The Mighty Specu-les! Futurama Speculation II

[Reply #480 on:]

A Disney animation style story -- Leela and Amy as Disney princesses?

"Leela, you'll never get a prince to marry you if you don't stop with this kung-fu nonsense!"

"Oh be quiet Amy, you're only here because political correctness wants more diversity in their toy lines!"
"That's not true!   Little girls love Mulan!"
"Mulan's not even a princess, and do you think little girls ever buy Pocahontas when they can have Aurora or Tiana?"
"I feel sad now."

Oh wait, I can totally see how that can be completely taken the wrong way.   But seriously, how my cousins are massive Disney Princess addicts (there are times when I think I might be drowning in pinkness), but I've never seen them playing with Pocahontas.  They want actual princesses with massive poofy ballgowns and lots of pointlessly dainty accessories that are going to get lost five minutes after purchase.

I am voting for the Monty Python one as well.  I just watched Fantastic Planet (which has a similar art style and animation), and wow, that would be pretty amazing.  Even if FP pretty much boggles the mind on so many levels.

[Reply #481 on:]

A Disney animation style story -- Leela and Amy as Disney princesses?

"Leela, you'll never get a prince to marry you if you don't stop with this kung-fu nonsense!"

Little OT remark:

I got the impression that the "Leela fighting scenes" were rather rare in season 6.
Am I wrong, or did other people here also notice?

[Reply #482 on:]

I got the impression that the "Leela fighting scenes" were rather rare in season 6.
Am I wrong, or did other people here also notice?

I never thought specifically about this, but yes, you're correct there.

Disney animation style could be really funny. I could see how that could be taken the wrong way, Spacefish, but I think that's amusing and in line with typical Futurama humor. I think, though, that Disney's style is less distinct than any of the three we saw here and might be harder to emulate well. The plot would also be very important in a segment using that style, the animation alone wouldn't really carry it.

[Reply #483 on:]

I got the impression that the "Leela fighting scenes" were rather rare in season 6.
Am I wrong, or did other people here also notice?

I never thought specifically about this, but yes, you're correct there.

Disney animation style could be really funny. I could see how that could be taken the wrong way, Spacefish, but I think that's amusing and in line with typical Futurama humor. I think, though, that Disney's style is less distinct than any of the three we saw here and might be harder to emulate well. The plot would also be very important in a segment using that style, the animation alone wouldn't really carry it.

You're right, but it does have some strong distinctions that the Family Guy segment nailed, in terms of palette and character design, as well as the fact that Disney characters are not drawn with outlines.   And of course they turn just about everything into a ****ing song.  

Personally I agree with whoever raised the fact that we are seeing less of Leela's fighting.  The closest we've seen is Leela's bloodlust in MD, but that's not really kick ass king fu.  Also Amy is one of the only characters besides Leela who has hand to hand combat skills, and we've never seen that outside of Jurassic Bark (sure she's not as strong as Leela, but she still knows what to do if the raygun gets knocked out of her hand across the floor, and she was able to overpower Bender in AWITM).   So yes, more Leela fu, and how about some Amy Fu as well?  Plus if her harpooning giraffes and javilin/golfing abilities are anything to go by, she probably has excellent accuracy as well.  I like the idea of her turning out to be an amazing markswoman.

[Reply #484 on:]

Also Amy is one of the only characters besides Leela who has hand to hand combat skills, and we've never seen that outside of Jurassic Bark (sure she's not as strong as Leela, but she still knows what to do if the raygun gets knocked out of her hand across the floor, and she was able to overpower Bender in AWITM).

Well...ANYONE can overwhelm Bender as long as the plot demands it (With such an Over-The-Top character like Bender, it does not really matter if it seems "real" or not). Considering the weight he does move, the whole Planet Express crew could in no way overwhelm him. But that would be rather boring.... E.g no fistfight in TLPJF after he started the timemachine again? Something would have been missing Or the chip in "I second that emotion" could never have been attached. Would have been  rather boring episode that way...

