"The Devil’s Hands are Idol Playthings", what are your expectations?

[on:]

We all know that this might be the final episode, what are your expectations? Will Leela and Fry get close? here is what we already know:

Show spoiler

Fry makes a bargain with the robot devil to compose music that will show his love for Leela. "The last episode scripted for Season 4, we were thinking that we wanted to hedge our bets just in case we’re cancelled so we wanted to end on a touching note. The episode doesn’t wrap things up, it doesn’t end like a terminus, but it’s not open-ended either".

We already knew that music would play a big role in this episode, It makes me wonder if, when Fry makes a pact with the robot devil,  he’ll get the robot devils hands for his side of the bargain and use the robot devils golden violin to compose a song for Leela. The fact he has the robot devils hands will mean he should have the skill involved to play the violin, combine this with his human emotions and feelings he already has towards Leela, and you’ll have a song which will incorporate his feelings with the playing skills of the robot devil and will try to win Leela’s heart, and possibly succeed. Now what I'm trying to work out is what’s in it for the robot devil and if it will have anything to do with breaking up Fry and Leela's possible relationship before the episode ends. What do you think?   

[Reply #1 on:]

I expect that it'll be over a year before we see this episode, so I'm not expecting anything.

[Reply #2 on:]

Knowing Fox they'll air the next season totally out of order so we might end up seeing it sooner than you'd think. I hope they don't, but this is Fox we're dealing with. Anyway, it may be a long way off but I'm still very curious and it sounds great, plenty of room for emotion, comedy and drama.

[Reply #3 on:]

I expect to never see it, that way I won't be disappointed

[Reply #4 on:]

there's probably a loophole in the deal Fry makes with the devil. From what i heard the deal is to make music that will win Leela's heart but nowhere in there does it say they are allowed to actually get together. there may be a loophole such as, he suceeds in winning her over but if they actually try to get together then the robot devil gets Fry's soul and gets to take him to hell, which would pretty much stop Leela dead in her tracks, theres no way she would risk something like that. Which ends the episode with them in love but unable to do anything about it, hence the 'bitter-sweet ending' plus its still openended because if the show were to ever enter production again they could have a comeback ep where their trying to win his soul back for good. Which is pretty consistent with every show or movie i have ever seen that delt with pacts with the devil.

[Reply #5 on:]

If Fox does mess up and show this episode out of order, then I hope that 'The Why Of Fry' is the last episode.  I'd be very surprised if these later episodes never get aired, though I'm preparing myself for the possiblilty of a painful two-year wait before we get the finale.

As for expectaions of "The Devil’s Hands are Idol Playthings", I think it's very likey that Fry will get Beelzebot's hands, like Otis said, but as for getting out of the situation.. no idea as yet!  I just hope I don't spoil it for myself for reading up about it before the UK showing..

[Reply #6 on:]

Since they wrote it as a possible series finale, I'd say that it'll air at the end of the season. 2003 is a long way off, many more months of waiting for new episodes after this Sunday...   

[Reply #7 on:]

I think the season premier of Season 5 should be "Less Then Hero." That'd be awesome.

[Reply #8 on:]

Out of all the unaired episodes, I'm least looking forward to 'Less Than Hero'.  Superpowers?  It sounds terrible, and it'll probably be a wacky, Simpsons-esque episode (much like the 'Stretch Dude and Clobber Girl' bit from a Halloween episode a few years ago). 

I think that they should keep 'Kif Gets Knocked Up A Notch' as the season premiere.  I'm really interested in seeing how that turns out.

[Reply #9 on:]

Some really good ideas, I epecially like what Venus suggested, having Fry's soul be part of the deal would be great, that being the part of him with true emotins and feeling. I think Venus could have found the missing link, what's in it for the Robot Devil. The ending sounds plausible too. I wonder if they'll include loads of minor characters to make a final appearance or comeo.

