How FUTURAMA Made the Perfect Pilot

[@Clay-puppy]

The only reason why I watch futurama is bender. I love my alcoholic robot husband

[@EnbyGaemer2005]

I would 100% watch Kiki talk about Futurama more.

[@daelen.cclark]

“The Sting” episode, especially.

[@FillyCheesteak]

@@daelen.cclark very trippy episode

[@wolfofthepride]

I'd love to hear her thoughts on Seymour.

[@wolfofthepride]

@@MrChinesename honestly, I don’t think Kiki identifies as either.

[@MrChinesename]

@@wolfofthepride “I’d love to hear her thoughts” - you

[@corduroycrook]

As far as pilots go futuramas pilot is one of the most memorable ive ever seen. I feel like animated series didnt normally do this much to establish its story and characters in its first episode which made this one stand out so much.

[@UngoogleableMan]

I absolutely adore Futurama. Remember the Star Trek episode when Leela asks Fry why star trek is so important to him and he says, "...but more importantly, when I didn't have any friends, it made me feel like I kinda did." That's exactly how I feel about Futurama. Fry, Leela, bender and the professor were my only friends for a good long period in my life. I love them to death, and your video made me very happy to revisit them. I'm glad you randomly popped up on my feed. Thank you.

[@Snaggums]

I’ve always been impressed with how Futurama somehow nailed its tone and characters and jokes perfectly from the very first episode. No growing pains you tend to see in most shows- it knew exactly what it wanted to be from the beginning.

[@Hulk1566]

Futurama handled Fry and Leela's relationship really well when going through dating other characters before dating each other, Fry's attempts to ask Leela out, and times where they break up. Through all of those things, they did wound up being together after both becoming more mature for themselves and in the end, they spent the rest of their lives married in a frozen timeline up until The Professor fixed the device and restarted everything all over again. This show is just quite phenomenal for all the right reasons.

[@mostawesomecomment6553]

I agree with the two glaring exceptions of Leela cucking Fry w/ Zap in season 7, and the episode where she is way too close w/ her ex on what is supposed to be alone time for her and Fry (on the vacation at the zoo)

[@subservemoth]

I hate how they randomly throw away their whole relationship for no explanation though?? 😭 like one episodes they'll be head over heels and then a few later it's like their arc together starts all over again

[@percyfinley5914]

I loved futurama as a kid too, it's one of the only shows I remember watching so vividly. My step dad and I bonded over it and I remember "movie nights" where we'd sit in the living room with some pizza or spaghetti and watch futurama until it was time for bed. It was and still is one of my favorite shows.

[@offbeatkiki]

I love that so much ❤️

[@PrimeParadiso]

I first saw the pilot when I was like 7 years old and it was such an eye opener to how much effort an artist can put into worldbuilding even for like a 30 min episode I was in awe Matt Greoning went from Simpsons to this

[@kaisim980]

me and my family saw the pilot literally the first day off the year, big futurama fan.

[@EnbyGaemer2005]

I remember watching the pilot around New Year's too. I remember having a Christmas tree in the room while watching the show. Can't recall if it was Eve or Day though.

[@unityedits3722]

So Futurama was one of those “not allowed to watch” shows as a kid that we definitely would sneak to watch anyway, but where I really got into the show was the first time my depression got real bad in college. I couldn’t make myself do much more than eat Panda Express and watch Netflix, and what just happened to be on Netflix at the time? I honestly don’t feel like I’m exaggerating to say that Futurama saved my life by being there for me at a time when I didn’t know how to let the people in my life do so

[@unityedits3722]

Btw if you ever plan on talking about Futurama again, I’d love to hear the episodes that hit hardest for you, emotionally (but like ones that are personal to you, if you’re okay sharing that, not so much the ones everyone thinks of like “Jurassic Bark” or “Game of Tones”)

[@wolfofthepride]

Futurama is legitimately one of my favorite series. Not every episode is perfect or nostalgic, but when it's good, it's really good.

