Review: "Put Your Head On My Shoulders" (Season 2, Episode 7)

"Love is in the air, everywhere you look around..." - John Paul Young.

Airdate: February 13th, 2000

Synopsis: Amy goes and buys a new car, having passed her university classes. (Yes, Amy still goes to school. Remember that?) While taking Fry out for a spin on Mars, the car runs out of gas. Waiting for a tow truck, the two become enamored with each other. Shortly after they arrive back at Earth, however, Fry begins to feel smothered by Amy. Good timing, though, since just as he's about to break up with her, an accident puts his head on her shoulder. Literally.

Meanwhile, Bender decides to pull a Jerkass Homer, and start his own business. This time, he scams people out of money in a matchmaking scheme.

Review (SPOILERS): Ah, Valentine's Day. The day of love, loss, regrets, yadda yadda yadda. If my updates to this blog were any slower, the timing would be appropriate for this episode!

Instead, this is the blog's... sort-of Christmas Special. So... Merry Christmas, I guess?

Review: "The Lesser of Two Evils" (Season 2, Episode 6)

Airdate: February 20, 2000

Synopsis: While watching TV, the trio catch an advertisement for "Past-o-Rama", a theme park dedicated to celebrating the past in it's own cheesy way. While there, they take an old AMC Pacer type car and run into Flexo, a bending unit. In fact, he looks just like our loveable rascal. For some strange reason, Fry looks askance at him, especially after the quartet are commissioned to deliver a tiara to the "Miss Universe Pageant".

Review (SPOILERS): Season 2 contains yet another Star Trek parody, this time aping from "Mirror, Mirror" with "The Lesser of Two Evils". Don't expect these parallels to let up until the third season. Here, though, was another episode that was quite funny, if not Futurama at it's best.

Review: "Why Must I Be A Crustacean In Love?" (Season 2, Episode 5)

Airdate: February 6th, 2000.

Synopsis: Leela and Amy drag Fry and Bender to a gym. Zoidberg, extra-frisky, comes along, and manages to mess around the place. The reason - it's mating season for the Decapodians. Thus, they have to go back to Decapod 10 so that Zoidberg can join his species in the frenzy. Zoidberg has limited success in attracting a mate, but finds a potential partner in Edna. However, Fry tries to get Zoidberg to engage in a deeper relationship with her. Once Edna learns of Fry's strategies... she tries to seduce him. Zoidberg catches them, and declares that they shall settle this with claw-plach!

Fry: "What's that?"

Zoidberg: "A fight to the death!" 

Review: Another Star Trek: TOS parody here - they are a plenty in the first two seasons. This time, the episode parodied is among the most famous in the history of Star Trek: "Amok Time." The results here are quite funny, if not the best Futurama has to offer.

Review: "XMas Story" (Season 2, Episode 4)

"Lock the door, and hit the floor!
Cause Santa Claus comes tonight!!!"

Airdate: December 19, 1999

Synopsis: It's XMAS! Like Christmas, but with more X! Fry and Leela are the loneliest people in New New York, however. After reminding Leela of her constant loneliness, Fry goes out to buy her a present. This does not end well, especially when Robot Santa arrives... and threatens to blow them all to kingdom come.

Review: Ah, the Christmas special. Started with A Charlie Brown Christmas and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, these specials are just a bundle of heartwarming... or at least cheese. These episodes and specials often have something extra put in them to get the viewer into the Christmas cheer, and makes you enjoy the Winter season... until February, when the third snowstorm comes, and you're tired of classes being cancelled all the damn time!

Sorry.

Normally, these Christmas/Chanukah/Kwanza/insanely-politically-correct-celebration-of-the-winter-solstice episodes are just full of joy and optimism. This episode manages to combine that heartwarming schmaltz we all love with one of the most disturbing environments in Christmas special history.

Review: "A Head in the Polls" (Season 2, Episode 3)

Just hope the silent majority doesn't mind Robot bodies, Richard Nixon.

Airdate: December 12th, 1999

Synopsis: After a mining accident on Titan that trapped over 1000 robots, the price of titanium skyrockets. Seeing profit potential, Bender pawns his body (40% titanium) and begins living life as a "decapitated" head. Despite his initial pleasure, a conversation with the Presidents of the United States - particularly Richard Nixon - makes him realize what he gave up.

Speaking of which, Earth is holding an election to determine who will be the next President of the Planet. The two candidates up for election - Jack Johnson and John Jackson - are not only identical clones, their political positions (despite being members of the Tastycrats and the Fingerlicans, respectively) are completely identical.

Nixon, having listened to Bender's story, decides to buy Bender's body and use it to run in the election (citing a loophole in the Constitution). Disgusted, Bender, Fry, and Leela realize that the only way they're getting the body back is through a break-in at a hotel in Washington.

Review (SPOILER ALERT!): Studying politics is right up there with studying history, watching science fiction dramedies, and eating Taco Bell on my list of "favorite pastimes". It's a world of tragedy, comedy, and backstabbing that shapes the way we live.

