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It only took 11 years, four direct-to-DVD movies, and a Family Guy style return from cancellation on a different network, but, at long last, Futurama finally hits the 100-episode mark that most series aspire to. Of course, in this evolving television landscape, the number represents bragging rights more than assured syndication as it did not so long ago, but it’s still one hell of an accomplishment for any show and, no matter how many iterations it had to go through to reach the landmark, Futurama has now done it. Give them a big round of applause.

I could go into the phenomenon of the faithful few who kept the fire burning through the lean times, but it really is the Family Guy story all over again. DVD sales and Adult Swim maintained the show’s visibility after FOX’s mistreatment and premature cancellation, now it returns to become Comedy Central’s second biggest show after South Park. Yes, quite the story, but not the most impressive feat for Matt Groening’s other animated masterpiece.

No, the most impressive feat, and the more important one, is that it has come roaring back without a noticeable dip in quality. The first few episodes earned the predictable “it’s not quite the same show, I can’t put my finger on it” reaction from the fans, but those voices quieted down as the 100th episode approached.

As a geeky fan myself, I’ve always bristled at fans’ hot and cold reaction to their favorite product. They often sneer at newer output, many times with no real reason other than the “can’t put my finger on it,” “if felt forced,” or “it was just sort of meh” clichés that really don’t tell us anything about what the problem actually is with the episodes in question.

Sure enough, at first, the new season of Futurama started to enjoy these sorts of meaningless snipes from the fans who exalt the show’s initial run and campaigned so passionately for its return. But then, as the season wore on, the snipes grew less frequent and the reactions started to become more favorable, even glowing in some instances. Two episodes in particular seem to have entered the fan cannon as amongst the best of the show’s entire run - The Late Phillip J Fry, in which Fry, Bender and Farnsworth use a time machine that can only go forward, and the identity switching farce episode The Prisoner of Benda.

I won’t say that I wasn't skeptical going into the new episodes; I knew Groening and David X Cohen had it in them to bring Futurama roaring back, but I was surprised at how much I’ve enjoyed this new season. I’ve anticipated each new episode more than all of the other summer shows I enjoy. True Blood, Rescue Me, even the brilliant Mad Men, all take a back seat to Fry, Leela and Bender’s weekly adventures.

This isn’t to say that some fan product doesn’t diminish over time, The X-Files is a good example, but Futurama is far from being past its prime. It hasn’t yet been renewed, but given the great cable ratings, I’m guessing (hoping) that it’s only a matter of time. I’ve been a Simpson’s fan forever, but now I think - no pun intended - that Futurama is the future of the Groening empire.