Oh, and on the topic of what episodes I'm really looking foward too, I agree with Mike! that "Kif Gets Knocked Up A Notch" should be the season premiere. I'm also looking foward to "More than Hero" because it has plenty of potential, it could turn out really bad but I a feeling it'll be great. Other episodes I'm really looking foward to are "The Why of Fry", it should reveal many secrets, "The Farnsworth Parabox" and the remaining season three episode, "The Route Of All Evil".

[Reply #10 on:]

I think everyone's looking forward to 'The Why Of Fry' - that's certainly my most anticipated episode.  And although it could turn out bad, I'm looking forward to 'Jurassic Bark', too. Also, 'The Farnsworth Parabox' sounds interesting.

Ones I'm not really looking forward to are 'Teenage Mutant Leela's Hurdles' (youth mud? - it sounds as bad as super powers), 'A Taste Of Freedom' (probably a Zoidberg-heavy episode, and I don't really like what his character has evolved into), and 'The Sting'.  'Spanish Fry' sounds a bit weird, too, but it could be funny. 

In fact, a lot of the remaining episodes seem to have much more potential than season four ones.

[Reply #11 on:]

If you ask me, all that Robot Devil stuff will be sorted out by the end of the episode.  The Simpsons has only had one cliffhanger ending to date (Who shot Mr. Burns?), and it would be moronic to end Futurama's 4th production block on a cliffhanger if a 5th block is doubtful.
In my opinion, Fry and Leela probably will get together at the end of the episode, which would mean there's some kind of closure if the show doesn't return, and if it does return, the show can carry on from there.

[Reply #12 on:]

I think that it's probably going to be in the finale that we find out how Nibbler escaped from Robot Hell in 'Hell Is Other Robots'.

[Reply #13 on:]

I think we find out how Nibbler escaped from Robot Hell in "The Why of Fry".

[Reply #14 on:]

Let's be real--Fry's lost his hands before, and Beelzebot's hands are going to be off before the ep ends. Being the Robot Devil, one can be certain he's only doing it for the sake of harming Leela or Bender, who both did him wrong; surely they would remain under his control as Bender's arms still do his bidding when detached. Fry will flush 'em and be off to HandCrafters again, givin' himself "tough-love" within the hour.

As far as Leela and Fry--I don't see a mutual bedtime in their future, but maybe a REAL kiss with a comedic interruption--something just a little more shippy than the end of Love And Rocket. Not going to bet the house on it, that's just my feeling.

[Reply #15 on:]

 

Originally posted by BrainSluggo:
Being the Robot Devil, one can be certain he's only doing it for the sake of harming Leela or Bender, who both did him wrong; surely they would remain under his control as Bender's arms still do his bidding when detached.

That's a very good point, maybe the robot devil we go against his word and use his hands (attached to Fry) to land Fry in trouble.

[Reply #16 on:]

Doesn't Fry get killed in it, or was that a joke?

[Reply #17 on:]

I think that there will be at least some hints that there's more to the L&F relationship than friendship.  I mean, at least some of Fry's feelings will be reciporicated...hopefully.  Those are good points about how Beelzebot might take Fry's soul or how he's trying to get back at Bender and Leela.  That'd definitely be interesting.  And if this is the last episode ever, I think Fox should have let Rough Draft make like a one-minute thing to be played at the end as the credits roll, something that kind of ties up all the loose ends.  Y'all know I'm talking Fry&Leela-wise... 

[Reply #18 on:]

There's got to be more than just hints.  They've been hinting that there's more to L&F's relationship since the very first episode.

[Reply #19 on:]

True.
BTW- Welcome to PEEL, PCC Fred and Mike! 

[Reply #20 on:]

I expect to graduation from college before this thing finally gets aired at the rate we're going now...

[Reply #21 on:]

Is our boy Dan playing the Robot Devil?

[Reply #22 on:]

I dunno.  I don't think he did the Robot Devil in ToTS.  'Course that was only one line... 

