I've always had a spot in my heart for Matt Groening's "Futurama." It's not as funny and endearing as "The Simpsons," but it's a show that has given me laughs.
"Futurama: Beast With A Million Backs" is now on DVD.
I must admit that I haven't been a regular viewer of the show. If it was airing I'd stick around to watch it, but I didn't always seek it out. Now with it running in re-runs on Cartoon Network's "Adult Swim," I've been able to catch episodes that I've missed. The humor, though similar to "The Simpsons," isn't the kind of humor that has me in stitches. Rather it is humor that slips by me at first, then I realize what was said or done by the "Futurama" characters was funny. This is sneaky comedy, and that's good in my book. It sneaks up on me and then I'm laughing at the smart writing and comic delivery.
It's obvious that Groening and
his talented cast and crew have affection for the show and its offbeat characters. In this feature-length DVD, all of the strange and wonderful characters of Fry, Bender, Leela, Farnsworth, Zoidberg and the others are back in "Futurama" form. The show continues with the same spirit as before. Earth is threatened by a mysterious object in space which eventually turns Earthlings into love slaves. In the meantime, Bender joins up with a secret society of robots. The story gets absurdly weird with Fry being taken over by the beast from space, Yivo. And the story becomes funnier.
Bender has been my favorite character on the show, and he's is top form here. An alcoholic robot with feelings and emotions, he's crass and insulting to his friends on the show, but he's still lovable. No matter how much he tries to insult everybody, or leave the scene, he always comes back. Those carbon-based humans (and aliens) are too good not to keep insulting.
Groening and company are truly nerds in the best sense. The pop culture, sci-fi and political nudges throughout "Futurama" are priceless. As a fellow nerd and former reader of "Starlog" magazine, I get the jokes. Seeing Nixon's head in a futuristic glass case, or the ode to (of all things) "Star Trek: The Motion Picture," are gags that will probably please even the most devoted fan of pop culture.
"Beast With A Million Backs" is good natured. Many of the jokes are adult in nature and will probably fly over the heads of young kids. It seems as though the "Futurama" company of players has gone the extra step in keeping the show fresh, even if it's as a feature-length movie.
Bill Kallay
Photos: © 20th Century Fox. All rights reserved.