There's a Futurama episode about that, and it is hysterical - probably gonna be my favourite of the season.

Review: "Brannigan, Begin Again" (Season 2, Episode 2)

"Whoopsie-daisy!"

Airdate: November 28th, 1999

Synopsis: The Planet Express trio are sent over to the new DOOP HQ in the Neutral Zone - they are to deliver scissors for the ribbon cutting ceremony. While there, however, they come across Zapp Brannigan, who fears Neutrals (yes, there's a planet called the Neutral Planet) because of their lack of stance, and who arrests the crew for carrying scissors, claiming that they're part of "a Neutral plot".

Leela: But they're not even sharp! Who could I possibly hurt with them?

Zapp: The Yarn People of Nylar 4!

While interrogating the crew on the Nimbus, Zapp is informed that he is going to miss the ribbon cutting ceremony. Zapp decides to improvise and use the ship's laser... which he cranks up to hyperdrive and fails to turn off, eventually destroying the new HQ. Forced to stand at a court martial in the Old DOOP HQ in Weehawken, Leela's testimony is just enough evidence to convict Brannigan, and he is dishonorably discharged. Before leaving, Zapp gives a mournful speech on the recent developments.

My friends, you can take away a man's title and his uniform, but you can never take away his integrity or his honour. Plus, it was mostly Kif's fault.

Kif, thrown under the bus, is now forced to roam the streets of New New York with Zapp. The two wind up at Planet Express, and are employed by Professor Farnsworth. Zapp notices the dissatisfaction that Bender and Fry have with Leela's management skills, and after a particularly awkward delivery, Zapp leads a mutiny against Leela, with the intent to hijack the ship and kamikaze it into Neutropolis, the capital of the Neutral Planet.

Review: The Zapper is back! The three previous episodes that featured the comic genius that is Zapp Brannigan were aided by his presence, but he only really had one prior episode really "focused" on him - "Love's Labours Lost In Space". "A Flight to Remember" was focused on Fry and Leela, and "When Aliens Attack" focused on Fry trying to thwart an alien invasion.

This episode actually focuses on his character, and does so in an awesome manner - but also a manner that makes the character much, much darker.

Review: "I Second That Emotion" (Season 2, Episode 1)

Unfortunately, last time I checked, the truth wasn't out there.

Airdate: November 21, 1999

Synopsis: Bender takes a hatred to Nibbler, all because his ego isn't being fed. When Nibbler prematurely eats his extravagant, egocentric birthday cake for the pet, Bender responds by going to therapy... by which I mean, Nibbler is flushed down the toilet. Leela, naturally, isn't too pleased with this development, so Bender has an empathy chip smacked onto his head. This drives Bender into such agony, he flushes himself down the sewer. Fry and Leela find Bender in the sewers, and while trying to recover Nibbler, come across the fabled Sewer Mutants.

Review (SPOILERS): As much as I hate the FOX schedule, I do give them credit for not making this the broadcast premiere. Not that it's an irredeemable episode, but because it's a wonky opening to the second season - the decent first and brilliant third acts bookend a rather weak, maybe somewhat sexist second act.

Season Wrap Up: Season 1

Box for re-release of Volume 1. Found on Internet.

Holy Slurm, Season 1 of Futurama is over. Only took me, what, six months? Curse my lack of discipline when it comes to blog schedules! The question always is - how did the season turn out? The question for first seasons always is... does it still hold up?

In short, season 1 of Futurama holds up well - character is reasonably good, the animation isn't too bad, and the voice acting is still pretty good.

In more detail, however, the season is good, yet there's still that tiny sense that the writers are finding their footing. Which is alright - few shows come out of the gate blazing and maintain that quality for as long as Futurama probably did. The only other show I can recall having a great first season and largely maintaining that quality into it's sophomore season is Gravity Falls, and even then, that's only midway through it's second season.

Character overall is good, even if it seems a bit sitcom-ish at this point. It works, though, since Futurama really did seem to start off more as a comedy than a space opera. Plots often involve Fry doing something stupid, Leela snarking about it, and Bender acting like a more malevolent jokester. Classic comedy trio - it's almost like The Tree Stooges: The Next Generation. Still, a few throwaway lines not only showcase some deeper emotions in the characters, but there is quite a development in their relationships - starting out as mere coworkers and acquaintances, by the end of the season, they at least seem like friends.

Other characters undergo radical change, although whether this is development or finding footing is up to the eye of the viewer. Farnsworth fits both - initially starting off as a bit of a stereotypical senior, by the end of the season, he's a genius with hints of insanity and callousness to his crewmembers.

The rest of the characters largely stay in their initial characterisations, although they are funny enough to carry entire plots. Most notably, there's the Zapp Branigan, who starts out as a Kirk parody and never stops providing the laughs, all with a touch of horror at the power he yields.

