Browse Television Central. Science Fiction & Fantasy

Star Trek The Next Generation - The Complete Fifth Season

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26 episodes on 7 discs: Redemption Part II, Darmok, Ensign Ro, Silicon Avatar, Disaster, The Game, Unification Part I, Unification Part II, A Matter of Time, New Ground, Hero Worship, Violations, The Masterpiece Society, Conundrum, Power Play, Ethics, The Outcast, Cause and Effect, The First Duty, Cost of Living, The Perfect Mate, Imaginary Friend, I, Borg, The Next Phase, The Inner Light, Time's Arrow Part I.

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The fifth season of Star Trek: The Next Generation saw some of the very best of all 178 shows. "Darmok" had the feel of a "classic Trek" episode, dealing with language as metaphor. "The First Duty" challenged Wesley Crusher's loyalties. The season closer "Time's Arrow" (which concluded in year 6) ranks as one of the best TNG cliffhangers, and treats fans to canon-changing story lines and tons of in-jokes. Best of all was the painfully melancholy "The Inner Light," in which Picard experiences an alternate lifetime. There were great guest stars--Paul Winfield ("Darmok"), Ashley Judd ("The Game"), Kelsey Grammar ("Cause and Effect"), Famke Janssen ("The Perfect Mate"), and Jerry Hardin ("Time's Arrow")--and as always there were contributions from Q, Lwaxana, and Barclay, too.

After the confidence of the previous two years, however, year 5 often disappointed by not seeing a good idea through to the end. Denise Crosby was swept back under the carpet in the Klingon soap opener ("Redemption, Part II"). No one could make the prospect of Deep Space 9 attractive enough to Michelle Forbes, so her fantastic performance as Ensign Ro seems wasted in retrospect. And no one could reschedule Robin Williams to guest star, so we had Matt Frewer instead ("A Matter of Time"). Of all stories to use Leonard Nimoy in, "Unification" wallowed in Romulan politics instead of anything emotionally engaging. Gene Roddenberry wanted to introduce a gay character, but mere months after his death all we got was the trite "The Outcast." This was inarguably where the series weakened, without the Great Bird overseeing what was going on. Worst of all, his hard-as-nails bad guys the Borg were given a touchy-feely side in "I, Borg." Fans and critics now appreciate that the behind-the-scenes focus had shifted from The Next Generation to the next spinoff, and it would never fully return.

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The Dead Zone - The Complete Third Season

Actors: Anthony Michael Hall, Chris Bruno, Nicole de Boer, John L. Adams, David Ogden Stiers
ASIN : B0009A407A
Sales Rank : 6418
Director : Anthony Michael Hall, Ellie Kanner, James Head, Jefery Levy, Kevin Speckmaier
Brand : Lions Gate
Studio : Lions Gate
Region Code : 1
Format : Box set, Closed-captioned, Color, DVD-Video, NTSC
Binding : DVD
EAN : 0031398167587
UPC : 031398167587
Release Date : December 07, 2005
Publisher : Lions Gate
Manufacturer : Lions Gate
Availability : Usually ships in 24 hours
Label : Lions Gate
Running Time : 508

Description

Based on the characters and story from the best-selling book by Stephen King, the Dead Zone is a unique psychological thriller that combines a rich mix of action, the paranormal and a continuing quest for justice. Contains the complete third season (episodes 1 - 12).

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Three seasons into it, The Dead Zone has cemented its stature as one of television's most ambitious and compelling series, combining action, psychological drama, and elements of sci-fi and the supernatural in twelve episodes contained on three discs in this handsome, bonus-filled package. Based on Stephen King's 1979 novel (later a feature film starring Christopher Walken), The Dead Zone was adapted for TV by Michael and Shawn Piller, with actor Anthony Michael Hall (previously best known for his roles in the mid-'80s hits The Breakfast Club and Sixteen Candles) as star, co-producer, and occasional director. Hall ably plays Johnny Smith, who has recovered from a six-year coma to discover that he now has some rather remarkable powers; merely by touching other people, or objects touched by others, Smith has visions that illuminate events that have happened, will happen, or that are taking place elsewhere. He has put this ability to use as a psychic, working with the police in the Maine town in which the stories take place.

