Futurama News (pre-season 7)

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Moderators, feel free to change the name of the thread as you like .

A new episode title - "2-D BLACKTOP". Source.

P.S.
Previous News thread.

[#1 :]

Someone beat you to it.

[#2 :]

I didn't seen it. Sorry.

[#3 :]

This thread is better because they actually had some news. Isn't there a rule against making new threads without a substantial first post?

Anyway, that's a really weird title. Anyone want to hazard a guess as to what it's about?

[#4 :]

Wow that's a very strange title indeed.

[#5 :]

This thread is better because they actually had some news. Isn't there a rule against making new threads without a substantial first post?

Yes there is. It's in the manual.

Anyhow, I'm hoping that this episode is about something happening to the third dimension and havoc ensuing. Could be fun.

[#6 :]

Sounds very sci-fi! I'm guessing it has something to do with some weird kind of 2-dimensional world. It could (although unlikely) be another brain-spawn episode, like if they brought the crew into a 2-dimensional plane... The possibilities are long, but at least it sounds like it'll be really sci-fi!

[#7 :]

For some reason, the title of the episode reminds me of chess...

[#8 :]

I'm back, I was currently on vacation, since December 22. I barely had any time to post anything up, except for the Bots and Bees preview on youtube that I posted before heading to my parents house.

But the title 2-D BLACKTOP might have something to do with Leela, since she wears a tank-top......and also may have something to do with dimension kind of stuff, lets just wait until 2013 and see........

[#9 :]

I briefly considered it being about Leela... Makes me think, maybe she gets a really 2-D (flat, boring) personality, starts wearing dull stuff, etc...

[#10 :]

Leela already wears dull stuff, she thought it was impulsive to buy new boots with a stripe on 'em. Of course I have no idea what it could be about...maybe Leela or Amy gets implants and 2-D refers to her new bra size.

[#11 :]

Yes, and with one eye Leela can only see in 2-D.

[#12 :]

So far, the writers did not ridicule Leela too often because of her depth perception, so I guess this episde will not deal with Leela's vision.

[#13 :]

Good call guys; I bet that's it!

[#14 :]

maybe Leela or Amy gets implants and 2-D refers to her new bra size.

A man can dream, a man can dream...

[#15 :]

So far, the writers did not ridicule Leela too often because of her depth perception, so I guess this episde will not deal with Leela's vision.

If 2-D blacktop is just about Leela's depth perception, I have a feeling it will suck. Leela-centric episodes are pretty prone to suckage in general, really. Leela's Homeworld was the only one that I couldn't find much to complain about. Here's hoping that it's not focused on Leela, and is instead something to do with something that the Professor invented or accidentally did.

[#16 :]

Leela's Homeworld was the only one that I couldn't find much to complain about. accidentally did.

What about Teenage Mutant Leela's Hurdles?

[#17 :]

That's not a Leela-centred episode. Merely a Leela-centred title.

[#18 :]

I wouldn't say that "Teenage Mutant Leela's Hurdles" is Leela-based either. That draw of the episode is everyone becoming younger. Leela is merely used as a major part of the episode's plot, but even then isn't the carrier of the main part of the story.

And it seems that almost every episode with "Leela" in the title turns out rubbish, save for a few exceptions. There have been some good episodes with her as the main character though; Leela's Homeworld and Mobius Dick both come to mind.

[#19 :]

And it seems that almost every episode with "Leela" in the title turns out rubbish, save for a few exceptions. There have been some good episodes with her as the main character though; Leela's Homeworld and Mobius Dick both come to mind.

Yep, I agree about TMLH. Also...it was one of those very few times when Leela saved the day in an character-suitable way: Tying a rope and extending a hand, both physically, possible actions and therefore fitting for a low-key, non-over the top char like Leela.
(Her rescues often have a rather forced character, as if the writers wanted to cheer up the character at all cost).
MB is imhO exactly the opposite: When it turns out obsession was the key to doom, no real action was taken. The "rules" were just re-written, that some special treatment applied to Leela and finished the story ("Yeah...obsession is the doom for anyone else, but not for Leela, because...erm..well..uuh....s he's great, you know?")
Okay..but enough of my "favorite" episode ever: Another good Leela centred episode was "The Sting", alone for the good use of various "reality levels".

[#20 :]

What about 'The Birdbot of Ice-Catraz' and 'The Cyber House Rules' - Two seriously underrated Leela episodes...

[#21 :]

I normally associate TBOIC with Bender actually.

Okay..but enough of my "favorite" episode ever: Another good Leela centred episode was "The Sting", alone for the good use of various "reality levels".

Ah, yes. I didn't really think of this because it's heavily focused on Fry as well. Clearly, the best Leela episodes are the ones where she isn't in the spotlight the whole time, and the plot is being supported by other characters; like the Professor in TMLH, Bender in TBOIC, and Fry TS. They should keep this up I think, because it usually works.

[#22 :]

What about 'The Birdbot of Ice-Catraz' and 'The Cyber House Rules' - Two seriously underrated Leela episodes...

