Thoughts on 6ACV13 - Futurama Holiday Spectacular - SPOILERS

[Reply #40 on:]

Futurama should have stayed off the air, this season has been a series of disappointments, when did it become ok to replace jokes to references to previous episodes? Not funny, just a sad reminder of what the episodes used to have

I for one think the season overall has been on pair with the original series, however with this episode being extremely lower. If you don't like it, go to Russia.

[Reply #41 on:]

Futurama should have stayed off the air, this season has been a series of disappointments, when did it become ok to replace jokes to references to previous episodes? Not funny, just a sad reminder of what the episodes used to have

I think there've been plenty of good episodes this season (I'd rank LI, TLPJF, TPOB, and TMAR with the best of 'em). It's just that the bad ones have been really, REALLY bad.

[Reply #42 on:]

Indeed.  The season has had some very good episodes.  And while some will obviously disagree with me, I find "The Late Philip J. Fry" to be better than the best episodes in the original series.

However, other episodes - like this one - are clearly a miss.  That's generally how this season is beginning to feel; more miss than hit.  And that's not how Futurama used to be.  For instance, season 1 has no episodes I personally dislike.  They are all decent (sure "Mars University" might be the worst, but it's okay still).  The subsequence seasons began producing more misses as their size grew, but they never produced this amount of misses.  This is an immense increase from prior seasons.

I have to argue, that the one thing that the writers could do to help the rest of the seasons (although a bit too late as those are written by now) and the - hopefully - upcoming seasons is to stop with the older episode references.

It's meta, and meta is hard to get good.  If it isn't used for anything other than just making a reference to an old episode, then it is bad.  And it annoys the viewer.  Episode references should only be allowed in two forms:  Plot important stuff (e.g. following up on arc) and subtle references (e.g. like the contents in Leela's box in "The Sting").

Don't make a joke impossible to laugh at if you don't know the episode in reference.

And moreover, it also makes the writers seem uninspired and relying to heavily on nostalgia.

Maybe someone should have shown them Plinkett's reviews.

[Reply #43 on:]

After rewatching, it was overall alright. The Xmas segment had some good gags (the seed vault being next to a bacteria vault, Dick Cheney), but overall felt like a plotless comic storyline. The Robanukkah segment was by far the best. Hilarious from start to finish, and nice guest spot from Al Gore. The Kwanzaa segment was alright, not the best but not the worst. Had some good laughs. And I loved the Al Gore's epilogue. The episode could've been better if it had just been a straight AOI episode, or a straight holiday episode (I'd lean to fleshing out Robanukkah or Kwanzaa into a full story, possibly using Robanukkah as an A-plot while using the hilarious lack of understanding for Kwanzaa as a B-plot), or even a proper Al Gore episode!

I'd rank this in the lower portion of the middle tier of all Futurama, about the same for Season 6.1. Good thing I wasn't too hyped up for this episode or I probably would've been angry (as Jeff put the feeling of some PEELers, "we waited this long for this?!"). Season 6.1 had some great episodes, some not so great ones, but I'm happy the series came back and that we'll have 6.2 to look forward to in June.

[Reply #44 on:]

well I, for one, am glad it didn't stay off the air.  I thought four of the epsiodes this season (TLPJF, TPoB, LI, and TMaR) were easily among the best that Futurama has ever had, and that the rest were anywhere from good to at least watchable.   This last one was one of the weakest, sure, but it was far from terrible. 

[Reply #45 on:]

Okay, I just watched it on my DVR.

IT SUCKED

In my heart, only Bender's Big Score sucked more.

That is all.

[Reply #46 on:]

IT SUCKED

Don't beat around the bush, tell us what you really feel...

[Reply #47 on:]

It was not awesome...
Not awesome.

I've seriously got something against episodes credited to Michael Rowe, The weakest holiday episode yet, and I thought "A Tale of Two Santas" was "bad".

And to... kill... everyone after each segment...
No, there could perhaps have been a lot better way to end each bit.

