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Topics of Discussion
- They attempted to insert secrets into the episode to set up the future episodes and plan to point them out in the commentary.
- Secrets included the Nibbler shadow; at several other points the group randomly said "Secret!" despite nothing important being on screen.
- Simultaneous countdown is a stretch.
- The sequence while Fry is frozen was inspired by The Time Machine.
- Script changed many times, but it was seen as important to end the cold opening in the future.
- An early version of the script featured Fry being sold at an auction to the professor for spare organs.
- Another early version had Fry as a night watchman at the (1999) cryogenics lab.
- Fry was to be the captain of the ship.
- He may also have been an army man.
- A removed scene featured flashbacks of important parts of Fry's life; Birth, College, etc.
- Such long scenes caused them to have two hours worth of material.
- The first shot of New New York was also the first 3D sequence in the show, and an experiment of sorts.
- It was decided all technology was to malfunction, much like it does in the present.
- Character design
- Difficulties animating a cyclops, origins of the Leela character.
- Designers didn't want Leela's nose as big as it is, Matt had to push for it, the belief was that female leads had to have tiny noses.
- Bender used to have ear antennas.
- Fry's outfit is based on James Dean in Rebel Without a Cause.
- All designs in Matt Groening's style are intended to be recognisable from silhouette.
- Fox was shocked at the high ratings the pilot received and didn't understand most of the concepts, particularly the suicide booths.
- Bender's voice was what John DiMaggio thought the Professor should sound like.
- The Statue of Liberty was going to be robotic.
- Suicide booths are based on a Donald Duck cartoon, in which Donald went to a museum of the future and used coin-op devices that injured him.
- Career chips were going to be much more important.
- Cohen points out a sign with alien language one on it and discusses the languages.
- The group was thrilled to have "approval" from Leonard Nimoy, and to be able to still make fun of Nixon.
- Notes that the French language is gone.
Highlights / Quotes
- David X. Cohen: That's my parent's home address "405". It's a different street, but that's where the number came from.
[laughter]
Matt Groening: Wow! Everything is of significance.
- Rich Moore: I think this is the first time we see Leela?
- Fox (a production note made on the script): Standard caution on the probulator.
Goofs
Related DVD Features
- Season 1, Disc 1
- Animatics
- Script
The script contains an early version of the episode, which includes a mild profanity; divided by the introduction (A, B)
- Storyboard