I normally associate TBOIC with Bender actually.

You could say the same for "The Cyber House Rules," really. Both episodes have Leela A-plots and Bender B-plots, and the two stories in both ultimately dovetail quite nicely. In any event, I agree that those episodes are underrated, and would probably consider both of them to be among my favorites of the series.

[#23 :]

Both episodes have Leela A-plots and Bender B-plots, and the two stories in both ultimately dovetail quite nicely.

And that's what keeps the episodes from being poor, because Leela doesn't have the fate of the entire episode hanging on her shoulders. It a similar story for characters like Hermes and Zoidberg. Whenever they get a plot, it's being supported by another main character, such as Fry in WMIBACIL and HHRHGB (man, typing these abbreviations out makes me feel like a completely illiterate moron.  )

[#24 :]

And that's what keeps the episodes from being poor, because Leela doesn't have the fate of the entire episode hanging on her shoulders.

I think that's a little unfair. I mean, "Leela's Homeworld" is an episode devoted almost exclusively to Leela; her decisions and discoveries and whatnot dictate how the story unfolds (Bender has an itty-bitty subplot, and Fry plays an important part in end, but LH is inarguably a Leela story). And I think that's a pretty amazing episode. ("The Sting," as Hein mentions, is another good example of a Leela-centric episode that works. Yes, the other characters are present throughout the story, but it all hinges on Leela and her precarious mental state.)

I don't think the problem is that Leela can't carry an episode. I think the writers just like to stick her with lousy stories ("Yo Leela Leela" would be an example, as would "A Leela of Her Own" (though I actually like that one)). I mean, would an episode where Fry creates a kids' show be any better than an episode where Leela does the same thing? Probably not, assuming the execution would still be more or less the same. The writers seem to devise a plot and then cram Leela into it, as opposed to allowing Leela's personality and circumstances to dictate the story that is told.

I'm generalizing, of course, but I don't think Leela episodes are seen as failures because Leela's incapable of carrying an episode on her own--I think it's because she's not often given stories that are particularly great to begin with. You could just as easily say that "The Cyber House Rules" is a good episode not because of Bender's subplot, but because it's a story that could only be told with Leela (after all, she's the only character with one eye). But the same can't be said for YLL or ALOHO (in fact, versions of these stories--"Bender Should Not Be Allowed on Television" and "Raging Bender"--were previously done with other characters, to mixed results). It seems more fair to blame the plot for sucking than it does to bash the character charged with carrying it.

[#25 :]

("The Sting," as Hein mentions, is another good example of a Leela-centric episode that works. Yes, the other characters are present throughout the story, but it all hinges on Leela and her precarious mental state.)

I think the Sting worked so well because the entire episode never appeared to hing on Leela alone. She was either interacting with the PE crew, or with the "dead" Fry in her dreams.
That the episode was in fact based neraly on Leela alone (her mental state, her dreams/nightmares) was some kind of finale "punchline", but until then, Leela never stood out as isolated character in "Sting".

[#26 :]

An interesting point...

Is Leela really the captain in every mission on the PE ship?

Well, most of them.  However where are the instances where Leela wasn't "Captain".

I know where there were a few.

[#27 :]

As far as I understood, on the Planet Express ship the rule Pilot = Captain usually applies.
Bird-Bot was a bit unclear about that one: One the one hand, Fry refered to Bender as "A ship cannot leave without it's captain", on the other hand, it was Fry wearing the "Captain Jacket" and piloting the ship in the end.

I already stated before: Right now, every one of the Trio can pilot the ship, so none of them is irreplacable. Which can be a bad/dangerious thing when people like Hermes are around....

[#28 :]

There have been some good episodes with her as the main character though; Leela's Homeworld and Mobius Dick both come to mind.

I never thought of Leela as being the main character in Mobius Dick, it was mostly about Zoidberg and Farnsworth in my opinion.  Leela was important to be sure, but as an important supporting character, not the central figure.

[#29 :]

I think the Sting worked so well because the entire episode never appeared to hing on Leela alone. She was either interacting with the PE crew, or with the "dead" Fry in her dreams.
That the episode was in fact based neraly on Leela alone (her mental state, her dreams/nightmares) was some kind of finale "punchline", but until then, Leela never stood out as isolated character in "Sting".

Just to clarify, I didn't mean that the episode hinged on Leela's very consciousness (as the events of the episode did turn out to be a dream of hers); I just meant that Leela's descent into madness provided the story's main dramatic thrust.  

And that, to me, means that you can definitely count "The Sting" as a Leela episode. The other characters are around plenty, but they mostly just provide comedic relief. They're not of real consequence to the plot, which is more psychological and trippy and based around Leela's sense of guilt (and its consequences).

[#30 :]

I mean, would an episode where Fry creates a kids' show be any better than an episode where Leela does the same thing?

Of course not, in fact it would probably be worse. Leela writing a story for children is at least an in-character thing for her to do. It just doesn't really suit a sci-fi sitcom where brains fly through space and everyone eats lasers.

