Thoughts on 6ACV21 - Yo Leela Leela - SPOILERS!

[Reply #280 on:]

Hey, there's nothing wrong with having a positive image of Leela; despite my view of her as somewhat cocky and occasionally unlikable, she's still probably tied with Fry as my favorite character. I definitely think she gets a lot of unwarranted hate from fans--and, though I can understand their frustration, I still think Leela's a totally relateable, intriguing, and sympathetic character.

I just also think that the writers have been uneven in their portrayal of her: she's sometimes weak, sometimes cruel, sometimes strong, sometimes sweet, sometimes totally serious, sometimes wonderfully silly. I guess what I'm calling unevenness might also be called complexity, but I feel like the writers are more keen to demonize Leela (and thus make fans' opinions of her fluctuate wildly) than they are to demonize, say, Fry. It seems a bit unfair to me.

[Reply #281 on:]

Aside from Fry and Bender and the Professor who seem pretty universally loved by the fans, I've seen a lot of wildly polarized views on the others.  Hermes is considered by some to be the most unfunny and pointless character, some people think Zoidberg is unfunny and overrated, and some think Amy is a boring slut, and some think Leela is a peachy hypocritical bitch. 

[Reply #282 on:]

Good point, SpaceGoldfish, but I definitely think that Leela is the most polarizing character, if only because she's a main character. You can hate Hermes and Amy and Zoidberg all you want, because they collectively have had a handful of episodes that focus on them and their troubles. It's not like their lives and storylines play a huge part in the series as a whole (with the possible exception of Amy's relationship with Kif, and running gags like Zoiberg's incompetence and Hermes's anal-retentiveness). But Leela is such a key player in the series, and her characterization has been so elastic (and not always in a good way), and I think it just bugs people because they have to see her more often than the other, more secondary characters.

[Reply #283 on:]

I just also think that the writers have been uneven in their portrayal of her: she's sometimes weak, sometimes cruel, sometimes strong, sometimes sweet, sometimes totally serious, sometimes wonderfully silly. I guess what I'm calling unevenness might also be called complexity, but I feel like the writers are more keen to demonize Leela (and thus make fans' opinions of her fluctuate wildly) than they are to demonize, say, Fry. It seems a bit unfair to me.

It's interesting, I always thought the show was always more focused on Fry's character than Leela, but the way you describe her makes her seem awfully realistic while Fry appears shallow. I mean seriously, "weak, cruel, strong, sweet, serious, silly" - it's describing the typical person to a 't'. Fry is just your sweetheart slob with a consistently upbeat demeanor.  Perhaps the writers are quick to demonize Leela, but then again, perhaps the tables have turned and you misinterpret their intentions. Maybe they give Leela such complexity in order to make the viewers better understand and relate to Fry's affection for her. An unrealistically perfect or one-sided character would be boring. By giving Leela a real personality, made up of both flaws and positives, she becomes understandably charming.  

But grr, why did she have to be so rude to everyone the night of her awards??

[Reply #284 on:]

I like the way you think, Whatawut. I wouldn't call Fry shallow, exactly--but it's true that the writers going the route of lovable, oafish moron in their characterization of Fry is kind of lazy. Of course we're going to root for the guy with the heart of gold; we've been programmed to do so. Leela is a lot more difficult to sympathize with, perhaps because--if we're honest with ourselves about our own personalities and flaws--we can see so much of our unfortunate, but totally human, attributes in her. And being so effectively confronted with our own faults can be off-putting. Seriously, you've made me think about the characters in a whole new way, and it makes me appreciate Leela even more. (And, of course, I'll always love Fry. He's the hero of the show, and just because the writers were a little lazy in choosing to make him the lovable buffoon, they weren't unsuccessful.)

And Leela's rudeness at the Young Peoples' Choice Awards is off-set for me by that adorable kiss she gives Fry on the forehead...though that's the shipper in me talking more than anything else.

[Reply #285 on:]

you just need to finely hone your ability to bullshit an explanation

Seriously, you've made me think about the characters in a whole new way, and it makes me appreciate Leela even more.

