Futurama is the brainchild of Simpsons' creator Matt Groening. With the help of David X. Cohen, (also of the Simpsons') the main aim was to create a science-fiction based, (though not science-fiction reliant) cartoon for adults, though this is much more children-friendly than the likes of ... Read review
Set in the year 3000,Futuramais the acme of sci-fi animated sitcom fromSimpsonscreator ... more
Matt Groening. While not as universally popular asThe Simpsons,Futuramais equally hip and hilarious, thanks to its zippy lateral-thinking contemporary pop cultural r...
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Space Pilot 3000.Episode Two : The Series Has Landed.I Roommate.Lovers Labours Lost in ... more
Space.Fear Of A Bot Planet.A Fishfull Of Dollars.My Three Suns.A Piece Of Garbage.Hell Is Other Robots.A Flight To Remember.Mars University.When Aliens Attack.Fry An...
Set in the year 3000,Futuramais the acme of sci-fi animated sitcom fromSimpsonscreator ... more
Matt Groening. While not as universally popular asThe Simpsons,Futuramais equally hip and hilarious, thanks to its zippy lateral-thinking contemporary pop cultural r...
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Production Year: 2000 - Comedy - Director: David Raynr - Original Language: English - Classification: 12 years and over - Starring: Jodi Lyn O'Keefe, Shane West, Marla Sokoloff, James Franco, Colin Hanks, Christine Lakin, Aaron Paul
Comedy - Director: Tony Dow - Original Language: English - Classification: 12 years and over - Starring: John Challis, David Jason, Nicholas Lyndhurst, Tessa Peake-Jones, Gwyneth Strong
Comedy - Original Language: English - Classification: 12 years and over - Starring: Tessa Peake-Jones, Buster Merryfield, David Jason, Nicholas Lyndhurst
Comedy - Director: Richard Boden, Mandie Fletcher, Martin Shardlow - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Hugh Laurie, Miranda Richardson, Stephen Fry, Brian Blessed, Tim McInnerny, Tony Robinson, Rowan Atkinson
Advantages: The start of a great comedy Disadvantages: Short-cut options disabled, no 'Play All'
Futurama is the brainchild of Simpsons' creator Matt Groening. With the help of David X. Cohen, (also of the Simpsons') the main aim was to create a science-fiction based, (though not science-fiction reliant) cartoon for adults, though this is much more children-friendly than the likes of "proper" adult shows such as 'South Park'. Sadly, the show only ran for four series before being dropped by Fox, but here is where it all began.
... ...animators worked on both shows) Futurama is able to walk much faster than most shows. Although the shows get much better in later series', the first outing is still packed full of hilarious situations, brilliant comedic lines and catchphrases, (Bender's first lines are his ever-immortal "Bite my shiny metal ass").
Comparisons with 'The Simpsons' will always be drawn and arguments will always happen about which is better. Personally, ... more
Futurama is the brainchild of Simpsons' creator Matt Groening. With the help of David X. Cohen, (also of the Simpsons') the main aim was to create a science-fiction based, (though not science-fiction reliant) cartoon for adults, though this is much more children-friendly than the likes of "proper" adult shows such as 'South Park'. Sadly, the show only ran for four series before being dropped by Fox, but here is where it all began.
'Futurama' follows the typical non-hero of Philip J. Fry, (simply known as 'Fry'), a pizza delivery-boy from the 20th century who, upon delivering a pizza for an I.C. Wiener (say it out loud...) to a cryogenic lab on New Year's eve 1999 gets himself frozen in time, only to be released 1000 years into the future. When he is revived in the 30th/31st century he goes on to befriend a robot called Bender, a one-eyed 'alien' called Leela and, having been able to track down his closest living relative, one Professor Hubert Farnsworth, goes to work as an intergalactic delivery-boy for the Professor's delivery company, Delivery Express. (There are other important characters, such as Amy Wong, Hermes Conrad and Dr. Zoidberg).
