I'm 4 episodes in as well.
It's difficult to evaluate in comparison to his previous projects, because those teams had so much more time to refine characters over the course of several seasons. The key 3 characters are perhaps better than season 1 episode 4 of either The Simpsons or Futurama, but certainly not better than episode 4 of later seasons.
Comparisons between those other two key works may seem passe, but it's the linkages are strong enough that the comparisons are heavily merited. In terms of character personalities, Bean draws from a very much erveryman (not so cleverly hidden as everygirl) vibe found in fry. She's a princess who wants to not be controlled by her father and drink alcohol. Elfo, the gratingly name elf character, is a pull from Fry as well. Initially setup as discontent with his overly smile and literal sugar-coated realm, he ventures off to see a wider range of feelings including sorrow and bitterness. Instead he very quickly succumbs to a singular emotion, which is infatuation with Bean. He is Fry's feelings for Leela, and that's about all he is so far. Luci serves much the same purpose as Bender, to serve as a jerkass and encourager of plot-filled naughty behavior.
In terms of art design, it's very much the same style you'd be familair with form Groening's other works. Not just merely in technique, but Elfo is pretty much just Bart with green skin and a hat. Bean's is a bit stronger, but Luci is actually quite superb. There's some tangents going on when he speaks that are bothersome, but his overall design is memorable and unique. Key supporting cast have almost the designs you would find for extras.
Sound design is quite odd. It's very subdued, and I wouldn't say in the good way. Scenes that should be spiked feel underpunched, with no oomf. There's not much ambient noise, and so it's often eerily and synthetically quiet when characters talk. The voice actors almost seem to have been told to tone it down when delivering many of their lines.
The setting is quite odd. The simpson's relied on family and neighborhood dynamics to fuel it's plot, and Futurama could draw from absurd scifi occurrences. For a magical land, there isn't much magic going on. I feel the starring cast often just mopes about the castle and town in what is a largely mundane world.
Narratively, Groening probably can't do a truly serial format. There's some light connection between episodes, but they're still largely self-contained. It seems more like a collection of 10 episodes from a much longer episodic series.
The humor just isn't all that up to snuff. I've seen a few family guy throw away jokes entirely disconnected to the story.
I wanted something more manic with perhaps some heart, and I'm not quite getting that so far.
For something similar, try the 10 episode series, Over the Garden Wall.