SCI FI PI

DVD REVIEW Released March 6

It's always a time for celebration when a cancelled Sci Fi show (of excellent quality) re-emerges from the netherworld of cancellation and returns for our viewing pleasure. Futurama, despite being co-created by Matt Groening, was always the sickly step-child in The Simpsons' family, but had a hugely loyal fan-base who responded to the innest of in-jokes that truly allowed the geek to be unleashed.


That said, to really enjoy this DVD you really need to be a fan of the show. A big fan. The jokes of the belly laugh variety are thin and the general plot line, whilst pretty entertaining, is far from the very best in the Futurama pantheon. Still, if you are a fan, it's good to get back to the Bachelor Chow and Slurm that we know and love.





The action starts after the Box Network (not the Fox Network, oh no) has fired Planet Express two years ago. Luckily, regime change has meant that a new set of morons are running the Box Network, and the crew are back in work. The first job is to the Nude Beach Planet (of course). Unhappily, however, the place is infested with hideous Nude Aliens who are scam artists extraordinaire. The gang fall victim to vicious spamming and finally the Professor manages to lose control of Planet Express in a lottery spam scam (say that when you're drunk!).






The Nude Aliens take control of the business and then we start heading into pretty weird territory as the concept of time travel and thievery blend to Bender's liking. If time loops and causality are a pet Sci Fi bugbear of yours, then you'll have plenty to go over here. Still, it allows for one heck of a loopy storyline that sort of, kind of, ok, sure, ties up in nicely in the end.





This movie-length adventure has plenty to please the fans. The nude aliens as adversaries aren't quite the in the Mom realm, settling in more of the two-bit pains-in-the-behind variety, but with slightly more ambition, however, it is nice to see something new that's both disgusting and animated. That said, there are plenty of favourite characters returning in this particular adventure, with Robot Santa, Zapp Brannigan and Nibbler and the Nibblonians helping out.

Bender's Big Score has enough ingredients to satisfy, but ultimately it is the movie plus the extras that make this a DVD worth purchasing, rather than simply the movie alone. Hopefully the return series will use the film's quality as its benchmark and raise it ever higher.









Extras

The first-ever maths lecture in an animated Sci Fi DVD extras package. Woohoo! Nerd alert! Seriously though, there is a maths lecture using some of the maths concepts (and jokes) from the show. Entitled 'Bite My Shiny Metal X'.

Commentary with Matt Groening, David X. Cohen, and cast members

Convention footage with the cast reading out the comic announcing the return of Futurama. Highly entertaining.

Promo for "An Inconvenient Truth" starring Bender and Al Gore, including commentary by the former Vice President, who used footage form Futurama int eh Oscar Winning An Inconvenient Truth

Everyone loves Hynotoad! Spoof on crappy TV starring the most beloved (and disturbing) mind-bending amphibian ever. If ever there was a one-gag show, this is it.

First Draft.

Deleted Scenes.