Thoughts on Season 6 - SPOILERS

[Reply #680 on:]

For Season 6:

Great episodes:
1. The Late Phillip J Fry
2. The Prisoner Of Benda

Really good episodes:
3. The Mutants Are Revolting
4. Lethal Inspection
5. Rebirth

Average episodes:
6. The Duh-Vinci Code
7. Lrrreconcilable Ndndifferences
8. A Clockwork Origin
9. Proposition Infinity
10. That Darn Katz!

Absolute trash episodes:
11. Attack Of The Killer App
12. In-A-Gadda-Da-Leela

The trash episodes would be in my Worst 10 episodes of all time list.  Since those episodes were back-to-back at the start of the season, I feared this whole season would be trash and that we had lost our "true" Futurama.  Fortunately, LI aired and from then on, things got a whole lot better (plus 2 great episodes).  Whew!

With how good the 2nd half of Season 6 was, I am really looking forward to Season 7. (now that they have the time to do the episodes right (not being rushed), I hope Season 7 is even better!)

[Reply #681 on:]

My rating of this season list

1. The Prisoner of Benda
2. The Late Philip J. Fry
3. The Mutants are Revolting
4. The Duh-Vinci Code
5. Rebirth
6. A Clockwork Origin
7. Lethal Inspection
8.  Lrrreconcilable Ndndifferences (liked the whole Orsen Welles thing)
9. That Darn Katz (bleh, but Leela or Fry weren't  the last one standing finally, like in The Day the Earth Stood Stupid and TBWABB)
10. Attack of the Killer App
11.  Proposition Infinity
12 In-a-gadda-da-Leela (this could have been better)

Overall i liked it and hope for the best on the xmas episode

[Reply #682 on:]

Personally, I thought Lethal Inspection was really great.

I liked the expansion of Hermes' character. It even had one of those emotional endings that I enjoy; it creates an attachment to the characters of the show at a deeper level, more than just humor and personality, but feeling and thought.
Also, Rubik's cube cubicles.

I do have to agree that The Late Phillip J. Fry was one of my top favorites. The humor, the love struggle, the insight and introspection towards the universe, and the general cooliness of time travel really all played very well together, and was tied up nicely in an all-around great episode.


I would not want to rank the episodes in a "top 10" or "greatsuperawesome," "okmehcool," "terribletrashcrap" classes, because I enjoyed all the episodes. They are cartoons. You watch them. I couldn't imagine thinking of Futurama episodes as trash, there are far too many nuances, deep characters and interesting scenarios that play out in them to even be remotely regarded as trash.

Think about it. Do you really think the legions of writers and editors, who poured weeks into each episode, would release an episode to be considered "trash?" Do you not think that they themselves, including the creators with degrees from Harvard, would have caught such "atrocities" in these "terrible" episodes? I understand it's a production, being put on a schedule, with a budget; of course some episodes will be better than others, but in the situation the staff were put under, all of the episodes received a great deal of attention.

Plus, I like to enjoy episodes, no matter how dull or rushed they may seem. You'd be surprised how many interesting and awesome things you can pull out of any Futurama episode in any season. If you, however, dislike enjoying Futurama, this probably doesn't apply to you.

[Reply #683 on:]

I'm just going to list my top 5:

1. The Late Phillip J. Fry
2. The Prisoner of Bender
3. Rebirth
4. The Mutants are Revolting
5. Lethal Inspection



The rest were good...but I guess I would have to say my least favorite would be Proposition Infinity. The whole Bender/Amy thing didn't work well with me...I cringe everytime I see the scene where they are shown in bed together.

[Reply #684 on:]

I don't get why people liked A Clockwork Origin so much other than the fact there were "Robo Dinosaurs".  Ok, so what?  It didn't do so much for me.  And after Act 1 was sooo slow....all that time on the "missing^100th link", the rest of the episode flew by...they really didn't spend much show in the different time periods other than to show the robo dinos.  Yes, it had some good jokes and it was not a bad episode (as some of the others were), but I can not get all gooey over it as some people are.

