Saturday, December 01, 2007

Mini-DVD Review: Futurama - Bender's Big Score!; Solomon's Weekly Rant: Same 'Ole Merrython; TV One Is So Selective; Same TNT NBA Promos

It is Saturday, so that must mean it is time for mini-DVD reviews and Solomon's Weekly Rant! First up, are the mini-DVD reviews. Today we take a look at 20th Century Fox's Futurama - Bender's Big Score!. Futurama - Bender's Big Score! is a direct to DVD movie featuring the hit Fox animated series. See skees53's mini-DVD review of Futurama - Bender's Big Score!:

Futurama - Bender's Big Score! (20th Century Fox, $29.99) proves once again that animated Fox sitcoms don't die, but instead they just take on a new life elsewhere. This direct-to-DVD movie doubles as what will be the first episode of the new season of the series (which has been "on hiatus" for the past four years) as new episodes return to the airwaves sometime next year, this time on Comedy Central. All of the old characters that we knew and loved from the original airing of the series are back for this DVD, proving that a little time off doesn't always mean that everything is going to change.
The movie itself brings back the typical and bizarre plots that we have all come to know and love about Futurama. The movie begins with the Planet Express Corporation is taken over by scammers, thanks to the entire crew falling for a bunch of e-mail scams that they receive. Bender even ends up opening a virus infected e-mail, which of course considering Bender himself is a computer, he can be infected by the virus--and is. In fact, the virus that the scammers gave him cause Bender to turn on his crew when the scammers decide to fully take advantage of the crew. Matters only get worse when it is discovered that Fry has a tattoo of Bender on his butt that has a time travel code, which the virus-infected Bender uses to essentially destroy the past. How will it all turn out? The only way to know is to watch the movie for yourself... I don't want to spoil the whole plot! Guest stars in the movie include Sarah Silverman, Mark Hamill, Coolio, and even Al Gore.
The movie itself is presented in widescreen and the audio is presented in Dolby Digital surround sound. This being released by 20th Century Fox means that special features were not neglected. In fact, there are some very nice special feature on the DVD, starting with a commentary from Matt Groening and the stars of the show. Next, we have Futurama Returns!, an animated comic book reading about the story of how Futurama returned--is is mostly meant to be humorous. And if you really want to see something that is supposed to be a joke, you have to see the next special feature, Everybody Loves Hypnotoad. Basically, this is billed on the set as the TV hit of the future. It features 23 minutes of Hypnotoad blinking his eyes. Nothing else, at all. We have some animated storyboards of deleted scenes included on the set. Next, we have an animated promo for the movie, "An Inconvenient Truth." It even has a video commentary on it from Al Gore and Matt Groening. All of those math geeks out there will love the special feature "Bite My Shiny Metal X," which features an actual professor of mathematics giving a lecture about the math references in Futurama. There is a copy of the original script of the movie that you can read along with on the screen. And finally, there are some character and design sketches. Wow! That is a lot of special features!
Any Futurama fan MUST own this DVD, it would be foolish not to. Even if you are just a casual fan, you will definitely want this DVD. It will air on Comedy Central eventually anyway, but it won't be as impressive as this DVD for certain. This shiny metal DVD is definitely worth buying!
-- Reviewed by skees53
(5/5 stars)

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Solomon's Weekly Rant
Saturday, December 1, 2007
"Same 'Ole Merrython; TV One Is So Selective; Same TNT NBA Promos"
By Solomon Davis

Why does TV Land feel the need to start the Merrython today when it is the same type of Merrython that's been aired the last 7 years? It's not like it's nothing NEW and EXCITING just the SAME and PLAIN shows. I have no idea why TV Land was in a rush to show a full day of Christmas episodes from the TV shows already on their schedule. Do us all a favor TV Land and save this CRAP for the weekend before Christmas and stop pretending you are doing us TV fans a favor. TV Land has scheduled another Merrython Dec. 24, but yes same shows they always air.

