FUTURAMA
Some cartoons were discontinued too quickly, and some cartoons have been around for at least a decade or longer. Unbelievably enough, “Futurama” falls under both headings. Fox cancelled “Futurama” in 2003 despite a devoted fan base. Comedy Central relaunched “Futurama” after three straight-to-DVD movies and the franchise’s sustained popularity, airing 52 more episodes until calling the Planet Express delivery service to a close in 2013.
The show was cancelled twice by dubious network officials, but it remained a more-or-less consistent presence in mass media for nearly 15 years. So all at once, “Futurama” is an unmitigated disaster and a smashing success!
Fresh “Futurama” episodes are unlikely unless you count Netflix’s “Disenchantment” “Meanwhile” concludes the narrative, this time for real. Everyone in the universe, save Leela, is frozen in time when Fry ruins a loving gesture. The star-crossed lovers will spend the rest of their time together in a state of blissful bliss. When it comes to saying goodbye to “Futurama,” the show requires two things, and “Meanwhile” offers both: A bucket of tears and a destroyed space-time continuum. We will see you later, the planet of tomorrow!
MISSION HILL
The WB experienced an identity dilemma shortly after “Mission Hill” debuted on the network in 1999. What Josh Weinstein and Bill Oakley intended to continue their work on “The Simpsons” turned out to be an incomprehensible nothingness. A humiliating rating disaster can linger on the edges of pop culture for more than 20 years thanks to the availability of repeats and home releases, as well as streaming services like Netflix and Hulu.
In Episode 13, the final episode of “Mission Hill,” a gay love storey is told without prejudices or patronization. Cinephiles will recognize that “Plan 9 From Mission Hill” is likewise replete with film nerd references. As long as you leave out the rental store humour, the movie geek jokes have held up remarkably well over the years. Happy to report that Gus and Wally, the pair at the centre of “Plan 9,” maybe returning to television. As far as we can tell, though, “Mission Hill” itself remains firmly rooted in the 1990s.
DARIA
Daria, MTV’s seminal teen anti-melodrama, concludes with “Boxing Daria,” the last 22-minute episode. “Is It College Yet?” is a 2002 television film about the titular character and her Lawndale High school foes. As far as “Boxing Daria’s” claim to be the official “Daria” series finale is concerned, it is possible to argue its legitimacy. When Glenn Eichler, the show’s co-creator, calls it a season finale, who am I to argue? In a 2019 reflection, Eichler told The Nerdist, “It was a nice way to wrap out the series.” “Like the movie, this episode ended the series.”
People who work in the live-action industry fear self-analysis. For cartoon people, it can be just as unsettling as when Deadpool breaks the fourth wall. As a member of the supporting cast of “Beavis and Butthead” in 1993, Daria Morgendorffer builds a personal brand by pointing out the shortcomings of those around her. The resurfacing of past trauma in “Boxing Daria” compels the protagonist to confront her inadequacies. Unfortunately, Daria’s parents don’t necessarily benefit from all that snark for us in the audience.
