Space Pilot 3000
==============================================================================
Space Pilot 3000 Written by David X. Cohen and Matt Groening
Directed by Rich Moore, Gregg Vanzo
==============================================================================
Production code: 1ACV01 Original Airdate: Sun, 08-Mar-1999
Foxworld synopsis:
After an accidental cryogenic freezing, Fry awakens at the dawn of
the year 3000. With the help of his two new friends, a degenerate
robot named Bender and a beautiful one-eyed alien named Leela, Fry
defies his life assignment as a delivery boy. He tracks down his
great-great-great-etc. nephew, Professor Farnsworth, who hires the
three to work for his intergalactic delivery service. It's a brave
new world and Fry is in for the ride of his life.
Title Sequence
Opening theme promotion:
IN COLOR
Opening theme cartoon:
"Little Buck Cheeser" (MGM, 1937)
Did You Notice...
... Applied Cryogenics is on the 64th floor?
... some people claim to have spotted Nibbler in 20th-century New York?
... they're still using dot-matrix, tractor feed printers in 2999?
[Government offices are so slow in updating their equipment. {tjm}]
... when Fry says he's going to be more than just a loser, a buzzer
sounds, as if he'd just given the wrong answer in a game show?
... the man in Leela's poster, who gives a thumbs-up, has five fingers
on each hand? Most humans in Futurama's universe have four.
[Maybe ... he's an alien/mutant? {tpe}]
... a sign on the street that says "AKBAR?" (Akbar is a character
in Matt Groening's Life in Hell comic strip.)
... all the people in line before Fry select the "quick and painless"
method of killing themselves? With a simple zap, they're gone.
(It's also more courteous to the people behind you.)
... in 1999, Fry rides his bicycle past O'Harrison's Pub, and in the
future, O'Zorgnax's Pub looks quite similar?
... Bender's libation is "Olde Fortran Malt Liquor?" FORTRAN is an
olde programming language.
... when Bender motions with his hands the various degrees he can bend
girders at, none of them are close to being accurate? (In fact,
his motion for 32 degrees is more acute than his motion for 30.)
... Matt Groening's head is floating in a jar in the Head Museum?
Amid Amidi:
... one of the billboards in the future shows Angelyne, a real-life
busty female entertainer that has billboards hanging around the
Los Angeles area? In the cartoon billboard, she's hooked up to
some sort of respirator.
Dave Hall:
... Panucci's Pizza does not want you tipping the delivery boy?
... the Pope is counting down to the millennium in Roman Numerals?
... a medieval civilization rose and fell during Fry's hibernation?
... the ceiling pipe has band-aids on it?
... the squeaking sound to the holographic monitor?
... twice, the cryonics chambers immediately set themselves to
"1000 YEARS?" It must be the default setting.
... there's a Ralph Wiggum-like woman who hears Fry yelling as he
rides the New New York Tube System?
... next to her, there's a man who's dressed like an Orthodox Jew,
only with a futuristic slant?
... in the intro, the Statue of Liberty holds a gun in her torch hand,
but during the episode, she holds part of the Tube System?
... one of the fish underwater is a robot?
... a "life" is worth two bits?
[In the animatic, Slurm is 8 bits and sex is 10 bits! {jd}]
... the Simpsonish music while the Stop-N-Drop suicide booth is trying
to kill Fry and Bender?
... Leela is Officer 1BDI? (Say it out loud.)
... Bender keeps booze in his chest cavity?
... the Criminal room of the Head Museum can be locked from the
inside?
... Bender and Fry hide out in the Head Museum a lot longer than it
seems, because it's dark out once they escape?
... in the future, poor-sighted people still need eyeglasses?
... Professor Farmsworth has an old-fashion TV set, complete with
rabbit ears?
... The Great Pyramid (of Cheops) hovers off the ground and spins?
Dave Sweatt:
... the probulator's dot matrix printer is also tractor-feed?
... Leela's computer keyboard has an antenna on it?
... apparently there is an easy way and a clumsy, newbie way to exit
the Tube System?
... the knife in the suicide booth is programmed to thrust forward
then twist?
Ellen Cohen:
... even though the show is supposed to begin in our time (1999), it is
still in the future? (It premiered in March 1999; story is December.)
... after being crushed so many times in the Star Trek-like doors,
at one point Fry actually stops in the doorway, waiting for it to
crush him -- which it does, sideways?
Haynes Lee:
... the cryonics chambers used low-tech minute timers?
Jeff Johnston:
... there was a flying billboard -- one of the kind with the rotating
triangles, to show 3 different ads -- and one of the panels didn't
rotate?
John Jenson:
... the brick dropping out of Bender as the peace officers come
a-knocking, i.e., he's "shitting a brick?"
... when the different countries count down to the year 3000, France
uses English "seven" (not "sept")?
Jym Dyer:
... the umlaut on Fry's beer, LöBrau, would make it pronounced
"laybrow," though lowbrows would probably say "lowbrow?"
(Remember, folks, "Gröning" rhymes with "complaining!")
... Grover Cleveland, who had two nonconsecutive terms in office,
has two heads in jars, placed accordingly?
Leandro Pardini:
... the ship in the game Monkey Fracas, at the very start of the
series, is the Planet Express ship?
Marty McFly:
... on Leela's computer screen, Fry's full name is Phillip J.Fry and
his blood type seems to be B?
... despite all the technological advances of the next 1000 years,
they still use paper money and metal coins as opposed to say
thumbprint money?
Paul Brinkley:
... Dec 31, 2999 is on a Tuesday, sure enough? (Bender says the museum
is free on Tuesdays.)
Paul Melnyk:
... there's a corpse in the Circle Line ship that's shipwrecked
in New New York Harbor?
... there's a [Chrysler] Building in the New York ruins?
Todd Paul Emerson:
... the uniform worn by the feeder at the Head Museum looks a lot like
the ones worn by employess of Hot Dog on a Stick?
Yuri Dieujuste:
... Japanese society has been replaced by aliens?
Voice Credits
- Starring
- Billy West (Fry, Smitty the human cop, Nixon, Prof. Farnsworth)
- Katey Sagal (Leela)
- John DiMaggio (Bender, Mr. Panucci, Bicycle Thief, Leela's Boss,
the guy going to Radio City Mutant Hall, the guy
who says "Tourist," URL the robot cop)
- Special Appearances by
- Dick Clark (His own head in a jar)
- Leonard Nimoy (His own head in a jar)
- Guest Starring
- Tress MacNeille (Stop-N-Drop voice, Feeder at Head Museum)
- Dave Herman (Terry, Terry's Assistant)
- Kath Soucie (Kid in Panucci's Pizza, Michelle)
DVD Animatic:
- Sha Na Na (Their own heads in jars)
DVD Audio Commentary:
John DiMaggio remarks, for the benefit of "any ladies who have
the DVD that are watching," that the voice of URL is what his
own voice sounds like "in the morning."
Movie (and other) References
+ Star Trek (TV Series)
- Theme played with the video game. {ds}
- Especially opening with trumpets and the word, "Space ..." {jd}
- Fry's comments on the automatic door: "Just like on Star Trek!"
(Then he gets hit by the door.) {jmg}
- The sound effect of the door, as well. {jd}
- Other Star Trek sound effects. {hl}
- Leonard "Spock" Nimoy says that he no longer does the Vulcan
"Live Long and Prosper" hand sign. {hl}
~ I was wondering if the whole head museum was a subtle Trek
reference. The rows of jars containing heads, with the one jar
containing Nimoy's head in front to greet people, reminded me of
the original series ("Return To Tomorrow," I think it was called)
where the alien minds were preserved in glowing spheres, with
Sargon in the one sphere in front. {tjm}
+ Donkey Kong (Video Game) {dj}
- The Monkey Fracas video game Fry was teaching the kid how to play,
with the monkey throwing barrels.
