Futurama: The Beast with a Billion Backs (2008) Review

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(More customer reviews)While I'm a truly devoted Futurama fan, I'm not one of those condescending supergeeks who claim to love Futurama so much that I have the authority to tell everyone else how virulently they're supposed to hate anything even slightly different than my favorite old episodes. (That's right, you heard me.) I'm ecstatic that Futurama has returned from the dead, and I totally loved "Bender's Big Score." But this new Futurama flick disappoints. Most of what we know and love about Futurama is still here in spades, but this flick suffers from a poorly-developed plot and a degeneration of the show's formerly deep and subversive humor.
The 88-minute format is either too long for a compact and focused plotline, or too short for the type of complex story the producers appear to be striving for. The story here jumps around at a very awkward pace and shows signs of severe over-editing. The jokes have been reduced to Family Guy-like asides played for cheap guffaws rather than deep thoughts. (The caped superhero is an unfortunate example, and Bender's firstborn son is a very unfortunate example.)
Many holes and inconsistencies in the storyline show that plot construction took a backseat to the more easily written sight gags and cheap asides. (Here's an example that hopefully won't be condemned as a spoiler. Late in the film the new Yivo character says he [sklee] sent an image of himself to artists in our universe, but most of the story is built on the idea that Yivo thought he was alone in all universes.) The fundamental story has also trumped the longstanding strengths of the show. The personalities of Fry and Leela (and important supporting characters like Kif) are inconsistent, Bender has been demoted to an unworkable subplot, and Zoidberg does little more than vomit for simpleminded laughs. There are also many missed opportunities for building upon the cliffhangers left from "Bender's Big Score."
You can rest assured that the great Futurama animation, music, and voice acting (the actors have always been the show's unsung heroes) won't disappoint this time around. But the writing will. Certain fans may or may not like the basic story, but the bigger point is that everyone will notice the careless and unprofessional defects in the story. Hopefully this flick will just be a temporary misstep. Console yourself by remembering once again how lucky we are to have Futurama back among the living. [~doomsdayer520~]

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The thrilling conclusion to Futurama: Benders Big Score.Bender and the planet express crew must contend with a massive cosmic team that sends the world into panic.

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A Bit of Fry and Laurie - Season One (2006) Review

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(More customer reviews)'A Bit of Fry and Laurie' ranks as one of the greatest sketch shows ever to hit British television. However its fame is nowhere near as widespread as that of its counterparts 'Fawlty Towers' and 'Monty Python's Flying Circus'. Because of this lower profile it is rarely re-run on television and DVD and VHS releases are very limited. This is why it was with great joy that I heard of the DVD release of their complete first two series.
Having seen what Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie have to offer, it is difficult to understand why they have not had more widespread success. Their humour is fantastically witty and posesses the sophistication and finesse that other programmes so sorely lack. Stephen Fry's manipulation of the English language is always amusing and his talents fused with those of Hugh Laurie are a potent mix. Indeed it may sometimes remind the viewer of their other collaboration on 'Jeeves and Wooster'.
It is great news that this series has finally been committed to DVD and not simply a 'best of'. I would urge all comedy fans to buy this DVD and enjoy what is a top class comedy programme.

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Only a handful of creative works succeed in capturing the totality of human existence, from birth to death, through love, transfiguration and redemption. "A Bit of Fry and Laurie," the BBC television series co-starring Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie, has been said, on two occasions, to be among this group. Over 40 sketches in two programs of fun and frivolity.

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