"Compare your lives to mine and then kill yourselves!"

I very nearly forgot, but thankfully remembered, that today marks the 10th anniversary of the premiere of "Futurama". I'll be straight with you: though I liked the characters, I think it took a while for any really great episodes to break out. The first season is full of funny moments, but, overall, nothing I'd consider noteworthy.

My picks for the ten best "Futurama" episodes:

10. Where No Fan Has Gone Before - With the head of Leonard Nimoy, the crew goes into forbidden space to retrieve the episode tapes of "Star Trek". One doesn't need to get all the references to enjoy this episode...but it helps.

9. Love and Rocket - Bender falls for the new voice (Sigourney Weaver) of the Planet Express ship. Unfortunately, she's not going to be ignored.

8. Bender Gets Made/Bendless Love (tie) - These may not be top ten material to others, but, hey, I love the Robot Mafia. The episodes are still pretty good, though. In 'Made', Bender blinds Leela and joins up with the mob (one of my all time favorite scenes on the show: "Forgive me, Donbot. I'm unable to make this week's loan payment. Look into your hard drive and open your mercy file." "File not found."), and in 'Love', Bender falls for a shapely scab at a bending factory.

7. Raging Bender - Bender floats like a float box and stings like an automated stinging machine as the newest member of Ultimate Robot Fighting.

6. A Head in the Polls - Bender sells his body for money (literally), but he can't get it back, as Nixon's head has appropriated it for a Presidential run. The post title is but one of many great lines in this episode.

5. Roswell That Ends Well - The crew ends up in Roswell, New Mexico circa 1947 and, while trying to get back, Zoidberg is captured, Bender's body is confiscated and Fry meets his grandfather. Fry's morning after scream is still one of the funniest things I've ever heard.

4. Bender Should Not Be Allowed on Television - Despite his cancer-causing thespian skills, Bender stumbles into a role on "All My Circuits", becoming its most popular - and imitatable - character.

3. The Sting - A dangerous mission leaves Fry dead and Leela stricken with guilt...but is he really gone? For my money, the strongest combination of humor and pathos the show's ever done. Look no further than the funeral scene for a skillful mix of the two.

2. War is the H-Word - Fry and Bender want to take advantage of a military discount, so they sign up. Unfortunately, war were declared leading them into battle with enemies possessing brains and chutzpah.

1. Xmas Story - Fry tries to get Leela an Xmas gift...and nearly falls from a digital clock in the process. Bender, meanwhile, rips off an old lady and free booze from a shelter for homeless robots. And Santa (John Goodman) goes berserk. One of the best holiday specials ever.