Thoughts on 6ACV06 - Lethal Inspection - SPOILERS

[on:]

Next up: 6ACV06 - Lethal Inspection at 10pm/9c on Thursday 22nd on Comedy Central.

Review and discuss the episode here (after you have seen it!) and please leave a short review and score on CGEF, too.

[Reply #1 on:]

Just started. The gag at the beginning was good, the Star Wars refrences. Scruffy's final words, Hermes's cost cutting measures, the "good war" line, Bender's and Leela's argument, "Inspector #5", Zoidberg's ink defense, and other crap I don't wanna list right now, and it's only the first seven minutes! High hopes are to be had for the other parts.

[Reply #2 on:]

Laugh out loud moments - Spoilerized because they explicitly reveal the gags.

Darth It-head (shithead, anyone?)

Zoidberg's ink freakout. This gag hasn't been used in years, and the clothes-ripping catapulted it further into the realm of hilarity than ever before.

Bender's pencil sharpening.

Rubik's cube-icals

"That's a calculator. I ate it to gain its power".

"They have telephones in booths now? Finally I can quit lugging around this cell phone"

"I can't run anymore! I'll have to skip".

Bender's iguana attack

Hermes limboing out of the wreckage

Also, totally called Hermes being Inspector #5.

[Reply #3 on:]

Overall, 9/10. Don't wanna say EVERYTHING. Just everything in the first half.

[Reply #4 on:]

Ending seemed forced, trying too hard for an "aaaawww" ending like jurassic bark or leela's homeworld. Good comedy though; Bender and Hermes are a strange pairing, but I thought it worked.

First reaction, 7/10. About average.

[Reply #5 on:]

I thought the Sithal war reenactment was HILARIOUS! I'm a huge history buff, especially when it comes to the Civil war, so that was probably my favorite part!

Overall, about a 9/10; Most of it was good, but there were a few parts I disliked. Not many though

[Reply #6 on:]

Beautiful episode. This is the first one of the season from which I really got that oh-so-elusive "classic" feel. Pairing up Hermes and Bender made for some great character development (perhaps the first true exploration of Hermes character), as well as some great comedy (I loved the Hollywood Squares thing (the Paul Lynde guy was to be expected, but it still got me)). The only thing about this episode that I didn't like was the stupid Quizno's reference (and the call-back to Zoidberg shooting ink at people then scurrying away; speaking of call-backs, though, was that guy requesting a death certificate the same guy who was waiting for a birth certificate in "How Hermes Requisitioned His Groove Back"?), which says a lot about how awesome this episode truly was.

As for the twist at the end: I kind of saw it coming, when Hermes was consoling Bender in that abandoned house, but I was still a bit surprised. At any rate, that final montage was pretty touching, and offered some great insight into Hermes's character.

This may just have been my favorite episode of the season. I give it a 9/10.

[Reply #7 on:]

Well, it was certainly the best episode of this season, in my opinion. Having said that, I still think that a lot of the humor was very hit or miss, especially in the second and the beginning of the third act. The twist ending (which makes, what, like 4 twist endings in 7 episodes?) was actually meaningful this time, for what its worth, although I must say that the choice for the music in the montage was miles away from what they used in Jurassic Bark, for example, but I'm really just nitpicking there I suppose.

6/10

[Reply #8 on:]

Overall, 9/10. Don't wanna say EVERYTHING. Just everything in the first half. Best episode yet.

[Reply #9 on:]

"Why is this happening to me? I'm Bender damn it!"

Classic.

It's nice to see a Hermes episode for once too.

[Reply #10 on:]

Am I the only one who was reminded of "The Cube" when the Rubicks Cubicle was shown?

Awesome episode, I think it was the funniest this season has produced, which honestly surprised me cause I wasn't really excited for this episode.

[Reply #11 on:]

The ending, I thought, was incredibly sweet. While not up to par with The Luck of the Fryrish or Jurassic Bark, it was enough to make me "awwww" a little inside. Bender's part at the end about him being mortal and that he doesn't deserve all this made me feel a lot for poor 'ol Bender. Overall the episode was pretty good, the Sithal War was absolutely hilarious, as well as the Rubik's Cube cubicals

I give it an 8/10

[Reply #12 on:]

I personally didn't find the "Sith-al War" funny at all. 

[Reply #13 on:]

Ending seemed forced, trying too hard for an "aaaawww" ending like jurassic bark or leela's homeworld. Good comedy though; Bender and Hermes are a strange pairing, but I thought it worked.

