Why Futurama Never Feels Pressure To Compete With The Simpsons
"Futurama" is a fantastic series, but it's destined to rank second place in creator Matt Groening's legacy. How could it not when the man has "The Simpsons" on his resume?
"The Simpsons" is a genuine American cultural institution — everyone knows who the titular family is — and while plenty complain "The Simpsons" has declined over the years, there are others who insist it's still good. It has run continuously for 30+ years, so there's still an audience for it. "Futurama," since its 1999 debut, has been on-again/off-again with cancellations and revivals (it's currently in an on-again phase thanks to Hulu).
Still, the "Futurama" team has plenty to be proud of with their show and tries not to see it as in competition with "The Simpsons." The two shows are "different animals," said "Futurama" voice actor Billy West (Fry, The Professor, Dr. Zoidberg, and Zapp Brannigan) at the London MCM Expo in May 2011.
At this Expo, West sat on a panel with his co-stars Phil LaMarr (Hermes Conrad), Lauren Tom (Amy Wong), and Maurice LaMarche (much of the "Futurama" supporting cast, such as Kif Kroker and Lrrr, ruler of the planet Omicron Persei 8!).
The cast responded to this audience question: "Do you think if 'Futurama' came out before 'Simpsons', 'Futurama' would be as popular as 'Simpsons' is now?" Their answers illuminated how they viewed the two shows.
Futurama is a different kind of comedy than The Simpsons
Responding to that question, West noted, "'Futurama' is not family-based at all, [unlike 'The Simpsons']." There's a crucial distinction between the two shows. There are two essential types of sitcoms; domestic comedy (the main cast being a nuclear family and their neighbors, teachers, etc.) and workplace comedy (following a group of coworkers' interactions on the job). "The Simpsons" is the former and "Futurama" is the latter — even if it takes place in a 31st-century workplace.
Going off of West's point, LaMarr said (and Tom agreed) that "The Simpsons" has innately wider appeal:
"I mean honestly, I think the answer to that question is no. Because I think 'The Simpsons,' being a family show, has a broader appeal. But I think 'Futurama', being a science fiction show, has a deeper appeal to a smaller crowd. I mean, we all know science fiction shows have, like, the most devoted fanbase. But I don't think it would be as broad an appeal as a family show."
In other words, "Futurama" and "The Simpsons" are aiming for different audiences, so there's no need for them to compete. And yet, the potential audience for "The Simpsons" is larger than that of "Futurama," so the spirit of competition reasserts itself.
Matt Groening compares Futurama and The Simpsons
LaMarche was the cast member who most fanned the flames, recounting how he's asked Groening if he prefers "Futurama" or"The Simpsons." His answer, per LaMarche: "'I can't answer that. But I will tell you: 'The Simpsons' is a cartoon show, 'Futurama' is real.' That's Matt Groening's line, not mine. He can get away with saying that."
"[Groening] said the ['Futurama'] characters are very real to him that it's scary," West added. This statement might seem odd considering "The Simpsons" has a much more down-to-earth setting, but remember, "Futurama" can get quite emotional and bittersweet. The cast is filled with robots, aliens, and oddball scientists, but they can tug at our heartstrings just as easily as the people of Springfield.
LaMarche, who said the question's answer was "unknowable" and that "'The Simpsons' was lightning in a bottle", concluded, "We're just grateful that we have such a devoted audience in you guys." The ugly side of competition always comes from discontentment with your own green grass, so much better to cherish your gifts.