Besides: AWITM was written by someone who seemed to get a kick out a portraing any woman being in every way superior to any man. In that episode, Amy would have even won against Destructor (of course with closed eyes and using only one hand)  

[Reply #485 on:]

That's an interesting idea, but Bender was the one who saved the day by loving up the Femputor.   The Amazonians were about to turn Amy into a bloody piece of swiss cheese and rape Kif to death, but the Femputor was too busy making out with Bender to give a toss.

[Reply #486 on:]

Shouldn't Calculon have 100% acting talent if the Robot Devil gave it to him? Fry had 100% skill with the Holophoner when he had the RD's hands...

Maybe the Robot Devil gave all the other contestants their unholy acting talents too.

[Reply #487 on:]

Shouldn't Calculon have 100% acting talent if the Robot Devil gave it to him? Fry had 100% skill with the Holophoner when he had the RD's hands...

The robot devil never expected giving his hands to Fry, so he never wanted Fry to have 100% Holophoner skill . If Calculon recieved the acting talent the Robot Devil wanted him to have, it might well be below 100%. It most probably is, for the classical "Deal with the Devil" scenario usually features the Devil getting the most and his partner the least profit out of that deal .

[Reply #488 on:]

Also, the deal was never "you get 100% holophonor skill", it was "you get the hands of some random robot". Just the way it turned out ended poorly for the Robot Devil, and for once he got less out of the deal than his partner. Before the circuitous plan, of course.

[Reply #489 on:]

So yes, more Leela fu

Seconded. And also, hire a consultant to get the moves looking better. In the very least, watch a few good kung-fu films. Some of Leela's moves have looked less than 'expert' over the years...

[Reply #490 on:]

So yes, more Leela fu

Seconded. And also, hire a consultant to get the moves looking better. In the very least, watch a few good kung-fu films. Some of Leela's moves have looked less than 'expert' over the years...

That would be pretty interesting, I have to admit.  Though I do like the occasional moment when Leela finds out that violence cant solve everything (such as the time she tries to beat up an Amazonian.  The Amazonian responds by picking her up by the ponytail, dropping her to the ground and sitting on her.  Unfortunately for all the fanboys, its clearly more painful then erotic.)

[Reply #491 on:]

Seconded. And also, hire a consultant to get the moves looking better. In the very least, watch a few good kung-fu films. Some of Leela's moves have looked less than 'expert' over the years...

Well, as a Kung Fu Pratitioner, I must say they already flushed down any "expert/realistic" appearance when a single woman can make a stand against several men.... )
The most realistic Leela "fighting" scene was when she did not dare go against Sal in "Parasites Lost", I'm afraid...
(A bit of nitpicking begins..you have been warned ):

- They let Leela often do kicks to the head, that are considered "cool looking". IRL, you hardly do them: Against equal opponents, they just take to long. And you can defeat worse opponents without those kicks...
- Leela's fist punches often hit the opponents face frontwise. You usually go sideways for the chin (making the head swing, and affecting the balance.) Such a slight hit from the side has much more effect than a strong hit from the front (Heck...I once hit my sparring partner like that in really soft "poke...your cover is open" way. He turned two times around, and had to lean on the wall. And sparring was over for him that day... ).
- Another realisitic move was Leo Wong taking Leela down with one kick in the Solarplexus. It was not the "hero/heroine can stand several strikes/kicks/punches". One good hit and it is quickly over for you. And being hit in the solarplexus (or lower chestbone) will end a fight. (It also was a realistic height for a kick for once... )

To cut a long story short: Should they wish to consult a real expert as consultant, a fighting scene would involve 1 punch, and also Leela going down as soon as she would face more than one opponent...(e.g. Fry and Hermes pushing her down rather easily in "Möbius Dick"...that is exactly what happens when about three times your weight comes rushing at you and you do not evade/run)
Okay...nitpicking does end here...