- Back to the Future I & II (Movies)
- Fry's character is based on Marty McFly; Fry shows a little kid
how to play a video game, like Marty [in Part II]. {dj}
~ When Marty was playing that Western shooting game, the kid said
it was "like a baby's toy." Maybe? Posssibly? {ak}
- When Fry runs out of the building to begin with, and looks around
at New New York, it kind of reminded me of Back To The Future II.
{ak}
~ War Games (Movie) {ndc}
- I always thought that the first scene (Fry teaching a kid how to
play video game) is a reference to War Games. In the movie, the
first scene with David Lightman has him playing Galaga. He has to
go and gives control of the game to a kid.
+ Rebel Without a Cause (Movie) {jd}
- According to the DVD commentary, Fry's clothes are based on those
worn by James Dean in this movie.
~ Doctor Who (Fox TV Movie, 1996) {db}
- The countdown to the millennium occurred at the same time all over
the world.
+ The Time Machine (Movie, Novel by H.G. Wells)
- The time-lapse lapse of civilization was a nod to the George Pal
film of The Time Machine. {ah}
- Matt Groening confirms this reference in the DVD commentary. {jd}
~ War of the Worlds (Movie) {jlm}
- The space ships destroying the cities were similiar to the ones
in the 1960s movie.
+ Star Wars (Movies)
- New New York is set like Coruscant, mostly in the opening sequence,
and the Planet Express ship in the sequence seems to be a parody of
the Millenium Falcon's entrance into Cloud City in ESB. {pm}
- A guy on a jet bike is wearing a helmet like Leia wore in Return
of the Jedi on the speeder bike. {ww}
~ Akbar is also the name of a Star Wars character: one of the players
in the cantina. He's got orange skin and a white dress with a
brown belt. {kdj}
- The police's lightsaber clubs. {jk}
+ Logan's Run (TV Series/Movie) {meh}
- Implanting a "fate chip" in the palm of your right hand.
~ Babylon 5 (TV Series/Movies) {ds}
- People have chips implanted in their hands.
+ Sleeper (Movie by Woody Allen) {hl}
- Pretty much the same premise.
~ Suicide booth is similar to Sleeper's orgasmatron.
+ A Donald Duck cartoon (Animated Feature) {jd}
- In the DVD commentary, Matt Groening reveals that the Suicide
Booth et al are inspired by an old cartoon in which Donald Duck
goes to an exhibit of coin-op machines of the future.
~ The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
(Radio Series and Novels by Douglas Adams) {hl}
- Similar premise (sans cyrogenics).
- Cynical Bender much like the manic depressive robot Marvin.
- The coffee machine in Professor Farnsworth's ship may be a reference
to The Restaurant at the End of the Universe, in which a spaceship's
specialty was producing hot drinks.
~ The Caves of Steel (Novel by Isaac Asimov)
- The way Bender swallowed his empty liquor bottle reminded me of
a robot in this book.
- Young Frankenstein (Movie)
- The scene with all the heads in jars and the two live ones in
the middle ... and then the camera shot doing a double take ...
classic. {jj2}
+ Pulp Fiction (Movie) {jd}
- Police officer says he'll get "24th Century on his ass."
+ Beneath the Planet of the Apes (Movie) {jj2}
- When they go underground to the old New York. Right from the
movies!
~ Final Fantasy VII (Video Game) {jmg}
- The underground old New York City is similar to the slums beneath
the city plates in Midgar.
+ Mystery Science Theater 3000 (TV Show) {rm2}
- The word "3000" is written on the moon. It looks like the MST3K
logo, a planet with the name on it. It's even in the same font.
+ The Simpsons
- [7F01] A three-eyed fish, like Blinky, in harbor (outside the New
New York Tube System).
- [1F18] The chef on the pizza box looks just like Luigi. {mm}
- [2F20] "In Color" promotion is the same font and color as this
episode's Speedway Squad -- In Color. {gnu}
Freeze Frame Fanaticism
- Video game: {dh}
Monkey Fracas Jr.
- Clock on wall of pizza place: {dh}
11:35 PM (25 minutes to midnight)
- Pizza Box: {pm}
______________________________________________
| PANUCCI'S |
| PIZZA ____________|
| ____________________ | |
| | Do not tip | | [PICTURE |
| | the Delivery Boy! | | OF ITALIAN |
| |______________O | CHEF] |
| O | |
|________________________________|____________|
- New York Post Newspaper headline: {dh}
2000!
DOOMSAYERS
CAUTIOUSLY
UPBEAT
- Floor number (by elevator): {jd}
64
- Sign on door: {dh}
APPLIED CRYOGENICS
NO POWER FAILURES SINCE 199[7]
- Address for pizza delivery: {jd}
I.C. Wiener
405 W. [Fry's thumb obscures the street name.]
- 1999 countdown sequence: {pm}
10 - New York
9 - Paris, Eiffel Tower Backdrop
8 - Rome, Pope on Balcony turning "Calendar" of Roman Numerals
7 - Egyptian Desert, Sphinx and the other three Pyramids as backdrop.
6 - Athens, Acropolips as backdrop, two highlights next on the sides
of it
5 - Great Wall Of China
4 - Taj Mahal, some people counting down in Water
3 - Minute African Village
2 - Tokyo, very similar to New York shot except for the Japanese
Handwriting font
1 - Shot of the Earth from Space
- Cryonics tube number: {jd}
40
- Things seen in Fry's "Wow, the future" lecture: {pm}
- A Rocket taking off, white exhaust trailing
- A Metro System, rails connected by towers, green Metro trains
going along
- A few starships being moved by propellers, some designs similar
to WW1 fighters
- A few blimps
- A line of traffic going as if there was an invisible road, some
things going random
- A Flying Saucerer of Earth religion, seen stopping in the
reflection on the window
- One of the "Bachelor Chow" ads, women holding a bowl of it,
the food looking similar to refried beans
- When Fry exits to the street he sees: {dh}
- A rocket-propelled dog chasing a rocket-propelled cat.
- An old guy wearing goggles, driving a rocket-propelled chair.
- A couple wearing clear plastic with black strips covering the
naughty bits.
- A rocket-propelled cyclist.
[Animatic Scene (from DVD)]
- Vending machines that Fry passes: {jd}
.-------------. .-------------. .-------------.
| Slurm | | Steaming | | |
| It's Highly | | Meat | | SEX |
| Addictive | | Shanks | | |
| $1 | | $1 | | $1.25 |
`-------------' `-------------' `-------------'
[End of Animatic Scene]
- Side of the suicide booth: {dh}
SUICIDE (Stop-N-Drop -
BOOTH American's favorite suicide
25c booth since 2008)
- Suicide booth's Modes of Death: {dh}
- Chainsaw
- Band-saw
- Knife
- Drill
- Electric shock
- Bender's libation: {pb}
OLDE
FORTRAN
Malt Liquor
- Heads in Jars:
- At First
- Leonard Nimoy
- When Fry and Bender hide
- Johnny Carson (?)
- Lucille Ball (?) {yd}
- Ed Begley Jr. (?) {yd}
- Gillian Anderson
- David Duchovny
- Liz Talyor
- Dennis Rodman
- Matt Groening
- Barbara [sic] Streisand
- Hall of U.S. Presidents
- ?
- Richard Nixon (falls off)
- Gerald Ford
- Jimmy Carter
- Ronald Reagan
- George Bush
- Bill Clinton
- Warren Harding
- Andrew Jackson {gw}
- Grover Cleveland
- Benjamin Harrison
- Grover Cleveland (again)
- The top shelf Presidents are displayed in chronological
order from Nixon through Clinton; to Nixon's right is some
gray-hair I didn't recognize (not LBJ); to Clinton's left
was Warren Harding. (Harding in 2000?) {pb}
- There are two heads of Grover Cleveland on the Presidents'
rack, with Harrison in the middle. {pb}
- Elsewhere in the Museum
- Rodney Dangerfield (drawn like Larry Burns) {gw}
- A Hindu guy (not Apu) {gw}
- Later on:
- Richard Nixon (again)
- Dick Clark
Alien Alphabet #1 Sightings
- Signs in the intro sequence:
- Rent A Human
- 3D Rulez!
