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Author Topic: Thoughts on 6ACV13 - Futurama Holiday Spectacular - SPOILERS  (Read 40488 times)
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PEE Poll: Rating
1/10  (poor)   -20 (16.4%)
2/10   -11 (9%)
3/10   -13 (10.7%)
4/10   -6 (4.9%)
5/10   -18 (14.8%)
6/10   -17 (13.9%)
7/10   -19 (15.6%)
8/10   -7 (5.7%)
9/10   -6 (4.9%)
10/10 (great)   -5 (4.1%)
Total Members Voted: 122

Otis P Jivefunk

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« Reply #120 on: 12-09-2010 00:52 »

More so than the episode itself?...
winna

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« Reply #121 on: 12-09-2010 13:40 »

Haven't seen it yet actually....... and I don't know how I feel about that since I read Kryten's early review and his critiques are usually pretty spot on.
Morgan_G19

Liquid Emperor
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« Reply #122 on: 12-10-2010 07:18 »

I fell asleep while watching it. I don't know when I'll re-watch it just to finish the whole episode.

Spookypaws

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« Reply #123 on: 12-10-2010 17:32 »

When are we gonna see chanukah zombie again? I like him a heck of a lot better than Kwanzabot.
Svip

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« Reply #124 on: 12-10-2010 17:34 »

Ask Mark.
PumaGirl

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« Reply #125 on: 12-10-2010 19:51 »

Mhm reading the reviews doesn't make me wanna see this. But then I'm bored right now so I guess I could have a look.
Mongo

Bending Unit
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« Reply #126 on: 12-11-2010 17:51 »

What I wonder is if any of the "background information" in this episode is to be considered canon.  Obviously, the plot lines themselves are not canon, but what about (for example) there being no more petroleum oil left, so people use squirrel oil and the like.  Should that be considered canon?
Otis P Jivefunk

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« Reply #127 on: 12-11-2010 18:23 »

What I wonder is if any of the "background information" in this episode is to be considered canon.  Obviously, the plot lines themselves are not canon, but what about (for example) there being no more petroleum oil left, so people use squirrel oil and the like.  Should that be considered canon?

This is another reason I don't like this episode much at all, because it isn't clear about what it is...
Dorsal Axe

Bending Unit
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« Reply #128 on: 12-11-2010 19:23 »

I suppose it only counts if they bother raising the issue again.

Personally, I hope Cheney is canon. He is the perfect evil counterpart to evil Richard Nixon.
winna

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« Reply #129 on: 12-11-2010 19:24 »

Squirrel oil?  In Bendin' in the Wind they use whale oil based products.... I assume both can be considered canon.  Now I'm curious as to the nature of the episode though.... is it like an AOI but Holiday based?
winna

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« Reply #130 on: 12-11-2010 19:50 »

So I just watched the episode.  I didn't find it completely repulsive, although it seems rather zaney for Futurama.  It was kind of like THoH episode.... for Xmas themed adventures I guess?

The talking of the space bees was a little ridiculous, but they obviously used that to portray the queen bee as being black.  Obviously I had to hold back disbelief to a great degree to swallow it, but given the context I didn't find it overtly repugnant.

Overall, I probably won't watch this episode 7 times in a row.
Aki

Professor
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« Reply #131 on: 12-11-2010 22:43 »

I suppose it only counts if they bother raising the issue again.

Personally, I hope Cheney is canon. He is the perfect evil counterpart to evil Richard Nixon.
I too loved Cheney.
KurtPikachu2001

Urban Legend
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« Reply #132 on: 12-16-2010 21:17 »
« Last Edit on: 06-15-2011 00:49 »

OKay, I just caught the XMas specil yesterday!  I liked it a lot!  I thought the segments were really funny, even though the characters 'died' at the end of them!  My favorites were the Robonakah and the Kwanza ones!  Kept me laughing from beginning to end!  

Funny thing is, I watched this on CC yesterday while my friends were all watching Survivor!  And they thought I was watching Survivor!   Really cool Christmas episode!   5/5!   Until the next season!






Free Hot Meal

Liquid Emperor
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« Reply #133 on: 12-16-2010 23:32 »

"Best" song of the bunch...