Understanding all of this may take a while for the uninitiated; not only does Smith jump both forward and back in time, but he often sees himself in his visions, and sometimes we're watching the Johnny of the present with the one from the past onscreen at the same time. The Dead Zone has a lot on its hands in each episode, with a stand-alone storyline (a Rep. Gary Condit-Chandra Levy takeoff in "Finding Rachel," a Columbine-esque school shooting in "Cycle of Violence") balancing the ongoing matter of Smith's visions--how they came to be ("Collision" details the car accident that led to his coma and, eventually, his powers), how to interpret them, and whether they're a blessing or a curse. All of that is mixed together with his strange new personal life (his pregnant fiancé, played by Nicole De Boer, married the local sheriff while Johnny was out of commission). And then there's the overriding series theme, which is heavily featured in the first two episodes of this season but mentioned only occasionally thereafter: Armageddon is coming, Johnny alone lives through it, he might even cause it… and maybe he's the only one who can prevent it.

It's a tough act to pull off week after week, but while the show occasionally seems about to collapse under its own weight, it mostly succeeds, albeit without a shred of humor and an ultra-serious, portentous vibe that gets a little tedious. At the very least, The Dead Zone makes for consistently intriguing viewing. The generous bonus features include commentary (by Hall and many others) for every episode, three featurettes, and more. --Sam Graham

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Farscape - The Peacekeeper Wars

Actors: Ben Browder, Claudia Black, Anthony Simcoe, Gigi Edgley, Wayne Pygram
ASIN : B0006FO9B0
Sales Rank : 2775
Director : Brian Henson
Brand : Lions Gate
Studio : Lions Gate
Region Code : 1
Format : Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, Subtitled, Widescreen, Miniseries, NTSC
Binding : DVD
EAN : 0707729169406
UPC : 707729169406
Release Date : December 18, 2005
Publisher : Lions Gate
Manufacturer : Lions Gate
Availability : Usually ships in 24 hours
Label : Lions Gate
Running Time : 182

Product Description

Studio: Lions Gate Home Ent. Release Date: 02/14/2006 Run time: 182 minutes Rating: Nr

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Created at least in part due to popular demand, Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars will provide some closure to fans who were dismayed by the demise of the popular science fiction television show in 2003 and campaigned mightily to bring it back. Indeed, this miniseries (originally broadcast over two nights on the Sci-Fi Channel) will likely appeal primarily to the Farscape faithful, as the somewhat convoluted storyline may prove baffling to the uninitiated.

A brief bit of backstory explains how John Crichton, an astronaut from Earth, went through a wormhole and ended up on Moya, a living spaceship, with a motley group of aliens, including D'Argo (Anthony Simcoe), Chiana (Gigi Edgley), various puppet characters (designed by the Jim Henson Company), and Aeryn (Claudia Black), Crichton's love interest, who's expecting their first child. As The Peacekeeper Wars begins, our heroes find themselves in the middle of a war-to-end-all-wars between the lizard-like, implacably evil Scarrans and their rivals, the Peacekeepers. Crichton is the lynchpin in all of this, as his knowledge of "wormhole technology" is coveted by all, including his old nemesis Scorpius (Wayne Pygram), who captured and tortured Crichton back in season 1 and with whom Crichton must now form an uneasy alliance against the Scarrans.

