Thoughts on 6ACV18 - The Tip of the Zoidberg - SPOILERS!

[Reply #120 on:]

Not a huge fan of this one, it felt like a story which didn't need to be told. It didn't enrich the Futurama universe to me as I wasn't very keen on the concept/plot. Dr Zoidberg is usually funny, but not so much in this one despite him being the focus. Also, the illnesses felt too wacky to me, rather than funny. They felt like Mike Scully era Simpsons. Nice to see Mom again, and bits of it were ok, but meh...

5/10

[Reply #121 on:]

Well, IGN gave it a 9.0,

Hm...IGN also gave TlPJF the second worst rating of Episode 6.... 

You can't spell ignorant without IGN

[Reply #122 on:]

You can't spell ignorant without IGN

Quote of the Day!!   Good Man!

[Reply #123 on:]

Carol? Really?? LOL

Very unrealistic. Yes, that's silly of me to expect realism from Futurama, but this episode was pretty bad.

On the contrary I thought it was amazing to have Zoidberg be the ONLY character on a first name basis with Mom, seeing as how he's the "unpopular and poor" one that you would least likely connect with her. Even the professor who's banging mom isn't on a first name basis with her. I thought that was very clever.

[Reply #124 on:]

on second viewing, i enjoyed it more. however, it was a very bad 'origin' story.

[Reply #125 on:]

Carol? Really?? LOL

Very unrealistic. Yes, that's silly of me to expect realism from Futurama, but this episode was pretty bad.

On the contrary I thought it was amazing to have Zoidberg be the ONLY character on a first name basis with Mom, seeing as how he's the "unpopular and poor" one that you would least likely connect with her. Even the professor who's banging mom isn't on a first name basis with her. I thought that was very clever.

I agree, I found it very touching that these people who you thought had no connection to Zoidberg were on a first name basis with him.

I am still very much annoyed at the whole reason Professor kept him on as a doctor. I was expecting a whole big reveal but instead got a "that's it?" moment. The plot just wasn't there for me.

[Reply #126 on:]

strange that when mom and zoidberg have met before they appeared not to know eachother

[Reply #127 on:]

I am still very much annoyed at the whole reason Professor kept him on as a doctor. I was expecting a whole big reveal but instead got a "that's it?" moment. The plot just wasn't there for me.

I hadn't even thought of that yet but I agree, it didn't really meet those expectations. This definitely wasn't as strong a background-info episode as, say, Lethal Inspection. It was also more predictable than some of the flashback-heavy ones.

[Reply #128 on:]

But what kind of reason could you really be expecting that wouldn't seem too wacky or forced? I actually liked the relative down-to-earthness of Zoidberg making this promise to Farnsworth out of friendship and gratitude, and Farnsworth keeping Zoidberg around so that he could one day make good on that promise. I'd much prefer a fairly realistic rationale behind the decision than some kooky or strictly comedic explanation.

But yeah, I agree that "Lethal Inspection" told a similar story in a much more compelling way.

[Reply #129 on:]

strange that when mom and zoidberg have met before they appeared not to know eachother

But weren't most these situation in public? Surely Mom'd lose some respect if she admitted to know a person like Zoidberg.

[Reply #130 on:]

Seems like people are divided on this one. I thought it was cute, I loved the interaction with Zoidberg and Farnsworth, even with Mom which I thought was surprising. Me being a horror movie fan, I found the 'cartoony' violence pretty funny. I would say it was unrealistic but in this universe you can have your head chopped off and still survive, so I'm not going to bitch about it. I thought it was a little out of character for Fry to want to kill Zoidberg, I mean he seems to always be the one who stands up for him. But I liked this episode. I'm gonna give it an 8/10.

[Reply #131 on:]

I am still very much annoyed at the whole reason Professor kept him on as a doctor. I was expecting a whole big reveal but instead got a "that's it?" moment. The plot just wasn't there for me.

Yeah I thought the same thing, couldn't they have just stayed in contact? He could of notified him when the Malaria symptoms kicked in...

[Reply #132 on:]

I am still very much annoyed at the whole reason Professor kept him on as a doctor. I was expecting a whole big reveal but instead got a "that's it?" moment. The plot just wasn't there for me.

Yeah I thought the same thing, couldn't they have just stayed in contact? He could of notified him when the Malaria symptoms kicked in...

But who knows how quickly Zoidberg could have made it from whatever planet he might have worked on?
Or what if he kept doing dangerous missions for mom and would have been killed?
Naah, keeping him around was a good idea.

