Thoughts on 7ACV02 - A Farewell to Arms - SPOILERS!

[Reply #120 on:]

That's the joke! I find those kind of break aways from realism humorous. Like how Bender is made up of more than 100% of materials, unless you figure that some elements can be found in the others, as they've suggested in the commentaries I believe.

[Reply #121 on:]

Just like the Dominos I just consumed, I need to digest the episodes a bit more.  It was a great storyline, and I'm glad it wasn't all "This is what's happening now, it's so topical, amirite?" like it could have been.  

But apart from that, I foudn more things I disliked about the episode then I liked.  I'm not sure I find Zapp so funny anymore.   The way he manipulated Amy in tbwabb was when he stopped being funny to me, and started to become... unsettling (I know what they were aiming for, but he just felt like a sociopathic sexual predator to me, rather then a lovable idiot.)  It's not like he was behaving any differently to the first run, but I guess there are only so many times you can see the "Zapp kills lots of people through his own arrogance and incompetence and doesn't give a crap" before it stops being funny.  I'm really not sure how to feel about him anymore.  There's a fine line between "comedic sociopath" and "just plain unlikable creepy sociopath" and Zapp seems to keep zigzagging between them.  At least you know where you stand with Mom.

I thought the ending was very sweet.  Gruesome, but adorable at the same time.  

I also dislike the whole over-the-top nature of the ending.  It was too sudden, had me going huh, and so on.  It felt too goofy, the way the planetry collision in Melancholia felt.

[Reply #122 on:]

Just like the Dominos I just consumed, I need to digest the episodes a bit more

The main difference between the two things is that one is printed on celluloid and is indigestible, whilst the other is 75 percent cellulose and is only mostly indigestible. Both leave a bad taste in the mouth if you chew on them for a moment, and both have faults that detract from the awesomness of the ideas that form their basic core. I mean, Futurama is an awesome idea and so is pizza. But this episode isn't particularly impressive and contains jarring faults. Dominos pizza is disgusting and contains more wood pulp than anything else.

What I'm saying is don't try to digest either. Just accept that you have consumed something that you can't really extract any value from in either case, and move on.

[Reply #123 on:]

I know that.  Chewing on my old Sugar Rush dvds not only brought me to the assumption that they tasted sharp and bloody, but I couldn't watch them afterwards.  Sad goldfish.  I think I'm done with Dominos for a few months though.  All that wood pulp has transformed my booty from baby got back to get out, fatty.

What I'm saying is a lot of the new run episodes do deservea  second or third viewing before I make my mind up.  I really didn't like TLPJF when I first watched it, now I adore it.  Neutopia I really don't like anymore after watching it again after a year.  The jokes are mostly meh for me, (except Petunia, who made me laugh the most), but I still adore the amount of detail put into the mineral world.  Say what you will about everything else, that planet is gorgeous.  If it was a man, I'd stalk him on facebook and send threatening emails to his spouse.

[Reply #124 on:]

10/10

It's not the BEST episode ever, but it's in my top 5. I have to re-watch it a few times and let it grow on me.

But ZOMG shippy heaven A lot of very sweet moments and I ate them all up.
I was a little worried about the plot. Because the writers seem to keep making all the new episodes based on recent events and for some reason that bothers me. I watch Futurama to escape from the world I'm in...not to be reminded of it.
At least they haven't made a bunch of really lame pop culture references like they did in the last season.
But anyway, I was pleasantly surprised, the plot totally worked and although I enjoyed the shippy parts more, it was still good.

I guess the only complaint I have is I hope not all episodes are like this. It seems like most of the new ones have involved very epic plots and seem very fast paced and random, and they have every character in them.
Sometimes you need an episode with just a few people in it...something mellow. That's an old Futurama feel to me. I'm sure we'll get that though.

[Reply #125 on:]

Yes.  If you have every episode be a Late Philip J Fry, then they just become meh.  You need to have That Darn Katz! every so often to balance things out and keep the character spotlight fresh.

[Reply #126 on:]

Yes.  If you have every episode be a Late Philip J Fry, then they just become meh.  You need to have That Darn Katz! every so often to balance things out and keep the character spotlight fresh.

Yes, but That Darn Katz was just....just awful. lol. It's very hard for me to not like Futurama, but that one did it for me. Sorta like A Leela of Her Own.

Something more like...Lethal Inspection would be good. Those kind of episodes and then a few big shippy/epic ones is a good balance for each season.

[Reply #127 on:]

I really enjoyed That Darn Katz but I seem to be in the minority over that one.

[Reply #128 on:]

I love TDK too.  It's one of the few new episodes with a cold opening.  It's got the Nibbler/Amy pairing, it actually got serious about Amy's education arc, and as a cat lover the cat jokes crack me up.

