Fry and Leela's Big Fling
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| Season 7 episode Broadcast season 10 episode | |||||
| Fry and Leela's Big Fling | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | 131 | ||||
| Production number | 7ACV17 | ||||
| Written by | Eric Rogers | ||||
| Directed by | Edmund Fong | ||||
| Title caption | WATCH IT OR DIE TRYING | ||||
| First air date | 19 June, 2013 | ||||
| Broadcast number | S10E02 | ||||
| Title reference | N/A | ||||
| Additional | |||||
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| Season 7 | |||||
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"Fry and Leela's Big Fling" is the one hundred and thirty-first episode of Futurama, the seventeenth of the seventh production season and the second of the tenth broadcast season. It aired on 19 June, 2013, on Comedy Central. Fry and Leela's romantic vacation goes disturbingly wrong.
Story
Act I: "Why is it so impossible for two people to be completely alone?"
At the end of the day at Planet Express, the crew take their leave of each other in the locker room. Fry and Leela make a big show of seeming to go their separate ways, but after everyone else is gone, the two emerge from hiding places and attempt to begin a romantic evening together. Interrupted by Scruffy, they realize that they can't really be alone here, so they leave. They share a nice walk in a deserted part of Central Park until Bender attempts to mug them. They beat him up and steal all of his mugging loot. Unable to have a night out completely alone, they settle for a quiet table at Elzar's restaurant. Here, Zoidberg, at his second job as a busboy, begins clearing their table in the middle of their meal. Even at Leela's home they can't quite be alone, as they are self-conscious about Nibbler. When Leela complains about the impossibility of being alone, a targeted advertisement appears on her wristlojackimator. The ad promotes Casa Isolada Eco Resort, a resort that caters to only one couple at a time and is devoid of other people. The ad announces a discount for Leela because she would be a repeat customer. Fry becomes jealous at this news, and Leela admits that she had visited once with Sean.
The next day, the other crewmembers are loading the ship with tiny cars for a delivery to Simian 7, "the planet of the apes", where humans are strictly forbidden. Fry and Leela enter and announce that they are taking a week off. Farnsworth initially objects, but Fry reminds him that they are humans, so he allows them to leave. Being left shorthanded, Farnsworth instructs Amy to participate in the delivery disguised in her marmoset pajamas.
At Casa Isolada, Fry and Leela enjoy a very nice day together and are swimming naked when Leela's old boyfriend Sean inexplicably appears. To the horror of both Fry and Leela, Sean strips down and jumps into the pool with them.
Act II: "Oh your God! Fry and Leela are in a zoo!"
While everyone puts their clothes back on, Sean explains that he is here on vacation, availing himself of the repeat-customer discount. He is here due only to bad fortune; his vacation had come to an end, but the homeward shuttle is "under repair". Fry's jealousy, already at a fever pitch due to Sean's physical presence here, is further aroused when Leela accepts Sean's invitation to go to the resort's bar and catch up. Leela and Sean catch up fairly quickly, but then Sean plays his saxophone for her until she is quite bored and Fry is quite drunk and angry. Fry interrupts them and picks a fight with Sean. Sean's wife, Darlene, interrupts the fight to announce that the shuttle is repaired. She and Sean depart immediately to avoid any extra resort fees.
On Simian 7, the delivery complete, Amy and Guenter the monkey recognize each other. Guenter promises not to give away Amy's secret. In fact, Guenter takes Bender, Amy, and Zoidberg on a tour of his city, leading them finally to the City Zoo, where he explains that the zoo's policy of compassion leads to the animals not even knowing that they're in captivity. The point is driven home when they arrive at the human exhibit, where they find Fry and Leela enjoying their "secluded" vacation, unwittingly on public display on Simian 7. The arrival of the tour group coincides with the moment at which Fry and Leela make up and begin their vacation in earnest.
Act III: "You were in a zoo!"
Guenter and the others believe that their friends are being held against their will. They visit the zoo director, who turns out to be Banjo the orangutan, to plead for their release. Banjo explains that not only are they not being held, but they actually paid to be there, as the human exhibit and Casa Isolada are one and the same. It is a popular exhibit, as different couples have visited for years. Banjo explains that when Sean and his current wife visited, the zoo decided to conduct a behavioral experiment: "strand" Sean and Darlene, entice Fry and Leela to visit, and observe. Guenter is satisfied at the news that Fry and Leela are here voluntarily, but the Planet Express crew are not. They worry about Fry and Leela being embarrassed. Banjo helps them to cool their fervor by showing them video of Fry and Leela complaining about and mocking each one of them in turn. Banjo finally reveals his knowledge that Amy is a human, and sounds the alarm. Fleeing, the crew resolve to rescue Fry and Leela in spite of being offended. On the threshold of success, they are swallowed whole by a moon worm and must wait a week to pass through its digestive tract. They emerge somewhat worse for the wear to find Fry and Leela just leaving, unaware of their presence, having spent a week on display.
Back home, Fry and Leela tell the others about their vacation, oblivious to everything that happened outside their enclosure. Bender wants to humiliate them by revealing the truth, but Amy and Zoidberg remain strong, urging him to keep the secret. When Fry and Leela loudly and mockingly revisit their own secrets about the others, Amy changes her mind and advises Bender, "Let 'er rip."
