The Fry Theory That Would Change Everything On Futurama
It seems that no matter what time in history we live in, fan theories will never go away. That certainly seems to be the case for the far-out animated sci-fi comedy series, "Futurama." Crafted by "The Simpsons" and "Disenchantment" creator Matt Groening, the show takes place in the 31st century and follows the wacky misadventures and antics of a space delivery crew as they navigate different planets, characters, and an ever-evolving future.
With 140 episodes spread across a whole ten different seasons, "Futurama" routinely won the praise of critics all over the world. Indeed, not only does the series hold a 94% average audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, but it is also the winner of six Emmy Awards. In the years since "Futurama" went off the air, the fanbase's enthusiasm for the series hasn't disappeared either. Throngs of fans continue to remember the show's plethora of quotable moments, memorable storylines, and beloved characters on the subreddit r/Futurama.
It only seems natural that a science fiction show with such a devoted fanbase would birth a host of fan theories. Whether they put the world of "Futurama" in question or try to decipher the secret behind a character's progression, there's no shortage of elaborate and passionate ideas from fans of the beloved show. Unsurprisingly, one of the most popular "Futurama" theories has to do with both the world-building of the series and its main character Philip J. Fry (Billy West).
Is it all in Fry's head?
Some fans believe that Fry's adventures in the 31st century are the result of him falling into a coma before the main events of the series. Interestingly, the evidence for this idea is actually stronger than some might think. In the show's pilot episode, Fry is mistakenly cryogenically frozen after he leans back in a chair and tumbles into a machine.
The theory states that Fry actually received a concussion as a result of his fall. Furthermore, this theory proposes that instead of languishing in a piece of ice for more than a millennium, Fry's various misadventures are simply taking place in his head as he recovers from the wound. To many fans, the process of accidental cryogenesis simply requires too many coincidences to make much sense. Of course, the fact that many of Fry's dreams come true in the 31st century also contributes to this idea. A man out of time, Fry is able to achieve greatness in the future world, including finding the woman of his dreams, meeting celebrities, and traveling amongst the planets.
In a post to Reddit, u/nrl0918 pondered even deeper questions about some of the nuances of the theory. This user theorized that Fry was sent to the hospital after hitting his head. As a result, whenever Fry's parents appear in the show, this means that they are actually trying to awaken him from his coma. Notably, this user also had an explanation for the end of the series. According to this user, Professor Farnsworth's offer to restart everything for his ancestor simply means that Fry is finally awakening from his coma.
It might be a bit of a stretch, and even some of the writing staff on some of Matt Groening's shows don't take fan theories too seriously (via WireTap), but it nevertheless asks important questions about the inner psyche of everyone's favorite orange-haired delivery boy.