Screen Cravers: Wumbo Reviews TV and Movies! (Futurama)

[Wumbo]

I dunno, in terms of Zapp, even something like what he was revealed to be in "Love's Labours Lost" (I know I talk that episode to death, but bear with me), just this sad, pathetic, wannabe macho man, I find that more interesting than just two-dimensional posturing, which is what he's done in the past two episodes he appeared in. I just want a bit more meat to the character, is all.

I also admit I came at When Aliens Attack from a weird angle. I totally get if you like the subversion, but I feel like there should have been a more dynamic and exciting way to do this. Doesn't even have to be action-oriented, but I just feel the energy drop when the show gets to the taping of the fake episode.

[WhoBibbles]

4 hours ago, WumboJack Horseman said:

I dunno, in terms of Zapp, even something like what he was revealed to be in "Love's Labours Lost" (I know I talk that episode to death, but bear with me), just this sad, pathetic, wannabe macho man, I find that more interesting than just two-dimensional posturing, which is what he's done in the past two episodes he appeared in. I just want a bit more meat to the character, is all.

I also admit I came at When Aliens Attack from a weird angle. I totally get if you like the subversion, but I feel like there should have been a more dynamic and exciting way to do this. Doesn't even have to be action-oriented, but I just feel the energy drop when the show gets to the taping of the fake episode.

I understand how you feel.

As for Zapp, he definitely continues to be a more sad and lame non-ladies man than a complete jerk, so that's what I meant by him being always same. I'd say his best episode is probably War is the H Word but Zapp is still funny as you watch more of this show.

Congrats on season 1, season 2-4 are gonna be more fun to tackle to. They are the best seasons of this show.

[Wumbo]

Season 2

I Second That Emotion

After hurting Leela by flushing Nibbler down the toilet, Bender is given an empathy chip to experience what Leela is feeling. The chip makes Bender feel so strongly that he goes into the sewers to find Nibbler again, leaving Fry and Leela to go after him.

All right! Season 2. The typical rocky first season is over, though actually it was better than I expected it to be. We enter Season 2 by refining Bender's character, turning him into an even surlier robot than he was before. I don't know what he'll be like in the future, but comparing this to Season 1, I honestly kinda preferred the first season Bender. He seemed to have more facets to his personality; this is more of a one-note character we're presented with here. But at least it comes with a steady stream of funny moments. Basically all of Bender's reactions mirroring Leela's made me laugh.

We also get to explore yet another place in this universe, the sewers with the so-called "mutants". I really like the worlds Futurama sets up, and this one is no exception. There are so many inventive designs for these mutant characters, and they set up some pretty great jokes as well. I love the three-armed guy mishearing "harmless" as "armless" (he only has one ear, after all).

I think the episode works best as a further character study of Leela, rather than Bender. Bender's part of the plot is just kind of the catalyst that puts the climax into motion. As said at the end of the episode, he doesn't really learn anything. It's Leela who learns the lesson to perhaps be a bit more self-serving for her own sake. It's interesting that the show subverts the typical lesson of empathy Bender is meant to learn with Leela actually learning something from him instead. Keeps right in line with the show's typical subversions of these morals, and it's executed a lot better than in something like, say, "I, Roommate". Overall, definitely an exciting entry into Season 2, with a lot of laughs and a thrilling climax. Makes me look forward to the rest of the season!

8/10

Scattered Thoughts and Observations:

While Bender is definitely meaner than he was in Season 1, I do like that some things about him were kept the same. I like that his cooking abilities returned, for example.

This episode could have been a lot worse had Bender's displays of cruelty not been so goddamn funny. I love him laughing at the TV with the fake and real tragedies.

Bender saying Leela's emotions via his empathy chip doesn't really reveal anything new about Leela, but it does put her emotions pretty squarely out in the open. You have to feel for her when Amy abandons her to "have coffee" in the back of some stud's car, and then Bender says exactly what she's feeling.

Zoidberg got a few good moments in here. He's such a bizarre character, one of the few whom I'm fine with leaving where he is as a wacky joke machine.

The subversion at the end with the "it was you the whole time" trope being turned on its head was great too. Perfect capper to this episode.

[Wumbo]

Brannigan, Begin Again

After destroying D.O.O.P. headquarters, Zapp Brannigan is stripped of his title as captain and forced to work for Professor Farnsworth. While there, he leads a mutiny to gain power and control once again.

Perhaps this episode is the best way to describe my culminating problems with Zapp Brannigan up to "When Aliens Attack". I say this because this is exactly what I wanted from the character. Basically, I guess what I wanted was another Zapp-centred episode. And what an episode it is. Of all the episodes I've seen thus far, I think this one is the best plot-wise. I've complained umpteen times about plot holes in stories or twists that I don't think work when it comes to this show. Not here. This one follows a logical storyline, but still has enough twists and turns to keep me guessing. Fantastically plotted.