[Reply #133 on:]

But what kind of reason could you really be expecting that wouldn't seem too wacky or forced? I actually liked the relative down-to-earthness of Zoidberg making this promise to Farnsworth out of friendship and gratitude, and Farnsworth keeping Zoidberg around so that he could one day make good on that promise.

It wasn't bad. I didn't have very clear expectations for this one so I'm not totally sure what I was expecting, but it was something with a little more clout I guess. I still give it an 8/10, with the reason it's not higher pretty much entirely because of the first act.

[Reply #134 on:]

Also, although at first the main reason was to keep Zoidberg around to put the Professor out of his misery, they were obviously real friends. After a while he must have become close to Zoidberg. Even when they first met, they were very fond of one another. After 80+ years of knowing someone, I can't imagine just throwing them out.

Also, curious, do we know when Farnsworth left Mom's company?

[Reply #135 on:]

Wasn't it in Mother's Day? Or Obsoletely Fabulous?

[Reply #136 on:]

He left it thrice so far.

[Reply #137 on:]

I'm just wondering how long Zoidberg was with Mom for, since he left with Farnsworth. But then again, he could have been with her before, and he and the Professor simply had never come in contact with each other.

[Reply #138 on:]

I just read through this topic, and I didn't see anyone touch upon the one thing that bothered me the most about this episode.

When Scruffy's life is threatened, the entire crew responds with a variety of "Hell no!"s and "How could you?!"s.

Didn't that just outright bother anyone else?

They're not supposed to realize who he is. That's the whole point of his character. He got ruined this last season... went from being a lovable background character, completely forgettable for the characters and only interesting to fans of the show. Now he's, well, not only well known but well liked.

I enjoyed this episode a lot, but that small scene really drove home what has happened to Scruffy's character these past months.

The only saving grace was his somewhat befuddled expression at the newfound support... but even that doesn't make the scene worthwhile.

Also, hey ya'll.

[Reply #139 on:]

DXC said Scruffy isn't going to be a background character as much anymore, and apparently will have more lines in Season 7 or something. And the 'I'm Scruffy, the Janitor' is going to get old at some point.

Also:

When Scruffy's life is threatened, the entire crew responds with a variety of "Hell no!"s and "How could you?!"s.

I do not remember this scene.

[Reply #140 on:]

I've only just noticed that when Fry has Muppet Gangreen he's standing behind a table. I.e. you only seen him from the waist up, just like regular muppets.

Oh my god that's awesome. Great find!

I didn't like this episode quite as much as in other circles (the Nohomers people mostly all love this one to death), but I'm still not getting all the negativity. Probably my only major problem with this episode was that the "Yeti-ism" thing was a little too convenient (he just HAPPENS to have a different disease with almost identical symptoms? Alright then...). But other than that, it was really funny and had some surprisingly heartfelt moments. The idea that Zoidberg would give up the only thing he had - a tanning coupon - to Mom was both funny and sort of sweet, as was the uplifting little ending with him and the Professor. And god, so many good gags. I'll be sporadically thinking of Fry's progressing diseases and cracking up out of nowhere for weeks.

One of the better episodes of season 6B, I'd say. I kind of think it will improve a lot in repeat viewings too, as with episodes like "The Sting" and "Lethal Inspection."

I just read through this topic, and I didn't see anyone touch upon the one thing that bothered me the most about this episode.

When Scruffy's life is threatened, the entire crew responds with a variety of "Hell no!"s and "How could you?!"s.

Didn't that just outright bother anyone else?

They're not supposed to realize who he is. That's the whole point of his character.

I mean, yeah, it's uncharacteristic...which is why it's funny. Amy's "over my dead body!" was one of the biggest laughs of the episode for me. This idea has been played with before anyway ("I haven't told anyone, not even Scruffy!", or Fry having "Scruffy Home" and "Scruffy Cell" in his phone...) for laughs.

But I think it also works in context, since the main point is that the crew is so fed up with Zoidberg that they don't want him touching any of them anymore...not even the otherwise most useless and ignored character in the room.

[Reply #141 on:]

I wonder if he was trying to abscond with Amy's kidney.  Zoidy isn't shrewd enough to realize the value of a supple, young kidney on the black, so lnowing him  it was probably going into a sandwich.

[Reply #142 on:]

The Scruffy thing actually worked, I thought. After all, the "I've never met you before" thing only works once per character. The PX crew has actually met Scruffy now. That's done. DotheBartman is also right to point out that this isn't the first time a commitment to Scruffy has been seen.

I do think Scruffy is being used too much, which makes individual appearances a lot less funny. But this one wasn't inherently unfunny.