*swish*

Has the student surpassed the master? : P

But seriously, despite the fact that my new-found appreciation of Leela is based on her complexity, I completely agree with you about Fry. He still remains my favorite character despite his relative simplicity, and if that makes me shallow for so predictably rooting for the man with the heart of gold, so be it! He's quite relate-able as it stands, anyway.

And Leela's rudeness at the Young Peoples' Choice Awards is off-set for me by that adorable kiss she gives Fry on the forehead...though that's the shipper in me talking more than anything else.

Ah, and now we've reached unfamiliar territory for me. I will go this far, and no further; emotions are dumb and should be hated. (2 quotes side by side? Yes!)

[Reply #286 on:]

Ah, and now we've reached unfamiliar territory for me. I will go this far, and no further; emotions are dumb and should be hated. (2 quotes side by side? Yes!)

Have I taught you nothing in the relationship thread? The key to a woman's heart is making up some feelings and telling her you have them. Or, failing that, having sex with her parents. (You're not the only one who can do side-by-side quotes, mister. )

[Reply #287 on:]

Wow, I never would have thought of that! And as a sign of concession to your obvious quoting prowess, I'll avoid splicing a Zoidberg quote about how it's all so complicated with the romance and sleeping with the parents (ok, I guess I pretty much just did lol).

[Reply #288 on:]

This episode was fucking stupid.
What kind of ending was that?

[Reply #289 on:]

You've only just seen it, Freako?

[Reply #290 on:]

Yeah I haven't even seen the last one either yet.

[Reply #291 on:]

The Silence of the Clamps or All the President's Heads?

[Reply #292 on:]

This episode was fucking stupid.
What kind of ending was that?

A bad one...

[Reply #293 on:]

The end was disappointing, a lot of it was predictable, not really any good jokes..still better than a leela of her own though..I gave it 4/10

Also, I kept thinking of the girl with the third ear as Maz..

[Reply #294 on:]

I could barely pay attention. How did futurama get so shit?

[Reply #295 on:]

I could barely pay attention. How did futurama get so shit?

is this the 3rd personality that the other two don't know about?

[Reply #296 on:]

It seems we all thought of Maz during it, Bianca

[Reply #297 on:]

Heh, i did. And how her voice changed

[Reply #298 on:]

When people said that I thought "That's stupid"

Then it happened to me.

[Reply #299 on:]

I could barely pay attention. How did futurama get so shit?

is this the 3rd personality that the other two don't know about?

Yes. And it and I....
ARE LOVERS

[Reply #300 on:]

I originally gave this episode a TWO?? Sweet Zombie Jesus!

I didn't realize how completely awful this episode was until I watched it again just now on the dvd (no. 8). Two things I liked: When Abner shows the kids the shows, and Bender's "I like turtles!" line. That's it. There is nothing sci-fi about this episode and Fry was frozen during Lady Gaga's emergence in mainstream media ARG!!!

They all look like damn teletubbies! Negative a billion on this I say!

[Reply #301 on:]

I completely agree and more.

[Reply #302 on:]

I... I gave this episode an eight. What was I thinking.

I haven't watched it since I first saw it in August but uh I'm pretty sure it's not deserving of an eight. I should rewatch it though. I remember thinking the characterization, especially that of Leela, was interesting, but it wasn't horribly funny.

[Reply #303 on:]

I originally gave it a four. In hindsight I was probably too generous...

[Reply #304 on:]

The best way to watch this episode is not too  But seriously, if you watch this not having watched a classic episode earlier then you clear your mind of any reviews or negative comments you've heard on it, This one would have a lot more 6's and 7's...

[Reply #305 on:]

Well much as I hated that line futurefreak, it wouldn't be surprising if Lady Gaga is still famous in the 31st century, not for her music of course, but because she became an intergalactic space tyrant who slaughtered squillions and lead to the extinction of several sentient alien species. 

My favorite line is the "gibberish for toddlers" line.  I mean seriously why am I studying illustration when shit like Peppa Pig and her creepy slit in the side of her face is what sells?