Act 1 wasn't slow to me, and it featured a bunch of good jokes, including the Spaghetti Monster and a Jurassic Bark recall. First being attacked at the PE, then racing to the school, then to Africa and then back to NNY for the museum and then on to the planetoid doesn't really sound slow to me.

[Reply #685 on:]

I don't get why people liked A Clockwork Origin so much other than the fact there were "Robo Dinosaurs".  Ok, so what?  It didn't do so much for me.  And after Act 1 was sooo slow....all that time on the "missing^100th link", the rest of the episode flew by...they really didn't spend much show in the different time periods other than to show the robo dinos.  Yes, it had some good jokes and it was not a bad episode (as some of the others were), but I can not get all gooey over it as some people are.

Act 1 wasn't slow to me, and it featured a bunch of good jokes, including the Spaghetti Monster and a Jurassic Bark recall. First being attacked at the PE, then racing to the school, then to Africa and then back to NNY for the museum and then on to the planetoid doesn't really sound slow to me.

Yes, I liked the Flying Spaghetti monster part (I laughed at this part).  I personally didn't like the callback to Jurassic Bark (while I love that episode, it's sad and had been that way till Bender's Big Score)....I guess that scene where Prof and the Ape have that drawn-out "missing link" debate didn't really do it for me.  While they handle the topic well (ie not getting preachy), I just found the episode overall kinda boring imo.  It's not a bad episode (certainly not one of my least favorite).  2 of the episodes around it were great so maybe I am just nit-picking too much by having my standard level too high.  Ohh well, to each their own.

[Reply #686 on:]

(while I love that episode, it's sad and had been that way till Bender's Big Score)

I'm so sick of people saying this about Jurassic Bark! BBS didn't change anything about the emotional impact of Jurassick Bark. That part of BBS wasn't supposed to show us "what really happened in Jurassic Bark" it was just supposed to show Fry getting to spend time with his loved ones like he had wanted to for so long.

[Reply #687 on:]

I only said what I did because some people would argue....see, Fry did get to spend time with his dog so it's not as sad.  Personally though, BBS did nothing to take away the emotional impact of Jurassic Bark when I view that episode.  Just wanted to get that out there.

[Reply #688 on:]

A Clockwork Origin had an awesome science-fiction-concept-driven plot. And it was really funny. That's why it's held in such high regards.

[Reply #689 on:]

I'm new to the forum, this is my first post. I think it appropiate for it to be on my comment of the new season. Unlike every other television show this summer that is just taking up space on my DVR, Futurama was my date every Thursday night. I absolutely love this show, I could even go as far as naming it my favorite animated program of all time (Gumby is a close second). An entire list would take great time, since it's late, I'll stick to my top 5:

1.) Lethal Inspection
2.) The Late Phillip J. Fry
3.) A Clockwork Origin
4.) Rebirth
5.) In-a-gadda-leela

Although In-A-Gadda-Leela wasn't anything too special, it contained my two favorite jokes of the season:
Zapp: "Mister President, what the hell?"
Bender: "I haven't felt much of anything since my guinea pig died..."

[Reply #690 on:]

eh... it was an ok season or whatever.

[Reply #691 on:]

For Season 6:

Great episodes:
1. The Late Phillip J Fry
2. The Prisoner Of Benda

Really good episodes:
3. The Mutants Are Revolting
4. Lethal Inspection
5. Rebirth

Average episodes:
6. The Duh-Vinci Code
7. Lrrreconcilable Ndndifferences
8. A Clockwork Origin
9. Proposition Infinity
10. That Darn Katz!

Absolute trash episodes:
11. Attack Of The Killer App
12. In-A-Gadda-Da-Leela

The trash episodes would be in my Worst 10 episodes of all time list.  Since those episodes were back-to-back at the start of the season, I feared this whole season would be trash and that we had lost our "true" Futurama.  Fortunately, LI aired and from then on, things got a whole lot better (plus 2 great episodes).  Whew!

