Thoughts on The Bots and The Bees [7ACV01] WARNING-Spoilers

[#160 :]

OK, I've actually read through the other comments on here, now.

I loved Fry's role too.  How he came up in the end was awesome, and it welded the two parts of the episode together to end a fabulous episode.

It was the most perfunctory "how can we tie these plots together?" move imaginable. It was lazy writing. There just happened to be fog that was standing in the way of things out of nowhere so that they could tie everything up with a bad joke at the end of the episode. Frankly, it felt anticlimactic.

Jesus Christ on a popsicle stick, just the thought of DXC or other staff members looking for feedback here is killing me. I can't believe that people have such high standards! (especially Unmentionable) This episode had so many great one liners, and who can forget the robot sex ed tape?

Why? As much as it baffles me, the feedback is almost unanimously positive.

Clearly they also do not understand that these two episodes were good compared to the episodes we've been getting for the past two years.

Were they, though? I mean, I'd take them over In-A-Gadda-Da-Leela, Attack of the Killer App, The Silence of the Clamps or The Futurama Holiday Craptacular, but I'd take almost any other season 6 episode over them.

Just out of curiosity, how did Amy know Randy's name? You know, in the opening sequence when she steals his car, mentions him by name, and then runs him over?

Do they have some history together I'm not recalling right now?

I'm assuming this was part of the joke - just as Fry was a lot closer with him that any of us could have expected in "Overclockwise".

PEELers set their standards way too high.

I don't know if we do. I set my standards at a "I expect this to be roughly on par with the previous episodes of Futurama we've received" level. This episode is sort of on par, but it's one of the weakest episodes they've ever made in my opinion. And this is coming from someone who's usually extremely positive about the new stuff so it pains me to be on the negative side of things for once. I loved seasons 5 and 6.

Also, I forgot to mention:
I hated everything about the "science" behind robot mating. I've never been a fan of how robots have been shown to grow in the past, but in the cases of "Teenage Mutant Leela's Hurdles" and "Lethal Inspection", the episodes were good enough to get away with it. The explanation for it just wasn't satisfying for me. I mean, I don't believe that factories can't keep up with production demands for robots and even if that's the case, I don't see how robot mating is a way of tackling that problem. The materials and energy that goes into the production still have to come from somewhere and it seems like they're just going to produce fairly useless robots like Ben who only have one expansion port.
I also disliked the poor continuity with Bender forgetting that he's already has at least one child. It was an obvious means to an end of us getting to watch the film explaining how robots reproduce, but you know.

[#161 :]

I liked the Robot Sex Ed thing, but they could have shown that anyway.  The other characters could be baffled that robot reproduction is even possible, and the Professor could just show it (knowing him, he probably has hardcore lesbian fembot pornography as well.) I'm glad that I wasn't the only one who was baffled by Bender acting as if this was his first child, when he's already had at least one.  Two if the comics are canonical.

[#162 :]

Actually it's fried chicken, not roast chicken.  The reason it is such a problem is because these things were common slave cuisine.  For over a century white Americans primarily in the southern regions looked down upon black people as a lazy fried chicken-eating, grape-soda drinking, watermelon-sucking group of "animals".  So, it goes much, much deeper than a joke about Germans liking beer and sauerkraut because of what those things mean.

I have never heard that grape soda was slave food. Do you have a source for that? I was under the impression that sodas in general started being sold well after slavery in the US.

To be honest, I didn't even realize grape soda was a black stereotype until just now. Fascinating! I don't see it as anything to get offended about, but I admit there may be a history to it that I just don't know enough about to get offended.

[#163 :]

To be honest, I didn't even realize grape soda was a black stereotype until just now. Fascinating! I don't see it as anything to get offended about, but I admit there may be a history to it that I just don't know enough about to get offended.

Same here, this is the first I have heard about a grape soda "stereotype".

[#164 :]

I also disliked the poor continuity with Bender forgetting that he's already has at least one child. It was an obvious means to an end of us getting to watch the film explaining how robots reproduce, but you know.