Over the course of the three-hour miniseries, we get lots of weird- and cool-looking aliens, some nice sets and special effects, plenty of battles, and lots of portentous talk about the fate of the universe--nothing especially original, but all presented with outstanding production values. There's drama and action, love and betrayal, tragedy and triumph, war and, ultimately, peace, with a suitably spectacular ending (and a nod to Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey). With a 30-minute "making of" documentary among the DVD special features, The Peacekeeper Wars is a fitting way to end the Farscape saga. --Sam Graham

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Hogan's Heroes - The Complete First Season

Actors: Bob Crane, Werner Klemperer, John Banner, Robert Clary, Richard Dawson
ASIN : B0007KIFK0
Sales Rank : 3715
Director : Bob Sweeney, Bruce Bilson, Edward H. Feldman, Gene Reynolds, Howard Morris
Brand : Paramount
Studio : Paramount
Region Code : 1
Format : Box set, Black & White, Closed-captioned, Color, DVD-Video, Full Screen, NTSC
Binding : DVD
EAN : 9780792199380
ISBN : 0792199383
UPC : 097368752245
Release Date : December 15, 2005
Publisher : Paramount
Manufacturer : Paramount
Availability : Usually ships in 24 hours
Label : Paramount
Running Time : 822

Description

HOGAN’S HEROES: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON focuses on a group of American soldiers, led by Colonel Hogan (Crane), who are confined in a Nazi prisoner of war camp called Stalag 13 during World War II. While trapped in Stalag 13, the inmates conduct an espionage and sabotage campaign right under the noses of their warders. Because the Germans, led by the bumbling Colonel Wilhelm Klink (Emmy Award™-winning actor Klemperer), are often gullible, the real strength of Hogan’s men are the elaborate ruses and sometimes dangerous lengths they will go to complete their mission.

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Two years after 1963's The Great Escape thrilled movie audiences with a tale of Allied soldiers working cooperatively to flee a World War II-era prisoner-of-war camp, CBS found a hit situation comedy in the loosely similar Hogan's Heroes. Initially dismissed by critics as being in poor taste, the half-hour show starred Bob Crane (previously known for a supporting role on The Donna Reed Show) as Colonel Robert Hogan, leader of a resourceful band of French, British and American guests of the German Luftwaffe. Rather than sit out the war with his fellow captives, Hogan essentially used the POW camp, Stalag 13, as a base for sabotaging Nazi operations whenever possible, helping important prisoners escape, supporting the Resistance, gathering intelligence for the Allies, and generally screwing up enemy battlefield plans. The work was always dangerous, but Hogan's crew had a number of advantages: a network of underground tunnels beneath the camp (some leading to a nearby town), a flair for disguises, the complementary talents of Hogan's key staff, and the reliable idiocy of camp Commandant Klink (Werner Klemperer) and willful ignorance of lead officer Sergeant Schultz (John Banner).

Season one of Hogan's Heroes found all of these elements securely in place and the series balancing farce with suspense. Typical storylines include "Hold the Tiger," in which the boys smuggle a new German Tiger Tank into the camp, disassemble it to construct a blueprint, and then reassemble it under Klink's nose. "The Prisoner's Prisoner" finds Hogan kidnapping a Nazi general, sneaking him into Stalag 13, and tricking him—a la Mission: Impossible--to reveal troop plans. In "The Prince from the Phone Company," one of Hogan's most-trusted confederates, radio operator Kinchloe (Ivan Dixon), disguises himself as an African prince trying to secure money from the Third Reich. Half the fun of these shows is watching Hogan thinking quickly on his feet whenever things start to go wrong, or when one of Klink's more intelligent superiors becomes suspicious that not everything at Stalag 13 is as under control as it seems. Besides Dixon, the other players making up Hogan's elite squad include Richard Dawson as the slightly disreputable Newkirk (with a talent for thievery), Larry Hovis as chemistry whiz Carter, and Robert Clary as the charming LeBeau. --Tom Keogh

