HTF REVIEW: Futurama - Volume 4 (1 Viewer)

[RyanAn]

I hope that that the sucess of Futurama releases will bring it back on the air... Hopefully to a new and better timeslot.

Ryan

 

[GuruAskew]

It's doubtful. "Futurama" is cost-prohibitive because it's actually a good-looking show with a great voice cast and talented writers. "Family Guy" shares none of these qualities and, as such, is cheap to produce.

 

[Keith Paynter]

Ouch! No great voice cast? What's wrong with Seth, Alex Borstein (head writer and ex-MAD TV cast member), Seth Green, Mila Kunis, Adam West, and so many great cameos?

Futurama will never be back because there's no love lost between Fox and Groening. Fox just likes the money machine that is The Simpsons.

Michael, it's unfortunate that you're not that familiar with Futurama when you were given the discs to review - it had some of the sharpest humour, and impressive cel/computer hybrid animation.

 

[Dan Rudolph]

Family Guy used very few voice actors. THe writing staff did most of the characters, so they weren't big, relatively expensive stars like Billy West and Katey Segall. Also, much cheaper animation.

 

[Sam Favate]

I always liked Futurama when it was on the air, but I felt I could never really appreciate it - or get into it - because it was pre-empted so damn often. I rediscovered the show on DVD, and it has become one of my favorites. I like the Simpsons too, and won't compare them, or say one is better than the other -- the way I see it, we're lucky to be able to enjoy both.

 

[Jaime_Weinman]

The voice cast isn't very expensive either way; voice actors traditionally don't get paid much (The Simpsons voice cast is unusually highly paid, but only since the ninth season or so). The real expense comes in the actual animation, which was unusually highly budgeted on Futurama because of all the expensive special effects and elaborate outer-space backgrounds. Family Guy, by contrast, was cheap, or at least much cheaper than Fox's other animated shows. (Seth MacFarlane, when the show started, was asked how the show differed from The Simpsons or King of the Hill; his answer was "Well, first of all, it's a lot cheaper to produce.") And the new episodes actually have a budget 10% lower than the original run. Futurama is a better show than Family Guy, but Family Guy can be produced for considerably less than a million dollars an episode, and Futurama can't, and there's the difference.

 

[Allen>B]

I'm not sure why a reviewer would be chosen to review the 4th season of any show without ever having seen the seasons before it.

I think the majority of people who would purchase this season set (and get benefit from such a review) would be people who've seen or own the other sets.

I feel this review was a mistake.

About the show itself, I feel it's main problem was with the main character Fry.

Another white, dumb, selfish, jerk lead such as Homer from the Simpsons or Peter from Family Guy.

When the show was on I liked it very much. But Fry just kept me thinking, "this guy again?".

I also VERY much disliked the character Zoidberg.

I could have heard the meeting now:

"We need a Milhouse in there, but adult, uh and slapstick. Also we need a Homer, how about Fry! Uh and Bender. Wow, 2 Homers in one show! We are smart"



I show with a similar problem is Jimmy Neutron. I've heard lots of people say:

"I would like the Jimmy Neutron show, if only Jimmy Neutron wasn't in it"

 

[Rodney Martin]

Fry rocks, dumb selfish jerks are what many of us like to see in animation.

 

[Nick Sievers]

Zoidberg is great as well, he cracks me up anytime he says the word 'Robot'. "It's the Rowbet".

 

[Romier S]

I'm pretty sure its a statistical impossibility for someone to actually dislike Zoidberg.

Zoidberg: I'll have a look but I warn you, I'm an expert on humans, not ro-buts.
Fry: Er, I'm not Bender, I'm Fry.
Zoidberg: Really? I thought you were the ro-but.
Fry: Nope, human.
Zoidberg: Alright, alright, spare me your life story.



Same goes for good ole' Fry:

Professor: You mustn't interfere with the past! Don't do anything that affects anything. Unless it turns out you were supposed to do it. In which case, for the love of God do not do it!
Fry: Got it.
Professor: If for example you were to kill your grandfather, you'd cease to exist.
Fry: *gasps* But existing is basically all I do!

 

[GuruAskew]

Zoidberg is one of the greatest characters in the history of fiction. Who else could say "I wasn't wearing it, I was eating it"?

 

[nolesrule]

While my favorite character is Bender "Kiss my shiny metal ass" Bending Rodriguez, my wife's favorite character is goold old Dr. Zoidberg, and her favorite episodes are those (few) where he is the center of the story.

 

[David Williams]

Vive Le Zoidberg!

Dr. Zoidberg: Now open your mouth and let's have a look at that brain. No, nononono, not that mouth.
Fry: I only have one.
Dr. Zoidberg: Really?
Fry: Uh...is there a human doctor around?
Dr. Zoidberg: Young lady! I'm an expert on humans. Now pick a mouth, open it, and say (warbling noise)
Fry: Uh.. (clears throat and does his best imitation)
Dr. Zoidberg: What?! My mother was a saint!!! Get out!

 

[Colin Jacobson]

Fry isn't selfish - he's just so dumb that he reacts to everything impulsively. BENDER is selfish - he's the one who doesn't care about anything other than himself (usually).

Homer Simpson is a tougher call. Like Fry, most of his perceived selfishness is actually a combination of impulsivity and stupidity. However, he's done more things that he actively knew would upset loved ones - I think Fry doesn't so heavily ignore the desires of others. Fry's more of a sweet idiot, while Homer's bordering on selfish...

 

[MattHR]

Fox has made a change to the packaging for this final set. Instead of the outer box being cardboard, it is clear plastic with the artwork screened on. The inner box features rough sketch art, similar to Warner's Hanna-Barbera collection. It's still nice, but I wish they had remained consistent with the previous three sets.

 

[Scott Thomas]

I just finished watching the entire boxset, tommorow I'll watch the episode with commentaries.

So many great episodes.


BTW- The ending to "Jurassic Bark" is one the most tearful, sadess endings I've ever seen. I almost cried at the end.

 

[Dan Rudolph]

I did cry at the end. Same with The Luck of the Fryrish in season 3 and the first one about Leela's parents. IMHO, one of the best things about Futurama was that despite it's general wackiness, it could work as a drama.

 

[Jari]

Does it glow in the dark like R2? That could be the reason why packaging was changed a bit.

 

[Andrew Chong]

I'm happy that this season is now available as many of the broadcasted episodes were missed by me on the t.v. including this one. I was surprised to hear one of my favourite tunes, "I Will Wait For You" (by Michel Legrand from the movie The Umbrellas of Cherbourg) and loved the rendition sung in this episode.

Too bad there isn't a Futurama CD (or other audio disc format) à la The Simpsons. It would be nice to have the above song, other songs from the series, and the many variants of the theme music (including West and DiMaggio's 'beatbox' version) in a compilation or two.

 

[Casey Trowbridg]

"Bite my shiny medal ass"

Count me among those that are big Futurama fans, and also big fans of Dr. Zoidberg. My favorite commentary on volume 3 in fact was when they had the 3 voice acters in the room each do their Zoidberg.