[Reply #492 on:]

Well, as a Kung Fu Pratitioner

How about that, another thing that we both do.

I must say they already flushed down any "expert/realistic" appearance when a single woman can make a stand against several men....

True enough, but my point was the fight animation could be better. When Leela was fighting the Lucy Liu-bot (I Dated A Robot) - not bad. But when she was teaching Bender to kick (Raging Bender) - not so much.

- They let Leela often do kicks to the head, that are considered "cool looking".

Just like any kung-fu film, so I'm prepared to let that sort of thing slide. Same with effective attack angles and realistic target areas.

Looks cool? Damn right. Do it in a real fight? Not a chance.

It was not the "hero/heroine can stand several strikes/kicks/punches". One good hit and it is quickly over for you.

True again, but it makes for a short and boring fight scene.

[Reply #493 on:]

I think they do a pretty good job keeping Leela reasonably realistic, especially for the average viewer (non-martial-artist). Yeah, there have been some unrealistic moves, but you have to give them some leeway just to make things look interesting. And she's obviously not invincible.

If you want to be nitpicky, sure, that's fine. But overall... they could be doing a hell of a lot worse.

Would like to see more, though. And better animation. Always better animation.

[Reply #494 on:]

If you want to be nitpicky, sure, that's fine. But overall... they could be doing a hell of a lot worse.

Sure...compared to other series, the Leela Kung Fu stuff was usually rather harmless.

To get back to the subject regarding the lack of fighting scenes:

In a certain way, it seemed kinda fitting to the wish to move on with her life in "Overclockwise". Not too much interest in tomboy activities in season 6, but rather stuff the character might consider appropriate for a grown-up woman. (E.g. working with little kids in "Yo, Leela, Leela" instead of being a martial arts coach in "Raging Bender" , or selling real estates instead of applying for another captain job, etc...). Also, not much of her normal outfit (except for the tank top) was left in the last scene.

(I must admit that I consider that last "Transformation" scene back to old Leela quite genius: By taking the jacket off and sitting at the table -hiding the skirt and leaving only the torso visible- they made a brilliant designwise change from businesswoman to old Leela...)

[Reply #495 on:]

leela is as good as anderson silva, so what she does is very believable.

also, kung fu practitioners would get beat up by any slightly rounded mixed martial artist.

[Reply #496 on:]

Eric Rogers tweeted:

You know, just hanging out on the conference table in the writers room during a rewrite... #futurama yfrog.com/kih74iroj

The image:



I've studied the surrounding areas around Bender on the screen, I'm 50-50, it's either something new, or from 'A Clockwork Origin'.

[Reply #497 on:]

My guess would be something new.  Not enough rivets for a robot jungle. 

[Reply #498 on:]

Love the large Roberto with the knife, ready to stab someone in the face knee.

[Reply #499 on:]

Careful...Looks like Bender has his eye on that Jumbonium.

[Reply #500 on:]

I Just wish the image was a bit clearer so we could see the title of the episode on the script...

[Reply #501 on:]

I just wish I could discern whether that's a Diet Dr. Pepper or a regular one...

I'm thinking Diet.

[Reply #502 on:]

So yeah, it isn't 'A Clockwork Origin':

@DannyJC13 there's a reason you can't tell -- because we don't want you to know!

[Reply #503 on:]

Interesting, so a jungle on Mars then?...

I just wish I could discern whether that's a Diet Dr. Pepper or a regular one...

I'm thinking Diet.

Diet Dr Pepper actually exists? ...

[Reply #504 on:]

What makes you think it's Mars?

[Reply #505 on:]

Günther told me...

[Reply #506 on:]

I just wish I could discern whether that's a Diet Dr. Pepper or a regular one...

I'm thinking Diet.

Don't!  It does not contain sugar.  Oh wait, neither does the regular one.  Carry on.