[Reply #48 on:]

Isn't killing characters the only reason they ever write non-canon episodes (e.g. AOI I & II and The Sting)?

and I thought "A Tale of Two Santas" was "bad".

Then you're a bad person.

[Reply #49 on:]

   Episode references should only be allowed in two forms:  Plot important stuff (e.g. following up on arc) and subtle references (e.g. like the contents in Leela's box in "The Sting").

Like the fact that Dwight was reading a Captian Yesterday comic (before Kwanzaa Bot took it off him)?

The whole thing seemed a bit forced to me.

What bugged me the most was the fact that in all this time no one had pondered the problem of getting a traditional Xmas tree*, that Bender knew what petroleum oil was (and what it could be used for) but didn't know that there was virtually none left, and that a bee-keeping industry which has coped with the presence of parasitic mites for over a thousand years can now suddenly produce no beeswax, anywhere?

* What sort of trees where they skiing through in the 'trees down-trees up' incident?

[Reply #50 on:]

   Episode references should only be allowed in two forms:  Plot important stuff (e.g. following up on arc) and subtle references (e.g. like the contents in Leela's box in "The Sting").

Like the fact that Dwight was reading a Captian Yesterday comic (before Kwanzaa Bot took it off him)?

Sort of like that.  Though, while that was the best reference in this episode, it wasn't exactly good, either.

[Reply #51 on:]

I think there've been plenty of good episodes this season (I'd rank LI, TLPJF, TPOB, and TMAR with the best of 'em). It's just that the bad ones have been really, REALLY bad.

I agree. There have been some episodes that I have really loved. I think it is crazy to lobby for the show's cancellation. The writers still have good stories and jokes to tell...they just need to stop getting sidetracked by nonsense.

...then again, my perspective on the show is a bit different than most. I am so emotionally invested in this show--I feel like I am rooting for a sports team. Futurama is now the Redskins, to me.

When most shows have a bad episode, I get angry and maybe I'll stop watching it. With Futurama, I just get kind of heart-broken. I want the show to be awesome, every single week. Not so much because *I* need the entertainment, but because I love the writers and animators and want them to be successful. It makes me sad when they don't live up to their potential.

When there is an awesome episode like the mind-switching one, I am ecstatic. I feel like we've beaten the hated Cowboys! When there is a bad episode, like the Holiday Spectacular, I feel like we just let the Eagles score 59 points against us in front of millions of people on Monday Night Football. But I'll be there again next week, rooting for them to "win" and make a really good episode.

[Reply #52 on:]

...then again, my perspective on the show is a bit different than most. I am so emotionally invested in this show--I feel like I am rooting for a sports team. Futurama is now the Redskins, to me.

That's actually an apt analogy.  (Except for me its the Detroit Lions - shudder.)  Just because your team was amazing for four seasons and then starts going into a slump (and a relatively minor one at that - only losing a few games badly), suddenly the team should be dissolved?  Poppycock.

Do not cancel the show.  Give it some time to get back into a groove.

[Reply #53 on:]

well, to be fair though, the Washington Redskins really should be dissolved. 

[Reply #54 on:]

I still think they're being forced to quota in these pop-culture flash-in-the-pan reference ideas, so they've stuck them all in a couple of shows to get them out of the way.

I personally enjoyed the gruesome deaths at the end of each segment. It seemed fitting, somehow.

[Reply #55 on:]

Ooops, wrong topic! Well, I've got to say that this episode is almost as bad as Attack Of The Killer App and That Darn Katz, but I don't know if it's the worst episode of the series though. Like I said before, there have only been about 3 below par episodes this season, and to be honest season 4 had a few episodes that weren't that great either. I agree with Svip though about Season 1 being the only season with not a single below-par episode.

[Reply #56 on:]

Although I think this one sucked harder than a Hoovervac, there have been some amazing eps with the new batch.  I loved The Prisoners of Benda, Rebirth & The Late Phillips J Fry and tolerated some of the weaker eps, but this episode just had me wanting the thirty minutes of my life used watchng this DREK back.

