What joke/reference would you most like to see?

[on:]

I didn't see any topics like this so I decided to make one.

What joke/reference would you most like to see?

I would die if they had Bender do a magic show with "The Final Countdown" by Europe playing in the background. (Nothing like a good Arrested Development reference. Especially the kind that involve GOB.)

[Reply #1 on:]

I dont think making a joke/reference on another comedy show will be smart. It will look as though they're trying to copy the jokes.

Parody works best when it's with serious movies like The Matrix or Mission Impossible III

[Reply #2 on:]

What isn't fair game after "Mars University"? There is a fine line between homage and ripping off, no reason to think that the Futurama staff can't pull it off.

[Reply #3 on:]

'Red Dwarf'. They referenced it once. They need to do it more. Yes, yes, yes! Then it will be nerd heaven, as opposed to what it is now, nerd haven.

    

[Reply #4 on:]

What Red Dwarf reference was there in Futurama??? AsI quite like Red Dwarf to its pretty damn funny!

[Reply #5 on:]

Leela: Ok, what story would you like to hear? Snow White and the Seven Red Dwarfs? Charlotte's Tholian Web? The Fountain of Aging?

[Reply #6 on:]

It was "Snow White Dwarf and the Seven Red Dwarves" which sounds like a reference to the stars. Also in the Scary Door episode with the library there was a book called "The Red Dwarf of Courage" which could be a reference to either the star type or the show (And also The Red Badge of Courage). But yes, proper Red Dwarf references please, also Doctor Who and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - why was British sci-fi so rarely mentioned?

[Reply #7 on:]

Wernstrum got it right... Just like "I lost it... In a volcano!" isn't a "Lost" reference.

[Reply #8 on:]

British sci-fi was so rarely mentioned because Futurama is an American show. At first, I don't think that Matt, DXC, and the writers thought of using British sci-fi parodies. Possibly after noticing the fanbase in the UK they'll think about putting in some references. The downside to that is 90% of the people in the first run audience (the US) wouldn't understand the jokes. It's more likely they'd do a Hitchhiker's parody, as it's more in American culture than Red Dwarf or Doctor Who. I just found out that Doctor Who is being broadcast on Sci-Fi network at 11pm. Doubt many people would really go to Sci-Fi at 11pm to watch it. And Red Dwarf isn't even broadcasted in the US, and the only way to watch it would be get a UK television feed somehow or to order DVDs from the UK. Unlike in the UK and American shows, the US doesn't syndicate British shows. It'd be easier to see The Simpsons or Futurama in the UK than Doctor Who in the US.

[Reply #9 on:]

I didn't know there were type of stars called red dwarves - I thought you had white dwarves and red giants?

[Reply #10 on:]

 

Originally posted by Prof. Wernstrum:
It was "Snow White Dwarf and the Seven Red Dwarves" which sounds like a reference to the stars. Also in the Scary Door episode with the library there was a book called "The Red Dwarf of Courage" which could be a reference to either the star type or the show (And also The Red Badge of Courage). But yes, proper Red Dwarf references please, also Doctor Who and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - why was British sci-fi so rarely mentioned?

There are no references to these because doctor who and the hitchhiker's guide (i presume you're talking about the film) are both terrible excuses for sci-fi comedy, I would literally rather lick piss off nettles than watch either!

Edit: good point GroeningRocks, that makes it more likely to be a refernce to the tv show

[Reply #11 on:]

 

Originally posted by GroeningRocks:
I didn't know there were type of stars called red dwarves - I thought you had white dwarves and red giants?

Red Dwarf stars are main sequence stars with a surface temperature below 4000 K. It's the most common type of stars in the Universe. Proxima Centauri, the Sun's closest neighbour, is a red dwarf.

Red dwarfs are regular stars who consume their hydrogen fuel at an extremely slow rate, and thus have lifespans meassured in several dozen billion years. White dwarfs are the remnants of main sequence stars that have  shed their outer layers following a red giant phase. They eventually cool off and become black, inactive masses.

Given the abundance of red dwarfs and the fact that white dwarfs eventually seize to be white, it's probably not impossible the former outnumber the latter 7:1. Meaning I agree with Wernstrum.

[Reply #12 on:]

Thanks 
Anyways, I think Futurama tries to use comedy that everyone can understand rather than referring to TV shows that only show in a certain country.

[Reply #13 on:]

I don't really know that much about stars n stuff (thats why i put a '?' at the end of my comment) so sorry if i caused any confusion 

[Reply #14 on:]

Groening, I have to say I don't agree, they dump obscure references and jokes hardly anyone in the world will get all the time.

"No fair! You changed the outcome by measuring it!"


[edit]
Oh, almost forgot...
<pulls out a herring and slaps Dai in the face with it roughly a few times.> HHG, a "poor excuse for sci-fi comedy"? Aside from futurama, prey tell what DO you concider to be GOOD scifi comedy?

[Reply #15 on:]

yeah, but they include other comedy too, what i meant to sya was it is JUST sci-fi related comedy

[Reply #16 on:]

I think Futurama has a bit of both, sci-fi related and normal comedy

sorry! am i allowed to just jump in and answer this topic or is it for just you and your friends? I'm new.

[Reply #17 on:]

 

Originally posted by Gopher:
<pulls out a herring and slaps Dai in the face with it roughly a few times.> HHG, a "poor excuse for sci-fi comedy"?

I assume (or hope) that he's talking about the movie from 200? (don't know, just saw a poor illegal copy long time after the release). That movie really sucks, compared to the novel.

[Reply #18 on:]

Welcome, Eve! Of course you are welcome to jump in to any conversation you like, as long as you have something related to say. There's some rules of conduct somewhere, I forget the link, but the gist of it all boils down to "Don't spam" with a broad, inclusive definition of spam. No duplicate threads (new thread with same topic as old thread - harder than it sounds to follow), and no double-posting (if the last post in a thread was yours, don't post again. If you must add something, edit your last post.)

