Thoughts on 7ACV09 - Free Will Hunting - SPOILERS

[on:]

Didn't see a thread for this ep. It was an odd episode. Entertaining, but it didn't have many really funny jokes. I liked the roundabout nature of the story, and didn't see it coming, but it wasn't all that shocking.

[Reply #1 on:]

I gave it an 8/10 . I really don't know what to make of it. There were some funny jokes in there, as well as some moments were dragged on. Right now I think it was a pretty good episode. Not a classic, but.......I don't really know! I'll update this review in the morning

8/10

[Reply #2 on:]

It was a good and very solid episode.

It had some really good jokes and did in fact feel more like classic Futurama.

But overall it wasn't the 10/10 I was expecting from Cohen.

It had a bunch of good jokes (not great), and the hyperchicken was actually smart for a change.

The pacing was very well done, just like last weeks episode.

Other than Fry and Leela being in bed together it probably could have been in the original run.

Which it was nice to see Fry and Leela in bed.. and actually be in the right bodies.

Seems like they will be getting engaged next half season; at the very least.

The ending was funny, but fell a little flat with me.

I knew Bender would shoot the Prof. b/c (it was obvious) but more importantly they showed us that in that preview clip from the live feed.

An 8/10 overall.

[Reply #3 on:]

I thought it hit the funny quota but the story was borderline retarded. Maybe it was going for a Synecdoche, New York feel but it was still too disjointed. I think whoever wrote this got lazy bringing back the robot planet, couldn't they come up with some other robot inhabited area? The college thing also felt a little to much like the one with Mars university.

I felt they were going for a 2deep4you ending which they obviously failed at.

I give it a 6/10

[Reply #4 on:]

whoever wrote this got lazy bringing back the robot planet, couldn't they come up with some other robot inhabited area?

I felt they were going for a 2deep4you ending which they obviously failed at.

I give it a 6/10

David X. Cohen wrote this episode.

All episodes are 50% the writer, and 50% writers room rewrites... give or take depending on the spec. script, just like "The Simpsons".

[Reply #5 on:]

But all episodes are 50% the writer, 50% entire room rewrites.

I realize that, but the main writer (Cohen) is most likely responsible for the story, the jokes are what stopped this episode from being terrible, the story was just lazy.

[Reply #6 on:]

Who the fuck voted 1 already? Unmentionable?

[Reply #7 on:]

Thanks, I just asked in another thread where it was!

I gave it a 6/10. Act 1 with the college and robot gang was really cringe-inducing. I mean, stereotypes of gangbangers with Hispanic accents doing drugs?? So cliched and so unimaginative, not to mention a little insulting.

What saved this for me was the whole philosophical theme of free will. I loved the line about philosophy being only for those who don't have to work for a living. The monastery was pretty cool. Binary singularity...not sure what that means but intriguing nonetheless.

Maybe I will bump it up to a 7 because oh yeah,

Show spoiler

Fry and Leela are nekkid together, hoo boy!

Also, Fry's pecs were animated pretty lusciously. **growl**

[Reply #8 on:]

I realize that, but the main writer (Cohen) is most likely responsible for the story, the jokes are what stopped this episode from being terrible, the story was just lazy.

Oh, he's the showrunner too, (I know, you know that as we all do) soo... maybe it wasn't him being lazy.. it was perhaps him being far over worked.

Still I enjoyed it very much, I'm sorry you had a semi-bad viewing experince with it.. and I respect your opinion.

Who the fuck voted 1 already? Unmentionable?

The Super Troll.

[Reply #9 on:]

I liked the return of the robot planet. It seemed like the natural place to go to for this story. To me, the first part felt really rushed. One moment Bender's going to college, in debt to the robot mafia, then part of a gang and doing something analogous to drugs? That seemed very disjointed to me, and the fact that Bender owes the mafia money is never really resolved. After that it got better, and the story started making more sense. I wish they would have kept the end classy, instead of Bender shooting the Professor; it just seemed unnecessary. It would have been nice to see Bender actually not want to shoot the professor and learn some valuable lesson about what it means to have free will, but instead they went for the cheap gag of Bender being dragged off to prison for attempted murder to contrast with the result of the first court case. I expected more out of this episode, and what I got was a little lackluster. Not terrible, I'd give it a 7/10, but not as insightful as I thought it would be. Then again, maybe looking to Futurama for insight is a mistake in it of itself.

