Thoughts on 2ACV10 - A Clone of My Own

[on:]

I'm opening this thread for the Random Order Test. Y'all know the drill.

[Reply #1 on:]

Just watched this ep now, starts off with a lot of laughs, overall a hilarious episode, love the science-y stuff in it, Cubert is a douche, but it didn't bother me too much because I know he gets better later on. Near-Death Star is also awesome, but during the entire time we see inside of it I was thinking about the Professor's parents being somewhere in there. (Season 7 plot)

Uh, 7/10.

[Reply #2 on:]

A good episode.  Not a favorite but quite enjoyable.  Plus I loved Amy's false teeth fetish.  =D

[Reply #3 on:]

I agree, a good episode. It starts really strong, the whole birthday scene is a favourite of mine. Once they reach the medicare planet things become a little boring. On the other hand, I like dystopian fantasies, I think it is something that Futurama should deal with a lot more (and a lot less with current events and pop culture)...

I don't mind Cubert as much as others do. Sure, he's an annoying brat, but the important thing is that the writers are well aware of that. So they give us wonderful scenes like Bender shocking him after he criticizes the logic of the smelloscope. Also, Cubert triggered some funny scenes like Zoidberg's volcanoe-excuse. The scenes I didn't like are the "group-mumble" scenes, first when Farnsworth mentions that he is likely to die soon and second when Cubert awakes and makes a snappy remark about him being naked. I don't know, this kind of "dialogue" seems really lazy to me, but it's probably a minor issue.

  8/10

[Reply #4 on:]

Great episode, the first part with the Professor and the following birthday ceremony were hilarious, also some of the jokes about Cubert (the hump, DNA sample ).
Gives an absolutely classical Futurama feeling (well, it IS classical Futurama...).

9/10

[Reply #5 on:]

Nice episode. Farnsworth is at his best, and he's my favourite character .

8/10

[Reply #6 on:]

Possibly my favourite episode of Season Two and one of my favourite episodes of all time. I've watched it a lot of times over the years and it never disappoints me or loses its edge on repeat viewings. Not a second is wasted and there isn't a single bad moment, I like everything about this ep which is quite rare...

I love how it begins the surprise birthday party scene, and the Professor is on top form with his angry outbursts and senility showing through, and there's even some heart too. The whole plot is very Sci-Fi which is a good thing in my book, but it never loses the humour. All of the character are used well and have great moments. Dr Zoidberg's comment about the time machine is a standout...

I love the whole build-up leading up to Cubert's reveal, and Fry's disappointment which is soon overshadowed by everyone's shock at seeing Cubert's naked body for the first time. A lot of fans hate Cubert, but I've always kinda liked him. I didn't love him at first, but I liked him and as time has gone on I've come to appreciate his introduction to the series more and more. Here nearly every line he delivers is gold and hilarious. His sarcasm is great, and since this episode he's been toned down somewhat which I think is a shame, but as I said, it makes me appreciate him here more now...

The whole plot of Professor Farnsworth getting taken to the Near Death Star, I love it. The Grim Reaper Sunset Squad Bot has a great ominous design, and the Professors exit with everything being cruel was fantastic. I also loved his message to the crew and taping over one of Bender's soap. Using the Smelloscope to look for him, that again was brilliant usage and great call-back to a past invention which strengthens continuity in the series and becomes sort of another modification to the Planet Express Ship...

Then there's the whole Near Death Star scene, this is what cements this episode from being already brilliant to something truly spectacular. This is where it's taken to the next level. The whole Star Wars-like design, the great jokes upon entering, and then the sheer vastness of it inside, it doesn't disappoint on any level, it only continues to impress at every turn...

Then there's the whole chase scene, absolutely brilliant. Such a well animated and directed scene, it really is a visual treat and a joy to behold. It gets quite tense like any good chase scene should, and ends with Cubert getting hit in the head, but with delicious irony of him still being right...

Fry's "Fix it fix it fix it" is a favourite line of mine, and once again "bastard" gets used as it was earlier in the episode, but you know what, it works and I like it because it's used well. I also like how Cubert's bump on the head is used as a wake up call to his destiny and how the plot elements are tied together for the storyline and not just for the basis of jokes, but they're the icing...

Again the blast off scene when the Planet Express ship is fixed is a pleasure, and the ending tops things off nicely with Cubert wanting to follow in the Professor's footsteps. The only thing I noticed that was odd when watching this again now was that a few scenes I remembered seemed to be missing, then I realised they were deleted scenes. I've seen the deleted scenes so many times as well that I forgot they weren't in the episode. I watched them again afterwards and you know what? They are all class, I loved all three and if the episode had time I'd have kept them in!...

That's another sign of a quality episode right there, when not only is the episode completely solid, but also the stuff they cut from it all top-notch and funny too. Who said Season Two had no standout episodes? Look no further; this is getting a straight up...

10/10

[Reply #7 on:]

(...)

Great reviews like this are the reason I joined this website in the first place. I actually feel dirty for giving this episode an 8 now... I used to love this episode just as much as you, but I think I overwatched it. Still, your arguments are convincing, and some things I didn't even notice (like "near death star").

Can you roughly describe what happened in the deleted scenes? I think I haven't watched them, but I'm not entirely sure.

[Reply #8 on:]

Thanx, glad you liked it. The main deleted scene that I forgot that wasn't in the episode is where they're in the Planet Express Ship nearing the Near Death Star and then they get an incoming transmission from the Grim Reaper Sunset Squad Bot who advises they are in unauthorised space. There's a fair bit of dialogue interplay and Bender manages to gain their permission to enter using robot logic and a great line which is quite funny too...

Another quick scene which is more an alternative scene from near the beginning of the episode when the Planet Express Ship parks on Mars and I believe it parks in a handicapped space or something, then Leela moves it and crushes another parked car...

Then the other one is from Professor Farnsworth's birthday party. Amy and Wernstrom make a speech for him, but the entire thing is cut which is a shame as it was pretty good...

[Reply #9 on:]

Cubert: the character everyone loves to hate. Well, I'm over-generalizing. I think he's grown on lots of people by now, and his arrogance and sarcasm has been toned down somewhat. I really do enjoy Cubert, so it follows that I enjoy this Cubert-centric episode. I think one of the main reasons why I like him as much as I do is his voice; I love Kath Soucie's voice-acting.

I mean, I think the writers knew how delicious viewers would find Cubert being humiliated (Bender revealing his bed wetting secret) or injured (Bender shocking him, and him getting knocked unconscious during the escape scene). I always chuckle when Fry saves him in a perfunctory, have-to kinda way, and sort of leaves him like a sack of Russet potatoes by the ship's door.

I think one of my all-time favorite Futurama jokes is the parody of Captain Pike from Star Trek (don't think there's a whole lot of Trekkies on PEEL, judging from comments on the Where No Fan Has Gone Before thread; suffice to say, they just nail it with the foreboding music, the character's downturned expression, and finally the single beep. Awesome stuff.

A solid episode: 7.5/10

"Custard time! Hooray!"

[Reply #10 on:]