With how good the 2nd half of Season 6 was, I am really looking forward to Season 7. (now that they have the time to do the episodes right (not being rushed), I hope Season 7 is even better!)

this is pretty much how i feel.

however, being a connoisseur of darwinian evolution, 'a clockwork origin' is up there in the 'great' episodes.

[Reply #692 on:]

Ill keep this short, it was a great season. I will admit the first couple of episodes scared the hell out of me. I was worried but things started to turn around. Now over all I feel like it was great.

My favorite episode of the season would have to be "Lrrreconcilable Ndndifferences", I am a big Lrr fan.

[Reply #693 on:]

 Lrrreconcilable NdNdifferences was my favorite of the season cuz of all the quick punch jokes and random humor. For a sentimental episode I really liked The Late Philip J Fry. I liked Lethal Inspection and Proposition Infinity as well. Theres not really any I did not find myself enjoying for any length of time but I did enjoy these more than the rest. When I first saw Rebirth I was unsure of what the season would be like but Im glad it was able to get back into the groove of things like with Lrrrenconcilable Ndndifferences. Overall Im very satisfied after all this time they could make it come together just as well as they did all those years ago

[Reply #694 on:]

Lrrreconcilable NdNdifferences was my favorite of the season cuz of all the quick punch jokes and random humor. For a sentimental episode I really liked The Late Philip J Fry. I liked Lethal Inspection and Proposition Infinity as well. Theres not really any I did not find myself enjoying for any length of time but I did enjoy these more than the rest. When I first saw Rebirth I was unsure of what the season would be like but Im glad it was able to get back into the groove of things like with Lrrrenconcilable Ndndifferences. Overall Im very satisfied after all this time they could make it come together just as well as they did all those years ago

Must agree, But the weak episodes this season was 6ACV02 and 6ACV04, those were just boring and uninspired. The best episode was 6ACV12 (The Mutants Are Revolting).

[Reply #695 on:]

Ya, 6ACV02 was really lame. I also did not like how sleazy Leela was acting.

[Reply #696 on:]

But...but she was all loopy from dehydration!

(I mean, IAGDL bugged the crap out of me on first viewing, too, but I still think it's one of the strongest episodes of the season comedically. And everything preceding the Eden stuff is on-par with classic Futurama; it's only once Leela starts, y'know, making out with Zapp that it deviates a little bit.)

[Reply #697 on:]

Ya I think when I saw it the second time, I thought it was a little more enjoyable.

[Reply #698 on:]

None of the new episodes were 'Trash Episodes'... IMHO 
Even my least favorite eps have some great jokes and fun moments.

Watching these the very 1st time, I thought the jokes came a bit too fast, but on repeated viewings of the season, the jokes, plots, etc., seem 'right on!'
(A slight adjust for me, from the previous 4 dvd movies' pacing, etc.?)
Think some of these new eps, like 'Prisoner of Benda' are some of the best eps evr! 

[Reply #699 on:]

For Season 6:

Great episodes:
1. The Late Phillip J Fry
2. The Prisoner Of Benda

Really good episodes:
3. The Mutants Are Revolting
4. Lethal Inspection
5. Rebirth

Average episodes:
6. The Duh-Vinci Code
7. Lrrreconcilable Ndndifferences
8. A Clockwork Origin
9. Proposition Infinity
10. That Darn Katz!

Absolute trash episodes:
11. Attack Of The Killer App
12. In-A-Gadda-Da-Leela

The trash episodes would be in my Worst 10 episodes of all time list.  Since those episodes were back-to-back at the start of the season, I feared this whole season would be trash and that we had lost our "true" Futurama.  Fortunately, LI aired and from then on, things got a whole lot better (plus 2 great episodes).  Whew!

With how good the 2nd half of Season 6 was, I am really looking forward to Season 7. (now that they have the time to do the episodes right (not being rushed), I hope Season 7 is even better!)

this is pretty much how i feel.

however, being a connoisseur of darwinian evolution, 'a clockwork origin' is up there in the 'great' episodes.