[Reply #10 on:]

For an episode from Cohen, this was mildly disappointing.

The first act felt totally wrong. There was just way too many unconnected scenes crammed together with hardly anyone other than Bender. It was nice seeing the Mafia again though.

The other acts were much better. I particularly liked the gag with Leela and the bowling ball (and might I say, she's good-looking with her hair down.  )

Anyway, this episode had a good premise. It was a bit cheap having Bender shoot the Professor at the end though. It made the entire episode feel a bit pointless, but not in a good way like "Decision 3012".

Ultimately though, it was enjoyable to watch. They certainly could have come up with a better ending, but at least it didn't feel absurdly rushed like some other episodes.

I loved Mom's surprise chair, and the way she hugged Bender. That was adorable. 

Anyway, this is a 7.5/10. Decent, but not particularly amazing.

[Reply #11 on:]

Yeah, I actually had more hopes for this episode than I felt I was given. I really expected more from the beginning when Bender went back to school up to the point when he was on trial. This episode also kinda stepped on itself when the Robot Mafia offered to finance his tuition, but shouldn't they believe that Bender is dead from Silence of the Clamps??   I did enjoy a blast to the past when they brought the homicidal robot planet back in this episode .

I did appreciate some of the Fry & Leela moments, and not just their bed scene. I thought it was interesting how Fry stole one of Leela's lines "Oh Lord" when Bender decided to stay on the Robot planet.   And I swear when I saw Fry lying in bed stating how he missed Bender, and then zoomed out to show Leela next to him, I was like 'Oh shit!'. NOT something I immediately expected, but I cannot help but approve.   I also enjoyed Leela in one of her rare moments having her hair hang loose like it did. We need more scrunchie-less Leela scenes!!


My rating: 6.5 to 7/10. Overall, I felt like this episode was rushed, especially at the very beginning. Clearly not the best episode of this season, but certainly not the absolute worse either.

[Reply #12 on:]

maybe it wasn't him being lazy.. it was perhaps him being far over worked.

That justification is pointless, it doesn't make the episode any better. It was lazy of the writers to reuse plot points, it doesn't matter why they were lazy, they just were.

[Reply #13 on:]

A very good episode, gave it a 9. But then I liked the Robot Planet the first time around the 2.0 upgrade was even better, especially visually. Liked Mom's chair and lots of other nuggets.
Liked the - oh you know and the ending. I think it's being under rated so far.

[Reply #14 on:]

I gave it a 4/10.  I really did not like it.  

First of all, it seemed too reminiscent of past episodes, specifically Godfellas, Fear of the Bot Planet, and Hell is Other Robots.  I don't have a problem revisiting past locations or even touching on past story lines, but this was a bit out there.  Bender doesn't know what sparking is?  Seriously?  

As far as the pacing, it was way over rushed.  I'm actually confused as to why previous posters could think otherwise.  The beginning sequence was very rushed - though you could make the argument that it was rushed because it was so similar to HIOR.  The section of Bender walking around moping was WAY too long and not funny.  

I liked Leela and the bowling ball, and the scene with Mom, but really that was it.  Though I haven't seen many episodes since Devils Hands, this episode isn't convincing me to watch more.

[Reply #15 on:]

I liked Leela and the bowling ball, and the scene with Mom, but really that was it.  Though I haven't seen many episodes since Devils Hands, this episode isn't convincing me to watch more.

Don't let this one lackluster episode stop you! Within the muck there's still Futurama gold to be found!

[Reply #16 on:]

I liked Leela and the bowling ball, and the scene with Mom, but really that was it.  Though I haven't seen many episodes since Devils Hands, this episode isn't convincing me to watch more.

You shouldn't base the majority of the newer Futurama seasons itself off an episode like this, if that is what you're implying. There are dozens and dozens of 'newer' episodes that are alot better than this one that you should check out.

[Reply #17 on:]

maybe it wasn't him being lazy.. it was perhaps him being far over worked.

