Thoughts on 6ACV07 - The late Philip J. Fry - SPOILERS

[Reply #280 on:]

It's not emotional resonance I'm trying to preserve by insisting that the time model portrayed is cyclical, it's the sense-making and scientific integrity of the episode (and the show as a whole).

I know that, but my point is that, until someone actually invents a forward time machine and sticks it out to the end of the universe, nothing that happened in this episode is any more or less scientifically accurate than what might happen in our own world. I'm sure the writers left the whole thing kind of ambiguous deliberately to spark such debate, but ultimately I've got to agree with FOA: people are gonna believe what makes them happy. I mentioned emotional resonance because that's still in tact no matter what you choose to believe scientifically, and being a girl full of girlish thoughts and feelings, I care a lot about, uh, caring about the characters.

How did the Tard... Forward Time Machine manage to stay in one spot (New New York) all the time where "one spot" was moving around the Earth's axis, the sun, the galaxy, etc. throughout time. And yet, it was also at the Luitpoldarena in Nürnberg. I think we don't have a full understanding of what the Time Machine can do

I assumed that the time machine stayed in one spot (which would explain why Leela receives the card, Fry taking a walk and discovering the Cavern on the Green, and why the PE crew is able to witness the building's construction and all of the events from previous episodes on their second pass through the universe), but that whole killing Hitler thing does make me question that. Didn't Farnsworth get out of the time machine to do it, though? And can't we assume that it's a far-reaching laser? Maybe he just stood on the coast overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, fired, and hoped for the best. And that would explain why he accidentally killed Eleanor Roosevelt the second time though, because she could have been in New York at the time and Farnsworth was only shooting through the window.

[/bullshit explanation]

[Reply #281 on:]

its also impossible absurd even for futurama standards (ship moves the entire universe arround.. etc)

Correct me if I'm wrong, but after that episode aired, didn't some scientist come out with a theory that basically said if they ever crack long-space journeys, that'll be how? They weren't referencing the episode, it was just a case of life immitating art.

I'll go with the linearly repeating multiple bang theory myself and be more perplexed with the space component of space-time travel. How did the Tard... Forward Time Machine manage to stay in one spot (New New York) all the time where "one spot" was moving around the Earth's axis, the sun, the galaxy, etc. throughout time. And yet, it was also at the Luitpoldarena in Nürnberg. I think we don't have a full understanding of what the Time Machine can do

It's completely possible that the time machine was programmed to travel relative to that position on Earth, but that it could also be driven around when they felt like it.

considering that spot involved Germany at one point , or the very spot where "that fish" went into dry land  , i think "how it stayed in the same place" is not the main problem

It might not have been the first fish to do it, just one that did it in front of where they were.

[Reply #282 on:]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but after that episode aired, didn't some scientist come out with a theory that basically said if they ever crack long-space journeys, that'll be how? They weren't referencing the episode, it was just a case of life immitating art.

I was saying absurd in a good way.. not critizing.. 

 A theory that states that a ship can move the entire universe arround? where?.

And i was saying absurd in a fun way.. Red Dward has also moments like that , the 3million year plot, the fact that at some point the ship goes to light speed wich involves more time contraction.. times when one character gets trapped 600 years due to some worm hole distortion but for the others only 6 minutes went by.. etc
Futurama is clearly "having absurd fun with the science we know today"

[Reply #283 on:]

 

[Reply #284 on:]

Did anyone notice that when Planet Express was depicted in 3030, the classic PE Ship was extended in the middle similar to a stretch limo by some kind of boxy structure. Was that a visual gag?

If yes, what was it referencing? Because I didn't get it.

[Reply #285 on:]

That they were more successful?  I don't think it was referring anything, other than to illustrate they now had success and could make all sorts of express ships.

[Reply #286 on:]

The point was that it was a much bigger ship and thus could carry more cargo which shows that they're delivering a lot more than they used to.

[Reply #287 on:]

It's cool how in this episode, the 3030 planet express building was amazing, and then in 3050 (I think that's the year) The Planet Express building made the 3030 one look like a little shed.

[Reply #288 on:]

Did anyone notice that when Planet Express was depicted in 3030, the classic PE Ship was extended in the middle similar to a stretch limo by some kind of boxy structure. Was that a visual gag?

If yes, what was it referencing? Because I didn't get it.

I didn't get that either, it looked like a Tetris block. There has to be something to it.

[Reply #289 on:]

I think Frisco17 nailed it, I'm pretty sure it's some sort of extra cargo module. It immediately reminded me of those long, boxy cargo shuttles we briefly see in the first Star Trek movie...

[Reply #290 on:]

That they were more successful?  I don't think it was referring anything, other than to illustrate they now had success and could make all sorts of express ships.

