http://theinfosphere.org/api.php?action=feedcontributions&user=189.128.91.182&feedformat=atomThe Infosphere, the Futurama Wiki - User contributions [en]2024-03-28T21:10:21ZUser contributionsMediaWiki 1.36.3http://theinfosphere.org/index.php?title=The_Series_Has_Landed&diff=59246The Series Has Landed2010-05-18T06:49:58Z<p>189.128.91.182: </p>
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<div>{{episode infobox<br />
|name=The Series Has Landed<br />
|no=2<br />
|image=[[File:The Series Has Landed.jpg|225px]]<br />
|season=1<br />
|number=1ACV02<br />
|caption=In Hypno-Vision<br />
|first aired=28 March, 1999<br />
|written by=Ken Keeler<br />
|directed by=Peter Avanzino<br />
|title reference=The famous line ''"the Eagle has landed."''<br />
|caption reference=<br />
|broadcast number=S01E02<br />
|nomination='''Annie Awards'''<br />Outstanding Individual Achievement for Writing in an Animated Television Production, 1999, [[Ken Keeler]]<ref name="annie-award">{{cite web |url=http://annieawards.org/27thwinners.html |title=27th Annual Annie Awards |site=Annie Awards |accessdate=2009-04-17}}</ref><br />
|opening cartoon=Porky Pig in [[wikipedia:Baby Bottleneck|Baby Bottleneck]]<br />
|prev ep=Space Pilot 3000<br />
|next ep=I, Roommate<br />
}}<br />
"'''The Series Has Landed'''" or "'''Episode Two: The Series Has Landed'''" is the second episode of ''[[Futurama]]'' and of the [[Season 1|first season]]. It aired 28 March, 1999 on FOX. [[Planet Express]] gets an order to ship to the moon, the new crew's first mission. This episode also serves as a presentation for the remainder of the [[:Category:Primary Characters|primary characters]], [[Dr. Zoidberg]], [[Amy Wong]] and [[Hermes Conrad]].<br />
<br />
== The Story ==<br />
=== Act I: "Here's your package, Mr. Horrible Gelatinous Blob." ===<br />
Now that [[Turanga Leela|Leela]], [[Philip J. Fry|Fry]] and [[Bender Bending Rodríguez|Bender]] are the new crew of [[Planet Express]], [[Professor Hubert J. Farnsworth|Professor Farnsworth]] shows them the company's latest commercial, for which he wants the new crew's opinion on. He even paid to have it aired during the {{w|Superbowl}}, "not on the same channel, of course".<br />
<br />
The commercial shows a [[H.G. Blob|blob]] frustrated with a man named Evans for not having his package from [[Earth]]. After devouring the man (whom also is not Evans), he informs the viewers that he should have used Planet Express, to which a voice over explains the fascinating offers Planet Express can provide, when those other companies just aren't stupid enough to go.<br />
<br />
At the end, the blob gets his package, and the man named Evans is congratulated on his fine performance, but is devoured anyway. The commercial ends with the slogan, "our crew is replaceable, your package ''isn't''". Fry is not entirely pleased with what he has seen. He is concerned and asks whether there really are giant birds like the ones seen in the commercial. However, the professor assures him they were just special effects. The professor then proceeds to the kitchen to get breakfast started, made from giant eggs no less. Unfortunately he is attacked by a bird newly hatched from one of those eggs just before the [[opening sequence]] rolls.<br />
<br />
=== Act II: "Is there a human doctor around?" ===<br />
[[Hermes Conrad|Hermes]] arrives at [[Planet Express]], and the company is in business for the day. A new package has arrived for [[Luna Park]]. In a difficult decision, Farnsworth picks Leela as the new captain. In her following interview with Hermes, she is forced to sign a "standard legal release" to prevent Planet Express from lawsuits in the events of the unforeseen. Leela is not quite pleased by the options, such as death by airlock failure, brain parasites and sonic diarrhoea. Despite her assurances that she is not going to die, Hermes tells her to sign it anyway.<br />
<br />
Fry needs a physical at the company's staff doctor, [[Dr. John A. Zoidberg|Dr. Zoidberg]], though Fry's examination doesn't go quite as he had anticipated, since the doctor is a little unusual, and that is not just because he wears sandals. After offending Zoidberg's mother, Zoidberg eventually declares Fry as healthy as a crab. Meanwhile, the professor is cleaning Bender's neck and tidying him up before the flight.<br />
<br />
He then introduces [[Amy Wong]], who is an engineering student of his: apparently he just likes having her around because she has the same blood type as him. Leela is surprised to see her at the company, since she is supposedly one of the [[Leo and Inez Wong|Wongs]], despite Amy's attempts to claim she is not as rich as everyone claims, Leela gets her to reveal she was a member of the Kappa Kappa Wong {{w|sorority}} (prompting Bender's head to distract her long enough for his body to empty the contents of her wallet). However, the crew are ready for their first mission (Leela reluctantly allows Amy to tag along for the mission: the Professor assures her nothing will go wrong, but in private, tells Leela to bring back the blood if it does).<br />
<br />
Fry is obviously excited, and even more so when he learns they are going to the [[moon]]. Thrilled from their previous ride during the [[New Year, 3000|previous countdown]], he asks if he can perform the countdown again. But Leela isn't waiting for him to finish, and before he reaches nine, they are at the moon. In the Luna Park on the moon, Fry discovers a giant queue for the Park, after having requested cuts from a stranger, he is denied.<br />
<br />
=== Act III: "They landed an amusement park on the moon!" ===<br />
Fry, Bender and Amy wants to see the park, but Leela isn't really interested. She wants them to deliver the crate like professionals, and then go home. But her crew convinces her and she decides after finishing the job, they can go ride the bomber cars. She orders Amy and Fry to hoist down the crate.<br />
<br />
While attempting to hoist the magnet, Amy accidentally lifts the ship's keys into the crate. Fry and Amy arrives at the depot, where they meet [[Sal]], who is so lazy he is not willing to get up and punch Fry in the stomach. The crew then proceeds into the Luna Park. But Fry isn't entirely amused of it all, tired of the oxygen, the gravity, "you might as well stay on Earth".<br />
<br />
Fry wants to see the real moon, so Leela and him get on the "Lunar Lander" ride, where they wear spacesuits and drive on a car on a rail around the real moon. But when Fry discovers that the Luna Park's ride has a complete misconception of how the original moon landing took place, he has had enough, and derails the car and drives across the moon's surface freely.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, Amy and Bender discovers that the content of the crate was prizes for a claw-machine. Unfortunately, Amy also discovers that it contained the key to the ship. So she begins a fruitless journey of attempting to retrieve the keys with the claw. Bender tries to help her with his own arm, but is discovered by the [[Moon Patrol]], and is ejected from the park.<br />
<br />
After having crashed the car, Leela and Fry wander aimlessly across the lunar surface until Fry spots a barn.<br />
<br />
=== Act IV: "Don't be a-touchin' my 3 beautiful robot daughters!" ===<br />
<br />
Fry and Leela take refuge in the [[Hydroponic Farmer]]'s [[Hydroponic Farm|farm dome]]. The farmer ain't exactly impressed by them, so he decides to force them to chores in exchange for oxygen and shelter. But he warns them, they are free to sleep in the barn, just don't be touching his three beautiful robot daughters, [[Lulubelle 7]], [[Daisy Mae 128k]] and [[the Crushinator]].<br />
<br />
While milking two [[buggalo]]s, Bender arrives to the barn after being in trouble with the farmer, whom caught him sleeping with one of his robot daughters. Fry, Leela and Bender decided to cheese it out of there, and steals one of the farmer's rides as well as some oxygen. The farmer and his robot daughters follows them in the Crushniator, but when the Crushinator refuses to jump over a cliff, their chase is foiled.<br />