- Tasty Human Burgers
- [Atop Taxicab] Liquid Wisdom
- Slurm advertisement in O'Zorgnax's Pub:
- DRINK
- Graffiti in alleyway:
- VENUSIANS GO HOME
- Aliens counting down to 3000:
- 6 and 7 [It's disputed that this is an alien alphabet]
Animation, Continuity, and Other Goofs
Fry didn't have the noisemaker until he needed it. {dh}
Before Fry enters the Tube System, it went up and sideways not
straight up as we see later in the next scene. {dh}
The thing on Leela's wrist is on the wrong arm when she alerts the
police. (Oddly enough, this is the first time in the series that we
see this thing, and the only time we ever see it on her left arm.)
They misspelled "Barbara" Streisand. It's actually Barbra. {aa}
When Bender snapped the bars in the hall of criminals, there were
2 bars left on each side of the window, but a quick close-up showed
three bars left on each side, and then the scene resumed with the 2
bars ... {dr}
Bender's arm seemed to tear off as in break, not just the whole arm
segment falling off, so they couldn't be re-attached. {pm}
- We learn in later episodes that they move independently. {jd}
Leela wasn't wearing a ring prior to the handholding scene with Fry.
{dh}
Prof. Farmsworth's slippers change color and shape from one scene to
the next. {dh}
Bad framing error when Bender was carrying Farnsworth onto the ship.
{pm}
During the Countdown at '9' when they showed Egypt, the people didn't
seem to resemble Egyptians. {pm}
The Time Zone Game
Many people pointed out that, even assuming all civilizations go by
our Gregorian calendar (which they don't), the many time zones of the
world would not be counting down to New Year's Eve at the same exact
time. One solution was posted:
Theodore Jay Miller: Maybe the countdown WASN'T simultaneous. Maybe
we saw "10" happening somewhere, "9" as it happened a few hours
earlier, "8" from a few hours before that, "7" from a few hours
later, etc., all edited together later on.
Todd Paul Emerson: Am I the only one who noticed that the western
hemisphere was shown in complete daylight, which would hardly
correspond with Fry being in NYC at midnight?
What's Wrong With the Cryonics Lab?
Applied Cryogenics shouldn't have survived the numerous alien attacks
against New York City.
Brian Leahy: If they were really blasted all the way back to
the dark ages and had to start over, it's surprising that
the cryogenics building -- including its apparently kick-ass
self-contained power system -- wasn't raided for parts and
materials. Maybe the medieval look was just in fashion for
a while.
Michael R. Flavin: Also, how come when Fry first showed up in 1999
with the pizza, the cryogenics lab was a huge room filled with
blinking lights and machinery, but when he comes out, it is
simply a regular sized room with a table and a chair?
It must have been many stories shorter afterward, and the corpsicle
room must have been near the top floor.
Denizen Auberon: Well it's also less-than-believable that they would
have a free cyrogenics facility completely unmonitored, and yet
fully maintained for 1000 years, and that if it's as simple as
turning a dial to change the suspension period (as we saw with
Fry's kind-hearted 5-minute thawing of Leela), then surely someone
would have noticed Fry missing, and the cryo guys would have seen
some strange delivery boy in the freezer ... I mean they had a
thousand years to notice.
Did Fry really wake up too early?
Chris Simmons: 1000 years from Midnight, January 1, 2000 (the
countdown had already ended as Fry was falling into the cryo
booth) equals Midnight, January 1, 3000, not December 31, 2999.
He actually was frozen for only 999 years, 364 days. And
to be even more nit-picky, he "awoke" during the day; he was
frozen 2-3 secs after midnight.
Darrel Jones: The solar year is not a precise multiple of the
solar day, so "leap days" have been introduced to fill out
the extra time. Our current calendar would take millinea
to even get a day off, but is still not 100% perfect. So
scientists have introduced an occasional "leap second" to
fill out the time. My theory is, in 1000 years enough leap
seconds will have been added to push the calendar back
several hours. That's why Fry woke up several hours before
Midnight, New Years Eve 3000.
Andrew Gill: One problem -- the Gregorian calendar lasts 365.2425
days, and requires an extra leap day once every 3333 years,
since the solar year is 365.2422 days.
Jym Dyer: Good grief, there's no goof here. Leela and her
coworkers just wanted the guy thawed out and processed
during working hours, so they could get off work and
celebrate New Year's Eve.
Who ordered the babelfish?
It's unlikely that language, accents and slang have gone unchanged in
1,000 years. Leela's boss spoke in an Indian-American accent similar
to Apu's from The Simpsons, but no such speech pattern could be
retained for so long. (Unless he himself was unfrozen not long ago.)
I'm surprised 20th Century English is still so predominant at all.
One peace officer, as he's trying to shoot down Our Favorite Crew,
remarks, "Ah can't see nuttin'. Pretty, yo." -ed
Nathan Mulac DeHoff: While this is quite true, it would be unlikely
that the average Futurama watcher would be able to understand
the language spoken in 3000. It reminds me of a comment made by
Terry Pratchett. Someone mentioned that the Discworld couldn't
have "gypsies," since they were named after Egypt, and the Disc
equivalent of Egypt is Djelibeybi. Terry stated that, if he
changed the entire language to fit the Discworld, the books would
only be enjoyable to the kind of people who like to learn Klingon.
Chris Sobieniak: Perhaps by 3000, there English becomes the dominant
language, while the others just fade away (like Latin). Who knows?
I can't say what would be the driving force for such a momentary
change in language by then. I didn't really gave it much thought
myself. Though I assume there's still a few of us that like to
wonder at the use of Japanese in Gotham City on the WB toon Batman
Beyond (pretty much a Blade Runner rip-off).
Andrew Gill: Oh, and one comment about this. English used to be a
very lax vulgar (= common) language. Then the grammarians came
along and decided that to now split infinitives would be wrong,
&c. In fact, spelling didn't truly come along until the printing
press.
With this in mind, it's not hard to believe that English -- as she
is spoke -- will become even more firmly cemented in our culture,
to the point that it won't change after mid-2300, I guess.
Bender: Cheating when cheating isn't cool.
Theodore Jay Miller: My question is, why did Bender bother
pulling back his quarter with a string? He was in the booth
to commit suicide; what good will keeping the quarter do him
when he'll be dead in a minute?
Todd Paul Emerson: Perhaps, as a robot, Bender can't be killed in
the same way that humans can? He seems like the kind of character
that would enjoy going into the booths on a regular basis to be
"killed," then he just gets repaired and everything is back to
normal. Considering his contempt for the human "skin tubes,"
repeated use of a suicide booth is just his way of mocking us.
Therefore, reusing the same quarter just adds more fuel to his fire.
Or, even though he thought he was going to be dead in a minute,
perhaps the ol' string-on-a-quarter bit was his way of symbolically
sticking it to The Man. "I may be dead, but at least I didn't have
to pay!" Fight the power!
Reznic de Bergerac: I agree with the latter. After all, Bender did
voice his obvious distaste for the booths ... that is why he quit
his old job. Although I think that was at least partly intended
to set up the next gag.
Curtis Gibby: It's the principle of the thing, or perhaps his
programming told him to do it.
Jym Dyer: It establishes that Bender does some odd things that are
basically selfish even if they don't really make sense.
Nice Guy Eddie leaves us this thought: "He didn't die, did he?"
Speaking of the Suicide Booth ...
Chris Cosby: Anybody notice how Fry and Bender probably should've been
vaporized before leaving the Suicide Booth? You see a flash of light
after the guy who goes in before them, which I assume was him getting
vaporized so the next customer wouldn't have to deal with a messy
corpse in their way. How come Fry and Bender weren't disintegrated?
Are we to believe that this was some sort of ... magical suicide
booth?
