Most Underrated/Unknown Episode

[Reply #80 on:]

Pendulum shares a lot of my favorite underrated episodes.


But the Comic Con felt pretty good to me, and it didnt lean on the fourth wall that much (except for the Futurella scene, but that's nothing new.  Box Network anyone?) I felt it was a wacky futuristic take on something that is fairly modern (conventions have been around since Star Trek, havent they?), like the Local Group Farmer's Market (which have been growing in number recently, due to the growing backlash against chain stores and supermarkets and big business).

LI certainly doesnt deserve the amount of contempt it gets.  The only problem I had with the ending.  I think it might have been stronger if Amy was left lonely and the episode ended on a sad note, and her and Kif had an actual episode where they got back together.     (Though to be honest, much as I enjoy PI and PYHOMS and KGKUAK, I am glad the writers are starting to do episodes about Amy that aren't completely focused on her love life, and TDK! was mostly about that thing between her ears that the writers have mostly forgotten she posesses.)

[Reply #81 on:]

First off, I like a lot of the episodes mentioned already. Future Stock is one of my favs and Obsoletely Fabulous is good as well.

As for Lrrreconcilable Ndndifferences, this is a great episode. Anything with Lrr is funny. I for one like the Comic Con thing, meta-Futurama jokes are welcome and funny in my book.

Anyway... perhaps my favourite episode of all, definitely in the top 3 is Godfellas.

It has some of the best animation of the series, with not only great space scenes, but the telescope high in the Himalayas.  It also has some great jokes. I know it's rated highly, but I rarely see quotes or references on peel.

Bender: I was God once...
God Galaxy: Yes, I saw. You were doing well until everyone died.

[Reply #82 on:]

I don't know if someone mentioned this, but Bendless Love ain't that bad. Not among my top episodes, but a good quality classic episode.

[Reply #83 on:]

LI certainly doesnt deserve the amount of contempt it gets. 

You mean PI, right? :/

[Reply #84 on:]

I liked Proposition Infinity. It was an interestingly odd choice to have those two characters hook up. It was quite bad for those shippers though, I can totally understand that.

[Reply #85 on:]

I don't know if someone mentioned this, but Bendless Love ain't that bad. Not among my top episodes, but a good quality classic episode.

I mentioned that in my first post, It's actually a really great Bender-centric episode

[Reply #86 on:]

I'll have to go with Gorky and Pendulum [edit: ...and also SpaceGoldfish] and say "Bend Her", which is a terribly underrated episode in my opinion. A lot of people didn't like it, but to me it's actually one of the funniest episodes of the entire series. Best part of the episode was definitely the wedding.

Some other underrated eps that come to mind are The Honking, A Leela of Her Own, The 30% Iron Chef, and 300 Big Boys.

[Reply #87 on:]

I liked Proposition Infinity. It was an interestingly odd choice to have those two characters hook up. It was quite bad for those shippers though, I can totally understand that.

  I have to disagree that episode is 'orrible absolutely 'orrible. Worst. Episode. Ever.

My personal pick woudl be Raging Bender...Nice balance between Bender and Leela....leela kicks some @ss...plus the best part is the Brain Slugs (why can't Hermes ever have a normal holiday... I would sack my inter-stellar travel agent if I was him).

"Poor little fellow starved to death"

[Reply #88 on:]

Less Than Hero.

It's still one of my all time favourites.

[Reply #89 on:]

I'll have to go with Gorky and Pendulum and say "Bend Her", which is a terribly underrated episode in my opinion. A lot of people didn't like it, but to me it's actually one of the funniest episodes of the entire series. Best part of the episode was definitely the wedding.

Some other underrated eps that come to mind are The Honking, A Leela of Her Own, The 30% Iron Chef, and 300 Big Boys.

Pfft!  I'm the one who suggested it, considering it's my favorite episode. 
Man, I am gagging for an all you can eat donkey buffet.

[Reply #90 on:]

Brannigan Begin Again, perhaps?

Always really liked this one for the great Zapp lines., and the "filthy neutrals!".

There isn't much in the way of a plot beyond delivery and mutiny, but it still works well.

[Reply #91 on:]

a head in the polls
love and rocket
spanish fry
lethal inspection
the prisoner of benda

[Reply #92 on:]

The Prisoner of Benda is one of the most well-regarded episodes of Season 6. It's not underrated at all.

[Reply #93 on:]

Proposition Infinity and Neutopia.  Both get lots of undeserved hate.