[Reply #23 on:]

i hope Castallaneta does the Beezelbot voice, since it sounds like the character will be playing a reasonably big part in the episode. Otherwise, it wouldn't be as good, although John DiMaggio did a good job as Robot Santa, so you never know...
the episode sounds pretty good to me, the only problem is...it may be the last (bursts into tears)

[Reply #24 on:]

I'm thinking that Fry might use the Holophoner from Parasites Lost

[Reply #25 on:]

I reckon that Leela will realise she loves Fry, and they'll get together. We'll see them going out to restaurants, parks, etc., then cut to a month or so later, when the Robot Devil appears and reveals a hidden part of the contract, which says that he now owns Fry's soul. He takes Fry down to robot hell, and Leela goes to rescue him.

One thing's for sure; after all the blantant foreshawdowing, if Fry & Leels don't get toether for a little bit at least, I will be very unhappy.

[Reply #26 on:]

He might use the holophoner, but Personaly I haven't a clue as to what he will do.. 

I don't think that BeezeleBot will take he soul. Mainly becuase Beezelebot is a Robot and probly doesn't deal in that sort of thing. I'm leaning more towards revenge against Bender and Leela.

[Reply #27 on:]

Has it even been confirmed that the episode will have the "robot" devil in it?  I mean, Fry's not a robot.  They've had God on the show, mayeb they'll have the devil on too...

[Reply #28 on:]

   

Originally posted by aristos666:
I'm thinking that Fry might use the Holophoner from Parasites Lost

You raise a very good point, it would be interesting if he did, maybe this time Fry will use the holophoner while the robot devil uses the golden violin and they might play against each other.

   

Originally posted by The Skoot:
I reckon that Leela will realise she loves Fry, and they'll get together. We'll see them going out to restaurants, parks, etc., then cut to a month or so later, when the Robot Devil appears and reveals a hidden part of the contract, which says that he now owns Fry's soul. He takes Fry down to robot hell, and Leela goes to rescue him.

It sounds possible however I question why Fry, a human, would go to robot hell. Maybe the fact he has robot hands could be reason enough, but I'm not too sure about that. Another thing is that because this could be the final episode, I think that it will also involve to other members of the Planet Express crew quite a lot too.

   

Originally posted by B.Frankendorfer:
Has it even been confirmed that the episode will have the "robot" devil in it?  I mean, Fry's not a robot.  They've had God on the show, mayeb they'll have the devil on too...

Apart from the obvious, the main reason I expect Dan Castellaneta to play the robot devil, and yes I think it will be the robot devil, is because before The Leela Zone got re-vamped it said he would guest star in the episode, in the description.

[Reply #29 on:]

I thought that the confirmation of Dan C. as the guest star was only a rumor or an assumption.  No matter what I'm cool with it.  Just bringing up other possiblities.

[Reply #30 on:]

I never knew there was a rumour, maybe your right and that's why it's not part of the episode description on TLZ anymore. I really hope he is in it though.

[Reply #31 on:]

 

Originally posted by Mike!:

Ones I'm not really looking forward to are 'Teenage Mutant Leela's Hurdles' (youth mud? - it sounds as bad as super powers)

It depends how it's handled. Did anyone think that 'Fry goes looking for a lucky charm he left in the 20th century' could have much potential?   

Having just got Futurama Comics #8, I thought *that* handled superpowers pretty well - probably the best comic story so far (although I'm missing some issues), so there's hope. And Amy as 'Rouge' was quite the babe...

Anyway, the picture of lil' Amy at TLZ is very cute! (The one of lil' Bender is too, which is kind of disturbing)

[Reply #32 on:]

I think the title of the ep changed since I made this thread to 'Idol hands are the Devil's Playthings'. Today I had some more thoughts about what could happen in this episode. This probably won't happen, but I was thinking about what the Robot Devil would want in return for giving Fry robot hands cabable of playing a musical instrument. I guess the obvious answer would be his soul.