[@MajorMechazawa]

10:10 Holy shit, you could even see Nibbler’s shadow in the commercials that aired before the show premiered; as a lifelong Futurama fan since 2003, thanks to the [adult swim] reruns, I’ve always wondered how many people caught on to this piece of foreshadowing the day the show debuted in 1999

[@RocketNinjaSlap]

I love Futurama! I also watched it as a kid, but during my final year of college (which was also the first full pandemic year) I was in a TV sitcom writing class where our final was taking a classmate's episode outline and writing the episode, and honestly, most of the pitches sucked, but there was a Futurama spec outline that I snatched up as soon as I saw it and getting to immerse myself in the world of the show during a really stressful finals season helped keep me from going completely insane.

[@VendettatheGreat]

I also have loved Futurama since I was a kid. This is my favorite animated show of all time. The complex ways they explore each character through new situations and interactions really adds dimension to them. And all of the nerdy humor has grown on me over time, with my career in academia and love for educational content boosting that feeling. I think Futurama is a show that has something for everyone, and I am counting the days until it and King of the Hill return.

[@MattDustyParker]

Futurama is definitely one of my favorite shows ever as well. I too crushed on Futurama characters as a kid, albeit mine was Amy Wong. Each and every one of the main cast is forever etched into my heart. This show has made me emotional throughout the years, no, decades of me watching it. I would tell anybody who would listen to watch this absolute gem. Here's hoping the next continuation lives up to the rest!

[@DanOWar55]

Even though you were intimidated to cover this show, you did a great job. I'd love to see more futurama videos from you.

[@tureba]

The "one million years" joke is incredible. It's short, matches the character and the situation, and fits perfectly in the pilot, helping us in getting to know Orange Joe.

[@giangeegibb]

I watched Futurama for the first time last year, and went into it basically blind apart from a few random clips here and there I'd seen on KZbin. The show is wonderful, and this pilot really sets up everything so so well. It's really incredible to me how strongly the characters and world are set up right off the bat. Also, I quote "my god... a million years" almost all the time, I think that joke is legitimately perfectly delivered and it never fails to make me laugh. Fantastic video as always!

[@julia340]

3:14 almost completely off topic but i absolutely LOVE final space with a phat passion

[@strawberry_gary]

Without a doubt one of my favorite cartoons on earth. I had a similar experience to you, watching it super young and being pretty confused but loving it all the same. It only got better as I got older and started understanding the magnitude of its sheer awesomeness. To this day I’ll put on a random episode while making dinner, hear a joke I never got as a kid, and die laughing. It’s a beautiful, complex, amazingly written show and it’s in the same caliber of wholesome moments and deep love as the early seasons of the Simpsons. Can’t watch Jurassic Bark without crying, or “do it for her” from the Simpsons. This show will ALWAYS have a special place in my heart.

[@curececelia2907]

I started watching Futurama last year as I transitioned out of college. For years I wasn’t allowed to watch the show because I lived in a household where we couldn’t watch adult cartoons until we were old enough to understand the jokes. The other Matt Groening shows, Simpsons and Disenchanted, were viewed by me before I got into the show. Well, one surgery later and a recovery period, I finished the whole show and loved it. While I was upset to not have watched it when I was younger, watching it older may be appreciate the love, care, and time it took to make a show as brilliantly entertaining as this one. I can pick any episode and laugh my butt off. So Futurama holds a special place in my favorite cartoons of all time list.

[@thomassencindiver]

I watch my first episode when I was 13, and I was instantly in love. It was wonderful to hear your joy of the show and quite funny that we share the same joke in the pilot as one of our favorite. Just the way he says: My god, a million years. It get's me laugh/crying every time. It is without a doubt the most loveable animated show, and that is all thanks to the wonderful writing of characters and the voice actors bringing them to life. I'm 34 today, and I still watch Futurama almost everyday. I put on an episode every night when going to bed and I have seen the show so many times now, that I'll do the lines with my head resting on the pillow, eyes closed and just enjoying the comfort that it brings. Thank you for covering Futurama, my favorite animated show of all time

[@WilliamTheMovieFan]

Great video! Futurama is one of the best shows ever made!! I'll say it. They don't make 'em like that anymore. It mixed comedy and drama better than most TV shows and movies that I have ever seen. Well done!

[@harriyanna]

the found family aspect>>>>>>>>>

[@offbeatkiki]

my favorite trope of all time

[@devernepersonal3636]

I just watched it late at night a times, i wasnt hardcore, even though technically i grew up with it. it would be on late at night on adult swim, and over time all the points you and JHOOOOOONNNNY 2 CELLLOOOOS have made kind of came to me, and eventually i found both of your channels. all of these videos make me want to watch the entire series back to back when it is all said and done eventually.

