I just watched the first episode of the new Futurama season and the running gag was their attempt to make fun of the Hulu streaming network (Fulu)… in the year 3023. Not only that, but they also parody Black Mirror which itself parodies Netfix (Streamberry) in their latest season.
What is up with all of this meta stuff? Does anyone actually enjoy it? Is this really the quality of TV prior to AI taking over the writing?
I feel like an old man yelling at the clouds right now ☁️, but look at how they massacred my boy, Futurama!
They almost certainly won’t follow it up. It was an excellent running gag for re-entry but I expect from here forward we will have more “regular” Futurama.
Honestly though, I thought it was great and would have been a little disappointed if they didn’t at least lampshade their 10 year absence. Making it such a central joke was unexpected but welcome and it didn’t wear out its welcome.
I think OP is missing the point that TV, most especially animated comedy, has always been “meta” and makes references to the trends and cultural shifts of their day. Just look at Simpsons or South Park or Family Guy and see how often they reference events that were current at the time of the episode. Futurama has always had its own plotlines but hasn’t been above poking fun at current events of the past.