Maybe I was a little harsh, but most episodes with a primary focus on Leela need another character supporting the plot.

There have been some good episodes with her as the main character though; Leela's Homeworld and Mobius Dick both come to mind.

I never thought of Leela as being the main character in Mobius Dick, it was mostly about Zoidberg and Farnsworth in my opinion.  Leela was important to be sure, but as an important supporting character, not the central figure.

Other way round. Leela was supposed to be the main character. Zoidberg and the old PE crew was just a (very good) subplot.

[#31 :]

The main story is clearly Leela's obsession with killing the whale...

[#32 :]

Leela is absolutely the protagonist of "Mobius Dick".

1. She's the driving force behind the majority of the story. Yes, the Professor kick-starts things, but that's it. Without Leela, there'd be no conflict in the narrative and therefore, no real story.

2. She's the only character that really undergoes growth of any kind.

3. The antagonist, the whale, is clearly at ends with her, specifically.

[#33 :]

I bet either "The Six Million Dollar Mon" or "Free Will Hunting" is going to be my favorite this time

[#34 :]

The first one sounds awesome, I'm lookin' forward to that.

[#35 :]

Maybe I was a little harsh, but most episodes with a primary focus on Leela need another character supporting the plot.

Fair enough, but I think that may be true for every character and every episode. I mean, most Fry or Bender episodes also have other characters around to carry some of the weight (take TKoS, for example. Is it a Bender episode or a Fry episode? The two plots don't really relate in any significant sense, but both of them get a lot of screen time...as do Farnsworth and the Globetrotters. And, in any event, the episode as a whole is amazing).

The only examples I can think of where Fry or Bender have stories almost completely separate from at least one other main character are "Godfellas" and "The Why of Fry"--and even then, there are "Meanwhile, back on Earth" interludes (Fry and Leela tracking down Bender, and Leela's date with Chaz). Oh, and I guess "Obsoletely Fabulous" more or less focuses on, and isolates, Bender...but I don't think a lot of people like that episode (though I quite enjoy it), so maybe that proves my point.

I don't mean to be super-picky here; I guess I'm just overly-sensitive to Leela (and Leela episodes) getting such a bad rap. But it now occurs to me that maybe it's dumb to classify episodes of Futurama as character-specific at all; a lot of them, though they heavily feature one (or more) of the three main characters, often have a lot of cool stuff going on in the background with other characters to temper the main story. I don't think any character can really carry an entire episode by his or her lonesome.

[#36 :]

"Time Keeps on Slipping" is closer to being a Professor episode than a Bender episode.

I'd say it's quite comfortably a Fry episode, though - just with an important, ensemble, supporting cast.

[#37 :]

Here is the complete list of episodes in 2012:

• 7ACV01 — "The Bots and the Bees" (written by Eric Horsted, directed by Stephen Sandoval);
  
• 7ACV02 — "A Farewell to Arms" (written by Josh Weinstein, directed by Raymie Muzquiz);
  
• 7ACV03 — "Decision 3012" (written by Patric M. Verrone, directed by Dwayne Carey-Hill);
  
• 7ACV04 — "The Thief of Baghead" (written by Dan Vebber, directed by Edmund Fong);
  
• 7ACV05 — "Zapp Dingba" (written by Eric Rogers, directed by Frank Marino);
  
• 7ACV06 — "The Butterjunk Effect" (written by Mike Rowe, directed by Crystal Chesney-Thompson);
  
• 7ACV07 — "The Six Million Dollar Mon" (written by Ken Keeler, directed by Peter Avanzino);
  
• 7ACV08 — "Fun on a Bun" (written by Dan Vebber, directed by Stephen Sandoval);
  
• 7ACV09 — "Free Will Hunting" (written by David X. Cohen, directed by Raymie Muzquiz);
  
• 7ACV10 — "Near-Death Wish" (written by Eric Horsted, directed by Lance Kramer;
  
• 7ACV11 — "31st Century Fox" (written by Patric M. Verrone, directed by Edmund Fong);
  
• 7ACV12 — "Viva Mars Vegas" (written by Josh Weinstein, directed by Frank Marino);
  
• 7ACV13 — "Naturama" (written by Eric Rogers, Michael Saikin, Neil Mukhopadhyay; directed by Crystal Chesney-Thompson).
  

Source. Thanks, [-mArc-] .

[#38 :]

Alright! Nice find, I see we will indeed be getting another AOI-style episode again.

[#39 :]

Sweet, new info! Thanks much, [-mArc-] and Just Fan.

I bet either "The Six Million Dollar Mon" or "Free Will Hunting" is going to be my favorite this time

Hah, could that be because Ken Keeler and David Cohen wrote those episodes? Because I must say, seeing those names attached to those titles does fill me with hope and some other emotions that are weird and deeply confusing.

Alright! Nice find, I see we will indeed be getting another AOI-style episode again.

The title concerns me a bit, though. I do wish the writers would just give us a straight-up AOI III.