And how are the characters? Well, I think character actually becomes skewed a bit with our main three cast in favour of plot. For example, I don't remember Leela ever being this harsh with Fry and Bender, but that's what the plot requires, so I can buy it. Heck, all I really know from Leela is Season 1 stuff, so perhaps the kinks with the characters are starting to get ironed out. Zapp and Kif are just fantastic, probably their best appearances yet. You really get to see the depths of Zapp's depravity in how he treats Kif and the rest of the crew. Kif also gets some development in that he's put in a different situation. I love happy Kif. I want to see that again.

And finally, we have the meme factory itself, the Neutral Planet. Oh god, the lines that come out of this one. "I have no strong feelings one way or the other" is probably the most famous, but I want to give a special shout-out also to "Tell my wife hello," which probably gave me my biggest laugh of the episode. Once again, where this show excels is coming up with new, inventive worlds and character archetypes, and here is no exception. Where does the idea for a neutral planet even come from? Bloody brilliant. Let's not forget the planet with immense gravity either, Stumbos 4. Everything about this is funny. The name of the planet, everyone's design changes due to the gravity. You know, the jokes alone in this one qualify it for a high ranking. This is a damn funny episode.

I honestly absolutely loved this one. I don't know if it has that character development moment like in  "Love's Labours Lost", or that absolutely stellar sequence like "Hell is Other Robots" does, but it's by far the most structurally solid and well-plotted episode I've seen so far. I think that's worth more than a fair share of brownie points. Yep, let's wheel it out.

10/10

Scattered Thoughts and Observations:

Farnsworth gets a muted role in this one, but I do love his enthusiasm to have Zapp on board to distract from all the safety flaws in his business.

Oh, I forgot the best joke on Neutral Planet, and the whole episode: "Live Free or Don't". Jesus, what a funny idea this planet was. I hope we see these guys again.

Amy and Kif get together in the Titanic episode, yet Kif joins the crew and we don't see Amy. Jesus, what was even the point of that episode? I know these two do get together again eventually, but no thanks to the Titanic episode. I might have to bump that one down a point. Let's not let that episode distract from this episode's brilliance, anyway.

[CyanideFishbone]

Brannigan, Begin Again is one of my favorite episodes of the series, it's just constantly goddamn hilarious. Watching Leela and Zapp banter is always just such a treat for me. Their chemistry is amazing.

Edited May 10, 2018 by CyanideFishbone

[WhoBibbles]

I Second That Emotion and Brannigan Being Again were so damn solid. I don't remember the latter that much but Zapp is always good so.

[Wumbo]

A Head in the Polls

Bender sells his body at the pawn shop, and it goes to the newest presidential candidate head-in-a-jar... Richard Nixon.

A problem I semi-regularly had with the first season was its sloppy writing and lack of cohesive storytelling. The episodes were still typically good for a few laughs, at least, but on occasion I would notice a story element that would come out of nowhere, or disappear just as quickly as it would come. And that's what I was a bit worried about going into this one. The two points of the plot weren't seeming to come together. And then they did... in the best possible way.

Enter President Nixon. Dear God, I don't think I've laughed this hard in a while. This reminds me a lot of the way The Simpsons would skewer political figures like the George Bush episode, or even Nixon himself on occasion. But this episode, once again, just goes all out with the future theme and gives Nixon basically a supervillain role, which fits him perfectly. This episode also does a good job of general political commentary. The campaign booths for the various parties are all great, mixing in futuristic humour with political humour. My vote's for the Brain Slug Party. They got good policies, what can I say?

Like I said, Season 1 started out a bit iffy with its stories, but Season 2 seems to be knocking them out of the park, especially with these last two episodes. They manage to tell a coherent narrative and get all sorts of jokes to come along for the ride. I may need to adjust my rating scale to keep uo with Season 2's greatness, but until that happens, I can't see anything stopping me from giving this another...

10/10

Scattered Thoughts and Observations:

As I said, the setpiece for the political representatives is just great. All those crazy wacky third parties. The Apathy Party was a particularly funny moment.

Also, a moment of silence for all the robots trapped in the mining accident. But hey, the stocks know no mercy. Bender may as well get while the gettin's good.

It's not just Nixon that gets a skewering in this episode. Did anyone take note of the Clinton monument, for example?

That tentacle bed Fry rests on has... unfortunate implications. But hey, I guess it was one prediction the show got right early!

I have to hand it to Billy West. His voice acting in this series has really been stellar. I just bring it up because he does a pretty great Richard Nixon impression here. Not a crook's head indeed.

[Joe Biden]

My favorite moment from that episode is Richard Nixon singing Jefferson Airplane.

 

"I'm meeting you halfway, you stupid hippies!"

[CyanideFishbone]

Oh boy, get ready. I hope I'm not spoiling this, but Nixon's not gonna go away, and I mean that in the best way possible. He is one of the things that makes Futurama for me.

