It used to be when I television show was cancelled it was gone. Sure there may be an occasional rerun but new material was just not going to happen. Every so often a rival network will realize that a series still has some life in it; there are fans that want more. This was very rare with the old school broadcast networks but now with the myriad of smaller niche stations some series are finding a new home and new life. One example is the animated series ‘Futurama’. It started as a companion show to the long standing Fox Television mega-hit, ‘The Simpsons’. Both were the brain children of the creative mind of Matt Groening and David X. Cohen. While their main series, ‘The Simpsons’ is set in a small American town ‘Futurama’ is far in the future, at the beginning of the 31st century. It is imaginative, inventive and a whole lot of mostly irreverent fun. The DVD under consideration here, ‘Futurama: Beast With A Billion Backs’ is a stand alone 90 minute film that is technically the sequel to the previous opus, ‘Bender's Big Score’. It helps if you have the first disc but you can still enjoy this one on its own. After you watch it though you will be inclined to go out and get the first one. Even though Fox relegated the series to Comedy Central they still own the rights and are to be thanked for releasing this show on DVD for the enjoyment of the legion of fans out there.

The universe of ‘Futurama’ is a strange, bizarre and ultimately wonderfully entertaining place. Most of the action takes place in ‘New’ New York and follows the antics of the employees of ‘Planet Express’. Ostensibly they are a modern version of Fed Ex but without the professionalism, expertise or competence. They will deliver just about anything to any point in the universe. If you are concerned with the mechanics of their technology forget it; they don’t even know or care how things work. The creators of this series have absolutely no concern for trivial matters like continuity or any semblance to scientific reality. The main character is Philip Fry (voiced by Billy West). He was born in the twentieth century and is the ultimate slacker. In his twenties the best job he could manage to hold was as a pizza delivery boy. Through a series of events he was frozen and thawed out in the 31^st century. Now he works for Planet Express as part of the crew. His best friend is Bender (voiced by John DiMaggio), a sentient robot. Bender is the most selfish, self serving entity in the universe. He is not above selling out friends to make a profit, get drunk or anything else his devious robotic brain can think up. The captain of the Planet Express space ship is Leela (voiced by Katey Sagal). She is a beautiful young woman with an athletic build and long ponytail. Of yes, she is also a Cyclops. Leela is an orphan and only remaining member of her species. The owner of the company is Professor Hubert J. Farnsworth (voiced by Billy West). He is a distant descendent of Fry’s, a doddering elderly man and inventor of crazy, usually worthless inventions. The account of the outfit is Hermes Conrad (voiced by Phil LaMarr), a staunch bureaucrat. Rounding out the troupe is Dr. Zoidberg (voiced by Billy West), a lobster like creature, physician and ultimate coward. There is also Amy (voiced by Lauren Tom) an ultra rich spoiled brat and intern for the company.

This film begins about a month after the conclusion of ‘Bender’s Score’. A giant rift has opened up in space and as Morbo, the human hating anchor for the evening news, explains the rift is actually a gateway to an alternate universe. Naturally everyone at Planet Express is in a panic, especially Dr, Zoidberg. The Professor tries to focus the radiation from the rift on a giant ant, with a huge magnifying glass, but only sets is own head on fire. Fry walks in and introduces the group to his new girlfriend, Colleen (voiced by Brittany Murphy). The first meet while watching the rift on the giant jumbo screen public television. Of course the actual rift was visible just above it but people can’t accept something as real until they see it on TV. The both figured the universe was coming to and end and they might ass well have sex; such romance. Amy also has some romantic news to share. Her alien boyfriend, Kif (voiced by Maurice LaMarche) has asked her to be his Fonfon Ru, or mate. The whole gang shows up on Kif’s home world, Amphibios 9, for the celebration on the family swamp. Once there the embarrassment begins when Amy’s mother swats some flies that happen to be part of Kif’s father. The final form his species takes is a swarm of hook flies and Amy’s mother just squashed one of Kif’s father’s testicles. Meanwhile Leela is hit on, as always, by Zapp Brannigan (voiced by Billy West). He is a jerk who imagines himself the universe’s gift to all females. In another story line Bender finds out that the legendary League of Robots really exists. The bad news is that the secret group is run by his arch enemy the television robot soap opera hero, Calclon. The two have been rivals for most of their lives, or what you call it with robots. At the St. Asimov Fry asks Colleen if he can move in with her. He is in love with her and also tired of living with Bender in a made for robots apartment house. All seems to go well until Fry discovers that Colleen is already living with five other boyfriends. Later at the Institute for Higher Book Learnin’ the floating head of Stephen Hawkings explains, in his mechanical voice, that they are all unsure of what is on the other side of the rift. The Professor tries to mount an expedition to the anomaly. His rival, Professor Wornstrom agrees and demands to take command. After all he has a team of highly trained graduate students while The Professor has his motley crew of employees. The decide it the way men of science should; deathball. This is a game where members of each team are in a giant maze with holes in the floor and rolling steel balls. Well, eventually all the sub plots entwine and unravel.

This film does seem like an extended television episode but it generally holds together. It is only natural that it will appeal more to the legion of die hard fans of the show but anyone that can appreciated or are in the mood for silly cartoon comedy will love this one. The themes explored here are more adult that previously shown on television but are a far cry from the way other Fox animated series have gone. Many of your favorite minor characters show up here so this film is very much a home coming for fans. As with the previous DVD movie release this one has excellent technical specifications. The video is non-anamorphic 1.78:1 accompanied with a robust Dolby 5.1 audio. The commentary track by Groening and Cohen is one of the funniest I have heard in a long time. These two guys are extremely warped and twisted and I loved it. There is also a whole second feature done in a pseudo three dimensions. Some deleted scenes are offered up and a blooper reel of the voice actors flubbing lines. The deathball game is featured in another segment as well as some of the characters in other forms. This is a fun piece of entertainment but just keep it away from the kids.