[@michaelpacinus242]

It made me fucking cry

[@simariocrossing]

I loved what I saw so far, I’m gonna keep watching

[@theluigifan1]

The Futurama pilot is easily one of the strongest pilots I’ve ever seen for… Any show, really. I loved Futurama as a kid for being the elusive Simpsons look-alike show I would catch glimpses of on Adult Swim before I was sent to bed but when I started watching it for real as an adult, I fell in love with it all over again for its great cast, juiced-up animation, clever writing, stellar voice acting, heartfelt moments and its overall vibe compared to other adult cartoons. It’s probably why I gravitated toward Inside Job. (God rest that show’s soul)

[@squidbean420]

This is a great video. It makes me so happy to see how loved Futurama is. It’s been one of my favorite shows since I first watched it about 10 years ago and with time it’s become my favorite animated show ever made. It holds a very special place in my heart, I love everything about it so much and I’m so excited for the new episodes.

[@kam4ran]

Just showed the pilot of the show to my friend a few weeks ago, it's crazy how pretty much all of the jokes hold up. The humor style is timeless and that's why Futurama will be one of the greatest animated shows of all time. Cannot WAIT for the reboot

[@Otaking009]

Excellent as always. I always can judge the quality of a show by the quality of the pilot. The better the pilot, the better the show is overall (since as you mentioned, that usually means all the themes and ideas the creators want to explore in the show are encapsulated in the pilot itself). And Futurama is no exception. Futurama is always one of those shows that if someone pops an episode on or I catch a bit on TV, I can watch it all the way through, because it will always be good to watch. And as a big fan, my only real gripe with the pilot is that it contains zero Scruffy (but that is as it should be, as Scruffy is always the first to get the axe). And speaking of which: the 'let me axe you a question' bit that they have for the whole run of the show is always a highlight for me. Thanks again for the video!

[@NadraiOCE]

I actually started crying a little bit at the end of the video when you were showing so many Fry and Leela moments. It cracked me.

[@offbeatkiki]

they're my fav

[@FriendlyNeighborhoodGeek99]

Love this series, glad it got a proper finale lol, great video as always!

[@capnbug]

Not just one proper finale, two!

[@derekbottoni2506]

@@capnbug Apparently there's gonna be a new season in 2023. So... three finales, eventually?

[@capnbug]

@Derek Bottoni i think itd be funny if it came back, got cancelled, then ended with no finale lol

[@SolanumStars]

I really enjoy seeing these retrospectives focused on the pilots as opposed to entire series retrospectives (which I also enjoy lol)

[@corduroycrook]

Just wanna say im really excited for this latest era of kiki videos. More adult series, more under appreciated series, more positive analysis!

[@John-bl4nt]

I've Loved Futurama since I found out about it in 2013 when I was twelve and I remember watching the first episode on my 3DS brings back a lot of nostalgic can't believe they're coming back in my twenties it feels so long ago I started this series when it ended and it just feels so long to Great serious and it got me into animation I wouldn't be anywhere I want like what I like and I probably wouldn't like a lot of anime

[@melindagustafson1832]

This is still one of my favorite shows of all time and Fry has honestly become one of, if not, my favorite characters in all of media because of how well he was written and his relationship with Leela still warms my heart to this day. Can't wait for the revival!!

[@beanieboyreviews]

I really loved hearing why this show is good. As well as what the series meant to you. You have convinced me to watch Futurama for the first time!

[@MintyMido]

this has made me decide to watch all of futurama thank you

[@cameronspalding9792]

The first futurama episode was shown on 28 March 1999, this was just 14 days after I was born

[@elegant.destiny]

One of my favorite shows of all time! I go back to this pilot a lot because it is a really good one. Great vid!

[@chrismic8087]

I'm so glad someone agrees! Futurama is my favourite western cartoon of all time and I've loved it, both at its best and its worst, ups and downs, since I was a child. Skeptical as I may be about a new season despite such a great finale, I'm always happy to see my favourite characters having more futuristic adventures.

[@mathieuleader8601]

Christopher Tyng's theme for the show makes it memorable and iconic

[@acialist]

very well done, love Futurama, love this series of videos you are doing and I look forward to seeing more.