[Reply #94 on:]

While we're discussing Season 6 episodes, I think I'll say "That Darn Katz!", "Lrrreconciliable Ndndifferences" and "The Duh-Vinci Code". These episodes seem to be generally disliked, however I think they're all good episodes.

[Reply #95 on:]

a head in the polls
love and rocket
spanish fry
lethal inspection
the prisoner of benda

All of those, with the possible exception of Spanish Fry, seem to be pretty well-liked.

I almost hate Neutopia. It was an interesting premise, but the ending was dumb and they should have been switched longer and there were too many jokes that fell completely flat. Also, there were too many characters and not enough focus. I think Hermes and LB were supposed to be the main focus, but I can't really tell and it was frustrating. I did like the PlanAm scene.

PI is good, though. The tornado-hunting is one of the best things Futurama has done in ever.

[Reply #96 on:]

Proposition Infinity and Neutopia.  Both get lots of undeserved hate.

I enjoy "Neutopia," but have to agree with the "Proposition Infinity" haters. That may just be my least favorite episode of the whole series. I hate the dumping-on of Kif and Amy's relationship, and how that plot point exists only so that the oh-so-important message of Tolerance and Love can be explored with all the robosexual marriage stuff (which is myopic and ham-fisted anyway). The episode emphasizes plot over character--and in a big way--which I think is usually a no-no.

While we're discussing Season 6 episodes, I think I'll say "That Darn Katz!", "Lrrreconciliable Ndndifferences" and "The Duh-Vinci Code". These episodes seem to be generally disliked, however I think they're all good episodes.

"The Duh-Vinci Code" is one of my favorite episodes of season six, definitely. I think "That Darn Katz!" is average and "Lrreconcilable Ndndifferences" is slightly above-average.

I think "Benderama" is a bit underrated (or at least under-mentioned; I think it's one of the funniest episodes of season 6B), as are "Fry Am The Egg Man" and "Yo Leela Leela." That's right, I said it. 

[Reply #97 on:]

That's Lobstertainment.

[Reply #98 on:]

Hmmm... for Kif/Amy shippers, I would hate what happened in TBwaBB far, far more.  Kif dies, and Amy is devestated... and Zapp pretends to be comforting her, but is creepily taking advantage of her grief to get her into bed... just because.  It was unfunny at best, and creepy at worst.  Zapp has always been an asshole, but pretending to give a rat's ass about Kif just he could  manipulate the latter's grieving widow is just... well.  Probably the worst thing we've seen him do. 

[Reply #99 on:]

Hmmm... for Kif/Amy shippers, I would hate what happened in TBwaBB far, far more.  Kif dies, and Amy is devestated... and Zapp pretends to be comforting her, but is creepily taking advantage of her grief to get her into bed... just because. 

See, I actually enjoy that little plot turn. It makes much more sense to me than anything that happens in "Proposition Infinity," and it's not as if I hold Amy's actions after Kif's death against her. And, actually, I think all the Amy-grieving stuff in TBWaBB grants her character a bit more depth, or at least makes me sympathize with her more than I think I ever did previously.

And I agree that Zapp winds up looking like an asshole, but his behavior isn't exactly surprising. Nor does it make me think less of him, as I didn't think much of him to start with.

Meanwhile, everything that happens in PI is ridiculous. Amy and Kif's problems come out of nowhere, Amy's sluttiness is totally unwarranted and negates a lot of the growth her character underwent in seasons three and four, and everything is resolved far too quickly and neatly at the end. But the kicker is, I don't even care about the resolution, the inevitable reunion, because everything preceding it just makes me really dislike Amy (not so much Kif, though his behavior is about over-the-top as well).

[Reply #100 on:]