"My favorite one's Ujamaa"
Free Hot Meal

Liquid Emperor
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« Reply #134 on: 12-25-2010 00:22 »
« Last Edit on: 12-25-2010 00:24 »

Just saw the Special again on TV last night.  While it was better the 2nd viewing after some time had passed, it was still below my high, high expectations (since their other Holiday episodes were really good).
futurefreak

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« Reply #135 on: 12-25-2010 09:52 »

Yeah it was better the second and third time. It's actually starting to grow on me.
Aki

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« Reply #136 on: 12-25-2010 12:34 »

Hm. I've only seen it twice, and it was better the second time but still not very good. So maybe I should give it a third chance.
bendingunit6

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« Reply #137 on: 12-30-2010 17:56 »

So I just watched the episode.  I didn't find it completely repulsive, although it seems rather zaney for Futurama.  It was kind of like THoH episode.... for Xmas themed adventures I guess?

Pretty much sums up what I think about the episode. I didn't really think it was that bad, but it could have been done better. I'll rewatch it though, maybe it'll grow on me sooner or later.

On the other hand, I can't wait for the next set of episodes. Wonder when they'll start airing? Just watched the "Benderama" table reading on YouTube. I don't want to bring this off-topic, so I'll end here.
DannyJC13

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« Reply #138 on: 06-30-2011 19:12 »

After re-watching the first story, I realise why some (most) may hate this ep. The story is so random and has no point at all. Really. Wat.
Aki

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« Reply #139 on: 06-30-2011 19:16 »

I don't think most _hate_ this ep. It's just really below the general Futurama quality.
DannyJC13

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« Reply #140 on: 06-30-2011 19:22 »

Taken from the Infosphere:

The episode was generally not well received among fans, and many called it both the season's and the series' worst episode.
futurefreak

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« Reply #141 on: 06-30-2011 19:27 »

At first I did not like it at all, but upon rewatching it grew on me. Perhaps the newest ones will be that same way for me again.

What I dislike is how they met their demise at the end of each one...it's like, what's going on? Is this an AOI or just some crazy happenstance?
Aki

Professor
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« Reply #142 on: 06-30-2011 19:27 »

Taken from the Infosphere:

The episode was generally not well received among fans, and many called it both the season's and the series' worst episode.

Yeah, I was the guy who wrote that. :)

My point is, I too think it's one of the worst episodes of the series, and definitely worst of the season. But it is still good TV. It is still better than most crap on the telly. It is still good. It's just not good when compared to other Futurama episodes.
transgender nerd under canada

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« Reply #143 on: 06-30-2011 19:30 »

What I wonder is if any of the "background information" in this episode is to be considered canon.

I wouldn't think so. I mean, the entire story for each segment is just a way to kill the majority of the cast off for laughs. Which wpuld be okay if any of them were funny... only the first segment had any real chuckles for me.

The segments all felt rushed, and the background stuff all felt forced... or stupid. The seed vault's contamination, for example, was a science-fail. Only deliberate genetic engineering of the pine seeds themselves would've sufficed as an explanation. Speaking of which, the whole cross-contamination thing was so anvilicious, I think it gave some third world kids somewhere cancer. Kids who have never even heard of Futurama or pine trees. Ugh. the barking snake was a decent gag, but how the fuck does a snake survive in frozen Svalbard?

There are similar problems and fails in each segment, with each segment getting progressively suckier. It just feels like they dfidn't really put any effort in.

They've also diddled themselves out of a good future plot re: the resurgence of weaponised pine trees.
I don't think most _hate_ this ep. It's just really below the general Futurama quality.

Way below. It's got a very sucky-era Simpsons feel to it, and I don't think it's one I'll be rewatching for any other reason than to find thigns to complain about. That said, it's still betyter than The Cryonic Woman. But not by much.
Who, Where, What, How?

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« Reply #144 on: 06-30-2011 20:54 »

This episode was a train wreck, nuff said!
hopie4ever

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« Reply #145 on: 07-02-2011 01:05 »

This was indeed the worst episode of the show i have seen, however it did come with the bonus of lowering my expectations to such a degree that the following three episodes have seemed very enjoyable, until i compared them to better shows (the one that follows futurama on comedy central for example)
Otis P Jivefunk

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« Reply #146 on: 07-02-2011 01:58 »

This was indeed the worst episode of the show i have seen, however it did come with the bonus of lowering my expectations to such a degree that the following three episodes have seemed very enjoyable

I guess it lowered my expectations a little too because although it was many months ago I watched it, it was that damn aftertaste! It lingered, you know what I mean? This episode sadly made me realise how low Futurama can go, and not in the clool Bender sense, but the in plain crap sense. I hope Futurama never sinks this low again, but it's happened once so who knows. There’s a place for this kind of crap, it's called The Simpsons...
SorynArkayn

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« Reply #147 on: 07-04-2011 22:28 »

Someone :rolleyes: insisted that I justify my opinion of why I thought that "Ghosts in the Machine" was worse than this admittedly terrible episode.