I've thought about that. I do wonder if perhaps Bender had another life at one point, some of the details of which were erased. Possibly prior to the events of SP3K, maybe in between TDHAIP and BBS. But at some point he may have gone off and lived a rich and fulfilling life that he abandoned and forgot large swathes of. For reasons as yet unknown. It could be that Bender's backstory is more complex than we know.

But yeah, if it's an actual continuity blip then I'm mad as hell about it.

[#165 :]

Well Bender claims to have a mother, despite being manufactured the normal way for robots.  Maybe his "first born son" was a robot he simply created at a factory for fun (in an almost Build a Bot way) and then promptly abandoned with a social worker?  It would explain how he was unaware that robots can breed the normal way (though it does raise the question why he's never got any of the fembots he's slept with pregnant so far, if he didn't know he needed robo-protection or something).

Let's just say ROBOSEX RETCON and call it a day.

[#166 :]

Maybe the fembot chooses if it becomes pregnant or not? It would make sense for robots to have access to certain choices that human females don't.

[#167 :]

Bender's mother has been established to be one of the assembly line robots who put him together. See "Xmas Story", where we see a picture and the number of robots "she" built before Bender.

It would explain how he was unaware that robots can breed the normal way (though it does raise the question why he's never got any of the fembots he's slept with pregnant so far, if he didn't know he needed robo-protection or something).

That also bothered me. But I do see a potential solution in the idea that their programs might be incompatible - or even that they went off and abandoned their botlings in some alleyway. I mean, robots do seem to be capable of being just as shitty to one another as people can be.

[#168 :]

I have never heard that grape soda was slave food. Do you have a source for that? I was under the impression that sodas in general started being sold well after slavery in the US.

I got things mashed up in my comment. I didn't mean to suggest that grape soda was a slave food, but rather that it is among several food items, some of which were standard slave fare (such as fried chicken, etc...), that are considered stereotypical of black people in the United States.  It's a sensitive issue with many simply because racism is so ingrained in our institutions in this country.  It may be hard for those who live outside of the US to fully comprehend the niceties of the issue.

[#169 :]

Same here, this is the first I have heard about a grape soda "stereotype".

It depends upon what country you are from.  It's a US thing primarily.  As an example, if you go to Google and begin to type in the words "grape soda" the suggested search terms that come up will all contain terms relating to its stereotypical consumption by black people.  (grape soda black people is the first one in the list)  In some parts of the US its usually grape kool-aid, but others grape soda.

[#170 :]

Maybe the fembot chooses if it becomes pregnant or not? It would make sense for robots to have access to certain choices that human females don't.

I would say so, but Bev's pregnancy was clearly unwanted on her part as well.  Or was it?  Even so, it does seem odd that every fembot Bender's been with hasn't got knocked up, considering most of them are like Ruth and Esther, who are hardly the sharpest knives in the drawer.  You would have thought Bender would have got slapped with a paternity suit by now, considering he's been with... to put it completely PC... some really dippy skanks.

That also bothered me. But I do see a potential solution in the idea that their programs might be incompatible - or even that they went off and abandoned their botlings in some alleyway. I mean, robots do seem to be capable of being just as shitty to one another as people can be.

Yeah, I don't think Bev will be winning Mother of the Year anytime soon.  Very few of the fembots Bender has been with seem like the type to actually want to raise their children, like Angelyne or the Countess (who is dead anyway.)

[#171 :]

You would have thought Bender would have got slapped with a paternity suit by now, considering he's been with... to put it completely PC... some really dippy skanks.

Well...as cheap/rotten/dippy/etc those fembots might have been:
Most would still care for their child enough not to draw Bender's attention towards him/her

[#172 :]

We can hope... most of them seem like the type to drag him on robo-Jeremy Kyle to demand child support.

[#173 :]

In some parts of the US its usually grape kool-aid, but others grape soda.

Dang. If grape kool-aid is black, then I don't wanna be white.

[#174 :]

Dang. If grape kool-aid is black, then I don't wanna be white.

It's not, it's just a stereotype.  That's why it upsets some black people when it's played as if it is.  There are plenty of black people that dislike grape soda.

[#175 :]

Its not grape soda but purple drink that is the black stereotype.

[#176 :]

In some parts of the US its usually grape kool-aid, but others grape soda.

