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Author Topic: Thoughts on 1ACV11 - Mars University  (Read 4069 times)
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PEE Poll: Rating
1/10 (poor)   -0 (0%)
2/10   -1 (4.5%)
3/10   -0 (0%)
4/10   -2 (9.1%)
5/10   -0 (0%)
6/10   -5 (22.7%)
7/10   -3 (13.6%)
8/10   -7 (31.8%)
9/10   -1 (4.5%)
10/10 (great)   -3 (13.6%)
Total Members Voted: 22

Beanoz4

Liquid Emperor
**
« on: 05-04-2012 20:33 »
« Last Edit on: 05-05-2012 16:12 »

This is the first episode in the 'PEEL weekly club' so dig out your DVD or watch it on Netflix then report back with your thoughts on this episode.

This episode brought to you by Scrappylive.
Boxy Robot

Starship Captain
****
« Reply #1 on: 05-05-2012 09:14 »
« Last Edit on: 05-05-2012 09:16 »

"Mars University"


Fry, Leela and the Professor hunting the jungle for Guenter


Let me start off by saying that this is not one of my favorite season 1 episodes (That's not to say it isn't good, because it is) it's just a little poorer in quality compared with some of the other episodes. This may be based on its plot, I'm not sure, I just think that the main plot with Fry and Guenter was a little dull in my opinion, I think the whole idea has been done too often in shows before and although the spin of him being a monkey was pretty funny, I just didn't like the character and his annoying voice only added to this dislike...

As mentioned before, although this is not one of my favorite episodes I still find it really funny in quite a few places. Bender's story was great and I did like the characters that were involved in it (The Dean, robots and those snooty guys were hilarious) I also found the Professor great in this one and I believe that this is the episode where he really came into his own. As the main plot progressed it did pick up it's pace as the monkey ran off into the jungle and the gang went looking for him.

Both plots worked well on there own but I would have liked to see them interconnect in some way (Besides the raft splashing the three into the water nothing else really came together) The characters were used relatively well although Amy and Leela could have had a little more involvement than just being side characters to the main plot. Besides that everyone was in character leading to a fair amount of great jokes...

  • The little scene before the credits was hilarious
  • ROBOT HOUSE!
  • Farnsworth: Oh, I always feared he might run off like this. Why? Why? Why didn't I break his legs?
  • Farnsworth: You what? After I spent months slaving over a hot monkey brain?


    There was also some really funny sight gags from Fry and so over all I'd say this is a good episode, not great, it's defiantly in the bottom half of the season but it is nowhere near bad. For this it's rather hard to grade but I think I'll give it a...


    14/20 (B-)  :)
pumpkinpie

Starship Captain
****
« Reply #2 on: 05-05-2012 15:52 »
« Last Edit on: 05-05-2012 21:03 »

Mars University

This was a fairly good episode. I really liked the "Robot House" plot and the "Guenter" plot was pretty ok.

1st Plot: Guenter Ok, so I'll start off by saying that I hated Guenter for a good part of the episode. He was so cocky and such a smartass. But then, I grew to sympathize with him, and how he couldn't just be happy. I found that a lot of this plot was about Fry and Guenter's roommate clash, and the "Can't figure out who he wants to be" was a bit of an afterthought. Although I did like the various lines of Fry "I don't like you". I think this part of the episode could've been better.
27/50

2nd Plot: Robot House Yes, an obvious spoof of "Animal House", but a good one. Bender made this part, no question. Yes, maybe some of the other robots had pretty good lines (I did enjoy Fatbot's eating problem), but Bender took the cake. The dean getting mad at Robot House was hilarious,  he was the 2nd best character. I also really liked the idea of Bender trying to show a bunch of nerds how to be cool. The part with the computer actually made me laugh out loud, which believe me, is rare.
37/50

My favorite quotes
Professor:All he handed in was a paper smeared with feces. He tied with Fry
Professor:Why? Why? Why didn't I break his legs?!
Dean Vernon:ROBOT HOUSE!
Fry:(after being asked what device was used for people to broadcast programs in their homes)
Ooh! I know this. Whaddya call it.....Lite Brite!(Electrocuted)

So, in all....27/50 + 37/50 = 64/100 (C-) (I know the math doesn't match up, but that's my grade damn it!)
Solid Gold Bender

Urban Legend
***
« Reply #3 on: 05-05-2012 16:04 »

Isn't a 64 a D?

