though Matt Groening also confirmed that the series has not found a voice actor for Apu since Hank Azaria stepped down from voicing him. While itt may disappoint some that there are seemingly no immediate plans to bring the character back, it does seem like the team at The Simpsons are indeed looking to incorporate him and his family back into the series in some way moving foward.

One has to wonder exactly what Matt Groening means by "ambitious," especially in the context of a series that just celebrated its 700th episode. The series has done it all and then some, so what in the context of The Simpsons would be considered ambitious? This is only speculation, but I wonder if perhaps an Apu-centric spinoff could be on the way?

It's possible, though, this could also mean The Simpsons will re-introduce Apu in one of its upcoming episodes and explain why he's been away for so long. In either case, Matt Groening's choice in saying "stories" would imply viewers will have more than one adventure involving Apu, though he also confirmed the team is still vetting the ideas to make sure they work.

Matt Groening has sparked some controversy over the years for his response to the Apu controversy, which the creator even noted in his latest interview. Groening recently clarified that while it wasn't his decision to replace voice actor roles with actors who matched the ethnicity of the characters voiced, he did support the decision fully. Groening also explained that the show never intended to intentionally exclude minorities in its past efforts, but he rather enjoyed the feat of having so few actors voice a wide variety of characters. Times change, though, and The Simpsons has joined the ranks of other shows in replacing voice actors with new actors who better represent the characters portrayed.

The Simpsons airs on Fox Sundays at 8:00 p.m. ET. The series has been a primetime staple of the network for some time alongside many iconic animated shows, one of which could be returning to television in the future.

Having started its one-of-a-kind TV run over three decades ago, The Simpsons is an influential TV classic by all stretches of the imagination, but that doesn't mean the show is a perfect entity. (And no, I'm not just talking about fan debates over later seasons' episodes.) In recent years, The Simpsons has come under fire for continuing to use its white cast members to voice characters of color such as Apu, Dr. Hibbert, Carl and more. The show revealed this week that Kevin Michael Richardson will take over voicing Dr. Hibbert from Harry Shearer, and creator Matt Groening has now shared how he feels about such changes.

Speaking with BBC News about racial equality and monorail worker backlashes, Matt Groening is behind the changes that have been made, with Hank Azaria having previously stepped back from voicing Apu and others. But even so, Groening still doesn't necessarily think The Simpsons is 100% at fault for how it has handled voice acting for its characters. In his words:

It's likely easy for someone in Matt Groening's position to not see any big problems with how things were working, since it was the status quo for so many years without large-scale blowbacks like the one that occurred when Hari Kondabolu released the documentary The Problem with Apu in 2017. But just because few people complained about the voice actors back then doesn't mean it was correct to keep things the same for all this time.

That said, Matt Groening isn't arguing that The Simspons should be keeping things the same going into future seasons. He understands the problem and is behind making the right changes to bring more equality to both the animated hit and other TV and film. Here's how he put it:

On the flip side, cast member Harry Shearer has talked in the past about why he wasn't exactly agreeable that changes had to be made with characters he voiced. He doesn't appear to have shared any statements since Kevin Michael Richardson was announced to be the permanent replacement for Dr. Julius Hibbert.

Hank Azaria would probably wish that The Simpsons would find another voice actor to take over Duffman, since that's one of the hardest characters on his vocal cords. That likely won't happen, but find out if anything else is different when The Simpsons airs Sunday nights on Fox.

The Simpson Movie was a large success when it first hit theaters back in 2007. It went on to make more than half a billion dollars worldwide on a $75 million budget, which is not too shabby for an animated movie not geared toward children. So, why has a sequel to the original movie never made its way onto the big screen yet, and could we eventually get another movie? Matt Groening has answers.

Fans of The Simpsons flocked to Ballroom 20 to talk candidly with some of the creative team regarding all things Simpsons. One question from a fan was about the potential for another movie to hit theaters down the line, and Groening took the question on.

After Matt Groening very clearly jokingly noted ‘It opens next Friday, big surprise,’ he launched into an explanation regarding why The Simpsons Movie 2 hasn’t happened yet. And no, the Disney/Fox merger does not seem to be at fault.

So, while the financial success of the original movie may make it seem like a no brainer, that’s not really true for the creative team. The Simpsons is heading into Season 31 this TV season, and still routinely produces a full season of television, with 23 episodes airing during the 2018-2019 TV season.

A little less than a year ago, reports indicated Twentieth Century Fox was going to produce a full slate of big screen animated adventures for shows like The Simpsons, but also the likes of Bob’s Burgers and more. Of course, then the whole Disney and Fox merger became a real-life thing that happened.

For now, more than a decade after the original movie premiered, it looks as if there is no Simpsons Movie sequel in the works. However, Matt Groening is bullish there will be another big screen venture for fans at some point. The Simpsons creator also mentioned this during the panel itself, taking a crack at new parent company Disney in the process.

Ha! Actually, we already know The Simpsons should have a long shelf-life with Disney. A few months ago, we learned that The Simpsons would, in fact, be one of the myriad projects heading to Disney+, the new streaming service Disney will be launching that will feature both movie and TV projects.

The new service is expected to launch this fall, and while there’s no date for a sequel to the big screen venture, a lot of people related to the show seem excited about a movie possibility. The Simpsons will also be back on Fox this fall. Take a look at when all of your favorites will be premiering with our full TV premiere schedule.

Late in the last century, Matt Groening emerged as a huge agent of change in the world of comedy and animation. With the development of The Simpsons, he was at the forefront of a new wave of animators and comedians who were rewriting how the world saw cartoons. Guys like Mike Judge, the creator of Beavis & Butthead, John Kricfalusi, the mind behind Ren & Stimpy and of course Trey Parker and Matt Stone from South Park all became names at similar times.

It was Matt Groening that led the way, starting modestly with his groundbreaking comic strip Life in Hell in the '80s, which led directly to his creation of The Simpsons, which begat Futurama, a show which is not quite a spinoff of The Simpsons but shares a whole lot in common with its humor.

Most recently, Matt Groening has joined the streaming world with the first season of Disenchantment on Netflix and there is reason for Groening fans to believe that his record of success will continue. He may forever be associated with that magical time in animation in the 1990s, but it all actually all started way back when bellbottoms were the highest fashion, Grand Funk Railroad ruled the Billboard charts, and Homer Simpson still had a full head of hair.

Matt Groening's Early Career

Matt Groening got his start in comic strips. He had always been a fan of newspaper comics, like Peanuts and Nancy and when he got older, he discovered the likes of the more subversive comic artists of the day, especially Robert Crumb.

With those artists as his inspiration, after college he moved to Los Angeles from his native Oregon and began drawing his first major work, the comic Life In Hell, about a weird-looking rabbit named Binky, his on-again-off-again girlfriend Sheba and his son (not with Sheba) named Bongo.

Then there are Akbar & Jeff, two gay lovers -- or is it brothers -- who are essentially identical looking and mostly seen arguing with each other. Either way, they were groundbreaking characters as openly gay men in media in the early '80s. The comic strip also featured peeks into characters he would later develop into the Simpson family, namely Bart.