I understand that Planet Express became super successful after Leela took over, hence the larger PE building and dozens of spaceships.

This is Futurama we're talking about, so I'm fairly sure that it's an obscure visual gag referenced from somewhere. After all, only that one PE Ship was modified with that middle extension; all of the other PE Ships were the classic design.

[Reply #291 on:]

This is what it reminded me of. Though if they were actually referencing something, it probably wasn't Star Trek: The Motion Picture...

[Reply #292 on:]

This episode was great but im starting to get disapointed with the humor of the new season. The storyline has been great don't get me wrong. What i haven't seen yet is something that has made my stomach hurt because i was laughing so hard like i saw with soo many of the episodes of season 4. It was a great episode but i guess im looking for a bit more.

[Reply #293 on:]

This is what it reminded me of. Though if they were actually referencing something, it probably wasn't Star Trek: The Motion Picture...

If we talk about modular ships it reminded me more of this:










Wich all are modules intersected between the basic fighter ship..

But that PE heavy ship wasnt modular.. it seemed made that way.. for example the dorsal turret was over the bridge, the wings are bigger, engines far bigger.. etc
Its clearly a heavy freighter..

[Reply #294 on:]

This episode was great but im starting to get disapointed with the humor of the new season. The storyline has been great don't get me wrong. What i haven't seen yet is something that has made my stomach hurt because i was laughing so hard like i saw with soo many of the episodes of season 4. It was a great episode but i guess im looking for a bit more.

I guess it depends on the viewer, but I laughed that hard when I heard the parody of "In the Year 2525." The fact that someone would parody that song was just brilliant. Especially since I consider the original to be one of the worst songs ever (in that "MacArthur Park," so-bad-it's-hilarious kind of way).

[Reply #295 on:]

Hitler says (I think, the last word is hard to make out) "Look at my mustache" in somewhat awkward German (google-translated?): "Betrachten Sie meinen Schnurrbart."

He actually says: Mustache-beard. (i'm dutch so i knew the last word. but i think mustache works better

I loved this bit.  Leave it to Futurama to wring just the right amount of humor out of the vile little corporal. 

[Reply #296 on:]

Oh, you kids.  There's an advantage to being old as dirt - you remember things from long ago.  There was a British Sci-Fi TV program that ran from 1975 to 1979 named SPACE: 1999.  Long story short, their main transportation was a Ship Class named Eagle.



I recognized it immediately but I was waiting on any other ancient piece of flesh (Cap't Skusking, Crash_7 or Filthy Crab) to ID it first.

I may have to see if there are episodes of this show available.  From a science viewpoint, it was horrible, but from my formative teenaged sci-fi geek years, it was the only sci-fi TV available other than reruns of Star Trek and Lost In Space.

[Reply #297 on:]

Was anyone else hoping to see a restaurant during the end of the universe?

Great call! I didn't think of this at the time of watching it, but in hindsight... this would have been an excellent opportunity to reference one of the all time great scifi comedies (from another all time great scifi comedy)!

It certainly reminded me of it ... Maybe the Time Machine was "The Bar At The End of the Universe"? Of course, TRATEOTU served alcohol as well ...

No one seems to have mentioned cryonics in the thread (other than via TCW). After all, Futurama started off with that "one-way time machine"!

ATDSFAI

[Reply #298 on:]

I got the Time Machine reference, specifically the way the Professor's forward-only time machine was operated by a lever instead of something more modern or precise -- but that's the point in a comedy show. Although, the control lever was obviously modeled after an old fashioned ship's bridge telegraph (throttle control) -- which was a strange choice, since that device had controls for travelling backwards.

Maybe we'll learn the "official" answer of the 3030 PE Ship's obscure visual gag in the "Season 7" DVD commentary.

[Reply #299 on:]

Did anyone notice that when Planet Express was depicted in 3030, the classic PE Ship was extended in the middle similar to a stretch limo by some kind of boxy structure. Was that a visual gag?

If yes, what was it referencing? Because I didn't get it.

Planet Express in general terms is the same as Federal Express... the boxy parts are containers for freight.  The similarity was also made in the episode with That 80's Guy to an even greater degree: PlanEx.

I thought this was a pretty sweet episode.

[Reply #300 on:]

So Fry was right all along.... time is cyclical and he can always just freeze himself again.

More evidence for my general dissertation on Fry not being as stupid as people believe him to be!

[Reply #301 on:]

I fully understood the parody of Federal Express being Planet Express in Futurama; I got that way back in episode two of Season 1. But if you're correct about the FedEx freight containers, I didn't get that. I don't see how anyone could, unless they're familiar with FedEx or air freight; which seems like a poor choice for a visual gag.

