More thoughts on Season 6 - SPOILERS!

[Reply #40 on:]

I did not expect a "real" Xmas episode, but I did expect a "real" AoI episode, which they didn't deliver. The episode did grow on me, but still ranks very low, which is disappointing seeing as the storylines to some extent had great possibilities.

[Reply #41 on:]

Yeah, I don't get the hate for the Holiday Spectacular either. I mean, I can understand people not liking it that much, but there seems to be a lot of "THAT WAS THE WORST THING OF ANYTHING EVER! SOMEONE KILL THE WRITERS! I'M SO FUCKING ANGRY FOR NO REASON!" Going on, even though there were worse episodes (in the original series and in Season 6) than this one. Maybe lots of people were expecting a more regular Christmas episode type of thing rather than a non-canon Anthology of Interest thing, I don't know.

What other people think of episodes doesn't really bother me that much, it just seems like lots of people are really overreacting.

what episode was worst from the original episodes? WRONG!


what's that? WRONG!
what episode? WRONG!

[Reply #42 on:]

The only episode worse than that holiday episode is Attack of the Killer App. It was terrible.

[Reply #43 on:]

I did not expect a "real" Xmas episode, but I did expect a "real" AoI episode, which they didn't deliver. The episode did grow on me, but still ranks very low, which is disappointing seeing as the storylines to some extent had great possibilities.

No one promised to deliver a "real" AoI episode. They said it would be a holiday episode in the style of an AoI episode (i.e., three non-canon segments). If it were meant to be a "real" AoI episode, the title probably would have referenced that and so I would have also expected a "real" AoI episode, but it didn't and it wasn't and so I wasn't disappointed.

Actually... I haven't seen anyone being "so" aggressive on that matter.
(I must be blind...)

I'd say that:

But if Michael Rowe writes "Futurama Reincarnation", I'm going to kill myself.

... Is pretty aggressive.

what episode was worst from the original episodes? WRONG!


what's that? WRONG!
what episode? WRONG!

Wait, are you really asking me what the worst episode from the original run is or are you just making some kind of joke in reference to my overreaction comment?

[Reply #44 on:]

I don't get why the all the hate for Attack of the Killer App. After seeing the first two I had a disappointingly low opinion of the series and what it was turning into, then App with its random hilarity and Mom plot brought me back in again. I was seriously worried in the beginning that this show was just going to agitate me now. The Susan Boil thing was funny the first time, but it won't hold up in future watchings. That I think they could have improved upon. And that vomiting diarrhea creature...it was starting to look like a FG episode. But the main plot I really enjoyed.

[Reply #45 on:]

I don't know what people dislike about Michael Rowe so much.  "Spectacular" was just okay but his other two (regular half-hour) episodes are really funny, IMO.  But also, with a show that's written as collaboratively as Futurama, the writing credit really isn't necessarily a 100 percent indication of that particular writer anyway.

[Reply #46 on:]

I did not expect a "real" Xmas episode, but I did expect a "real" AoI episode, which they didn't deliver. The episode did grow on me, but still ranks very low, which is disappointing seeing as the storylines to some extent had great possibilities.

No one promised to deliver a "real" AoI episode. They said it would be a holiday episode in the style of an AoI episode (i.e., three non-canon segments). If it were meant to be a "real" AoI episode, the title probably would have referenced that and so I would have also expected a "real" AoI episode, but it didn't and it wasn't and so I wasn't disappointed.

I didn't mean a real AoI ep as in featuring the What-If machine and all that, I meant a real AoI ep in that it had the same style, and yes, that was promised. These stories were too rushed and seemed like the staff wanting to include only callbacks and no new storylines and jokes.

[Reply #47 on:]

I didn't mean a real AoI ep as in featuring the What-If machine and all that, I meant a real AoI ep in that it had the same style, and yes, that was promised.

Then I'm even more confused by your dislike of the episode. This was the same style as the AoI episodes. three segments that go by so quickly that they barely make any sense and are just silly and hilarious.

[Reply #48 on:]

For my 2 cents on why I didn't like the new xmas episode, I just didn't find it funny. That's it. I'm not bothered whether or not it was a 'traditional' xmas ep, or whether or not it was not similar enough to the AOI episodes. The main reason I hated the ep is because I found the jokes really stupid and most importantly not funny. That is it's biggest crime, and I stick by my decision in saying that it's my number 1 least favourite futurama episode ever.

[Reply #49 on:]

Then I'm even more confused by your dislike of the episode. This was the same style as the AoI episodes. three segments that go by so quickly that they barely make any sense and are just silly and hilarious.