[Reply #129 on:]

I love TDK too.  It's one of the few new episodes with a cold opening.  It's got the Nibbler/Amy pairing, it actually got serious about Amy's education arc, and as a cat lover the cat jokes crack me up.

I love it if only for the scene where Nibbler gets to be in his sailor's suit when trying to outcute the cat.

[Reply #130 on:]

That Darn Katz had its moments but I just have a gut-level dislike for the episode. The whole "cuteness as a road to power" theme strikes me as stupid.

But hey, I'm just some jerk on the internet. Maybe you really enjoy the exact things I find stupid.

[Reply #131 on:]

Agreed on all those points Louisenator.  Plus, I was happy that they had an Amy episode that didn't end up being more about who she was crushing on then about her, hell it wasn't about her lovelife period.  Amy's a pretty underrated and underused character.  I like her in that she's one of the few characters who works equally well as the straight woman and the comic foil.

But back on topic... need to watch this episode again to really figure out how i feel about it.  The ending was pretty bad though.  I don't think it ended, as so much as... stopped.   I think they should have made it a two parter, and had the final scene of the first episode be Mars about to smash into Earth.   Three minutes is not enough to satisfyingly wrap up such a climatic event, especially when it's never explained how the situation rectified itself.  

I do like the cuteness as the road to power worked well, since it did show how cats are subjective.  The internet may be full of catlovers, but they have people who can't stand them, such as Amy (though her dislike of them went with her allergies, rather then finding them snobby or aloof, like many cat haters claim.)  I think Conquest of Cuteness from Adventure Time did another interesting angle on the cute power thing.

[Reply #132 on:]

That Darn Katz had its moments but I just have a gut-level dislike for the episode. The whole "cuteness as a road to power" theme strikes me as stupid.

But hey, I'm just some jerk on the internet. Maybe you really enjoy the exact things I find stupid.

But so did Nibbler.  He was disgusted by it, but had to fight fire with fire.  Heck, if I was 3,280-ish years old and super intelligent I'd probably find cuteness disgusting too 

[Reply #133 on:]

I have two cats. I think they're cute. I don't think a few cats taking over the world through being cute is a good plot point.

[Reply #134 on:]

It's subjective, I love the idea, but I can see why others might not like it.   Or you could say that the cats weren't actually being that cute, but were able to hypnotise people into thinking they were much, much cuter then they actually were, to the point that even Bender would be taken in by them.   Amy's severe allergic reaction to them meant that they couldn't affect her brain, or they didn't consider her enough of a threat on her own to even bother.  The brainwashing stops when they no longer have any need for the stupid earthlings.  The other Mars professors are clearly unaffected, so the hypnosis only occurs when the cats want it to, rather then being triggered by them simply being cute and being cats.

Back on topic, I noticed Mrs Astor was one of the evacuees.  Hopefully the old bitch didn't get crushed to death by falling rubble or incinerated by solar flares.

[Reply #135 on:]

I don't think a few cats taking over the world through being cute is a good plot point.

It's not.  (Just to clarify, they weren't taking over the world, they were trying to save their own by sacrificing ours.)

The weak plot is actually one of the reasons I like TDK.  When the plot isn't so important, the characters have to carry the show and the Nibbler/Amy pairing is brilliant in this.  They are both educated and more intellectually equal.  Combine that with the university setting and I don't know, it just worked for me.

Back to AFtA, I agree with Wazn that this should have been a two-parter.  Maybe that's just because I desire one so bad but it would fit really well here, especially since they air the first two eps back to back.

[Reply #136 on:]

It doesn't help that the episode doesn't end, it just stops.   I'm the only one thinking "How did they fix this?"

If they were going to have such an unresolved ending, they should have changed the twist to be that the doomed planet was actually Mercury or Venus.  I would say Mercury, since it's probably my least favourite planet, and even in the Futurama-verse, it's not especially interesting.  

I would like an episode that is set on Venus, especially if the blob people are from there.  Hell, I would like to see more episodes that explore the Sol System.  

[Reply #137 on:]

I really enjoyed That Darn Katz but I seem to be in the minority over that one.

I liked it very much too, Spacefish. But maybe that's because I'm a closet crazy cat lady waiting to pounce in the middle of the night

[Reply #138 on:]

That Darn Katz is probably my least favorite episode...ever. I'm surprised that people I respect have a different opinion than me regarding this episode. Other Comedy Central episodes that people like to hate on, like the Holiday Special and Yo Leela Leela, I found way better than TDK. I don't remember laughing once at that one! And I didn't care for the story and such.

Anyway: after thinking about it for a while, I must admit that I agree with future freak regarding the ending of this episode. The arm-ripping was just not very good. I think Inquisitor nailed it with this post:

I think the writers desperately wanted the ending scene, and just did not manage a proper set up.

