Of every cartoon to hit the air in the time since the invention of TV itself, few are as consistently popular and culturally relevant as SpongeBob SquarePants.
Despite Futurama's animation pedigree, its stable of smart writers, and its impressive cast, the show nearly missed out on the crucial dynamics of one of its core relationships: that of time traveling protagonist Fry (voiced by Billy West) and Planet Express ship captain Leela (Katey Sagal).
Looper recently conducted a poll and asked the masses to cite which animated series is their absolute favorite of them all. Over 160,000 folks brought their opinions to the table, and the results of the data were rather surprising.
Thanks to a Reddit AMA with Rick and Morty co-creator Dan Harmon, we now know that Rick's flask is filled with something more wonderful, more magical, than science fiction nerds could ever dream of.
Of course, Rick Sanchez is the obvious answer to this inquiry, though several moments of profound vulnerability throughout the first four seasons may undercut his claim. Perhaps in light of his obvious fragility, Reddit went in an entirely different direction with a pretty unexpected choice.
In a universe as dense with historical, scientific, and pop culture references as Futurama, some elements are going to be a little more puzzling than others. And what's the deal with the buggalo, anyway?
Unfortunately, not every beloved character makes a return in "Obsidian," the newest episode of Adventure Time: Distant Lands, and there's even some evidence to suggest one of the most important heroes from the main series has passed away since the finale.
One invention of his that often goes unappreciated is his dark matter engine, a remarkable innovation that runs the Planet Express Ship and could literally change the universe.
X-Men: The Animated Series dazzled '90s viewers with action, drama, and real-world storytelling. So sophisticated is this cartoon, in fact, that a whole lot of it goes over kids' heads. We're here to explore those details aimed straight at X-Men's older audience.
When we think of Simpsons holiday adventures, we usually think of the annual Treehouse of Horror episodes ... but The Simpsons doesn't forget about Christmas.
Fans of Futurama know that the team behind the science fiction cartoon always put considerable effort into the production of each episode. And within each episode there are callbacks, Easter eggs, and layered jokes that can make viewers think twice about a line they just heard.
There's one thing about Sokka that doesn't quite add up, and it has to do with one of his most prominent traits: his cynicism. He's the kind of guy who likes to question everything going on around him, sarcastically or otherwise.
Futurama is almost as famous for its references and Easter eggs as it is for its social satire and humor. The show is funny, for sure, but it's also filled from start to finish with nods and callbacks. Some are simple, and easy to spot. Others are more obscure, and go years without being noticed.
Some fans have been apt to point out that an interesting visual motif cues this symmetry in Aang and Zuko's character arcs: their constantly evolving haircuts.
As we know from 'Bendin' in the Wind,' Bender malfunctions and starts singing folk songs when he's near a magnet. How can Bender wear the Flexo goatee if it's established magnets turn him into a folk singer?
The creators of both Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra spare no expense in weaving a vast, intricate narrative tapestry. All these little details can deepen fans' appreciation, and many may be things that went unnoticed the first time around. One such detail has to do with Toph.
In 2017, the cast and creators of Futurama fielded fan questions during a Reddit AMA. One of the more intriguing behind-the-scenes stories involved the writers' room taking two whole days to come up with a single line of dialogue. No one can say the writers ever phoned it in.
An alcoholic grandfather. A timid kid. And a universe of possibilities. There's a lot that Rick and Morty did correctly right from the start, and one of the most overlooked aspects of the show is its perfect theme song.
It's arguable that no other Avatar character changes as much as Zuko does in the course of the show, or faces a greater degree of tragedy. This one detail makes that story even more tragic than it was to begin with.
On the beloved animated comedy Futurama, there are plenty of clever background details that eagle-eyed enthusiasts could discover. But not everything within the world of Futurama was necessarily thought out perfectly