The first two I thought were ok, and the one that aired tonight was pretty bad. I don't think I've ever used "pretty bad" to describe a Futurama episode before. I don't know, man.
The pacing is incredibly frenetic. They were throwing away electronics, then taking them to the planet to dump them out, then watching a commericial for the new eyePhone, then they all go buy one, and all in a matter of two or three minutes. It's a little bit jarring.
And, yeah, what's up with the constant pop-culture references? Not only that, but using them as the sole plot vehicle? Social commentary is not Futurama, that's South Park. Granted, South Park is always much more preachy about it, but Futurama has always been about using the characters to drive the plot. This episode felt like Randy Marsh buying an iPhone and becoming obsessed with Twitter while Stan stands there angrily trying to make the point that social networks are actually distancing people socially. And that sucks because I've hated South Park for a few years now.
Susan Boil is a terrible terrible joke. I couldn't believe it actually happened. FUTURAMA'S WRITING STAFF IS MADE UP OF NERDS WITH PH.Ds FROM IVY LEAGUE SCHOOLS, FUCKING HELL
Ever since I learned over a year ago that Futurama was coming back I was afraid that it was going to turn into South Park/new Simpsons/Family Guy, and I know it's too early to tell but it's starting to feel that way.
I TAKE MY FUTURAMA VIEWING VERY SERIOUSLY. MY HEART IS BREAKING.