[@samshughart3479]

bruh i hope you know how many future screen writers this will help! crazy good analysis!

[@offbeatkiki]

That means so much to me! Thank you!

[@unfortunatelyevil1767]

Love this series (Perfect Pilots)! The one I always think about is Bleach. That is, assuming you ignore the rest of the anime xD The set up of Rukia's power, both in how precise she is with it, and how much there is as demonstrated by Ichigo's overflowing when he accidentally takes it from her. Of course, that *would* be the case, if she got it back next episode, but he'd been marked as a shinigami, so she had to train him as he grew his own power. Instead, we get her being damseled for just so many episodes, and when she does get her power back, we find out that the first episode wasn't about Ichigo taking her power, but it was all his and her power just unlocked his power and short circuited her own :/

[@thatsiconic6403]

Love your videos!! What's your best advise on writing notes and scripting video essays?

[@aairbear7179]

Great video! Can't wait to see what show you tackle next

[@Mathue360]

This show was so inspirational, I grow up with it and rewatch constantly to relearn life lessons. Great job with the pilot!

[@carissamessina1908]

Futurama is MY FAVORITE animated show ever!!! Probably why this came across my recommended. I’m glad I clicked. I joined the Futurama sleepers Reddit a few months ago. I literally put this show on every night to sleep. I find it’s humor really helps me calm down from the day. I’ve introduced my son and niece to it. My son loves Bender. Who doesn’t? He’s the greatest!! Niece also loves this show.

[@Lildeadthing420]

when i went to go live with my grandma i started following the series as it reran on cc and it was such a comfort show. now almost a decade later im with my partner who lovesss the show and it makes me feel closer to him to have that common interest

[@ad-ll6he]

Thank you for the great video! Futurama's pilot, really the whole first season was such a great foundation for the rest of the show to build upon. Cautiously optimistic for the new episodes, it just ended so well in 2013 with Meanwhile.

[@GamerBoyDevin]

While I'm happy to see it's coming back again, Futurama felt like one of those "you had to be there" moments in tv. It came out at the perfect time with the perfect tone with a unique and colourful world.

[@lilyh7196]

I remember being a little kid, like 6, and seeing a poster of the show in my cousin’s room since I though Leela looked cool I asked if we can watch it. They said no because it was for adults. Then I was bored one summer when I was 13 and binged Futurama. I thought I was so old and cool since I was watching a “grown up show”. I still love the show and re-watch it every once in a while never realized how much it made me fall in love in Sci-fi :)

[@jasonguinn6075]

Futurama is awesomeness and thank you for your breakdown of the pilot. There are nuances here I hadn't considered until you pointed them out.

[@kenrickbautista6141]

1:38-1:41 since we're speaking aspirations, my lifelong dream is to be a professional TV series creator. Been writing up ideas and soon be making pilots out of them and pitching them to different networks. Wish me luck.

[@arih_rih]

good luck!!

[@kenrickbautista6141]

@@arih_rih thanks! 🙂

[@Patchouliprince]

I also grew up watching this with my dad! I lovvve this show the more I come to understand about it the better it gets so I’ve been able to rewatch it at different stages of my life

[@mathieuleader8601]

Fun Fact: at one point in time Futurama was going to have a very different title it was going to be known as Aloha Mars

[@PrsnmanGaming]

Dude, Futurama is my all-time favorite show. I, too, have loved it since i was a kid and I remember being really excited for its premiere having spent weeks watching the awesome looking ads that played during episodes of The Simpsons that my parents were watching.

[@yeontan6745]

This was the only adult show I was allowed to watch when I was a kid. I remember watching and rewatching the episode all the time, it’s a comfort show for me and I get rushes of nostalgia whenever I watch it

[@pokerynia]

I didn't watch TV anymore by the time Futurama started airing, so I didn't get to see it until Netflix had it. I watched it in the background all the way through, seriously, like 100 times.

[@offbeatkiki]

it's so bingeable

[@redcherry8137]

Thank you so much for your hard work

[@aurawolf2221]

I actually just started rewatching Futurama after a good few years & man... it still smacks today! I'm a little concerned about the new season but... you never know.

[@GRimRenji]

Always good to see someone else enjoy this TV series as much as I do. I now don't feel like a weirdo about it.

