8x01 The Impossible Stream

[7.4/10] The most important thing about “The Impossible Stream” is that it feels like Futurama. After so many years off the air, the thing you worry about the most is whether a show loses its identity with all the time off. Candidly, it felt that way sometimes during the show’s Comedy Central run. This latest season premiere and re-pilot isn’t the series’ finest hour, and little details like Fry’s voice sounding more worn mean the hand-off is not seamless. But the jokes are on-brand; the characters feel like themselves, and the world of the show is as zany as ever. As Bender himself puts it, “We’re back, baby!”

In truth, I didn’t necessarily want the series to return again. I generally liked the Comedy Central run, but it was hit or miss, and most importantly, we got a superb, touching ending that left me satisfied without the need to ask for more. But the show uses the time-reversing conceit from the previous finale to reset things in a plausible way (or at least what counts for plausible on this wild show), and even let the calendar move so that the show can keep commenting on the present.

It ties nicely into the actual story of the episode, which sees Fry deciding to set a goal of watching every television show, and the rest of the Planet Express crew having to go to great lengths to try to keep him in his binge lest coming out of it kill him.

The episode has plenty of classic Futurama trademarks. There’s tons of self-referential humor and meta gags (see all the jokes about “Fulu” and cancellations.) The episode takes aim at one of Matt Groening’s favorite hobby horses -- television itself. And it stretches a current cultural practice like binge-watching to comical sci-fi extremes.

There’s plenty of good laughs and good lines, which is the most important thing for Futurama. The one-off gags and silly non-sequiturs all fit well. The digs at T.V. and cheap “content” are all potent, including the modern T.V. spoofs. And the show brings back plenty of familiar side characters for good one-off gags. The humor here is on point, which goes a long way.

In truth, there’s not much in the way of emotional investment here. It’s nice that Leela supports Fry and worries about him when he’s in his wild binge situation. But this is much more of a gag fest and wide-ranging Hollywood spoof than anything that wants you to take the characters or their relationships seriously. That’s all good for a comfortable, laugh-worthy return, but I hope the show remembers its heart a little more in the episodes to come.

I’ll be watching what’s to come, though! I remain a little leery about bringing this show back yet again, even as it’s a favorite. As Simpsons fans will tell you, it’s not always great to have even shows you love linger on forever. But if “The Impossible Stream” is any indication, then the new creative team still has what made the show enjoyable for so long. It may not be perfect, but I will, nevertheless, take a show that still very much feels like Futurama.