<br />
Fry, Leela and Bender are not so lucky either, after the jump, their car broke down and they are again forced to walk. And none too soon, the nightfall is coming. Running against time, Fry and Leela suddenly spots the [[Lunar landing site|original lunar lander]]. Fry is amazed by the site he is seeing, but Leela had quickly taking refuge in the lander itself, and is getting tired of Fry's immature obsession with the moon, which is just a dumb rock and the site he is looking at is just a dead man's foot in the dust and a crummy plastic flag. Foiled, Fry enters the lander. Bender arrives shortly after, but finds no room for himself and so he walks off.<br />
<br />
Inside the lander, Fry confesses for his obsession with the moon. Leela slowly begins to understand how the moon can be so romantic when you can't reach it. And looking out the window, she agrees with Fry, that it really is beautiful. In the horizon, Bender emerges, this time he has really pissed off the farmer, for sleeping the Crushinator again. So the farmer has taking full equipment with him, but Amy arrives just in the nick of time with the [[Planet Express ship]] to save Bender and Fry and Leela by using the magnet from the ship, and Amy have become increasingly good at operating the ship from handling the craw-machine. And so, they all fly off into the stars with Bender singing "{{w|She'll Be Coming 'Round the Mountain}}".<br />
<br />
== Production ==<br />
Originally, "The Series Has Landed" was not intended as the second episode. Or at least, not its plot, that was actually intended for the plot of "[[My Three Suns]]", but [[David X. Cohen]] and [[Matt Groening]] wanted to start off more down to Earth, so "My Three Suns" was moved to slot 7 and "The Series Has Landed" became episode number two.<ref name="com-ep7-dxc-slot">{{cite commentary |speaker={{n|Cohen|David|X.}} |episode=My Three Suns |volume=One |disc=2 |quote=[...] the central premise of ["My Three Suns"] was one of Matt's earliest ideas for the show. And we were gonna do it right away, but then we decided we better do a couple more more down to Earth episodes, like the second and third episodes, and this ended up moving to slot seven.}}</ref><br />
<br />
[[File:Evans inside H.G.Blob.png|thumb|left|Originally the man inside the blob was supposed to be turning into a skeleton.<ref name="com-pa-skeletons">{{cite commentary |speaker={{n|Avanzino|Peter}} |episode=The Series Has Landed |volume=One |disc=1 |quote=I remember our original boards had the guys who got pulled into glob start dissolving, you saw their skeletons and we were asked to pull that back.}}</ref>]]<br />
The script for "The Series Has Landed" was written by [[Ken Keeler]], for which this episode was seen as a test of whether the format would stand. The episode introduces the last three [[primary character]]s, [[Hermes Conrad]], [[Dr. John A. Zoidberg]] and [[Amy Wong]]. Which was somewhat not entirely simple for the writers, as introducing three lesser primary characters in a single scene was not easy.<ref name="com-kk-introductions">{{cite commentary |speaker={{n|Keeler|Ken}} |episode=The Series Has Landed |volume=One |disc=1 |quote=That was the tough part about this scene, that was introducing three of the minor characters very quickly.}}</ref><br />
<br />
The advertisement during the [[cold opening]] was originally supposed to be a lot more dark,<ref name="com-kk-opening">{{cite commentary |speaker={{n|Keeler|Ken}} |episode=The Series Has Landed |volume=One |disc=1 |quote=Every time I see this, I remember the remember the original cold opening we had for this featured the original Planet Express ship captain, Captain Cameron, who very quickly got angry with all the new crew members and then immediately died. But it was felt to be too dark.}}</ref> where the man inside the blob would slowly decay into a skeleton. In an early version of the cold opening, the crew would actually meet the crew's former captain, whom would very quickly get very angry with the new crew and then immediately died.<ref name="com-kk-opening"/> And instead of the giant eggs at the end, the Professor were originally to put on a giant chicken costume instead.<ref name="com-kk-chicken">{{cite commentary |speaker={{n|Keeler|Ken}} |episode=The Series Has Landed |volume=One |disc=1 |quote=The original ending of that, had him putting on a hat with a gigantic bird feather in it and walk away.}}</ref><br />
<br />
Originally, [[David X. Cohen]] and [[Matt Groening]] was actually considering Fry to be the captain, but they decided on Leela as it seem more funny to have him as the underdog.<ref name="com-ep1-dxc-underdog">{{cite commentary |speaker={{n|Cohen|David|X.}} |episode=Space Pilot 3000 |volume=One |disc=1 |quote=We also considered making him captain of the ship at one point, instead of Leela, but it seemed more fun to have him be an underdog.}}</ref> This was also to match the more "sexy babe" science-fiction style heroine, that Matt Groening had in mind for Leela.<ref name="com-ep1-mg-leela">{{cite commentary |speaker={{n|Groening|Matt}} |episode=Space Pilot 3000 |volume=One |disc=1 |quote=I just thought it would be really cool to do "sexy babe", err, you know, science-fiction style heroine and &ndash; but give her one eye. And see if we can still make her... comely and attractive.}}</ref><br />
<br />
Hermes was not written as Jamaican in the first versions,<ref name="com-dxc-hermes">{{cite commentary |speaker={{n|Cohen|David|X.}} |episode=The Series Has Landed |volume=One |disc=1 |quote=Interestingly, in the original script we wrote, Hermes was named Dexter, and he was not Jamaican.}}</ref> and he was even recorded without an accent for several episodes, which then had to be re-recorded.<ref name="com-padxc-rerecord">{{cite commentary |speaker 2={{n|Cohen|David|X.}} |speaker={{n|Avanzino|Peter}} |episode=The Series Has Landed |volume=One |disc=1 |quote=Didn't we actually get tracks where he didn't have an accent? |quote 2=Yes, we recorded several episodes after that...}}</ref> In addition, his name was "Dexter" and not Hermes, but was changed by Matt Groening to fit the style of the character.<ref name="com-dxc-hermes"/><br />
<br />
The name for Dr Zoidberg came from a video game David X. Cohen had been working on for 3 years during college for the {{w|Apple II}} called "Zoid", but the video game never actually went through, and his naming was a homage to that wasted effort.<ref name="com-dxc-zoid">{{cite commentary |speaker={{n|Cohen|David|X.}} |episode=The Series Has Landed |volume=One |disc=1 |quote=Part of the inspiration for the name at least, Dr Zoidberg, was a video game I spend most of my high school years working on for the Apple II, which was called Zoid. So Zoidberg is an homage to that wasted three year period.}}</ref> The idea from the character was based on ''[[Star Trek]]''{{'}}s {{st|Bones McCoy}}, whom would often perform surgery on many non-human species. And Cohen felt that someone like Mr Spock would feel rather uncomfortable having someone of a different species operate on him, so Cohen's idea was to have someone who had no understanding of human anatomy operate on them anyway.<ref name="com-dxc-mccoy">{{cite commentary |speaker={{n|Cohen|David|X.}} |episode=The Series Has Landed |volume=One |disc=1 |quote=The idea for [Dr. Zoidberg] was to make him a sort of a reverse of Bones McCoy on ''Star Trek'', who was a human who often had to treat aliens like Mr. Spock, and I was thinking if I were Mr. Spock, I really would not want someone from a different species operating on me. So we decided we would have this doctor who did not understand human anatomy operating on our guys.}}</ref><br />
<br />