Again, welcome!

Lap:
Ah, well, the movie wasn't great I'll admit, but most fan's problem with it was their own imo. People went into it with ridiculously high expectations, ignoring all the warning signs. Those signs include:

1) It was a quirky brittish story being adapted for a mainstream hollywood film.
2) It took them 20 years to finally settle on how things would be done. They might never have been able to finish if Douglass Adams hadn't died (GRHS), thus enabling them to make what changes they saw fit without waiting a month for Douglas to rewrite each line of dialog to his insanely-high personal standards.
3)The book has almost no scenes that could be accurately filmed without half a dozen special effects being added in post. To do it exactly right would've required a budget that would make James Cameron blanch.

I went into it with insanely low expectations. I assumed I would be tempted to shout insults at the directors, throw my popcorn at the screen, and leave the theatre in tears over the travesty I had just witnessed. As a result, I was plesantly surprised. All things concidered, I don't think they could've done a better job, unless they were willing to target the existing fan-base exclusively, which to any hollywood producer would seem like planning to flop.

That said, it is still the weakest of all HHG incarnations, but not devoid of merit. The biggest surprise to me was how many of the dry arthur lines actually DID make it into the movie. My biggest disapointment was that they changed the plot so much that, if they decide to make sequels, they might be able to keep some gags but they'll have to invent the new plot arcs almost from scratch - WITHOUT guidance from DA.

[/soapbox]

[Reply #19 on:]

I think i've read it all. Thanks!!!

[Reply #20 on:]

OK, just my 2 cents:

First, some information: I've read the novels in 2005 for the first time, mainly because I'm too young to have experienced the hype in the 80s myself. I've seen the movie in early 2006, so my memories of the novel were quite vivid then.
In addition, I don't really care much enough about the HHG (and what it could be or will be) to start a flame war or something. Furthermore, I don't think that I have enough background knowledge to have a really good discussion about this topic... I'll better stick with Futurama ;-)


I agree with you when you say people expected too much from the movie. I mean, teh novel has some great parts and - more important: concepts - that would be difficult to get on the screen.

Nevertheless, I think that the movie just
was kind of... not the HHG. I wouldn't mind if they use a plot different to the novels, as long as the things take place in the HHG universe with the main characters and I also don't care if they have great, expensive 3D effects.

One thing, for example, which really disturbed me was Zaphod. His second head occasionally flipping out of his neck was just annoying, nothing like the novels. It just lacked the feeling I had when I read the novels.

Well, everyone likes the things they like...

[Reply #21 on:]

Yeah, the head thing sucked, but that change started out of bloody necessity (see point 3 above).

Anyway, I didn't meant to seem agro or anything; once I get started, I tend to just keep going. 

[Reply #22 on:]

I'd be pretty glad to see some references having to do with the wildly exotic or otherwise far off predictions about the future made in the past or present by people with so-called 'expert authority' on the subject.

 

Originally posted by Gopher:
....if they decide to make sequels, they might be able to keep some gags but they'll have to invent the new plot arcs almost from scratch - WITHOUT guidance from DA.

They can't make a sequel that's based on any kind of plot from the books, since they fucked it up by ignoring what Milliways actually is, thus proving that much of the decision-making regarding the movie was made by people who didn't read the books, or possibly only read the first one hurriedly to get some grasp of the source material.

"...other end..."? *Pphfft!*

Also, many of Arthur's lines went into it intact, yes. Too bad most of them were the build-up lines that were setting up a joke, the punchline of which was then scissored.

[Reply #23 on:]

Dai sez: "There are no references to these because doctor who and the hitchhiker's guide (i presume you're talking about the film) are both terrible excuses for sci-fi comedy, I would literally rather lick piss off nettles than watch either!"

Zoidberg sez (I heard):  "That?  On nettles?  Somebody isn't sharing recipes!"

[Reply #24 on:]

Here's something I would like to see, how about Bender getting his own public access show where he insults his guests?  That would be awesome!

[Reply #25 on:]

 

Originally posted by Dai:There are no references to these because doctor who and the hitchhiker's guide (i presume you're talking about the film) are both terrible excuses for sci-fi comedy, I would literally rather lick piss off nettles than watch either!

Why does it seem that most people are assuming that HHG has to be a movie refrence, a novel refrence would be smashing!(haha, sorry everyone who uses "smashing" with any regularity.)

I had a similar experiance to laptopmoerder's. I thought it would be a total waste, so I forgot all about the books as I watched the movie, made it pretty good. Your milage may vary.

[Reply #26 on:]

This is the 'Red Dwarf'!

[Reply #27 on:]

 

Originally posted by i_c_weiner:
British sci-fi was so rarely mentioned because Futurama is an American show. At first, I don't think that Matt, DXC, and the writers thought of using British sci-fi parodies. Possibly after noticing the fanbase in the UK they'll think about putting in some references. The downside to that is 90% of the people in the first run audience (the US) wouldn't understand the jokes.

I'm not so sure about this. OK, a Red Dwarf equivalent of Where No Fan has Gone Before would alienate large sections of the audience (And aside from Star Trek/ Wars I can't really think of any sci-fi series well known enough for this to work) but jokes don't need to be on this kind of scale - a quick throwaway gag could work without confusing everyone who hasn't seen the show.

The Futurama writers were never afraid of putting in a few obscure references - the jokes about old movies and TV, sci-fi literature and mathematics are hardly mainstream - and considering that all three series I mentioned have some cult following in the US there must be at least as many fans of each show as there are viewers that understand jokes like the Aleph-Null-Plex.

Also, *Shoots Dai*