There was some debate over this in Usenet, and the conclusion was
reached that, although the man in front of Fry was probably killed
"quickly and painlessly," some vaporization still should have occured
as 'cleaning.' That means Fry or Bender did something wrong (yanking
the quarter back; opening the door too soon), causing the machine to
malfunction.
The Time Zone Game Deluxe
An error from the beginning reappears, as the world once again counts
down to the new millenium simultaneously. So the question is
reinstated: can this really happen?
Idaho Runner: Yes it can happen. Since any sort of time scale
is artificial and arbitrary, why can't the planet have decided
on a single standardized time rather than having "time zones"
and convuluted things like that? Say everyone decided to set
their watches to Greenwich Mean Time. It would be "midnight"
during the middle of the day for some people, but so what?
You would just associate "midnight" with lunch rather than
associating "noon" with lunch.
And since Fry was locked in the cryonic chamber at 12:00 midnight
Eastern Standard Time, that would explain why it was not 12:00
midnight when he arrived in the future. New New York no longer
uses EST. Problem solved.
Reviews
Dale G. Abersold: A great start for a series with a lot of potential!
Of course pilots always suffer to a certain extent: it's not always
easy to introduce a whole slate of characters and situations and make
it entertaining at the same time, but "Space Pilot 3000" was a very
funny episode, chock full of humor from the obvious to the obscure.
The artwork and animation are superb! The future has never looked so
stylishly retro. It's somewhat like The Jetsons with two major
differences. (A) Futurama is actually funny. (B) Futurama is
much better animated. Early reports seem to be correct: Bender does
seem to be the standout character (well, the kooky neighbor does tend
to get a lot of attention), but there is huge potential everywhere.
I've been eagerly awaiting this show for many months now and it did
not disappoint. Kudos to everyone involved: I'm so glad my
anticipation was rewarded! Here's hoping that Fox realizes what a
great show it's got. (A)
Sarah Culp: I thought the inaugural episode started out average (not
too good, not too bad), and got better. The 1999 part of it was very
Simpsons-ish, especially the "Don't tip the delivery boy!" on the
pizza box. The characters are good: Fry's so pathetic, he's lovable;
Leela's very cool, great hair; and Bender had some very funny
sarcasm, although his voice seems kinda off. The end and the preview
for the next show confused me, though, as it looks like the show will
be mainly set in space, and not in the cities, as I had thought.
Time will tell. (A-)
Yuri Dieujuste: Judging by this episode, I believe that Futurama
has a long time ahead of itself before it becomes stale and
unprofitable (but so does OFF). The storyline made sense and the
humour was placed in the correct places. The part where Fry sees
his old neighbourhood after 1000 years scared me a bit, but it made
me think a little. Hopefully Futurama will succeed with the general
public. (A+)
Chit Duree: Looks like the Simpsons writers are gonna have to
start working extra hard, cause as far as tonight went, Futurama blew
away The Simpsons (...Blasphemy!). Technically, it looks and sounds
incredible, with psuedo-3D animation, a cool techno/classical sound
track (in Surround Sound no less!), and great ambiant Sound FX. More
importantly though, it's got a cool and very original cast to back it
up, and the setting and premise provides a near infinite supply of
story lines. It'll be like a whole series of Simpsons Treehouse of
Horror episodes! I can't really comment on the writing, since I
doubt Matt and David (this ep's writers) will do the show regularly,
but as far as this episode, it was really clever and funny; best
line: "Wow! A million years!" Looks like I'll be watching a whole
hour of TV each week now! (A)
Jym Dyer: One thing that I've always loved about MG's comic strip and
the episodes he writes is that they have a lot of heart. He's got an
amazing talent for that. Groening co-wrote this pilot episode, and
that heart shines through. No other episode has had quite the same
touch (though the show does have emotional depth overall -- in very
odd ways, of course).
Jeremy Gallen: This show is funny! This isn't a rip-off of The
Jetsons or anything. It's a brand new, improved comedy that takes
a supposed peek at the future. It has some new jokes not seen
anywhere else. I recommend this show to anybody who likes bizzare
humor or anything similar. A definite 10/10. (A+)
Curtis Gibby: Futurama was great. I loved the "in Color" at the
beginning as a nod to some of the 50's sci-fi that Groening is
ripping off/drawing from. I agree with most of you that the
characterization was a little weak, but I loved Bender. The kitchen
timers on the cryo-units were a great gag. (A)
Steev Hayes: Being the first episode, and having to take the time to
make all of the introductions, I was surprised that they had room for
many jokes. There were many parts that I was caught laughing
out loud, but there could have been more. The show looks very
promising, as do the characters. Fry being the lazy normal kid that
we can all relate to, Bender being the slapstick comedic relief
agent, and Leela the mediator/sexy alien woman. Very promising. (B)
Haynes Lee: Superior drawn animation and Matt Groening wisely kept
away from the Jetsons format. More Bender! (A)
Jake Lennington: Can we say - WOW! Futurama was a blast. I
hope next week is just as good and it is great now that Mr.
Groening has another venture to express his satire upon. (A)
Ondre Lombard: No matter what Mr. Matt Groening says about the
exquisite talents of the current Simpsons writing staff, nothing
comes close to his own style. Futurama has gotten off to a
non-mean-spirited start, and it isn't obnoxious either. It's
sharp, witty, funny, very imaginative well animated and it's fun.
Not much can be said for Fry's character -- it will have to be
developed more with upcoming episodes, but Bender was quite a
scene-stealer (at least second to the futuristic environment),
and Leela proves that Katey Sagal isn't as one dimensional as
Married ... with Children had her be for 11 seasons. Cheers to
Futurama. I hope it's very successful so that people will forget
about The Simpsons and allow it to pass away with dignity. (A-)
Paul Melnyk: I don't think words can describe the greatness of this
show. To me it's fun, it's feel-good, and the characters are great.
I was already liking Fry in the first few seconds of the show. He's
developed enough. Bender is also a very good character. Instead of
being completely cynical, he can be friendly and funny. Also, I was
blown away by the detail in the animation with the color and effects.
MG has done something which the Simpsons couldn't do. Make me watch
not because of humor, but because of the characters and the context
of the show. I'm obsessed with this show and waiting for S1-2/13.
(A+)
Mike Smith: First of all, I have to said that the Premiere of
Futurama is First-Rate! The computer animation on certain scenes
is First-Rate! So, does MG & David S. (Or, is it X.?) Cohen's
writing is well worth the promise!!! This might be the King of
the Hill followup we might needed!!! (A+)
Yours Truly: Well, I liked it enough to write this capsule, didn't I?
In case that doesn't speak for itself, I thought Futurama was
awesome, with as literal a meaning I can give it. I haven't met a
Matt Groening creation I haven't liked. (A)
Average Grade: [27/13=2.077] (A)
Comments and Other Observations
Acronyms for the Stars
Every long-time internet fan knows that the shorthand term for the
Simpson family was "OFF" (Our Favorite Family). Some Futurama fans
tried to decide on a similar shorthand term for the Planet Express
trio. Nothing was decided on yet, but here's what was tossed around:
Chit Duree: OFHAAR (Our Favorite Humans, Alien, and Robot)
Todd Paul Emerson: OFFF (Our Favorite Futuristic Friends)
OFIG (Our Favorite Interplanetary Gang)
OOF (Our Outerspace Friends)
John Jenson: MFNM (My favorite non-martians)
Jake Lennington: CARP (Courier, Alien, Robot, and Professor)
Chris Simmons: OFFS (Our Favorite Fugitives in Space)
Sean Austin: OFF2 (Our Futurama Family)2
Where is Fry right now?
Gumbercules: We can't tell exactly where Fry is, but we can narrow
it down a bit. The delivery address tells us that it's at
405 W. something street, and from the skyline we can see that
we're probably below the 50s, which means it's somewhere near
9th Avenue. There's not much there that invading aliens would
have need to destroy, except perhaps the freeway.
