Film

Futurama: Bender's Big Score

Name: Futurama: Bender's Big Score
Genre: Animation, Comedy, Science Fiction, Romance
Released: 2007
Cast: Billy West, Katey Sagal, John DiMaggio, Phil LaMarr, Tress MacNeille

Futurama returns as a theatrical film with higher stakes and a bigger canvas. A time-travel heist plot lets the show stretch its sci-fi muscles while staying true to its heart: a ragtag crew of misfits saving the world through luck, loyalty, and spectacular failure. For fans who missed the series and newcomers who love smart comedy wrapped in cartoon chaos.

TMDb rating

3.7

If you liked this

The Simpsons Movie2007

Same DNA of heart-and-jokes-first storytelling. A theatrical-scale story that respects the show's mythology while pushing into bigger, dumber territory. Moe, Homer, and Springfield feel like home.

But If you've never watched The Simpsons, this assumes years of character knowledge. Moves between sentiment and crude humour in ways that won't land if you're not already invested.

Rick and Morty2013

Futurama's spiritual heir: irreverent sci-fi comedy about a broken found family hurtling through absurd scenarios. Same mix of genuine emotion and total weirdness, but dialled up to eleven.

But Relentlessly cynical and much darker than Futurama. The show doesn't always earn its cruelty, and the fanbase's... enthusiasm can overshadow what's actually on screen.

Archer2009

Animated comedy where voice acting carries characters as vividly as live action. Rapid-fire jokes, running gags that pay off seasons later, and a cast with genuine chemistry. Same creative energy.

But Spends its early seasons making fun of people more than exploring them. Takes time to develop heart, and some jokes land harder on rewatches than they deserve.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Futurama: Bender's Big Score

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Twelve Monkeys1995

Both treat time travel as a trap that collapses intention and consequence. Both find comedy in apocalyptic situations and the absurdity of trying to fix the unfixable.

Time-travel narrative that goes genuinely weird and unsettling with its premise. Like Bender's Big Score, it takes temporal paradoxes seriously while staying darkly funny. Gilliam's visual chaos echoes animation's freedom.

But Demands active viewing and rewards it on rewatches. Not as immediately satisfying as a romp—the ending will frustrate you if you want neat resolution.

Disenchantment2018

Created by Matt Groening, Futurama's originator, this carries the same philosophy: fantasy tropes filtered through modern comedy sensibilities. Episodes build world and character steadily, with real consequences.

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BoJack Horseman2014

Animated series that uses absurdist premise (talking animals in Hollywood) as vehicle for sharp character work and genuine heartbreak. Proves cartoons can say things live-action can't.

But Starts episodic and goofy; doesn't hit emotional depths until season two. Gets progressively darker and more demanding of the viewer's attention and emotional labour.

Scavengers Reign2023

Space adventure with the same sense of a crew out of their depth on a hostile world. Lush animation, creature design that reminds you why sci-fi matters. Seven episodes—compact and satisfying.

But Wildly different tone from Futurama. This is serious, often gorgeous, and plays it mostly straight. If you want jokes, look elsewhere.

Clone High2002

High school comedy where every student is a famous historical figure cloned and aged up. Anarchic energy, strong voice cast, weird emotional beats hiding under the absurdism.

But Cult favourite that was cancelled after one season for being deemed inappropriate. Uneven—some episodes fire perfectly, others meander badly.

Ugly Americans2010

Comedy about an American working as a social worker in a New York full of monsters and demons. Same manic sci-fi/fantasy energy, crude animation style, willingness to go weird.

But Tries harder to be edgy than it does to be funny. Cancelled after two seasons, which the show doesn't quite earn. Feels like scrappy ideas that never cohered.

Amphibia2019

A girl gets transported to a frog world. Starts as lightweight comedy but evolves into something with real stakes, mythology, and character arcs that matter. Proves Disney cartoons can grow.

But First season is genuinely lightweight. Young audience target means the humour is gentler. Takes commitment to reach the payoff in later seasons.

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners2022

Both centre on a scrappy crew of misfits running schemes in a cyberpunk future, but Edgerunners asks what happens when the jokes stop working and stakes become real.

Japanese anime set in a dystopian megacity where low-level criminals hustle to survive. Gorgeous animation and real pathos, but keeps the irreverent energy of a show that doesn't respect authority.

But Culminates in genuine tragedy. Not a spoiler to say it ends badly—the show commits to consequence. Won't feel like Futurama's warm ending.

Severance2022

Both explore what happens to a found family when corporations own the future. Severance takes Futurama's workplace-as-home idea and asks darker questions about consent, ownership, and identity.

Slow-burn sci-fi thriller about workers who have their minds surgically separated from their bodies. Mind-bending premise and genuinely unsettling atmosphere. First season lands perfectly.

But Nothing like Futurama's pace. This is deliberately paced, asks you to sit with dread, and doesn't answer most questions. Second season is in production—you'll wait for resolution.