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Post by Captain Hygiene on Jun 19, 2011 12:17:21 GMT -5
Well, it looks like the new season will start up with a pair of episodes this Thursday (the 23rd). I'm looking forward to it, I ended up buying the previous season on DVD a while back, and enjoyed them again. My views on the episodes haven't really changed - a few all-time classics, a few stinkers, and the rest enjoyable.
I've really fallen in love with the DVD commentaries, which are available on every episode and movie. By far the most enjoyable commentaries I've ever heard, I've actually watched them all with commentary on a couple of times. David X. Cohen and Matt Groening are present on all (or at least 99%) of the spots, along with various writers, producers, and voice actors (John DiMaggio and/or Billy West around most of the time), and the commentaries are interesting and often as funny as the episodes.
It really gives a good view behind the scenes, and it really becomes apparent what's changed with the newer two seasons compared to the original ones. There are fewer writers around, which I think affects the level of detail in the show's humor and storylines, but it's apparent how much the crew still loves working with the show.
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Torgo
Moderator Emeritus
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Post by Torgo on Jun 23, 2011 22:05:31 GMT -5
"On to sports, the Indy 500 was today...there were no survivors."
While the first 13 episodes of season 6 had their ups and downs, I thoroughly enjoyed the dual episode premiere of season 6 and a half. Female Scruffy was a hoot and a holler, and the multi-Benders was a lot of fun.
I'll be looking forward to the rest with much anticipation.
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Post by Crowfan on Jun 24, 2011 19:11:29 GMT -5
I just finished watching the first two episodes. Loved them both, especially the multiple Benders.
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Post by Captain Hygiene on Jun 24, 2011 20:48:10 GMT -5
I thought the first one was pretty good, but its final act was hilarious. I think I'm scarred for life. I'll have to digest the second one, but my first thought is that it's an all-time favorite. The general story is classic Futurama material - I love any episode that has some form or other of multiple Benders, and this one was kind of the ultimate version of that idea. Great start to the season (or great continuation? Futurama's broadcast schedule has always been kind of nebulous to me, I always add +/-2 uncertainty to any measure of which season they're in).
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Torgo
Moderator Emeritus
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Post by Torgo on Jun 24, 2011 20:52:14 GMT -5
Great start to the season (or great continuation? Futurama's broadcast schedule has always been kind of nebulous to me, I always add +/-2 uncertainty to any measure of which season they're in). Technically this is still part of the 26 episode order that makes up season six. Comedy Central split it in half for a sort of make believe brand new season. It's kind of like what they do with South Park, only far more spaced apart. Futurama has also been given the go for another 26 episodes after this is over, so we can look forward another 13 episodes in 2012 and more in 2013, consisting of the shows seventh production season (or volume 7 and 8 on DVD and Blu-Ray).
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Post by BJ on Jun 26, 2011 20:04:18 GMT -5
I just watched the two new episodes, so I figured I'd chime in. I thought the first one seemed off, like a few of the other episodes this season. It was a good idea, but I thought the idea of gender battle was done better in in the past, like the Amazonia planet or Bender's sex change. There were some funny jokes (like Fry's shoe), but the characterization seemed off. However, the second one was great. Multiple Benders, crazy science, drunks... it's all classic Futurama. The best for me was seeing Kif and Zapp having such a good time together. To alcohol: the cause of, and solution to, all of life's problems. I've really fallen in love with the DVD commentaries, which are available on every episode and movie... It really gives a good view behind the scenes, and it really becomes apparent what's changed with the newer two seasons compared to the original ones. There are fewer writers around, which I think affects the level of detail in the show's humor and storylines, but it's apparent how much the crew still loves working with the show. Thanks for that. I've held out on buying the half season because it's a bit pricey right now, but it's good to hear they talk about the changes. There are times during these new episodes that you just feel like a line would have been better in the old days, if only a few more people would have been around to reject a joke or pitch on something better.
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Post by Captain Hygiene on Jul 2, 2011 9:33:57 GMT -5
Another great episode this week - if the second half of the season can keep up the momentum, we're in for a treat. The opening to this one seemed a bit slow, but once the main plot started, it was consistently hilarious. The idea of Bender as a vengeful ghost is so great that I can't believe they never used it in one of the earlier seasons. All sorts of classic moments here, and a great guest appearance too.
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Post by BJ on Jul 2, 2011 13:24:06 GMT -5
I got some laughs from this week's episode, but overall I didn't care for it. There were some odd inconsistencies that kept me from enjoying it., and they all deal with the idea of robot ghosts.
Futurama did it before with Bender's dead uncle, but they were able to explain it away with a quick line about holograms from the unshielded router. This time, Bender actually dies, becomes a real ghost, and actually goes to limbo, robot hell, and robot heaven. The problem is that robot hell isn't a supernatural idea, but a physical place on earth occupied by living robots. There is no robot heaven, and when robots die, the merely cease to exist or they use their backup unit to enter a new body. Since Bender doesn't have a backup unit, he be dead.
All that probably sounds like nitpicking, but Futurama used to at least try to explain things to keep the show grounded, even if that just meant a joke admitting the incongruity. If the writers are going to just throw in whatever sounds funny, ignoring what they've written in the past, the show is going to deteriorate into goofy nonsense just like the Simpsons and Family Guy did.
I don't know. Maybe I'll like it more on a second viewing. The Obamacare joke was cringeworthy however. I'll be shaking my head at a lame, current events reference like that (Kardashians, Susan Boyle, etc.) every time I see it.
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Post by BJ on Jul 9, 2011 18:45:05 GMT -5
In case I was sounding like a complete curmudgeon, I have to say that I loved this week's episode. A Minority Report parody, with Tron references, callbacks to the pilot, and plenty of Url; I enjoyed it from start to finish.
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Post by dph on Jul 22, 2011 8:51:48 GMT -5
I loved last week's episode. I especially loved Zoidberg's last line and how tough he was through the whole episode.
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