DVD Audio Commentary: David X. Cohen says his parents' address is
"405 ... different street" (as Fry's thumb obscures the street
name). In the animatic, we see a street which accords with the
skyline details noted by Mighty Gumbercules.
You're frozen ... when your tank's not open
We allow Tyler McHenry to rant on the subject of cryonics:
Cryonics is not to be confused with cryogenics or cryobiology.
Cryogenics deals with metals at supercold tempratures. Cryobiology
deals with non-sentient creatures at supercold tempratures. Cryonics
is the term for freezing humans to prolong life. Patients are
referred to as "Suspension Patients," or (euphemistically) "Freezer
Geezers." :)
Cryonic Suspention (that is, the process of suspending the biological
state of a human using supercold tempratures) is currently being
practiced and is legal everywhere but some places in Canada. (I
don't know why.) In the United States, it is legal to suspend
someone only after legal death. Mind you, legal death occurs after
clinical death. Companies have been sued for suspending people
before legal death.
I know that Futurama is just a cartoon, but there were some glaring
inaccuracies regarding cryonic suspension. Firstly, you cannot freeze
a person 'as is', like Fry. You must first remove the person's
blood, and replace it with a biological anti-freeze solution. Then,
the body is placed in an enclosed tank filled with liquid nitrogen.
Liquid nitrogen stays cold on its own, so power faliures will not
harm the suspended. Of course, some of this liquid nitrogen will
evaporate, so more has to be added occasionally.
To revive a suspention patient, it is first necessary to find a cure
for whatever killed the person, otherwise there would be no point.
After the person is removed from the tank, the blood will be
estored, and the freezing damage repaired. Repairing the freezing
damage is the only part that we have not accomplished yet. This
will involve nanotechnology, or the design and fabrication of
molecular-level (e.g. *very* small) machines, which will repair
damage to individual cells. The person is then rewarmed gradually.
Assuming the person returns to life, they can now be cured of
whatever killed them before, and can continue with their lives.
Nanotechnology is a very early research phase, and will not be
perfected to the necessary level for many years.
For more information:
The Cry-info archive:
http://www.cryonet.org/
The world's largest Cryonics company:
http://www.alcor.com/
Hope my rant was interesting!
Where were you on the night of ...
Ryan Pohlner: Nibbler is the whole reason Fry is in the 30th Century!
While Fry's chair is tipping over, you can see Nibbler's shadow
around the table and chair! If Nibbler is responsible for Fry's
fall, that means he is able to travel through time, as Leela found
Nibbler in the year 3000 on the planet Vergon 6.
There you have it. I have a few feelings on this ... I almost
definitely agree that it's Nibbler's shadow, and meant to be
Nibbler's shadow, but it doesn't necessarily mean that Nibbler is
responsible for Fry's fall. It also doesn't mean Nibbler can travel
through time ... he could just be very, very old. I must ask why
the producers would do something like this? Is it a prelude to
something big, or are they planning on referring back to it later?
Perhaps like what they did with Maggie's cash-register price in
"The Simpsons 138th Episode Spectacular" [3F31], but without lying
to the audience. <g>
See? My name really is I.C. Wiener.
Dave Sweatt: Many people that believe in the Book of Revelation in the
Bible see hand and forehead chip implants as the prophecy of the 666
mark. They believe that the chip will replace all identity cards,
credit cards, etc. They believe that it will be a crime not to have
the implant, and thus you won't be able to work. (Not only would you
be a criminal, imprisoned or a fugitive, but without an income you
cannot afford a place to live, eat, etc.) If true, then Futurama
presents a dark future indeed. Tech companies are actually developing
these chips and have been for several years now. The technology has
been used with cattle and other farm animals, some new organ implants
in hospital transplant surgeries, and pets, saying its' better than
branding or tags on farms and helps identify lost pets [or lost organs
too I guess :)]. The technology was used to help identify refugees at
the US military installation on the Cuban island (name?), but instead
of implants, the chips were place in plastic wristbands and worn
by the refugees at the camp. This is not the first science fiction
show to use implants for identification -- Babylon 5 used them and I
believe Star Trek has referenced it as well.
Hints at the state of life in the Future
DVD Audio Commentary: The probulator scene prompted a note from the
Fox network censor: "Standard caution on the probulator."
What that means, exactly, is unclear.
Even with the pneumatic tubes, some of New New York City's residents
still need to drive around in flying cars. I guess the Tube System
isn't useful when you're transporting cargo, or traveling in groups.
Also, if you've travelled by vehicle to the city, and don't want to
splurge for a parking lot, you'll want to keep it with you. Notice
that the cars use a traffic system just like ours, even though it is
completely unnecessary without roads. Also notice that the pneumatic
tubes are 100% free.
Bender uses a coin on a string to fake out the Suicide Booth. Does this
mean that, despite promises of electronic-only commerce and despite
the forces of inflation, the United States (if that's what it's still
called) still mints coins? Maybe that particular suicide machine was
built way back in the year 2008.
Jym Dyer: Bender violates all three of Isaac Asimov's "Three Laws of
Robotics" in this episode: (1) A robot may not injure a human
being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
(2) A robot must obey orders given it by human beings except where
such orders would conflict with the First Law. (3) A robot must
protect its own existence as long as such protection does not
conflict with the First or Second Law.
On the other hand, it could be argued that his attempt to commit
suicide was to prevent human beings from coming to harm, but his
behavior ever since suggests otherwise.
One of the cars on the street before Fry and Bender enter the museum
of heads looks like a Volkswagen Beetle. It swerves past a Slurm
truck that was going too slow for the driver's liking, apparently.
The garbage cans on the city streets have tubes coming out of the sides
that curve into the sidewalk. I wonder if the world's solved its
waste problem yet ...
Speaking of which, how come the decaying ruins of Old New York aren't
flooded to the top with garbage? How come the ceiling isn't supported
at all? How come I'm writing so much about a half-hour cartoon show?
- Garbage issues are addressed in a later episode, [1ACV08]. {jd}
Let me fit you into my busy schedule
Paul Gallagher, to prove that Fry and Bender picked the right day to
take advantage of the Head Museum's free Tuesday admittance, lays out
the entire month for us:
Dec 2999
S M Tu W Th F S
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29 30 31
(I was hoping for a long weekend.)
Any other jokes need explaining?
Haynes Lee: Last Friday [March 26th] Dr. Jack Kervorkian got convicted
for double degree murder for aiding the suicide of a terminally ill
patient whose video was shown on 60 Minutes. Suicide Booths can't be
too far in the future.
Benjamin Robinson: FORTRAN is the name of the first high-level computer
language. My first job involved programming in FORTRAN-77, a
descendant of the original language.
Theodore Jay Miller: One of the policemen says he's going to "get
24th Century on his ass;" "get 24th Century" has the same meaning
as "get medieval" [as in Pulp Fiction], and partway through
Fry's suspension -- perhaps the 24th Century -- there was a
medieval-type period, with New York rebuilt as castles before
being destroyed again and rebuilt as the futuristic city.
On the Cutting-Room Floor
In the first and second network airings on Fox, the man who entered
the pneumatic tube before Fry asked the tube to take him to
"J.F.K. Jr. Airport." After the death of John-John, the line was
changed to "Radio City Mutant Hall."
Last, and probably least ...
Jimbo Jones: And I am sooo glad that they stuck with their formula of
not having a laugh track. Never needed to be told when to think.
Jym Dyer: Who in 1999 Manhattan locks a bike with a dinky chain
and combination padlock? Even crappy Huffy® delivery bikes get
the heavy Kryptonite® chain and "undrillable, unpickable" locks.
I'm surprised Fry managed to keep his bike (and his job) for more
than a day.
Daniel Tropea: I am grateful that they didn't use Clinton's head
biting. I can just imagine the type of raunchy jokes that could
have been used.
Raymond Chen: When the head of Richard Nixon says "You just made my
list!", this is a reference to ancient history: the Watergate
Scandal. Nixon kept an "enemies list" of over 200 people whom
he believed were part of a conspiracy against him.
