November 10, 2002
Al Gore makes a cameo appearance as the series begins its fifth season with Fry and his friends taking on a hot-button issue: global warming. As Earth is unable to counter its rising temperature through the usual method (the dropping of a giant ice cube into the ocean), Gore leads an emergency conference in Kyoto, Japan, where Professor Farnsworth claims responsibility for the crisis. It seems love detoured him from observing proper emission standards on his prototype robot, and that could necessitate the destruction of all its "descendants." That includes Bender, who resigns himself to having a farewell blowout before being blown up.
"Jurassic Bark"
November 17, 2002
Bender gets jealous when it looks like cloning will reunite Fry with his dog from the 20th century.
"Route of All Evil"
December 8, 2002
After being told to get jobs, the wayward sons of Hermes and the Professor open a competing delivery service that puts Planet Express out of business.
"Taste of Freedom"
December 21, 2002
Dr. Zoidberg celebrates Freedom Day by eating the Earth flag, and an angry mob compels him to take refuge in his planet's embassy.
"Kif Gets Knocked Up a Notch"
January 12, 2003
Amy stows away on a delivery and takes the ship to rendezvous with her beloved Kif, which results in a pregnancy — his.
"Luck of the Fryrish"
March 2, 2003
Bad luck sends Fry underground to search for his boyhood good-luck charm, stirring memories of rivalry with his older brother, Yancy.
"Less Than Hero"
March 2, 2003
A pain-relief cream gives superpowers to Leela and Fry, who, with Bender, adopt secret identities to fight crime.
"Teenage Mutant Leela's Hurdles"
March 30, 2003
The crew become teenage versions of themselves after falling into the professor's youth treatment.
"The Why of Fry"
April 6, 2003
Leela's romance with a political aide has Fry in a funk of self-worthlessness, until he learns he's the key to saving the universe from destruction because of a genetic abnormality.
"The Sting"
June 1, 2003
Leela pays a big price after leading the crew on a dangerous mission to harvest honey from space bees with a lethal sting.
"The Farnsworth Parabox"
June 8, 2003
Curiousity leads the Planet Express cats into a parallel universe, where they and their counterparts suspect the other is the evil version.
"300 Big Boys"
June 15, 2003
A $300 tax refund buys a whale swim for Leela, youth for the Professor and 100 cups of coffee for Fry, whose caffeine rush comes just in time to avert a disaster.
"Spanish Fry"
July 13, 2003
Fry's nose is taken by aliens who consider the "human horn" to be an aphrodisiac. But the pair it's to benefit has deeper relationship problems.
"Bend Her"
July 20, 2003
After dominating the Olympics by posing as a fembot, Bender undergoes a sex change to keep his medals. But a celebrity robot falls in love with his new persona.
"Obsolutely Fabulous"
July 27, 2003
After being shown up by a new robot, Bender runs away rather than undergo an upgrade to state-of-the-art status.
"Bender Should Not Be Allowed on TV"
August 3, 2003
Bender lands a role on the soap opera All My Circuits and is an instant hit. But parents protest his rowdy influence on kids.
"The Devil's Hands Are Idle Playthings"
August 10, 2003
A sharply satiric sci-fi cartoon co-created by Matt Groening , Futurama ends a five-year run that — when it wasn't pre-empted by NFL overruns, which seemed to be most of the time — earned it a loyal following and an Emmy last season for Outstanding Animated Program. (It's been nominated again this year.) This last original episode plays irreverently on Fry's long-standing crush on Leela. Hoping to win her through music, Fry determines to write an opera expressing his feelings for her. The catch: Fry can only become a virtuoso if he first strikes a bargain with the Robot Devil.