By this point in the show, [[Sal]] had not gotten to point where he would add s'es to random words.<ref name="com-kk-sal">{{cite commentary |speaker={{n|Keeler|Ken}} |episode=The Series Has Landed |volume=One |disc=1 |quote=This was Sal. But it was before he added an S to all his words.}}</ref> That would be before much later, where he would also change jobs on each time we met him.<ref name="com-dxc-sal">{{cite commentary |speaker={{n|Cohen|David|X.}} |episode=The Series Has Landed |volume=One |disc=1 |qoute=Even to this day. Sal occupies so many blue collar jobs, even now we have debates in the– among the writers whether there are a lot of clones of Sal or whether he just moves from job to job frequently.}}</ref><br />
<br />
[[File:Luna lander sticker.png|thumb|right|The sticker added to explain the [[Lunar landing site|lunar lander]]'s return.<ref name="com-dxc-lander">{{cite commentary |speaker={{n|Cohen|David|X.}} |episode=The Series Has Landed |volume=One |disc=1 |quote=But just that the lander is there, yet it blasted off into space when they left the moon. We caught that fairly far down the line. And added a sign, which comes up in the background here to placate our nerdiest fans.}}</ref>]]<br />
During the folksinging scene, it was easy to obtain the rights for "{{w|Blowin' in the Wind}}", but not "{{w|If I Had a Hammer}}", which they wanted later instead.<ref name="com-kk-songs">{{cite commentary |speaker={{n|Keeler|Ken}} |episode=The Series Has Landed |volume=One |disc=1 |quote=It astonishes me that we were able to get the rights to "Blowin' in the Wind", but not we wanted "If Had a Hammer" later. We were not able to get that.}}</ref> The [[Goophy Gophers|gopher]] scene originally had material for 20 minutes, which considered of almost nothing but puns and other gopher jokes.<ref name="com-dxcrmkk-gophers">{{cite commentary |speaker={{n|Cohen|David|X.}} |speaker 2={{n|Moore|Rich}} |speaker 3={{n|Cohen|David|X.}} |speaker 4={{n|Keeler|Ken}} |episode=The Series Has Landed |volume=One |disc=1 |quote=This scene used to be about 20 minutes long. |quote 2=It was the whole show. |quote 3=It ended up being four seconds long. But it is still pretty funny. |quote 4=I think we spend probably 8 or 10 hours writing a whole bunch of gopher jokes.}}</ref><br />
<br />
The [[Lunar landing site|lunar lander]] scene was originally going to have {{w|Neil Armstrong}}'s head helping the crew escape,<ref name="com-kk-armstrong">{{cite commentary |speaker={{n|Keeler|Ken}} |episode=The Series Has Landed |volume=One |disc=1 |quote=Originally, they were going to find the original moon landing site, and I believe, Neil Armstrong's head for inexplicable reasons was going to be there. And he would help them flee from the farmer across the moon. But cooler heads prevailed.}}</ref> but apparently cooler heads prevailed. Late in the script did the writers notice the issue with the lander, as it would have been blasted off when the astronauts left the moon originally.<ref name="com-dxc-lander"/> The solution was to insert a sticker inside the lander to specify that it was actually a replica of the lander, placed by the "Historical Sticklers Society".<ref name="com-dxc-lander"/><br />
<br />
== Reception ==<br />
"The Series Has Landed" aired 4 April, 1999, and the last episode to air on Fox's Sunday line up, after which it was move to its Tuesday line up, where expectations were for it to loose ratings as a consequence. It gained a {{w|Nielsen Rating}} of 8.1/14 in homes.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117492973.html?categoryid=14&cs=1 |title='Futurama' cools, but still holds on to auds |publisher=Variety |author=Bierbaum, Tom |date=1999-04-06 |accessdate=2009-04-17}}</ref><br />
<br />
[[Ken Keeler]] was nominated for an Annie Award for his "Outstanding Individual Achievement for Writing in an Animated Television Production" for this episode.<ref name="annie-award"/><br />
<br />
In 2006, IGN ranked it as the 19th best episode on its 25 best ''Futurama'' episode list.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://tv.ign.com/articles/716/716663p1.html |title=Top 25 Futurama Episodes |author=Iverson, Dan |publisher=IGN |date=2006-07-07 |accessdate=2009-04-26}}</ref><br />
<br />
== Additional Info ==<br />
[[File:Jan_2002.PNG|thumb|January - 2002 [[Calendar]]]]<br />
<br />
=== Trivia ===<br />
*The 20th-century car on display at Luna Park is very similar to an AMC Pacer.<br />
*Originally, the person who H. G. Blob ate was to disintegrate into a skeleton, but it was deemed too gruesome, and the milder version that we now know was made.<br />
*The hydroponic farmer's moon car is modelled after the moon car used by the Apollo missions.<br />
*Inside the [[Lunar Landing Site|Lunar lander]] there is a plaque that says "This lander returned to this site by the historical stickler's society"<br />
**This is because, the writers realised that when the original Apollo crew took off, only the descent module of the lander would remain.<br />
*Fry almost suffocates again in "[[Love and Rocket]]".<br />
*The games at Luna Park include:<br />
**Skeeball<br />
**Virtual Skeeball<br />
**Virtual Virtual Skeeball<br />
**Mortal Kooperation<br />
**Gender-neutral Pac-Person<br />
**Dodecapede<br />
<br />
=== Continuity ===<br />
*{{e|1ACV10}}<br />
**A magnet affects Bender's inhibition unit again.<br />
*{{e|3ACV10}}<br />
**Bender plays folk music on a banjo.<br />
*{{f|2}}<br />
**The Hydroponic Farmer shows he is still mad at the crew.<br />
*{{clink|US#009|Freaky Fry-day}}<br />
**It is revealed The Crushinator has given birth to [[Junior|a child]].<br />
<br />
=== Allusions ===<br />
*"The happiest place orbiting Earth" is a reference to Disneyland, whose slogan is "The happiest place on Earth"<br />
*The lunar farmer's hat, which reads "THE MOON SHALL RISE AGAIN" is a reference to similar sayings of the confederate south ("The South shall rise again").<br />
* Crater Face, the moon mascot, after bender sticks his beer bottle into his eye, looks like a famous scene from Melies's movie "A trip to the moon" [http://www.precinemahistory.net/images/melies_moon.gif Picture]<br />
* The Moon Patrol is a reference to the arcade game Moon Patrol<br />
<br />
=== Quotes ===<br />
{{q|<br />
<poem>'''Dr. Zoidberg''': Young lady! I'm an expert on humans! Now pick a mouth, open it and say " [strange buzzing tune] ".<br />
'''Fry''': Uh... " ''[Poorly imitates buzzing tune.]'' "<br />
'''Dr. Zoidberg''': ''What?!'' My mother was a saint! ''Get out!!''</poem><br />
<poem>'''Fry''': That's not an astronaut, that's a TV comedian! And he was just using space travel as a metaphor for beating his wife.</poem><br />
<poem>'''Fry''': Can I do the countdown?<br />
'''Leela''': Sure. Knock yourself out.<br />
'''Fry''': 10,9! " ''[The ship takes off and flies to the Moon.]'' "<br />
'''Leela''': OK, we're here!<br />
'''Fry''': 8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1,blastoff " [quietly and quickly] ".</poem><br />
}}<br />
<br />
=== Alien Language Sightings ===<br />
'''Time''':09:00<br /><br />
'''Location''': Awning in Luna Park<br /><br />
'''Language''': [[Alien Languages#AL1|AL1]]<br /><br />
'''Translation''': TASTY HUMAN BURGERS<br />
<br />
<!--===Prerequisites===<br />
*{{ep-sgt|1|Establishes what's going on in the series.}}<br />
--><br />
<br />
=== Characters ===<br />
{{chars-begin}}<br />
*'''Debut:''' [[Amy Wong|Amy]]<br />
*[[Bender Bending Rodríguez|Bender]]<br />
*'''Debut:''' [[Buggalo]]<br />
*'''Debut:''' [[Craterface]]<br />
*'''Debut:''' [[The Crushinator]]<br />
*'''Debut:''' [[Daisy Mae 128k]]<br />
*'''Debut:''' [[Dr. John Zoidberg|Dr. Zoidberg]]<br />
*[[Philip J. Fry|Fry]]<br />
*'''Debut:''' [[Goofy Gophers]]<br />
*'''Debut:''' [[Hydroponic Farmer]]<br />
*'''Debut:''' [[Horrible Gelatinous Blob|H.G. Blob]] <br />
*'''Debut:''' [[Hermes Conrad|Hermes]]<br />
*[[Turanga Leela|Leela]]<br />
*'''Debut:''' [[Lulubelle 7]]<br />
*'''Debut:''' [[Moon Patrol]]<br />
*[[Professor Hubert J. Farnsworth|Prof. Farnsworth]]<br />
*'''Debut:''' [[Sal]]<br />
*'''Debut:''' [[Whalers on The Moon]]<br />
{{chars-end}}<br />
<br />
== Episode Credits ==<br />
{{credits-begin}}<br />
*Writer<br />
**[[Ken Keeler]]<br />
*Director<br />
**[[Peter Avanzino]]<br />
*Voices<br />
**[[Billy West]]<br />
**[[Katey Sagal]]<br />
**[[John DiMaggio]]<br />
**[[Tress MacNeille]]<br />
**[[Lauren Tom]]<br />
**[[Phil LaMarr]]<br />
**[[Maurice LaMarche]]<br />
*DVD Commentary<br />
