Hidden Treasures Unveiled: Unearthing Futurama's Top 30 Easter Eggs

Warning: The following contains SPOILERS for Futurama.

Summary

Futurama abounds with Easter eggs, encompassing allusions to other Matt Groening works, renowned literary works, and the realm of science fiction. Furthermore, the series frequently offers sneak peeks of future events and showcases significant characters through silent cameos prior to their actual speaking roles.

Futurama, the enduring animated series, is a treasure trove of Easter eggs. It cleverly pays homage to various pop culture icons, like Mystery Science Theater 3000, The Simpsons, and Weird Al Yankovic. Not only is it a nod to the earlier works of cartoonist Matt Groening, including The Simpsons and the comic strip Life In Hell, but it also includes subtle references to classic literature, science fiction, and even advanced mathematics. These hidden gems are intended to delight the well-read audience that Futurama was specifically created for.

Many episodes of Futurama can be enjoyed even more through repeated viewings. Although the show's continuity is not always consistent, especially when it comes to whether Futurama exists in the same universe as The Simpsons or not, there are several hidden surprises that hint at future events. Additionally, Futurama often sneakily showcases significant characters in brief cameos before they eventually have their first speaking role in later episodes. Here, we present a comprehensive list of 30 exceptional Futurama Easter eggs.

30 The Alien Languages

Like many other fantasy and science fiction series, Futurama also incorporates fictional languages into its storyline. Just as Star Trek introduced the Klingon language and Game of Thrones introduced Dothraki, Futurama features two distinct alien languages. Interestingly, these made-up languages are showcased through billboards and signs throughout the show, even in the opening credits. Among the various alien phrases displayed on these billboards, one particular phrase, once translated, humorously promotes "TASTY HUMAN BURGERS." However, it remains unclear whether these burgers are intended for consumption by humans or if they are actually made from humans themselves.

29 Blinky The Fish

Blinky the Fish, a three-eyed mutant fish, served as a mascot for The Simpsons in its early seasons. The prominent appearance of Blinky took place in the episode "Two Cars in Every Garage and Three Eyes on Every Fish," where Mr. Burns used his gubernatorial campaign as a cover-up for the mutations caused by his nuclear power plant on the wildlife in Springfield. Additionally, Blinky made a cameo in the pilot episode of Futurama, fleetingly appearing as Fry traveled through an underwater transport tube.

28 Matt Groening's First Cameo

Within the shows he created, cartoonist Matt Groening has made numerous appearances. One notable instance was when he portrayed himself as a head in a jar, serving as a host for a panel at Comic-Con 3010 in an episode of Futurama titled "Lrrreconcilable Ndndifferences." Nevertheless, Groening's non-speaking cameo in the pilot episode of Futurama, "Space Pilot 3000," went unnoticed by many. In that episode, his head can be spotted alongside Barbra Streisand and other famous personalities at the Head Museum.

27 Leela's Parents' First Appearance

26 Nibbler's Shadow

Left on the doorstep of an orphanage when she was just a baby, Leela grew up believing that she was an extraterrestrial abandoned on Earth. However, the truth about her origins was finally unveiled in the "Leela's Homeworld" episode of Futurama's fourth season. It was revealed that her actual parents were mutant humans who lived in the city's sewer system and made the difficult decision to give her up, hoping she would have a better life as an alien. This revelation had been hinted at two seasons earlier, in the "I Second That Emotion" episode of Futurama's second season, when Leela's parents could be briefly seen in the upper-left corner of a crowd scene during the Planet Express crew's exploration of the sewers beneath New New York.

It was revealed in the Futurama season 5 episode titled "The Why of Fry" that Nibbler and his race had been manipulating Fry throughout his entire life. In fact, it was Nibbler himself who caused the accident that resulted in Fry being trapped in a cryogenic chamber for 1000 years. This was done to ensure that Fry would survive and be able to assist the Nibblonians in their never-ending battle against the Brain Spawn. The foreshadowing of this revelation can be seen in the first episode of Futurama, "Space Pilot 3000," where Nibbler's shadow briefly appears just before Fry stumbles and falls into the cryo-chamber.