If you read what I wrote after what you quoted, maybe you would understand. It was too rushed, especially the first segment, and there were too few good jokes. I would also have preferred a frame, like the crew sitting around telling eachother the stories. It would have fit if they had just skipped the songs.

[Reply #50 on:]

I didn't mean a real AoI ep as in featuring the What-If machine and all that, I meant a real AoI ep in that it had the same style, and yes, that was promised.

Then I'm even more confused by your dislike of the episode. This was the same style as the AoI episodes. three segments that go by so quickly that they barely make any sense and are just silly and hilarious.

You aren't as smart as you used to be.  The reason why AoI episodes succeeds and this one failed is because AoI episode has a premise for each segment and this episode failed at presenting its premise, which lead to issues with understanding each segment.

I doubt many people would have liked the AoI episodes if each segment wasn't introduced with a question.  'Why the hell is Bender suddenly a giant robot?!'

[Reply #51 on:]

The reason why AoI episodes succeeds and this one failed is because AoI episode has a premise for each segment and this episode failed at presenting its premise, which lead to issues with understanding each segment.

Not sure I agree with you there, Svip. I think the premises in the holiday spectacular were presented (albeit, they weren't as straight-forward in their presentation as were those in the other two AOI episodes). The reason the episode falls so flat, for me at least, is that it is just plain unfunny; though the second segment was easily the best of the three, it still wasn't on-par with an episode like, say, "In-A-Gadda-Da-Leela" or "The Duh-Vinci Code" (which I loved but know others view as sub-par). It confuses callbacks for lazy writing (I hate the Kwanzaa segment for how casually it reuses (and sullies the good name of) "The Sting"), which I thought was kind of an overarching problem all season (see also: "Rebirth", what with the irreversible comas and the robot girlfriends). The entire thing just felt sloppy; it's not that I didn't understand the conceit of having three unrelated segments about Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa--it's that I didn't think the writers pulled it off as well as they did the other AOIs (or even the other S6 episodes). It was the holiday season; the premise for the episode was implicit, so I don't think it required wrap-arounds like the other AOIs to drive the premise home or provide some way to link the segments. Again, I just think the writing was lousy, plain and simple.

[Reply #52 on:]

@Svip: Quite true. Also with the What-If machine you know it's not real, so if the characters die then who cares. I was just confused what Futuramaverse this one was since they all ate it at the end of each segment. It was more like a comic book special if anything else.

That's not saying that after watching it again I didn't like it. I enjoyed it more the second and third time around, you gotta take it for what it is, a Holiday special with random hilarity, nothing more...it's not claiming itself to be deep or profound like the Late Philip J. Fry.

[Reply #53 on:]

Perhaps, Gorky, but I still contend that the reason the episode failed for me was due to its failure to present its frame/premise accordingly.  Some quick stories were just slung at you.

Now now, I will admit, I did chuckle occasionally, and I have not been such a harsh critic of this episode.  The problem, in my mind, is that each segment needs to explain the premise themselves, which usually takes a lot of time (or in most episodes, act 1), but in regular AoI episodes, this is resolved in one line of dialogue, and due to the premise of a regular AoI episode, you accept it.

But even the writers knew the viewers wouldn't accept it just as quickly, so they need to spend some time establishing the premise then get to the point and then it was all over.

Add to that that stories weren't particularly fresh or interesting.  I suppose the idea of too much oxygen is worth a chuckle, but definitely had been done better.

It sounds more like a thing for Robot Chicken:  'What if there was too much oxygen?' > Cut to a man lighting a smoke > BOOM! > Next segment.

I agree with you as well, futurefreak, that the episode doesn't claim to be deep and thought provoking but just mindless fun, which is why I don't hate it.  But from a writing perspective, I am certain it could have been better with a better frame for the episode.

Also, Gorky, more paragraphs please, your wall of text is hard to read.

[Reply #54 on:]

the conceit of having three unrelated segments

Take that, writers!

[Reply #55 on:]

If you read what I wrote after what you quoted, maybe you would understand. It was too rushed, especially the first segment, and there were too few good jokes. I would also have preferred a frame, like the crew sitting around telling eachother the stories. It would have fit if they had just skipped the songs.

Heh, "if I read your whole post". I did read your whole post, and addressed it in my post.

You aren't as smart as you used to be.  The reason why AoI episodes succeeds and this one failed is because AoI episode has a premise for each segment and this episode failed at presenting its premise, which lead to issues with understanding each segment.

