The Planet Express Romance That Most Futurama Fans Don't Remember
Futurama has an odd talent for yanking comedic tragedy from the lives of its hapless crew members. From Leela's search for her parents to Fry's run-ins with the people and places he left behind after he traveled to the future, the show has never shied away from mixing sad with funny, making the audience laugh through their tears. The show always balances punchlines with heartache, and there was plenty of the latter as the show faced multiple cancellations.
So it is with our mysterious romantic couple. Though their romance is floated as a joke during one particular episode, their connection is nonetheless profound and star-crossed. From two different worlds, their love is forbidden but true, special but wrong enough to warrant a laugh from the audience. Although their affair ends in a single episode and is never mentioned again, it manages to touch viewers in that special Futurama way.
If you aren't a Futurama superfan, you may have forgotten about this ill-fated romance.
Futurama has its own Romeo and Juliet
During the season 6 episode "The Prisoner of Benda," the chole crew of the Planet Express switches brains and hops heads with total freedom. Fry and Leela, now officially dating, end up in the respective bodies of Professor Farnsworth and Dr. Zoidberg, and they dare each other to continue with their romance. The situation turns into a lot of fun for both, and they end up getting much more intimate than you may have expected.
The most tragic of romances happens to two other characters. Eventually, Amy's brain is swapped with Scruffy's electric cleaning device, Washbucket, who uses this to her full advantage. Appearing in Scruffy's cinder block apartment in the Planet Express' boiler room wearing lingerie, she approaches Scruffy and declares that she has always loved him.
Even though they kiss, Scruffy pushes Washbucket away. He explains that they're too different. Washbucket explains that now that she is in Amy's body, they can run away and they can be "whoever they want to be." Scruffy stands firm and rejects her one more time. As she runs off, he bursts into tears and slumps onto his bunk, bringing the surprisingly poignant scene to a close.