That justification is pointless, it doesn't make the episode any better. It was lazy of the writers to reuse plot points, it doesn't matter why they were lazy, they just were.

Whatever bro it wasn't a justification. I was just suggesting it's the opposite of lazy, with the end result being the same. Meaning it looks seemingly lazy to you... but it was actually quite a lot of hard work.. the results still being the same; bad or good.

Don't say it's lazy, say it's a bland rehash if you must... b/c you weren't in the writers room.

But it doesn't change a thing... b/c what you think I was saying.. that's not what I was implying.. at all.

If you don't like it, don't watch the show.

For an episode from Cohen, this was mildly disappointing.
It was nice seeing the Mafia again though.
I particularly liked the gag with Leela and the bowling ball (and might I say, she's good-looking with her hair down.   )

Anyway, this episode had a good premise. It was a bit cheap having Bender shoot the Professor at the end though. It made the entire episode feel a bit pointless, but not in a good way like "Decision 3012".

Ultimately though, it was enjoyable to watch. They certainly could have come up with a better ending, but at least it didn't feel absurdly rushed like some other episodes.

I loved Mom's surprise chair, and the way she hugged Bender. That was adorable.  

I totally agree with these points, Unreal is always on point.

Guys, I am sure I will eventually get around to watching them.  I was more using it as a point that if I was new to the show, I wouldn't be giving it a second chance.

Maybe that's why (a big reason, anyway) the ratings keep getting lower.. sodes like "Yo Leela Leela" and the alike are turning away viewers.. for good.

[Reply #18 on:]

This episode didn't start off that well, but I thought it got better as it went on. Overall, it wasn't as good as I was expecting but it certainly wasn't bad. It kinda reminded me of one of the more mediocre season 3 episodes that get better with repeat viewings (which I hope is the case with this episode).

6.5/10

[Reply #19 on:]

Guys, I am sure I will eventually get around to watching them.  I was more using it as a point that if I was new to the show, I wouldn't be giving it a second chance.

[Reply #20 on:]

That justification is pointless, it doesn't make the episode any better. It was lazy of the writers to reuse plot points, it doesn't matter why they were lazy, they just were.

If you don't like it, don't watch it.

Oh come on. Please not this defensive line. GabeNewell is critiquing this episode, and that's a perfectly legitimate use of this forum. He is not trashing the show overall.

Personally, I found the story to be written rather poorly, in comparison to the usual imaginative and clever plots of other eps. I was still entertained though. I agree with another poster here that this may grow on people with time.

[Reply #21 on:]

I'm a little surprised at the negative reception that this episode is getting.  I thought it was really good.  Yes, the first act was rushed and all over the place, but it had to be in order to show Bender making many "decisions" so that they could then drive home that everything he does is predetermined.  I thought the second and third acts were paced well, and there were some deep philosophical moments in there.  The only thing I didn't like was the suddenness of the ending, ad I thought it was a great episode.  Plus, we saw Fry and Leela in bed together for the first time (ignoring the time they were in different bodies).  That alone should have the shippers bouncing off the walls in glee.

I've said this before, but it really stood out in this episode.  Leela is different this season.  Not only is the bitchiness gone, but she's actually funny!  I loved how she kept falling asleep at Bender's trial, and then there was the thing with the bowling ball at Momcorp. 

9/10

[Reply #22 on:]

Next week's episode looks more promising.

Show spoiler

I guess these are Farnsworth's parents! Or one of his "friends".  

[Reply #23 on:]

So how many times have we seen Leela with her hair down?

I can only think of two other times.  Once when she killed everyone and was in bed with Fry and the other is when she had superpowers and dressed in layers.

[Reply #24 on:]

Liked. Not great but good. And the ship is progressing nicely.

[Reply #25 on:]

It was entertaining, that's for sure. It was no Fun on a Bun, but it was acceptable. The pacing seemed very fast, perhaps the fastest an episode has ever been! But I liked it more than TSMDM. 8/10, bebeh!

Sidenote: Leela needs to let her hair down more often!

[Reply #26 on:]

Watch next season. Ohh you better watch it...... It just might prove the show otherwise. AGAIN. Just like Season 6B.