This post's opening comment is even funnier, when was I ever smart?

I see the issue with the segments being unexplained, I'm not saying the episode was a masterpiece. My whole point it that it's not that bad. It's an alright episode if you accept it for what it is: Silly, and it doesn't necessarilly warrant the "Futurama is shit now" comments that it got in the Futurama Holiday Spectacular Thread.

But it's not a big deal anyway, because every episode this season has gotten at least one "Futurama is shit now" comment, even the really good ones.

Edited for typo.

[Reply #56 on:]

I think the lack of explanation of the premise might have been intentional.  I knew basically what it was going to be going on, but I think it was supposed to be a genuine surprise when all of a sudden earth blows up and Santa Bot exclaims "ho ho ho, everyone's dead!" and then finally lets us know this is a trilogy thing.  The shock of that moment is pretty funny.  I don't know for sure, but that's just the vibe I get.  Maybe I should listen to the commentary again.

Really, I thought it was an okay episode.  Nothing amazing, and one of the weaker ones of the season (so far), but entertaining enough.  The Robonakuh song is really good and it has a number of pretty good laughs in it.  Was it anything special?  No, not really, but it was fine for what it was.  My biggest problem was probably just with going to the holidays/X-mas well again, because I don't generally think any show should do more than one or two of those.

[Reply #57 on:]

Also, Gorky, more paragraphs please, your wall of text is hard to read.

I generally don't expect anyone to read anything I post anyway, but duly noted, Svip.

I think the lack of explanation of the premise might have been intentional.  I knew basically what it was going to be going on, but I think it was supposed to be a genuine surprise when all of a sudden earth blows up and Santa Bot exclaims "ho ho ho, everyone's dead!" and then finally lets us know this is a trilogy thing.  The shock of that moment is pretty funny.  I don't know for sure, but that's just the vibe I get.  Maybe I should listen to the commentary again.

In the commentary, DXC more or less says that the episode isn't intended to be canon--but even he seems to cop to the ambiguity of the whole thing. I agree that seeing the planet destroyed at the end of the first segment was shocking, but it also made me expect that the remaining two segments would probably end the same way. My beef with the episode, like I said, has nothing to do with the insanity and the mass genocide; I can accept a gag-driven, write-off episode that has no bearing on the universe of the show. I just feel like it's been done better in the past.

I suppose, if you're one of those Futurama-is-shit people, you could say that of every episode this season--that it's been done better in the past. And I suppose people are justified in thinking that (though I don't agree with the sentiment), but I really only felt that way with the holiday spectacular, where the difference in quality compared to AOIs of the past was really pronounced. Meanwhile, if I chose to compare, say, "In-A-Gadda-Da-Leela" to other Zapp/Leela episodes of the past (Love's Labours, "Brannigan, Begin Again", "War is the H-Word"), it would still be able to hold its own. Same of "The Late Philip J. Fry" and other time travel episodes (Roswell and BBS), or "Lethal Inspection" and other touchy-feely tearjerkers ("The Luck of the Fryrish", "Leela's Homeworld", "Jurassic Bark").

Ultimately, I don't think that the holiday spectacular was proof that the writers have lost it or the show is crap now--I just think it was the "Where the Buggalo Roam" of season six. And that's fine by me, really, because every episode can't be gold (or silver, or bronze...or any of your precious metals, really).

[Reply #58 on:]

That episode wasn't that bad...that throat singing was awesome...

Actually now that I am reminded of it, what bothered me the most, at least about the first segment, was that Santa now deemed Dr. Zoidberg to be naughty. What about the pogo stick he got?!?!?! Haha I know it's very minor but upon first viewing that bothered me so...

[Reply #59 on:]

As of right now, Futurama's season 6 DVD is number 6 on amazon.ca.

[Reply #60 on:]

Canadians love Futurama.

[Reply #61 on:]

I did not expect a "real" Xmas episode, but I did expect a "real" AoI episode, which they didn't deliver. The episode did grow on me, but still ranks very low, which is disappointing seeing as the storylines to some extent had great possibilities.

No one promised to deliver a "real" AoI episode. They said it would be a holiday episode in the style of an AoI episode (i.e., three non-canon segments). If it were meant to be a "real" AoI episode, the title probably would have referenced that and so I would have also expected a "real" AoI episode, but it didn't and it wasn't and so I wasn't disappointed.

Actually... I haven't seen anyone being "so" aggressive on that matter.
(I must be blind...)

I'd say that:

But if Michael Rowe writes "Futurama Reincarnation", I'm going to kill myself.