At some point in the mid-eighties, legendary TV producer James L. Brooks, the creator of such iconic '70s shows as Taxi and The Mary Tyler Moore, was in the midst of developing The Tracy Ullman Show for the upstart Fox Network when he first saw one of Matt Groening’s Life In Hell comic strips. He loved and reached out to Matt Groening with an idea.

James L. Brooks approached Matt Groening about creating short, animated “bumpers” for Tracy Ullman’s sketch show, and while Groening was intrigued by the idea, he feared losing control of his beloved characters, so he decided to come up with a new idea and a new set of characters. The shorts would revolve around a dysfunctional family named The Simpsons.

The History Of The Simpsons

The first short featuring The Simpsons on The Tracy Ullman show premiered on April 19, 1987, as part of Episode 3 of Season 1. It was about two minutes long, called Good Night. The animation was rudimentary and not all that removed from Matt Groening’s style in the Life In Hell comic strips. It also occasionally featured cameos from his Life In Hell family of rabbits.

The Simpsons became a regular part of the show thereafter, and every episode of Seasons 2 and 3 featured a Simpsons short, with 48 in total. One of these shorts from Season 3, titled Family Therapy was also released theatrically as a lead-in to the Kathleen Turner/Michael Douglas black comedy, War Of The Roses.

In the wake of the popularity of the shorts on Tracy Ullman, Fox greenlighted a season of full half-hour episodes for the 1989-1990 television season and on December 17th, 1989, The Simpsons debuted. While it was no surprise the show was a hit, there was no way for Matt Groening or anyone else to predict that it would become the longest-running scripted primetime television shows in history, still producing new episodes and drawing big ratings an astonishing 30 years later, ten years more than its closest rivals.

The Simpsons took a season or two to truly find its voice, but once it did, it became a juggernaut. It was the first runaway hit for Fox and it is not a stretch to say that without it, the network wouldn’t be what it is today. Matt Groening served as the co-showrunner of the show for the first couple of seasons, but his influence on it as the creator is undeniable. Many characters are named after his own family members and the town of Springfield, meant to be Anytown, USA, is loosely based on his hometown of Portland, OR, though not specifically so.

After the huge success of The Simpsons, which including best-selling merch and commercial endorsements, notably, Butterfinger, Fox approached Matt Groening to develop another animated show. He pulled in Simpsons writer David X. Cohen and Futurama was born.

The History Of Futurama

The history of Futurama is scattered and uneven, but that is not the fault of the creators of the show, whose vision for the show and the characters was clear from the beginning. It is a history of starts and stops and fits, but it’s also the story of loving care by the creators and passion from its loyal fans.

Futurama’s story begins with the premiere episode that was written by creators Matt Groening and David X. Cohen, who also served as the showrunners for all of Futurama’s run, which eventually involved three networks and a series of direct-to-video movies in between a years-long break between new episodes after Fox essentially canceled it in 2003 after four seasons. It returned on Comedy Central in 2009 and ran for three more seasons, including the four feature-length straight-to-video episodes that eventually made up Season 5.

The animation is similar to The Simpsons, though the used much more CGI from the very beginning, whereas the early seasons of The Simpsons were almost entirely hand drawn. The humor is also more esoteric and…nerdier… than The Simpsons, almost as if they gave The Comic Book Store Guy his own show to write, and for the humor and writing, Groening and Cohen did extensive research into old science fiction movies and comics.

While The Simpsons, does have what could be considered a strong “cult” following by the most diehard fans, its appeal, as is evident from incredible run of more than 600 episodes to date, is far broader than Futurama, but Futurama is the very definition of a cult classic, with a smaller but just as dedicated fan base.

The History Of Disenchantment

Five long years after Futurama’s run on Comedy Central came to end, Matt Groening and Netflix announced they were teaming up for a new animated series called Disenchantment about the disenchanted and disillusioned Medieval princess, Princess Bean and her demon, Luci.

Disenchantment is the darkest of the three Matt Groening animated series by far. While his shows have always been adult-oriented, they still relied on more kid-friendly tropes, like a traditional cartoon. Disenchantment has almost none of that, save for Luci the demon and Elfo the happy go lucky elf and foil to Luci. Bean is a heavy drinker that is in constant rebellion against her family and her life.

Disenchantment’s animation is much more similar to Futurama’s as is the humor. Matt Groening has always had a undercurrent of dark humor, but in this show, he is really letting his dark flag fly and while the reviews have been mixed, it’s safe to say that like early Futurama and early Simpsons, it maybe has not fully found it’s voice yet, but that it will likely will. It is trademark Groening and Disenchantment has found its fanbase, if not its mature voice yet. Netflix, thankfully, is giving it time to breath and has already announced that it has renewed more episodes to run at least through 2021. If the past is indication, it will no doubt turn into another hit for Matt Groening.

From his humble beginnings with his simple drawings and biting, sarcastic, and dark sense of humor that formed the brilliant comic Life In Hell comic to the unsurpassed and incredible success of The Simpsons Matt Groening’s success is the stuff of legends. It’s highly unlikely that show will have the longevity or profound impact on comedy like The Simpsons has had. It’s hard to believe it's lasted this long and who knows, might not ever end. Meanwhile, Groening continues to draw on that wickedly sharp sense of humor in the modern age of streaming and binging with Disenchantment. His vision for all three shows have reshaped comedy forever.

The Simpsons' creator Matt Groening has made a couple of animated series since the start of the Fox program, but there's never been a direct spinoff of the adult-animation series. If there were to be, however, one long-time voice actor for the show thinks he knows which character should get one. At a recent panel, Harry Shearer spoke about the spinoff idea he'd most like to see and why he'd like to see it.

If there has been an American TV show about a clergyman, it hasn't been nearly as noteworthy as a Simpsons spinoff about Reverend Lovejoy would be. Lovejoy isn't the most exciting character in the lore that could get a show, but there's no denying a series centered around him would be a lot different than the typical episode of The Simpsons.

Like, would it still take place in Springfield, or would he and Helen Lovejoy pack up and move elsewhere? Also, would he have just as many zany adventures as the Simpson family? It's very hard to imagine.

It would almost certainly tackle religion a lot more, which may cause some controversy given The Simpsons tends to portray things in an irreverent nature. Would Disney sign off on a spinoff that predominantly tackles religion, especially with a team like The Simpsons' writers behind it to stir the pot?

With that said, it sounds like some religious organizations have embraced Reverend Lovejoy, given Harry Shearer's comments about giving interviews with religious magazines.

Perhaps the interest is in the sense that The Simpsons can be a tad less controversial than other shows on television these days. Bart Simpson used to cause controversy, but these days he's certainly the more tame alternative compared to other options like Eric Cartman or Peter Griffin. Harry Shearer's idea sounded crazy at first, but perhaps in an age where The Simpsons has lost its edge, a series with a religious spin could work?