**[[David X. Cohen]]<br />
**[[John DiMaggio]]<br />
**[[Ken Keeler]]<br />
**[[Matt Groening]]<br />
**[[Peter Avanzino]]<br />
**[[Rich Moore]]<br />
{{credits-end}}<br />
<br />
== References ==<br />
{{reflist|2}}<br />
<br />
{{navigation bottom<br />
|prev ep=Space Pilot 3000<br />
|next ep=I, Roommate<br />
}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:A plots focusing on Fry]]<br />
[[Category:B plots focusing on Bender]]<br />
[[Category:Media wherein characters run away]]</div>189.128.91.182http://theinfosphere.org/index.php?title=Season_1&diff=59245Season 12010-05-18T06:45:32Z<p>189.128.91.182: </p>
<hr />
<div>{{season infobox<br />
|season = 1<br />
|start = 28 March, 1999 <br />
|end = 14 November, 1999<br />
|episodes = 13<br />
|release = [[Volume One]]<br />
|next = Season 2<br />
}}<br />
Production '''Season 1''' was the first season of ''[[Futurama]]'' and the first of the [[original run]]. It consisted of 13 episodes, making it the shortest production season so far. It is also the only season to be aired exclusively before the year [[2000]].<br />
<br />
Broadcast wise, the first 9 episodes are considered part of broadcast season 1, while the remaining episodes of the production season are considered part of broadcast season 2, along with episodes from [[season 2]].<br />
<br />
== Plot development ==<br />
Production season 1 deals with perhaps the most important plot development in entirety of ''Futurama'', yet it only takes place during the cold opening of "[[Space Pilot 3000]]". [[Philip J. Fry]] being frozen and waking up a thousand years later in 2999 sets the setting for the entire show.<br />
<br />
Fry meets the people who are to become his closest friends, even if their friendship are largely complicated, [[Turanga Leela]] and [[Bender Bending Rodríguez]]. Luckily, he has a distant relative in the future, [[Professor Hubert J. Farnsworth]], who owns a package delivery company, [[Planet Express]]. He gets a job there along with his newly found friends. And the setting for the rest of the show is placed.<br />
<br />
In the following episode, we meet the rest of the regular cast, [[Amy Wong]], [[Dr. John A. Zoidberg]] and [[Hermes Conrad]].<br />
<br />
Leela makes the mistake of sleeping with the famed captain [[Zapp Brannigan]], but on a cruise on the [[Titanic]], Amy manages to start a communication with [[Kif Kroker]], something [[season 3]] would later deal with. In addition to that, season 3 also picks up on Bender's dreams.<br />
<br />
== Production ==<br />
<br />
As with any first season, there were a lot of ideas to be tested, and some never made it to the subsequence seasons, such as the Professor's [[I am already in my pajamas|PJs-line]]<ref name="ep2-com-dxc">{{cite commentary |speaker={{n|Cohen|David|X.}} |episode=The Series Has Landed |volume=One |disc=1}}</ref> or Hermes' accent,<ref name="ep2-com-dxc" /> but also had ideas kept until later seasons, such as [[Cubert Farnsworth]].<ref name="ep8-com-dxc">{{cite commentary |speaker={{n|Cohen|David|X.}} |episode=A Big Piece of Garbage |volume=One |disc=2}}</ref> [[Matt Groening]] and [[David X. Cohen]] also wanted to introduce a lot of concepts for the future. Ideas of a caste system, which later turned into the gag character [[Number 9 Man]],<ref name="fbbs-com-dxc">{{cite commentary |speaker={{n|Cohen|David|X.}} |film=Bender's Big Score}}</ref> were also tossed around.<br />
<br />
A first season's purpose is always to establish the show about what it is, and where the audience can expect it to go. Despite the intentions, the [[20th Century Fox Television|people at Fox]] were pretty scared of the show,<ref name="ep2-com-mg">{{cite commentary |speaker={{n|Groening|Matt}} |episode=The Series Has Landed |volume=One |disc=1}}</ref> such as why people were queueing to [[Suicide booth|kill themselves]] on New Year's Eve.<ref name="ep1-com-mg">{{cite commentary |speaker={{n|Groening|Matt}} |episode=Space Pilot 3000 |volume=One |disc=1}}</ref><br />
<br />
Animation-wise, the 3D of the show were initially set up late at [[Rough Draft Studios]], as such, the animators first knew late how the [[Planet Express ship]] looked like, and as such, most of the drawings of the ship in the early episodes were drawn based on concept drawings, rather than the 3D models.<ref name="ep3-com-rm">{{cite commentary |speaker={{n|Moore|Rich}} |episode=I, Roommate |volume=One |disc=1}}</ref><br />
<br />
For the writing staff, the first season saw the biggest number of credited contributors to a ''Futurama'' season, with a total of 11 credited writers. Writers such as [[Evan Gore]] and [[Heather Lombard]] only appeared credited for a single episode (in this case "[[Fear of a Bot Planet]]").<br />
<br />
In addition, Cohen seems to suggest that this season was one of the hardest seasons to write, due to the initial pressure with coming up with ideas and the limited time they were given.<ref name="ep5-com-dxc">{{cite commentary |speaker={{n|Cohen|David|X.}} |episode=Fear of a Bot Planet |volume=One |disc=2}}</ref><br />
<br />
== Episodes ==<br />
{{season 1}}<br />
<br />
== References ==<br />
<br />
{{reflist}}</div>189.128.91.182http://theinfosphere.org/index.php?title=Episode_Listing&diff=59244Episode Listing2010-05-18T06:44:14Z<p>189.128.91.182: </p>
<hr />
<div>[[fr:Liste des épisodes]]<br />
These are the episodes of ''Futurama''. Listed here in production order.<br />
<br />
The production code is '''#ACV##''', where the first '''#''' indicate production season, and '''##''' indicate episode number in the given production season. [[20th Century Fox Television]] used '''ACV''' as the series code for ''[[Futurama]]''. Since the show is still produced by 20th Century Fox Television, this is not subject to change.<br />
<br />
The broadcast code is '''S0#E##''', where the first '''#''' indicate broadcast season (of which there were five contrary to the four production season during the [[original run]]), and the second '''##''' indicate episode number in the given broadcast season. For the episodes listed in this fashion, see ''[[Episode Listing (broadcast order)]]''.<br />
__NOTOC__<br />
{| style="text-align:center; padding: 15px; padding-top:5px; margin: 5px 0px; width: auto;" class="overview" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="3"<br />
! colspan="5" | Production Order<br />
|- style="background: #e3e3e3;"<br />
! colspan="2" | Season<br />
! Episodes !! Original aired !! [[DVDs|DVD]] release date<br />
|- style="background:#f3f3f3; text-align:center;"<br />
| style="background:#ffbfbf !important;" |<br />
| '''[[#Season 1|1]]'''<br />
| 13<br />
| 1999<hr />'''''FOX'''''<br />
| '''R1:''' 25 March, 2003<br />'''R2:''' 28 January, 2002<br />'''R4:''' 27 November, 2002<br />
|- style="background:#f3f3f3;"<br />
| colspan="5" | <br />
|- style="background:#f3f3f3; text-align:center;"<br />
| style="background:#ffdfbf !important;" |<br />
| '''[[#Season 2|2]]'''<br />
| 19<br />
| 1999 - 2000<hr />'''''FOX'''''<br />
| '''R1:''' 12 August, 2003<br />'''R2:''' 11 November, 2002<br />'''R4:''' 13 May, 2003<br />
|- style="background:#f3f3f3;"<br />
| colspan="5" | <br />
|- style="background:#f3f3f3; text-align:center;"<br />
| style="background:#ffffbf !important;" |<br />
| '''[[#Season 3|3]]'''<br />
| 22<br />
| 2001 - 2002<hr />'''''FOX'''''<br />
| '''R1:''' 9 March, 2004<br />'''R2:''' 2 June, 2003<br />'''R4:''' 24 September, 2003 <br />
|- style="background:#f3f3f3;"<br />
| colspan="5" | <br />
|- style="background:#f3f3f3; text-align:center;"<br />
| style="background:#BFFFC4 !important;" |<br />
| '''[[#Season 4|4]]'''<br />
| 18<br />
| 2002 - 2004<hr />'''''FOX'''''<br />
| '''R1:''' 25 October, 2005<br />'''R2:''' 24 November, 2003<br />'''R4:''' 24 November, 2003<br />
|- style="background:#f3f3f3;"<br />
| colspan="5" | <br />
|- style="background:#f3f3f3; text-align:center;"<br />
| style="background:#bfffe9 !important;" rowspan="3" |<br />
| rowspan="3" | '''[[#Season 5|5]]'''<br />'''''[[#Direct-to-DVD films|Films]]'''''<br />