90+=A
80+=B
70+=C
60+=D
59.9-=F
Beanoz4

Liquid Emperor
**
« Reply #4 on: 05-05-2012 16:11 »

 I have mixed feelings on this episode, it was good because it had plenty of gags (mostly in plot A) but on the other hand there was one major flaw, Guenter. Guenter seems to be exactly the same as Cubert (except being a monkey) smart and annoying but at the end of the episode I really did feel for him. The Robot House side of the episode was much better and as I was watching the episode I said to myself "This is much better than the A plot, why cant this be the main focus."

Not a bad episode but not one I'll be watching again for a while. I think it's one of those episodes that gets worse with each re-watch.

6/10
pumpkinpie

Starship Captain
****
« Reply #5 on: 05-05-2012 16:24 »

Isn't a 64 a D?

90+=A
80+=B
70+=C
60+=D
59.9-=F
Oh................I.....feel dumb.
Boxy Robot

Starship Captain
****
« Reply #6 on: 05-05-2012 16:28 »

Guenter seems to be exactly the same as Cubert (except being a monkey)

Interesting point. The writers revealed that they had planned to use the Professor clone in this one instead of the monkey but they couldn't fit the whole cloning thing into it so they went with Guenter and used Cubert later on in "A Clone of My Own"...
Inquisitor Hein
Liquid Emperor
**
« Reply #7 on: 05-05-2012 16:45 »
« Last Edit on: 05-06-2012 00:20 »

Okay - good episode.
Not one of the best, but fairly okay.
Also, one of those episode I usually would not have watched on my own account. So, the suggestion was a welcome reason to watch it again:)

As I do like Pumpkinpies "2 plot review" structure, I will just stick to it :)

Bender Plot:
The spoof on animal house (or, by today's standards, on nearly every second frat comedy) was all right. I did appreciate thems staying  close enough to the original, instead of changing it too much. It was a very 20th century plot, no real story driving sci fi elements  were incorporated (story could have been told with humans instead
of robots as well).
Though I do watch Futurama for the Sci Fi spoof, I do enjoy occasionally a few of thoese 20th century plots (that's why I quite liked "A Leela of her own").


Fry/Guenther plot:
The single elements were quite funny, and bore great potential:
- Fry at university
- The professor trying to teach
- Guenther as the experiment
- The "Intelligence does not mean happiness" aspect.
Some of the "one time jokes" and laughs were hilarious ("He tied with Fry" :D ), and of course the infamous scene telling us how umbarassing a parental visit can REALLY get :)
On the other hand, all these elements did not completely come together to a nice, smoothly flowing story. Things seems to "just happend, and in the end, in turned out fine for most folks involved".


Facit:
- The single jokes were above average.
- The complete story did not always get completely together (it was okay,
just could have been better).

6,5-7/10
bendingunit6

Bending Unit
***
« Reply #8 on: 05-05-2012 18:41 »

Though it is, overall, a funny episode, "Mars University" is easily the worst episode of the first season in my opinion.

The episode's subplot, involving Bender and Robot House, was entertaining. The college humor was played off well, and characters like Dean Vernon and Fatbot were memorable. It could have incorporated more of Futurama's setting, but it's still overall an enjoyable and funny subplot.

The episode's main plot, involving Fry and Guenther, had potential, but is tainted by the simple fact that Guenther, an important part of the plot, comes off as too cocky and annoying. The same could be said for Cubert, a character who people hate for similar reasons. I don't hate Cubert, however, as his character was used quite well in his debut appearance as well as in subsequent appearances, and his relationship with the Professor throughout the series has been handled quite well. Back to the review: the main plot is passable, and does have its own funny moments, but is outshined by the episode's subplot.

"Mars University" isn't a bad episode, but in terms of quality, it's just not at the same level as most episodes of the series.

6/10
delivery-boy man

Delivery Boy
**
« Reply #9 on: 05-05-2012 19:40 »

Personally, I like this episode, but also I've never seen the movies this episodes in reference too. But, like other people have said, the story line was lacking that futuristic-y essence futurama has. It seemed to kinda just ripoff frat movies like Animal House. But I also find this to be one of the funniest episodes of season 1. i love when we get to meet Guenters parents, really funny. Oh, speaking of Guenter, he starts off being very bratty and annoying. Then, Once he runs out of the exam, you can start to feel for him. And how he doesn't want to be smart. And I like the ending, and how they leave a possibility of him being able to come back one day. ;) But Overall, The episodes very funny, but the story line just didnt work in the year 3000.
SpaceGoldfish fromWazn

Urban Legend
***
« Reply #10 on: 05-06-2012 19:15 »
« Last Edit on: 05-06-2012 19:17 »

Two, because for a long, long time, it was the only episode that they would show in the UK.   So now it's probably the only episode I actually hate and cannot watch because I am so thoroughly sick of it.