What's most surprising about Harry Shearer's idea is that Reverend Lovejoy was at the top of his mind when he's voiced so many iconic characters for The Simpsons. Two of the biggest among them are Ned Flanders and Mr. Burns, whom many Simpsons fans would love to see get a spinoff. At least, they'd like to see that over a Reverend Lovejoy series, anyway, so it's interesting to hear Shearer's thoughts on this matter.

THR reported the panel was a part of The Simpsons celebrating its 30th anniversary where, in addition to Shearer's thoughts on spinoffs, members of the cast and crew were on hand to discuss various changes to the franchise. This included any changes that might've come from Disney acquiring Fox and, therefore, The Simpsons. Creator Matt Groening said that, so far, the only main change wasn't really related to the show.

That sounds annoying, but not the nightmare scenario some fans had speculated would happen if Disney got its hands on The Simpsons. Of course, there's still time for any number of things to change now that the show is under new management, so viewers will have to wait and see what could happen going forward.

The Simpsons airs on Fox Sundays at 8:00 p.m. ET and throughout the week on FXX. Stick with CinemaBlend for more news on the comedy, as well as updates on other television shows.

It's hard to say which episodes of The Simpsons are among the series' best, although it's safe to say "Stark Raving Dad" is a contender. The episode wasn't the funniest of the early Simpsons episodes, although it did feature an uncredited guest-starring role by Michael Jackson that went unconfirmed for so long that some fans still don't know it really was him. Matt Groening recently broke down how the rumors the voice work wasn't actually the singer may have gotten started and also explained how Jackson ended up being on the iconic episode, noting on TV,

It's easy to understand why fans still doubt the cameo to this day, as even Matt Groening didn't believe Michael Jackson wanted to be on The Simpsons. Once the team finally found out this was a legitimate opportunity, they got to work on constructing a mysterious role for Jackson that was something bigger than the program's typical celebrity cameo. Instead of using his likeness, The Simpsons had the pop singer voice a giant middle-aged asylum patient named Leon Kampowsky who believed he was Jackson.

As for how the rumors that it wasn't actually Michael Jackson started, Groening told The Weekly those started popping up due to the King of Pop's request not to be credited for his appearance. Others had pointed to the classic song "Lisa It's Your Birthday," which, while good, was not quite the vocal quality of the typical Michael Jackson song. Groening explained there were some legal issues with Jackson singing on the program, as he was under contract with a record label, so he brought in an impersonator to sing the song for him. While he didn't lend his voice to the classic Simpsons song, Groening did say Michael Jackson was in the studio for the performance and supervised the guy he brought in to record the track. Groening also added Jackson seemed to get a kick out of the performer and said Jackson giggled watching the impersonator recreating his voice for the segment, which you can check out, below.

As for The Simpsons these days, the show kicks off Season 30 on Fox on Sunday, September 30 at 8:00 p.m. ET. For a look at what else is coming to television in the near future, be sure to visit and bookmark our fall premiere guide. For more on The Simpsons, be sure to check out our breakdown of Simpsons and Futurama references in Matt Groening's new Netflix series Disenchantment.

Critics might not have been able to find a ton to love about Matt Groening's new series Disenchantment, at least in comparison to early love for The Simpsons or Futurama, but fans have been quite celebratory. The good news (everyone) for both parties is that quite a few awesome references to both shows made their way into the medieval Netflix comedy. We've compiled the best and most blatant references spotted in Season 1 so far, and like the elves of Elfwood, we couldn't wipe the grins from our faces after seeing these moments.

Fry, Bender, and Professor Farnsworth Make An Appearance

Episode 10 of Disenchantment throws all subtle nods to Futurama out the door and literally shows Fry, Bender, and Professor Farnsworth in the rewind of the crystal ball sequence. The Planet Express trio are in Farnsworth's time machine and, based on Luci's statement to King Zøg, have passed through Dreamland sometime within the last 15 years. The moment basically confirms Futurama and Disenchantment exist in the same universe, and has inspired speculation about it meaning a crossover could happen. Well, it apparently already happened, so hopefully the show makes visual mention of this theory in future episodes, perhaps via flashback!

That Elf That Looks Like Lisa Simpson

Disenchantment viewers definitely noticed quite a few background characters in this universe who vaguely resemble popular Simpsons and Futurama characters, with this elf being one of the most distinct ones. Sure, Lisa Simpson doesn't have a green tuft of hair coming out the back of her head, but this elf's distinct yellow color, spiky hair, and orange-ish dress seem like obvious nods to the young Springfield genius. Fans will spot her a few times throughout scenes set in Elfwood, even though the actual character adds little substance to the show overall. It's a shame really, as I imagine she'd be a decent saxophone player if given the spotlight!

A Wig That Looks Just Like Fry's Hair

Fry and the gang's trip to the past appear to have had an impact on fashion in Dreamland, as a wig resembling the character's hair is spotted in Episode 2. Here, Disenchantment fans were given a breadcrumb hinting at these two shows being connected, with the possible twist that this Netflix show exists after the second Big Bang referenced in the Futurama episode "The Late Phillip J. Fry." We didn't see the 31st century time-travelers having any specific or influential visits to Dreamland in Futurama, but perhaps we'll witness at some point how Fry's hair made such an impact on society. As well as who would ever buy that wig.

A Three-Eyed Owl, Possibly Named Blinky

Disenchantment's nods to The Simpsons are a bit more subtle than the Futurama easter eggs, but there are still some good connections hidden in the series. For example, the emergence of a three-eyed owl in Episode 1 is almost certainly a reference to Blinky, the tri-eyed species of fish that have been a staple of Springfield wildlife for years, and was thought to have been mutated by the toxic waste output from the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant, although this easter egg could suggest otherwise. Either that or this multi-eyed bird is a sign that things could get way more like Game of Thrones in future episodes!

A Medieval Planet Express Ship, Sorta

If the Planet Express team hadn't made a noteworthy stop off in Dreamland, then why does Disenchantment's premiere feature a flying, medieval-looking ship that resembles Futurama's iconic vehicle? Granted, the view of the ship is from very far away, and one would imagine most flying ships prior to planes have a somewhat similar blimp-ish shape. Hell, for all we know, that could be Kang and Kodos' ancestors hanging out in the sky up there. In either case, it appears flying transportation is indeed a thing in Disenchantment. Whether our central characters know about them or not is another question. Are there any Harlem Globetrotters in Dreamland to help us out?

A Classic Simpsons Quote With A Twist

In Episode 1, Bean's servant Bunty preps her for her wedding using leeches because, as the saying goes, "Whores rouge, ladies leech." The Disenchantment quote is a unique twist on a somewhat deep-cut reference The Simpsons' second season, where Marge's mom gives similar advice but uses cheek pinching as the more ladylike behavior. The quotes aren't exactly the same, but the similarities between the moments are both so blatant that there's no mistaking this was an intentional reference to The Simpsons episode "The Way We Was." There's perhaps a deeper nod to be found there, considering both women have a difficult night following their given advice.