Usually the obscure visual gags are references to classic sci-fi or mathematics or science; which is why I'm kind of disappointed by this one.

[Reply #302 on:]

So Fry was right all along.... time is cyclical and he can always just freeze himself again.

Actually, Fry couldn't get back to the year 2000 by freezing himself again because he'd be killed when the Universe ended (or, more likely, way before then.)

Also, the only time Fry ever referred to time being cyclical was when he said it was a straight line.

[Reply #303 on:]

Long story short... I'm not sure it's so much a visual "gag" as it is a general picture of what the Planet Express ship would look like if it were to perform the actual intention of its purpose.  Thusly, the difference in looks is actually form fitting to function.

True enough Jezzem on your first point... but his general assumption was correct; he just didn't have the technology to accomplish that particular goal until the Forward Time Machine was built.  Sort of like DaVinci developing flight machines that couldn't actually work... the premise was correct, the exposition not so much. Fry's assertion that time is cyclical, however, suggests that he might have a better understanding of how the Universe actually functions than most. 

[Reply #304 on:]

So Fry was right all along.... time is cyclical and he can always just freeze himself again.

Actually, Fry couldn't get back to the year 2000 by freezing himself again because he'd be killed when the Universe ended (or, more likely, way before then.)

Also, the only time Fry ever referred to time being cyclical was when he said it was a straight line.

Not true. At one point in an earlier episode he asserts that if he ever wants to go back to the 20th Century, he'll just freeze himself again.

[Reply #305 on:]

I fully understood the parody of Federal Express being Planet Express in Futurama; I got that way back in episode two of Season 1. But if you're correct about the FedEx freight containers, I didn't get that. I don't see how anyone could, unless they're familiar with FedEx or air freight; which seems like a poor choice for a visual gag.

Usually the obscure visual gags are references to classic sci-fi or mathematics or science; which is why I'm kind of disappointed by this one.

As unfamiliar as I am with ancient sci-fi and haulage in general, I understood it to be a take on both Space 1999 and FedEx. Pretty subtle, but not every joke in Futurama is mathematical or scientific. Occasionally they'll pull something out of the world we live in.

[Reply #306 on:]

So Fry was right all along.... time is cyclical and he can always just freeze himself again.

Actually, Fry couldn't get back to the year 2000 by freezing himself again because he'd be killed when the Universe ended (or, more likely, way before then.)

Also, the only time Fry ever referred to time being cyclical was when he said it was a straight line.

Not true. At one point in an earlier episode he asserts that if he ever wants to go back to the 20th Century, he'll just freeze himself again.

Uh...the part about the cryochamber being destroyed at the end of the universe (if not way before then) poses severe problems for this interpretation.  Fry might as well have said that he could return to the 20th century by committing suicide, or by just living his normal life and dying.

It's more likely that Fry was just being comically dense when he made that comment.

[Reply #307 on:]

So Fry was right all along.... time is cyclical and he can always just freeze himself again.

Actually, Fry couldn't get back to the year 2000 by freezing himself again because he'd be killed when the Universe ended (or, more likely, way before then.)

Also, the only time Fry ever referred to time being cyclical was when he said it was a straight line.

Not true. At one point in an earlier episode he asserts that if he ever wants to go back to the 20th Century, he'll just freeze himself again.

Uh...the part about the cryochamber being destroyed at the end of the universe (if not way before then) poses severe problems for this interpretation. 

Yes, but my point was that Fry has mentioned this before... not that he could do it.

[Reply #308 on:]

Ok.

But if Fry had some vague idea that it might be possible to travel forward in time to another iteration of the universe, wouldn't he have mentioned it in the year 1 billion when the Professor declared that all life was gone?  He knows that the time machine is unaffected by the physical universe and wouldn't have feared being destroyed.  Being stuck in the lifeless future wouldn't have seemed so hopeless.  Fry seems to think that the present universe is the only one they get.

[Reply #309 on:]

Ok.

But if Fry had some vague idea that it might be possible to travel forward in time to another iteration of the universe, wouldn't he have mentioned it in the year 1 billion when the Professor declared that all life was gone?  He knows that the time machine is unaffected by the physical universe and wouldn't have feared being destroyed.  Being stuck in the lifeless future wouldn't have seemed so hopeless.  Fry seems to think that the present universe is the only one they get.

Just because Fry assumed that time was cyclical earlier in Futurama doesn't mean he predicted what happened in this episode -- it was just one of the countless dumb things Fry has said over the years. And don't forget, he reversed his position in "The Cryonic Woman" when he told the freezer guy who wanted to meet Shakespeare that time wasn't cyclical, but a straight line.