| 16<br />
| 2008 - 2009<hr />'''''Comedy Central'''''<br />
| '''R1:''' 20XX<br />'''R2:''' 20XX<br />'''R4:''' 20XX <br />
|- style="background:#f3f3f3;"<br />
| colspan="3" | <br />
|- style="background:#f3f3f3; text-align:center;"<br />
| '''''Films''''':<br />4<br />
| colspan="2" | 27 November, 2007 - 7 April, 2008<br />24 June, 2008 - 6 August, 2008<br />3 November, 2008 - 10 December, 2008<br />23 February, 2009 - 4 March, 2009 <hr />'''''Direct-to-DVD'''''<br />
|- style="background:#f3f3f3;"<br />
| colspan="5" | <br />
|- style="background:#f3f3f3; text-align:center;"<br />
| style="background:#a6d6ff !important;" |<br />
| '''[[#Season 6|6]]'''<br />
| 26<br />
| 2010 - 20??<hr />'''''Comedy Central'''''<br />
| '''R1:''' 20XX<br />'''R2:''' 20XX<br />'''R4:''' 20XX<br />
|- style="background:#f3f3f3;"<br />
| colspan="5" | <br />
|- style="background:#f3f3f3; text-align:center;"<br />
| style="background:#000000 !important;" |<br />
| '''[[#Special episodes|Specials]]'''<br />
| 2<br />
| colspan="2" | 27 November, 2007 &middot; 24 June, 2008<hr />'''''Direct-to-DVD'''''<br />
|- style="background:#f3f3f3;"<br />
| colspan="5" | <br />
|-<br />
| colspan="5" | {{episode listing navigation}}<br />
|}<br />
<br />
== Season 1 ==<br />
{{main|Season 1}}<br />
{{season 1}}<br />
<br />
== Season 2 ==<br />
{{main|Season 2}}<br />
{{season 2}}<br />
<br />
== Season 3 ==<br />
{{main|Season 3}}<br />
{{season 3}}<br />
<br />
== Season 4 ==<br />
{{main|Season 4}}<br />
{{season 4}}<br />
<br />
== Season 5 ==<br />
{{main|Season 5}}<br />
:''The fifth production season is simply the [[#Direct-to-DVD films|films]] cut up in 16 episodes (4 per film) that aired on Comedy Central.''<br />
{{season 5}}<br />
<br />
=== Direct-to-DVD films ===<br />
{{main|Season 5}}<br />
{{season 5/films}}<br />
<br />
== Season 6 ==<br />
{{main|Season 6}}<br />
{{season 6}}<br />
<br />
== Special episodes ==<br />
:''On some of the DVDs of the [[#Direct-to-DVD films|films]], there appear special episodes, which are not internally part of any run or season.''<br />
{| class="overview" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="2"<br />
! Episode name !! On DVD !! Notes !! Code !! #<br />
|-<br />
| [[Everybody Loves Hypnotoad]]: "[[Amazon Adventure]]" || ''[[Bender's Big Score#The DVD|Bender's Big Score]]'' || || 3H312 || 1<br />
|-<br />
| colspan="5" style="height: 4px; background: #000000 !important;" | <br />
|-<br />
| "[[The Lost Adventure]]" || ''[[The Beast with a Billion Backs#The DVD|The Beast with a Billion Backs]]'' || This episode was compiled from cut scenes and the "Attract Movie" FMV (recorded game footage) from [[Futurama (video game)|the game]], and was delivered complete with commentary track. || || 2<br />
|}<br />
<br />
== See Also ==<br />
*[[Episode Commentary Listing]]<br />
*[[Episode Transcript Listing]]<br />
*[[Comic Listing]]<br />
<br />
[[Category:Episodes|*]]<br />
[[Category:Lists]]</div>189.128.91.182http://theinfosphere.org/index.php?title=Bart_Simpson_doll&diff=59242Bart Simpson doll2010-05-18T06:37:50Z<p>189.128.91.182: </p>
<hr />
<div>[[Category:Products]][[Category:The Simpsons]]<br />
{{item infobox<br />
|name=Bart Simpson doll<br />
|image=[[Image:Bart Simpson doll.png|225px]]<br />
|image text=A pile of the dolls.<br />
|inventor=[[Matt Groening]]<br />
|first appear={{elink|1ACV08|A Big Piece of Garbage}}<br />
|voiced by= [[Wikipedia:Nancy Cartwright|Nancy Cartwright]]<br />
}}<br />
The '''Bart Simpson doll''' is a doll of the [[wikipedia:Bart Simpson|character of the same name]] from [[Matt Groening]]'s other show, the ''[[The Simpsons]]''.<br />
<br />
In the [[Timeline|30th Century]], this doll (along with a lot of other garbage from the 20th Century) floats around space as a big ball of garbage, until [[Professor Hubert J. Farnsworth|Professor Farnsworth]] discovers it and sends [[Philip J. Fry|Fry]], [[Turanga Leela|Leela]] and [[Bender Bending Rodríguez|Bender]] to destroy it. The dolls are lost when the garbage ball is finally thrown into [[the Sun]].<br />
<br />
When their strings are pulled, they say "Eat my shorts!", one of Bart's common phrases.<br />
<br />
==Additional Info==<br />
===Trivia===<br />
*[[Wikipedia:Nancy Cartwright|Nancy Cartwright]] provides their voice, the same voice of Bart in ''The Simpsons''.<br />
===Quotes===<br />
{{q|<br />
<poem>'''Bart Simpson doll:''' Eat my shorts!<br />
'''Bender:''' Okay! ''[eats the shorts, a la Homer]'' Mmm... shorts...</poem><br />
}}<br />
<br />
===Appearances===<br />
*{{elink|1ACV08|A Big Piece of Garbage}}<br />
*{{elink|1ACV11|Mars University}}<br />
*{{clink|US#003|The Owner Of Mars Attacks!}}<br />
*{{clink|US#039|Rust in Peace}}</div>189.128.91.182http://theinfosphere.org/index.php?title=Bart_Simpson_doll&diff=59241Bart Simpson doll2010-05-18T06:37:15Z<p>189.128.91.182: </p>
<hr />
<div>[[Category:Products]][[Category:The Simpsons]]<br />
{{item infobox<br />
|name=Bart Simpson doll<br />
|image=[[Image:Bart Simpson doll.png|225px]]<br />
|image text=A pile of the dolls.<br />
|inventor=[[Matt Groening]]<br />
|first appear={{elink|1ACV08|A Big Piece of Garbage}}<br />
|voiced by=[[Wikipedia:Nancy Cartwright|Nancy Cartwright]]<br />
}}<br />
The '''Bart Simpson doll''' is a doll of the [[wikipedia:Bart Simpson|character of the same name]] from [[Matt Groening]]'s other show, the ''[[The Simpsons]]''.<br />
<br />
In the [[Timeline|30th Century]], this doll (along with a lot of other garbage from the 20th Century) floats around space as a big ball of garbage, until [[Professor Hubert J. Farnsworth|Professor Farnsworth]] discovers it and sends [[Philip J. Fry|Fry]], [[Turanga Leela|Leela]] and [[Bender Bending Rodríguez|Bender]] to destroy it. The dolls are lost when the garbage ball is finally thrown into [[the Sun]].<br />
<br />
When their strings are pulled, they say "Eat my shorts!", one of Bart's common phrases.<br />
<br />
==Additional Info==<br />
===Trivia===<br />
*[[Wikipedia:Nancy Cartwright|Nancy Cartwright]] provides their voice, the same voice of Bart in ''The Simpsons''.<br />
===Quotes===<br />
{{q|<br />
<poem>'''Bart Simpson doll:''' Eat my shorts!<br />
'''Bender:''' Okay! ''[eats the shorts, a la Homer]'' Mmm... shorts...</poem><br />
}}<br />
<br />
===Appearances===<br />
*{{elink|1ACV08|A Big Piece of Garbage}}<br />
*{{elink|1ACV11|Mars University}}<br />
*{{clink|US#003|The Owner Of Mars Attacks!}}<br />
*{{clink|US#039|Rust in Peace}}</div>189.128.91.182http://theinfosphere.org/index.php?title=Futurama&diff=59239Futurama2010-05-18T03:09:28Z<p>189.128.91.182: </p>
<hr />
<div>{{Television infobox<br />
|name = ''Futurama''<br />
|image = [[File:Title Screen (clean).jpg|225px]]<br />
|genre = Comedy<br />
|format = Animation<br />
|created by = [[Matt Groening]]<br />
|developed by = [[Matt Groening]] <br> [[David X. Cohen]]<br />
|origin = [[United States of America]]<br />
|first appear = <br />
|producer = [[Matt Groening]] <br> [[David X. Cohen]] <br> [[Ken Keeler]]<br />
|runtime = approx. 22 minutes (films: approx. 88 minutes)<br />
|company = [[The Curiosity Company]] <br> [[20th Century Fox|30th Century Fox]]<br />
|channel = [[20th Century Fox]] (1999–2004) <br><br />
[[Comedy Central]] (2008–present)<br />
}}<br />
{{old content}}<br />
{{update}}<br />
'''''Futurama''''' is an animated television series created by [[Matt Groening]] (creator of [[The Simpsons]]) and [[David X. Cohen]] (also a writer for The Simpsons). Set in New New York City in the 31<sup>st</sup> century, it was introduced on the Fox Network and received airplay between 28 March, 1999 and 12 December, 2004. It is currently in syndication on Comedy Central in the United States, on Teletoon in Canada, on Channel 4, Sky One, Sky Two and Sky Three in the UK, and on Fox8 and Network Ten in Australia.<br />
<br />
