Worst. Episode. Ever!

[Reply #680 on:]

Guys, this thread jumped the shark as soon as they changed the title from "Wrost Epsiode Ever" to "Worst Episode Ever." That renders any subsequent discussion of these episodes totally irrelevant.

[Reply #681 on:]

I gotta admit.. I noticed that the least watched Futurama episodes for me are: Kiff Gets Knocked Up a Notch, Obsolutely Fabulous, A Taste of Freedom, and Head in the Polls.

[Reply #682 on:]

It certainly didn't read as a joke.

It was out of the blue, I'll give you that.

It read as a joke to me... he was trying to poke fun at how seriously we've all been taking this discussion of Cryonic Woman and a few other episodes.

Fair enough, but by applying fairly common types of complaints to an episode to which they would not normally apply, it almost seems like he was poking fun at those complaints themselves by taking them to such an extreme. I can't speak for his intentions of course, but issues of continuity (complaining for that reason about the end of "The Cryonic Woman" aside) and the premise of the show are not what was getting out of hand in the other threads. 

[Reply #683 on:]

I probably should've simply wrote "WTF!?" or imbedded a juvenile lil' screenshot-caption and left it at that.

Who you callin' juvenile you meanie poo-poohead?

[Reply #684 on:]

I gotta admit.. I noticed that the least watched Futurama episodes for me are:[...] Obsolutely Fabulous[...]

I used to not care for "Obsoletely Fabulous," but it's grown on me. It's one of the few Bender-centric episodes in which I actually find Bender, like, bearable. I think it can be beneficial to deliberately watch those episodes that left you feeling a bit meh, because sometimes you discover that they actually have quite a bit going for them. That's how I realized that "The Birdbot of Ice-Catraz" is a fantastic episode, for example.

[Reply #685 on:]

It read as a joke to me... he was trying to poke fun at how seriously we've all been taking this discussion of Cryonic Woman and a few other episodes. I thought it was funny. -shrug-

I think you're reading far too much into it -- especially considering that Xanfor didn't make a single post in the Cryonic Woman episode thread, so there's no evidence that he was even aware of that discussion.

Joke or no-joke, it was awful.

[Reply #686 on:]

It read as a joke to me... he was trying to poke fun at how seriously we've all been taking this discussion of Cryonic Woman and a few other episodes. I thought it was funny. -shrug-

I think you're reading far too much into it -- especially considering that Xanfor didn't make a single post in the Cryonic Woman episode thread, so there's no evidence that he was even aware of that discussion.

Joke or no-joke, it was awful.

Firstly, Xanfor reads almost everything on PEEL. Whether he responds to it or not. Secondly, it is very much in Xanfor's style to make such a joke... remember, he's pretty much memorised the entirity of the TVtropes wiki.

Thirdly, it was masterfully done, and it should've been obvious to anybody that it was satirical, rather than serious.

Space Pilot 3000 was pretty awful. The series jumped the shark by discarding all former continuity and sending Fry a thousand years into the future. At least they threw in a retcon to explain why this occurred several seasons later.

The fact that there was no "former continuity" and that the entire premise of the show is "A twentieth-century goofball in the next millenium" should've been a huge clue to anybody thinking of taking this post seriously. It was an absolute gem of satire.

Please, for the love of Benjy, stop digging. Just be happy with the bottom of your hole so far.

[Reply #687 on:]

TNUK, you seem to be getting a lot of use out of that gif lately.

I gotta admit.. I noticed that the least watched Futurama episodes for me are: Kiff Gets Knocked Up a Notch, Obsolutely Fabulous, A Taste of Freedom, and Head in the Polls.

I agree with you on A Taste of Freedom, but I have a soft spot for the others, especially Obsoletely Fabulous. It's not the best episode by far, but I love the other robots on the island, and for some reason the ducks caught in the soda can rings make me laugh every time.

[Reply #688 on:]

TNUK, you seem to be getting a lot of use out of that gif lately.

I'm getting a lot of use out of both of them lately (mainly due to looking for opportunities to use them).

[Reply #689 on:]

Why must everything be an argument here?

Soryn, your comments lack subtlety! You can't just have your avatar announce how they feel! That makes me feel angry!  

Anyways. It was an obvious joke. Rule of thumb: if it seems too outrageous to be taken seriously, then it probably is a joke. It comes with knowing the territory.

Getting back on track...

