It’s well known across the internet that the Futurama is a smart show. Its writers not only made many scientific and mathematical jokes, but also held three PhD’s, seven Master’s degrees, and “over 50 collective years at Harvard University” between them. The intellectual jokes and degrees, however, weren’t what made the show’s writing so good. The writing was brilliant because it used the format of animation to it’s fullest extent, and in doing so they were able to densely pack each episode with easy-to-miss jokes.
Sure, there are the jokes written into the script and drive the story along, but if you really pay attention you’ll catch so much more. Amid the alcohol-fueled robots, subterranean mutants, and not-so-exotic aliens the Planet Express crew come across, there are hundreds of throwaway jokes, humorous critiques, and that line the backgrounds of every episode.
Some of these background jokes are centered in frame, others are simply part of a greater futuristic landscape, but Ranker readers voted these the best jokes that you can easily miss.
1. Yea, It Couldn’t Be Any Clearer
Photo: Comedy Central
2. “What Do You Mean ‘We’ Mammal?”
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3. What A Deal!
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4. The Only Form Of Matter More Complicated Than ‘Dark’
Photo: Comedy Central
5. It Was A Pop-Up Exhibition
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6. They Look Oddly Familiar
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7. Money May Not Buy Love, But…
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8. There Are Plenty Of “Unofficial” State Jokes, Too
Photo: Comedy Central
9. Eh, Fuhgeddaboudit!
Photo: Comedy Central
10. Vaccine Rates Went Way Up
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11. What’s Worse The Pants-less Attendant Or The Celine Dion Show?
Photo: Comedy Central
12. “It’s A Sicilian Message”
Photo: Comedy Central
13. They’ll Feed You To The Fishes
Photo: Comedy Central
14. Be Sure To Follow All Regulations
Photo: Comedy Central
15. It’s Bigger On The Inside
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16. If Only There Were An Open ‘A’
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17. We Salute You
Photo: Comedy Central
18. Who Else Would Put The Lunar Module Back On The Moon?
Photo: Comedy Central
19. Oh Honey, Tramps Like Us…
Photo: Comedy Central
20. The Sequel We Really Needed
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21. I Guess It’s One Hell Of Of A Drug
Photo: Comedy Central
22. Please Follow Proper Storage Procedures
Photo: Comedy Central
23. Only The Best Kind Of Trees
Photo: Comedy Central
24. Milwaukee’s Greatest Achievement
Photo: Comedy Central
25. Some New States Have Joined The Union
Photo: Comedy Central