Blu-ray

Good news everyone. Futurama has been brought back from cancellation for a second time! It’s starting to seem like nothing short of the end of the world will keep Matt Groening’s sci-fi toon off our screens. Which is no bad thing as (no matter how niche its fanbase might be) Futurama remains the most consistently funny and geek-friendly cartoon around.

This latest batch of 13 episodes is no exception. From the dangers of robosexuality to the terrifying truth about cats, no comedy concept is left unexplored. And amongst all of the laughs, the show also continues to be one of the cleverest and most touching genre shows around. Welcome back Futurama, you’ve been sorely missed.

Picture: This was the first full season of Futurama to air in hi-def in the US, something that comes through loud and clear thanks to this Blu-ray’s gorgeous AVC 1.78:1 1080p encodes. Every episode looks sharp, clean and colour - just like you’d expect. The HD presentation also makes the most of the show’s 3D-rendered spacecraft. Just as importantly, there are no obvious technical issues with the imagery. Even the usual culprits when it comes to animation on Blu-ray – artefacting and banding – are absent here.
Picture rating: 5/5

Audio: If this Blu-ray audio isn’t quite as dramatic as the imagery, then that’s simply because it has less to work with. As an animation Futurama has always been fairly playful when it comes to sound design. But despite this, the show’s TV origin means that no matter how creative it get, it never really compares to a cinematic release. That said, the sound designers here certainly take plenty of care in the work they do. The voice performances are cleanly rendered, the music packs plenty of tonal range and, when it comes to the crunch (such as the end of the world in The Late Phillip J Fry) the show can offer up some remarkably accomplished spatial effects.
Audio rating: 4/5

Extras: As with every previous Futurama release, this latest two-disc set is packed with goodies to keep fans going after the episodes themselves come to a close.

Each of the 13 episodes gets a commentary track featuring various members of the cast and crew, which prove every bit as funny as the show itself. Also on offer are 22 deleted scenes, The Adventures of a Delivery Boy video comic (drawn and narrated by Phillip J Fry), a live table read accompanied by animatic storyboards, an insane Bender music video and more.
Extras rating: 3/5

We say: You won't object to taking a trip back to the futur(ama) thanks to this cult toon's excellent AV

20th Century Fox, Region A/B BD, £25 approx, On sale now
HCC VERDICT: 4/5