Animated classic Futurama has a surprisingly turbulent history with television networks, especially considering its long-standing popularity. Created by Matt Groening and developed by David X. Cohen, the sci-fi comedy series spent its original Fox run dealing with constant scheduling issues. They also faced an early cancellation that left entire episodes unaired. Strong DVD sales and fan support eventually brought the series back as a set of direct-to-video movies, paving the way for a full revival.

Futurama’s Comedy Central revival began in earnest with Season 6. The first new episode, titled “Rebirth,” starts with a cold open narrated by Bender, immediately acknowledging the show’s history by announcing that viewers would forget the series was ever canceled “by idiots” and later revived “by bigger idiots.” Unfortunately, the insult proved too sharp and pointed, even hurting the feelings of the network execs enough for them to remove it entirely.

The Futurama Joke That Didn’t Survive the Revival

Though the joke in question existed only briefly, it was an excellent distillation of Futurama’s relationship with the networks. Seen in the original U.S. broadcast of “Rebirth,” Bender’s one-liner explicitly frames the show’s death and renaissance as the result of incompetence by the networks, poking fun at both Fox and Comedy Central. While it was meant in good fun and a great example of the referential humor the show does so well, the line in question apparently had a little too much truth to it. It remains a mystery whether Fox or Comedy Central requested the revision, but fans have speculated it was the show’s former network. 

In all subsequent airings, including reruns and the Futurama: Volume 5 DVD, the opening joke was replaced with Bender announcing a test of “the Emergency Hypnotoad System.” With Hypnotoad already one of the show’s most recognizable gags, it was a safe, network-friendly sub that allowed them to swap out the insult without much commotion. Thankfully, the original opening wasn’t erased, and you can still find it on the DVD’s bonus features. 

Bender’s “by idiots” and “bigger idiots” wasn’t the only Futurama lines to get the axe, however. In the series premiere, “Space Pilot 3000,” Fry originally overhears a man entering a people tube bound for “JFK Jr. Airport.” After John F. Kennedy Jr.’s fatal plane crash in 1999, the line was replaced with “Radio City Mutant Hall” for all later broadcasts and home releases. Additionally, after Fox received complaints about the violence in Season 2’s “Xmas Story,” the network delayed airing “A Tale of Two Santas” for a full year, so it could be moved to a later time slot, despite being a continuation of the story.

As Matt Groening later noted, Futurama was never designed for young kids, regardless of its animated format. And despite the myriad challenges Futurama faced along the way, it’s still going strong with yet another revival, this time on Hulu, and its status as an animated classic has long been cemented. 

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