It gave me a definite "Leela's Homeworld" vibe, too, but maybe this is just the sort of episode that each character is entitled to. We can learn so much about the sordid pasts and inner lives of the PE crew with a one-minute musical montage at the end of an episode!

As for the Sith-al War: I'm not a Star Wars fan--know little to nothing about it, in fact--but I thought it was a funny, nerdy enough way to introduce the whole mortality angle. I liked the various Darths.

[Reply #14 on:]

Solid and funny overall. The ending did seem to grab at the heartstrings a little too hard . I'd have enjoyed the Sith-Al War bit more if instead of doing some ho-hum Star Wars jokes they'd made up their own blood soaked sci-fi war instead. Did love Bender's wig though.

"Addition never solved anything" , "suicide's not necessarily the answer" and "that's what you get for calling tech support" - three instant quotables in a real short space.

And Rough Draft et al continue doing a good job of making it look like the original.

[Reply #15 on:]

Best episode so far this season.

I already knew who inspector 5 was before the second act too bad they should have done a better job covering in up.

I give it a Great.

[Reply #16 on:]

@Kornography: The Math Museum in the last episode reminded me of The Cube.

Mom's employee-ejecting donkey on a treadmill had me laughing for a while.

As soon as Hermes said he'd hack into the console, I knew where that was going.

[Reply #17 on:]

I'm surprised nobody's mentioned what might be the funniest joke of the episode:
"I was in Italy last week!"

Okay, it wasn't the funniest joke. That probably was Hermes eating a calculator for its power.

Overall, pretty damn funny. Once again, I'm not going to rate it until I rewatch it, but it might've been the best episode of the season.

Also, I saw the twist coming miles away. I was trying to think it through during the episode, and that was the only logical explanation.

[Reply #18 on:]

Two words...TOTALLY AWESOME!!!

Plain and simple, I really liked this episode.

9/10

[Reply #19 on:]

This episode is definitely on the top of my list. Wonderful, humble, loved every moment. However, it still leaves some questions about why Hermes didn't try to fix Bender's defect later... But apart from that, it's a 9/10. For me, that's as close to perfect as you can get. Only "The Sting" could top that. Saw the twist coming, but didn't expect it. Loved the ending montage! I'm still in awe over it. True adoration is showing for the show.

[Reply #20 on:]

I don't think that seeing the twist coming necessarily negates the emotional core of the episode, though.* I mean, you spend most of "Leela's Homeworld" knowing that Munda and Morris are Leela's parents; the essential mystery of the episode, then, becomes "Will Leela figure it out, and what will come of this discovery?" We're given sufficient evidence

that Hermes is Inspector 5. So the mystery of the episode is more "Will he confess/Will Bender figure it out?" and less "Who the hell is Inspector 5?"

--but that montage still got me in the same way that the montage at the end of "Leela's Homeworld" did.

*I know no one's really made that argument, but I'm just sayin'.

[Reply #21 on:]

Ending was completely telegraphed, but the scenes were sweet enough that I didn't object too much, esp. since Hermes gets portrayed as the heartless bureaucrat so often.

Really wish they hadn't spent 4 minutes on the Sith wars.

The Alienese letter reads "Need extra cash?  Melt down your unwanted humans", etc.

729 = 9^3, and after the rotations, Hermes's cubicle is located 1 left of the very center, 3 down, and 4 in front (coming towards the viewer).  Seems kind of dumb to list the coordinates of his cubicle *after* the rotations, though.  I figured out the location of Hermes's cubicle before the rotations, and (-1, 3, -4) isn't its location in any sensible system of coordinates.

[Reply #22 on:]

As soon a I saw Ken keeler as executive producer I knew this episode was going to be good.
He never made a bad episode in the original five seasons!
This was the best paced episode yet. the Bender/Hermes team was fantastic. was not a big fan on the war scene in the beginning but that was the only part in the episode I did not like.
10/10

[Reply #23 on:]

Now that felt like the Futurama of old. Probably the best of the season so far.

[Reply #24 on:]

Ken Keeler's been executive producer for every episode this season, I believe. Most of the old writers are exprods now.

[Reply #25 on:]

This episode is definitely on the top of my list. Wonderful, humble, loved every moment. However, it still leaves some questions about why Hermes didn't try to fix Bender's defect later... But apart from that, it's a 9/10. For me, that's as close to perfect as you can get. Only "The Sting" could top that. Saw the twist coming, but didn't expect it. Loved the ending montage! I'm still in awe over it. True adoration is showing for the show.

It's an assembly line; defective products don't get fixed, they get destroyed.