Like any other show, 'Series One' sees the cast and crew trying to find their feet. Fortunately, with the expertise acquired from their time on the Simpsons, (a lot of the writers and animators worked on both shows) Futurama is able to walk much faster than most shows. Although the shows get much better in later series', the first outing is still packed full of hilarious situations, brilliant comedic lines and catchphrases, (Bender's first lines are his ever-immortal "Bite my shiny metal ass"). Comparisons with 'The Simpsons' will always be drawn and arguments will always happen about which is better. Personally, I think they're equally as good, but for different reasons.
I think 'Futurama' works on several levels. There are elements of slapstick, puns, parodies and subtle jokes for all kinds of people. If you were sat in a room with friends, one a computer programmer, one a geneticist, one a sport's fan, one a literary expert, one a television addict (an unlikely bunch of friends perhaps, but you understand my point), you'd probably find different people laughing at different points because of the subtle jokes that are laced throughout the series. There really is something for everyone. Equally, you don't have to be any of these things to enjoy watching the shows, as more direct jokes are there throughout the show. Also, although science-fiction is a heavy influence on the show, (being set in the future and everything) I don't think it's important to be a science-fiction fan in the slightest to be entertained by the show. I know people who thought the show was rubbish, but had never actually watched it purely because it was a "sci-fi comedy". Most, (though not all I have to admit) did actually change their minds once they watched a couple of shows. The team uses so many different references for their jokes that pretty much anyone will find something worth laughing at.
The voice actors include Bill West (Fry, Prosser, Dr. Zoidberg, others) Katy Segal (Leela), John DiMaggio (Bender, Elzaa, others), Tress McNeille (Mom, Hattie, others) Phil Lemar (Hermes Conrad, others), Frank Welker (Additional Voices, pretty much every animal you hear) to name but a few. All the actors are very talented and I found it amazing the number of characters and voices a handful of actors could provide. Although in some earlier episodes the actors are still getting to grips with certain characters (Billy's Professor voice changes slightly compared with later series'), overall the voices remain very much the same from Series One onwards. I found it quite entertaining (though perhaps it's only me!) to try and figure out which actor is providing the voice of characters and it's not always clear which character belongs to which actor - a credit to their vocal talents.
The DVD itself consists of three discs, with episodes and special features spread out over all three discs. The packaging is superb with an episode listing on the back of each disc, as well as a brief description of the episodes allowing you to easily find a particular episode you might want to re-watch. The cover also shows the 'Special Features' that appear on each disc. Also, inside each cover is a chapter index of each episode, so it's very easy to know exactly where you are with each episode. They discs come in a box that will take up more room than normal for DVD's, but the fact that the covers contain so much information I feel makes up for this. Also, the artwork that is on the box and covers is fun and has been created especially for the box set.
The menus are well produced, featuring aspects that appear in the show and each disc has it's own, unique menu so you don't get bored seeing the same screen each time. One slight gripe I have with the menu is that there isn't a 'Play All' feature, (something they didn't correct until Series Three) and it can become a little frustrating have to select each episode and then select 'Play' in order to watch each episode. The up side of this is the sub-menus are pleasant-enough to look at, again varying with each episode and at least not boring.
Every episode has a commentary, which consists of different cast and crew depending on the episode. These start off a little slow, but as the series progresses the commentaries get better I think. Unfortunately, unlike other series', you cannot activate the commentaries by using your 'Audio' button on the remote; instead you have to return to the menu and select to play with the commentary. I personally find this an annoyance, but I know many people don't bother with commentaries so for the vast majority this wouldn't be an issue. I found the commentaries insightful and entertaining, some are almost as funny as the episodes themselves. If, like me, you're into this sort of thing, I reckon you'll find the comments and discussions fun and amusing. I have actually watched the entire series with just the commentary on and never got bored, (though that might just be me being a geek...)
The bonus features are a bit mixed. Some a genuinely entertaining and add to the overall experience, some feel a little like filler-material to try and take up space. That said, the bits are worth watching make for interesting viewing. I personally enjoyed watching some of the animatics (initial animations of the show before full animation/colour has been added to "sketch-out" the show and how well it flows, etc.). I enjoyed these because quite often they have variations, sometimes even completely new scenes/jokes that didn't make it to the final cut. I also thought the deleted scenes were entertaining, as they too show things that didn't make it into the aired-episode.