Production
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In January 2012, Eric Rogers made two revelations concerning the episode. On 17 January, he revealed that he was the author of the episode.[1] On 23 January, he revealed that the animatic for the episode would be screened two days later.[2]
On 5 February, 2013, Vulture.com released a preview clip for the tenth broadcast season,[3] which contained footage from the episode.
Image Gallery
Promotional picture of Leela and Fry in the Planet Express hangar.[citation needed]
Leela's often-mentioned ex-boyfriend Sean,[citation needed] who has his first on-screen appearance in this episode.
Promotional picture revealing Dr. Banjo and Guenter returning in this episode.[citation needed]
Amy wearing Marmoset pajamas.[citation needed]
Concept art for a new character known as Edwards.[citation needed]
Additional Information
Trivia
- A record jacket of Leela's namesake — the Turangalîla-Symphonie — can be seen briefly in Leela's apartment, in front of her record player.
- The resort's name is Casa Isolada Eco Resort. "Casa isolada" is Portuguese for "isolated house".
- Fry and Leela play the Marco Polo game. Marco Polo was an Italian traveller whose journey inspired Christopher Columbus, another Italian traveller. Columbus is parodied in this episode.
- Prairie elephants are a mix of elephants and prairie dogs.
- The door to Fry and Leela's enclosure resembles the entrance to SARAH — Sheriff Carter's smarthome from the Syfy television show Eureka.
- Zoidberg tells Bender to "listen to Sparkles", referring to Amy. In "The Problem with Popplers", Zoidberg says "listen to the father", also referring to Amy.
- When Fry and Leela have sex in the human habitat on the TV version, they have their clothes on. However, on the DVD version, Fry is only wearing his underpants, and Leela is only wearing her bra and her underpants.
Goofs
- Leela claims it's impossible to remove her wristlojackimator without cutting off her arm, but in previous episodes[citation needed] she could remove it like a bracelet.
- When Darlene walks in while Fry and Sean are fighting, Fry's pants are layered over his right arm for a second.
Allusions
- Click here to see cultural mentions made in this episode.
- Fry and Leela order two giant ants in Elzar's. Outside on the sign it says "THEM! ANY STYLE". This is a reference to the 1954 monster film Them!.
- On Simian 7, there is an advertisement for Blue Ass Group, a reference to the musical ensemble Blue Man Group.
- Colobus Circle is a parody of Manhattan's Columbus Circle.
- The name "Smithsimian" is a play on the words "Smithsonian" and "simian".
- Guenter covers his mouth in a reference to Iwazaru, one of the Three Wise Monkeys, who speaks no evil.
Continuity
- The Awesome Express uniforms[3ACV12] appear once again.
- Zoidberg previously referred to Fry as "the Fry" in "The Prisoner of Benda".
- Zoidberg describes Fry as the one with "the cool red jacket and the walking on sunshine", referencing his trademark look and his tendency to sing "Walking on Sunshine" (which Fry hasn't sung since "Jurassic Bark").
- Fry previously performed karate in "Attack of the Killer App" and "2-D Blacktop".
- Bender previously said "oh, your God" in "Amazon Women in the Mood". He has also said "as your god is my witness", in "Brannigan, Begin Again".
- Fry and Leela previously had sex in "The Prisoner of Benda".
- Bone vampires[6ACV22] and a Cyclophage[6ACV01] are kept as exhibits in the City Zoo on Simian 7. Pictures of them can also be seen in Dr. Banjo's office.
- The moon worm, which Al Gore's head claimed that he had ridden,[4ACV08] is finally seen.
Quotes
Leela: Sean, I'd like you to meet Fry, he and I are... What would you say we are, Fry?
Fry: Nude and interrupted.
[Amy approaches Zoidberg whilst dressed like a marmoset.]
Amy: I'm not sure this marmoset disguise is working...
Zoidberg: I'm not sure either. We better ask Amy!
Fry: An-and... the robot hands would make you a strawberry shortcake any time of day. Four, seven, any time!
Hermes: No way!
Fry: I'm not lyin'!
Bender: You were in a zoo!
Appearances
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Characters
Places
- Apartment 1I
- Debut: Bonobo & Associates
- Central Park
- Debut: City Zoo
- Debut: Colobus Circle
- Elzar's Fine Cuisine
- Debut: Pick-N-Eat
- Planet Express hangar
- Debut: Simian 7
- Debut: Smithsimian Art Gallery
References
- ^ Eric Rogers (17 January 2012). Kitchelfilms. (Twitter.) Retrieved on 22 January 2012.
- ^ Eric Rogers (23 January 2012). Kitchelfilms. (Twitter.) Retrieved on 24 January 2012.
- ^ Jesse David Fox (05 February 2013). Watch a Preview of Futurama’s Seventh Season. (Vulture.com.) Retrieved on 17 August 2013.
- ^ Countdown to Futurama: I Want My Dollar. (Comedy Central's Tumblr page.) 18 June 2013. Retrieved on 18 June 2013.
- ^ Eric Rogers (24 January 2012). Kitchelfilms. (Twitter.) Retrieved on 24 January 2012.