I always hated Gunter from the start so he drags the episode down a few points too.  I actually didn't feel sorry for him when his parents turned up courtesy of Fry: he deserved to be taken down a peg.
Boxy Robot

Starship Captain
****
« Reply #11 on: 05-06-2012 19:20 »

Hey SpaceGoldifish, wanna sign up to this?...


http://www.peelified.com/Futurama-Forum-1/Topic-22949-0-PEEL_Weekly_Episode_Club.html
DannyJC13

DOOP Secretary
*
« Reply #12 on: 05-06-2012 19:20 »

it was the only episode that they would show in the UK.   

This has happened to me just recently with The Honking. :(
SpaceGoldfish fromWazn

Urban Legend
***
« Reply #13 on: 05-06-2012 19:25 »

That sounds fun Boxy, I'll have a go soon.

And Danny, that's worse.   At least the constant repeats ruined (for me) what was probably one of the worst episodes of the original run anyway, The Honking is great fun and it would be a shame if it got ruined for you.
DannyJC13

DOOP Secretary
*
« Reply #14 on: 05-06-2012 19:28 »

They used to bum the fuck out of Amazon Women in the Mood, that must've been played on Sky atleast 1000 times.
Beanoz4

Liquid Emperor
**
« Reply #15 on: 05-06-2012 19:40 »

Sky never repeat Godfellas and The Farnsworth Parabox, I haven't seen them for years.
Boxy Robot

Starship Captain
****
« Reply #16 on: 05-06-2012 19:41 »

I remember when they used to (And I still think they occasionally still do this) just show random parts of the four movies in no particular order so they'd show part three of "Bender's Big Score" followed by part one of "Bender's Game"...
DannyJC13

DOOP Secretary
*
« Reply #17 on: 05-06-2012 19:44 »

Sky never repeat Godfellas and The Farnsworth Parabox, I haven't seen them for years.

Godfellas used to be super common way back before I was a proper fan. (Pre-2008.)
Solid Gold Bender

Urban Legend
***
« Reply #18 on: 05-07-2012 02:35 »

Decent episode. All the Animal House references were superb, and all the fraternity scenes. But Guenther was just annoying and non comical. I did enjoy some gags involving the Professor, though.

7/10
UnrealLegend

Space Pope
****
« Reply #19 on: 05-18-2012 02:36 »

Guenter is such a little bastard.

I like this episode. It's got some great lines and once again the Professor is beyond awesome.

"Jungles? On Earth?!  :laff:"

Additionally, I like Leela's line about universities being expensive day-care centres. It's a line I can use against my friends who go to uni. :p
futurefreak

salutatory committee member
Moderator
DOOP Secretary
*
« Reply #20 on: 05-18-2012 21:53 »

Favorite line: Please Fry, I don't know how to teach. I'm a Professor! :laff:

Pretty good. I always thought this one was one of the better underrated episodes (I actually went looking for it on the volume two dvds, I was surprised it was on volume 1! So my memory of it must have put it on a pedastol higher the season 1 show's episodes).

Some things I liked about it:

  • Great variety of music, keeps you engaged in the storylines.
  • A new setting for the characters (ie., a planet episode). Love that we get to see Mars and its earthlike culture, but nice use of alien creatures at the registrar line to remind us this is still based in the future.
  • The use of cinema references (Revenge of the Nerds and such). I find it funny though how in the future their computers on Mars (when the girl hits it) looks more obsolete than the ones we use :laff:
  • Everyone's plot seems equally important. No one is really overshadowed by the other. Gunter is supposed to be the focus, but you have the plots of Fry being jealous of Gunter's success in academics and women, Professor being upset at Gunter's unwillingless to be intelligent, Fry wanting to drop out of college to show Leela he's smarter than she thinks he is, Bender wanting to prove that ERR isn't so lame after all, Dean Vernon wanting to expel Robot House...there is so much going on in this episode, I didn't even realize it until I started typing it out. All these plots equally seem to balance each other out in harmonious co-existence. The only people who don't really have plots of Amy and Leela, but with so much going on I don't think they could cram sideplots of theirs without it looking like a 22 short stories of Springfield thing, so instead they are employed in plots that sorta piggyback off the other ones, which does pay off for the episode as a whole.
  • Fry is in character throughout the whole episode. This may seem like an odd positive for me to note, but I enjoy the physical and verbal comedy his character brings when he acts unintelligent.
  • Episode breaks the 4th wall when Leela is whispering to Professor and Fry, and Professor goes "what?" calling out those typical sitcome whisper sidegags, and that's just awesome.
  • The ending. Lol a dance number? Sure why not!
  • Snooty house guys are just hilarious.