We're living in the Stupid Ages? Whatever makes these ages stupid seems
to be just as alive and rampant in 2999.
Jonah Falcon: Bender proposes a celebration when Leela finally agrees
to join him and Fry. He pulls out three beers ... and drinks them
himself. It's been noted in the script, but I think it's important,
since it's the first episode and it really establishes the pettiness
of Bender's self-absorption.
Jason Barrera: I swear that when Dick Clark's Head was talking, you
could see Homer Simpson in the crowd in the background! It's way too
grainy to make out in the version I have, and I only saw it for a few
seconds, but it was either our lovable Simpson or somebody that looked
remarkably like him ...
Yuri Dieujuste: French culture will never be eliminated. Face it!
Fan-made Alternate Titles for this Episode
"Oh Fry, When Art Thou?" {ds}
"Time's Fry's (And He's Having Fun)"
"Y3K Pilot" {hl}
Quotes and Scene Summary
[Transcribed by Dave Sweatt]
[Scenes from the animatic, an early version of this episode available
on the DVD, transcribed by Jym Dyer. They are not canonical, so no
geeking out over them, m'kay?]
December 31, 1999. We see a video game screen similar to "Defender"
with a small spaceship flying through space, as Fry's voice speaks from
off-screen.
Fry: Space, it seems to go on and on forever. But then you get to
the end and a gorilla starts throwing barrels at you.
Fry loses and his game ends.
Fry: And that's how you play the game.
Boy: You stink, loser.
Fry's Boss: Hey Fry, pizza going out. [Angrily] C'monnnnn!
[Animatic Scene (from DVD)]
Fry: But my shift ended. My girlfriend's supposed to meet
me here.
Fry's Boss: You've been waitin' three hours. She ain't gonna show.
Now quite actin' like a loser and deliver that pie.
[End of Animatic Scene]
Fry sighs to himself, then walks outside to see his girlfriend in a
taxi with another guy.
Fry: Michelle! Baby! Where you goin'?
Michelle: It's not working out, Fry. [yelling, as the taxi pulls
away] I put your stuff out on the sidewalk!
Fry continues riding his bike to the delivery destination, muttering
that he hates his life. He locks his bike to a newspaper kiosk, but
it's stolen instantly as he walks into an apartment building. He
enters a room labelled "Applied Cryogenics." The room is full of
ominious blinking lights with cryogenic tanks lined along one wall.
Fry: Hello? Pizza delivery for [looks at the card] I. C. Wiener!
Oh, crud. I always thought by this point in life, I'd be the
one making the crank calls.
He sits down and opens a can of LöBrau. As gives a toast to "another
lousy millennium," a building outside the window lights up with the
number 10. We see all the civilizations around the world counting
down, and as they reach 1, Fry blows a noisemaker, which hits him in
the face and sends him backwards into an open tank. The tank sets
itself to "1000 YEARS." A few seconds later, he's frozen, and the
view out the window shows the passing of days and nights, which begins
to accelerate. Two alien attacks and one medieval civilization later,
Fry is unfrozen.
He steps out, yawns, stretches, and hesitantly looks out the window
again. The gloomy New York cityscape is replaced by bright colors,
flying cars and flashy billboards galore.
[Animatic Scene (from DVD)]
Fry: Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my gosh! [Pause] ...
Hey! My bike's gone!
[End of Animatic Scene]
Fry: Oh, God. It's the future. My parents ... my co-workers ...
my girlfriend ... I'll never see any of them again. [Long Pause]
... Yahoo!
[End of Act One (3:05)]
After the intro sequence plays, we return to Fry staring out the
window. He's melodramatically welcomed to "the world of tomorrow" by
a man in a white coat, and taken to the "FATE ASSIGNMENT OFFICER."
The automatic door slides open into the ceiling.
Fry: Cool, just like in Star Trek!
The door comes back down and hits Fry on the head. He wanders further
into the office, rubbing his forehead, until he enters a large room
with a woman standing in the center, facing the other way. As she
greets him, Fry looks her up and down happily, until she turns around
and reveals her one large eye.
Fry: [Recoiling] Eeee!
Leela: Name?
Fry: Uh, Fry.
Leela: I'm Leela. Now, its New Year's Eve, so I'd like to decide your
fate quickly, and get out of here.
Fry: Can I ask you a question?
Leela: As long as it's not about my eye.
Fry: Uh ...
Leela: Is it about my eye?
Fry: Sort of.
Leela: [sigh] Just ask the question.
Fry: What's with the eye?
Leela: I'm an alien, alright? Let's drop the subject.
Fry: Cool. An alien. Has your race taking over the earth?
Leela: No, I just work here.
A blimp outside the window displays the message "Happy New Year 3000."
Fry: Wait a minute. Is that blimp accurate?
Leela: Yep, its December 31st, 2999.
Fry: [slowly] My God! A million years.
Leela: I'm sure this must be very upsetting for you.
Fry: [sadly] You know, I guess it should be, but actually I'm glad.
I had nothing to live for in my old life. I was broke, I had
a humiliating job, and I was beginning to suspect my girlfriend
might be cheating on me.
Leela: Well, at least here, you'll be treated with dignity. [sternly]
Now strip naked and get on the probulator.
Fry lies naked on a cold, metal table, surrounded by gadgets and
wires. Leela lowers her eye goggle, presses a button, and we hear
Fry yell from off-screen. Later, as Fry is getting dressed ...
Leela: Interesting, your DNA test shows one living relative.
He's your great great great great great great great ...
[Time passes until Fry is fully dressed] ... great great
great great great nephew.
Fry: That's great! Whats the little guy's name?
[Leela shows him a photo of an old man]
Leela: Professor Hubert Farnsworth.
As Fry watches Leela type at her desk, he comments "You know, I'm the
luckiest guy in the whole future. I've been given a second chance,
and this time I'm not gonna be a total loser." But then a buzzer
sounds, and a sullen Fry is given his permanent career assignment:
Delivery Boy.
Fry: Delivery boy? Nooo, not again! Please, anything else.
[Grabs Leela's wrist]
Leela: Take your hands off me. [Slaps his hand] You've been
assigned the job you're best at just like everyone else.
Fry: What if I refuse?
Leela: Then you'll be fired.
Fry: Fine.
Leela: Out of a cannon, into the sun.
Fry: But I don't like being a delivery boy.
Leela: Well, thats tough. Lots of people don't like their jobs,
but we do them anyway. You gotta do what you gotta do.
[She points at a poster with said phrase written on it]
Now hold out your hand. I'm going to implant your
career chip. It'll permanently label you as a delivery boy.
[holds out a clamp-like device with a sharp claw at the end]
Fry: Keep that thing away from me!
Fry runs away, and Leela chases him through the building until they
return to the cryogenics room. Leela yells at Fry to hold still,
because she doesn't have good depth perception, but instead Fry fakes
her out and sends her tumbling into an open tank. It once again locks
and sets itself for "1000 YEARS."
Leela: [Pounding on the glass] You've got to the count of five
to let me out of here! One ...
[A flash of light, and she's frozen]
Fry: See you in a thousand years.
Fry chuckles to himself and begins to leave, but has a pang of guilt.
He sighs, then returns and sets Leela's destination to "5 MINUTES."
He says "You owe me one," and runs out to see his first real glimpse
of the future. After wandering a bit, he spots a man going to "Radio
City Mutant Hall" via a large pneumatic tube. Once the man is whisked
away, Fry asks the tube to take him to Crosstown Express, and he
screams with joy as the tube carries him across the cityscape.
After a number of pedestrians make graceful landings, Fry shoots out
of the tube and hits his forehead on a brick wall.
Bystander: Pfft. Tourist.
[Animatic Scene (from DVD)]
Fry takes the Tube System to see the Empire State Building.
When he arrives, we see only a small portion of the top of the
building and its spire.
Fry: Still as awesome as ever!
[End of Animatic Scene]
Around the corner, Fry sees a line of people outside a large booth.
