Futurama - Volume 1

RS: 3of 4 Stars

Futurama, Matt Groening's other cartoon sitcom, was always overshadowed by the genius of The Simpsons. Which means that it was superior to only ninety-five percent of TV comedy, rather than ninety-nine percent. These three discs collect the consistently funny first season: Fry, a pizza-delivery boy, wakes up in the year 3000, where New Year's Rockin' Eve is hosted by the preserved head of Dick Clark. The real star, however, is Bender, the drunk robot who dispenses such wisdom as "Bite my shiny metal ass."

GAVIN EDWARDS
(April 3, 2003)