[@FlyBoyEnterprises]

Just a few seconds in, it really made me think about it as it never crossed my mind after watching it multiple times I reruns, it REALLY set the direction & tone for the series. If you re-watch knowing what you know now with the episodes that referenced the pilot episode, you really see the shadow of Nibbler in the Cryogenic Lab.

[@pastelskies99]

Man I had such a huge crush on fry back in like middle school and not much has changed. I love this show so much

[@CurtTheHero]

Excellent And it is a perfect pilot that sets it up well

[@idontwantahandlethough]

You should do Sully Sullenberger for your next episode.

[@buddyzilla4557]

He said "To another lousey millennium" and then he went there. Lol

[@austinsinger7565]

I finally watch the series back in 2021 and I love the series sooo much. I'd watch it on T.V. here and there but never the full episode. Watching them all from season 1 to season 7 has been an amazing journey. I'm so excited for season 8 to come out. I'd never thought we'd get more.

[@ember-fire7583]

I've loved Futurama since I was a kid as well, and have fond memories of watching it alongside my father after he got home from work on weekdays or even just on weekends alongside the Simpsons. It does feel odd to say, but while the jokes did also fly over my head most of the time I still fairly enjoyed the show, and it even helped me out in my early teenage years drawing wise where I really put my love for the show into a more visual form as I was learning how to do it. Now that I'm older, I'm happy that I can not only look back at my childhood years in this way and have fun, but re-watch it many times and still feel the same joy no matter how many years pass by. I love this video about the pilot, it sums it up in multiple ways so well and really highlights the reasons why even in the first episode it would hook people in and make them return to continue watching for years and honestly decades to come. I can't believe it's coming back (again) and express my love for this show alone, but I love that it's grown to impact so many all the over the world no matter how young or old!! That's not an easy feat by any means, but Futurama pulled it off and for that I'll always give it praise!

[@Arc115YT]

This show was my favorite adult animated series growing up. Still is. I watched the new stuff on Hulu and while it isn't as good as even the last season, everyone's back voicing these characters and it still feels like the same show, which I guess is all I needed cuz I love it. c: Fry has always been my favorite character and even though its been ten years, he still gets the big laughs from me. Although, nothing beats the feelings I got from my first viewing of Space Pilot 3000. As a kid, I was pretty lonely and I felt myself stagnating much like Fry. Now, that's pretty funny for a kid my age to think that way. (I was like 7 or 8 when I saw the show for the first time) And while I didn't realize it at the time, I identified a lot with Fry cuz I felt like he was in a comparable situation to me. I distinctly remember watching the show and thinking something along the lines of "Man, wish I could go to the future to escape my problems." However, this show also taught me that time marches ever on, and the people and things you love today may be gone tomorrow, so it'd be wise of me to appreciate them and live in the moment as much as possible. A great show. c: Glad they made more because I was jonesing for ten years.

[@AJPiersonToonParadise]

I ranked Futurama's premiere as #2 in my top ten list of series premieres. I personally agree with your thoughts on what a pilot should do. 1:32

[@GyroCannon]

Futurama, especially its early seasons, is forever some of the greatest animated comedy that has ever been made. I've been watching re-runs lately and it's just an obvious tier above the rest... even Rick and Morty I hope Hulu does it justice.

[@brendanblair64]

I'm so upset they cut that bike joke. This was a fantastic video! It got me to somehow appreciate one of my favorite shows even more!

[@HopelessHermit]

Great pick. My suggestions for pilots include Buffy, it's spin-off, Breaking Bad, to name a few.

[@michaelklaphake4093]

I didn't discover futurama until I was in college and it quickly became my favorite show ever. There are a lot of funny shows out there but nothing has ever been so funny with so much heart. Side note: Andor totally stole the hide in the fireworks while escaping from the futurama pilot

[@gamma9811]

Thank you for making such a caring and well made video on a series I’ve been in love with since as long as I can remember. Honestly seeing your style of editing and the energy you give to your videos i can definitely see you becoming massively popular on this platform and I hope the eventual success of this video and others inspires you to become one of the greats. Good luck on your journey and hopefully you get to create that series you dream of.