Keeping all this in mind, I really can't give it anything less than a 10/10. It is really a fantastic episode, but it does get overlooked (even by me). It's weird because I gave TLPJF a 10/10 as well, and that's not even on the same level as this episode. But the storylines are based on different types of entertainment (TLPJF is more a romantic short with side humor thrown in, and this one is just plain comedy). So if it's possible, they are both 10/10, but for completely different reasons, if that makes sense.

Great choice to whoever picked this in the Weekly Episode Club thread! :)
SolidSnake

Professor
*
« Reply #21 on: 07-22-2013 21:33 »

I never got the hate of this episode. The robot house subplot was awesome, and the Fry/Guenter hate was classic. I liked how they pulled off the episode. It deserves a great 9/10.
Lost My Phone

Professor
*
« Reply #22 on: 10-05-2013 03:25 »

6/10

Since this is a Season 1 episode, I've decided to cut it a little slack and give it a 6/10. If it had been from another season, I probably would have given it a 4/10. I just didn't think it was a very good episode at all, but like I said, it's understandable since it was only the eleventh episode.
Tachyon

DOOP Secretary
*
« Reply #23 on: 10-05-2013 05:33 »


I felt the same way when I first watched it, but it's one of those eps that grows on you a bit with repeated viewings, in my opinion.

UnrealLegend

Space Pope
****
« Reply #24 on: 10-05-2013 08:05 »

I like this episode entirely for the line:

"Why? WHY? WHY DIDN"T I CHOP OFF HIS LEGS!?!?"
Beamer

DOOP Secretary
*
« Reply #25 on: 10-05-2013 08:05 »

I don't understand the hate for this one either. Everything with Robot House and Snooty House was pure gold, and Guenther is nowhere near as annoying as everyone makes him out to be... Granted, I didn't exactly like him (not that you're supposed to), but his storyline kept me chuckling the whole way through. I'd say this is a solid 7/10, easily.
Monster_Robot_Maniac

Liquid Emperor
**
« Reply #26 on: 10-05-2013 17:37 »

7/10 from me, as well. I'd say it's the weakest Season One episode, as nothing very interesting happens in it and I didn't find it very funny, other than the hysterical 'Legs' line. I found Guenther to be too annoying, myself, but that was mostly because of his unrealistic voice. I will say, however, I liked the small return of Guenther in 'Fry and Leela's Big Fling', as it made a good callback to what seemed to be a forgotten character. The Robot House scenes were all funny, and were to me what gave this one a higher rating.


Also, I'd like to add that in my opinion, this is by far the tamest, most family friendly episode of the entire series. There were no overly edgy or rude jokes or scenes, and it had a pretty easy to follow storyline. However, I am talking about an episode starring a talking monkey, so of course it going to tamer than usual.
DannyJC13

DOOP Secretary
*
« Reply #27 on: 07-24-2014 13:42 »

Man, remember the remixed version of the theme song used in this episode? It was amazing. I wish they changed up the theme like that once or twice a season.
Mr Snrub

Urban Legend
***
« Reply #28 on: 07-25-2014 00:34 »

If I recall, the original plan WAS to have a bunch of different remixes. Either this one wasn't well received or it took more effort than they envisioned, but I remember them saying they abandoned that plan pretty promptly.
Scrappylive

Liquid Emperor
**
« Reply #29 on: 07-25-2014 06:15 »

You're both wrong.



Mars University Commentary

[Opening sequences comes up; music is remixed.]

DXC: Oh listen to this.

Matt Groening: This is the remix theme, we were gonna remix the theme every week and then listened to this one and decided never to do it again.