[Reply #507 on:]

Bender in a jungle, because

Show spoiler

it is maybe the episode, where robots are gonna be killed on an island, a kind of TV gameshow thing

David X. Cohen mentioned it in an interview as an possible plot for an upcoming episode in season 7.

[Reply #508 on:]

A link to that interview would be highly appreciated...

[Reply #509 on:]

Bender in a jungle, because

Show spoiler

it is maybe the episode, where robots are gonna be killed on an island, a kind of TV gameshow thing

David X. Cohen mentioned it in an interview as an possible plot for an upcoming episode in season 7.

Show spoiler

If that's an episode plot then already I don't like the sound of it, unless it's a futuristic island on some other crazy planet, then it's ok. If it's just a boring non-futuristic island that doesn't make use of the future then I doubt it'll sit well with me...

[Reply #510 on:]

If that plot what DXC mentioned is true, then boooo! Sounds like a rip off of 'Crimes of the Hot'... Except there are cameras there... And maybe the robots try to kill each other... Oh wait, they already did that. So it's just a re-hash of 'Crimes of the Hot' but with cameras.

On the other hand, it does sound quite awesome.

[Reply #511 on:]

Part 2 has some plot ideas

A two-part interview with DXC (courtesy of Just Fan over in the shipping thread):

Part One
Part Two

Nothing particularly enlightening, but he does talk a bit about the writing process and discarded storylines, which is pretty neat.

[Reply #512 on:]

At the moment, we’re really in our most stable phase that we’ve ever been in...

...So the plan for now is just to crank out good, solid Futurama, as you have always known and loved it. And we have a lot of veteran writers on our staff, and our whole cast back and our animators at Rough Draft have many more tools at their disposal than they had ten years ago, so the show is looking as good as it’s ever been. So we’re back in classic Futurama mode at the moment and I feel pretty good about it because we didn’t expect to be in this position.

Hell yes, glad to hear this. Screw you Nostalgia Goggles.

[Reply #513 on:]

Hooray! This sounds good. I am already looking forward to 7A, my god, I am never satisfied.

[Reply #514 on:]

I'm waiting for a Season 6A UK Blu-Ray release, I am going to watch it over and over to stop the wait for 7A being a total drag... Plus, when the US get 7A, we'll get 6B!

[Reply #515 on:]

It makes sense for it to be that episode. Did David X. Cohen say it was a reality TV thing though? I thought it was a simple parody of 'The Most Dangerous Game' which sounds good to me.

Also, what I like with that is it was my least favourite of the ideas he tossed out as possible upcoming episodes in that interview. If it's already going ahead, perhaps some of the other wonderful ideas he mentioned will make up season 7 too.

[Reply #516 on:]

Another Eric Rogers tweet:

Very proud that first "delete" note for #futurama syndication from censor is 1 of my best joke's from 1st movie. #dollrapingmonkey

[Reply #517 on:]

Oh, yeah, that's right: The show's supposed to be entering syndication soon, right? That's exciting, even though I obviously have no need to watch the episodes again and again on, like, my CW affiliate or whatever.

And knowing that Eric Rogers came up with the doll-raping monkey joke from BBS makes me respect him anew.

[Reply #518 on:]

If that plot what DXC mentioned is true, then boooo! Sounds like a rip off of 'Crimes of the Hot'... Except there are cameras there... And maybe the robots try to kill each other... Oh wait, they already did that. So it's just a re-hash of 'Crimes of the Hot' but with cameras.

Plus Crimes of the Hot is one of the suckiest eps of the show. Basically I don't like eps which involve an island all that much, at least not so far. Leave that to LOST...

As for them being in their most stable phase, glad to hear it. It better show in the eps then. Looking forward to them already!...

[Reply #519 on:]

The plot does sound like a take on "Running Man".
I hope it turns out that way, because I really do like parodies on classics.