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Avengers Assemble kicks off & Deadpool crashes Ultimate Spider-Man

This week in the world of cartoons, Avengers Assemble begins its weekly run on DisneyXD, Deadpool makes an amazing cameo, and Bender tries to steal the powers of a guitar hero on Futurama. TMNT is off, but returns July 20th. As always – minor spoilers ahead! Ultimate Spider-Man – “Ultimate Deadpool” Most days I feel … Continued

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Independence Days from across the Multiverse

Where there’s society, there’s a foundation story. And where there’s government, there’s a holiday to instill patriotism and pride. So here are the ways fiction has commemorated independence from an oppressor, the end of a civil war, or just the day certain documents were signed and the current government came into existence. First Contact Day, … Continued

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Futurama makes us wish we’d stayed in prison

This week’s episode, “Forty Percent Leadbelly,” goes off the rails, taking us away from a story that’s interesting to a story that isn’t. It also proves that no show, no matter what its available talent, can survive an ironic rap sequence. Quick, what’s your favorite thing about Bender? I can answer, with absolute confidence, that … Continued

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This Week’s TV: Beautiful People Get Trapped at a Meteor Crash Site!

This week, a brand new show introduces us to a group of young fortune-hunters, who strip half naked and blunder around the world’s biggest meteor impact site. Plus baby mammoths, Clarke’s Law put to the test, and sex possibly going extinct! Check out tons of clips and details for this week’s television. Top image: Falling … Continued

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Gravity Falls returns while Starscream is freaked out by Predacons

This week in the world of cartoons, Gravity Falls graces us with a new episode, Starscream makes a fool of himself on Transformers: Prime, and we add Futurama and Venture Bros. to the SMC line-up. TMNT is off in North America, but a new episode, “Parasitica”, aired early this week in UK. Ultimate Spider-Man appears … Continued

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Futurama gets its snap and its heart back

After a couple of lackluster episodes starting off its final season, Futurama hits its stride. “T: The Terrestrial” features great lines, but more importantly, great tributes to classic science fiction. Remember “The Problem with Popplers,” that classic episode in season two when the Planet Express crew accidentally eat the babies of the Omicronians? It’s fitting … Continued

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This Week’s TV: The Only New Show This Summer That’s Truly Addictive

Seriously, it’s been a tough time for science fiction on network TV lately — but that losing streak ends tonight, with the summer’s one must-see new show, Under The Dome. Plus Syfy gives us the crazypants over-the-top summer movie you’ll never admit you crave. Check out clips and details for all of this week’s TV … Continued

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This Week’s TV: Are you ready to say goodbye to Futurama forever?

It’s going to be tough to let go. But hopefully the final batch of Futurama episodes, starting this week, will help numb the pain of saying farewell to the Planet Express Crew. Meanwhile, there’s a superhero “girls’ night out,” and someone finally explains how sex works. Plus Finn and Jake have a time machine! Check … Continued

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When would you want to be cryogenically frozen? (And for how long?)

Let’s say you’ve been offered a working cryochamber, with its own fuel supply. You can freeze yourself whenever you want, for as long as you want. What age would you like to be when you’re frozen? And when would you like to wake up? I was at the io9 meetup this Saturday, listening to Annalee … Continued

io9Television

Adam West and Burt Ward will go batty on Futurama

Futurama may be coming to a close, but not before Batman TV stars Adam West and Burt Ward stick their heads in the series’ jars. And, judging from the character sketches, it looks like they’ll be channeling their most famous roles. The pair will appear in the episode “Leela and the Genestalk,” which, according to … Continued

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Nathan Fillion comes inbetween Mike and Sully in new Monsters U. clips

Bros don’t let girls come between then, but two things: 1) in this new clip from Monsters University, Mike and Sully aren’t quite bros yet, and 2) that ain’t no lady, that’s Nathan Fillion — as a monstrous jock and member of hoighty-toighty frat Roar Omega Roar! Luckily, it appears that Mike and Sully manage … Continued

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Futurama‘s John DiMaggio explains why Adventure Time baffled him

John DiMaggio might be the greatest voice actor of our generation. He’s Bender on Futurama, Jake on Adventure Time, Aquaman on Batman: Brave and the Bold, and many others. We were lucky enough to have an exclusive interview with him today, and he told us that if you don’t like cartoons, “there’s something wrong with … Continued

io9Television

7 Television Shows That Took Potshots at Fanfic Writers

Fanfiction started in the 1970s, when fans looked at TV shows and said, “I can do better.”And then, it took to the internet, and grew massively — until some TV writers noticed, and said, “No, you can’t.” Here are seven TV shows that took pot-shots at fanfic, in descending order of meanness. Star Trek: The … Continued

io9Television

Doctor Who‘s 50th anniversary special returns to where it all began!

Plus, crucial new details are revealed for the upcoming season finale. Two more stars for Guardians of the Galaxy are confirmed. Christopher Nolan chooses a Best Actress nominee to be the third star of Interstellar. Plus new videos for Star Trek Into Darkness and Man of Steel! Spoilers… right now! Top image from Iron Man … Continued

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Why would aliens come all this way just to invade Earth?

In movies, when aliens invade our planet, they usually have a ludicrous motivation. Like, they’re after our water. Or our gold. (Hint: Asteroids have gold.) Space travel is incredibly difficult and expensive — so why would aliens actually bother to come and invade us? We asked some experts for reasons that actually make sense. What … Continued

io9Television

The Ultimate Guide to This Summer’s Science Fiction and Fantasy TV

We’ve got a long list of television to keep you cool and safe from the terrible, terrible outdoors. No longer is summer where bad TV goes to die. Under the Dome, True Blood, Axe Cop and Falling Skies are just among the few of some of the shows being aired in the high heat months. … Continued

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8 TV Episodes That Qualify As Psychological Warfare

Some TV episodes entertain us and enliven our evenings. But other seem primarily designed to break a viewer psychologically, and take bloody bites out of our sense of well-being. Today, we’ll be looking at the latter. I’ve seen TV shows that are good. I’ve seen TV shows that are bad. And I’ve seen TV shows … Continued

io9Television

Comedy Central cancels Futurama

Is this the last delivery for the Planet Express crew? Entertainment Weekly is reporting that Comedy Central will not be renewing Futurama. Which means, September 4th 2013 could be the very last episode of this amazing little animation. Then again, maybe it won’t? Cancellation is nothing new to the series. After being dropped from Fox … Continued

io9Television

We would pay good money for just one episode of Adventurama

Spencer Duffy‘s Futurama and Adventure Time mashup art has galloped straight into our hearts. Look at Leela’s giant purple eye, baby Dr. Zoidberg — it’s all too perfect. Can the brilliant minds behind both shows meet up one night for just a fleeting moment of hot animation love? We would seriously enjoy an Adventurama love … Continued

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The 10 Greatest Personality Tests in Science Fiction and Fantasy

By Katharine Trendacosta and Charlie Jane Anders. When you explore the darkest reaches of the space, you find out just who you really are. But why wait? Most science fiction heroes find out about their own inner psyches long before they ever leave home, thanks to the genre’s huge range of personality tests. Why not … Continued