A Leela of her Own and Bendin in the Wind were pretty eh. I actually didn't mind Obsoletely Fabulous that much, but I can see where others might because of the absence of other major characters.

[Reply #690 on:]

Obsoletely Fabulous is one of my favorite Bender-centric episodes. Better than 30% Iron Chef, at any rate.

[Reply #691 on:]

I love 30% Iron Chef if only for the competition scene...

"That sword cost 5000 DOLLLLUUUU"

[Reply #692 on:]

Obsoletely Fabulous is not a favourite of mine, nor is Bend Her, two quite poor Bender-centric episodes I've got to say. I thought Obsoletely Fabulous started off ok, then again I liked Robot 1-X who I thought saved the first part for me. After that, eh...

[Reply #693 on:]

Bend Her was well above Obsoletely Fabulous, imo. One of the craziest plots coupled with one of the most awesomest commentaries. Yes, I am taking commentaries into account, what of it?

Hail hail Robonia, a land I didn't make up!

[Reply #694 on:]

I gotta admit.. I noticed that the least watched Futurama episodes for me are:[...] Obsolutely Fabulous[...]

I used to not care for "Obsoletely Fabulous," but it's grown on me. It's one of the few Bender-centric episodes in which I actually find Bender, like, bearable. I think it can be beneficial to deliberately watch those episodes that left you feeling a bit meh, because sometimes you discover that they actually have quite a bit going for them. That's how I realized that "The Birdbot of Ice-Catraz" is a fantastic episode, for example.

That's true. I remember hating Where No Fan Has Gone Before but then I made myself watch it again and it grew on me. It's still not my favorite episode, but it's not the worst.

[Reply #695 on:]

Yeah, "Robonia" <chuckle>

And I loved A Taste of Freedom, though I'm not sure whether that's due more to the social commentary, the interaction between the characters, the great invasion scenes or something else.

[Reply #696 on:]

Bend Her was well above Obsoletely Fabulous, imo. One of the craziest plots coupled with one of the most awesomest commentaries. Yes, I am taking commentaries into account, what of it?

That commentary is hysterical. I don't much care for Mike Rowe in the season 6A commentaries, but his telling of the "Gay Guy and the Ghost" saga is too hilarious for words. As far as my feelings on "Bend Her" go, I believe I expressed them several pages ago. One of my guilty pleasure episodes, for sure.

I love 30% Iron Chef if only for the competition scene...

"That sword cost 5000 DOLLLLUUUU"

That's another Bender-y episode that works well for me, maybe because it goes out of its way to put Bender in a sympathetic light. I kind of enjoy episodes like that, where one of the main characters is blatantly bad at what they are doing, but then receives some instruction and ends the episode slightly less bad. Structurally, I think "The 30% Iron Chef" is similar to "A Leela of Her Own"...but we all know how most people feel about that episode. It also has a lot in common with "Raging Bender," which I enjoy a lot less (regardless of its standing as a classic episode).

Also: "In the English countryside, many prostitutes decorate their rooms with festive gourds." Kills. Me. Every. Time.

[Reply #697 on:]

Also: "In the English countryside, many prostitutes decorate their rooms with festive gourds." Kills. Me. Every. Time.

The judges' comments at the end are definitely my favorite part of 30% Iron Chef. Also, the "I Hate Bottles" shirt. It's not a terrible episode, it's just not near the top of my list.

I thought Obsoletely Fabulous had some excellent new characters, which I always enjoy whenever they're done well. That was the best aspect of that episode, in my opinion.

[Reply #698 on:]

Without a doubt, The Futurama Holiday Spectacular. It was disgustingly horrible.

[Reply #699 on:]

Bender Should Not be Allowed on TV... probably not the worst but still it was such a huge disappointment since I watched it first on dvd and the name and description seemed to be for an episode that could not fail. It did. Another extreme let down is the episode mentioined above, the Holiday Spectacular. I actually saved this one to watch just before Christmas. Felt almost betrayed. Forced, plain bad songs and a silly 3 ep format a la Anthologies. I just wanted a Christmas ep like the once that had come before and got this... lame thing.

I'm surprised how many dislike Proposition Infinity, one of my favorites from the season.

[Reply #700 on:]

Bender Should Not be Allowed on TV... probably not the worst but still it was such a huge disappointment since I watched it first on dvd and the name and description seemed to be for an episode that could not fail. It did.

Wow, wow, wow, that's a great ep!

