Thoughts on 1ACV09 - Hell Is Other Robots

[on:]

I didn't see a review topic concerning this episode? If there is one, please direct me to it, otherwise I'll kick off the discussion.

This is the first episode I've liked enough to write a full ramble of...it's a tie between this and Insane in the Mainframe (Calculon 2.0 is also in the running—pretty much any episode starring the robots) for my favorite Futurama episode.
So many little quirks and things that I love about this episode, enough that if I made a list I doubt anyone would read it, so I won't bother. :P
I really like this episode because we get to see Bender go through so much: addiction, genuine contentedness, his normal self—and considering all that happens in the episode, I'm surprised that the story flows so well. I didn't notice any odd gaps; the transition from super religious to virtually satanist was pretty quick, though. Didn't enjoy that. But seeing Bender join a church was really great. It's surprising how we'll he adapts to completely different lifestyles when there's something in it for him. Actually, not that surprising.
And then the introduction to the Robot Devil was fantastic. The first Futurama song I memorized. Also the best one.
I don't have anything else to say. Guess this wasn't much of a review.

Sorry if there's already a topic about this...didn't see one in the review thread list. Anyway.
This is my way of ending a post.
(The end.)

[Reply #1 on:]

Didn't find one when I searched for it, so it looks like you're good. Also, for the sake of consistency, would you be able to change the title to "Thoughts on 1ACV09 - Hell is Other Robots"? The production title makes it easier to find (well, for me at least).

But anyway, this is probably my second-favourite episode of the first season. The jokes come in hard and fast and it introduces several memorable characters.

[Reply #2 on:]

Topic title updated.

Agreed, definitely one of the highlights of the season.

[Reply #3 on:]

But anyway, this is probably my second-favourite episode of the first season. The jokes come in hard and fast

Like Brannigan's love.

Anyhow, SILENCE! I CONCUR!

Well, it's not my second favourite. But it's up there. It's a great episode from what might just be the strongest overall season, and it set up several things which have proved to be important later on. Robot Hell, Preacherbot, the Robot Devil, and the musical number, are not just highlights of the episode, they're highlights of Futurama as a gross entity. At least two of those are not just highlights, but staples and fan favourites.

This episode might as well be a tutorial on how to write a good Futurama, a good Bender, or even a good Beelzebot episode, really. It starts strongly, it's consistently funny, it has a strong ending which doesn't take a spiked dildo slathered in peppermint oil to the anus of continuity (something that episodes would increasingly fall victim to in later seasons), and it's got a major guest star who doesn't feel shoehorned in, and doesn't feel like he's voicing a character who could have been voiced by anybody. Which is a complaint I had about Yivo and The Ugly Giant in particular (although there are others too). I mean, David Cross and Patton Oswalt each did a fine job. But their roles could have been filled by almost anybody at all without it being a loss to the scenes in which they appeared.

This is an episode that truly deserves a hallowed place on the episode playlist of any fan. It's not the absolute best ever, but it's a great example of what the show was when it was at its peak.

It would have made a great Season One finale, come to think of it.

[Reply #4 on:]

It would have made a great Season One finale, come to think of it.

Wasn't it the Season One broadcast finale?

[Reply #5 on:]

Here in the UK, the episodes were aired in production order for the first season. For me, it wasn't the broadcast finale.

If memory serves, Channel 4 aired most of Season Two in production order, too. After that, they started to mix them up, presumably because they were getting to the point where they'd otherwise be airing episodes that hadn't been broadcast in the US yet, thanks to the mishandling of the show by its parent network.

[Reply #6 on:]

And from what I remember of the Australian airings, they were totally out-of-whack.

Come to think of it, it's been bloody ages since I've seen Futurama on TV.

[Reply #7 on:]

But if you catch me making a grammatical error, feel free to correct it and tell me to kill myself.

... (something that episodes would increasingly fall victim to in later seasons, and it's got a major guest star who doesn't feel shoehorned in, and doesn't feel like he's voicing a character who could have been voiced by anybody. Which is a complaint I had about Yivo and The Ugly Giant in particular (although there are others too). I mean, David Cross and Patton Oswalt each did a fine job. But their roles could have been filled by almost anybody at all without it being a loss to the scenes in which they appeared.

This is an episode that truly deserves a hallowed place on the episode playlist of any fan. It's not the absolute best ever, but it's a great example of what the show was when it was at its peak.

It would have made a great Season One finale, come to think of it.

You forgot to close the parenthesis.
Kill yourself.

[Reply #8 on:]

I have made the appropriate correction. I will not be committing suicide over this, but I'm sure that pointing out the hanging parenthesis has more than enriched your existence already, and I really don't think that it would be to anybody's net benefit if I ceased posting altogether (and being dead would probably mean I'd have to stop).

Leaving hanging parentheses is probably the mistake I make most often. It's more of a typo than a matter of ignorance, but I do still facepalm inwardly whenever I look back over an old post and see that I've left a set of brackets open. And now we return you to the discussion regarding 1ACV09.

[Reply #9 on:]

I honestly think this is the first truly great Futurama episode. Every one before was good, but suffers the common first season problem of having clunky, exposition-y writing.

[Reply #10 on:]

Classic ep, one of the best from Season 1. A cornerstone in shaping Bender's personality, and the Robot Devil is a legend. All of Robot Hell was great, and some nice CGI too. No poll? Gets a solid 9/10 from me...

[Reply #11 on:]

Best of season 1 for me. Great characterization of Bender, lots of funny scenes and jokes and the memorable introduction of the Robot Devil. Not perfect though, which can be chalked up to it being on the first season when the things were just starting to shape up. 9.5/10 anyways