They’re back, baby! Futurama has announced its return for July 24 on Hulu, and Hulu has now clarified its release strategy for the show.
On Futurama’s official Twitter, the social media team announced that Futurama would be releasing one episode a week for its new season. Hulu’s always been more blasé than most streaming services about the binge-release model, so this isn’t exactly a shock, but it does point to a possible new era for streaming.
The move isn’t so unusual these days: the binge-release model has been losing favor on several platforms. Even Netflix, the pioneer of the binge-watching formula, has hopped on the wagon with several of their releases being split into two volumes, such as the latest seasons of Stranger Things, You, and the imminent third season of The Witcher.
Though the model means more of a wait time between episodes, it also means that fans will discuss a series for far longer than if it were released all at once. Take the latest season of Stranger Things, one of Netflix’s most-watched series of all time. Even splitting the season into two helped keep the show in the headlines for longer – only four weeks separated the release of volume 1 and volume 2, but even that short break was enough to generate hype. Fans fell in love with characters like Eddie (Joseph Quinn) and were eager to see his fate – had the season been released all at once, maybe that Munson mania wouldn’t have caught on as hotly as it did.
Sure, some series were designed with the binge-release model in mind, but Futurama isn’t one of those shows. As a short, episodic comedy, the series benefits from being on the air for multiple weeks so that the discussion surrounding each episode can breathe. If it were to dump all episodes at once, the show’s individuality might get lost in the shuffle.
There’s also something nostalgic about being able to watch weekly releases. Everything’s so fast-paced and gratification is instant in the digital age – sometimes learning how to wait is important, too. Sitting down for the next episode of a weekly series can feel more exciting than slurping it all up at once – and it decreases the wait time between seasons.
Whatever the reason for Hulu’s decision, Futurama‘s next season looks like a return to form. After ten years, the series is finally back, and it almost feels like the Planet Express crew never left in the first place. For a series as topical as Futurama has been, there’s no shortage of gags and satirical takes for the show to tackle.