See I don't know if I completely agree with that opinion, but you kind of have a point on how everything seemed to come out of no where and then magically restore itself to its original machinations again without any exploration into the emotional interactions of the characters.  It's kind of like one of the writers said, remember when Amy used to be a humorous interesting character, what happened with that?  Then another writer said, I haven't been working on this show for very long, but I think that Amy has a boyfriend or something, right?  And then another one of the writers turns to the other two, and says, yeah remember Bender?  That's probably what the episode was about I think.  Last time I checked Amy was looking pretty hot in that episode, it was pure masturbation I think if you know what I mean.  Mostly because she's a human and there was a robot or something there.  I actually liked the episode excepting the fact that any of the relationships described in the episode didn't make any sense ... well actually they did... Amy is kind of pretty slutty, and Bender has sex with everything... so technically it was bound to happen at some point.  Plus they pretty much explained a real world example of how Amy and Kif would break up; it totally would end up like that with Kif getting all passive aggressive jealous about Amy flirting with random strangers, so he breaks it off, and she cries about it like it matters, even though it actually doesn't because she was in fact flirting with all the strangers... then Bender comes along and does what he does best.  You know, bend things.  What doesn't make sense is the ending.  Or maybe it does... because Kif and Amy are both kind of retarded.  I think?  Or they're not, who knows?  The show probably did better off without them being together.  I'm glad the writers are willing to risk the two most hilarious characters, Kif being pathetically and depressingly alone, and Amy hitting on everything within the next parsec, all for true love I guess.  Well... maybe they didn't quite do that... they have kids together now, but Amy's not the biological mother... and.... oh wait, they don't take care of the kids.  So basically their relationship is built on what again?  I guess that night Zapp Brandigan crash landed a restaurant...maybe?  That doesn't even make a whole lot of sense, but in a way it does.  How did Kif come back to life again?  I guess Yivo performed magic?  I can't remember... I was probably upset about Zapp sleeping with Amy, but at the same time it was pretty reasonable if you think about it.  I think the best couple in the show has been Fry and Amy anyways, but like that'll ever happen.  If I hoard all of those fanfics myself, perhaps I can find true happiness behind the dumpster at Arbies.

[Reply #101 on:]

I think that The Lesser of Two Evils is extremely underrated. It was hilarious in my opinion, with Flexo and all his great jokes. I also love this line: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNMIYRt7i9c 

[Reply #102 on:]

After much thought, I've decided that "Bendin' in the Wind" is probably the least mentioned episode here. In fact, I often forget it even exists. So utterly neutral.

I've also noticed that 'The Duh-Vinci Code" isn't brought up very often as well.

[Reply #103 on:]

Yeah, Bendin' in the Wind is just unknown on PEEL...

[Reply #104 on:]

Yo Leela Leela is a very under rated episode. It wasn't masterful, but it doesn't deserve the hate it gets.

[Reply #105 on:]

After much thought, I've decided that "Bendin' in the Wind" is probably the least mentioned episode here. In fact, I often forget it even exists. So utterly neutral.

I actually really enjoy "Bendin' in the Wind," but it is a sort of low-key episode--despite the Big Name (Disembodied) guest star. I guess what I'm saying is that I'm not surprised it's mentioned so rarely, even if it is a perfectly decent episode. There are other Bender-centric episodes that are a lot better--or at least a lot more outrageous and therefore more memorable.

Though, thinking about it now, a lot of Bender-heavy episodes seem underrated and/or under-mentioned to me. "The Honking," "The 30% Iron Chef," "Bend Her," "Obsoletely Fabulous," and "Benderama" come to mind (and I quite enjoy all of those episodes). Also, "Bender Gets Made," and "A Pharaoh to Remember"--though I don't care for those episodes quite as much.

I think the point I'm trying to make here is that Bender episodes tend to be kind of hit-or-miss--either really well-done ("Godfellas," which is mentioned plenty, comes to mind), really boring ("Bendless Love," at least in my opinion), or really cruel and unfunny ("A Pharaoh to Remember"...or "Ghost in the Machines"; take your pick).

Those episodes don't seem to be as universally-loved as Fry- and/or Leela-centric episodes, like "The Luck of the Fryrish" or "The Sting." I don't know why exactly that is--maybe Bender is a character who works best in small doses, or as a supporting player in other characters' Big Stories--but I guess it's worth noting.

[Reply #106 on:]

A lot of Bender-centric episodes are definitely underrated in my eyes, such as "The 30% Iron Chef", "The Honking" and "Bend Her" (all of which are some of my favorites, though many seem to dislike them). I've never really understood the hate for them.

I think the point I'm trying to make here is that Bender episodes tend to be kind of hit-or-miss--either really well-done ("Godfellas," which is mentioned plenty, comes to mind), really boring ("Bendless Love," at least in my opinion), or really cruel and unfunny ("A Pharaoh to Remember"...or "Ghost in the Machines"; take your pick).

I think that's the general consensus most of the Futurama fan community will make regarding Bender episodes, me basing this on the ratings and reviews Bender episodes get on polls/review sites.  Speaking for myself, I don't consider any of the Bender episodes to be downright horrible. At worst, they're either forgettable or boring ("Obsoletely Fabulous" and "Raging Bender" are my bottom two Bender episodes, and they fit into this category).