DXC: It actually sounds pretty good, if you have a good quality TV stereo system, but it didn't transmit that well on the air. It lost a lot of the dynamic range, so it doesn't sound as good on actual broadcast as we thought it would.



You see, your primitive 1999-era televisions were too low-quality for Futurama to exist in its fullest potential. Why, oh why, couldn't we have a more modern version of the show??? :cry:
UnrealLegend

Space Pope
****
« Reply #30 on: 07-25-2014 08:02 »

Did reruns use the remixed theme, or did they not bother changing it?
Scrappylive

Liquid Emperor
**
« Reply #31 on: 07-26-2014 18:58 »

Hmm... That's a good question. I would think they kept it as is, but considering that DVDs and torrents tend to use the original version, the only way to know for sure might be to catch a rerun on Lite Brite, errhm, TV.
Svip

Administrator
DOOP Secretary
*
« Reply #32 on: 07-26-2014 19:08 »

I like this episode entirely for the line:

"Why? WHY? WHY DIDN"T I CHOP OFF HIS LEGS!?!?"

It's a shame you don't know the actual quote then.
UnrealLegend

Space Pope
****
« Reply #33 on: 07-27-2014 02:14 »

Eh, I was close enough.
SpaceGoldfish fromWazn

Urban Legend
***
« Reply #34 on: 10-31-2020 16:34 »

May well be my most disliked episode.  It had several fundamental problems that really stopped it dead in the water.

Main problem was Gunther.  He's a smug, pretentious vindictive little prick who can dish it out but can't take it.  He's essentially Cubert minus what little makes the little snot sympathetic. So when Fry gives him a taste of his own medicine I really wanted someone to tell Leela to mind her own business and why is she even here?  Rather then showing us vulnerable, fun or interesting Leela we got her in joyless bossy bosy condescending hypocrite nag mode.  This episode was a glaring example of how the writers in the original run had absolutely no idea to do with Amy as she is treated like wallpaper in an episode set in her own university on the planet tthat her parents pretty much own.  While Amy should have been our vehicle into student life on Mars, and should have been the link between the major plots, she apparently drops off the face of Mars.  Is she at a keg? Shagging at a house party? Getting zapped for not handing in her assignment on time or for an overdue library book? Leaving out booby traps for panty raiders? Stealing her own panties back from the raiders and getting her own bask by absconding with some jocks from the hocky team?  The writers genuinely don't care about her and are hoping we won't notice due to several plots that really don't need to be set in a university and could have been set in the PE  building.

What is interesting as this is one of the few episodes where we see Fry, a guy who sees everybody he meets as a potential new friend to make and often very much does exactly that... What happens when you upset him enough to make him not like you.  When he has a perfectly justified dislike.  But since Fry is very much at heart a very gentle person and Gunther is too much of a little punkass bitch to really do anything big thankfully, it really isn't a very interesting subplot.
SpaceGoldfish fromWazn

Urban Legend
***
« Reply #35 on: 10-31-2020 16:42 »

The Good Will Hunting reference because in this case it was the bully character lording it over the protagonist.   I actually do like banana tofu energy bars but I sure as hell wouldn't share them with that little shit face.

Personally I think Gunther could have been made a likeable or at least interesting character by either making him a buddy to Fry, and the two playing off each other and showing what kind of friendship the two might have despite of and because of their differences.  There's a good odd couple vibe off the two and I think the two looking out for each other and getting drunk on Irish coffee in the student lounge with Amy and the three having drunken college adventure together would Bender and crew and seeing Amy's life in college with her new drinking birdies would have been much more interesting.  Or we could have had a rival monkey, a proto Dr Banjo made by Wernstrom or any other critter to be the bully to the fab four and robot house.  Maybe being humiliated by a version of Gunther (who is also the head of Snooty House) at a partucoild
SpaceGoldfish fromWazn

Urban Legend
***
« Reply #36 on: 10-31-2020 16:44 »

Could have forced Gunther and Fry to put aside their differences and join forces with Amy and Bender and the robot House gang to take down Gunther but Worse and Snooty House and done a better job of tying all the plots together and allowed Amy something to do and also allowed more of the episode to actually use its university setting as something other then window dressing.
SpaceGoldfish fromWazn

Urban Legend
***
« Reply #37 on: 10-31-2020 16:46 »

Thing is Gunther charmed me in his second episode, where I thought he was a little sweetheart.  Amazing what actually giving him likeable traits did from turning a character I genuinely detested to one I want the plush doll version of.
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