Futurama Episode Survivor: The Remake! --- The Finals --- The Final Twist!

[Reply #200 on:]

I know Gorky ain't gonna like it!

Ah, you hurt me, Svip! My eyes, they tear; my heart, it bleeds.

Nah, I kid. Honestly, I'd be more than happy if "Insane in the Mainframe" won. It's a fantastic episode (I made a post to that effect two pages back). And, in a tenuous sort of way, there are some parallels between Mainframe and "The Sting" (mainly, Fry and/or Leela goes crazy, and the other one kind of has to help 'em regain sanity), so it's all good. You cannot crush my shippy spirit, sir.

[Reply #201 on:]

Parasites Lost: ///// ////
Insane in the Mainframe: X ///// ///
The Sting: X ///// ////

[Reply #202 on:]

Parasites Lost: ///// ////
Insane in the Mainframe: X ///// ///


No more Sting. He was always better in the Police anyway.

[Reply #203 on:]

Before the Final Battle commences, I noticed that progressively during these last stages of the competition people have been debating the merits of each episode. The new round will not start until Friday and I'm leaving this period of time open to debate on which of these two episodes which are left, Parasites Lost and Insane in the Mainframe, deserves to be the Ultimate Survivor.

[Reply #204 on:]

Deleted the spam, flaming, trolling, and other assorted crap that was not discussion of the last round.

I look forward to being able to lock this spam-fest once and for all.

[Reply #205 on:]

Poll added, vote for the Ultimate Survivor.

[Reply #206 on:]

Neither of those are anywhere remotely deserving of best episode. The noobs controlled this from the very beginning.

[Reply #207 on:]

If this were UnPEELifed, this thread would be banished to the ball pit.

So much for an attempt at world peace. Well, I guess there was never meant to be a real "best" episode. All of Futurama canon has their own set of criteria- some are just better than others.

[Reply #208 on:]

I voted Parasites Lost - great Sci-Fi homage (you're all drunk!) and for those of you who think this is illogical for an anti-shipper like myself, this line from PL highlights why the shipper cause is futile:

Leela: I love what you've become.

Meaning she doesn't love Fry as he is. I rest my case.

Hmm, canned worms - lovely!

[Reply #209 on:]

I voted for Mainframe. I've gushed about it enough elsewhere in this thread, so I'll just say that "Parasites Lost", for how great it is, still frustrates the shipper in me to no end, and makes me like Leela a whole lot less. Mainframe doesn't do that.

[Reply #210 on:]

PL just shows the true Leela. I don't see anything shippy in Mainframe either if I did, I would have voted PL. I've become pretty damn anti-shippy since BBS. If I could take my vote back I would but I can't so I'll live. Next time I vote for something, I'm not voting after having taken a sleeping pill...

[Reply #211 on:]

PL just shows the true Leela.

I have to disagree. Up until "Parasites Lost", Leela seemed somewhat interested in Fry as he was. In episodes like "My Three Suns", "A Flight to Remember", "Xmas Story" and "Put Your Head on My Shoulder", the ship was being developed in a fairly mutual way (in fact, I think the affection played more on Leela's side than it did on Fry's, at points. Consider her jealousy in AFtR). In "War is the H-Word", Leela seems flattered that Fry "sort of has a thing" for her.

The whole Fry-is-too-immature thing as a reason for Leela to reject him didn't really begin until PL (and in that way, it kind of mucked up the ship); I'd argue that Leela is out-of-character in that episode when compared to her actions in the first two seasons. I guess the writers decided that making the ship unrequited was a way to make Fry a less selfish, more sympathetic--and ultimately more mature--character. Really, it was just a way to drag the whole Fry/Leela thing out much longer than was necessary (though we did get some nice episodes out of it).

[Reply #212 on:]

I phrased that badly.