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Futurama, Vol. 3

Actors: Billy West, John Di Maggio, Katey Sagal, Tress MacNeille, Phil LaMarr
ASIN : B00013RBX0
Sales Rank : 4535
Studio : Fox Film Corporation
Region Code : 1
Format : Box set, Color, Dubbed, DVD-Video, Full Screen, Subtitled, Animated, NTSC
Binding : DVD
EAN : 0024543105015
UPC : 024543105015
Release Date : December 09, 2004
Publisher : Fox Film Corporation
Manufacturer : Fox Film Corporation
Availability : Usually ships in 24 hours
Label : Fox Film Corporation
Running Time : 506

Product Description

Studio: Tcfhe Release Date: 08/22/2006 Run time: 552 minutes Rating: Nr

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Good news, everyone, the third DVD volume of Futurama is just as funny as ever--irreverent, boundlessly inventive, warmhearted, and chock-full of in-jokes, sight gags, and fleeting references to all manner of pop-culture icons and obscure genre classics. In fact, if the show has a problem, it's that it's all so lovingly crafted that scarcely a frame goes by without something both funny and clever going on: when a horse wins a race by a quantum fraction, Prof. Farnsworth fulminates, "You changed the result by observing it!" Recurring minor characters (Elzar the chef, the robot mafia, the mutants in the sewers) pop up unexpectedly throughout, providing another wink to dedicated fans; like Red Dwarf, this is a show that loves the genre it sets out to spoof. Shame, then, that the show has had a troubled broadcast history and never quite found the mainstream appeal of its stablemate The Simpsons.

Fry and the Planet Express team find themselves stranded on a planet of unfeasibly large women ("Amazon Women in the Mood"), standing in for psychotic Robo-Santa ("A Tale of Two Santas", with John Goodman reprising his evil robot), and variously falling in love with each other and sundry other humans, aliens, man-bots, fem-bots, virtual reality constructs, and even the Planet Express ship itself.

Futurama, Vol. 3 comprises 22 episodes on four discs. As with previous DVD sets, the animated menus are a treat, and there's a selection of bonus features including deleted scenes, storyboards, commentaries on every episode, animatics, "How to draw" tips, and more. Sheer heaven. --Mark Walker

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Futurama, Vol. 4

Actors: Billy West, John Di Maggio, Katey Sagal, Tress MacNeille, Phil LaMarr
ASIN : B0002B15J2
Sales Rank : 6640
Studio : Fox Film Corporation
Region Code : 1
Format : Box set, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD-Video, Full Screen, Subtitled, NTSC
Binding : DVD
EAN : 0024543120209
UPC : 024543120209
Release Date : December 24, 2004
Publisher : Fox Film Corporation
Manufacturer : Fox Film Corporation
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Label : Fox Film Corporation
Running Time : 414

Product Description

Studio: Tcfhe Release Date: 08/22/2006

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No more good news, everyone--this fourth volume of Futurama is the show's last. By turns frenetic and far-sighted, Matt Groening's futuristic comedy provided belly-laughs for self-confessed sci-fi nerds, but somehow failed to connect with a broader audience, even though it was often funnier and sharper than stablemate The Simpsons. So now bid farewell to the Planet Express team--Fry, Leela, Zoidberg, Bender, Amy, Hermes, Prof Farnsworth--as well as to kindly Kif, cloned Cubert, megalomaniac Mom, mutants in the sewer, the cast of robo-sitcom All My Circuits, swashbuckling space lothario and William Shatner wannabe Zapp Brannigan, Elzar the four-armed chef, and all the other characters that made Futurama such a unique experience.

This fourth and final year has all the elements that fans enjoyed so much--but also those elements that partially explain its cancellation. Recurring characters are great if you've watched the show before, as are the in-jokes; and the many parodies of classic science fiction are fine for the initiated, but risk leaving other viewers out in the cold. The show's strengths and perceived weaknesses are exemplified in the episode "Where No Fan Has Gone Before," in which the original cast of Star Trek play themselves: hilarious for Trekkers, but not really for anyone else. Elsewhere we find Leela discovering her real parents aren't aliens at all but in fact live in the sewers; Kif getting pregnant; Fry discovering the fossilized remains of his faithful pet dog; and Bender being converted to steam power. Despite some ups and downs, it's still the funniest animated TV show. Multifarious DVD extras include cast and crew commentaries, deleted scenes, animatics, galleries and Easter eggs. --Mark Walker