So here's a list of the things that I actually liked and considered funny in this episode: (I've marked the parts that I literally laughed-out-loud.)

• Narrator/Announcer’s voice-over and product placements for Gunderson’s Unshelled Nuts

Xmas
• Amy’s blatant product placement for Gunderson’s Unshelled Nuts: “It’s nut so good!”
• Santa’s line: “God rest ye merry gentlemen... in peace!” while locking and loading a machine gun on his sleigh
• Robot Santa’s song – plenty of funny lines and action during the song [LoL]
• Fry kicking Scruffy lying on the floor and saying: “Santa might’ve killed Scruffy, but he makes a good point...”
• The Professor yelling at Fry: “Cram it, Virginia!” [LoL]
• The PlanEx ship sliding and crashing on the ice, and then the crew exiting like nothing happened
• The Norwegian guard’s funny accent [LoL]
• The Germ Warfare Repository being next door to the Seed Vault, and having an open window flapping in the wind
• The guard’s explanation of how the pine trees became extinct because they were chopped down for toilet paper during the “50 Year Squirts”
• President Nixon’s Head’s presidential limo running over Tinny Tim [LoL]
• Vice-President Dick Cheney’s Head ordering Nixon to “steal that tree!” [LoL]
• Bender’s cigar ignites the Earth’s oxygen over-saturated atmosphere and burns the entire planet [LoL]

Robanukah
• Bender shouting, “I’m talking about Robanukah! The holiest six and a half weeks long in the Robot calendar.”
• Bender’s Robonukah song – not one of the better Futurama songs, but it had some mildly funny parts
• The fembot saying, “Not in the hair, please. I just had it did,” in either a New Jersey or Staten Island accent [LoL]
• The Mombil station fuel attendant’s yokel accent
• Al Gore’s Head asking for change for a Nobel Peace Prize
• Professor saying that there could be oil buried in the Earth, but a pressure’s so dangerously high – then Bender interrupting, honking the horn, and shouting, “Let’s go already!” [LoL]
• Leela saying, “Setting Bachman Turners to overdrive.”
• The gag about the Albino Humping Worm [LoL]
• Bender’s acting when he calls Leela “you vile racist”; then him admitting that any oil will do; then the crew getting crushed and killed, and Bender saying, “Not my fault.”
• Bender’s acting when he discovers that the petroleum oil used for fembot oil wrestling lasted for 500 million years – and that the PlanEx crew died for nothing

Kwanzaa
• Barbados Slim’s rhyming line, “Like the ever changing nature of my sexual proclivities,” – the only funny part in the Kwanzaa song [LoL]
• Kwanzaa bot saying: “Who the hell knows?” if it’s the last night of Kwanza
• Petunia’s lines [LoL]
• Fry’s line: “Like the deadly Prius.”
• Bender insulting the Queen Bee
• The Bees’ impressions [LoL]

• Al Gore’s wrap-up of the episode

This episode was very disappointing, and one of of the series' worst. However, I count more than twice as many LoL gags in this episode, compared to the abysmal "Ghosts in the Machine" episode.

The crucial difference is that this episode provided new musical numbers, whereas the worst episode teased us with songs, but refused to deliver them. This episode's songs weren't the best, but a few mediocre songs are better than none at all.
cyber_turnip

Urban Legend
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« Reply #148 on: 07-04-2011 23:12 »

I thought this episode's songs were dreadful and I'd rather be teased with no full songs at all than be subjected to three embarrassingly bad songs.

That said, I too laughed at Dick Cheney ordering Nixon to steal the tree and the albino humping worm gag... although that's pretty much it.
Aki

Professor
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« Reply #149 on: 07-04-2011 23:16 »

I was really disappointed with the songs on this as well. No one of them struck me as rememberable, and while there were some good jokes they overall seemed... well, thrown in there without much thought. Not at all like the other Futurama songs throughout the first run.
AdrenalinDragon

Starship Captain
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« Reply #150 on: 07-05-2011 00:01 »

I rewatched this episode last night and still think it's really bad. You know what? With less than 5 minutes of it being funny I'm definatly going to be putting this one on the bottom of my list now. Even Attack Of The Killer App and That Darn Katz, two of which I previously considered worse than this episode, are much funnier than this!
Aki

Professor
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« Reply #151 on: 07-05-2011 00:05 »

I rewatched it last night (I went through all episodes with commentary, since I just got my Volume 5 DVD set), and it seemed better this time than last. Still a bad episode compared to Futurama standards, but still fun.
jeepdavetj

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« Reply #152 on: 07-05-2011 00:08 »

My biggest issue with this episode, if felt like they took the lazy way our to throw together a Xmas episode. Didn't seem like a lot of thought went into it.
SorynArkayn

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« Reply #153 on: 07-05-2011 03:03 »

My biggest issue with this episode, if felt like they took the lazy way our to throw together a Xmas episode. Didn't seem like a lot of thought went into it.