Fry: Hey, a phone booth. I can call my nephew.
Fry: [seeing a robot in line behind him] Whoa! A real live robot!
Or is that some kind of cheesy New Year's costume?
Bender: Bite my shiny metal ass.
Fry: It doesn't look so shiny to me.
Bender: Shinier than yours, meatbag.
As the man in front of Fry gets his turn, we see the side of the booth
reads "SUICIDE BOOTH 25¢." A flash of red light comes from inside,
and the door opens for Fry. Not seeing the coin slot, he presses the
red "START" button repeatedly, which annoys the robot.
Bender: Listen buddy, I'm in a hurry here. Let's try for a twofer.
The robot keeps his 25¢ token by pulling it back with a string.
A woman's voice speaks.
Voice: Please select mode of death: quick and painless, or
slow and horrible.
Fry: Yeah, I'd like to place a collect call.
Voice: You have selected slow and horrible.
Bender: Good choice.
A compartment opens revealing various implements of death.
Bender: [Encouraging] Bring it on, baby!
Fry: Aaaaaaaaaaahhh!
[End of Act Two (5:36)]
The suicide booth's "IN USE" sign blinks. Meanwhile, inside ...
Bender: Come on! Come on! Kill me already! [To Fry] By the
way, my name's Bender.
Fry: Help! What's happening?
The booth's various weapons each jump into the center of the booth,
slashing and zapping in an attempt to kill their customer, which Fry
and Bender manage to avoid. As a final knife extrudes forwards and
twists in the air, the voice returns.
Voice: You are now dead. Thank you for using Stop-N-Drop, America's
favorite suicide booth since 2008.
The hatch opens, and Fry stumbles outside trying to catch his breath,
as Bender kicks the booth.
Bender: Lousy, stinking ripoff. [To Fry] Well I didn't have
anything else planned for today. Let's go get drunk!
Meanwhile Leela's five minutes are up. She's thawed out, and resumes
her counting, but gives up when she realizes what happened. She is
given the same melodramatic greeting that Fry got, but she replies
with "Shut up, Terry." She later reports to her boss.
Boss: This is unacceptable, Leela. You must find this Mr. Fry and
install his chip.
Leela: Look, he's just a nobody who doesn't want to be a delivery
boy. I'd really rather not force it on him.
Boss: Well, that's your job, whether you like it or not. And it's my
job to make you do your job, whether I like it or not ... which
I do. Very much. Now get to work! [Leela leaves dejectedly]
Ah, Life is good.
Bender and Fry are drinking at a local pub. Fry watches Bender take a
drink of Olde Fortran Malt Liquor.
Fry: Why would a robot need to drink?
Bender: I don't need to drink, I can quit any time I want.
[Burps a flame of fire]
So they made you a delivery boy, huh? Man, that's as bad
as my job.
Fry: Really? What do you do, Bender?
Bender: I'm a bender. I bend girders. That's all I'm programmed
to do.
Fry: You any good at it?
Bender: You kiddin'? I was a stud. I could bent a girder to any
angle. 30 degrees, 32 degrees, you name it. 31 ... But
I couldn't go on living once I found out what the girders
were for.
Fry: What?
Bender: Suicide booths.
[Throws his empty bottle down his throat]
Well Fry, it was a pleasure meetin' ya. I'm gonna go kill
myself. [Gets up to leave]
Fry: Wait! You're the only friend I have.
Bender: You really want a robot for a friend?
Fry: Yeah, ever since I was six.
Bender: Well, okay, but I don't want people thinking we're robosexuals
so if anyone asks, you're my debugger.
Fry: [Sees Leela outside the pub's window]
Oh no, it's the cyclops!
[Bender turns to look]
Don't look! Don't look!
Bender: I'm not looking.
Bender obviously is looking, because his eyes slide forward to about
three times their original length as he faces Leela. Outside, Leela
shows a photograph of Fry to a pedestrian. The man points to Fry
through the Pub window, and Fry and Bender quickly run away. Leela
calls the cops on her wrist-radio.
Leela: This is Officer 1BDI, requesting backup.
[Officers Smitty and URL are standing right behind her.]
Smitty: We'll be there in five minutes.
Bender and Fry run down the street, as Bender spots a museum. Bender
decides to hide in the museum because it's free on Tuesdays, and as
the two of them duck around a corner inside, they meet Leonard Nimoy's
head in a jar. There are rows of other heads in the room behind him.
Nimoy: Welcome to the Head Museum. I'm Leonard Nimoy.
Fry: Spock? Hey ... uh, do the thing!
[Presents the Vulcan 'live long and prosper' sign]
Nimoy: [Chuckles] I don't do that any more.
Fry: This is unbelievable! What do you heads do all day?
Nimoy: We share our wisdom with those who seek it. It's a life of
quiet dignity.
Just as he says this, a woman announces "feeding time" and comes to
sprinkle fish food into Nimoy's jar. He darts his head around to
munch on the food, as Leela and her two backup officers pound on the
museum's front door. Fry and Bender try to hide their faces among
other heads in jars, but are quickly discovered.
Leela: I'm sorry, Fry, but I have to install your career chip.
Fry: Yeah, well, if you're sorry, then why are you doing it?
Leela: It's my job. "You gotta do what you gotta do."
Fry backs away from Leela, but bumps into several head jars in the
"Wall of U.S. Presidents," causing Nixon's to fall and break. Nixon's
head uprights itself in a puddle of water
Nixon: You just made my list!
[Nixon pounces and sinks his teeth into Fry's arm]
Fry: Stop it! Down boy! Bad president!
Smitty (the human cop) and URL (the robot cop) approach and brandish
light-saber-like weapons.
Smitty: Alright buddy, step away from the head.
URL: I'm gonna get 24th Century on his ass.
Fry and Bender are beaten with light sticks.
Leela: Please officers! There's no need to use force!
URL: Let us handle this, weirdy.
Leela: Oh come on, he's just a poor kid from the stupid ages.
[Animatic Scene (from DVD)]
Nixon: I resent that!
[End of Animatic Scene]
Smitty: Keep your big nose out of this, Eyeball!
Leela: [Angry] No one makes fun of my nose!
Leela jump-kicks the first cop, and then attacks the second cop.
URL: [On the floor] Damn.
Leela: You guys were totally out of control.
Smitty: It's our job, we're peace officers!
URL: Yeah, you know the law. You gotta do what you gotta do.
This appears to have an effect on Leela, as we rejoin Fry and Bender,
who've found hideout in the Hall of Criminals and locked the door.
Bender thinks they're trapped, but Fry sees the prison bars blocking
one window, and has an idea.
Fry: Wait a second. You're a bender, right? We can get out of
here if you just bend the bars.
Bender: Dream on, skin tube. I'm only programmed to bend for
constructive purposes. What do I look like? A de-bender?
Fry: Who cares what you're programmed for? If someone programmed
you to jump off a bridge, would you do it?
Bender: I'll have to check my program. [pauses] Yep!
Leela: [Banging on the door] Open up!
Fry: Come on, Bender. It's up to you to make your own decisions
in life. That's what separates people and robots from animals,
and ... animal robots.
Bender: You're full of crap, Fry!
[He walks away, but an electrical outlet zaps his head.]
You make a persuasive argument, Fry!
He tries bending the prison bars. As Fry cheers him on, Bender repeats
that he can't do it, but finally, two of the bars snap off.
Fry: Yes!
Bender: [Proudly] You were right, Fry! From now I'm gonna bend
what I want, when I want, who I want. I'm unstoppable!
He holds the two broken bars high in the air, but both of his arms
fall out of their sockets, clanking to the ground.
Bender: Aww.
[End of Act Three (5:57)]
Once Bender somehow gets his arms put back on, Leela breaks into the
room. Fry and Bender slip through the window, and Bender bends two
of the remaining prison bars inward so that Leela can't follow them.
Leela cries sincerely for them to wait, but they don't listen.
