Down! Bad Episode! (Worst Episode Discussion)

[Reply #200 on:]

True but the writers constantly say the other examples are non canon, all the time.  Until they say otherwise, I think Honking is canon.  Sure robot gaining mass and turning car thing is a big stretch, but there are quite a few other canon episodes that stretch our suspension of disbelief.

[Reply #201 on:]

Until they say otherwise, I think Honking is canon.

IIRC there's something in one of the commentaries (might even be for that episode) where they ask if the episode is canon, and then gloss smoothly over it without answering the question. Then again, it might be from an interview. I'll watch it with commentary at some point soon to check. If it's not in that commentary, I'll watch all of them with commentary, listening for the bit I think I remember, and if I can't hear it there, I'll search the web for any interviews. If I can't find the staff casting doubt on its canonicity within the next six months, I'll concede that point to you.

Bolded for emphasis.

[Reply #202 on:]

IIRC there's something in one of the commentaries (might even be for that episode) where they ask if the episode is canon, and then gloss smoothly over it without answering the question. Then again, it might be from an interview. I'll watch it with commentary at some point soon to check. If it's not in that commentary, I'll watch all of them with commentary, listening for the bit I think I remember, and if I can't hear it there, I'll search the web for any interviews. If I can't find the staff casting doubt on its canonicity within the next six months, I'll concede that point to you.

I saw that, but until they say otherwise, I am going to assume its canon, like every other episode thats not AOI/TFHS.  It could have been written as a non canon episode like the later ones, but now has been retconned into being canon and they don't want to admit that.

[Reply #203 on:]

It could have been written as a non canon episode like the later ones, but now has been retconned into being canon and they don't want to admit that.

Conjecture. Invalid.

[Reply #204 on:]

It could have been written as a non canon episode like the later ones, but now has been retconned into being canon and they don't want to admit that.

Conjecture. Invalid.

A conjecture of a conjecture is invalid?

[Reply #205 on:]

That is also conjecture. Stop conjecting!

[Reply #206 on:]

I conjaculated.

[Reply #207 on:]

I conjaculated.

NOT IN MY HAIR I HAVE A CONJECTUDATE TOMORROW!

[Reply #208 on:]

Really?  People are disputing the episode's canonity now?  Futurama's episodes are all canon unless stated otherwise  

This is why I didn't understand everyone calling it non-canon.

[Reply #209 on:]

The AOI episodes are Halloween episodes.

What?

[Reply #210 on:]

I think he means AOI to Futurama is like Treehouse of Horror to the Simpsons.

[Reply #211 on:]

What if?...

[Reply #212 on:]

The Honking doesn't seem that silly to me.  I would say Kif gets Knocked up a Notch boggles my brain far more, but I still enjoyed the episode.

So... alien reproductive biology by dermal absorption of DNA is mind-boggling, but a computer virus transforming an android into an evil automobile is perfectly reasonable?

[Reply #213 on:]

The Honking doesn't seem that silly to me.  I would say Kif gets Knocked up a Notch boggles my brain far more, but I still enjoyed the episode.

So... alien reproductive biology by dermal absorption of DNA is mind-boggling, but a computer virus transforming an android into an evil automobile is perfectly reasonable?

It wasn't that, as so much as the "woman who gives you the DNA is the mother but not the mother because the Smizmar is the mother and Fry is not the man mother.  Oh, and the whole mpreg thing."  

I thought the whole Virus werecar thing was pretty inventive, even though the whole question of extra mass appearing out of nowhere always stretched my suspension of disbelief a bit.  Still I thought the technological aspect of it was pretty funny "According to this ancient Read Me file".    Also, it had some killer lines from Bender: "I can't keep running people over!  I'm not famous enough to get away with it!"

Also, whilst everyone hates the pop culture and topical references, myself included, I thought the Obamacare line was pretty funny, because healthcare reform actually CAN have effects a thousand years from now.  I put it up there with Oprah's talkshow becoming a full blown religion in the future, rather then just randomly mentioning Lady Gaga for the sake of mentioning Lady Gaga.

[Reply #214 on:]

It wasn't that, as so much as the "woman who gives you the DNA is the mother but not the mother because the Smizmar is the mother and Fry is not the man mother.  Oh, and the whole mpreg thing." 

You humans and your silly 'gender' notions...

[Reply #215 on:]

It's a toss-up for me, between Reincarnation and That's Lobstertainment! I can't help but tune out when one of these episodes comes on tv or during a dvd run.

[Reply #216 on:]

I can understand picking That's Lobstertainment, but Reincarnation? Are you trolling us?... Don't you even like a single act? Personally I think it's brilliant, I just find it hard to believe that a fellow Futurama fan could list it as one of the worst. Any reason?...

[Reply #217 on:]

If anything Reincarnation is one of the funniest episodes ever made...I laughed so much, my stomach hurt. My Dad and Brother (Who didn't get many jokes) wondered how I could laugh so much. It was just executed so nicely...

[Reply #218 on:]

It bores me...The first act is cute, that's about it. I know this is nitpicking at it's worst but the video game act doesn't look like an old video game, it looks like a very slightly pixelated version of Futurama (way too clean for an early 1980's game). The third act is pretty funny but I usually don't make it that far into the episode. Above all, I just don't like episodes that have nothing to do with the story arch, especially if they don't make me laugh. It's a shame 'cause now that I think about it, the anime part was pretty good.

[Reply #219 on:]

That's Lobstertainment was a bit of a bore for me, the idea was alright, but I don't think it had enough pizazz.