Disenchantment fans can list any nods we missed in the comments, and binge all of Season 1 on Netflix right now. For a look at what else is headed to the streaming service, be sure to visit our Netflix premiere guide. For a look at what's happening on cable television, visit our summer and fall premiere guides.

When it was revealed that Matt Groening was releasing his third animated series, Disenchantment, on Netflix, fans of The Simpsons and Futurama alike were wondering if the series would live up to the acclaim and cult status of his past shows. Well, critics have had their time with the show, and the general consensus so far seems to be "meh." This is certainly true for CBR's Josh Bell, who walked away from the new show somewhat disappointed after his viewing:

Bell's specific gripe in this instance was Matt Groening's refusal to deviate from his traditional television formula and, perhaps, present a more risque product to audiences now that he's on Netflix. Those hoping the same will be disappointed, as Disenchantment does nothing to capitalize on the platform's looser restrictions, to the point that it could air on cable television with little to no editing. Bell also found the first 10 episodes a bit lacking in content, but did concede that the world-building Groening and crew have constructed has the groundwork for far more exciting adventures. The Daily Dot's Michelle Jaworski can definitely get behind that latter statement, and indicates that fans will stick around for more episodes thanks to the show's core cast:

There's certainly a sense that critics struggled in giving Disenchantment a fair shake, as it's not necessarily fair to measure the new series against the likes of animated royalty like The Simpsons. THR's Daniel Fienberg was certainly someone who was disappointed following his viewing experience, due to the show's lack of a definite direction, although he also realized it may not be fair to hold the series to that standard just yet:

Even if The Simpsons and Futurama weren't the shows they eventually became just in their first season, there was definitely something that kept viewers engaged and tuned in enough to give the series time to develop the styles they would later employ. Some critics don't believe Disenchantment will get that same opportunity, with Michael Starr from the New York Post reporting that the show doesn't have enough substance and fresh ideas to keep older fans engaged:

Starr's criticism is rough, although it may be fair enough to say, because many other critics also pointed to the show searching for laughs in rather obvious or played out ways. An adult-oriented animated series might have been able to slide by with those laughs in the '90s, but in an age where Disenchantment has to compete with Bojack Horseman, Bob's Burgers, Archer and a slew of other animated comedies with talented actors, it might just have work a bit harder to keep audiences engaged. Not all critics feel that way, however, as Rolling Stone's Alan Sepinwall seemed to find more to love despite his criticisms:

Really, what each critic seems to land on is that Season 1 of Disenchantment isn't a grand slam by any stretch, but there is certainly potential for the series to turn into a dinger before much longer. As for how they might be able to do that, Slate's Sam Adams seems to suggest that perhaps Matt Groening and crew attempt to have this show be something different than the new version of The Simpsons or Futurama and let it find its own identity in future episodes:

Disenchantment arrives on Netflix Friday, August 17, at 12:01 a.m. PT. Those interested can check it out then, or visit our Netflix premiere guide and see what else is available to watch. For a look at other television offerings in the coming weeks, head on over to our summer and fall premiere guides.

When it was announced Matt Groening was developing an animated series for Netflix, The Simpsons and Futurama fans of the world's ears perked up. Those ears have since drooped somewhat due to a lack of updates but shot right back up recently when Groening released three close-up shots of the show's characters. Fans didn't have to wait much longer for more images as today the Disenchantment Twitter released the first good looks at Princess Bean, her elf companion Elfo, and her demon Luci along with the announcement the series will premiere on Netflix Friday, August 17:

As expected, Disenchantment's art style looks very similar to that of Futurama and The Simpsons. Bean's pale complexion definitely makes her lean more towards looking like an extra in a Futurama scene, and very different looking compared to her voice actress and Broad City star Abbi Jacobson. Of course, that's nothing entirely new as Groening has never been one to draw fictional characters similar to their real-life counterparts. Bean is seen above in her princess outfit and a healthy portion of ale, which makes sense as past descriptions have mentioned she's very fond of drinking.

Bean definitely has the Futurama vibe going with her look, but it's hard to say the same for voice actor Nat Faxon's Elfo. Bean's elf companion is definitely giving off some heavy Springfield vibes with his look, as his shirt and shorts combo look like a slightly darker variant of what Bart Simpson wears on The Simpsons. Elfo is also about the same height as Bart, although his spiky hair appears to be longer and he's got a lip overhang similar to that of Moe Szyslak. Both Bean and Elfo seem able and ready to fight at a moments notice, given that two-thirds of these new images feature them with weapons:

Bean and Elfo's looks are rather easy to spot for Futurama and Simpsons fans; the inspiration for Luci is a bit more of a mystery. The creature doesn't look like something that belongs in either of those shows. He does look like something that would've appeared in Matt Groening's Life In Hell comic series that predates both of those animated shows. This is fitting considering Luci is an actual demon, although it's worth mentioning Groening's comic was about his life in L.A. and not the actual underworld. Luci is voiced by the always off-the-wall and entertaining Eric Andre, which definitely makes him a character audiences interested in Disenchanted should be excited about.

Variety reports the premiere date of Disenchantment on August 17 will bring the first 10 episodes of Season 1 to Netflix, with the remaining 10 episodes to be released at a later date. The project has a lot of recognizable names attached for voice work who Matt Groening has worked with on The Simpsons or Futurama in the past. Billy West, John Dimaggio, Maurice LaMarche, Tress MacNeille, and David Herman will all return to work with Groening, and the same company that did the animation for Futurama (Rough Draft Studios) is handling Disenchantment as well.

Matt Groening fans will get their chance to dive into the first 10 episodes of Disenchantment when the series arrives on Netflix Friday, August 17 at 12:01 PST. For a look at what else is headed to Netflix in the near future, visit our Netflix premiere guide. Those more interested in what's coming to television in general these coming months can visit our summer premiere guide.

The Simpsons creator Matt Groening has proved that he has what it takes to produce a hit animated series, and he's taking his talents to Netflix for a brand new animated series called Disenchantment. Although the project was announced way back in July 2017 as an animated comedy set in a medieval kingdom known as Dreamland, no footage or first looks had been released... until now. Groening himself shared three images from the upcoming series, and the show's official Twitter page posted them as well. Take a look!

Matt Groening first posted these three images on Reddit, and they later went up on Disenchantment's official page on Twitter. In an entertaining twist, the first looks at Disenchantment weren't exactly full body shots of the characters or detailed illustrations of the setting. Instead, there's an image of part of a female character with light hair, a crown, and some suspicious eyes. The next image shows somebody with at least one green pointy ear and a purple hat. The final image shows part of some kind of creature that looks like it emerged from hell, so... quite a motley crew will be assembled for Disenchantment. A princess, an elf, and a demon indeed!