... Is pretty aggressive.

what episode was worst from the original episodes? WRONG!


what's that? WRONG!
what episode? WRONG!

Wait, are you really asking me what the worst episode from the original run is or are you just making some kind of joke in reference to my overreaction comment?

your overreaction.

[Reply #62 on:]

Actually now that I am reminded of it, what bothered me the most, at least about the first segment, was that Santa now deemed Dr. Zoidberg to be naughty. What about the pogo stick he got?!?!?! Haha I know it's very minor but upon first viewing that bothered me so...

Well, Zoidberg used the pogo stick to cut the X-mas lights and electrocute Santa.  Maybe Santa holds a grudge?

(I'd have to admit, though, I thought of that too.)

[Reply #63 on:]

Haha, I could definitely see Santa holding a grudge.

[Reply #64 on:]

It was my understanding that Santa judged people to be naughty or nice each year, so he judged Zoidberg to have been nice that year rather than nice in general.

[Reply #65 on:]

Then the question becomes...what caused Zoidberg to be naughty the next year...but then again what caused any of them to be naughty! Well...Professor is a given naughty heh.

[Reply #66 on:]

Well, perhaps the events of The Prisoner of Benda confused Santa?  I guess you could say Zoidberg has technically been naughty...

[Reply #67 on:]

I'm working my way through the audio commentaries on Season 6. Just listened to Lrreconcilable Ndndifferences, and that was pretty hilarious. Probably funnier than the episode, and tied with Spanish Fry for my favorite commentary. I'm very happy that they did commentaries for each episode again, but the other features were a bit lacking... The table read was fantastic!

[Reply #68 on:]

The table read was fantastic!

That's nice, considering the episode wasn't.

Wait, let me check...eh...ehh...ehhh... yup, absolutely no one shares my thought.

[Reply #69 on:]

I like the episodes that deal with the Omicronians.  I have always wanted to see an episode where the situation is reversed and the PE crew spends some time on OP8 for some reason.  Say they get invited to stay for a few days on "vacation" for all of their hospitality to the Omicronian leaders over the years or something.  Anyhow I just want to see what the culture is like on OP8.  Repressed lowly Omicronians who secretly want to be friendly, or bloodthirsty killers who are restrained from attacking only by the fact that the PE crew is wearing prominent signs of protection from the Rulers themselves?

[Reply #70 on:]

That does sound like a nice plot. We have seen extremely little of Omicron Persei 8, even though it seems to be quite a big civilisation.

[Reply #71 on:]

I did not expect a "real" Xmas episode, but I did expect a "real" AoI episode, which they didn't deliver. The episode did grow on me, but still ranks very low, which is disappointing seeing as the storylines to some extent had great possibilities.

There's going to be another AoI episode.

After rewatching the episodes and listening to the commentaries, I'm going to go out on a limb and say it was a fantastic season.  Even the episodes most people didn't like were high quality and made with care.  Some of the animating stunts they pulled throughout this season were rather mindboggling!

[Reply #72 on:]

Many 3D people shots, stuff you wouldn't have seen in the original series. It's quite fascinating.

[Reply #73 on:]

The table read was fantastic!

That's nice, considering the episode wasn't.

Wait, let me check...eh...ehh...ehhh... yup, absolutely no one shares my thought.

You do realize the table reading was from The Prisoner of Benda, not Lrrreconcilable Ndndifferences, right?


I agree with winna, the episodes grew on me after watching them with the commentaries. I really enjoyed LrrrNdnd and Revolting after the commentaries.

[Reply #74 on:]

Actually... I haven't seen anyone being "so" aggressive on that matter.
(I must be blind...)

I'd say that:

But if Michael Rowe writes "Futurama Reincarnation", I'm going to kill myself.

... Is pretty aggressive.

Yeah... But have in mind that I'm a complete idiot who isn't aware of all the crap I'm writing.

I did not think that it was so aggressive, but then again. ^

But I would still say that I almost hope that David X. Cohen and Matt Groening writes 6ACV26.
Or Ken Keeler...
But overall... S6 was great, S7 will hopefully be better.

[Reply #75 on:]

Season 6 was great, but not as great as the older stuff.

-------------

Do you think this should be a thread?

The show itself may need to address this, if not Futurama fan fiction.


Since Dark Matter is no great power source anymore, how do you think they keep the supplies of whale oil up? Because whales don't reproduce very fast, so they'd end up extinct very quickly if they'd have to fuel all the space ships and stuff in the universe.