25 Honoring Phil Hartman

24 Mystery Science Theater 3000

In addition to his appearances on The Simpsons as Troy McClure and Lionel Hutz, comedian Phil Hartman had been selected to voice Zapp Brannigan on Futurama prior to his untimely death in 1998. To pay tribute to Hartman, the show took two meaningful actions. Firstly, the character Fry, who had yet to be bestowed with a first name, was dubbed Philip J. Fry in honor of Hartman. Moreover, actor Billy West, who replaced Hartman as Zapp Brannigan, skillfully emulated Hartman's distinctively smooth and deep voice, truly capturing his essence.

In the Futurama episode "Raging Bender," the Planet Express crew heads to the cinema. Fry, however, begins to disrupt the newsreel and is promptly hushed by two uniquely designed robots. These robots, reminiscent of Crow T. Robot and Tom Servo from the beloved cult comedy series Mystery Science Theater 3000, were featured in this episode. Mystery Science Theater 3000, known for its witty commentary on bad movies, had concluded its initial run by the time "Ranging Bender" first aired. However, both shows have since experienced multiple revivals, and Mystery Science Theater 3000 even boasts its own independently funded streaming platform.

23 To Serve Man

One of the more amusing recurring jokes in Futurama revolves around Bender the robot's ambition to become a skilled chef, despite lacking the ability to taste. Surprisingly enough, he actually holds the position of chef on the Planet Express ship, occasionally donning an apron emblazoned with the phrase "To Serve Man." This nod references a renowned science fiction tale written by Damon Knight, which subsequently became an episode of The Twilight Zone in 1962. The story centers on a seemingly altruistic alien race that visits Earth, with their book entitled "To Serve Man" turning out to be a cookbook in the end.

22 Go, Ladybuggle, Go!

In the Futurama season 5 episode "Kif Gets Knocked Up a Notch," Kif and Amy became parents. Twenty years later, in the season 11 episode "Children Of A Lesser Bog," they started raising their kids. During this episode, they shared a story called Go, Ladybuggle, Go! with their children. This book is a clever parody of Dr. Seuss' Go, Dog, Go! Additionally, it serves as a reference to Ladybuggle, a character from the Futurama season 8 episode "Yo Leela Leela." Ladybuggle was one of the adorable alien creatures that Leela exploited to gain success as a children's entertainer.

21 A Revealing Envelope

20 Binky The Rabbit

When Professor Farnsworth initially hired Fry, Leela, and Bender to take over the crew of the Planet Express in the pilot episode "Space Pilot 3000," he revealed an envelope labeled "Contents of Space Wasp's Stomach" in which he had saved the career chips of the previous crew. This hint foreshadowed the eventual revelation of the last crew's fate in "The Sting," an episode from season 5 of Futurama. In this episode, Fry, Leela, and Bender were assigned to steal space honey from a hive of massive space bees. This plot development has sparked a significant amount of discussion among Futurama fans regarding the distinction between space bees and space wasps, or if the Professor simply confused the two species.

In Matt Groening's comic strip Life In Hell, one of the prominent characters was Binky the Rabbit. Binky makes a special appearance in the second episode of Futurama titled "The Series Has Landed." In this episode, Binky can be seen as one of the plush toys inside a claw machine game that Bender needs to infiltrate in order to retrieve the keys to the Planet Express ship.

19 Jar Jar In A Jar

18 All the TV Parodies in Season 11 Premiere

In one quick crowd shot at the Academy Awards ceremony in "That's Lobstertainment!", there are several interesting Easter eggs. Among them is the head of the Star Wars character, Jar-Jar Binks, preserved in a jar and situated next to the news anchor and alien invader, Morbo. Adjacent to Jar-Jar is the head of the renowned costume designer, Edith Head, who served as the inspiration for Edna Mode in The Incredibles. Behind them, we can spot Fry's ex-girlfriend Michelle Jenkins and actor Pauly Shore, both of whom were recently unfrozen after spending many years in cryogenic suspension during the events of "The Cryonic Woman."

