Futurama. REVIEW

Why it's awesome: A fantastic blend of 2D animation and CGI.

There are numerous memorable, hilarious, emotional, and entertaining episodes.

Fry, Turanga Leela, Bender Bending Rodriguez, Amy Wong, Professor Hubert Farnsworth, and Doctor John Zoidberg are all likeable characters.

Science-fiction parodies and references are used to create clever humor. This ranges from subtle ones like using Star Trek's door sound effects to Captain Zapp Brannigan, who is a full-on parody of Captain James T. Kirk from the same series.

The voice acting is excellent, with performances by Billy West, John DiMaggio, Maurice LaMarche, Phil LaMarr, Katey Sagal, Lauren Tom, and Tress MacNeille.

It also has some heartwarming and emotional moments, most notably "Jurassic Bark."

Numerous well-executed pop-culture references.

The show's humor is well-executed and blends well with the more dramatic moments without feeling forced.

Excellent writing.

The show had not one, not two, not three, but four series finales, and each one served as a good way to end the series, with "The Devil's Hands Are Idle Playthings" and "Meanwhile" being considered some of the show's best episodes.

Fantastic character development, most notably Fry's maturation over the course of the series.

I honestly don't know where to start praising the show. For one thing, the animation is fantastic. The characters are exceptionally well drawn, the backgrounds are daring, and the visual effects are stunning. And the music is brilliant; it is cleverly composed with some funky songs such as "Conga" and "Sunshine of Your Love," and the theme tune is unmistakably memorable. The writing is excellent, the comedy is brilliant, and the more touching and subtle parts are equally effective. The episode ideas that emerge from a brilliant concept are truly unique and entertaining, and the pacing is excellent.

And the characters, thanks to a truly talented voice cast, are truly unique and endearing, particularly Fry, Bender, and Zoidberg, and Leela is a feisty and headstrong character to whom I immediately related. Overall, a truly wonderful show, with all the fun and originality that the later Simpsons episodes lacked.