Dang. If grape kool-aid is black, then I don't wanna be white.

If spelling snu snu as snoo snoo is wrong, then I don't want to be right.

[#177 :]

If spelling snu snu as snoo snoo is wrong, then I don't want to be right.

I'd have been like "green kissyman", although Zapp and Fry seemed to enjoy themselves 

[#178 :]

Its not grape soda but purple drink that is the black stereotype.

No sir, not true. I speak from firsthand experience from having grown up poor in a few places in a 50 mile radius of Manhattan. You can confirm the stereotype by a Google search. For the past year when you type a search it will automatically bring up search suggestions. Go there and type in the words: grape soda and one of the first options is black people.

Purple drink (a.k.a. "purple drank") refers to cough syrup mixed with soda and used as a mild drug and when I was a little kid in the late 70s/early 80s was stereotypically done by poor black people.  The order was Muscatel then purple drank.

Anyhow, the reason for mentioning this is because the use of "grape soda" by URL in this episode is most definitely stereotypically related to blacks.  Unequivocally so.  The only issue is whether or not the writer realized it or was not really paying attention.  I contend that although borderline racist it was not intentional on the part of the writer or producers.

[#179 :]

People who are easily offended by stereotypes probably shouldn't be watching Futurama, because it does the whole spectrum.  (Definitely shouldn't watch South Park either.)

Also, futuRAmaMA, to avoid double posting you can add to your posts using the 'edit' button in the upper right corner of the post, next to the 'quote' button. 

[#180 :]

Anyhow, the reason for mentioning this is because the use of "grape soda" by URL in this episode is most definitely stereotypically related to blacks.  Unequivocally so.  The only issue is whether or not the writer realized it or was not really paying attention.  I contend that although borderline racist it was not intentional on the part of the writer or producers.

I am almost positive that the Futurama staff was unfamiliar with that stereotype, if only because I'd imagine someone in the production process would have called it out as racist before the episode was complete. This show's way too collaborative for someone not to have caught such an ostensibly offensive gag, which leads me to believe that no one thought it was offensive.

And, for what it's worth, I live in the Mid-Atlantic region and have never heard of this bigoted Black People Drink Grape Soda nonsense. I don't say that to sound snobby ('cause, trust me, we're not so highly-evolved in my neck of the woods that racism does not exist); it's just that I could totally buy that the predominantly northeastern-bred Futurama writers never encountered that particular stereotype, either.

Also, this:

People who are easily offended by stereotypes probably shouldn't be watching Futurama, because it does the whole spectrum.

The show is an equal-opportunity offender, in terms of being unafraid to portray characters from all walks of life in a negative light. That in itself is commendable, I think.

[#181 :]

Family Guy has used the Grape Soda stereotype too.  If I remember correctly Peter tried to bribe the Judge with a Grape Soda magazine that the Judge already had.

[#182 :]

I remember Drawn Together went with a plot to cause every black child in the USA to fail their tests, by giving them grape flavored pencil erasers, so they would be so busy licking their pencils they would be distracted and unable to finish their tests, thus kept stupid so they would all waste their money buying things like purple car seats and tooth jewelery.  It was up to Foxxy to save the day.

Yeah I'm not making any of this up.

[#183 :]

It even made it into a major motion picture!

[#184 :]

I wish Root Beer was easier to find in the UK, and when I did find it, it wasn't overpriced.

[#185 :]

equal-opportunity offender

Is it too late to change my superhero name?

[#186 :]

So at the end, they removed Ben's memory card because his body only had one slot.

How about they go buy Ben a new body that can take both a memory card and a bending card? Plug both in, and bam. Ben's memories with an ability to bend. The old body can be sold for scrap.

[#187 :]

As a person from America's southern region, I cannot say that I was familiar with the grape soda/ purple drank thing. I may've heard of it before as it seems sorta familiar-ish but I've never associated the two things together.  That being said, my first viewing of this episode leaves me with a decent feeling for this season. Maybe not the definitive Futurama episode, but a good enough season opener. IMO, the best one from the revival. That being said I shall leave my rating below.

7.5/10 seeing as how the review value my diminish my love for the episode.