[Reply #701 on:]

I'm surprised how many dislike Proposition Infinity, one of my favorites from the season.

I just rewatched "Proposition Infinity" last week and liked it even less this time around. I just hate what it does to Amy and Kif's relationship, and I don't think the Proposition 8 stuff (except for the spoof of the gathering storm commercial, which was spot-on and pretty damn funny) is particularly inspired. Farnsworth's reasons for opposing robosexual marriage are cheap and out of nowhere (and, honestly, the implication that homophobia is very often driven by latent homosexual urges fails to take into account that some people are just intolerant douchebags whose problems with gay marriage are often tied to their own ill-informed beliefs and a healthy dose of ignorance; it might have been nice if the writers had explored some of these possibilities, thus deepening the Professor's conflict, instead of just saying that he once dated a robot and it didn't work out), the Dirty Clergyman stereotype is really heavy-handed with the Preacherbot, and the whole episode ends so abruptly and illogically (Bender seriously didn't know that marriages tend to be monogamous?).

There are a few good gags (I do like the crew screaming at one another while trying to capture the tornado, and Amy's stuff with her parents is hilarious), but the story itself just bothers me in its construction and execution. I appreciate the political message of the episode (intolerance is bad, marriage equality is good; these are important messages to convey, but the writers could have been a bit more even-handed and intelligent about it, taking fewer cheap shots and actually attempting to flesh out the characters and their conflicts).

[Reply #702 on:]

As an extension of Gorky's comments: I still don't fracking get why Bender couldn't get together with some random human gal we've never seen before. Why Amy? What's the point?

[Reply #703 on:]

Soryn, I think people understand it as a joke. Why he made the joke in the first place I don't know, but he did. The irony was in your treating it as, well, not a joke, hence people's scoffs at your reply. I'm sorry for your frustration. However, if you were simply playing along and are continuing to do so by treating it seriously, then well done, I guess.  

Even if Xanfor was trying to make a "joke", it was still incomprehensible.

It certainly didn't read as a joke.

Regardless, I suppose I gave it more credibility than it deserved. I probably should've simply wrote "WTF!?" or imbedded a juvenile lil' screenshot-caption and left it at that.

It's perfectly understandable the response you gave him.  This was the most hilarious thing I've read all day though..... we've known Xanfor for a little while, and we're pretty sure that he was not actually sharing his actual views in that post, but rather making a sarcastic satire with it.... of which I rather enjoy making often enough.  Xanfor's post is an elegantly crafted work, and I'm not surprised you were caught off hand by it...  

[Reply #704 on:]

As an extension of Gorky's comments: I still don't fracking get why Bender couldn't get together with some random human gal we've never seen before. Why Amy? What's the point?

My guess is that we are expected to be more emotionally invested in a story that involves two members of the regular cast instead of just one, but since PI isn't what I'd call an emotional episode in the first place, that seems like a moot point. Hell, "Bend Her" is more emotionally resonant than "Proposition Infinity," and the other half of the couple in question is Calculon.

[Reply #705 on:]

Exactly. PI isn't supposed to be emotional, they throw it into the mix in hope to get some emotion because they felt it was needed, ruining a great deal of the story and the continuity that could have been kept by having the story go on without said emotion.

[Reply #706 on:]

I gotta admit.. I noticed that the least watched Futurama episodes for me are:[...] Obsolutely Fabulous[...]

I used to not care for "Obsoletely Fabulous," but it's grown on me. It's one of the few Bender-centric episodes in which I actually find Bender, like, bearable. I think it can be beneficial to deliberately watch those episodes that left you feeling a bit meh, because sometimes you discover that they actually have quite a bit going for them. That's how I realized that "The Birdbot of Ice-Catraz" is a fantastic episode, for example.

Wow... Birdbot has always been one of my favorite episodes.  That episode is hilarious!

[Reply #707 on:]

Exactly. PI isn't supposed to be emotional, they throw it into the mix in hope to get some emotion because they felt it was needed, ruining a great deal of the story and the continuity that could have been kept by having the story go on without said emotion.

I completely agree. Some episodes work best as farces, and others really do need an emotional underpinning. I mean, "Roswell That Ends Well" works fine without any hugging or kissing or hand-holding; "The Late Philip J. Fry," meanwhile, wouldn't be anywhere near as brilliant without the epic love story going on in the background. Of course, there are some episodes where the balance between humor and emotion isn't quite perfect (one of the problems with "Ghost in the Machines," I think, is that it's too melodramatic at some points and certainly not hilarious enough at other points to compensate), and that is arguably the result of shoehorning some weepy feelings into a story that works just fine as a gag-based outing.