[Wumbo]

Xmas Story

The crew celebrate Xmas, the future's version of Christmas. when Fry goes out to buy a present for Leela. he runs the risk of being killed by Robot Santa!

What a weird time to watch a Christmas episode. But hey, it was next on my schedule, so I guess I'm a slave to routine. I'm a sucker for a good Christmas special, and this certainly qualifies as a good Christmas special. Or Xmas, rather. You see, it's pronounced like it's spelled now, not that archaic way we used to pronounce it. What a secular way to get your holiday special in.

Yeah, this certainly isn't one of your sentimental holiday specials. This one goes full force with the laughs, making every moment count and peppering the episode with jokes and little funny moments. It's great to see the whole crew play parts in this Christmas special, and everyone gets at least one good line in. Hell, they even have Nibbler steal the holiday bird at the end! Truly heartwarming.

Robot Santa's conception is brilliant, and john Goodman is the perfect choice for the role. Fresh off The Big Lebowski, Goodman does a terrific job portraying the manic robot Santa. He's got the deep, gruff edge to his voice that is needed for such a wild role. It's really funny how the future basically corrupts everything good and pure about Christmas, right down to pine trees being extinct. They may be different traditions, but hey. They're still tradition.

I suppose this episode also provides another glimpse as to what's to come with Fry and Leela. This one felt a lot more natural and built-up, unlike that Titanic episode. I actually believed the chemistry between them this time. If I had to nitpick, I'd say that I personally prefer my Christmas specials to be a bit more heartwarming, but it's clear that's not what this episode is trying to do. Save the heartwarming moments for episodes to come, I guess. For what it is, I can give this episode a solid...

9/10

Scattered Thoughts and Observations:

The opening at the ski lodge doesn't really go anywhere, but there are some great jokes in it, particularly the "trees up/trees down" sequence.

You know, I was joking this whole time about Amy's catchphrase being some one-syllable word rhyming with "duh", but it appears that I was more on the money than I thought, with "fluh" this episode. Huh.

Like I said, everyone has a great role to play in this one, even if the gimmicks are completely stupid. I didn't think the Professor would be naked throughout the majority of this special, but here we are.

And of course, there's also Bender with his sub-plot. The perfect nasty plot for a nasty robot. Really adds to the overall cynical atmosphere of this special.

Top tier dark joke with the cashier stating the suicide booth lines are especially long around Xmas time. Geez...

Finally, somehow it just makes sense that Zoidberg is the only one not on Robot Santa's naughty list. Hope he enjoys his pogo stick.

[WhoBibbles]

I thought Xmas Story was legit heartwarming with Fry actually wanting to do something nice to Leela for once. I enjoyed that aspect and their chemistry was definitely a big improvement over Titanic episode. and bless Zoidberg with his new hair and pogo stick.

[Wumbo]

o yea i think my post is quite meaningful but thanks for checkin in boyo

Why Must I Be a Crustacean in Love?

After Dr. Zoidberg starts behaving erratically, the team discover that he must travel to his species' planet for mating season. Trouble arises when he is unable to find a mate, or worse!

Yep, we're back. Figured I could get some shorter reviews out of the way while I put Billboard on hiatus. So, what's the next episode on the docket? A Zoidberg-focused one? Oh, this'll be a treat. Zoidberg was my favourite character from what little I saw of the series when I was younger, so I'm definitely excited to see how he carries his own episode.

It turns out that a Zoidberg-focused episode is funny, creative, and truly an imaginative one of the series. I love every twist and turn this story takes; jokes where the idea is mainly "what is obscene to us is complimentary to them" have been done to death in media, most notably with The Addams Family. But Zoidberg is such a compelling and charming character that he makes those jokes work singlehandedly. I love the off-kilter vibe of his species as well. This series really knows how to play with its futuristic characters.

Something I really didn't expect from this episode was any sort of depth, but I think we got that as well! I actually felt for Zoidberg as he sat alone on his mound with no one coming to mate with him. It's odd as, at least at first, the goal of Zoidberg's journey isn't anything romance-related, but I still felt the inadequacy that he felt in that sequence. Poor guy.

So yeah. This episode was a wonderful surprise to come back to, and I hope to see more Zoidberg-focused episodes in the future! (Though I hear one of them is really bad, so I may have just shot myself in the foot here. whatever, c'est la vie.)

10/10

Scattered Notes and Observations:

Fry suddenly became a huge horndog in this episode. It fits his character, but it still felt a bit sudden to me.

Bender's callous attitude towards his friend for profit was a nice touch. I kind of wish there was more Bender in this episode, but then I imagine myself saying that about every episode.

The "speech impediment" joke really caught me off guard and was funny as hell. This series really knows when to push the offensive humour.

Fry using a crab cracker in the battle to the death was also really funny. Man, this was just an all-around enjoyable episode to watch.