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The Adventures of Brisco County Jr. - The Complete Series

Actors: Bruce Campbell, Julius Carry, Christian Clemenson, Comet, John Astin
ASIN : B000F7CMPE
Sales Rank : 5684
Director : Andy Tennant, Joe Napolitano, Joseph L. Scanlan, Kevin Bright, Larry Shaw
Brand : Warner Brothers
Studio : Warner Home Video
Region Code : 1
Format : Box set, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, Subtitled, NTSC
Binding : DVD
EAN : 0012569768338
UPC : 012569768338
Release Date : December 18, 2006
Publisher : Warner Home Video
Manufacturer : Warner Home Video
Availability : Usually ships in 24 hours
Label : Warner Home Video
Running Time : 1385

Description

The world's favorite western/sci-fi/comedy/action cult hit rides again! Here on 8 discs is the complete series about Brisco (Bruce Campbell), a tough-as-rawhide cowpoke, debonair ladies' man and Harvard-educated smarty-britches who roams from Frisco to Jalisco in pursuit of outlaws who killed his father...and in search of a mysterious orb possessing out-of-this world powers. Hot lead and cool anachronisms await Brisco as he and his sidekicks - including Comet, the intellectual equine who doesn't know he's a horse - fight for justice in the way, way, way-out West. Put your boots in your stirrups, your tongue in your cheek and join the fun. Let's play cowboys and aliens.

DVD Features:
Audio Commentary
Documentary
Featurette
Other
Documentaries:The History of Brisco County: A behind-the-scenes documentary with cast and creator.
Featurette:1.) "Tools of the Trade" - mini featurettes on special aspects of the show narrated by Bruce Campbell. 2.) "A Brisco County Writer's Room" - Roundtable discussion with the writers & producers fo Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.
Other:1.) "A Reading From The Book of Bruce" 2.) "Brisco's Book of Coming Things" - interactive menu launching mini-featurettes about the signature references to futuristic elements of the show, narrated by Bruce Campbell.

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A science fiction-Western and comedy-drama with echoes of The Wild Wild West and Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Adventures of Brisco County Jr.: The Complete Series is uniquely entertaining. Anchored by the comically heroic style of likable B-movie actor Bruce Campbell, Adventures lasted one television season in 1993-94. But it left behind a full 27 episodes (including two two-part stories) full of classic TV Western production values and a running storyline that resembles The X-Files after awhile.

Campbell plays Brisco County Jr., a bounty hunter and son of a legendary U.S. marshal (R. Lee Ermey) gunned down by the villainous John Bly (Billy Drago) and his band of misfits. The younger Brisco is hired by a consortium of businessmen to protect their interests from the likes of Bly, and while he's dedicated to that cause, Brisco is also determined to avenge his father's murder. Helping him do a little of both is a fussy attorney, Socrates Poole (Christian Clemenson); a rival bounty hunter, Lord Bowler (Julius Carry); a wacky inventor, Professor Wickwire (John Astin); and a sultry saloon singer, Dixie (Kelly Rutherford). Rockets, mysterious orbs, and superhuman strength are some of the delightfully out-of-their-element phenomena that find themselves alongside more conventional cowpoke ingredients, including a horse so smart he can chew the ropes binding Brisco's hands. For the most part, the stories stand alone. But as the season progresses, a lot of things get weirder, albeit in a good way: the truth about Bly and his connection to a golden orb everyone wants, for example, are certainly unexpected. But the show is always dazzling, often satiric ("Oy!" Dixie exclaims when Brisco outlines the steps involved in stopping a runaway wagon they're trapped within), yet heartening in an old-fashioned way. Special features include Campbell's reading of a chapter about the series in his autobiography. --Tom Keogh

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Transformers Animated: Season One