The premiere episode of Futurama's run on Hulu featured several parodies of popular shows available for streaming. It also included clever references to previous episodes of the series. One of the standout parodies was the Neptunian chef Elzar's new cooking show, The Great Neptunian Bam-Off. Another parody was Melllvar Place, a clever take on the popular show Melrose Place, named after the Star Trek-loving energy being from the episode "Where No Fan Has Gone Before." Additionally, there was a nod to Matt Groening's fantasy series Disenchantment, with a hilarious parody titled Disenpantment.

17 Homer And Marge Simpson's Heart

When Fry and Leela embark on a mission to rescue Bender from Robot Hell in the first episode of Futurama season 1, titled "Hell Is Other Robots," they stumble upon a graffiti heart in an abandoned amusement park ride. The heart bears the initials HS and MB, making a clever allusion to the iconic couple Homer and Marge from The Simpsons. As fans may know, Marge's maiden name was Marge Bouvier before she tied the knot.

16 Weird Al Cameo

Undoubtedly one of the most accomplished song parodists in history, Alfred "Weird Al" Yankovic has become an iconic figure, especially among the nerd community. His songs such as "Eat It" and "Like A Surgeon" have garnered him widespread recognition. In an episode of Futurama titled "The Cryonic Woman," Weird Al makes a special appearance. He can be seen as one of the cryogenically frozen celebrities that Fry and Bender encounter during their temporary job at the cryogenics lab where Fry was preserved for one thousand years.

15 Maxwell's Demon

The character of The Borax Kid in the Futurama season 11 episode "How The West Was 1010001" is given new depth, revealing him to be the acclaimed author of a series of self-published thrillers. One of these books, titled "The Borax Kid and the Outlaws of Thermodynamics," captures Fry's attention. In this thrilling tale, The Kid confronts an outlaw named the Maxwell Demon, a clear allusion to physicist James Clerk Maxwell's thought experiment. Maxwell postulated the existence of a powerful being, or demon, capable of defying the laws of thermodynamics by selectively separating particles based on their speed, using a series of interconnected doors.

14 3-D Scrabble

In "Fry and the Slurm Factory," Leela and Professor Farnsworth engage in a game of Scrabble that adds a unique twist - multiple game boards on different levels. This playful imitation of the famous three-dimensional chess game from Star Trek: The Original Series, which Captain Kirk and Mister Spock made popular, showcases a long-standing concept that dates back to the 19th century. Interestingly, a quick glance at the Professor's game pieces reveals a nearly complete spelling of "Futurama," adding an amusing touch to the scene.

13 A Binary Warning

12 Pazuzu The Gargoyle

In the Futurama episode "The Honking," Bender becomes the new owner of a mansion that appears to be haunted. Initially unfazed, his unease grows when he discovers the number "1010011010" written in blood on a mirror. This binary code translates to the infamous number 666, known as the Number of the Beast. In Western culture, this number is traditionally linked to malevolence, demons, and misfortune.

Pazuzu, a demon with a gargoyle-like appearance, has saved Professor Farnsworth on two separate occasions throughout the series Futurama. The connection between the two characters remains unclear, but Pazuzu was bound to serve Farnsworth until he rescued the Professor, granting him his freedom. Interestingly, Pazuzu spoke with a French accent and chose Paris as his place of residence after regaining his independence. This is due to the fact that Pazuzu is inspired by the Demon of the Eiffel Tower, a character from the renowned French graphic novel series The Extraordinary Adventures of Adèle Blanc-Sec created by Jacques Tardi.

11 All of Fry's Lovers Attend His Funeral

In the Futurama episode "The Sting," which is part of the show's fifth season, a clever joke involving continuity was introduced. During Fry's funeral, one row of mourners consisted of all the women he had been intimate with since his time travel to the future. Among them were Michelle Jenkins, Fry's ex-girlfriend, the fierce Amazonian warrior Kug, the bureaucratic Morgan Proctor, the elderly prostitute Petunia, and the unnamed woman from the 21st century whom Fry encountered in "Love's Labour Lost in Space." Additionally, a radiator was also present as a reference to Fry's misguided attempt at romance with what he believed to be an alien woman in the season 2 episode "The Lesser of Two Evils." It is worth noting that only Kug believed Fry to be skilled in "snu-snu."