I think it was apparent that they didn't have a great idea for a whole Xmas episode, so they opted to write three one-act stories instead, like the Anthology of Interest episodes. But none of those stories was good, and together they formed a horrid gestalt that was one of Futurama's worst episodes.

The three-story episodes only work for the Anthology of Interest episodes. If Futurama is going to have a Xmas episode, it deserves to be one whole story. And most importantly, it has to be funny and entertaining!
Gorky

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« Reply #154 on: 07-05-2011 03:46 »

It doesn't surprise me that the writers have exhausted all their half-hour-worthy Christmas episode ideas. They did "Xmas Story," which is a more emotional, sort of feel-good take on the holiday; and they did "A Tale of Two Santas," which is an all-out, bloody, hilarious farce. Sort of polar opposites.

Robot Santa himself is a really one-note character, so I'm glad that his appearance in the Xmas segment of the Holiday Spectacular was relatively small. I wouldn't be disappointed if we never get another Xmas episode. A New Year's episode would be cool, though (and the last few minutes of BBS don't count as one, though I do enjoy them).
flesheatingbull

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« Reply #155 on: 07-05-2011 04:05 »

i thought that the second segment was hilarious. a few friends of mine agree, as well.

"I thought they were selfish, but in the end, it turns out it was I who thought they were selfish."

now that is an awesome line.

i also loved the line by farnsworth about god talking through bender. it was well delivered.
SorynArkayn

Bending Unit
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« Reply #156 on: 07-05-2011 05:37 »

It doesn't surprise me that the writers have exhausted all their half-hour-worthy Christmas episode ideas. They did "Xmas Story," which is a more emotional, sort of feel-good take on the holiday; and they did "A Tale of Two Santas," which is an all-out, bloody, hilarious farce. Sort of polar opposites.

Robot Santa himself is a really one-note character, so I'm glad that his appearance in the Xmas segment of the Holiday Spectacular was relatively small. I wouldn't be disappointed if we never get another Xmas episode. A New Year's episode would be cool, though (and the last few minutes of BBS don't count as one, though I do enjoy them).

I don't think that the Futurama well has run dry regarding new Xmas Story ideas. I think what happened was that none of the three stories were good or grand enough to be a whole episode, so they decided to make them into one-act stories instead.

I'm not a professional comedy writer, but here's my (half-baked) idea for a new Xmas episode of Futurama: A reversal of "The Nightmare Before Christmas" wherein an apparently good and wholesome character restores Christmas, instead of Xmas, and stops Robot Santa's annual rampage. Of course, this "savior" of Christmas proves to be worse than Robot Santa -- and possibly a diabolical creation of Mom's Friendly Robot Company -- so the PlanEx crew must rescue Robot Santa and together they fight to stop Mom's new creation.

Admittedly, the new Xmas story that I described isn't inherently funny, but I think it could be a whole episode, and it has plenty of potential for jokes, parodies, musical numbers, and action.

Ignoring my suggestion, I think that the Futurama writers just need to come up with a new whole-episode Xmas story, instead of another three-story episode.
spira

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« Reply #157 on: 07-05-2011 06:55 »

I find it interesting how many people really hated the special. I liked the special. Then again, I didn't really spend three months waiting for it, nor did I check the countdown, nor was I super hyped up about it, because I'd just become a fan and was busy renting the first three seasons. Ah, I'm a noob. But since I watched it just lumped in with the rest of Season 6, I didn't have really high expectations for it. I think there's humor throughout it and that all three of the songs are pretty good. Not Devil's Hands good, and probably not even as good as that song in Tale of Two Santas, but good.

I definitely agree that the second segment was the funniest, but that could just be because Robanukah is just amusing in and of itself and always has been.