Actors: David Kaye, Jeff Bennett, Bumper Robinson, Bill Fagerbakke, Tara Strong
ASIN : B001AII4Q8
Sales Rank : 2382
Director : Ben Jones, Ciro Nieli, Irineo Maramba, Keo Thongkham, Kintaro Mizuono
Brand : Paramount
Studio : Hasbro
Region Code : 1
Format : Closed-captioned, Color, Full Screen, NTSC
Binding : DVD
EAN : 0097368925243
UPC : 097368925243
Release Date : December 19, 2008
Publisher : Hasbro
Manufacturer : Hasbro
Availability : Usually ships in 24 hours
Label : Hasbro
Running Time : 286

Product Description

Studio: Paramount Home Video Release Date: 08/19/2008 Run time: 286 minutes Rating: Nr

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An engaging and action-packed mix of the original animated TV series and the blockbuster theatrical movie, Transformers Animated: Season One offers nearly all of the revived heroes' new adventures on a two-disc set. As seen in the previous DVD release, Transformers Animated: Transform and Roll Out, this generation of robots in disguise numbers just four--an inexperienced Optimus Prime and three companions--who have gone into hiding on Earth with the AllSpark, the source of energy for both good and evil Transformers. The Decepticons remain their chief enemies, though conflict comes from human sources as well, like mutated evil scientist Meltdown (well voiced by Peter Stormare). But the Transformers have their own allies as well; namely, an eight-year-old girl whose father happens to be a scientist. The good doctor, however, has what could be a trump card for the Decepticons in his possession: the disembodied head of Villain Supreme Megatron. Told in bold and breezy strokes by its writing and animation team, Transformers Animated does a fine job of incorporating much of the classic Transformers mythology into the new storyline while never losing sight of the show's key appeal: slambang fights between giant robots that can change into vehicles. That respect for the source material should please old school fans without leaving newcomers hopelessly lost in the Transformers' complicated backstory, which makes altogether possible the charming notion that fathers and their offspring can both enjoy this series at the same time. Unfortunately, all audiences wishing to catch up with the first season of Transformers Animated will not find the complete series on this double-disc set; the three-part premiere episode is only available on the aforementioned Transform and Roll Out disc. It's an unfortunate move, as is the lack of any substantial extras save for a gallery of Season 2 images. --Paul Gaita

Star Trek The Next Generation - The Complete Fourth Season

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26 episodes on 7 discs: The Best of Both Worlds Part II, Family, Brothers, Suddenly Human, Remember Me, Legacy, Reunion, Future Imperfect, Final Mission, The Loss, Data's Day, The Wounded, Devil's Due, Clues, First Contact, Galaxy's Child, Night Terrors, Identity Crisis, The Nth Degree, QPid, The Drumhead, Half a Life, The Host, The Mind's Eye, In Theory, Redemption Part I.

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Season 4 of Star Trek: The Next Generation seemed like the year of family. After quickly resolving the breathtaking cliffhanger of "The Best of Both Worlds," the show took pains to show some of what the Federation was fighting for. We meet Picard's brother, Data's father, Tasha's sister, and Worf's adoptive human parents, plus an old flame with a surprise son in tow. The Klingon heritage subplot that begins here and builds to the cliffhanger finale ("Redemption") would continue to the show's end and through into Worf's reappearance in Deep Space Nine.