I'm going to agree with the Free Hot Meal. And not just because of the promise of food.

[Reply #700 on:]

Season six really wasn't very good. I hate to say it, there were only a few good episodes. Rebirth was Ok, In-Da-Gadda-Da-Leela Sucked, and it's easy to place the rest on a number line from that

[Reply #701 on:]

I think your the minority. I will admit, the first couple of episodes excluding rebirth were not that great. Around episode four, things really picked up for me.

[Reply #702 on:]

Indeed. I don't really know how it happened, since the episodes probably weren't written in that order and we can't say they "got used to writing again", but the early episodes were not very good. Episode five and onwards were in traditional Futurama style, including some of the best ever.

[Reply #703 on:]

I think your the minority. I will admit, the first couple of episodes excluding rebirth were not that great. Around episode four, things really picked up for me.

                                                                                                                             

Indeed. I don't really know how it happened, since the episodes probably weren't written in that order and we can't say they "got used to writing again", but the early episodes were not very good. Episode five and onwards were in traditional Futurama style, including some of the best ever.

That's so true. I'm just extending the exclusion for me to episode 6. "Proposition Infinity" and "The Duh-Vince Code" wasn't as good. Although 6ACV05 was a LOT better than 6ACV04. TLPJF was a fantastic episode. All the episodes written by the old writers; Verrone, Keeler, Horsted, Morton and Vebber, I thought that they were funny. Season 7 feels promising.

[Reply #704 on:]

Ok, well, I took my sweet time watching through this season. And finished yesterday.

First of all, I consider Futurama's original run pretty much flawless. I consider it so because my go-to episode for "worst episode of the series" is "Where the Buggalo Roam". And when I watch that episode it's awesome.

The movies showed signs of Futurama not being as good as it once was. The first 22 minutes of BBS made me cringe with terrible humour not up to the standards of the rest of the series. But then it had possibly the best storyline of anything in the series so I didn't care. The 4th movie (and the 2nd on a second viewing) were also great. They had some bad humour but when the story stepped up the humour followed suit. The 3rd movie is my least favourite but to me the first 22 minutes felt the closest to classic Futurama of anything in the movies. After that I wanted the 22-minute format back.

Now that it's here I am displeased.

There was one good episode - nay - one brilliant episode I absolutely adored. "The Late Philip J. Fry". It had not only the best story, but like I say, when they step the story up, the humour naturally follows suit. It was the funniest episode too I feel. "Just slow it down, I'll shoot Hitler out the window! Darn! I shot Eleanor Roosevelt by mistake." was easily my favourite line of the season.

Then "Lethal Inspection" and "Prisoner of Benda" were both decent but < "Where the Buggalo Roam".

And then the rest was a blur of mediocrity...

To be fair none were awful I thought, and I'll gladly keep watching. And I'm buying the Blu-ray - I'll have to watch them a second time to properly score or order them.

But I was indeed disappointed.

[Reply #705 on:]

Of course you're going to be disappointed by the new episodes if your expectations are unrealistically high (which they must be if you consider the original run to be flawless).

Seriously though, Prisoner of Bender < Where the Buggalo Rome (i.e., your worst episode)?

[Reply #706 on:]

Ok, well, I took my sweet time watching through this season. And finished yesterday.

First of all, I consider Futurama's original run pretty much flawless. I consider it so because my go-to episode for "worst episode of the series" is "Where the Buggalo Roam". And when I watch that episode it's awesome.

The movies showed signs of Futurama not being as good as it once was. The first 22 minutes of BBS made me cringe with terrible humour not up to the standards of the rest of the series. But then it had possibly the best storyline of anything in the series so I didn't care. The 4th movie (and the 2nd on a second viewing) were also great. They had some bad humour but when the story stepped up the humour followed suit. The 3rd movie is my least favourite but to me the first 22 minutes felt the closest to classic Futurama of anything in the movies. After that I wanted the 22-minute format back.

Now that it's here I am displeased.