I've never really liked Leela as a character. PL just made me like her even less (And BBS much less). Fry got rid of the worms because he needed to know what she loved... Him or the worms. Without a doubt (and SoS brought this up with his opinion) she loved what the worms made Fry. She didn't love HIM. He tried to be himself. Yes he's an idiot but she needed to accept that fact. Fry will never be her normal intelligent senator dream guy. I whole heartedly agree with SoS that Leela doesn't love Fry as he is, she'll always be looking for some improvement.

I have no idea if any of that makes sense to you. I suck royally at writing down what I'm trying to say.

[Reply #213 on:]

Nah, I get what you're saying, Bendersfan. But I think that ItWGY proved that Leela is fully capable of loving Fry as he is. And I think that, in "Parasites Lost", Leela had a situation that was somewhat similar to Fry's. Where he needed to know who Leela loved--him or what the worms made of him--Leela needed to know who loved her--Fry as he was, or Fry with the worms. His first declaration of love is made when the worms have smartened him up, and Leela is surprised by it.

This may be too generous a stretch, but I think that, though Leela didn't know who she loved, but she also wasn't sure who loved her. I think she assumed, incorrectly, that the "normal" Fry may not have been capable of loving her (because of his immaturity). The whole "I love what you've become" thing is problematic, because it does make Leela sound like the World's Most Insensitive Bitch, but she does consider (albeit, warily) dating Fry after he's gotten rid of the worms. It's only after he makes a rather tactless comment about Amy and oil and massages that Leela sends him away. Sure, it shows that she's not willing to accept good ol' idiotic Fry; but, in subsequent episodes, I think she gets over that. 

[Reply #214 on:]

To be honest, before this episode there wasn't much if anything (If I remember right, I haven't watched the series from beginning to end in over a year.... thanks to college) of any shippiness. I can see Leela questioning loving Fry or the worms but in the end I think that Leela loved the worms more because they basically made Fry her dream man. Fry's an idiot yeah he shouldn't have mentioned Amy but it's Fry he doesn't think about stuff like that. She does start to accept the idiocy in Fry a little more (But she doesn't fully accept it for years) but I don't think that she ever accepted loving that part of him completely and just wanted something better who was like Fry but at the same time wasn't as immature aka Lars. Later on in the series (no counting the movies) I think that she cares for normalicy like Adilai (Never mind the fact that he treated her like crap when they were younger) hell she even got close to the sentaor with the mayor's aid but at least she did realise that they were jerks and dumped their asses after a while. I'm just going to stop here, I know somewhere around here I have said my views on the shipping on the movies I'm not going to do that again.

Still not sure if I'm making sense. And this probably would be better suited to the shipper threads at this point...

[Reply #215 on:]

Fry; but, in subsequent episodes, I think she gets over that.

Sure, she gets over it.  Five years later.  That's the problem I have with Leela as a character.  Even after a seemingly endless series of romantic, selfless, and courageous acts that Fry performs for her, she still rejects him for half a decade.  I mean, he wrote an opera for her.  What does a guy have to do?  After all those rejections, it makes her declaration of love for him at the end of ITWGY seem a little suspect.  I mean, sure, Fry risked his life to save the Violet Dwarf, and it did probably seem like it was the right time to come out with the 'L' bomb, what with them being about to die and all, but it's not like they hadn't been in the 'Fry just did something great and now we're about to die' situation before.  

Its like Leela was stuck in a feedback loop from somewhere in the middle of season 3 to the beginning of ITWGY.  All of the other characters grew and developed throughout the series, while Leela got hit repeatedly with the Reset Button.  I know that the writers wanted to maintain the dynamic of the show, but, IMO, they did it for too long.

[Reply #216 on:]

I agree with SO. That is more or less my view on Leela. She never really got much development. By the time I saw ITWGY I didn't want them together at all. I can't stand when writers beat a relationship to death and just reset stuff about the characters to keep something going.

[Reply #217 on:]

Fry; but, in subsequent episodes, I think she gets over that.