Hermes probably never counted on ever seeing Bender again, and it's possible he didn't realize that Bender was the defective robot he approved until he pulled out the files and realized/remembered he was Inspector #5.

[Reply #26 on:]

Ken Keeler's been executive producer for every episode this season, I believe. Most of the old writers are exprods now.

Your right! I guess I just noticed it this episode. still the best so far

[Reply #27 on:]

Best episode of the season so far. Pairing two characters that don't really have a lot of interaction with each other resulted in a great payoff.

I don't think Hermes has had a better showing since HHRHGB.

9/10.

[Reply #28 on:]

Here's the AL1 translation of the letter Leela throws in the trash...

Need extra cash?  Melt down your old, unwanted humans.  We pay top dollar.

Btw, I'm new, so if you've already figured it out, don't make fun of me.

[Reply #29 on:]

One of the best this season. The Zoidberg ink gag made me loff something fierce.

[Reply #30 on:]

Gotta re watch it but first impressions is that it's probably my favorite this season. Not nearly as hit or miss on the jokes, the Bender/Hermes interaction was great and the ending was touching.

Loved the wall punching scene.

[Reply #31 on:]

FINALLY an episode with no pop culture crap, and the ending was sweet as hell too.

Too much paper! not enough hiding plants!

[Reply #32 on:]

Wow, guess I'm in the minority here. Wasn't impressed with this one at all. Not that it's bad, it was just...meh.

So...robots are like, little babies when they're manufactured and then they grow up? Oh, right, their programs are downloaded into more mature models...I guess...but...why? What's the point of that?

Leela acted like Fry in this episode. Weird.

4/10.

[Reply #33 on:]

Wow, guess I'm in the minority here. Wasn't impressed with this one at all. Not that it's bad, it was just...meh.

So...robots are like, little babies when they're manufactured and then they grow up? Oh, right, their programs are downloaded into more mature models...I guess...but...why? What's the point of that?

Leela acted like Fry in this episode. Weird.

4/10.

And they run on alcohol, yes. Wait, at which point did your suspension of disbelief crack?

[Reply #34 on:]

I liked it a lot. It was nice to have some development between Bender and Hermes because Hermes can feel like a stale character at times, although he's really come around with the movies and this season.

I was really afraid they were going to bump into Morgan Proctor and I'm very glad they didn't.

[Reply #35 on:]

Wow, guess I'm in the minority here. Wasn't impressed with this one at all. Not that it's bad, it was just...meh.

So...robots are like, little babies when they're manufactured and then they grow up? Oh, right, their programs are downloaded into more mature models...I guess...but...why? What's the point of that?

It's funny?

Leela acted like Fry in this episode. Weird.

4/10.

More like someone who has no office skills. Like most of us/

[Reply #36 on:]

I was kind of finding this episode a bit low on laughs, but then that touching ending threw me for a loop. It contradicts Bender's own memories of his "birth", but why carp? Great character development for Hermes as well. I wonder if his nametag getting scanned will have repercussions later in the series.

[Reply #37 on:]

Wow, guess I'm in the minority here. Wasn't impressed with this one at all. Not that it's bad, it was just...meh.

So...robots are like, little babies when they're manufactured and then they grow up? Oh, right, their programs are downloaded into more mature models...I guess...but...why? What's the point of that?

Leela acted like Fry in this episode. Weird.

4/10.

And they run on alcohol, yes. Wait, at which point did your suspension of disbelief crack?

Hey, we got cars that run on ethanol, which is very close to alcohol. A robot that runs on alcohol isn't all THAT far-fetched.

The writers made Bender a widdle baby so we'd all go "awwww". I, however, went "WTF"? And I guess that THAT's the point where my suspension of disbelief cracked. Thanks for asking.

[Reply #38 on:]

We'd seen bender's baby form before, in the fountain of youth episode, Teenage Mutant Leela's Hurdles. So quit acting indignant.

[Reply #39 on:]

Wow, guess I'm in the minority here. Wasn't impressed with this one at all. Not that it's bad, it was just...meh.

So...robots are like, little babies when they're manufactured and then they grow up? Oh, right, their programs are downloaded into more mature models...I guess...but...why? What's the point of that?

It's funny?

Leela acted like Fry in this episode. Weird.

4/10.

More like someone who has no office skills. Like most of us/

You really laughed at Baby Bender? 'Kay.

As for Leela, it's a little hard to believe she'd panic and hide the stuff she couldn't file in potted plants etc. That seems more Fry's speed.