Show spoiler

a topper for Seymour...

Show spoiler

A Murder in Planet Express!!

Show spoiler

Zoidberg picking up a nice alien!! 

[Reply #27 on:]

Not sure how I feel about this one.  Initial impressions are that the first act was pretty meh, the second act was great and the third was slightly less so.  My favorite part was between when we see Fry and Leela in Robot Arms (!!!) and the break in at MomCorp.

Also, one joke had me in stitches for nearly a minute: "How does one join this monk outfit?"  "It's easy, just put on this monk outfit."  The delivery was so perfect.

[Reply #28 on:]

Just remembered something I found odd. Since when does Bender sleep in a bed? They had a whole dang episode where a main plot point was how Bender sleeps in a broom closet and now they just retcon the whole thing and even previous designs of the layout of Fry's room? It doesn't bother me that much, it just seemed so inconsistent. Also, they're kind of overusing Bender's whole "I'm (insert number) percent (insert something here)." Like, it was funny when it was various kinds of metals that didn't add up to 100%, but they extended that to wires and empty space (that I can remember off the top of my head). Seems like it's time for that joke to "die" already, as various running gags on Family Guy have had to be killed off as the show aged.

[Reply #29 on:]

The whole 40% thing is in my opinion one of the best running gags/catchphrases on the show. I'd be very sad if it stopped.

[Reply #30 on:]

Just remembered something I found odd. Since when does Bender sleep in a bed? They had a whole dang episode where a main plot point was how Bender sleeps in a broom closet and now they just retcon the whole thing and even previous designs of the layout of Fry's room? It doesn't bother me that much, it just seemed so inconsistent.

Bender and Fry's apartment has always been pretty inconsistent. in the second episode it's just Bender's broom closet-sized room and his closet (which is a large room with one other door), then in later episodes there's a kitchen, Fry's room and a bathroom in addition to that large room.

[Reply #31 on:]

UnrealLegend:
But it's not even metal anymore, it's just... things. Whatever things on Bender they can come up with. Like, if they come up with a good situation to use it in where it works, I'd be more... open to it. It just seems so tired now... It's as if they're trying to recapture the nostalgia of older episodes by overusing the joke that made older episodes so good to begin with. This isn't one of those rants saying "new futurama is crap!!!!1!," because I still quite enjoy the new episodes. It's just that... they don't  need to rely so heavily on the past. They can come up with new gags. In fact, Bender's "Let's go already!" song is a good example of that. I guess all I'm saying is, if they use classic jokes like that, I want to see it work flawlessly, because if it isn't flawless it seems forced in a situation where some other, new material could work better.

Jezzem:
Yea, you're right that the apartment design hasn't been consistent. Bender having a bed was my main point though, because Bender doesn't sleep in a bed, and it seems silly for him to now. Again though, it's not TERRIBLE that he did in this episode, just silly that they overlooked what I considered to be a defining characteristic that separates Bender and other robots from humans.

[Reply #32 on:]

Bender and Fry's Apartment was destroyed by Zoidberg (in Fry's Body) in the Prisoner of Benda and and as such would have to have been rebuilt, meaning that any scenes of the apartment from before that point do not necessarily have to match up with the ones after it.

[Reply #33 on:]

I liked that episode. It might not be the best ever, but was rather solid:

- I got a bad feeling at the beginning, with the gang being too present day-y.
+ Nice use of recurring characters.
+ Also nice to see Robot Home World again.
+ The "free will theme" was told in a character fitting way: One the one hand it appeared as rather philosophical question, and the other hand it was Bender's rather childish approch "There is something I do not have...and that's enough reason that I WANT IT, WANT IT, WANT IT!!!
+ Bender complaining about his lack of free will, yet simultaneously bossing Fry and Leela around was an hilarious contradiction.
- The showdown/resolution with Farnsworth was a bit under dimensioned.

It was an unusual "one character only plot", without any significant B-plot. Other characters had rather "guest appearances" instead of having own motivations/aims. Leela and Fry got the longest screen time, yet they were also only dragged along by Bender.

I somehow missed a B-plot a bit, on the other hand, the "one character only plot drive" had a certain appeal. Will have to watch it again to reach a final conclusion regarding that matter.