Obviously these pictures aren't enough to reveal exactly what to expect when Disenchantment hits the web on Netflix, but the streaming service has announced some details of what's in store. Dreamland will be a medieval kingdom in distinct need of repair. The young princess of Dreamland will be a heavy drinker by the name of Bean, who is accompanied by her personal demon -- appropriately named Luci -- and her elf pal Elfo. These three will encounter magical creatures in their adventures, including sprites, harpies, imps, trolls, and ogres. Human buffoons will be in the mix as well, in addition to walruses. I'm not quite sure how walruses fit into a medieval kingdom occupied by magical creatures, so that should be fun to experience.

In case you can't tell, Disenchantment will be an animated series on Netflix more similar to BoJack Horseman than Trolls. The adult bent of the series should deliver plenty of laughs to fans who already love shows like The Simpsons, and Futurama fans are in for a treat as well thanks to the voice cast. When the show was first announced, it was revealed that Futurama voice actors Billy West, John DiMaggio, Maurice LaMarche, Tress MacNeille, and David Herman would contribute to Disenchantment. Broad City star Abbi Jacobson will voice Bean. Nat Faxon of Friends from College is on board as Elfo, and Adult Swim's Eric Andre will voice Luci.

Unfortunately, no announcement has yet been made about when Disenchantment will be available on Netflix aside from the Twitter page's promise that it's "coming soon." We'll have to wait and see when Matt Groening and Co. will release a closer look at what's to come in the new animated series. Swing by our 2018 Netflix schedule for the shows that have had their release dates finalized, and our summer TV premiere guide can help you figure out what to watch in the not-too-distant future.

It's been just four years since Futurama bid us all farewell following its second TV cancellation, but it might as well have been 1,000. Fans haven't stopped clamoring for more from the animated sci-fi comedy, and we're now actually getting a brand shiny-metal-ass-spankin' new adventure from the Planet Express crew! But it won't be happening on TV, or in theaters, asthe original cast and writers returned for a Futurama audio podcast that will likely bring to mind classic radio dramas of years past. And it comes out soon!

The new Futurama episode will be available to download for free on Thursday, September 14, on Soundcloud, Nerdist and on Spotify. Let's first celebrate that the Futurama episode will actually be 42 minutes long, so it's double the length of TV episodes, and without any commercials mucking up the momentum. Second, let's celebrate this new storyline that will reunite all the beloved characters -- including Fry, Leela, Bender, Amy, Professor Farnsworth, Hermes and Zoidberg -- for a routine mission gone awry. A trip to the planet Junkleon 7 puts them in the crosshairs of Kaxxon, a most evil life form that's made completely from soundwaves of podcasts from the 21st century. And, naturally, the Earth is in danger of being destroyed by those soundwaves. Dun-dun-dunnnn! Or, perhaps more fittingly: [the opening keys to Serial's theme].

And guess what? This new episode will usher in the return of the in-show soap opera All My Circuits, which means we'll see more from its ego-dripping star Calculon, who'd already faced death and resurrection during Futurama's Comedy Central run. We'll also get to see the rock-faced Borax Kid, who was first introduced in the episode where everyone lost their genders. Both characters are voiced by Maurice LaMarche, who'll of course be joined by other cast members like Billy West, John DiMaggio, Katey Sagal, Phil LaMarr and Lauren Tom.

Jam City, FoxNext Games and Matt Groening are the big names behind the new adventure, which was created by Groening, David X. Cohen and the Futurama writing crew. The idea came about after the original team got together to create original content for the hilarious mobile game Futurama: Worlds of Tomorrow, and its existence was previously teased by Cohen, although it was unclear what he was talking about at the time. Nerdist founder Chris Hardwick, who voices Klaxxon in the episode, was apparently the one who pitched the audio-only idea, which definitely saved everyone some time, without the animation process entering into things. It makes sense, as TV-inspired audio dramas have seen a resurgence in recent years, especially in the sci-fi realm, such as those based on Doctor Who, The X-Files and The Twilight Zone.

Here's what David X. Cohen had to say about it all.

So remember, Futurama will be back, albeit in an audio form, on Thursday, September 14. One can only hope this will lead to even more podcasts and potential animated specials, if not entire seasons. Our hopes are plentiful, considering the conspiracy-starting way that Cohen said the plural "episodes." Thankfully, the series should soon be available to stream again when it hits Hulu.

While we're waiting to see and hear more of Zoidberg's blubbering, check out the fantastic live-action Futurama fan-film, and then head to our fall premiere schedule to see everything heading to the small screen in the near future.

Good news, everyone! Matt Groening, co-creator of The Simpsons and Futurama, has a brand new TV comedy on the way, and it's got three awesome things going for it. First, it's being produced by Netflix. Second, it'll likely be a more adult animated comedy than his previous work. And finally, it's already lined up one of the funniest casts imaginable, complete with a host of Futurama voice talent. Oh, and it's called Disenchantment.

Before I start whooping like Zoidberg for the rest of the day, let's talk Disenchantment's mature-leaning plot, which will introduce audiences to the prestige-lacking medieval kingdom dubbed Dreamland. Here, viewers will follow a liquor-loving young princess named Bean, who has a pair of sidekicks in a rowdy elf named Elfo and a personal demon named Luci. While out on their adventures, the three characters will face a host of other entities, including imps, trolls, harpies, sprites, ogres walruses and, of course, human beings. For a possibly more succinct take on the tone, here's what Matt Greoning himself said in the announcement.

Matt Groening's more adult take on the world of animation features a fantastic lead trio of comedic powerhouses. Leading the pack is Broad City star and co-creator Abbi Jacobson, who will voice Bean, while Friends From College's Nat Faxon will voice Elfo, leaving Adult Swim star Eric Andre to take on the demon Luci. What's more, we'll get to hear FuturamaI greats like Billy West, John DiMaggio, Maurice LaMarche, Tress MacNeille and David Herman. Then we have a handful of Mighty Boosh vets in Noel Fielding, Rich Fulcher, Matt Berry and Lucy Montgomery. Rounding things out is Superstore story editor Jeny Batten, perhaps best known for her two-woman stage show Freak Like Tennessee.

It was first announced last year that Matt Groening and Netflix would be joining forces for what would presumably be one of the next great TV comedies, and though no details about it were given at the time, we obviously expected only the best. Which it kind of sounds like we're getting, and the whole suffering-through-everyday-duties angle hearkens to Groening's classic comic strip Life Is Hell. And if Netflix's other animated hits like BoJack Horseman and F Is for Family indicate anything, it's that Disenchantment will spare little in its attempts to make us laugh.

Though Netflix and Matt Groening are obviously having a positive time working together, the streaming giant did take some flak from some of the creator's fans when the first chunk of Futurama exited its library due to non-renewed contracts with Fox. (The sci-fi comedy already has another streaming home, though, so no more worrying is needed.) Now, is it too soon to start asking about an eventual crossover?

At this point, Netflix doesn't have a release date set in stone, but the service does have 2018 as when Disenchantment will make its way to audiences. While we're waiting to find out more information, head to our Netflix 2017 schedule and our summer TV rundown to see when all the new and returning shows are hitting primetime and beyond.