One theory of mine is and Chug a Bug's is:

Me: Rush.

We could use Genetic Engineering for vast resource extraction for example. Whales we or someone could get the DNA of a whale and make a lesser side species. The side species could be use to for extraction of whale oil. There life's only to be mass produced and killed to extraction the oil. And other animals such as the elephants for ivory make a lesser side species of them too and others ect. By the way I know there is a lot of evil s**t I'm saying here :devil:  


And that's maybe how the Futuramaverse gets it's whale oil by cloning them, and other things. Hey it's the way to go without harming nature.

Chug a Bug: in response said.

Or simply by putting DNA into bacteria to produce oil in a similar way to the way they currently mass produce insulin, like how DNA could have extracted from Fry's anchovies to mass produce robot oil in A Fishful of Dollars... good point.   :thumbsup: :mellow:

Also I think they may have farms of whales on other worlds and stuff to keep gathering whale oil.

-----------

They could use Dark Matter again, but it would have to be imported from a parallel universe say like Universe 1 or some other.

[Reply #76 on:]

I wouldn't be surprised if Mobius Dick sheds a bit of light on the whale oil situation.

[Reply #77 on:]

But overall... S6 was great, S7 will hopefully be better.

Season 6 isn't finished yet, there's another 13 episodes to go. If you mean broadcast season, season 7 has already been.

[Reply #78 on:]

Sometimes I read these threads and forget we're talking about a sitcommy cartoon heh.

That was a great inference about that Mobius Dick episode. I'm one of those fans who don't pay attention to every minute plot detail...I like to enjoy the show Hehe.

[Reply #79 on:]

Here's my breakdown

Rebirth: Above average episode with some hilarious concepts. Some strange plot decisions kept it from shining

In-A-Gadda-Da-Leela: Quite below Average. This is probably my least favorite of the season, although it wasn't completely unsalvageable. It had some ok jokes, I loved the Zapp Brannigan TV show style dreams.

Attack of the Killer App: This one is definitely way below average. I thought the episode was somewhat decent until the big Leela reveal. Really really stupid.

Proposition Infinity: This is one that has definitely grown on me upon repeat viewings. Each time I watch it I like it a little more. There are some classic Bender moments in this one.

The Duh-Vinci Code: This episode had some really amazing ideas that could have been executed better. Overall I really enjoyed it, but don't get the sort of laughs I would expect from Futurama.

Lethal Inspection: Despite some somewhat iffy continuity problems, this episode was amazing. The unlikely pairing of Hermes and Bender worked perfectly, and the ending montage is really moving.

The Late Philip J. Fry: This episode is quite simply one of the greats. Only time will tell if it's my favorite ever, but I have enjoyed it equally each time I've watched it. That being said, I think that this episode plot should have perhaps been the plot for one of the DVD movies. There is so much more they could do with the time machine as a plot device.

That Darn Katz!: This is one episode that I really really loved. I have never understood the hate. There are some amazingly delivered lines by Nibbler, and the cat humor was spot on. I expected some terrible LOL Cats crap but the one reference was used well. I could see the episode not appealing to non Cat owners.

A Clockwork Origin: This episode wasn't the funniest, but was brilliant nonetheless. The way they handled the creation v evolution debate was done elegantly and interestingly. I really enjoyed it.

The Prisoner of Benda: This episode is classic. The standout story lines were Zoidberg (As Fry) and the Emporer (As Washbucket) as well as Scruffy and Washbucket (As Amy.) The fact that they created a mathematical theorem for the episode was pretty awesome. Loved the limited Globetrotter action as well.

Lrrreconcilable Ndndifferences: This episode was slightly lacking but has some great callbacks and a handful of solid jokes. Average episode

The Mutants Are Revolting: Definitely one of the best of the season, really clever and mostly well thought out episode. The ending seemed slightly rushed but still delivered. Quite enjoyable.

The Futurama Holiday Spectacular: I'm really not sure why everyone hates this episode so much. It definitely wasn't a great episode, but it had me laughing quite a bit. Repeat viewings highlighted a lot of jokes I missed as well. Another average ep

Season Rankings:
13. In-A-Gadda-Da-Leela
12. Attack of the Killer App
11. Lrreconciliable Ndndifferences
10. The Futurama Holiday Spectacular
09. The Duh-Vinci Code
08. Rebirth
07. Proposition Infinity
06. A Clockwork Origin
05. That Darn Katz!
04. The Mutants Are Revolting
03. Lethal Inspection
02. The Prisoner of Benda
01. The Late Philip J. Fry