The year also explored the implications of Data, Lwaxana Troi, Geordi, and Dr. Crusher being in love, while Miles O'Brien (given a first name at last) married Keiko. There were old friends revisited: the ubiquitous Q in a hilarious Robin Hood romp ("Qpid"), perennial screwup Reg Barclay ("Nth Degree"), and even the mysterious Traveler from season 1's "Where No One Has Gone Before" (played by Eric Menyuk, who was nearly cast as Data). There were new races introduced who would have an important bearing on Trek's destiny: the Cardassians and the Trill. Most of all, though, there were the one-off stories that impressed: "Clues," with its memory-loss mystery; "Night Terrors," with some genuine frights; and "Identity Crisis," with possibly the only time Trek technology really helped Geordi solve a puzzle. Then right at the end, reinforcing the year's familial theme, Denise Crosby returned as her own half-Romulan daughter! --Paul Tonks

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Futurama: Bender's Game [Blu-ray]

Actors: Billy West, Katey Sagal, John Di Maggio, Tress MacNeille, Maurice LaMarche
ASIN : B001DZOC46
Sales Rank : 6752
Director : Dwayne Carey-Hill
Brand : Twentieth Century Fox
Studio : 20th Century Fox
Format : AC-3, Animated, Color, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, Subtitled, Widescreen
Binding : Blu-ray
EAN : 0024543541899
UPC : 024543541899
Release Date : December 04, 2008
Publisher : 20th Century Fox
Manufacturer : 20th Century Fox
Availability : Usually ships in 24 hours
Label : 20th Century Fox
Running Time : 88

Description

With fuel prices skyrocketing, the Planet Express crew sets off on a dangerous mission: to infiltrate the world's only dark-matter mine, source of all spaceship fuel. But deep beneath the surface lies a far stranger place... a medieval land of dragons and sorcery and intoxicated knights who look suspiciously like Bender. So park your hover-car and saddle up your unicorn for Futurama's grandest adventure yet: BENDER'S GAME!

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At once a merciless skewering of all things fanboy and an extremely satisfying addition to the Futurama franchise, Bender's Game is among the best of the animated series' feature length adventures. The game in question is Dungeons and Dragons, and Bender wants in--only robots aren't programmed with the necessary imagination. Naturally, Bender's plans to develop one go completely awry and land him in an android asylum. The role-playing plotline later re-emerges--in typically convoluted Futurama fashion--via a subplot involving Professor Farnsworth's conversion of dark matter into spaceship fuel, which created a key to a very D&D-influenced universe where our hapless heroes eventually find themselves. The alternate world storyline allows for much lampooning of fantasy tropes, with Lord of the Rings receiving the lion's share of the tweaks. Seeing as how the writers have already devoted much of the movie's running time to parodying Star Wars and Star Trek (and their Lego offshoots), one might think that Bender's Game might suffer from pop-culture overload, but surprisingly, it all feels fresh and frequently funny, and the writers are wise to ground the story in their eccentric characters rather than pinballing them through an endless string of gags. The result is probably the strongest of the direct-to-DVD Futurama releases to date, and one that newcomers to the show's cracked universe can appreciate as much as longtime fans.As with previous Futurama DVD releases, the extras come fast and furious on Bender's Game: commentary by members of the cast and production team (including Matt Groening) is both informative and funny, while interviews with the writers and producers discuss, among other topics, the influence of Dungeons and Dragons on the series and the 3D models used in the feature. Aspiring animators might appreciate "How To Draw Futurama in 83 Easy Steps and the storyboard animatic for the first part of the story, while the "Genetics Lab" feature allows for some amusing Dr. Moreau-style cross-breeding of the characters. Recording session bloopers and a deleted scene offer their own laughs, but the most enjoyable extra must be the preview for the next Futurama feature, Into the Wild Green Yonder, which suggests a shocking development for one of the show's regulars. -- Paul Gaita

Beyond Futurama: Bender's Game

The Simpsons

Family Guy

King of the Hill

Stills from Futurama: Bender's Game (Click for larger image)

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Star Trek The Next Generation - The Complete Fifth Season

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The Dead Zone - The Complete Third Season

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Farscape - The Peacekeeper Wars

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Hogan's Heroes - The Complete First Season

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Futurama, Vol. 3

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Futurama, Vol. 4

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The Adventures of Brisco County Jr. - The Complete Series

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Transformers Animated: Season One

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Star Trek The Next Generation - The Complete Fourth Season

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Futurama: Bender's Game [Blu-ray]

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