I'm certain that Fry, Bender, and the Professor assumed that when they reached the end of universe, that was it. That's why their blasé attitude was so funny and ironically appropriate, that they chose to commemorate the ocassion by cracking open a few beers and toasting the end of everything. It was a remarkably dignified way to go out.

Perhaps the Professor was familiar with the theory of "The Big Crunch" (the theory that after the universe ceases its expansion that the process will reverse and it will gradually collapse on itself and form a universal singularity), but I doubt he believed that there would be a second Big Bang and the universe would be re-created exactly as it was before. That's simply what happened in the episode; and it was a contrivance to explain how the three of them returned to their time after they failed to acquire a Backward-Time Machine.

[Reply #310 on:]

I'm going to piss everyone off. Time is neither a straight line nor cyclical its a mobius strip. lol I R trollin.

[Reply #311 on:]

It's spelt 'Möbius', gurl.

[Reply #312 on:]

Surely it being a mobius strip would make it cyclical.


Yes, I know you were joking.

[Reply #313 on:]

So Fry was right all along.... time is cyclical and he can always just freeze himself again.

Actually, Fry couldn't get back to the year 2000 by freezing himself again because he'd be killed when the Universe ended (or, more likely, way before then.)

Also, the only time Fry ever referred to time being cyclical was when he said it was a straight line.

Not true. At one point in an earlier episode he asserts that if he ever wants to go back to the 20th Century, he'll just freeze himself again.

Yeah, but he wasn't implying that time was cyclical, it was just supposed to be one of those random Fry lines where he says something stupid. I was talking about when he said to the guy in The Cryonic Woman that time wasn't cyclical. Not that Fry saying that is evidence towards the theory that time isn't cyclical and they're in a new Universe that's the same as their old one nor is it evidence for the "time is cyclical" theory because, as we all know, Fry wouldn't have known if time was cyclical at that time anyway.

My point was more that Fry wasn't correct about time being cyclical because he never explicitly said that it is.

[Reply #314 on:]

This is my favourite review:

#176 by Mili     
   I am pondering about never watching Futurama again. Seriously.

This cartoon has given me more entertainment than any other show I ever have followed. I have seen every single Futurama episode at least 10 times, But in reality I'm trying to lower the number so that I don't seem to have no life .

Every episode has been quirky, and different in it's own special way. Some were better, some were genial (the sting), and some were there to pass time.

And so I watch this one and decide to stop watching Futurama. To me this episode can't be surpassed, it sucked me in like a giant black hole while I wished that the ride would go on for 3 hours. It literally gave me chills for the last 10 minutes, that's how good it was.

This feeling I have only had once before in my life (when watching a movie), from Braveheart, when the boy receives a rose from the girl as he stands at his father's grave, and when Mel Gibson shouts "Freedom" in the end.

That has never been surpassed for me in movies, and this episode will in all likelihood never be surpassed by a superior Futurama part down the line. This is it for me with this show.

Thanks for the makers of all episodes, and for the ones that made this one, I give infinity over 10. Unbelieavable uniqueness, creativity, charm.

Mili gave 5 points

[Reply #315 on:]

I wonder how the profesor was so sure that the "second" universe (for all we know it was the "inifinte-th universe") was identical to the first ... it could be quite different in many details or time could be a loop and that universe be the same before only "played" again

[Reply #316 on:]

I wonder how the profesor was so sure that the "second" universe (for all we know it was the "inifinte-th universe") was identical to the first ... it could be quite different in many details or time could be a loop and that universe be the same before only "played" again

Well, he based that on the fact that the Sun and Earth was forming right in front of them, which means there were at the exact same location.  Given the vastness of space; this is very unlikely for it to reoccur in the space twice.  If the universes weren't identical.  Give what occurred on the newformed Earth, his theory was ever confirmed.

[Reply #317 on:]

great, great, great

loved the 2525 parody song and was also very touched by the story.  I like how in BBS it showed what Fry's life was without Leela andthis showed Leela's life without Fry.  Hands down the best ofthe new eps and very much in tune with the series as a whole

[Reply #318 on:]

I'm going to piss everyone off. Time is neither a straight line nor cyclical its a mobius strip. lol I R trollin.

More like a klein bottle.

Anyways... Fry says and does dumb things so that others around him will feel better about themselves.  In actuality, he's a genius of the highest caliber and understands the Universe completely, and also he plays chess with God when no one is looking.

[Reply #319 on:]

It would have been funny if the title of the book that our heroes burned in 3030 was actually: "Backwards Time Travel for Dummies" ... It would also tie in with DVC, where Fry and the Professor are both viewed as being dummies.