- A mutilated couple needing several times to hug each other
- A romantic tune played on the world's smallest violin with their tiny clone arms.
- A final shot of their cut off arms holding hands floating in space
was a hilarious spoof on love scenes.

The ending scene -seen isolated by itself- was imhO one of the best in Futurama.
There was just no proper path leading smoothly to that scene.

The ending scene was great...but somewhat hollow with such a weak set-up. Man, this episode could have gone down as one of the all-time greats if the set-up had come even close to working. Too bad!

I still liked the episode, but you'd think a dozen Ivy league geniuses could come up with a lead-in that makes sense. Laziness, I say! Whoever suggested the "Fry puts glue on his hands" gag should get a gold star. THAT would have worked well enough: Hands are glued --> gravity pulling them apart --> arms ripped off. Still kind of cartoon-ey, but at least it makes sense! It follows a twisted sort of logic. Much better than what we got: hold hands --> arms fall off for some reason.

Makes me angry, the more I think about it. Grah.

[Reply #139 on:]

I really enjoyed That Darn Katz but I seem to be in the minority over that one.

I liked it very much too, Spacefish. But maybe that's because I'm a closet crazy cat lady waiting to pounce in the middle of the night

MUFFINS!  What did your mommy say about you going out without your baby bonnet and bootees?  You'll get ouchie nasties on your paw-paws, poopsiekins!

[Reply #140 on:]

All I know about the arm-ripping thing is that my reaction was the same as my reaction to other limb-losing episodes in the original run: shocked laughter at how ridiculous what just happened is, and that's fine by me.

[Reply #141 on:]

MUFFINS!  What did your mommy say about you going out without your baby bonnet and bootees?  You'll get ouchie nasties on your paw-paws, poopsiekins!

Nibblonians to Nibble stations! Prepare cuddle bug for deployment in 40 nibblets.

[Reply #142 on:]

One small detail that I really like in this episode is how the second act break is a fade out.  I don't think Futurama has ever done that before.  Anyway, the way Fry is standing on the widow's walk watching the ship fly away, combined with a pull back on the camera and the fade to black is really moving.

[Reply #143 on:]

You have to remember that Earth's gravity also acted on Leela, and Mars's on Fry. If you've taken physics, you would know that equal forces acting in opposite directions cancel each other out. Or if we want to get nitpicky, since the gravity on Mars is actually well less than half that of Earth, the gravitational force pulling her to the Earth should have been much greater than that attracting her to Mars.

This bothered me, too. The people didn't even need to jump to get off of Mars; they would have been pulled off by the Earth's gravity.

Unless the Wongs went out and carpetted Mars with some super-sticky stuff.

[Reply #144 on:]

Some characters that were selected to go to Mars:
Dr. Ben Beeler and Wife
Elzar
Billionaire Bot
Victor
Monique
Crack Addict
Mayor Poopenmeyer
Calculon
Judge Whitey
Gus
Mom's Bastards(not seen on Mars, but appear to have landed on Earth from jumping
With the PE crew)

[Reply #145 on:]

All I know about the arm-ripping thing is that my reaction was the same as my reaction to other limb-losing episodes in the original run: shocked laughter at how ridiculous what just happened is, and that's fine by me.

Agreed. I'll be the first one to admit that the
'Tip of the Zoidberg' mutilations were terrible and felt fanficish, but this one(like original run mutilations) just worked for me.

After my 3rd viewing of this episode, I'm very pleased with it.

Then again,  I reckon that I'm easier to please that 90% of you.

[Reply #146 on:]

The arm-ripping was just not very good. I think Inquisitor nailed it with this post:

I think the writers desperately wanted the ending scene, and just did not manage a proper set up.

- A mutilated couple needing several times to hug each other
- A romantic tune played on the world's smallest violin with their tiny clone arms.
- A final shot of their cut off arms holding hands floating in space
was a hilarious spoof on love scenes.

The ending scene -seen isolated by itself- was imhO one of the best in Futurama.
There was just no proper path leading smoothly to that scene.

The ending scene was great...but somewhat hollow with such a weak set-up.

I must admit the thought crossed my mind because the "weak setup" was something that happened to me in one cartoon. (Hope it's not too vain to talk about my own stuff here):

I really wanted to have one cartoon in which Fry suddenly does have to fight, he does so successfully, but for strange reasons, his style is an exact copy of Leela's style. Of course, this looks weird to the rest, and tests are made, to no avail (There are no parasites, etc...). No one can explain why Fry can suddenly fight without having trained at all....no only this, but also why he is a 100% copy of Leela style wise.

Then, the last picture showed Fry and Leela lying in the same bed, and in their sleep, the nightly fight over bedspace and sheets takes places (including all the ellbow pushes, foot kicks, etc...)

I was really fond of that punchline using that nightly "sheet fight" as combat training, I did like the look and layout of the last picture. It was a punchline I REALLY, REALLY wanted.
But, no matter how hard I tried, I could not come up with a setup that would lead properly and smoothly to that punchline.