I think the rating of 12 is fair as there are some scenes of cartoon violence, (think 'Tom & Jerry' violence rather than, say for example, 'South Park' violence). There's some occasional cuss words, but they're few and far between and, speaking for myself, were words I was well aware of when I was 12 so I sincerely doubt 'Futurama' could be blamed for "corrupting the kids". Bare in mind above all else that this show was never intended to be a child's cartoon show. Adults and kids can thoroughly enjoy this show, but on different levels. A lot of the jokes adults will laugh at would probably go over children's heads and kids would (probably) be entertained enough by the visuals and more slap-stick style of comedy, (something Walt Disney always used to do in their movies).
If I had any criticism of the show itself, it would simply be that it's not as funny as later series' of 'Futurama'. That, to me, couldn't really be considered a criticism, but more of a credit to how good the shows became. If you're remotely interested in this, whether you've heard it or not, I think if you could pick up 'Series One' for about £17-20 then I suspect you'd be thoroughly pleased with your purchase. I consider it one of the best bargain's I've had in many years. Highly recommended and something I keep going back to time and time again.
Advantages: Great animation, extremely funny, good characters, two wonderful episodes, no bad episodes Disadvantages: Fewer episodes than the later seasons, bonus material not very imaginative
...who brought us The Simpsons, Futurama is an animated sci-fi comedy series which is overall far better than its better-known cousin. The reason for this is that while The Simpsons could be mind-numbingly funny, satirical, and surreal, the quality of the episodes carried wildly and some were just a waste of time. I've so far seen the entire first 3 seasons of Futurama, and couple of later episodes, and have yet to be disappointed by any of them. I ... ...There are a few bonus features in this 3 DVD pack, consisting mainly of commentary by Matt Groening and others (this ranges from quite funny to banal), sketches, storyboards, and "Animatics" (the unedited voice-acting with the original storyboards), and deleted scenes (these range from funny to "I can see hwy they left that out" - these are generally pre-production shoots, so obviously the animation and sound is not as polished as the episodes themselves. ...
CaptainDisaster 10.05.2005
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Futurama - Series 1 - Complete (Animated) (Box Set) (DVD)
Advantages: Great animation, charactors, comedy. Disadvantages: None.
...the DVD box set of Futurama – Season One…
***THE BACKGROUND***
Futurama comes to you from the creator of that incredibly well known all-American family, ‘The Simpsons’. Set 1,000 years in the future in the year of our Lord 3000, in the city of New New York – which is built on the ruins of Old New York - Futurama revolves around the various ins and outs of an intergalactic delivery company called Planet Express and its staff of various species.
... ...computer generated effects.
Sadly, Futurama doesn’t seem to have caught the imagination of the television viewing public as powerfully as its stablemate ‘The Simpsons’ has – and, as a result, its future may well be on the bleak side.
Do yourself a favour. You may not want to splash out on purchasing a box set of this before you’ve caught on episode. Instead, see if you can catch it on Channel Four, who seem quite content of shuffling it round the ...
Critchyboy 17.05.2003
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Futurama - Series 1 - Complete (Animated) (Box Set) (DVD)
Advantages: So Funny Disadvantages: There aren't the normal 26 Episodes in a usual US TV Series.
FUTURAMA Season 1 3 Disc DVD Set
Created by Matt Groening (The Simpsons) and a worthy entry in the continued high quality world of more adult animation. This is the 1st DVD box-set of the show.
Characters
Fry
Race: Human
Job Delivery Boy
Ex Job: Delivery Boy
Quote: "It's like I always say..." Generally he will go on to say
something that he's never said before.
Voice: Billy West
The Hero of the story. Fry is just your basic, average, ordinary ... ...pictures of the designs for the series.
*Futurama Trailer
This is just as it seems, a taster of the new show before it aired the first
time in the US.
Over-all a fantastic purchase for all Futurama fans. Seasons 2 and 3 have also been released. ...