Even though TV One is a cable channel geared toward African Americans, that doesn't mean that they have to be so SELECTIVE with the shows they put on their schedule. It's very strange that black sitcoms like The Jeffersons, Benson, Gimme a Break! and Diff'rent Strokes have not been added to TV One since day one of the network. And no that one day marathon of Gimme a Break! to promote the Season 1 DVD does not count! Why does it have to be only true black sitcoms like Good Times, 227, Roc, Eve, and Martin? I really hope this strange selection process of TV one shows changes in the future so TV fans can see sitcoms like Webster, CPO Sharkey, Getting By, and Anthony Anderson before he was in All About the Andersons in the sitcom Hang Time.

The new NBA season is in progress and when watching a NBA game on TNT you see the same commercials from last season. Why are NBA fans still watching all those Charles Barkley and Dwayne Wade commercials from last season? TNT has to know fans are sick of seeing Wade begging Barkley's to be in his T-Mobile Fave 5. Then you have that "3-2-1 and the crowd goes wild" commercial. That's the commercial with people pretending they are taking a last second shot before the buzzer sounds. Is it because Barkley is a TNT studio analyst that us fans have to continue seeing old cell phone commercials featuring Barkley? Seeing him in the studio at halftime and after the game is more than enough.

Agree or disagree with Solomon? Discuss it here.

DISCLAIMER: Remember, Solomon is not the voice of SitcomsOnline. He is just stating his opinions and does not reflect what SitcomsOnline says or thinks. It is just his 'View' but it is always quite entertaining.


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Monday, March 31

The Neighborhood - "Welcome to the Signature Service Loyalty Rewards Program" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Malcom receives an unexpected call from USC’s athletic director about a baseball head coach vacancy. Meanwhile, Calvin and Marty start a new signature loyalty rewards program at The Fuse Box.

Poppa's House - "Say Wha?!" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Junior’s fundraising effort for his film takes a dramatic turn when he discovers Poppa’s flea market purchase is worth a fortune. Vivica A. Fox guest stars as “Judge SayWha.”

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of March 31)

Monday, March 31

  • Jennifer Coolidge (2 Broke Girls/Joey) - Watch Jennifer on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Britt Lower (Ghosted/Man Seeking Woman/Big Lake) - Britt appears on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
  • Nathan Lane (Mid-Century Modern/Only Murders in the Building/Modern Family/Charlie Lawrence/Encore! Encore!/One of the Boys) - Nathan stops by Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Maria Bamford (Lady Dynamite/Benched) - Maria is a guest on After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Jay Ellis (Running Point/Insecure/The Game) - Jay talks about Running Point and Freaky Tales on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am and on CBS Mornings Plus in the 9am hour.
  • Sara Gilbert (The Conners/Bad Teacher/The Big Bang Theory/The Class/Roseanne) - Sara chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT. She also talks about The Conners on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
  • Michelle Buteau (Survival of the Thickest/Bless the Harts/Enlisted) - Michelle talks about Survival of the Thickest on NBC's Today in the 10am hour and on ABC News Live Prime with Linsey Davis at 7pm.
  • Michael Angarano (Laid/I'm Dying Up Here/Will & Grace) - Michael talks about Sacramento on ABC News Live Prime with Linsey Davis at 7pm.
  • Olivia Munn (Perfect Couples) - Olivia guest co-hosts NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
  • Eva Longoria (Only Murders in the Building/Telenovela) - Eva talks about Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Road Trip on Sherri, so check your local listings.
  • Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/CafĂ© Americain/Sydney/One Day at a Time) - Valerie is joining Drew and Ross to hit the headlines in an all-new Drew's News on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.


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11/05 - I Love Lucy - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
11/12 - The King of Queens - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (2024 Release)
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01/28 - Wait Till Your Father Gets Home - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/04 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)
02/04 - The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series
03/11 - Frasier (2023) - Season Two
04/01 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season

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