Futurama season 6 explained

Season Number:6
Bgcolour:
  1. FF6052
Network:Comedy Central
Num Episodes:26
Prev Season:Season 5
Next Season:Season 7
Episode List:List of Futurama episodes

The sixth season of Futurama originally aired on Comedy Central from June 24, 2010, to September 8, 2011, and consisted of 26 episodes. The season marks the change of networks from Fox to Comedy Central.[1]

The first 13 episodes (known as Season 6-A[2]) aired during 2010, and the remaining 13 episodes (known as Season 6-B[2]) aired during 2011.[3] This makes the episode "The Futurama Holiday Spectacular" the mid-season finale, despite airing almost twelve weeks after Futurama 100th episode.[4] The final episode of the season, "Reincarnation", aired on September 8, 2011 as a three-segment non-canonical special after the official season finale.[5]

The first 13 episodes of the season have been released on a box set called Futurama: Volume 5, on DVD and Blu-ray Disc. It was released in the United States and Canada, on December 21, 2010, and on UK DVD on boxing day 2011.[6] The remaining 13 episodes are available on a box set called Futurama: Volume 6, which was released in the United States and Canada on December 20, 2011.[7] Both volumes have all episodes ordered in production order as was the case with Volumes 1 - 4.

Production

With the future of the series uncertain at the time of production, the final of the four film releases that comprise Season 5 was designed to stand as the series finale. However, both Matt Groening and David X. Cohen had expressed a desire to continue the franchise in some form, possibly a theatrical film.[8] Shortly before the films concluded airing in their episodic form, 20th Century Fox announced that Comedy Central had picked up the show for 26 new half-hour episodes that began airing on June 24, 2010.[9] [10] [11]

Due to budget concessions, the number of returning writing staff had to be reduced.[12] Initial voice actor contract talks resulted in a dispute, with 20th Century Fox reportedly refusing to meet the cast's demands for $75,000 per episode.[13] The claim was strenuously denied by members of the cast, and on July 17, 2009 Fox announced that auditions would be held to recast the characters.[14] Groening and Cohen had no part in the discussions, with the former stating "we hope that Fox and the actors can come to an agreement as soon as possible."[15] It was speculated by some in the media that this was merely a ploy in order to get the cast to agree to Fox's offer, citing a similar situation with the cast of The Simpsons as a previous example.[16] The dispute resulted in the voice cast being unable to attend the Futurama booth at Comic Con 2009. However, a deal was struck and on July 31, 2009, it was announced that the full original voice cast would be returning.[17]

Groening, Cohen and the cast expressed extreme optimism for the return of Futurama, with Katey Sagal and Phil LaMarr claiming that the new season's episodes are "hysterical" and "the best yet".[18] Commenting on the revival, Groening revealed that several plots for the upcoming episodes had actually been devised during or even before the original run of the series. Groening has also explained that he had been inspired by J. J. Abrams' Star Trek film, and had even considered rebooting Futurama, before opting for a "rebirth".[19]

"Overclockwise" was originally written to serve as an open-ended series finale, much in the way that the season 4 episode "The Devil's Hands Are Idle Playthings" and the film Into the Wild Green Yonder were produced, in case the show did not get renewed.[20] [21] It was eventually announced on March 24, 2011, that the show was renewed by Comedy Central for a seventh production season.[22]

Episodes

See also: List of Futurama episodes. Comedy Central chose to air the second half of this season out of the intended production order. This list is depicted in production order as this is the order used in Volume 6 and intended by the producers.[23]