In terms of plots, they largely stick to parodying/homages to Star Trek episodes - most notably, "My Three Suns", which parodied TNG's "Reunion", and "Fear of a Bot Planet", which was a homage to "Let This Be Your Last Battlefield" and "The Measure of a Man". Still, the plot did lay out some foundations for future arcs, such as the relationship between Leela and Fry, and the exploration of Bender's psyche.

Overall, not a bad first season of Futurama - not in the slightest. Character development was good, and the plot overall was established pretty well. Animation and voice acting are a bit off, especially early on, but I don't hold it against the show.

Now, to list my favourite episode and least favourite episode of the season. These don't necessarily line up with what got the highest and lowest score - these are just my favourite and least favourites, respectively. I plan to rank the seasons at the end of my retrospective, so these might change by the end of this blog's life.

Favourite Episode: "Love's Labours Lost In Space" - the Zapper is introduced, and is solidified as one of the greatest Kirk parodies ever.

Least Favourite Episode: In hindsight, "My Three Suns" - you could remove the episode from the season, and the impact would barely be noticeable. It has few memorable jokes, not too much character development, and it's political satire is relatively basic.

Average Score: 8.1. With the score system I use, an 8 score is great, albeit with room to improve. This score will not be factored exactly into where I put the season at the end of the retrospective - it's just there for mathematical purposes.

Review: "Fry and the Slurm Factory" (Season 1, Episode 13)

Worth noting, this is the highlight of the tour.

Airdate: November 14th, 1999

Synopsis: Slurm, Fry's favorite soft drink, announces it's brand new marketing scam, and it catches the eyes of Fry and Bender. Whoever finds a golden cap wins the grand prize - a trip to the Slurm Factory on the planet Wormulon. One Bender breakdown, a "f-ray", and a swallowed cap later, the Planet Express crew are on the tour. There, Fry's utter addiction to Slurm drives them to the secret ingredient.

Review (SPOILERS): If I had a trademark favorite drink, it would be Diet Pepsi. Sure, Diet Coke is a decent alternative, but Diet Pepsi - that's the real mccoy of soda drinks. It's one of the reasons why Taco Bell is my favorite fast-food joint. If a restaurant has Diet Pepsi, I will order it. It, to me, is the perfect soft drink - tasty, yet it's structure allows for more, y'know, actual food to be eaten... like Taco Bell.

Alright, it probably has chemicals in it that probably has adverse effects on my health that I don't even know about yet, and every glass I drink may cut my lifespan by a minute, but it still tastes fantastic!

Yet, that has no contest on Fry's addiction to Slurm, the soft drink that dominates Futurama. In it, Slurm provides a tragicomic coda to the first season of this classic sci-fi series - tragic because it showcases the dystopia of the universe and just how messed up addiction is, and comic because it provides a hysterical deconstruction or subversion of Star Trek cliches.

Review: "When Aliens Attack!" (Season 1, Episode 12)

Airdate: November 7th, 1999.

Synopsis: May, 1999. A transmitter controller for WNYW-TV, the FOX affiliate in New York City, orders a pizza and beer. He invites the pizza delivery boy, one Phillip J. Fry, to watch the season finale of Single Female Lawyer, a show that revolves around lawyer Jenny McNeil and her various sexual exploits. While yawning, Fry spills his beverage on the control panel, knocking the station and the program off the air. FOX has to replace it with "eight animated programs in a row".

A thousand years later, the signal arrives at the planet Omnicron Persei 8, home of the Omnicronians. Their king and queen, Lrrr and Ndnd, vow revenge on Earth.

Cut to Earth. One Phillip J Fry is dragged from the TV out for a Labor Day trip to the beach. Hilarity ensues... until a UFO shoots lasers at the beach. Lrrr declares that McNeil must be surrendered immediately. President McNeil retaliates by going to war against the mothership, with 25-Star General Zapp Brannigan at the helm. Doesn't work. Fry realizes what the Omnicronians are talking about, and that he must whip up a script for a show he didn't really watch.

Review: On June 23rd, 1998, Time Magazine released an issue that had three greyed-out faces of feminism - suffragette Susan B Anthony, writer Betty Friedan, and activist Gloria Steinem. Right next to them, sat the non-greyed-out face of Ally McBeal, the main character of Ally McBeal. Time Magazine posed the question... Is Feminism Dead?

To accomplish this review, I decided that it would be best to watch the pilot of Ally McBeal. It was... alright, I guess. The main character was a tad bit irritating, though, which you don't really want in a dramedy - it's acceptable in shows like Red Dwarf, where the main character can be irritating for laughs, or Breaking Bad, where you focus on a fall from grace. Not in McBeal.

This episode, from what I could tell, does a damn good mockery of Ally McBeal - it mocks the reason why shows like McBeal are loved. People like comfort food comedy. Sure, you could have shows like Red Dwarf, where characters are fleshed out with vast brilliance. You could just as easily, however, have a show like The Cleveland Show, where shows are unchallenging to the intellect of people, and thus, are bland comfort food TV.