The series begins when [[Philip J. Fry]], a New York City slacker and pizza delivery boy, is cryogenically frozen by accident on New Year's Eve, 1999 or New Years Day, 2000 (for the first few seconds). He is defrosted one thousand years later on New Years Eve, 2999 and finds himself in [[New New York|New New York City]]. Fry thinks he has a chance at a new life, only to find himself being permanently assigned a career as a delivery boy. Fry's attempts to escape from his now-mandatory job assignment end at [[Planet Express]], a small intergalactic package delivery company run by his [[Professor Hubert J. Farnsworth|distantly descended nephew]], where he is hired on as a delivery boy. The series covers the adventures of Fry and his colleagues as they travel around the universe making deliveries on behalf of Planet Express.<br />
<br />
== Setting ==<br />
{{main|Setting}}<br />
The setting is first and foremost a backdrop for humor, and the show is not above committing continuity errors if they serve to further the gags. The capabilities of many things (and even [[Bender Bending Rodriguez|characters]]) vary according to what is most appropriate for the situation at hand.<br />
<br />
The visually retro-futuristic world of Futurama is not a utopia but neither is it a dystopia. Unlike past cartoons like The Jetsons, which showed an efficient, clean, happy future, Futurama portrays a less idealistic view, with humans still dealing with many of the same basic problems of the 20<sup>th</sup> century. The show's vision of the future is very similar to the present in many ways: the same political figures and celebrities that we know today survive as [[:Category:Heads in Jars|heads in jars]] (a method invented by [[Ron Popeil's Head]]), television remains the primary means of [[:Category:Television|entertainment]], [[the Internet]] is still slow and filled with ads and pornography, problems such as [[global warming]] (although this was revealed to be canceled out by a nuclear winter), inflexible [[Central Bureaucracy|bureaucracy]], and substance abuse are still pressing issues. This is probably due to human civilization being wiped out and replaced twice while Fry was in stasis, along with many other events including various enslavements of humanity and nuclear wars.<br />
<br />
Race issues in 3000 are now centered around relations among [[humans]], [[Alien Species|aliens]], and [[Robot|robots]]. A common clash between the former two is alien immigration plaguing [[Earth]]. Humans find it hard to treat aliens with respect because of their differences, as is seen with the [[Decapodians]], who probably evolved from something resembling a lobster, and because of various invasions and obliterations of Earth in the past.<br />
<br />
[[File:Futurama Cast.png|thumb|The main cast of ''Futurama''.]]<br />
<br />
A specific issue on Earth is the large population of super-intelligent/super-incompetent robots (homeless robots and orphan children robots, like [[Tinny Tim]]); they are generally lazy, greedy and surly (with the exception of the sycophantic super-efficient [[Robot 1-X]]), and often unwilling to assist their human creators. Almost all robots are fueled by alcohol -based substances, leading to widespread enviromental pollution. Robots are treated as independent beings &ndash; indeed only twice in the series are robots referred to as property (in "[[The Route of All Evil]]", [[Cubert Farnsworth|Cubert]] refers to [[Bender Bending Rodriguez|Bender]] as "company property," and in "[[The 30% Iron Chef]]" the [[Professor Hubert J. Farnsworth|Professor]] shouts "That's my robot! I ''own'' him!"). In fact, over the years robots have devolped their own culture, with publications, music and religon.<br />
<br />
Despite this, Futurama's world also showcases numerous technological advantages that have been developed by the year 3000. Wheels used in transportation have been made obsolete by hover technology, to the point that 31<sup>st</sup> century characters do not know what a wheel is. Among the robots, spaceships, and floating buildings, Professor Farnsworth introduced many memorable new inventions such as the [[Smell-O-Scope]], the [[What-If Machine]], and the [[Fing-Longer]]. Less inspiring 31st century innovations include coin-operated [[Suicide Booth]]s (said in the show to have been in business since 2008) [[Soylent Products|Soylent Cola]] (the taste "varies from person to person"), and [[Slurm]], the highly addictive green ooze secreted by a termite-esque Queen (revealed in "[[Fry and the Slurm Factory]]"). Slurm is advertised at every opportunity on Futurama, whether in conventional television adverts, or on giant blimps flying past in the background.<br />
<br />
Large companies hold a massive amount of power in the year 3000, in particular [[MomCorp|Mom's Friendly Robot Company]], which builds and controls almost every robot on earth. Advertising is everywhere, and people often buy products not knowing or caring what goes into them or who manufactures them &ndash; for example, the unrestrained human consumption of "[[Popplers]]" which turned out to be [[Omicronians|alien young]].<br />
<br />
Some of the show's humor comes from passing references to historical events of the past thousand years. For example, in the time that has passed, formerly endangered owls and marmosets have emerged as the primary urban [[pests]], at the expense of rats and pigeons. Los Angeles has become a wasteland, Fry mistaking it for New New York in the year 4000 after believing he had been cryogenically frozen for a further 1000 years. [[Atlanta]], after being moved to sea, sinks due to overdevelopment and becomes a "lost city" (a parody of the story of Atlantis); its residents evolve (with the help of Coca-Cola's caffeine) into mermaids. In another episode, [[Pamela Anderson's Head|Pamela Anderson]] mentions that she won an Academy Award for Baywatch: The Movie, the first ever movie to be filmed entirely in slow-motion.<br />
<br />
== Appeal ==<br />
The main audience of Futurama is comprised mostly of self-described "nerds". This is due in part to the fact that much of the humour on Futurama is derived from the fields of mathematics, physics, computer science, and a hefty dose of Star Trek (TOS) and Twilight Zone references. In fact, several members of the [[:Category:Crew|crew]] have PhD's in these fields.<br />
<br />
== See Also ==<br />
*[[Broadcast]]<br />
*[[Dubbing]]<br />
*[[In popular culture]]<br />
**''[[The Simpsons]]''<br />
**''[[Star Wars]]''<br />
**''[[Star Trek]]''<br />
*[[Loose ends]]<br />
*[[Opening sequence]]<br />
*[[Production]]<br />
**[[Future of Futurama]]<br />
*[[Soundtrack]]<br />
*[[Themes]]<br />
*[[Timeline]]<br />
<br />
== External links ==<br />
* [http://www.slurmed.com The Futurama Point] A Futurama hub dedicated to everything Futurama.<br />
* [http://www.futuramaff.com Futurama Fan Forum] A popular Futurama forum.<br />
* [http://www.gotfuturama.com Can't Get Enough Futurama] A Futurama news page.<br />
* [http://www.planetexpressdelivery.com Planet Express Delivery] A dedicated online Futurama store.<br />
<br />
[[Category:Futurama| ]]</div>189.128.91.182http://theinfosphere.org/index.php?title=The_Devil%27s_Hands_Are_Idle_Playthings&diff=59238The Devil's Hands Are Idle Playthings2010-05-18T03:06:33Z<p>189.128.91.182: </p>
<hr />
<div>{{Episode infobox<br />
|name=The Devil's Hands Are Idle Playthings<br />
|no=72<br />
|image=[[File:The Devils Hands are Idle Playthings.jpg|225px]]<br />
|season=4<br />
|number=4ACV18<br />
|caption=See you on some other channel<br />
|first aired=12 December, 2004<br />
|written by=Ken Keeler<br />
|directed by=Bret Haaland<br />
|title reference=The proverb "Idle hands are the Devil's playthings".<br />
|broadcast number=S05E16<br />
|broadcast season=5<br />
|opening cartoon=The [[Opening Sequence|Futurama opening]] itself.<br />
|nomination='''Annie Awards'''<br />Outstanding Music in an Animated Television Production, 2004, [[Ken Keeler]]<br />'''Emmy Awards'''<br />Outstanding Music and Lyrics, 2004, the song "I Want My Hands Back"<br />
|special guest=[[Dan Castellaneta]]<br />
|prev ep=Spanish Fry<br />
|next ep=Bender's Big Score Part 1<br />
|next film=Bender's Big Score<br />
|broad prev=Bender Should Not Be Allowed on Television<br />