Sure, she gets over it.  Five years later.  That's the problem I have with Leela as a character.  Even after a seemingly endless series of romantic, selfless, and courageous acts that Fry performs for her, she still rejects him for half a decade.  I mean, he wrote an opera for her.  What does a guy have to do?  After all those rejections, it makes her declaration of love for him at the end of ITWGY seem a little suspect.  I mean, sure, Fry risked his life to save the Violet Dwarf, and it did probably seem like it was the right time to come out with the 'L' bomb, what with them being about to die and all, but it's not like they hadn't been in the 'Fry just did something great and now we're about to die' situation before.  

Its like Leela was stuck in a feedback loop from somewhere in the middle of season 3 to the beginning of ITWGY.  All of the other characters grew and developed throughout the series, while Leela got hit repeatedly with the Reset Button.  I know that the writers wanted to maintain the dynamic of the show, but, IMO, they did it for too long.

I think Leela's "I love you" at the end of ItWGY was genuine, and I think the whole "Maybe I waited too long to tell you this" thing was kind of a nod to the fans who were annoyed by her characterization and all the resetting. It's kind of a cop-out, yes, but I do think that Leela was ultimately able to get over herself and just admit to her feelings for Fry.

I don't think she was stuck in a loop, though. I think there's definite progress in the relationship throughout season four (the episodes do get progressively shippier--compare "Love and Rocket" to "The Sting"), and if the show hadn't been cancelled after Devil's Hands, I think something more conclusive would have been done between them in a theoretical, broadcast season five.

The first three movies (or at least the middle two) are what really frustrate me, because of all the resetting. I think the writers easily could've made Fry and Leela a couple before ItWGY--but, like you said, they didn't want to mess up the dynamic. I think they've finally realized that the storyline is tired and beaten and bloody at this point; any more Futurama we get, I think it's safe to say that there will be no resetting of their relationship.

[Reply #218 on:]

Maybe women are just that hard to please.  Then again, I wouldn't know, women have never been pleased by efforts.

Oh wait--

[Reply #219 on:]

If the show was going to be kept on they probably wouldn't have made Devils Hands and if they did the reset button would more than likely have been hit. The Fry/Leela stuff to mean was beaten to death by season 4 at that point I just wanted them to either get together or have that aspect killed once and for all. They did make Fry and Leela a couple it just wasn't the Fry we're used to. It was a 40 some year old Fry.

If they do reset again I'll scream at the bloody show. I wont stop watching it I'll just be royally pissed. It's been beaten to death, don't beat it any bloody more!

Leela is hard to please.

[Reply #220 on:]

Last few posts off-topic much? You guys should consider moving this to the shipper thread (as you already suggested Bendersfan1221).

[Reply #221 on:]

Hey, at least their discussing the merits of the episodes rather than flaming eachother.

[Reply #222 on:]

So does this now get like POTM, with everyone demanding the closure of the poll?

Polls are stupid. Cool!

[Reply #223 on:]

I'll put the deadline as Friday night at midnight EDT, no excuses.

[Reply #224 on:]

   Hey, at least their discussing the merits of the episodes rather than flaming eachother.

[Bender]I do my best, damn it![/Bender]

[Reply #225 on:]

I voted for "Insane in the Mainframe."

No more Sting. He was always better in the Police anyway.

Indeed.

I had been a bit worried about what I would do if it had come down to "Insane in the Mainframe" and "The Sting," since I like both of those episodes. I still would have gone with "Insane in the Mainframe," but I find it difficult to express any real problems I have with "The Sting" other than how space bees replace the space wasps that the pilot establishes as the creatures that killed the previous crew. I know that on the commentary they say how much they tried to make the wasp thing work, but I feel as though something still could have been done...