[Reply #107 on:]

Yeah, Bendin' in the Wind is just unknown on PEEL...

It was one of GM's fave eps, but she's not around on Peel these days ...

Yo Leela Leela is a very under rated episode. It wasn't masterful, but it doesn't deserve the hate it gets.

That's where you and I disagree...

[Reply #108 on:]

"The Honking" is excellent and I am sure it is in my top 20. I always love any little focuses on the Bender/Leela relationship, which I've always found interesting, and there are some nice references in there.

I never see any talk about "Obsoletely Fabulous". That's a good one, too.

I agree with TheAnvil that YLL isn't terrible. But it isn't great, and I'd be fine if no one ever talked about it ever again.

[Reply #109 on:]

Agreed, it makes me feel like this show isn't so high-quality, even though it truly is.

[Reply #110 on:]

I agree that the Bender episodes are rather inconsistent. Some episodes, like Bender Gets Made, The Honking, and The Lesser of Two Evils are vastly underrated in my opinion. Others like A Pharaoh to Remember and Obsoletely Fabulous deserve some of the crap they get, despite having some good moments.

And then there's a huge amount of neutral Bender episodes; Raging Bender, The Birdbot of Ice-Catraz, The 30% Iron Chef, Bendin' In the wind, Ghost in the Machines, Bender Should not be Allowed on TV, A Head in the Polls, Fear of a Bot Planet, Bendless Love, I Second That Emotion, and The Silence of the Clamps. These episodes are decent, but not amazing.

Of course there's also the occasional fantastic Bender episode as well: Overclockwise, Lethal Inspection, Godfellas, and Hell is other Robots are all among the best in the series.

So yeah, the Bender episodes are quite hit-or-miss.

[Reply #111 on:]

A lot of the neutral ones stand out to a lot of people, because different people have WAY different views of them for some reason. I loved Bend-Her, and most people do, but not as much as me. I guess he's never had a bad episode. That shows how good of a character he really is.

[Reply #112 on:]

Fear of a Bot Planet is the one on that "neutral" list that stands out to me. I find it phenomenal. Perhaps it is technically a Bender episode, but it has a lot of the whole trio. It's a good balance.

[Reply #113 on:]

Weird, because for a long time, it was my flat-out least favourite episode of the series. I just found Chapek 9 to be so dull and boring, and the humour seemed... lacking compared to many other episodes.

It has grown on me since then though, but I don't think I'll ever see it as "phenomenal"... :\

And I was thinking, would "The Birdbot of Ice-Catraz" count as a Bender episode? Because the whole trio all have pretty big roles...

[Reply #114 on:]

If Overclockwise is a Bender ep, then Birdbot certainly is.

[Reply #115 on:]

Weird, because for a long time, it was my flat-out least favourite episode of the series. I just found Chapek 9 to be so dull and boring, and the humour seemed... lacking compared to many other episodes.

It has grown on me since then though, but I don't think I'll ever see it as "phenomenal"... :\

And I was thinking, would "The Birdbot of Ice-Catraz" count as a Bender episode? Because the whole trio all have pretty big roles...

I usually consider it (One of the best) Leela episodes, but I guess it could be considered a Bender episode...

[Reply #116 on:]

Yeaj, I think I considered it a Leela ep too. Seeing as Leela's is the a-plot.

[Reply #117 on:]

I consider it a Leela/Bender episode. Unusual in the way that these characters do not team up, but follow different plots.

Leela is kinda the "plot starter" (causing the need for a captain with her departure, causing Bender's alliance with the penguins), while Bender is rather the plot carrier (causing the pollution, making the penguins agressive).

Bender's role was unusual as the acted as the "link" (first a Bender/Fry plot, shifting to a Bender/Leela plot),  which is normally rather Fry's thing.

Fry was also rather unusual, as he seemed to be the most responsible /competent character in that episode, which is also not really his thing (he took the captain job serious enough and did not just throw it away, and he was the only one in that episode to "work" as well as crewmember as well as captain, saving the day in the end).

To cut a long story short : In "Bird_Bot", all the characters strolled into each others usual plot territory, but it still worked, and did not make them look OOC.  

[Reply #118 on:]

I think Bend Her and Bendless Love are underrated.

[Reply #119 on:]

Birdbot of Ice-Catraz and Where the Buggalo Roam seem to be underrated. They're not all time greats, but they're very good and never seem to be on TV or talked about.