Having been a part of primetime TV for 27 years, The Simpsons has given viewers one of the biggest character ensembles in all of fiction, and many of Springfield's natives are just as important and memorable as the titular family. Take Bart's best friend and put-upon cohort Milhouse Van Houten, a Simpsons fan favorite who apparently wasn't even created for The Simpsons at all. (To the lemon tree!) Here's the real story behind the bespectacled goober's origin, as shared by longtime show animator and director David Silverman.

This is actually a two-tiered reveal for anyone who wasn't already familiar with the story. But first, is there anything in the world less surprising than Milhouse's debut in the Simpsons universe being coupled with someone telling him he's going to die? Such is the life of a Van Houten male, where even cheap candy bars are always just outside of a pleasurable reach.

In any case, Milhouse's introduction in The Simpsons' 1989 series premiere "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire" likely wasn't the first time that Fox viewers had laid eyes on him, since he was hocking snacks to sweet-toothed kids a full year earlier, in 1988. I do recall hearing on one of the DVD sets that the Butterfinger commercial was Milhouse's true debut, and I do remember the commercial actually airing all those years ago. (Which doesn't date me at all.) But if was also shared at the time that Milhouse was designed for a completely different Matt Groening project, I did not retain that info.

In his Facebook post, David Silverman points out that even before the Butterfinger ad, the Milhouse design was created not specifically for Fox and Tracey Ullman's approval, but for an undisclosed NBC animated series. I'm not sure of any TV projects that Matt Groening was working on before The Tracey Ullman Show, though his comic Life is Hell would certainly have led. The Simpsons was the rare animated evening fare at the time, but the mid-1980s were big for Saturday morning cartoons, so perhaps there's an alternate universe out there where Milhouse's face is a part of Kissyfur or Camp Candy.

Everything is coming up Milhouse for Simpsons fans,though, since everything worked out in a way that we got this face as part of our lives forever.

With never quite enough of the Van Houten family's awkward dysfunctions on display, The Simpsons continues its record-breaking climb Sunday nights on Fox. The next episode will see Homer getting severely injured at work, which leaves him in a litigious mood. Suing Mr. Burns could afford someone a TON of candy. While waiting for the episode to get here, check out that very first Milhouse appearance on the next page.

By creating The Simpsons, Matt Groening ushered in not just a TV show, but a cultural icon that lives a life of its own outside of television and all over the globe. And then he created Futurama, the relatively perfect mixture of science fiction and comedy that will remain one of the smartest TV programs in existence. And now Groening has a chance to go three for three, as he is currently having conversations with Netflix to develop a new animated series for the streaming service. Is it just me hearing angelic choirs right now?

While there isn’t a whole lot of secrecy going on over on The Simpsons as far as upcoming episodes are concerned, lips are pretty much sealed over what this new series would be about. All signs point to it being a superb piece of television for a good number of seasons.

But if it happens, we’ll probably be getting a lot of it. According to Variety, Netflix is thought to be considering a two-season order right away, a decision that is gaining popularity with certain outlets. Each season would be ten episodes, which is less than one normal season of The Simpsons, but that’s not me complaining. The doubled-up order makes sense from Netflix’s point of view, as it allows for the writing team and the animation studio to get everything worked out in one fell swoop. Plus, the streaming service has a better idea of how production costs will look for the entire run.

Matt Groening’s fingerprints are still always on Simpsons episodes, as well as Futurama, and he’s always around for commentary tracks for both shows, not to mention Comic-Con appearances and running the comic company. Despite that active involvement in his past creations, it didn’t seem likely that Groening would put another new series into action. In 2 months, it’ll be 17 years since Futurama premiered, and what better way to celebrate that anniversary than anticipating a new show?

Netflix is a popular company for its stellar library of kids programming, both licensed stuff and original series, but Matt Groening’s potential comedy wouldn’t be the first adult-skewing animated series streaming on there. One of the streaming service’s early pickups was BoJack Horseman, the surprisingly deep look at a horse finding personal redemption after going from sitcom star to alcoholic burnout, and that show is headed for Season 3. More recently, Netflix gave stand-up standout Bill Burr his own comedy with the hilarious and foul-mouthed F is for Family. Groening’s efforts probably won’t be full of booze and cussing, but that’s hardly necessary.

The Simpsons may only have a few years left, or it might live on forever, and we might get more Futurama one day, and we might not. Any way it goes, no one’s life was ever made worse by having multiple Matt Groening shows coming out at the same time. Please let this come true, Robot Devil!

It’s been a fruitfully rough decade for fans of Futurama, as we got to see the show come back in feature-length form for a while before Comedy Central gave it more glorious season, eventually canceling it once again. New hope for the series’ return came when Matt Groening combined his two greatest achievements in last year’s Simpsons/Futurama crossover ”Simpsorama”. Is there a chance we’ll get another one in the future? Groening’s answer is predictably wishy-washy, but also more encouraging than one would think.

During this year’s Simpsons panel at Comic-Con, which featured guest panelist Guillermo del Toro, Groening was asked about the possibility of the two animated worlds coming together again, and he took it a step further with his answer.

Rather than simply focusing his answer on “The Futuramans,” or whatever they would call the second crossover episode, Groening opened things up to allow for good news (everyone) about the likelihood of another standalone iteration of the brilliant futuristic comedy. Considering people probably ask him questions like this all the time, it would have been easy for Groening to just stop the answer after “It’s possible,” since anything is obviously possible in the world of animation. But he got everyone’s hopes up by saying that new Furturama is almost inevitable. (Okay, maybe I’m reading too much into it, but my hopes will never die, kind of like Seymour.)

I’m not sure what he means by saying it’ll be “rebooted,” but he certainly doesn’t mean that an all-new bunch of oddball characters will get introduced, though I’d be just as interested in a spinoff focused on Zoidberg returning to the medical field. It seems like it’s only the networks that are iffy about bringing the show back, as fans have been clamoring ever since it got the axe from Comedy Central, and the stars have been equally receptive to the prospect of the show returning to TV.

But if we get another Simpsons/Futurama crossover in the meantime, that would temporarily be just as fabulous. Considering the next season of The Simpsons is presumably all mapped out and completed in one form or another, we know it won’t happen soon. But Season 28 could easily put Bender and Homer back together for more murderous hijinks. Make it happen, powers that be!

Season 27 of The Simpsons will be hitting Fox this fall, complete with Harry Shearer, whose holdout recently came to an end. If Harry Shearer can come back, so can Futurama, right?

For nearly its entire run, The Simpsons has been notable for its myriad guest stars, but the past year as seen the long-running comedy making its own guest spots in other shows, both animated and real-life. The latest includes creator Matt Groening heading up to the wild and preservative-free world of Portlandia, where The Simpsons is getting ripped off in the name of cool clothing! Check it out in the clip below, via IFC.

Groening is making this rare TV cameo for Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein’s quirk-a-second IFC comedy, and it naturally involves his iconic creation, The Ska-mpsons. Er. The Simpsons. Groening will star as himself in the episode, the plaintiff in a lawsuit against Armisen’s Spike over the unlicensed T-shirt seen in the picture. Obviously Bart Ska-mpson would be a “rood boy.” He’s also probably a “slacker with pride in his slacking” who says to “nibble on his undies.” Or something.