Home releases

Futurama Volume 5
Set details[24] Special features
  • Optional commentaries for all 13 episodes
  • Deleted and extended scenes
  • "Bend it Like Bender" featurette
  • "Previously On..." featurette
  • "Fry's Crudely-Drawn Comic Book – The Crudely Animated Edition" featurette
  • "Behind the Fungus: Makin' a Hit Song" featurette
  • "The Prisoner of Benda" table read
  • Hidden Concept Drawings Of "Delivery-Boy Man" Easter egg (media)
  • Hidden Bender audio outtake Easter egg (media)
Release dates
Region 1Region 2Region 4
December 21, 2010December 26, 2011[25]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: "FUTURAMA" RETURNS TO PRODUCTION WITH AN INITIAL ORDER OF 26 NEW EPISODES TO PREMIERE MID 2010. dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110605180836/http://www.comedycentral.com/press/press_releases/2009/061009_futurama_returns.jhtml . June 5, 2011.
  2. Web site: COMEDY CENTRAL® RENEWS "FUTURAMA" FOR 26 NEW EPISODES . March 29, 2011 . March 30, 2011. April 5, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110405101048/http://www.comedycentral.com/press/press_releases/2011/032811_futurama-renewed-for-26-new-episodes.jhtml. live.
  3. Web site: Back To The FUTURAMA W/ Co-Creator David X. Cohen . Steve . Fritz. December 10, 2009. October 18, 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20091018045604/http://www.newsarama.com/tv/091015-Futurama-Cohen.html. live.
  4. Web site: TV: Back to the 'Futurama'. June 25, 2010. July 13, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110713050736/http://inthisweek.com/view.php?id=2373291. live.
  5. Web site: 'Futurama' Producer David X. Cohen Talks Holiday Special . September 19, 2010 . September 29, 2010. May 27, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110527211629/http://tv.yahoo.com/news/article/ustv.associatedcontent.com/ustv.associatedcontent.com-futurama-producer-david-x-cohen-talks-holiday-special. live.
  6. Web site: Futurama Volume 5 Blu-Ray announced . October 8, 2010 . November 8, 2010. October 22, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20101022030636/http://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=5272. live.
  7. Web site: Rio, Glee S2, Modern Family, Simpsons, Futurama and More Coming to Blu-ray from Fox . Chris . Chiarella . June 30, 2011 . June 30, 2011. April 26, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150426185413/http://www.bigpicturebigsound.com/Rio-More-Glee-Modern-Family-Simpsons-and-Futurama-Coming-on-Blu-ray-from-Fox.shtml. live.
  8. Web site: Futurama Animators Roll 20-Sided Die With Bender's Game . Wortham . Jenna . November 4, 2008 . Wired.com . February 28, 2009 . October 12, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131012045827/http://www.wired.com/underwire/2008/11/futuramas-anima/ . live.
  9. Web site: 'Futurama' Returns to Production with an initial order of 26 New Episodes to Premiere Mid 2010 . Press Central Comedy Central Press Release . June 10, 2009 . June 24, 2009. dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110605180836/http://www.comedycentral.com/press/press_releases/2009/061009_futurama_returns.jhtml . June 5, 2011.
  10. It's official: 'Futurama' is reborn! . https://web.archive.org/web/20090611192020/http://ausiellofiles.ew.com/2009/06/its-official-futurama-returns.html . dead . June 11, 2009 . . June 9, 2009 . June 9, 2009 . Ausiello, Michael.
  11. Web site: Futurama Return Made Official . . Goldman, Eric . June 9, 2009 . June 10, 2009. September 8, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120908100654/http://www.ign.com/articles/2009/06/09/futurama-return-made-official. live.
  12. News: 'Futurama' returns with new episodes . . June 9, 2009 . June 14, 2009 . Schneider, Michael . June 14, 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20090614060902/http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118004722.html?categoryid=14&cs=1. live.
  13. Web site: 'Futurama' without original voices? . Variety . Schneider, Michael . July 17, 2009 . July 18, 2009 . July 20, 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090720195141/http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118006123.html?categoryid=14&cs=1 . live.
  14. Web site: Futurama to get recast? . A.V. Club . Phipps, Keith . July 17, 2009 . July 18, 2009 . July 20, 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090720071015/http://www.avclub.com/articles/futurama-to-get-recast-updated-and-updated-again,30532/ . live.
  15. Web site: Groening speaks about new 'Futurama' . Maxwell, Erin . Variety . July 25, 2009 . July 26, 2009.
  16. Web site: Clarification on the 'Futurama' recasting reports . Hitfix . Fienberg, Daniel . July 17, 2009 . July 18, 2009 . July 20, 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090720070351/http://www.hitfix.com/blogs/2008-12-6-the-fien-print/posts/2009-7-17-clarification-on-the-futurama-recasting-reports . live.