But it didn't come to that. Given the option between "Parasites Lost" and "Insane in the Mainframe," I have little choice; the former does have its problems. Besides the great Fry-Leela ship concerns that have been discussed already (and that I agree with), I don't like the overly cartoony scene in which Fry suddenly has well-defined muscles that disappear minutes later. Attractive as it may make him to Leela, he doesn't have to tear off his shirt; he just as easily could have beat up Sal using his newfound worm-strength without the theatrics. Also, as clever as the episode title is, the worms aren't really parasites if they have such a symbiotic relationship with Fry. He's practically invincible! Granted, we never learn what they take from him in return, but they do seem like at least a somewhat positive little infestation.

That being said, "Parasites Lost" is still a great episode. It's wonderfully funny, and Fry's holophonor serenade is, both musically and visually, one of Futurama's most beautiful moments. And yet, I have to stick with "Insane in the Mainframe." Not only is it a great episode (I wouldn't have thought of it as my number one choice, but no matter), but I might as well vote for it since I helped to resurrect it (it's pretty neat that one of the episodes in the final two had first been voted off in the primary part of the game).

[Reply #226 on:]

A reminder that the poll closes is just over one hour. Vote now or forever hold your peace.

[Reply #227 on:]

Poll's closed, and Parasites Lost has won with 60% of the vote.

THE FINAL LIST   1.   Parasites Lost
   2.   Insane in the Mainframe
   3.   The Sting
   4.   Roswell That Ends Well
   5.   The Devil's Hands Are Idle Playthings
   6.   The Why of Fry
   7.   The Day the Earth Stood Stupid
   8.   Xmas Story
   9.   Teenage Mutant Leela's Hurdles
   10.   Into the Wild Green Yonder
   11.   Hell is Other Robots
   12.   Godfellas
   13.   Amazon Women in the Mood
   14.   The Farnsworth Parabox
   15.   The Luck of the Fryish
   16.   Less Than Hero
   17.   Leela's Homeworld
   18.   War is the H-Word
   19.   Jurassic Bark
   20.   Love's Labours Lost in Space
   21.   Space Pilot 3000
   22.   The Problem With Popplers
   23.   Bender Gets Made
   24.   Fear of a Bot Planet
   25.   Time Keeps on Slippin'
   26.   A Flight to Remember
   27.   I Second That Emotion
   28.   A Fishful of Dollars
   29.   Brannigan Begin Again
   30.   Anthology of Interest I
   31.   Why Must I Be a Crustacean in Love?
   32.   How Hermes Requisitioned His Groove Back
   33.   Mother's Day
   34.   Three Hundred Big Boys
   35.   Anthology of Interest II
   36.   Put Your Head on My Shoulder
   37.   Fry and the Slurm Factory
   38.   Future Stock
   39.   A Head in the Polls
   40.   The Deep South
   41.   The Series Has Landed
   42.   Love and Rocket
   43.   Crimes of the Hot
   44.   When Aliens Attack
   45.   A Tale of Two Santas
   46.   The Honking
   47.   Bendin' in the Wind
   48.   Raging Bender
   49.   A Clone of My Own
   50.   Spanish Fry
   51.   I, Roommate
   52.   Mars University
   53.   The Lesser of Two Evils
   54.   Where No Fan Has Gone Before
   55.   Bender Should Not Be Allowed on Television
   56.   Bendless Love
   57.   The Birdbot of Ice-Catraz
   58.   The 30% Iron Chef
   59.   A Big Piece of Garbage
   60.   My Three Suns
   61.   A Pharaoh to Remember
   62.   Kif Gets Knocked Up a Notch
   63.   A Bicyclops Built for Two
   64.   Bender's Big Score
   65.   The Cyber House Rules
   66.   Bend Her
   67.   The Route of All Evil
   68.   I Dated a Robot
   69.   A Taste of Freedom
   70.   Bender's Game
   71.   A Leela of Her Own
   72.   Obsoletely Fabulous
   73.   The Cryonic Woman
   74.   That's Lobstertainment!
   75.   Where the Buggalo Roam
   76.   The Beast With a Billion Backs



Note ties were broken by which ever episode that had a reached the previous vote first being ranked lower. Any comments?

[Reply #228 on:]

You kept track of it all these years!