[Reply #306 on:]

One the commentary, explaining how Yo Gabba Gabba was an inspiration to the episode:

Eric Horsted: This is an episode that probably would not have been written in the original run of the show when we didn't have kids.



So originally the joke was JLo esque fame hag, then according to DXC they "got with the times"

[Reply #307 on:]

Aww, now I wish they'd never written this episode at all.

Wait, no, I wished that before. Not that wish has been validated.

It was just a bad premise. I mean, their approach to this particular premise could have been worse. But it wasn't Futurama-esque and it was overall a bad idea before it even got written.

[Reply #308 on:]

I think I originally gave this episode a 5.5. I wonder if it will get worse on a second viewing or not...

[Reply #309 on:]

So originally the joke was JLo esque fame hag, then according to DXC they "got with the times"

Is it weird that I would have preferred that line about a billion times more than the Lady Gaga one? Like, I don't think they needed a pop culture reference at all, but for some reason JLo seems more timeless to me (relatively-speaking). Damn it, writers, go with your guts next time!

And I still think this episode is underrated (I gave it a 7/10 when I initially saw it, and that still seems fair to me). Granted, I haven't seen it in months; I'm afraid to rewatch it and find that everyone else is right about its suckiness and I'm just severely deluded.

[Reply #310 on:]

Yo, Leela Leela had the right details/premise, the whole thing just "did not get together":

- A character pursuing a solo carrrer: Yep, happened before.
- Leela trying to be a good example for the orphans: Yep, fits.
- A mean ending/lesson: "In reality, being dishonest is overrated, if you get along with it: Means: If enough people do profit from it". The like has also been done before.
- Sci Fi Twist (Kid show puppets often look like little aliens, let's see what happens if they are REALLY aliens): Also fitting.

The whole setup looked like classical, typical Futurama. But yet, the whole thing did just not get together: The kid show theme became so dmoniant, that the whole episode looked rather like a real kid show, instead of a Futurama episode. Maybe a different, independent subplot could have helped...

[Reply #311 on:]

Name all of the planets that the Plantet Express Crew visited..

Just one of them...I loved this episode.

[Reply #312 on:]

So originally the joke was JLo esque fame hag, then according to DXC they "got with the times"

Is it weird that I would have preferred that line about a billion times more than the Lady Gaga one? Like, I don't think they needed a pop culture reference at all, but for some reason JLo seems more timeless to me (relatively-speaking). Damn it, writers, go with your guts next time!

You know, I was going to say that too. I think because JLo is JLo, very well known (and appreciated), and also she was from Fry's time before he got frozen. Lady Gaga just seems to be a currently running flavor of the month thing, like Beiber.

[Reply #313 on:]

It's possible that the crew talked about Lady Gaga to Fry at some point, we saw in RTEW that they thought the 40s was around the time Fry was from. He was probably like "Who?" and then they showed him.

I can imagine Fry saying something like "Wow, Earth really went crazy when I went missing." all proud, but he's serious. (Ah I love his stupidity...)

[Reply #314 on:]

I would rather not think the crew is talking about Gagas and Beibers to Fry. It makes me sad.

[Reply #315 on:]

I mean what if they researched stuff from (what they thought was) his time, and came across Lady Gaga and whatnot.

[Reply #316 on:]

I mean what if they researched stuff from (what they thought was) his time, and came across Lady Gaga and whatnot.

That's a bit of a long shot don't ya think?...

[Reply #317 on:]

Well no, it researched stuff in TLOTF when they were talking about the word "Fry"...

[Reply #318 on:]

But when a 'joke' takes that long to explain, you know it's pretty bad, pretty very bad

[Reply #319 on:]

Futurama doesn't tend to explain jokes...

When someone who's just a casual viewer flicks on TLPJF and the Professor mentions sleeping with your grandmother I doubt they'd go "THAT'S JUST RANDOM AND NOT FUNNY. THERE HAS TO BE AN EXPLANATION, I WANT IT."

They just brush it off. Unless they get hooked on the show from that one ep, then they will investigate.