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Matt Groening developed together with his friend and colleague David X. Cohen the TV-Show Futurama, set in New York in the year 3000. Groening describes his vision of the future in Futurama as corporate, commercial and confusing which is not what he expects it to be, and it is not necessarily valuing this world as good or bad.
Thus, the assumption of this study is that Futurama presents a stereotyped science fiction-world that deals with themes and problems of our present time. This becomes clear when looking at the excessive use of allusions and references to political and historical events as well as to popular and classical culture. The creators comment that way on topics that concern us or at least should concern us today. The task of this study is to identify these topics and references (focusing on America as a political entity), and thereby discuss the points of criticism Futurama raises.

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Text Sample:
Chapter 2.1.1, Disenchantment with Politics: 2 Parties, 1 Vote, No Choice:
Futurama takes this topic on by using Fry and Bender as stereotypical consumption-depraved and politically unenlightened persons. At the beginning of A Head in The Polls (S02E03, chap 2, min 0:30) the two are sitting in front of the TV, watching The Scary Door, a skit of mystery TV series like Twilight Zone and Outer Limits. It reports about the last man on Earth, trying to enjoy solitude by reading books for all eternity. Suddenly he breaks his glasses, but consoles himself by turning towards the large print books. Then his eyes fall out, but fortunately he knows how to read Braille. Then his arms and head fall off. Fry and Bender discuss the utterly stupid programme; both shudder and are given the creeps. Bender s analysis of the just seen ( Cursed by his own hubris. S02E03, chap 2, min 1:30) is simply inapt and excessively profound. Leela joins them and switches to a presidential debate featuring the candidates, John Jackson and Jack Johnson. Bender and Fry fall asleep immediately.
Leela: There´s a political debate on. Quick, change the channel.
Bender: Hey, that´s what Fry said when we turned on the debate.
Leela changes the channel.
Announcer: C-Span Nine presents: The Thrill of Politics.
Bender and Fry start snoring. Leela wakes them up.
Leela: Look, I know there are no car chases, but this is important. One of these two men will become president of the world.
Fry: What do we care? We live in the United States.
Leela: The United States is part of the world.
Fry: Wow, I have been gone a long time.
(S02E03, chap 2, min 2:32).
Not only are they not very well versed in politics, Fry and Bender do not have the slightest interest in it.
Fry: If I were registered to vote I´d send these clowns a message by staying home on Election Day and dressing up like a clown!
Leela: You´re not registered?
Fry: Nope. Not vaccinated, either. Besides, it´s not like one vote ever made a difference.
(S02E03, chap 2, min 2:32).
Fry is not registered. Casually, he mentions that he is not vaccinated either. It is well known and very obvious that it is careless and irresponsible not to be vaccinated; the same attributes could be assigned to not-voting. Someone who does not get his tetanus-shot might think that he will not need it anyway, but if an infection occurs and he or she has to bear the consequences, the inconvenience of going to the doctor and getting vaccinated seems slight. It is the same with voting: one might think that a single vote does not make a difference, considering the millions of other voters, but every each and single vote determines who gets to represent and run a country. Only the votes of a majority of the citizens can guarantee that lunatic fringes do not come to power. This is also on the behalf of those who are not going to the polls. Groening gives the same regard to both voting and vaccination, because both are equally as important and necessary and should go without saying. Fry gives both the same disregard, because he is obviously being incapable of being responsible.
In Futurama, New New York offers its citizens an incentive to register, so the Planet Express-Crew goes to a registration fair . A banner over the entrance to the venue promises: FIRST 100 CUSTOMERS GET EXTRA VOTE (S02E03, chap 2, min 3:14). Fry and the others inspect the assortment of political parties, which are presenting their political agendas: The Futurama-equivalent of the Democrats are the Tastycrats, while the the Fingerlicans refer to the Republicans.
Prof.: The problem with both parties is that they always want to give your tax dollars to the less fortunate.
Fry: The less fortunate get all the breaks.
Zoidberg: You know, Fry, you could join a third party, maybe.
Amy: Only weirdoes and mutants join third parties.
(S02E03, chap 2, min 3:17).
This conversation tells the big parties and the third parties apart. Socio-politically, the tw

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