|broad next=<br />
}}<br />
"'''The Devil's Hands Are Idle Playthings'''" is the seventy-second episode of ''[[Futurama]]'', the eighteenth and the last of the [[Season 4|fourth production season]], the sixteenth and last of the [[Broadcast season 5|fifth broadcast season]] and the series finale of the [[original run]]. It aired 12 December, 2004 on FOX. It guest stars [[Dan Castellaneta]] as the [[Robot Devil]]. [[Philip J. Fry|Fry]] lacks the hands to play the [[holophonor]], so he makes a deal with devil to win [[Turanga Leela|Leela]]'s affection.<br />
<br />
== The Story ==<br />
=== Act I: "Mr. Bender, I simply cannot teach your child!" ===<br />
[[Philip J. Fry|Fry]] is desperately trying to learn to play the [[Holophonor]], as he once almost won [[Turanga Leela|Leela]]'s heart with it. He begs [[Bender Bending Rodriguez|Bender]] to come and attend his Holophonor recital, and Bender graciously agrees. However, Fry is still very inexperienced, turning his recital into a disaster. This leaves Fry depressed because he can imagine great music, but is not capable of playing it. Just then, Leela tells him that she has a soft spot for men with creative musical talent, like her ex-boyfiend, [[Shaun]], and his saxophone. Bender suggests that Fry should cut a deal with the [[Robot Devil]] in order to learn to play the Holophonor. Fry agrees and they travel to [[Robot Hell]] and confront the Robot Devil, who tells Fry that he has "stupid fingers", which can't even master a belt buckle. He suggests that Fry takes a pair of robot hands to replace them, and leads them to a big wheel of fortune called "[[Wheel of Robots]]", containing every robot in existence's name. The wheel lands on the Robot Devil (positioned next to Bender's), who reluctantly replaces his hands with Fry's.<br />
<br />
=== Act II: "I'm back from Hell, and I've got the Robot Devil's hands!" ===<br />
With his new hands, Fry easily masters the holophonor and soon becomes a star. He even makes his own records and plays in public at [[New New York#Hovercar-Negie Hall|Hovercar-negie Hall]]. Leela is genuinely touched by the beauty of his music. The Robot Devil is desperately trying to get his hands back, but Fry refuses to give them back. Meanwhile, [[Hedonism Bot]] asks Fry to write an opera for him, and Fry agrees, provided that he can write it about Leela. He begins his work, and Leela is very impressed by his creative talent, but Fry doesn't want her to hear the opera until it's done. Meanwhile, the Robot Devil cuts a deal with Bender, installing on him a stadium air horn, taking his crotch plate in return. This allows Bender to fulfill his wish of being more annoying. Bender tries out his new function on the first person he sees, Leela. The blast is so loud, she is deafened, the night before Fry's big concert. This is just what the Robot Devil had hoped for--a bargaining chip to use against Fry in return for his hands.<br />
<br />
=== Act III: "Please don't stop playing, Fry. I want to hear how it ends." ===<br />
Fry's opera, ''Leela: Orphan of the Stars'', has its grand premiere in the [[New New York#Metropolitan House of Opera|Metropolitan House of Opera]], attended by a huge audience. As she still can't hear, Leela begs the [[Planet Express]] crew not to tell Fry that she is deaf, because she fears it would break his heart, so [[Amy Wong|Amy]] uses [[Emotion Flashcards]] to show Leela what she is supossed to feel when Fry sees her. The first act, dealing with Leela's past, is a great success. During the intermission, Leela decides that she would give anything to hear the rest, which plays right into the Robot Devil's plans. He agrees to grant her new ears in exchange for her hand, which she accepts, and is given [[Calculon]]'s ears. The Robot Devil tells her that he will come back for the hand at a later time because the intermission is about to end and he does not want her to be late for the rest of the opera. During the second act, portraying Fry's deal with the Robot Devil, the real Robot Devil makes a personal appearance on the stage, confronts Fry and demands his hands back, or he will take Leela's promised hand - in marriage. Fry is desperate, as his skill with the holophonor (and his ability to impress Leela) lies in his new, robotic hands. Without them, he will not be able to complete the opera he wrote to win her heart. In the end, he decides to give up the hands so that Leela may go free. Left with his old hands, he is unable to play with any amount of skill, and the opera is a flop. Fry sees the entire audience leave in disappointment, as he fumbles to complete his masterpiece. Just as he is about to leave the empty stage, he spots Leela, who alone has stayed in the auditorium. She asks him to play on so she can hear how it ends. Fry smiles and resumes playing, managing to tell the rest of the story, albeit crudely, where he and Leela kiss and walk into the distance, hand in hand. It is worth noting that Fry does in fact play the last few tones perfectly, right before the credits - leading to speculation that he might not have needed the Robot Devils hands after all.<br />
<br />
== Additional Info ==<br />
=== Song lyrics ===<br />
*[[List of song performances#Leela: Orphan of the Stars|Leela: Orphan of the Stars]]<br />
*[[List of song performances#I Want My Hands Back|I Want My Hands Back]]<br />
<br />
=== Trivia ===<br />
*On the spinning wheel used by the Robot Devil to select the robot who will trade hands with Fry, the names it contains are actual robots who have appeared in the series. (See [[#Characters on the wheel of robots|below]] for the full list.)<br />
*The grumpy snail is in every holophonor piece Fry plays, except the opera, and is also featured on the advertisement for Fry's record.<br />
*The final line in the episode took a while to record due to [[Katey Sagal]]'s involvement with ''8 Simple Rules''.<br />
*[[Dan Castellaneta]] returns as the [[Robot Devil]], and also plays the slug advertising Fry's album.<br />
*When the show went on hiatus in April 2002, the Futurama crew made this episode to work as both a season and series finale, as it would give them a 50/50 chance to get renewed.<br />
*Fry, Leela, Bender, Professor Farnsworth and Richard Nixon are the only characters to appear in both this episode and "[[Space Pilot 3000]]".<br />
*Writer [[Ken Keeler]] was nominated for an Emmy in 2004 (for Outstanding Music and Lyrics) for this episode (specifically, for the song "I Want My Hands Back").<br />
*Preacherbot mentions the power vested in him "by the state of New New York." Up until this point, it had never been mentioned if the state's name had changed along with that of the city's, although it was marked as such in "[[Bendin' in the Wind]]".<br />
*This is the only time the big screen in the opening sequence shows a picture of the opening sequence itself, repeating itself endlessly.<br />
*The sign of the Holophonor teacher bears the subtitle ''Taking the fun out of music for over 20 years''.<br />
*Fry and Bender ride {{w|Segway_PT|Segways}} to get to the recital.<br />
*Amy is using Emotion Flashcards featuring the [[Poster Guy]] to tell the deafened Leela what she is supposed to feel during the opera.<br />
*The contract Leela has signed is headed ''Standard Diabolical Exchange Agreement''.<br />
*At the end of the episode, just as Leela says "I want to know how it ends." she no longer has Calculon's ears (you need to zoom). In the DVD film ''[[Bender's Big Score]]'', she no longer has the ears either, and Calculon doesn't appear. This is often considered a retcon. It is more likely however, that just as Leela's loss of eyesight in "[[Bender Gets Made]]" was temporary, so too was her loss of hearing in this episode. It is also possible that her hearing was simply fixed after the Opera.<br />
*During the sequence where the Robot Devil gives Fry his hands, there are at least three frames where both he and Fry have robot hands. However, this is hardly noticeable at regular playing speed. <br />