[Reply #143 on:]

definitely a great episode, though the fact that Zoidberg stays with Fransworth for that long conflicts with the scene in Insane in the Mainframe where Zoidberg apparently had been with PE for 10 years.  Other then that, this episode was great.

[Reply #144 on:]

Mobius Dick already conflicted with that since Zoidberg was with him at the beginning of Planet Express.

[Reply #145 on:]

It is unrealistic for Zoidberg to have been fired and rehired on Farnsworth's insistence?  Farnsworth might have forgotten their deal (he is quite senile) and have had him fired.  Conrad seems to be a newer addition to the company as well.

[Reply #146 on:]

i reckon that scruffy will become a much more prominent character from now on. why? well, dave herman is now an official cast member.

[Reply #147 on:]

I rated this a 8, reason being, it made me like Zoidy a lot more than I use too. And, I have to wonder if he didn't get his skull cracked battling the Yeti way back when, if he would have been a better Dr? Could that be part of the reason Prof kept him around also, a little guilt perhaps?

[Reply #148 on:]

The skull cracking instantly made me think of 'The Silence of the Clamps'.

[Reply #149 on:]

The skull cracking instantly made me think of 'The Silence of the Clamps'.

Same here, but I figure the damage is already done

[Reply #150 on:]

I just read through this topic, and I didn't see anyone touch upon the one thing that bothered me the most about this episode.

When Scruffy's life is threatened, the entire crew responds with a variety of "Hell no!"s and "How could you?!"s.

Didn't that just outright bother anyone else?

Well, he is a great cook. Better than, say, Bender.

[Reply #151 on:]

About Zoidberg's skull: He got rid of his shell on several occasions, and his inside is rather soft and elastic. So I doubt a cracked skull could cause any brain damage.

About Scruffy>Reminded me of the Simpsons Episode "Hello Gutter, Hello Fadder", when the kids, upon learning of Lenny hospitalisation, scream "NOT LENNY!!!"

[Reply #152 on:]

On the subject of Lethal Inspection (it was mentioned somewhere above), I thought the unexpected friendship that was formed between Hermes and Bender was very genuine and true. I loved that storyline, I followed it completely and it had a great reveal sequence at the end. It explained something we hadn't known about Bender, while at the same time giving us more insight into Hermes' character. Great job.

The Tip of Zoidberg, now, just felt...lazy in comparison. I like the idea of Zoidberg and Professor sharing an unexpected closeness like Hermes and Bender. However, this level of comraderie should not and cannot be forced; no amount of use of first names can show a  genuine bond between two characters. I liked it (well with Mom and Zoidberg, as random as that was), but at the same time, I hated it, because the story just wasn't there. I understand what they were trying to show, that in the Professor's time of need he wanted his trusted pal Zoidy to do the executin' for him, but the way this story played out was just awful. It's like they pitched an idea and went with it immediately, without any thought or consideration to its implications or other possible alternate storylines. So in essence, I understood the end, but the means was poorly executed, and that's why this episode got such a disgruntled expression from me by the end of it. 

[Reply #153 on:]

I have to agree with Randi; and this is despite the fact that it is hinted numerous times throughout the show's run that Zoidberg and Farnsworth are actually old friends.  I wonder if they just thought they didn't have to try so hard with this relationship because it had been established indirectly?  I actually felt Mom's and Zoidberg's relationship more genuine than Zoidberg's and Farnsworth's for some reason.

[Reply #154 on:]

So its the Professor, Hermes, and now Zoidberg who have all had close working relationships with Mom at one time or another?

(Remember, Hermes delivered his resigation letter directly to her.)

Who'se next? Scruffy? Leela?

[Reply #155 on:]

Fry will be next surely, once they find out that before he was frozen he had a part time job and his boss was directly related to Mom.

[Reply #156 on:]

I also agree with Randi, it all seemed too forced to me and the reasons behind it too cheap and convenient. They weren't interesting ideas to me...

Also, I have just thought of another continuity error (I'm sorry if this has already been brought up). If the Professor was keeping Dr Zoidberg around all these years to kill him in his time of need, then why in A Clone Of My Own did he alert the Sunset Squad Robots to take him to the Near Death Star? It makes no sense ...

[Reply #157 on:]

Presumably, he expected to succumb to hypermalaria long before he reached that age, and then just forgot about Zoidberg due to senility.

[Reply #158 on:]

He probably did indeed forget or hope that being put in an artificial coma would help the hypermalaria effects to not bother him, since he'd be out anyway.

[Reply #159 on:]

I don't see that as a continuity error at all.