Bender's Big Score [Small Spoilers]

Futurama. The Simpsons' younger daddy. It was one of the biggest shows around, spawning four successful seasons and owning a huge fanbase. But then, it stopped. The show was cancelled. Futurama fans were heartbroken - the series hasn't even had its 100th episode. But now, Futurama returns! The series has given four straight-to-DVD films. This is the first one - Bender's Big Score.

This was a delightful comeback. Everything you loved from the previous episodes was put in, and had a weird selection of jokes - from crude (Are you talking to my penis?) to the more lighter jokes, BBS score managed to give in all that. Characters were on their top form, with loads of standout scenes. The DVD managed to have three plots;

• Lars / Leela plot
  
• Bender plot
• Hermes plot
• Bender / Lars / Leela / Fry mixture
  

Lars and Leela: This was a very interesting plot, since Leela's relationship with Fry hasn't been questioned yet. The plot manages to spawn some very funny scenes, and some good emotion with Fry feautured in. Lars wasn't the best character, but the ending and his death was very surpising and unexpected.

Bender: This was, in total, the main plot. Bender's character was funny as usual, spawning some jokes (fifty terabites of porn), and his interactions with the naked scamming creatures was also great. Bender repeatingly speaking out the time travel code on Fry's buttocks was another funny moment. The ending with all the alternitive Benders was funny as it ended on a great cliffhanger.

Hermes: This was my least favourite plot. Hermes rivarly with Slim was a bit unused, and the plot used a bit too much airtime and was too concertrated. There was some funny moments (The son needs a dad), but I wouldn't really expect anything special and there was nothing special. Good connection in the end however.

Lars / Leela / Bender / Fry: The most cleverest and the best of all the bunch. The previous episode refrences were cheerful and hilarious, as well as the Jurassic Bark retcon. Bender's search to find Fry was great, and checking everybody's ass he searched for was okay and wasn't dragging. There was some nice moments between all this, most noticabley Bender destroying Gore's notes leading to the Bush win and Michelle's new boyfriend. The unexpected ending with Lars and Fry really shocked me and would to the audience, and Fry's stay in New York City was excellent.

As the jokes go, there were a countless amount of superb jokes that were seperating the plots and base moments. Box Broadcasting, Bender exploding, the funeral will, Hermes' two decipatations, the Family Guy refrences and the scammers looking for information were all highlight jokes, but there's much more. The two songs were excellent and catchy, and the exciting spacefight was amazing.

But there are downpoints. The connections and episode refrences can be a little bit confusing but better in rewatches - several characters were un-needed and the entire thing was a bit disconnected at very small times. Hermes' plot was a bit unenjoyable. And here's the plus: The animation was great, as well as the theme tune remix. The self-refrences about the show's cancellation was a nice beginning.

Overall Grade: A.

Highly recommended, better than The Simpsons Movie.