Iunno. It's not among my top twenty or anything, but I thought the non-canon-ness of it was fun and I gave it a 7/10.
cyber_turnip

Urban Legend
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« Reply #158 on: 07-05-2011 07:11 »
« Last Edit on: 07-05-2011 07:14 »

Soryn, your new idea for an Xmas episode is basically just 'A Tale of Two Santas' again. Fry wanted to restore Xmas to its old ways with Leela and Bender and it backfired, that's the gist of it. I think there's plenty of potential for more Xmas episodes, although Robot Santa probably should be kept minimal in them.
I also think that in theory, the Holiday Spectacular was a great idea. Three holiday-themed segments, one about Xmas, one about Robunnukah (sp?) and one about Kwanzaa? A song in each? Kwanzaabot making a return? Fantastic if you ask me. It's just the execution of it all that was terrible.

The reason the songs suck is the lack of any real melody. There's some nice lyrics in them, but they all feel so clunkily crammed into the music that's written -seriously, half of the lyrics don't fit the rhythm of the music. Plus the singing... the characters' singing is all really below their previous quality -particularly in the Xmas song in the first segment. There's no energy to it. When the Professor sings his line about sending whatever it was directly to Santa's ass, I cringe. It sounds horrible and lifeless -like someone singing along to a song whilst on their own rather than a performance.
SorynArkayn

Bending Unit
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« Reply #159 on: 07-05-2011 11:03 »
« Last Edit on: 07-05-2011 11:10 »

Soryn, your new idea for an Xmas episode is basically just 'A Tale of Two Santas' again. Fry wanted to restore Xmas to its old ways with Leela and Bender and it backfired, that's the gist of it.

I should explain: The difference would be that neither Fry nor the PlanEx crew would be the instigators of the plot. Instead, the "savior" of Christmas would pre-emptively incapacitate Robot Santa, and probably reprogram/enslave him -- along with Hannukah Zombie and Kwanzaa Bot, possibly. (And that might not be revealed until later in the story.)

Instead, the "savior" would begin by restoring Xmas to Christmas, and everyone would be happy at first; but there'd be subtle indicators foreboding that not all is well. Perhaps the savior would blast anyone who isn't expressing the holiday spirit with a "De-Grinching Ray Gun" or something, which re-dresses the victim in holiday-themed costumes, and might brainwash them. Then it might be revealed that Mom is the "savior's" secret benefactor, and her diabolical plan is to indefinitely prolong the gift-giving (i.e. gift buying) season so that consumers will buy more of Mom's products. And of course the PlanEx crew would deduce that something was wrong and be the ones who spear-headed the opposition to the "savior" and Mom. The PlanEx crew would liberate and restore Robot Santa, Hannuhah Zombie, and Kwanzaa Bot, and together they'd defeat Mom and her minions.

[Edit]
Oh! What if part of plot was that Santa hats were distributed with Brain Slugs hidden inside them, which assimilated victims to the "savior's" point of view. I think that would be a clever way to re-introduce the brain slugs and use them in service to the plot.
[End edit]

I know it's not the greatest Futurama story ever told ;), but I think it is different than "A Tale of Two Santas", and could be the basis of a new Xmas Story episode.

I think there's plenty of potential for more Xmas episodes, although Robot Santa probably should be kept minimal in them.

I disagree that Robot Santa should be kept to a minimal. If the plot of this hypothetical new Xmas episode includes Robot Santa, his character should have as prominent a role as is necessary.

I really like the character of Robot Santa. I suspect you may have grown tired of him because of how disappointing "The Futurama Holiday Spectacular" was.

I also think that in theory, the Holiday Spectacular was a great idea. Three holiday-themed segments, one about Xmas, one about Robunnukah (sp?) and one about Kwanzaa? A song in each? Kwanzaabot making a return? Fantastic if you ask me. It's just the execution of it all that was terrible.

Agreed: Good in theory, but terribly executed.

The reason the songs suck is the lack of any real melody. There's some nice lyrics in them, but they all feel so clunkily crammed into the music that's written -seriously, half of the lyrics don't fit the rhythm of the music. Plus the singing... the characters' singing is all really below their previous quality -particularly in the Xmas song in the first segment. There's no energy to it. When the Professor sings his line about sending whatever it was directly to Santa's ass, I cringe. It sounds horrible and lifeless -like someone singing along to a song whilst on their own rather than a performance.

Yes, the songs weren't great -- they got progressively worse -- but I thought that they had some funny parts to them. You're right that the melody and singing were poor.

That list I made was simply to indicate the few parts that I liked, which pertained to another topic. I wasn't claiming that the Futurama Holiday Spectacular was good or that I thought that the songs were well done. Absolutely not.
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