[Reply #220 on:]

It's a toss-up for me, between Reincarnation and That's Lobstertainment! I can't help but tune out when one of these episodes comes on tv or during a dvd run.

What. The. Hell.

Are you joking? Reincarnation is quite possibly the best thing the show has ever done, and that's saying a lot. And even if you didn't love it (which by the way, is perfectly reasonable), how could it possibly be ranked among the worst? As great as Futurama is, it has had some pretty low moments. Putting Reincarnation in the same category as That's Lobstertainment and similar episodes should be a crime.

[Reply #221 on:]

I'll say this; 33.3% (with a bar over the last 3) of the episode entertained me. The first two acts weren't that great in my opinion, sheesh...

[Reply #222 on:]

I dislike Yo Leela Leela very strongly. I actually felt embarrassed while watching it. >_> It just didn't appeal to me, with all the kiddy songs.

I love Reincarnation, though. Loved the animation in it and the parodies.
"The list of things I have seen now contains everything."

[Reply #223 on:]

I dislike Yo Leela Leela very strongly. I actually felt embarrassed while watching it. >_> It just didn't appeal to me, with all the kiddy songs.

Same here, I was thinking the whole time I was watching "They thought this would be a good idea?! It's Futurama for God's sake, i'm sure there could of been a way better story!"

[Reply #224 on:]

Blah, A Leela of Her Own....Borrrrring. Probably my least favorite episode.

[Reply #225 on:]

I did enjoy a few good gags, like Leela's suggestion of getting along and clown fundamentals. But yeah, boring.

[Reply #226 on:]

It's cute when you two agree on stuff, and junk... I however think that A Leela of Her Own is alright, not the greatest because it didn't live up to the wacky potential and expectations of Blernsball, but the cygnoids provided some laughs, and the episode had some other good jokes and memorable moments throughout...

[Reply #227 on:]

I just like the scenes in the pizza place.

[Reply #228 on:]

I hate Cryonic Woman. Yo Leela Leela was horrible too. Those have to be my least favorites. I sometimes wish that they didn't exist.

[Reply #229 on:]

It's cute when you two agree on stuff, and junk... I however think that A Leela of Her Own is alright, not the greatest because it didn't live up to the wacky potential and expectations of Blernsball, but the cygnoids provided some laughs, and the episode had some other good jokes and memorable moments throughout...

Haha, I love quoting things, and junk.

[Reply #230 on:]

That's Lobstertainment

[Reply #231 on:]

I liked Cryonic Woman, but the iced harpy did deserve some karmic punishment for being such a cunt to everyone, especially Fry, rather then getting to dump him AGAIN, when he should be dumping her.

But I guess that's life.  Some people are assholes and get to live happily ever after.

[Reply #232 on:]

I dislike Yo Leela Leela very strongly. I actually felt embarrassed while watching it. >_> It just didn't appeal to me, with all the kiddy songs.

Yeah, "Yo Leela Leela" was pretty difficult to watch. All throughout the episode, I kept thinking, "How'd this ever make it to production?" Although I did enjoy that fact that Bender was so proud of Leela for being a plagiarist, until she started feeling remorse. And then he was promptly disgusted.

I wasn't crazy about "Proposition Infinity", either, mostly because I really like the Kif/Amy relationship, and seeing her with Bender was just... weird. However, I loved the Professor's "Hooray denied!!"

Maybe it's just me, but I hesitate to say that I actually HATE any episode of Futurama. In my opinion, anyway, even the worst episodes are way better than most of the crap on TV. Plus, I just love the show so much. I've loved it since the first episode aired, I mourned the end of its original run on Fox, and I was absolutely thrilled when it was revived. So I'm kind of afraid to say anything bad about it. I don't want to jinx it.

I know, I know. Superstitious mumbo-jumbo. 

[Reply #233 on:]

I don't like A Pharaoh to Remember. Some episodes I find to be less amusing than others, but this one actively irritates me. Bender is exceptionally obnoxious here, and I feel like they could have done a much better episode about the Ancient Egypt world if they hadn't centered it on such a lame plot.

Oh, and then they made the whole point of the episode (Bender wants to be remembered after he dies) useless in a later season by revealing that he thought he had a functional backup system and thus could not die, at the time of Pharaoh to Remember.

[Reply #234 on:]

Oh, and then they made the whole point of the episode (Bender wants to be remembered after he dies) useless in a later season by revealing that he thought he had a functional backup system and thus could not die, at the time of Pharaoh to Remember.

Didn't he say when he turned his on/off switch to 'off'? Or was that different episode?

[Reply #235 on:]

that was a different episode (which I believe was "Insane in the Mainframe"), but I think it still makes sense. Perhaps the reason he was so casual and unconcerned about being tossed into his tomb his that he thought he'd live anyway.

Man, Lethal Inspection put holes in a lot of episodes.

[Reply #236 on:]

It really does, but a few of them can be filled by remembering that Bender never said he wasn't a drama queen.

[Reply #237 on:]

It was "Futurestock" with the On/Off Switch.

[Reply #238 on:]

http://theinfosphere.org/Transcript:Insane_in_the_Mainframe

The on/off switch is right there, within the first couple of minutes. Zoidberg's anniversary "celebration".

I think the on/off switch can be considered a throw-away joke though. It is never mentioned again, and it certainly is not important to the plot. Unlike Pharaoh and Lethal Inspection, in which his facing his mortality is essential to the plots.

[Reply #239 on:]

I also doubt he was serious about permanently being switched off anyway. (Although we have seen that he does indeed have an on/off switch, so he might have been serious after all.)