*This episode was named #16 on IGN's list of [http://tv.ign.com/articles/716/716663p1.html Top 25 Futurama Episodes].<br />
<br />
=== Goofs ===<br />
*During the advertisement for Fry’s record he switches between having normal and robot hands.<br />
*Tinny Tim holds up a newspaper twice, which title is "New York Post", and not "New New York Post" as it should be.<br />
<!--*Boxy appears on the wheel of robots for who's hands Fry will get, but Boxy has no hands.<br />
He has retractable hands, seen in Lobstertainment--><br />
*When the Robot Devil first comes to get his hands back, Fry is standing with his hands in his pockets, and then in the next shot, his hands are out of his pockets, but no time has passed to allow for Fry to take his hands out.<br />
**There was a deleted scene between the two shots where Fry takes his hands out to make a gesture.<br />
*In the episode "[[Parasites Lost]]" Leela had indicated that only a couple people in the universe could use the Holophonor and that they weren't very good at it. Here, we see a large number of children being taught to play it and at least one of them is shown to have skill with it.<br />
<br />
=== Quotes ===<br />
{{q|<br />
<poem>'''Tinny Tim''': Extra! Extra! Greatest opera of all time sucks!<br />
'''Zoidberg''': I'll take eight!</poem><br />
<poem>'''Bender''': ''[Looking at signs that tell him to keep him out of Fry's room.]'' I choose to not understand these signs.</poem><br />
<poem>'''Bender''': You know what always cheers me up? Laughing at other peoples misfortunes! [laughs]</poem><br />
<poem>'''Bender''': Fry, if you don't take this offer right now, I will lose all respect for you and punch you.</poem><br />
<poem>'''Bender''': ''[Watching the Wheel of Robots spin.]'' I got a hundred bucks on Rectal-Exam-Bot!</poem><br />
<poem>'''Hedonism Bot''': Courtesans and gentle fops, I bid you welcome to my opera. Let us cavort like the Greeks of old. You know the ones I mean.</poem><br />
<poem>'''Zoidberg''': ''[As Fry enters the stage.]'' I watch TV with that guy!</poem><br />
<poem>'''Opera PA''': Please take your seats for Act 2!<br />
'''Hedonism Bot''': But I'm not done vomiting! Ahahahaha!</poem><br />
<poem>'''Hedonism Bot''': ''[As the Robot Devil chops off Fry's hands.]'' Surgery in an opera? How wonderfully decadent! And I was just beginning to lose interest. Jombee, the chocolate icing! ''[Servant covers him in chocolate.]'' Oh! Oh my, yes!</poem><br />
<poem>'''Leela''': [touching Fry's robot hands] Aah! They're so cold!<br />
'''Robot Devil''': [off screen] AND YET HELL IS SO HOT! [laughs] Can I have my hands back now?<br />
'''Fry''': NO!<br />
'''Robot Devil''': [whining] YOU'RE NOT NICE!</poem><br />
<poem>'''Fry''': I can't play anymore...<br />
'''Zoidberg''': Yes you can! The music was in your heart, not in your hands!<br />
''[Fry begins playing crude images on the holophonor, and the audience is disgusted.]''<br />
'''Zoidberg''': Your music is bad and you should feel bad!</poem><br />
<poem>'''Hedonism Bot''': Courtesans and gentlefops, let us cavort like the Greeks of old! You know the ones I mean!</poem><br />
<poem>'''Hedonism Bot''': A man writing an opera about a woman? [giggles] Oh, sirrah, how deliciously absurd!</poem><br />
<poem>'''Robot Devil''': You can't just have your characters come out and say how they feel! That makes me feel angry!</poem><br />
<poem>'''Leela''': Please don't stop playing, Fry. I want to hear how it ends.</poem><br />
|2}}<br />
<br />
=== Inside References ===<br />
*This episode takes up the storyline of "[[Parasites Lost]]".<br />
*Leela is seen eating a grilled [[Buggalo]] leg, a reference to "[[Where the Buggalo Roam]]".<br />
<br />
=== Characters on the wheel of robots ===<br />
{{main|Wheel of Robots}}<br />
{|width=100%<br />
| <br />
* Rectal-Exam Bot<br />
* [[Flexo]]<br />
* [[Daisy Mae 128k]]<br />
* [[The Crushinator|Crushinator]]<br />
* [[Roberto]]<br />
* [[Helper]]<br />
* [[Kwanzaa-bot|Kwanzaabot]]<br />
* [[Robot 1-X]]<br />
* [[Clamps]]<br />
* [[Hedonism Bot]]<br />
* [[Fatbot]]<br />
* [[Linctron]]<br />
|<br />
* [[Destructor]]<br />
* [[Robot Santa Claus|Santa]]<br />
* [[Joey Mousepad|Joey]]<br />
* [[Tinny Tim]]<br />
* [[Chain Smoker]]<br />
* [[Angleyne]]<br />
* [[Execu-tor]]<br />
* [[Reverend Lionel Preacherbot|Preacherbot]]<br />
* [[Fembot]]<br />
* [[Hair Robot]]<br />
* [[Unit 2013]]<br />
* [[Donbot]]<br />
|<br />
* [[Boxy Robot|Boxy]]<br />
* [[Lulubelle 7]]<br />
* [[Humorbot 5.0]]<br />
* [[Calculon]]<br />
* [[URL]]<br />
* [[The Foreigner|Foreigner]]<br />
* [[iZac]]<br />
* [[Cartridge Unit]]<br />
* Barkerbot<br />
* Teenbot<br />
* [[Gearshift]]<br />
* [[Q. T. McWhiskers]]<br />
|<br />
* [[Deep Blue]]<br />
* [[IHawk|iHawk]]<br />
* [[Cylon]]<br />
* [[Patchcord Adams]]<br />
* [[Lucy_Liu's_Head#Liubot|Liubot]]<br />
* [[Stage Mom 7.0]]<br />
* [[Sinclair 2K]]<br />
* [[Soda Machine Robot|Vending Machine]]<br />
* [[Oily]]<br />
* [[Cool-O-Meter]]<br />
* [[Andrew]]<br />
* [[Monique]]<br />
|<br />
* [[Rab-Bot]]<br />
* [[Lisa]]<br />
* [[Executive Gamma]]<br />
* [[Keg Robot]]<br />
* [[Comrade Greeting Card|Greeting Card]]<br />
* [[Tandy|EuroTRaSh 80]]<br />
* [[Nannybot 1.0]]<br />
* [[Emotitron Jr.|Emotitron, Jr.]]<br />
* [[Ceiling Fan]]<br />
* [[Hookerbots|Hookerbot]]<br />
* [[Bender Bending Rodriguez|Bender]]<br />
* [[Robot Devil]]<br />
|}<br />
<br />
=== Outside References ===<br />
*Two people in the holophonor image jump over barrels as they walk upstairs, which is similar to the gameplay in ''Donkey Kong''. This links the first episode ("[[Space Pilot 3000]]") and what was at the time of production the final episode of the series in that they both have a [[Donkey Kong]] reference.<br />
*The idea of someone selling something to the devil for an artistic talent is similar to [[Wikipedia:The Devil and Daniel Webster|The Devil and Daniel Webster]].<br />
* The name of the opera hall where [[Fry]]'s opera debuts is '''MHOp''' ('''M'''etropolitan '''H'''ouse of '''Op'''era), a reference to both '''IHOP''' (International House of Pancakes) restaurants and the '''Metropolitan Opera House''' in New York City.<br />
*The plot may be based on Marlowe's ''Faust''.<br />
*The title of the opera could be based on the title of the book, ''Ami : L'Enfant des étoiles'', a 1999 book which title, translated from [[French]], means ''Ami : Child of the stars''.<br />
<br />
=== Characters ===<br />
{{chars-begin}}<br />
*[[Amy Wong|Amy]]<br />
*[[Bender Bending Rodriguez|Bender]]<br />
*[[Calculon]]<br />
*[[Fawn]]<br />
*[[Florp]]<br />
*[[Philip J. Fry|Fry]]<br />
*[[Hedonism Bot]]<br />
*[[Hermes Conrad|Hermes]]<br />
*[[Humorbot 5.0]]<br />
*[[Turanga Leela|Leela]]<br />
*'''Debut''': [[Mrs. Mellonger]]<br />
*[[Morbo]]<br />
*[[Morgan Proctor]]<br />
*[[Preacherbot]]<br />
*[[Professor Hubert J. Farnsworth|Professor Farnsworth]]<br />
*[[Richard Nixon's head]]<br />
*[[Robot Devil]]<br />
*[[Tinny Tim]]<br />
*[[Zapp Brannigan]]<br />
*[[Dr. John Zoidberg|Zoidberg]]<br />
{{chars-end}}<br />
<br />
== Episode Credits ==<br />
{{credits-begin}}<br />
*Writer<br />
**[[Ken Keeler]]<br />
*Director<br />
**[[Bret Haaland]]<br />
*Voice Actors<br />
**[[Billy West]]<br />
**[[Katey Sagal]]<br />
**[[John DiMaggio]]<br />
**[[Tress MacNeille]]<br />
**[[Lauren Tom]]<br />
**[[Maurice LaMarche]]<br />
**[[Phil LaMarr]]<br />
**[[David Herman]]<br />
*DVD Commentary<br />
**[[Matt Groening]]<br />
**[[David X. Cohen]]<br />
**[[Ken Keeler]]<br />
**[[Bret Haaland]]<br />
**[[Billy West]]<br />
**[[Maurice LaMarche]]<br />
**[[Dan Castellaneta]]<br />
*Special Guest<br />
**[[Dan Castellaneta]]<br />
{{credits-end}}<br />
<br />
{{navigation bottom<br />
|prev ep=Spanish Fry<br />
|next ep=Bender's Big Score Part 1<br />
|next film=Bender's Big Score<br />
|broad prev=Bender Should Not Be Allowed on Television<br />
|broad next=<br />
}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:A plots focusing on Fry]]<br />
[[Category:A plots focusing on Leela]]<br />
[[Category:Media featuring singing]]<br />
[[Category:Media featuring weddings]]</div>189.128.91.182