[Reply #34 on:]

It had a bunch of good jokes (not great), and the hyperchicken was actually smart for a change.

Yeah, I was surprised at that. Well, a stopped clock is right twice a day ...

But now, shouldn't all robots be released from prison, for the same reason?

The college thing also felt a little to much like the one with Mars university.

Mars University is gone, remember? Mars got blown up.

I mean, stereotypes of gangbangers with Hispanic accents doing drugs?? So cliched and so unimaginative, not to mention a little insulting.

They were programmed to be that way.

First of all, it seemed too reminiscent of past episodes, specifically Godfellas, Fear of the Bot Planet, and Hell is Other Robots.  I don't have a problem revisiting past locations or even touching on past story lines, but this was a bit out there.

And didn't any of the robots remember that the humans were good? At the end of FOABP, it was revealed that the delivery was a bunch of lug nuts, to help out with the shortage.

The section of Bender walking around moping was WAY too long and not funny. 

Comics don't have to be funny. Futurama doesn't have to be funny. Watch Jurassic Bark again.

The only thing I didn't like was the suddenness of the ending, ad I thought it was a great episode.

Does that mean Bender will be in prison for the next episode?

The fact that Bender owes the mafia money is never really resolved.

There are too many loose ends in this episode.


New stuff (from me):

* When Bender delivered the package to the robot, what was the robot's number? I'm sure it has some mathematical significance (like the digits of pi).

* "Columbiac" is a reference to ENIAC, an early computer (a room-sized machine which had less computing power than your cell phone).

[Reply #35 on:]

Well, having just watched the midnight showing, I can say this episode went up quite a few notches on a second viewing.  It is actually very solid.  Also, it made me actually like Bender again.

It was cool to see Joey Mousepad doing most of the talking for the Mafia for once.

Bender's 'yeah whatever' dismissal of Amy's human free will argument is so great.

The whole bit with Robot 14985739858939342 (Free Hot Resin Robot?) was hysterical, especially the second blast of nerve gas.

The dichotomy between the outros of both the first and third acts is really neat.

That's all I got for now, bed.

[Reply #36 on:]

There was a lot I liked about this. Some of the gags, the return to Chapek 9 (though the Elders clearly defeated the pro-humanity sentiments at the end of the previous episode, yep?) Fry + Leela and basically the whole Mom bit.

The premise seemed to be executed a little weakly though, for example, it required the Chicken lawyer to be uncharacteristically brilliant (though he's not necessarily Lionel Hutz) - or that the lack of robot free will is suddenly an issue, and where was Roberto's "It's only his programming after all" when they decided to execute him - like they were going to execute Bender before when they thought it was his (as Robot Santa) programming then? Or maybe they contest its defective programming or something. I don't know.

The first act did leave me thinking "Can they make this any quicker" though in my opinion this was kinda lamp-shaded by Hermes' "Wow, you have had a busy day" which just about covered it.

All in all, not perfect, but plenty enough to have me watch it again.

8/10

[Reply #37 on:]

I love how paranoid the robots on Chapek 9 are.

I personally don't like "Fear of a Bot Planet" all that much, but I enjoyed the callbacks.

[Reply #38 on:]

The first half of the episode was one long montage. The second half was a confused, (and rather illogical in places) mess.

The ending wasn't really a resolution. It raises further questions that remain unanswered.

Despite all of that, I enjoyed the episode. UrL and GabeNewell have already said pretty much how I felt about it, and I feel it deserves a 7/10. It definitely had problems, but if you switch your brain off and just enjoy the futuristic silliness (and the shipper service, callbacks, and jokes) then it works reasonably well.

It doesn't quite make up for annoyances such as TBJE and TSMDM though. I'm still on the fence as to whether the show is losing what made it special.

[Reply #39 on:]

This was extremely good, really liked it. Best Bender episode we've had in a while, and also best philosophical episode too.

Fear of a Bot Planet was one of my absolute favourites from the original run, so I loved the callbacks.

I'm probably not going to be in a majority by saying this, but this was the best ep of the season so far for me. I have no idea why this thread is so negative so far.