Matt Groening

The co-creator who helped bring Futurama back to television.

Matt Groening is the co-creator of the American animated television series Futurama, alongside David X. Cohen. He co-wrote the episode "Rebirth," the premiere of the sixth season and the revival of the series. Groening suggested that the return episode quickly bring the characters back to Planet Express to more fully depict that the series had returned, rather than continuing directly from the end of the film Into the Wild Green Yonder. He also suggested the last-minute tag-on explaining how Zapp Brannigan regains his full body. Groening's other show, The Simpsons, was referenced in reviews of the episode, with critics noting jokes from that series appeared in "Rebirth."

Quick Facts

Co-creator: David X. Cohen
Notable works: The Simpsons, Futurama

Lore & Background

Matt Groening co-wrote "Rebirth" with David X. Cohen, the 89th episode of Futurama overall and the first of the sixth season. The episode originally aired on Comedy Central on June 24, 2010. Groening's suggestion to quickly return the characters to Planet Express helped viewers unfamiliar with the previous films adjust with little difficulty. He also proposed the last-minute addition of Zapp Brannigan's return, as each draft had neglected to explain how he regains his full body. The episode features cultural references to Groening's other show The Simpsons, as noted by reviewer Robert Canning of IGN. The episode received positive reviews from critics, with Zack Handlen of The A.V. Club giving it an A−.

Reader's Guide

Matt Groening and David X. Cohen co-wrote "Rebirth," the first episode of Futurama's sixth season. The episode was directed by Frank Marino, marking his directorial debut for Futurama. Groening suggested that the return episode bring the characters back to Planet Express quickly, rather than continuing from the end of Into the Wild Green Yonder. He also suggested the last-minute tag-on showing Zapp Brannigan emerging from the rebirth machine. The episode features a remix version of the theme playing in the end credits, and was the first to feature the opening sequence in high definition format. According to the Nielsen Media Research, the episode was viewed by an estimated 2.92 million households and received a 1.6 rating/5% share in the 18–49 demographic.