Here’s a shot of Groening holding the lawsuit-provoking T-shirt.

A fan of Portlandia, Groening spoke with EW about playing a more disgruntled version of himself, but it sounds like he had a swell time. He got to improvise, which adds another layer of rarity to his appearance. And he’s in a suit, too. It’s the trifecta.

Something Real Groening doesn’t have in common with Fictional Groening, however, is the disdain for bootleg Simpsons merchandise. He and Fox have been dealing with it for the entirety of the show’s run, so it would likely have driven him insane if he held a strong grudge against the illegal sub-industry. When asked what he enjoyed about it, here’s what Groening told EW.

I recall bogus Simpsons products from festivals when I was young, and would love to see what Groening’s collection looks like. He talks about how people send him statues of Bart peeing. Mail is cool.

In case anyone forgot, Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein previously headed into Groening’s world for appearances on The Simpsons for the Season 24 episode “The Day the Earth Stood Cool.” Here’s what they looked like as the respective donut chef and public breastfeeder Terrance and Emily.

Groening’s crossover-ish episode of Portlandia, which was just renewed for two more seasons, airs this Thursday night on IFC.

It’s no secret that TV series are sometimes forced to make changes to their characters to appease audiences, casts and network execs. WTF Bewitched’s Darrin and that Family Matters missing middle child? One of the weirdest switcheroos in that TV fanatics will be well aware of is the skin color of one Waylon Smithers from The Simpsons, which took exactly one episode to go from dark to the same yellow as the majority of the characters. Rather than being anything racially motivated, though, Smithers’ black guy-ness was merely the result of an error in the animation process. Cue the foil hats.

Simpsons creator Matt Groening was a bit perturbed but still game to divulge this bit of info to TMZ as he was trying to exit an airport. Here’s how Groening put it.

Following the Christmas special first episode, which also featured some characters spouting unrecognizable voices, Smithers switched to his normal yellow color. While that may be the actual answer, I’m sure no one was overtly interested in trying to bring an animated gay manservant who was also black onto a 1989 audience that soon got uproarious over Bart Simpson saying “butt” and “crap.” The main black characters at the time were Dr. Hibbert, who was a Bill Cosby parody, and Bleeding Gums Murphy, who represented blues and couldn’t responsibly be white. (Plus he was Hibbert’s brother.) Groening and his staff were being revolutionary in certain ways, but subverting racial stereotypes wasn’t one. Mild child abuse and alcoholism were totally fair game, though. Good ol’ Fox.

Groening is also prodded into answering why the Simpsons characters are yellow, which also has very little to do with human being pigments. Groening’s train of thought was that the bright colors would catch potential viewers’ eyes as they were channel surfing. (A series would now have to make a channel guide’s programming grid block attractive to draw the same kind of attention.) This was 25 years ago, of course, at a time when an animated series during the primetime hours hadn’t been a major success since the Flintstones era. You can find just about anything on TV these days, however, though still not too many gay, black manservants.

Considering how many throwback ideas The Simpsons is employing as of late, from crossover episodes to bringing back their original Tracey Ullman Show incarnations, I wouldn’t be surprised if “black Smithers” came back to the series in some form before it’s finished with.

Head to the next page to check out the awkward interview in its entirety.

Forget fictional anniversaries, Futurama first aired fifteen years ago today (March 28, 1999), so let's all wish Matt Groening's (superior) animated series a happy birthday!

Well, as happy as an off-air birthday can be, especially since the comedy was shown the door not that long ago. Of course, that wasn't the first time it had been cancelled (having been dropped by Fox before making four movies and being resurrected by Comedy Central) so perhaps life still exists for Futurama on yet another network? It's possible. Groening and co-creator David X. Cohen have made it clear they have more stories to tell.

And good news everybody, whether or not they find another permanent home, the Planet Express crew will definitely be back at least once more thanks to the upcoming cross-over with The Simpsons. Ever since Groening's second animated comedy made its debut, fans have wanted to see the characters from his two different shows share the screen à la The Jetsons Meet the Flintstones and that dream will soon be a reality.

The special event was announced at last year's Comic-Con, discussed at both the Futurama panel and The Simpsons', and was originally planned as either the latter's 25th season finale or 26th season premiere. It's now set for sometime this fall and seems to be a play on The Terminator. Wow. 26 years. Even if the sci-fi comedy doesn't come back for good, at least Futurama never overstayed its welcome and we'll always have its two wonderful series' finales ("The Devil's Hands Are Idle Playthings" and "Meanwhile") as consolation. Not to mention the 122 other episodes and four feature-length films.

The series' consistent brilliance always amazed me, with the writers churning out plots as silly as they were smart (and they were very smart... like scientifically sound smart). Futurama also became known for it's unique ability to tell really emotional stories despite being 'just' an animated comedy. I once picked "The Problem With Popplers as my favorite episode, arguing largely that since it's the funniest installment, it must be the best, but if I had to choose again, I might choose one of the tear-jerkers like "Jurassic Bark," "The Luck of the Fryrish" or "The Late Phillip J. Fry."

To quote Fry from the final-final installment, "what do you say, want to go around again?" All 'ten seasons' of Futurama are on Netflix.

Futurama fans shouldn't stray too far since Matt Groening's The Simpsons is on deck. Entering its, holy crap, 24th season, the panel will be moderated by David Mirkin (a former exec-producer) and includes the voice of Lisa, Yeardley Smith, as well as Groening, executive producer Al Jean and supervising producer Mike Anderson.

12:48 p.m. Mirkin takes the stage to intro the event. Anderson takes the stage and it's just the two of them for the next hour. Okay, he's kidding. Mirkin is doing a bit of schtick and brings out he's former co-worker at The Garry Shandling Show, Al Jean. When Groening comes out, he presents the Icon Award (he received it at the Futurama panel) to himself! Lastly, Smith comes out and is introduced as the 'heart and soul' of the show.

12:53 Smith took a helicopter to get here but couldn't even get passed the security of SDCC without her credentials. Even after saying she's Lisa Simpsons... 'no ma'am.'

12:54 The next Simpsons movie is coming out right at the end of the panel! The short film The Longest Daycare will be premiered (in 2D, see it in 3D before Ice Age 3) but first the first act of this year's Treehouse of Horror which nicely deals with the recent discovery of the Higgs Boson! Higgs Boson everybody!

1:02 The segment was actually really funny and beautifully animated. I haven't really been that into the show in some time but this was great!

1:03 Fan questions! The first is whether they would do a Broadway musical because the songs have been so great and important to the series. They have no plans for that but Groening does want to record Dan Castellaneta reading Homer's "The Illiad" and "The Odyssey."

1:05 The next question is whether they will ever make permanent changes to the show, like having the kids age or something. Groening says that Bart has been 10 for 24 years and in the next season he will have a birthday and turn... 10 again. So, no. They do bring up how Lisa became a Vegetarian and the fact that it stuck, thanks to Paul McCartney's insistence.

