Philip J Fry and Turanga Leela on Futurama have one of the most unlikely relationships in animation history. For it to happen, Fry had to accidentally end up in the cryogenic tank and essentially sleep for a thousand years. Then, he and Leela had to overcome the insanity around them, like Zoidberg. How can you start a stable, loving relationship with that lunatic scuttling around? Still, they found a way to make it work and build something special in New New York, finally getting married.
Their love might be celebrated, but there are some things about it that just don't add up.
They Work Together
This one isn't just about Fry and Leela. Working with a significant other is an awkward situation for any couple. A big part of a relationship is going home to your partner and talking to them about your day. You get to tell them the stupid things the lobster doctor did at work to the self-aware robot. Typical, everyday stuff like that.
The problem is that Fry and Leela share those moments together, which takes away a lot of the potential conversation. Fortunately, Fry probably did eight or nine insane things Leela didn't find out about, so there's always that.
Future Divorce
A running gag in Futurama is glimpses of the future. In an impressive variety of ways, the gang at Planet Express frequently get a sneak peeks of what's coming their way down the road. For Fry and Leela, those visions often showed them together, which did eventually come to pass.
But one vision of the future showed them getting divorced. While nothing is set in stone and the future is always changing, having that potential hanging over their heads must cast a shadow over their entire relationship.
Zapp Brannigan
No one fills out a velour uniform like the Captain of the Nimbus and an honored General of the Democratic Order of Planets. Zapp Brannigan is a constant threat to their relationship. Not because Leela has feelings for him. Well, unless you count disgust and hatred. She has those feelings for Zapp.
The main threat he poses is flying the Nimbus into the Planet Express building to end their relationship or interfering in any number of ways. Brannigan is obsessed with Leela, taking a brief break from his infatuation to date her mom. The guy is ridiculous.
Fry Knows Nibbler's Secret
Leela's beloved pet Nibbler is much more than he seems. At first glance, he's an adorable little guy who wears a cape and eats 10,000 times his own body weight on an hourly basis while pooping Dark Matter. In reality, Nibbler is a sentient being who can talk and is from an arguably more advanced species than humanity.
This is a secret that Fry has hidden for a long time, as well as the rest of the Planet Express team. It's a secret big enough that it could tear their relationship apart. Since Fry's the kind of guy that forgets most things, it might never even come up.
Fry Is Too Immature For Leela
Describing Fry as immature is potentially the understatement of two different millennia. The guy is easily distracted, to the point that he might just wander off if left unsupervised for too long. To make matters worse, he spends a significant amount of time with Bender, a horrifying influence on an incredibly suggestible Fry.
The reality is that Leela avoided her feelings for Fry for a long time because of his immaturity. While he has grown up somewhat, a lot of the old Fry remains. Hopefully, she finds it endearing now.
Leela Is Too Serious For Fry
On the flip side, Leela is far too serious for Fry. He likes having fun, to get out in the universe and have a good time. It's not that Leela doesn't want to have fun but it's a much different kind of fun than what Fry is looking for.
She's more likely to enjoy a quiet night in while Fry and Bender are going to hit the town, possibly with the Planet Express ship at high speed. While Fry could stand to reign it in a bit more, Leela has to learn to cut loose and enjoy the wonders of the universe.
Fry's Relationship With Amy
Amy Kroker, formerly Wong, is a good friend of both Fry and Leela. She works alongside them at Planet Express, a job she got primarily because she has the same blood type as Professor Farnsworth. But she also had a brief relationship with Fry.
Obviously, all parties involved are good with this arrangement but it's still strange. Fry and his wife work at the same company as his ex. They even go on vacations with Amy and her husband, Kif. It's a weirdly awkward situation that only makes sense at Planet Express.
Leela Is A Sewer Mutant
During the early run of the series, Leela believed that she was an alien from a lost species or a planet that hadn't been discovered, yet. Eventually, it was revealed that she was actually part of a race of mutants that live beneath the streets of New New York.
No one is suggesting that a human and a mutant should not be together but there are rules in the future about mutants being above ground. Leela's parents skirted the system to give her a shot at something better but there are potential legal complications waiting to hamper her relationship with Fry.
Professor Farnsworth
Professor Hubert J. Farnsworth is a genius scientist and inventor. He's also a senile old man who switches between trying to destroy the world on purpose and trying to destroy it by accident. On a good day, he's amoral and deranged.
In addition to being Fry and Leela's boss, he's also both Fry's great-grandnephew by 30 times and his great-grandson by 31 times. It's a complicated relationship that Leela has married into, one that has to cause them some level of stress.
Fry Is His Own Grandfather
The reasons why Professor is both Fry's great-grandnephew and his great-grandson is because Fry is his own grandfather. To be clear, Fry went back in time in the now-classic episode "Roswell That Ends Well" and had sex with his grandmother. As such, Fry is his own grandfather, taking incest to a whole new level.
While it's easy to believe Leela could get over Fry's immaturity or his previous relationship with Amy, it's really hard to believe that she, or anyone, could get past this.