Good news, everyone, the third series 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 this very fecundity: 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.

This year, 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.

On the DVD: Futurama, Series 3 comprises 22 episodes on four discs (see below for complete episode list). As with previous series DVDs the animated menus are a treat and there's a selection of bonus features including deleted scenes, storyboards, selected episode commentaries, animatics, "How to draw" tips and more. Best of all, though, each disc now has a "Play All" facility for the first time. Sheer heaven. --Mark Walker

the simpsons are still coming up with the same old rubbish but futurama is brilliant and series three contains my personal favourite episode "a tale of two santas" and my favourite moment as the crew try to save bender dressed as santa and they all enter the room saying "im santa clause" and zoidberg comes in and says "and I'm his friend Jesus!" absolute classic

This is the only season of Futurama I hadn't seen all of before getting the DVDs but thankfully it does live up to its predecessors. All the characters continue to develop, including some of the recurring characters such as Lieutenant Kif, Zapp Brannigan's second in command and Nibbler, Leela's three-eyed pet. Highlights of this season for me include `Parasites Lost', `The Luck of the Fryrish' and `Time Keeps on Slipping'. The only real low point of the series is the episode `That's Lobstertainment' but the rest of the episodes more than make up for this one. Futurama is sometimes touching always funny and generally a great series, far better than the Simpsons.

futurama is better than the simpsons.nuber 3 is really good .bendless love is when bender falls in love but another bender is after his girl who will win her metal heart?
insane in the main frame is where fry gets sent to robt prison
and goes mad!
leela of her own is leela becomes history worsed base ball player!
so buy it today you know you want to!

This has got to be one of the best, surrealist comedies of all time!

The wit is rarely sophisticated or particularly clever, but it will appeal to your childish side. It is so easy to just curl up on the sofa and spend a whole (and very relaxing) afternoon just watching this comedy and packing in a whole lot of cheap laughs.

The characters are so memorable and individual, and it is impossible not to find aspects that you can relate to with each of them.

This programme is funny to adults and children alike, and makes a fab addition to any DVD collection. This series is as good as ever.

It is also pretty good value, as you get 24 episodes.

I think it was a crime against television that FUTURAMA (1999-2003), Matt Groening's wonderful and funny follow-up to THE SIMPSONS (1989-????), got axed by Twentieth Century Fox. The show had gotten better and better when Fox WRONGFULLY cancelled it. FUTURAMA should receive the same regoncition that THE SIMPSONS has recieved.

My favourite episodes of Season Three are:

"Parasites Lost" - The first and, thankfully, not the last episode where Fry tries to win the heart of Leela. The scenes with the two in together are very touching and sweet.
"Amazon Women In The Mood" - our heroes get trapped on a planet of giant, Amazonian women, which is ruled by a man-hating, female computer. What surprised me in that episode was that the relationship between Amy and Kif (Zapp Brannigan's long-suffering alien companion) was beginning to develop.
"The Day The Earth Stood Stupid" - Evil alien brains conquer Earth and only Fry can stop them! The other thing that surprised me in this Season was that Nibbler, Leela's cute pet alien, is a member of a powerful and intelligent race!
"Luck Of The Fryish" - A very moving episode where Fry travels into the remains of Old New York to get this lucky, leaf clover back. The ending is so emotional.
"The Cyber House Rules" - Leela decides to get an eye operation while Bender adopts 12 orphans.
"Rosewell That Ends Well" - the crew accidentally gets sent back through time and ends up in Rosewell, 1947 in this Emmy award-winning episode!

There are many great episodes of Season Three. It's just a shame that FUTURAMA got axed when the show was developing. However, in recent months, there have been rumours that Fox will bring the show back because it has done so well on DVD and TV repeats. I really DO hope it will happen! FUTURAMA, like THE SIMPSONS, will live forever.