1:07 A young girl asks if Groening's initials are on Homer's head so he requests a easel to show us. And yes, the original way he drew Homer has an 'M' as his hair line and a 'G' for the ear. It looks pretty great and the girl gets to take it with her. Mirkin says how smart that Q was since she made some money!

1:10 Can Groening do any of the voices? After a horrible attempt at, uh, someone, he admits that he used to do the pacifier sounds when the series was still on The Tracy Ullman Show. They rest of the panel tries their hand a few and Smith's impression of Lisa is spot on!

1:13 Will there ever be a 'McBain' short? They throw it to the crowd to see if they'd rather see an 'Itchy and Scratchy' short or a 'McBain' short and the crowd cheers louder for 'McBain' so of course, the panel chooses 'Itchy and Scratchy.'

1:15 Groening is a huge fan of Adventure Time and the creator actually visited his house as a boy and whatever advice he gave must have worked. He then recommends going to the Adventure Time stuff at the Con. He's also a fan of The Regular Show, everything Fox does and Futurama.

1:16 Special surprise guest? Who was one of the best guest stars they've had? Do you like Star Wars? Carrie Fisher! Princess Leia is in the building holding a giant foam Duff can. Al Jean has to remind Mirkin that she was never on the show. 500 eps and no Leia. That's it folks! Time for the short!

“Springfield, Springfield, it's a hell of a town! The schoolyard's up and the shopping mall's down...”

?There appears to be some confusion over the recent revelation regarding the town in which the Simpsons reside. For years, people have wondered where The Simpsons’ Springfield was. Given the number of years the Fox animated comedy has been on the air, and the numerous Springfields across the U.S., it’s not surprising that people would want to debate the whereabouts of the town. In a recent interview with Smithsonian.com, series creator Matt Groening spoke about Springfield, stating:

?Apparently, the emphasis there should be that Springfield was named after Springfield, Oregon.

TV Guide quotes Groening as saying:

In addition to the nod to Citizen Kane, he makes a fair point. He doesn't exactly say that the town is set in Oregon.

Executive producer Al Jean told TV Guide that Groening’s comment was misinterpreted and then repeated, going on to say that Springfield is really an every town...

So it seems we must accept (at least for now) that Springfield’s true location is Fox, and in the hearts and minds of fans who’ve stuck by the series over the last couple of decades...

What we do know about Springfield?

?“...It’s a hell of a town!....”

The town of Springfield, where all the action happens in The Simpsons, has come to feel indelibly real over the years, to the point that you feel like you could pop into the Kwik-E-Mart or get a job at Mr. Burns's power plant. But you'd have a hard time getting there in real life, since over its 23-year-run The Simpsons has coyly refused to reveal its location-- and creator Matt Groening has told everyone offering guesses that they're right over the years, keeping the mystery alive. Until now.

Well, kind of. In an interview in the upcoming Smithsonian Magazine, Groening reveals that the inspiration for his fictional town was in fact Springfield, Oregon, near where he grew up in Portland. The real inspiration, in fact, was the setting of the 50s TV show Father Knows Best. Here's how Groening explains it in the interview:

The interview covers a lot more terrain from there, and if you're only a casual fan of The Simpsons like I am, you might be surprised by what it contains-- I had no idea, for example, that Groening's own sisters are named Lisa and Maggie, and his father is named Homer. It's also a good read for residents of Portland, as Groening talks a lot about what it meant to grow up in the Northwest, and why he tried-- at first, at least-- to name all the characters on The Simpsons after streets in Portland.

There has been a lot of discussion Futurama’s return to television with a with a new voice cast. And here at Comic Con in Ballroom 20, anticipation was building about how it would be handled during the Futurama panel. The answer is… not so much.

The panel started with Hypno Toad telling us that there was no problem at Futurama and everyone should ignore the fact that there were no actors on the panel. Matt Groening came out and started with a serenity prayer type thing that included loving thoughts to both the Futurama actors and Fox execs. The basic point of the whole panel was that the writers and producers didn’t have any problem with the actors and hoped they would be part of the show soon.

Seemingly to kill time, there was a fake behind the scenes featurette shown that tried to convince us that Lauren Tom does everything on the show (writer, producer, music, all the voices). It was pretty funny. It seems like something that they just took off one of their DVD’s and maybe they did.

A joke that fell really flat involved the writers reading note cards of mildly amusing things which were said in the writers’ room over the year. It took about 10 minutes and while not as unfunny as anything on The Cleveland Show panel, it wasn’t great.

During the question and answer, they let loose some plot points of upcoming episodes, assuming they ever record them with voice actors.

These include:

• Fry goes into the future in a time machine that only goes forward. He can’t go back so he keeps going forward trying to find a time machine that goes back.
  
  
• A parody of Prop 8, with Bender and Amy wanting a robosexual wedding. There is a Prop Infinity attempt to stop them.
  
  
• Zack and Leila will be stranded on a planet.
  
  
• Mom controls Twitter in the future.
  
  
• Co-Creator David X. Cohen says that the tv show would have “literal rebirth” and we should hide our eyes when it comes.
  
  
• Zoidberg and the Professors original meeting, where you see why Zoidberg was hired.

Cohen ended the panel with a comment about everyone keeping their fingers crossed and hoping for the best as it relates to the actors.

Matt Groenig’s other (and funnier) animated series, the one that’s not The Simpsons, is getting a movie… sort of. If you count direct to DVD that is. I don’t. Let’s just call this a “feature”. The show was cancelled several years ago, and has lived on in late-night re-runs shown on Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim every since. It belongs back on television as a regular series (might I recommend replacing American Dad/), but until then at least Fox is giving us this.

Futurama’s first direct-to-DVD adventure is called Futurama: Bender’s Big Score, and is one of four such features Fox has planned. It hits DVD on November 27th, and here’s how Fox describes it: “In this all-new, feature-length epic, evil nudist aliens send Bender on a rampage through time, forcing him — slightly against his will — to steal all of Earth's priceless historic treasures. Will the heroic Planet Express crew save the planet? Will Leela find true love? Will the ancient and terrible secret of Fry's buttocks be exposed? All will be revealed in Futurama: Bender’s Big Score, the greatest adventure of our time, and also the greatest adventure of several other times! In the words of a certain beer-fueled robot . . . “We're back, baby!”

Yep, sounds like Futurama. Prepare to laugh off your ass.

In addition to the feature they’re including various commentary tracks with the cast and crew, a “Futurama” mind shattering math lecture; character and design sketches, deleted scenes, and TV commercials from the future. Also included is an animated spoof promo for a Bender and Al Gore version of An Inconvenient Truth. The DVD is supposed to be environmentally friendly so Gore is actually providing his own voice for it. More importantly, there’s also a full new episode of Futurama on the disc. It’s called “Everybody Loves Hypnotoad”. Heck, I’d buy the DVD just for the new ep. This much content may put me into a coma of the future.