There was one good episode - nay - one brilliant episode I absolutely adored. "The Late Philip J. Fry". It had not only the best story, but like I say, when they step the story up, the humour naturally follows suit. It was the funniest episode too I feel. "Just slow it down, I'll shoot Hitler out the window! Darn! I shot Eleanor Roosevelt by mistake." was easily my favourite line of the season.

Then "Lethal Inspection" and "Prisoner of Benda" were both decent but < "Where the Buggalo Roam".

And then the rest was a blur of mediocrity...

To be fair none were awful I thought, and I'll gladly keep watching. And I'm buying the Blu-ray - I'll have to watch them a second time to properly score or order them.

But I was indeed disappointed.

That may be so, but one have to think about the first 5 episodes of this Broadcast season 7. They weren't as good as the rest, I'm just pretty sure that the next part will be all good.

Also, I have my hopes up for "All the Presidents' Heads", It sounds like a J. Stewart Burns ep. But I don't know. I liked "Where the Buggalo Roam".

Of course you're going to be disappointed by the new episodes if your expectations are unrealistically high (which they must be if you consider the original run to be flawless).

Seriously though, Prisoner of Bender < Where the Buggalo Rome (i.e., your worst episode)?

I'm finally agreeing with you about something. Yay! 

[Reply #707 on:]

Of course you're going to be disappointed by the new episodes if your expectations are unrealistically high (which they must be if you consider the original run to be flawless).

Seriously though, Prisoner of Bender < Where the Buggalo Rome (i.e., your worst episode)?

Where the Buggalo Roam was awesome. Kif's supported by a system of bladders, Zapp's "I am the man with no name - Zapp Brannigan!", Zoidberg acting like part of the family....

I don't really have a worst episode is the point. I just pick that one because it's relatively forgettable and a lot of other people pick it.

Also wouldn't thinking the original run is flawless give me lower standards? Heh, flawless isn't the best word - there just isn't an episode I really dislike.

I was expecting to be disappointed. It just didn't feel like it was up to the standards of the rest of the series. And it felt off compared to the rest of the series in a way that's harder to describe. After the movies I expected it. But I was still hopeful.

Prisoner of Benda was a clever episode. If I rewatch it and it stands the test of time perhaps I'll reconsider my position. I'm not trying to hate on the show or anything. It's just that for the first time there are episodes I dislike.

[Reply #708 on:]

I like Where the Buggalo Roam as well (although I like the Prisoner of Benda more), my point was that if you would pick Where the Buggalo Roam as the "worst episode", then saying the Prisoner of Benda isn't as good as it implies that you think the Prisoner of Benda is the new worst episode which would just be ludicrous.

[Reply #709 on:]

I liked "Where the Buggalo Roam".

Where the Buggalo Roam was awesome.

I like Where the Buggalo Roam as well

I laud you all!

[Reply #710 on:]

my point was that if you would pick Where the Buggalo Roam as the "worst episode", then saying the Prisoner of Benda isn't as good as it implies that you think the Prisoner of Benda is the new worst episode which would just be ludicrous.

He said POB wasn't as good, not the worst.

[Reply #711 on:]

I know exactly what he said, I think you misread my post.

[Reply #712 on:]

But Jezzem, he means that there are other season six episodes that are worse than "The Prisoner of Benda," making them in turn even worse than that episode's relative badness compared to the original "worst."

In other words, although he's saying that "The Prisoner of Benda" is worse than what he claimed to be his worst episode (as you noted), it is not the new worst because there are other season six episodes he'd rank even lower.

[Reply #713 on:]

But Jezzem, he means that there are other season six episodes that are worse than "The Prisoner of Benda," making them in turn even worse than that episode's relative badness compared to the original "worst."

In other words, although he's saying that "The Prisoner of Benda" is worse than what he claimed to be his worst episode (as you noted), it is not the new worst because there are other season six episodes he'd rank even lower.

