10 Shows Like 'Futurama' You Should Watch Next

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Credit: Futurama, Hulu

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After two cancellations and four so-called series finales and counting, Futurama might be the most resilient show ever. Another new season is on the way from Hulu, plus a series of (just announced) specials. If it doesn't have the consistent staying power of something like The Simpsons (with which it shares a creator in Matt Groening), Family Guy, or Bob's Burgers, it's got a pluckiness that makes it all the more charming. Plus, those shows have never made me ugly cry like that one episode about Fry's dog.

If you're looking for other shows that deliver similar sci-fi silliness, or you just want to get set with a backup in case Futurama gets cancelled again, these 10 genre comedies will be just the thing.

Rick and Morty (2013 – )

More cynical than Futurama (which is saying a fair bit), Rick & Morty nonetheless plays in the same high-concept sci-fi sandbox; both shows excel at a stupid/smart blend of comedy. Rick Sanchez is an old-school mad scientist (think Doc Brown, but drunker) dragging his well-meaning but hapless grandson on adventures in time and space, as well as across dimensions—Back to the Future meets Doctor Who, but crasser and far weirder. It's clever, gross, frequently disturbing, and occasionally a bit emotional—but mostly it's a wild good time exploring the multiverse. Stream Rick and Morty on Hulu and HBO Max.

Star Trek: Lower Decks (2021 – 2024)

Instead of focusing on the upper ranks of any given Federation starship, Star Trek: Lower Decks deals with the, well, lower decks—the crew behind the scenes that keeps everything going on a second-rate ship specializing in "Second Contact"—i.e. arriving after the main event to make sure all the paperwork is signed. It's a sitcom in space that still manages to feel like real Star Trek by balancing cartoon wackiness with convincing character arcs. By the end of Lower Decks' five seasons, the two-dimensional crew of the Cerritos feels as real as that of any other show in the franchise. Stream Star Trek: Lower Decks on Paramount+.

Gintama (2006 – 2018)

One of the closest analogues to Futurama is set in Japan's past—we're in late Edo-period Japan (roughly the early/mid-1800s) but, in this version of history, aliens have invaded, the shogun has surrendered, and samurai are outlawed. The eccentric Gintoki Sakata takes on a teenage apprentice in his business making deliveries and doing odd jobs, later joined by a teenage alien. There are long-running plot threads and weighty character arcs, but that's all balanced by often over-the-top, and just as often very funny, comedy that's variously smart, raunchy, and goofy. Characters break the fourth wall to crack jokes, and the show mercilessly parodies pop culture, including other popular anime. Stream Gintama on Hulu and Netflix.

Solar Opposites (2020 – 2025)

Sharing a Hulu home with Futurama and coming from the Rick & Morty creators, Solar Opposites follows Korvo (Dan Stevens), Terry (Thomas Middleditch), Yumyulack (Sean Giambrone), and Jesse (Mary Mack), aliens from a once-advanced planet destroyed by an asteroid. The humor is very R&M-esque, including running side stories about shrunken humans and alien cops, but there's a bit more sincerity here; the show satirizes human culture while making clear that it's not always fun to be a refugee. Stream Solar Opposites on Hulu and Netflix.

Gravity Falls (2012 – 2016)

This much-loved, if relatively short-lived, animated series follows twin siblings Mabel and Dipper Pines (Kristen Schaal and Jason Ritter) as they are sent to spend the summer with their great-uncle (aka "Grunkle") Stan (voiced by show creator Alex Hirsch). While helping Stan run his mystery-themed tourist shack, the kids tackle a series of supernatural mysteries, many related to the show's ultimate antagonist, dream demon Bill Cipher. If it's not exactly Futurama-style sci-fi, the X-Files inspiration is certainly prominent. Stream Gravity Falls on Disney+.

The Orville (2017 – )

Seth MacFarlane's The Orville began life as a slightly scatological Star Trek parody—a show with a reverence for The Next Generation but also jizz jokes. It quickly grew into something more interesting, as MacFarlane's obvious affection for the franchise sent the show off in a more serious direction. Certainly by the Hulu-produced third season, it had become one of the most ambitious (still a bit silly) sci-fi shows on the air. A fourth season is allegedly on the way, though I'll believe it when I see it. Stream The Orville on Hulu.

Avenue 5 (2020 – 2022)

The Planet Express isn't exactly a luxury liner, but Avenue 5 most certainly is. It's an interplanetary cruise ship headed by its popular captain, Ryan Clark (Hugh Laurie), and owned by obnoxious, eccentric billionaire Herman Judd (Josh Gadd). A minuscule shift sends the ship off course, such that the planned months-long jaunt will take three years, even though supplies won't last. It doesn't take long before the ship's pocket of civilization breaks down, with crew and passengers alike jockeying for power, or just food. Veep's Armando Iannucci is the creator and showrunner, and if you're familiar with that show, you'll recognize the general tone: dark comedy and a dim view of people under pressure, particularly the rich and powerful. Stream Avenue 5 on HBO Max.

Cowboy Bebop (1998 – 1999)

What if the Futurama characters were all sort of effortlessly cool? OK, that's a big "if," but if this isn't quite a vibe match, there are some similarities, in the sense that we're dealing with a ragtag crew of odd jobbers—among them a woman out of time, awakened from a long cryogenic suspension she'd never agreed to. An iconic genre classic, Cowboy Bebop is one of the undisputed GOATs of anime, blending western, noir, comedy, and crime genres and setting the resultant mash to a killer soundtrack. The title's "cowboys" are bounty hunters in a near-future in which humans have been forced to colonize the solar system after Earth became uninhabitable. Former hitman Spike Spiegel leads his crew on one nearly disastrous mission after another, their standalone adventures all building to a thoroughly memorable climax. Stream Cowboy Bebop on Crunchyroll or buy it from Prime Video.

Disenchantment (2018 – 2023)

Not science fiction, but this fantasy riff also comes from Matt Groening and company; the art style and sense of humor are very similar, as are the voice actors, many of whom (including John DiMaggio and Lauren Tom) are direct transplants from Futurama. Oh, and there's also a brief appearance from the crew via crystal ball, so the shows would appear to be set in the same universe. Abbi Jacobson is Bean, the hard-drinking, hard-living princess of Dreamland, who joins up with Elfo the half-elf and Luci, her personal demon, for a series of increasingly strange adventures. It starts out amiably enough, but the serialization and contained story set it apart from other Matt Groening shows. Stream Disenchantment on Netflix.

Red Dwarf (1988 – 2020)

Another scrappy sci-fi comedy that's returned from the dead multiple times—and may yet again. Craig Charles is Dave Lister, amiable loser and well-meaning slob who holds the lowest job possible on the enormous mining ship Red Dwarf (if Fry's your guy, you'll love Lister). When he sneaks a pregnant cat aboard, he's punished by being placed in suspended animation (without pay) for the rest of the trip. Which is a lot longer than anyone anticipated: When Dave wakes up, three million years have passed, and humanity is entirely extinct. The kittens survived and sired an inbred cat empire that's since risen and all but fallen, while the senile main computer has recreated Dave's hated roommate (Chris Barrie) as a hologram to keep him company. Soon joined by a prissy android, they spend the next 30+ years bumming about in space and stumbling into adventures—some of them involving cross-time and/or universe encounters with Kristine Kochanski, the Leela-esque object of Dave's (mostly) unrequited affection. Stream Red Dwarf on Britbox.