P.S. Only The Cryonic Woman & That's Loberstainment sit in the cellar of complete crapfests like this episode did.

Hit Girl should run through the studio and do what she does best to the writers of this episode.

Ralph "going overbaord again" Snart

[Reply #57 on:]

Isn't killing characters the only reason they ever write non-canon episodes (e.g. AOI I & II and The Sting)?

In my opinion, Not like this.
The AOI episodes are for showing stories depicting unreal events, like "Wizzin'", but yeah.
Those episodes does usually involve death. Not always for everyone.
But I'm still thinkin' that the segments could have better ending.
 

and I thought "A Tale of Two Santas" was "bad".

Then you're a bad person.

This episode has changed my view on Xmas episodes, it wasn't horrible, but not that good either.

And, yeah... AToTS had better musical numbers too.

[Reply #58 on:]

The best bit about the whole episode were the bees. it was ok but it could do better

[Reply #59 on:]

One of my favorite things from "The Sting" is the inexplicable exploding bee in the chase scene. But in this episode, they showed how too much of a good thing turns into a bad thing. The exploding bees didn't work for me in this episode, and Queen Bee talking just made it worse.

Overall, I think that the writers set themselves up for some lofty goals that they couldn't feasibly fit into 22 minutes. They wanted to have 3 mini-episodes for 3 holidays, each with a song. That's fine and good, but it doesn't give much room to be funny and creative. When they constrain themselves that way then they have a good formula for an episode, but it really cuts down the creativity that can be done, and as a result there wasn't much room for laughs.

Still, I think they could've been more creative than revisiting old plots (pine trees, space bees). What happened to Leela murdering the crew or Bender becoming a human?

[Reply #60 on:]

...then again, my perspective on the show is a bit different than most. I am so emotionally invested in this show--I feel like I am rooting for a sports team. Futurama is now the Redskins, to me.

That's actually an apt analogy.  (Except for me its the Detroit Lions - shudder.)  Just because your team was amazing for four seasons and then starts going into a slump (and a relatively minor one at that - only losing a few games badly), suddenly the team should be dissolved?  Poppycock.

Do not cancel the show.  Give it some time to get back into a groove.

I agree. It's not like they're the New York Knicks.

I still think they're being forced to quota in these pop-culture flash-in-the-pan reference ideas, so they've stuck them all in a couple of shows to get them out of the way.

I personally enjoyed the gruesome deaths at the end of each segment. It seemed fitting, somehow.

It would've been nice if some funny jokes had preceeded those deaths.

[Reply #61 on:]

if your going for sports metaphores then futurama is not a team, it's a player
a player who hit the heights of the game, a player worthy of telling the kids about and keeping the recordings of their greatest games to watch over and over
but none the less a player who should retire rather than pulling tired plays in the lower divisions

[Reply #62 on:]

You really want the show not to be renewed, huh?

[Reply #63 on:]

Ok, I just saw the episode again, this time without the other 2 XMAS shows before it.  It still was not that good.  The combination of writing/animation/voiceovers is what sold me on Futurama in the first place; they were equally strong & complimented each other.  I think the writing for the new shows is not up to par.  Animation & voiceovers are fine; it's just that they haven't recaptured the same level of wit, sarcasm & satire that was the mainstay of the original run.  This episode, more than most, shows this is the case.

[Reply #64 on:]

Haha, reading all these comments is making me fee more unmotivated to watch this episode. I was never really looking forward to this episode in the first place. I'll probably watch it later when I am not as busy....i'm just too lazy to download the episode, lol.
Anyways, I really liked this season...ya there were some weaker episodes, but I still enjoyed them...........just able to watch new episode of futurama every week made my summer much more awesome.

[Reply #65 on:]

Ok, I just saw the episode again, this time without the other 2 XMAS shows before it.  It still was not that good.  The combination of writing/animation/voiceovers is what sold me on Futurama in the first place; they were equally strong & complimented each other.  I think the writing for the new shows is not up to par.  Animation & voiceovers are fine; it's just that they haven't recaptured the same level of wit, sarcasm & satire that was the mainstay of the original run.  This episode, more than most, shows this is the case.

i agree. i think only a handful of episodes were up to par with the original run. a lot of episodes were simply not written well at all.

here's hoping to futurama having a few more legendary episodes, though.