[@JolieDoggett]

such a great summary of what makes Futurama as a whole (and any good pilot) impactful. loved this! my fave futurama moment is probably when Fry and Leela go to Robot Hell to rescue Bender. Great music and also the Robot Devil is probably my fave robot in the show. (oh also when Hermes was going to jump off the Planet Express bldg and Bender yelled "do a flip!") Or maybe also when God reveals the secret to being all powerful... There are too many moments!!!

[@1jidion]

i love that not only is futurama coming back for a 3rd go (4th?) but king of the hill is also getting its first revival in god knows how long

[@anthonygillette]

Incredibly well written, your take is honestly fresh in a genre of video where everyone has talked about this show

[@konversion]

Ah geez, you referring to Futurama being a part of your childhood made me feel hella old because the show first dropped right after I turned 18.

[@MarshallAcosta]

It’s nice seeing editing mistakes in videos like this. Makes it more human. Having the tv up the whole time is a very nice touch

[@offbeatkiki]

this channel is a one man show - i proof my vids before i post but stuff happens

[@MarshallAcosta]

@@offbeatkiki all my videos have at least one mistake in em. Doesn’t feel right without them. Keep doing what you do Kiki. You do a great job at what you do, and this is my first ever watch from you. Keep it up. You have that twang

[@ykwhoo321]

i was named after leela from futurama by my dad but a different spelling. my mom didn’t know where it was from at the time. but i grew up watching it and ngl it means a lot to me.

[@DrSlaughterface]

Absolutely my favorite show ever

[@christopherb501]

Totes agree with the relationship thing. If not for the episode with Fry's dog, the one with the future-only time machine is the one that made me the most teary.

[@_cyber_man_]

Can't wait to see more Futurama.... The show was great, and I hope Hulu will do it justice.

[@geodaet83]

The first ep was truly practically perfect. It introduced the concept, had a great beginning and satisfying conclusion, set the tone perfectly and set up (most) characters perfectly. Well I used the term perfect a lot :-) I remember seeing this ep at a friend's a year before it aired in my country and first I thought "c'mon now they try to merge simpsons with Sci Fi" but that sentiment didn't last long and I think groening had even more passion for Futurama than Simpsons.

[@sonnysumo8172]

Another Iconic pilot. Can’t wait to see where else this series goes.

[@OvPdTurtle]

A Futurama video with the audio from Bimmer in the first 3 seconds? I'm hooked

[@anthonywafflesworth9072]

Late to this video but something I really loved was when the last episode aired and in the ending when they had to reset comedy central automatically played to first episode haha I loved that

[@offbeatkiki]

🩷 that's such a beautiful way to handle it. can't wait to see where the hulu series picks up!

[@StarForce99]

Futurama's pilot was essentially about individualism. Where the main characters try to make their own "reality" by finding their own meaning in life. Bender is trying to find something that'll make him unique amongst the many other robots who are built just like him, Leela is trying to find out her parents and her origin story of where she came from, and then you got Fry who is trying to find a purpose, friends, and a genuine love interest with a second chance at life. Literally the best pilot in any TV show imo.

[@XxCrystalPhoenix]

Thank you for playing the show's ad reels.

[@nickspectercool]

I like all the bumpers you implement in this video!

[@itscloverdoe]

omg i love this vid, please please make one about the good place's first episode!!! imo its one of the best pilots I've even seen

[@offbeatkiki]

i deffff will be talking about the good place tysm for watching

[@samfisher6606]

I really think Psych and Leverage should be in this series. They both do a great job establishing each show's respective procedural formula and they both do an excellent job establishing the show's ensemble character dynamics.

[@grimmrefertheJedi]

This show was my first fav cartoon

[@saintuk70]

Ok, I'm a generation above.... I was nearly 30 when it came out.... Futurama remains one of my fave shows, ever. Brilliantly written, at least first few cancellations, and cast too. Also, I love the theme. Best episode, perhaps, the one about the space honey.

[@fabianbandaiii3304]

My god. A million years. This joke makes me laugh randomly throughout the day 😂

[@nothingbut2465]

I know they're a slightly different tone to scrubs & futurama, but The walking dead and The man in the high castle both have amazing pilots I would love to see you cover!

[@RancidYogurt]

Futurama was a personal fav for me since day one! I stayed up late to watch the original premier as a kid, and as an adult I have a dog and cat named Bender and Fry 😊 Fry the cat also has a special brain like Fry in the show LMAO