  17. Web site: Futurama Voice Cast Returning! . July 31, 2009 . March 16, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20100316190858/http://tv.ign.com/articles/100/1009858p1.html. live.
  18. Web site: Futurama Cast News Round Up . February 11, 2010 . June 16, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20100616044118/http://voiceactors.wordpress.com/2010/02/11/futurama-cast-2/. live.
  19. Web site: David X. Cohen spills some dark matter on Futurama's future . TV Squad . Gallagher, Danny . June 13, 2009 . June 13, 2009 . June 16, 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090616083201/http://www.tvsquad.com/2009/06/13/david-x-cohen-spills-some-dark-matter-on-futuramas-future . live.
  20. Web site: Exclusive Interview: 'FUTURAMA' CO-CREATOR DAVID X. COHEN BLOWS OUT THE 100TH EPISODE CANDLE AND TALKS ABOUT THE SEASON SIX FINALE . If . September 1, 2010 . March 19, 2012 . Cortez, Carl . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100907171942/http://ifmagazine.com/feature.asp?article=3955 . September 7, 2010 . Archived by Wayback Machine from the original on September 7, 2010.
  21. Web site: Exclusive: Futurama Creator Spills on Special Last, Last Episode! (Page 3) . UGO . June 22, 2010 . August 25, 2010 . Zalben, Alex . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110615043537/http://www.ugo.com/tv/futurama-david-x-cohen-interview?page=3 . June 15, 2011.
  22. Web site: Comedy Central Renews 'Futurama' for 26 More Episodes . https://web.archive.org/web/20110429094127/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2011/03/24/comedy-central-renews-futurama-for-26-more-episodes/86949 . dead . April 29, 2011 . TV by the Numbers . March 24, 2011 . March 24, 2011 . Seidman, Robert.
  23. Web site: Futurama, Vol. 6 (2011) . . January 3, 2011 . October 27, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201027172603/https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005QIOJUI . live.
  24. Web site: Futurama Volume 5 DVD . 20th Century Fox . November 30, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20110716035159/http://foxshop.seenon.com/detail.php?p=280797&ecid=AFF-7975437&AID=527534224&PID=2187177&pa=affcj. July 16, 2011. dead.
  25. Web site: Futurama: Season 5 . . August 19, 2013. August 26, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130826145808/http://www.jbhifionline.com.au/dvd/dvd-genres/comedy/futurama-season-5/656064. live.
  26. http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Futurama-Volume-5-Blu-ray/35277/ Blu-ray.com: Futurama - Volume 5 [Blu-ray<nowiki>]] Web site: Futurama: Season 5 Blu-ray (Australia) . October 27, 2020 . October 27, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201027172802/https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Futurama-Season-5-Blu-ray/35277/ . bot: unknown .
  27. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Futurama-Season-Blu-ray-Billy-West/dp/B005QIYTQM/ Amazon.co.uk: Futurama - Season 5 [Blu-ray<nowiki>]] |align="center" | March 28, 2012[26]
  28. Web site: Futurama: Season 6 . . January 9, 2012. January 9, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120109073054/http://www.jbhifionline.com.au/dvd/dvd-genres/animation/futurama-season-6/657296. live.
  29. http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Futurama-Volume-6-Blu-ray/35278/ Blu-ray.com: Futurama - Volume 6 [Blu-ray<nowiki>]] Web site: Futurama: Season 6 Blu-ray (Australia) . October 27, 2020 . October 27, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201027172748/https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Futurama-Season-6-Blu-ray/35278/ . bot: unknown .
  30. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Futurama-Season-Blu-ray-Billy-West/dp/B006TFRVUM/ Futurama - Season 6 [Blu-ray<nowiki>]] |align="center" | March 28, 2012[29]
  31. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Futurama-Season-DVD-Billy-West/dp/B006TFRMCY/ Futurama - Season 6 [DVD<nowiki>]] |align="center" | December 21, 2011[28] |-| colspan="3" align="center" | Blu-ray Disc release dates|-|align="center" | Region A|align="center" | Region B Europe|align="center" | Region B Australia|-|align="center" | December 20, 2011|align="center" | June 24, 2013[29]
  32. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Futurama-Season-DVD-Billy-West/dp/B005N8095U/ Amazon.co.uk: Futurama - Season 5 [DVD<nowiki>]] |align="center" | November 2, 2011[25] |-| colspan="3" align="center" | Blu-ray Disc release dates|-|align="center" | Region A|align="center" | Region B Europe|align="center" | Region B Australia|-|align="center" | December 21, 2010|align="center" | December 26, 2011[26] |}
    Futurama Volume 6
    Set detailsSpecial features
    • Optional commentaries for all 13 episodes
    • Deleted and extended scenes
    • "Professor Farnsworth's "Science of a Scene"" featurette
    • "Reincarnation Explained
    With Director Peter Avanzino" featurette
    Release dates
    Region 1Region 2Region 4
    December 20, 2011June 24, 2013[28]

    External links