Bender and Fry find themselves in an alleyway and decide to escape
down a grate in the pavement. Bender stretches his arms and brags
"Looks like one of us will have to bend this grate," but Fry simply
lifts it open. Bender looks disappointed as they climb down, but he
returns once more and bends the bars on the already-open grate for his
own amusement. Apparently, the ladder leads down to a city of ruins.
Fry: Good lord, what is this?
Bender: It's the decaying ruins of Old New York. Welcome home, pal!
Fry: [Exploring the ruins] It's my old neighborhood. Man,
this brings back a lot of memories.
Bender: Keep 'em to yourself, Pops.
Fry: [Dreamy] This is where I brought my girlfriend on our
very first date.
Through Fry's eyes, the scene transforms into New York of 1999, where
Fry and Michelle are ice-skating in Rockefeller Center. The bright colors
morph back into decaying ruins, and Fry and Michelle are replaced by
a huge, tentacled monster which dives back into the mud.
Fry: [Stunned] My God, she's gone! Everyone I ever knew or
cared about is gone.
Bender: Wait. Theres someone you know. [He points off-screen,
and we see Leela standing prominently beside them]
Fry: [To Leela] Aw, can't you leave me alone? I'm miserable
enough already.
Leela: Look, I know it's not much consolation, but I understand how
you feel.
Fry: No, you don't. I've got no home, no family ...
Bender: ... no friends ...
Fry: My whole world is gone. You can't possibly understand what
it feels like to be so alone.
Leela: I understand. I'm the only one-eyed alien on this whole
planet. My parents abandoned me here as a baby, and I don't
even know which galaxy they were from. I know how it feels
to be alone.
Fry: Look, Leela ... I don't understand this world, but you
obviously do, so I give up. If you really think I should be
a delivery boy, I'll do it.
Fry clenches his face as he holds his hand out. Leela takes out her
clamp-like device again and prepares to inject Fry, when she instead
pries it into her own hand, and her own career chip comes out.
Fry: Your chip! What are you doing?
Leela: Quitting.
Fry: Why?
Leela: Because I've always wanted to. I just never realized it until
I met you.
Fry and Leela touch hands, then Bender slams his hand on top.
Fry: [Annoyed] What is the matter with you?
Bender: I just wanted to be part of the moment.
Leela: Hey, he stole my ring!
Bender: Sorry. [returns it to her]
[Obnoxiously] Well that solves the mystery of the missing
ring. This calls for a drink!
He takes three liquor bottles out of his chest compartment, but drinks
all three himself, at the same time.
Leela: I don't want to spoil the party, but we're all job deserters
now. We're unemployed and we have nowhere to go.
Fry: Correction: We're unemployed, but we have a doddering old
relative to mooch off of! [Holds up the photo of his nephew]
Professor Farnsworth snores in front of his television. On screen,
Dick Clark's head is in a jar, speaking to the camera.
Dick Clark: Hello, I'm Dick Clark's head. Welcome to a special
Year 3000 edition of New Year's Rockin' Eve.
[Animatic Scene (from DVD)]
Dick Clark: Ring in the millenium with Humorbot 5.0, a glowing sphere
of antimatter, and the heads of Sha Na Na.
[Sha Na Na's heads are also in jars, singing a capella.]
Sha Na Na: [Singing] Yip yip yip yip yip yip yip yip
Mum um um um um um
Get a job!
[End of Animatic Scene]
The doorbell wakes the professor, as our trio waits outside.
Professor: [Answering the door] Who are you?
Fry: I'm your dear old uncle Fry.
Professor: I don't have an uncle Fry.
Bender: You do now. [Pushes his way through the door]
Profesor Farnsworth uses what is apparently a DNA-matching device to
validate Fry's claim. When the test comes back positive, he thinks
it's absolutely incredible, and after Bender's request for money is
rejected, we follow them into the Professor's laboratory.
Professor: Let me show you around. That's my lab table, and this is
my work stool, and over there is my intergalactic
spaceship. [Gestures unenthusiastically] And here's where
I keep assorted lengths of wire!
Fry: Whoa, a real live spaceship.
Professor: I designed it myself. Let me show you some of the
different lengths of wire I used!
The door is pounded on yet again.
Smitty: Attention, job deserters! Come out with your hands up.
We have you partially surrounded.
Nixon: [His head being carried by a cop] Get those bums!
Bender: Well we're boned.
Leela: Can't we get away in the ship?
Professor: I suppose it is technically possible. ... though I am
already in my pajamas.
The group makes their way into the ship, with Bender carrying the
Professor. Fry dons the controls first, vowing, "I'll get us out
of here," but all the ship does is pour Fry a hot cup of coffee.
Professor: Can anyone drive stick?
Leela: I can, as long as I don't have to parallel park.
Outside, the police are preparing an offense as the ship prepares
to leave. URL instructs "If they try to take off, give em' an ass
full of laser" to the other cop, who's sitting in the controls of
a rocket-launcher-like weapon. Back in the spaceship ...
[Animatic Scene (from DVD)]
Professor: Don't worry about the warning lights. The interesting
disasters strike without warning.
[End of Animatic Scene]
Leela: Prepare for liftoff. 10 ...
The countdown for liftoff coincides with that of the New Year's Eve
countdown. Scenes of celebration are shown from around the world,
as each one recites a number counting down to the new millenium. The
countdown is completed by those in New New York.
Terry: [Dramatically] Five.
Leonard Nimoy: Four.
Professor: Three.
Bender: Two.
Leela: One.
Fry: Blast off!
The ship leaves orbit as fireworks fill the sky. Nixon yells at the
cops to fire, but the fireworks in the sky block their vision. Smitty
says, "I can't see nuttin'. Pretty, though." Meanwhile, in the
spaceship, signs of relief and cheers of celebration can be heard now
that they're safely out in space.
Fry: So I guess without jobs we'll be fugitives forever.
Professor: Not neccesarily. Are you three by any chance
interested in becoming my new spaceship crew?
Bender: New crew? What happened to the old crew?
Professor: [Sadly] Oh, those poor sons of -- [Brightly]
But that's not important. The important thing is, I
need a new crew! Anyone interested?
Fry: Yes! Yes! That's exactly the job I've always wanted!
Leela: Thanks for the offer, professor, but we don't have the
proper career chips.
Professor: Oh, that won't be a problem. As luck would have it I
saved the chips from my previous crew. [Shakes them out
of an envelope labelled "Contents of Space Wasp's Stomach"]
Fry: This is awesome. Are we gonna fly through space fighting
monsters and teaching alien women to love? [Grins smugly]
Professor: If, by that, you mean transporting cargo, then yes. It's
a little home business I started to fund my research.
Fry: Cool! What's my job gonna be?
Professor: You'll be responsible for insuring that the cargo reaches
its destination.
Fry: So, I'm ... gonna be a ... delivery boy?
Professor: Exactly.
Fry: [Long pause] Alright! ... I'm a delivery boy!
The ship flies away into space as the music plays.
[End of Act Four (6:43)]
Contributors
Capsule originally authored by Jordan "2BDIs" Eisenberg.
{aa} Amid Amidi
{ak} Adam King
{db} David Brunt
{dh} Dave Hall
{dj} Daniel Janes
{dr} Dave Rout
{ds} Dave Sweatt
{ec} Ellen Cohen
{gnu} GNU
{gw} Gary Wilson
{hl} Haynes Lee
{jd} Jym Dyer
{jmg} Jeremy Michael Gallen
{jj} Jeff Johnston
{jj2} John Jenson
{jk} Joe Klemm
{jlm} Jesse Leon McCann
{kdj} Koan D. J.
{lp} Leandro Pardini
{meh} Mark E. Hardwidge
{mm} Marty McFly
{ndc} Nicolás Di Candia
{pb} Paul Brinkley
{pm} Paul Melnyk
{rm2} Roscoe Mathieu
{tjm} Theodore Jay Miller
{tpe} Todd Paul Emerson
{ww} Wes Wasley
{yd} Yuri Dieujuste