[Reply #66 on:]

The cheesy opening and sponsorship was quite funny. But then as soon as they broke into song, they lost me. I think I am officially "over" comedy musical numbers in cartoon shows. They've been really hit or miss for me. Futurama has had some good ones, but when they miss, they can really derail the episode.

I totally agree with you.  However, I must state my all-time favorite cartoon musical number is in Devil's Hands...absolutely brilliant...I could watch that episode over and over again.


Finally watched the episode.  Yes, I was disappointed and a bit surprised.  Unlike the first few episodes of Season 6, the writers should have had time to perfect and finalize this episode.  
The 2nd half of the first part of Season 6 was so good and while I wasn't expecting a "home run" episode on the caliber of TLPJF, I thought they would at least do as well as some of the mediocre ones.  This episode fell far short.

The first 2 songs just plain sucked.  The last one I did think was funny.  But listen to the old holiday/X-Mas specials and you will see actual good/funny songs.

Crabs?  Really?  So bees with STDs now?  I know it's "Futurama" but can we have some sense or logic?....I'm not a child anymore so not everything goes (ex. hot pink dinosaurs flying helicopters chewing gum!).  But there is so much more I could get into that I didn't like/felt out of place, but I'm not going to spend the time now.

I did like the Nut sponsor spoof and the Intro time traveler note.

Another episode/segment with Al Gore that flopped for me.

If I were to rate this, I would have it in the bottom 1/3 of my Season 6 episodes.  Mostly unfunny, forced episode...and with the time they had to perfect it:
5/10

[Reply #67 on:]

Finally got the chance to see it. A very small number of laughs to be had. Far from the best songs. Easily a bottom ten episode.

[Reply #68 on:]

As I recall there was talk of the writing budget being cut when Fox/CC ordered the 26 TV episodes. Perhaps we're seeing the effect of that in episodes like this. That or the writers and staff get so used to each other that they get carried away with what they think is good but the rest of the world has no idea what their talking about. Sort of like that theme you wrote in your high school English class that you thought was so good then the teacher hands it back with a marginal grade - stupid teacher.

[Reply #69 on:]

   Crabs?  Really?  So bees with STDs now?

Actually I think they were referring to Varroa mites.

[Reply #70 on:]

5/10. Re-using old jokes makes me sad in pants.

[Reply #71 on:]

   Crabs?  Really?  So bees with STDs now?

Actually I think they were referring to Varroa mites.

Yes.  I am actually very glad that they made reference to this as it is a very serious issue.  The way things are going now, there won't be any bees left in fifty years, much less 1000.

[Reply #72 on:]

I was disapoint.

[Reply #73 on:]

its was a another great episode in the futurama univers

[Reply #74 on:]

It wasn't really in the Futurama universe.  It is very non-canon in style.

[Reply #75 on:]

I am really disappointed by this season. The other seasons seemed to have a running thread, and an overall story. This season is as disconnected and singular as a Family Guy episode. I'm trying to give it a chance, but even this 'spectacular' seemed disconnected and strange.

sigh.

Edit - I also agree with FishyJoe. What he said is perfect. I just hope we can get some winners happening. Maybe now they've established themselves at Comedy Central, they'll bring back the awesomeness of old.

[Reply #76 on:]

It was OK, don't regret watching it, but neither have I been enriched by the experience.

[Reply #77 on:]

I thought it was a great Xmas episode, and they're supposed to be quirky, guys. There was the Amy/Bender thing going through the season, too... All in all, I gave it a 9 out of 10. Quirky, crazy, and all around bananas...uh...yeah. Good episode, I think.

[Reply #78 on:]

 

[Reply #79 on:]

It was OK, don't regret watching it, but neither have I been enriched by the experience.

Seconded.