T-Boy67 29.07.2003
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Futurama - Series 1 - Complete (Animated) (Box Set) (DVD)
Advantages: Hilarious animation from the makers of the Simpsons Disadvantages: None
Futurama is a series that I admit it took me a little while to get into. At first it seemed slightly geeky and full of technology related jokes. As I watched more episodes however, it grew on me very quickly and I now rate it more highly that even the Simpsons. I wish it hadn’t been cancelled after only four series because with the amount of available material at the disposal of the writers this show could have gone on indefinitely and not become ... ...of the best characters in Futurama and comes across as quite loveable.
- Professor Farnsworth – this is Fry’s only living relative (his nephew, despite being 140 years old). He is the owner of the Planet Express delivery company who Fry, Leela and Bender end up working for.
- Dr (John) Zoidberg – Planet Express’s resident “doctor” he is actually a large pink crustacean from another world with at best sketchy medical knowledge. He also seems to ...
fryera2 12.05.2007
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Futurama - Series 1 - Complete (Animated) (Box Set) (DVD)
...would love this show.
Futurama follows the journey of one Phillip J Fry from the year 2000, he has a dead-end job, his girlfriend has dumped him and he just doesn't fit in. So when he falls into a cryogenic chamber and is frozen for 1000 years it is not the worst thing that could have happened. A fresh start you might say - full of weird and wonderful characters from robots to one-eyed aliens!!
The DVD box set contains all the episodes from the ... ...on three discs, from the first episode Space Pilot 3000 where he first is frozen and wakes up in the new and strange world, to all the others that explore the amazing story of Fry and his mismatched friends. Greatest character ever has to be Dr Zoidberg!!! - a lobster who is a doctor for the Planet Express company, yet does not know a thing about medicine.
Disc 1
Space pilot 3000
The First Episode. From the cryogenic lab to Fry's great, great, ...
m.kerby 10.02.2007
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Futurama - Series 1 - Complete (Animated) (Box Set) (DVD)
Product Information for "Futurama - Series 1 - Complete (Animated) (Box Set) (DVD)" »
Product details
Genre
Comedy
Classification
12 years and over
Production Year
1999
Running Time
5 hours 8 minutes
Video Category
US Television
Plot
Features every episode from the first season of the hit television comedy. 'Space Pilot 3000', 'The Series Has Landed', 'I, Roomate', 'Love's Labour's Lost In Space', 'Fear Of A Bot Planet', 'A Fistful Of Dollars', 'My Three Suns', 'A Big Piece Of Garbage', 'Hell Is Other Robots', 'A Flight To Remember', 'Mars University', 'When Aliens Attack' and 'Fry And The Slurm Factory'.
Release details
DVD Region
DVD
Studio(s)
20th Century Fox Home Entertainment; Deluxe Video Service - Fox
Beastie Boys, Dick Clark, Pamela Anderson, Billy West, Katey Sagal, John Di Maggio
Languages
Main Language
English
Subtitle Language
Dutch, English, French, Italian
Technical information
Special Features
Commentary For Each Episode, Animatics, Deleted Scenes, Trailer, Special Featurette, Interactive Gallery Of Stills, Concept Art Gallery, Character Profiles, David X Cohen Interview, Biographies Of Matt Groening And David X Cohen
Aspect Ratio
4:3 Full Frame
Sound
Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround
Dubbing Sound
Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround English
Animated
Animated
DVD Description
This collection presents the entire first season of Matt Groening's Futurama in all of its absurd, sci-fi glory. After accidentally freezing himself in 1999, pizza delivery boy Fry (voiced by Billy West) wakes up in New York City at the beginning of the 31st century. There he meets the fiesty, one-eyed Leela (voiced by Katey Sagal), the beer-swilling robot Bender (voiced by John Di Maggio), and other strange characters. Together they embark on ridiculous journeys as part of a interplanetary delivery service. Episodes include "Space Pilot 3000," "The Series Has Landed," "Fear of a Bot Planet," "My Three Suns," "When Aliens Attack," and many more.
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