(And then, of course, you have your "Parasites Lost"s and your "Time Keeps on Slipping"s, which are both hilarious and heartbreaking. When the writers are good, they're good.)

And winna, I hear ya on Birdbot. I eventually came around to its hilarious, awesome ways; it's now a top 25 episode for me (if that means anything, which probably it doesn't).

[Reply #708 on:]

I think the Amy - Kif breakup was handled superbly, Of course he was going to get enough of her bad boy flirting at some point. Then the door is open for a Bender relationship. Using Amy was much better than a random new girl, we get the great 1st part which revolves around her, the awkwardness of her and Bender at work and that bit at her parents which gets me every time. Farnsworth could have been a random guy as well... wouldn't have worked as well I think.

[Reply #709 on:]

Though most people don't break up after an eight year run, almost get married with another, then break up and return to the first, only to be back next week with no repercussions. That's what makes it annoying.

[Reply #710 on:]

You'd be surprised. Stranger things have happened. And probably will in the year 3000-something

[Reply #711 on:]

But when did Amy flirt with bad boys prior to "Proposition Infinity," not excluding the first two seasons (before she started dating Kif)? It just seemed like such an out-of-nowhere problem in Kif and Amy's relationship. I know that Kif is squishy and loserly and kind of a wuss, and Amy is this wild and crazy party girl, but she decided to take the Road to Maturity in "Kif Gets Knocked Up a Notch," and only had the misstep of sleeping with Zapp in "The Beast With a Billion Backs" (mostly out of grief over Kif's death) since then. If Kif still had residual feelings of bitterness or jealousy because of the Zapp thing--and these feelings had been made apparent in "Proposition Infinity"--then maybe the whole thing wouldn't have seemed as abrupt to me. As it stands, though, I think the writers just needed a quick excuse to break Kif and Amy up, and in the process they disregarded any character development on Amy's part up to that point.

[Reply #712 on:]

You'd be surprised. Stranger things have happened. And probably will in the year 3000-something

By the same logic, Fry can suddenly decide to kill all the PE crew and live on Alderaan for the rest of his life. 'Cause, you know, stranger things have happened.

[Reply #713 on:]

You'd be surprised. Stranger things have happened.

Only two spring to mind. The spontaneous combustion of the Mayor of Warsaw in 1546 and that incident in 12th century Burgandy when it rained herring.

[Reply #714 on:]

Aki: I'm not sure stranger things than that have happened, at least when it comes to space travel.  Also killing off almost all the characters would be a pretty bad thing for the future of the show.

[Reply #715 on:]

Aki: I'm not sure stranger things than that have happened, at least when it comes to space travel.  Also killing off almost all the characters would be a pretty bad thing for the future of the show.

As would breaking Kif and Amy up in one episode only to bring them together again in the final seconds.

Oh, wait, that happened.

Check and mate - or as we say it, touché.

[Reply #716 on:]

Nah it changed nothing. They are together now, after a bad breakup, which does happen even in the real world. You can make as many check and mate/touché comments as you like, they don't make you right.

[Reply #717 on:]

Nah it changed nothing. They are together now, after a bad breakup, which does happen even in the real world. You can make as many check and mate/touché comments as you like, they don't make you right.

Depends on how you view it. Too much out of character can easily ruin a show completely. Out of character behaviour in a single or in a few episodes is fine and reparable with good episodes (and there have been plenty in season 6), but too much of it and it becomes less and less believable.

The check and mate / touché comment was for that matter a possibly too subtle reference to Zapp, and was not meant as an argument. We're all pals kidding here.

[Reply #718 on:]

It changes how I perceive Kif and Amy as characters, though, and how I feel about their relationship. And not in a good way. It seems like the writers had this, uh, awesome story idea where they would lampoon the debate on gay marriage and Proposition 8, and then decided that Amy and Bender would be the best characters to act out this story. And that should never be the case, because changing characters' personalities to suit a story usually results in an episode that seems forced.

Also, what Aki said.

[Reply #719 on:]

I agree. I was upset they had to break up such a good ship just for the purpose of that episode. Although I do see Amy as being kinda selfish like that. But I felt like it was a little out of character for both her and Kif, especially Kif.
Then they get back together, which is nice but it just felt too convenient.