Going on that plot idea, I came up with this:
Fry is getting upset and tired of not being able to show Leela just how he feels about her. He's tried what seems like everything, but nothing seems to work, so he turns to the robot devil (his last hope) and makes a deal with him. The Robot Devil gives him robot hands cabable of playing a musical instrument which will express and show his love to Leela. But in return, the robot devil gets his soul, but not straight away. The robot Devil says to Fry something like this: "You do realise once I have your soul, your love for Leela will be taken with it". But Fry replies something like this: "I don't care, all I want to do is to show Leela how much I love her, no matter what it costs, and this is my last hope". There's two possible plots here. One of them could be a time limit like 1 day, or 1 week, and then he gets Fry's soul, or the other could be that he gets his soul after Leela realises Fry's feelings for her and falls in love with him after he's expressed his love to her through music. I suspect the time plot is more likely though because that means they could spend some time together before his soul gets taken away. But either way, it then continues with Leela being increadibly touched by Fry's beautiful music, but she then notices Fry's robot hands and asks him how and why he got them. Fry then explains how he got them, and Leela thinks what he's done is extremely stupid, but at the same time she's increadibly touched that he did that for her, which is where her feelings of love for him begin. But she soon realises that when the robot devil takes his soul, his love will be gone with it as well. Leela is very scared and worried about this, and in the rest of the episode she tries to resolve this. And by the end of the episode Leela knows how Fry feels about her, and she has new feelings for Fry, but they decide just to be friends 

That's just a possible plot idea I had, but I expect I'm totally wrong 

[Reply #33 on:]

You remember "Parasite Lost" when Fry plays the holophone,and he`s actully good at it, but he cant play the holophone no more after he got ride of the worms?. Well in "the devils hands are idle playthings" he makes a pact with the devile, so he can play the holophone aigen to show he`s feelings for Leela.

[Reply #34 on:]

@ Otis: I agree with the first part, but I think it would make more sense if the Robot Devil wanted Bender's soul. After all, Fry isn't a robot, and Beelzebot would have no use for him. Bender, on the other hand, is the only robot to have escaped from Robot Hell (that we know of).

The bargian is this: the Robot Devil helps Fry win Leela, but in exchange he takes Bender. This leads up to "friend v. love." You can make Bender especially mean at the begining of the episode. Therefore, Fry quickly decides Leela over Bender. Fry wins Leela's heart through the pact, but later Leela realizes that Fry back-stabbed his best friend to do so and no longer loves him because of what he did to Bender. Now, Fry has to return to Robot Hell to save his friend...

Sorry, the Shakespearean tragedy thread got to me... 

[Reply #35 on:]

 

Originally posted by evan:
@ Otis: I agree with the first part, but I think it would make more sense if the Robot Devil wanted Bender's soul. After all, Fry isn't a robot, and Beelzebot would have no use for him. Bender, on the other hand, is the only robot to have escaped from Robot Hell (that we know of).

Wow evan, I think you've hit the nail on the head, that makes so much sense. I guess one thing against my idea would be that as a final episode it wouldn't be right to just give Fry and Leela the majority of air time, but to add Bender into the equation makes perfect sense. And the whole love vs friendship idea sounds really cool and interesting 

[Reply #36 on:]

 

Originally posted by BumbleBeeTheta:
BTW- Welcome to PEEL, PCC Fred and Mike!   

Thanks 

I like evan's version of the final episode.

[Reply #37 on:]

The pointless holophoner reference in Futurama X Simpsons 2 was a huge allusion that it WILL be the holophoner.

I can't see Fry and Leela getting together for obvious reasons.

[Reply #38 on:]

Would you care to elaborate what those obvious reasons are?

[Reply #39 on:]

i fully expect to get warm fuzzies from this ep. And that's all im expecting, that way i won't be dissapointed.