The Silence of the Clamps
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Season 6 episode Broadcast season 8 episode | |||||
The Silence of the Clamps | |||||
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No. | 102 | ||||
Production number | 6ACV14 | ||||
Written by | Eric Rogers | ||||
Directed by | Frank Marino | ||||
Title caption | NO REFUNDS | ||||
First air date | 14 July, 2011[1] | ||||
Broadcast number | S08E05 | ||||
Title reference | The Silence of the Lambs | ||||
Additional | |||||
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Season 6 | |||||
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"The Silence of the Clamps",[2] originally titled "Bend on a Wire",[3] is the one hundred and second episode of Futurama, the fourteenth of the sixth production season and the fifth of the eighth broadcast season. It is scheduled to air on 14 July, 2011.[1] The episode was for some time thought to be the broadcast season premiere, but the announcement that "Neutopia" would air on 23 June in its place proved otherwise.
Story
Bender joins the witness relocation program after testifying against the Robot Mafia.[4] Clamps gets a job at Planet Express.[5]
Production
Maurice LaMarche revealed in an update online that this episode will have a large focus on Clamps, indeed his great breakthrough episode.[3] Episode writer Eric Rogers has also said, on his Twitter page, that "6ACV14 is directed by Frank Marino, not Ray Claffey".[6]
The characters Bender, Billionaire Bot, the Queen of Yonkers, Mayor Poopenmeyer, Fanny, the Donbot, Bella, Calculon, Clamps, and Joey Mousepad appear in a clip from the episode hidden as an Easter egg on Volume 5.[7] More characters can also be seen in the storyboard.[8]
During May and June 2011, Countdown to Futurama released three items of promotional material for the episode: reused concept art of the Crushinator from "The Series Has Landed" (accompanied by two classic Crushinator clips) on 22 May, part of the storyboard showing the Donbot's trial on 23 May, and a video clip featuring Clamps arguing with Zoidberg on 17 June.
Image gallery
Additional Information
Trivia
- This episode marks the first time an 'F' word is used (Four times by Clamps, twice by Zoidberg, all bleeped)
- This is first time that Space Pope has a larger role and talks in the series.
Allusions
- The title is a reference to the novel (and the film) The Silence of the Lambs.
- The episode features censored but uncommon use of cursing. Given the subject matter, this could be a reference to gangster films such as Goodfellas and Casino, which became famous for their frequent use of "blue" language. It is unknown whether this will be uncensored on the DVD.
- The barn where Bender and Bella make out has the word "STABLES" on it, in the same font as the logo for office supply chain store Staples.
- the first mission that Clamps goes on is the same one that Bender went on in the episode "The Series Has Landed"
- When ordered to take care of Bender (who is actually Billy West) Clamps says that they're in space where no one can hear you clamp. The tagline of Alien is "In space no one can hear you scream".
- The robot mistaken to be Bender was named Billy West, and Fry scoffs at that name.
Continuity
- The Masked Unit appeared in this episode even though Bender killed him in "Raging Bender".
- When Bender sees Fanny, she jogs his memory by mentioning they had an affair. They did indeed in Into the Wild Green Yonder.
Quotes
[Bender is seeing Clamps clamp Calculon.]
Bella: Yeah, Daddy hates welchers. The only thing he hates more is witnesses... [Bender looks horrified.] ...and guys who mess around with his daughters... [Bender looks even more horrified.] ...and attempt to duplicate his meatball recipe. [Bender opens his chest cabinet and takes out a pan of steaming hot meatballs and looks even more horrifed.]
Witness Relocation Robot: We're putting you in the Witness Relocation Program.
Bender: I gotta hide? For how long?
Witness Relocation Robot: Until the Robot Mafia finds and kills you. They're very good with that.
Characters
- Debut: Bella
- Bender
- Billionaire Bot
- Debut: Billy West
- Calculon
- The Chain Smoker
- Clamps
- The Crushinator
- The Donbot
- Fanny
- Professor Farnsworth
- Fat-bot
- Fry
- The hair Robot
- Hedonism Bot
- Hermaphrobot
- Hermes
- The Hydroponic Farmer
- The Hyper-Chicken
- Joey Mousepad
- Debut: Judge 723
- Debut: Judge 724
- Debut: Judge 802
- Leela
- The Masked Unit
- Monique
- Morbo
- Mayor Poopenmeyer
- The Queen of Yonkers
- Robot Devil
- Debut: Sheriff Earley
- The Space Pope
- Debut: Witness Relocation Robot
- Zoidberg
References
- ^ a b Futurama - Episode Guide - MSN TV
- ^ "With their scripts on easels in front of them, they began at Act 1, Scene 1 of "The Silence of the Clamps," performing each scene in sequence."
Moore, Frazier (22 June 2010). "Back To The Future With New 'Futurama' Episodes". cbs4denver. Retrieved on 22 June 2010. - ^ a b "MightyBooshFan91" (10 February 2010). ""Hot Diggity Daffodil, Futurama's back!" (News thread) (No spoilers)" Page 5. (PEEL.) Retrieved on 10 February 2010.
- ^ Countdown to Futurama: Crushinator Design
- ^ "'I used to fancy myself pretty skilled at digging wax out of people's ears, but then some jerk had to go and invent the cotton swab and show me up. So I can really relate to Zoidberg in this scene from the upcoming episode The Silence of the Clamps, wherein Clamps gets a job at the Planet Express and upstages the good doctor.'" — Tobey, Matt
Tobey, Matt (17 June 2024). Magnificent Squeezers. Retrieved on 17 June 2011. - ^ Eric Rogers' Twitter
- ^ YouTube - Robobium
- ^ Countdown to Futurama: Robot Mistrial