@MadCapper: Or better yet, cram an expansion to his hard drive in his head or body. It seemed pretty roomy inside Ben's shell. The writing was done how it was to get him outta the way, I get that, but I think they could've written the story to play out so that when they installed a bonus chip he became very hating towards Bender and just... left. Or something else that causes someone to leave and maybe have cameos later.

[#188 :]

Question for people who disliked Bev for being a racial stereotype:

What part of her character, aside from having a black voice actor, made her a distinctly black stereotype?

I've only seen the episode once, so maybe there is something that I missed. But she was just your standard trashy welfare queen stereotype. Trashy welfare queens can be any color! There was nothing there that made the character black, to me...aside from the voice. Perhaps Futurama's producers should institute a "no black voice actors" policy, so that they don't look racist.

And for what it's worth, I typically defend the haters' right to hate on new episodes here on PEEL...but Unmentionable's hate is so over the top that it sounds to me like he is joking/trolling.  But if he's sincere, then hey, more power to him.

 
100% agree, the fact that some people are interpreting this episode as being racist is hilarious to me. It never occurred to me that this episode was in any way racist. In my experience the type of people overly worried about racism are quite often racist themselves without realizing it, they probably live in fear that black people will riot at any moment if we aren't racially sensitive enough.

Episode was a solid 8/10 for me, quite humorous and a surprisingly touching story. Good way to kick off the new series.

[#189 :]

Hip hip hooray! My set of DVDs for the last season finally arrived  We were unable to wait for Christmas and decided to go on and watch a few before bed last night. I enjoyed the intro to the episode with all of the Planet Express crew members assembling for the important announcement of the drink machine's arrival. It was a good sequence. Something I noticed right off was that the animation looked different. I can't quite put to words what it looks like, just slicker or something. The last thing I'd watched was a few episodes from season three and it was a marked difference. I liked the fact that Bender turned out to be a better dad than one would have expected, especially given his treatment of Robopuppy.

The question I have after seeing this was why in the robot reproduction sequence they didn't show the disc of assembly plans for the baby bot the way that Bender reverted to that stage in Teenage Mutant Leela's Hurdles. Baby Ben was cute, nonetheless. When he was riding on the Bender-bike, my daughter started shouting gleefully "Bike! Bike!" at the TV. She was thoroughly disappointed I didn't leap from the couch so we could go on a night-time bike ride.

[#190 :]

Bender was made in an assembly line and was fed alcohol. Why was his kid drinking milk?

[#191 :]

Perhaps the components of factory-produced robots are different to those of robot-produced robots.

[#192 :]

This episode was great. I'm not sure why it's been disparaged so. I thought Wanda Sykes did an awesome job voice-acting as trashy skank-machine Bev. And baby robots are always a bonus.

[#193 :]

Especially when they're the devious crime-soaked offspring of Bender.

[#194 :]

Bender was made in an assembly line and was fed alcohol. Why was his kid drinking milk?

Milkohol?

MILK = Momcorp Industrial Lubricating Koncoction?

It's funny?

If anything, baby robots should be fed a diet of metal, silicon, and plastic. The building blocks of life!

[#195 :]

Did anyone notice that Ben's blocks only had zeros and ones on them?

[#196 :]

One night he'll have a nightmare and dream of a 2 ...

[#197 :]

Did anyone notice that Ben's blocks only had zeros and ones on them?

[Zoidberg] yes. [/Zoidberg]

[#198 :]

I thought this was an awesome episode . As always it was pretty darn hilarious but the main thing that stood out for me was the rare chance to get to know Bender's softer side    ( if it is possible for a robot to have one ) . I loved the sex-ed video scene as it brought back some embarrassing school memories . I agree with what has already been said the ending was quite emotional but doesn't come close to Jurassic Bark . By the end of the episode I really hated Bev but wouldn't be too annoyed if she made another appearance . I gave it a 7 . By the way I'm new so please forgive me for going on a bit .

[#199 :]

Only funny part was when they were watching the Sex-Ed video and the announcer curses masturbation, I give it a Six, it felt too much like Family Guy, not Futurama, It had SO MANY PLOT-HOLES!