Thanks for clearing that out, I'm not sure what I would rank higher, TBoP or WtBR... I'm having difficulties comparing the orig. seasons and this season (+ the movies). Still stickin' with Prop ∞ as the worst ep of the season...   and as the worst "Futurama" episode eva. 

[Reply #714 on:]

After much thinking and consideration of the new episodes, I have become convinced that these episodes suffers from what I call 'fan fiction fatigue'.  And this post is slightly a confession.  I wanted these episodes to be good, I really did.  And despite when I saw obvious flaws in them (that I did acknowledge), I refused to acknowledge that season 6, thus far, have had far more below average episodes than previous seasons.

I am not saying there aren't great moments that I will be rewatching in the future, but the taste remains strange.

I can understand Jezzem's position and his campaign is noble.  And I agree with him that most people were disappointed in the new season due to high expectations, but as the smoke clears, it becomes painfully obvious that this new season is not Futuarma at its strongest.

The films did originally worry me, but I assumed the format of writing films was too unusual for the writers (just look at the film they did with The Simpsons).  However, after watching Mr Plinkett's Star Wars reviews, I realised that the solution was not so simple.

And this is my term, 'fan fiction fatigue'.  The Star Wars prequels also suffer from this.  To put it simple, the makers/writers of the show/franchise had become fans of their own creation, which would make their own future work 'fan fiction'.  And on average, fan fiction has a tendency to miss rather than hit.

Most people say fan fiction is bad because the people who write cannot write, but the real reason is because they are fans of something, and their first intuitive instinct becomes 'wouldn't it be cool if...?' and focus the story on that.  The films showed this fatigue in particular, because the films were almost as if they were written for the writers rather than for its viewers.  As if it was a gag that they wanted to see acted out by their favourite characters.  While the new season is not entirely that, some plots of the episodes do show signs of this fatigue.

See, most people wrongly assume that fans write fan fiction so they can share it with other fans, because the other fans already know the universe and characters, so they will not require any introduction.  But that is not the real reason, the main reason remains that the show or whatever have given an individual fan a 'cool idea' to a story involving them and despite to write this alternative scenario.  Fan fiction is often - very often - an individual process that benefits its author rather than its reader.

In the Star Wars prequels, many things seems to be 'wouldn't it be cool if a bunch of Jedis fought together?' or 'Yoda fighting with a lightsaber?'.  Maybe for you, Lucas, but wouldn't it ruin some of the magic from the original films because we never got to see that?  A similar thing is the Dominion War in Star Trek.

So you say, 'can't a creator be a fan of his own creation?' - he can, but shouldn't.  He should remain the creation's creator rather than a fan.  When he writes, he should not write for his own benefits, but rather for the creation.

And this is what I call 'fan fiction fatigue'.

[Reply #715 on:]

I always thought it was the internet that fu(ked eveything up.

[Reply #716 on:]

Just write 'fucked', it's not censured.

[Reply #717 on:]

My Top 5 favorite:

1. The Prisoner of Benda
2. Lethal Inspections
3. The Late Phillip J. Fry
4. Lrreconcilible Ndndifferences
5. Rebirth

[Reply #718 on:]

On the subject of Svip's 'wouldn't it be cool if...?' theory: Don't most episodes begin with the "wouldn't it be cool if...?" idea? E.g. wasn't Matt Groening's original idea for My Three Suns  "wouldn't it be neat, if we had a delivery boy in the future who— when he got to the planet, he drank the emperor"?

[Reply #719 on:]

On the subject of Svip's 'wouldn't it be cool if...?' theory: Don't most episodes begin with the "wouldn't it be cool if...?" idea? E.g. wasn't Matt Groening's original idea for My Three Suns  "wouldn't it be neat, if we had a delivery boy in the future who— when he got to the planet, he drank the emperor"?

Sure, most ideas start in that some of scenario, but then you have to do it with a sort of elegance, where you start writing it as if it is for the show rather than for yourself.

Listen to the commentaries of old, there are many ideas they had to scrap because they did not work for the end show.  I fear that there are few ideas they had to scrap from the new episodes.