So, to cut a long story short:
The "A Farewell to Arms" ending reminded me strongly of having a punchline you really like, but you just cannot come up with a proper set up, no matter what you try.

[Reply #147 on:]

Oh, thank god Futurama is back. You guys wouldn't believe the crappy stuff I've watched up to this point. Some of it I've even PAID FOR. I don't wanna talk about it.

Anyway, this episode ROCKED!!! Loved it! Fry and Leela were great. What a beautiful, funny, original and occasionally near-fatal relationship they have. Every interaction was note-perfect. (Except for the fact that people's arms don't come off that easily in real life - thank god - and that, if people DO lose an arm, and don't receive immediate medical assistance, they pretty much bleed to death. Even when you acknowledge the existence of cartoon physics, the arm gags were a bit hard to believe. And pretty gross too. But I digress). This episode was funny from start to finish. The only thing is...I hate Zapp Brannigan. I want to throw things at my TV whenever he comes on. He is a major annoyance because he causes so much harm, yet nothing even remotely proportionally bad ever happens to him. Bugs Bunny used to drop anvils on "joiks" like him. I wish Bender would go after him. That'd be sweet. Anyhoo, I give this ep a 10/10. Kudos to the Futurama crew. They're back, baby!

[Reply #148 on:]

Anyone else think people should have been a lot more pissed at Amy for mistranslating that thing?  It just contrasts so much with the previous episode's overreaction to Fry's Slurm addiction.  I really think they should have had someone shout: "Hey, it's that bimbo who got loads of us killed!  After her!"  and had her being chased by a furious mob.  Fry became a citywide hate figure for being the Common Cold patient zero, and Amy's mistranslation caused chaos and got a lot of people smushed into people pulp.

[Reply #149 on:]

Anyone else think people should have been a lot more pissed at Amy for mistranslating that thing?  It just contrasts so much with the previous episode's overreaction to Fry's Slurm addiction.  I really think they should have had someone shout: "Hey, it's that bimbo who got loads of us killed!  After her!"  and had her being chased by a furious mob.  Fry became a citywide hate figure for being the Common Cold patient zero, and Amy's mistranslation caused chaos and got a lot of people smushed into people pulp.

It's possible that only very few people realized the ships dismantling.
So, most could have been in a "Great...now we have to fly back again ffor nothing" mode, instead of a "she got us all killed" mode.
And "flying back again" was a most a medium nuisance, but nothing lynch worthy.

[Reply #150 on:]

Anyone else think people should have been a lot more pissed at Amy for mistranslating that thing?  It just contrasts so much with the previous episode's overreaction to Fry's Slurm addiction.  I really think they should have had someone shout: "Hey, it's that bimbo who got loads of us killed!  After her!"  and had her being chased by a furious mob.  Fry became a citywide hate figure for being the Common Cold patient zero, and Amy's mistranslation caused chaos and got a lot of people smushed into people pulp.

Totally agree!  I realize in the end "it's just a cartoon", but it's our cartoon damnit!  We are the ones that kept the show alive and have given the actors, producers and writers their new jobs.  Maybe that sounds a little over-the-top but when you think about it, it's true.  They should be more in tune with what the fans are hoping for, things such as: getting Fry and Leela together, vindicating Kif by kicking Zapp to the curb, finding out the whole story about Nibbler and the Nibblonians, what Mom is REALLY after, and a dozen other things posted on this board over the past twelve+ years. /rant

*Whew*

Anyway, cartoon realities are always different from each other.  What is possible in one cartoon would be impossible in another.  But some of the writers and producers are geniuses with advanced degrees which makes some of these newer gags, continuity issues, and Irrreconcilable Plplot points that we've seen since the start of 6a harder to understand.

[Reply #151 on:]

Anyone else think people should have been a lot more pissed at Amy for mistranslating that thing?  It just contrasts so much with the previous episode's overreaction to Fry's Slurm addiction.  I really think they should have had someone shout: "Hey, it's that bimbo who got loads of us killed!  After her!"  and had her being chased by a furious mob.  Fry became a citywide hate figure for being the Common Cold patient zero, and Amy's mistranslation caused chaos and got a lot of people smushed into people pulp.

It's possible that only very few people realized the ships dismantling.
So, most could have been in a "Great...now we have to fly back again ffor nothing" mode, instead of a "she got us all killed" mode.
And "flying back again" was a most a medium nuisance, but nothing lynch worthy.

She mistranslated a prophecy that said Mars was going to go kabloomie, and not Earth.  So everyone who ended up in killed on Mars was pretty much her fault.  

I would like to add to flesheatingbull's list.  Who else have you eagle eyed malcontents noticed?
"Dr. Ben Beeler and Wife
Elzar
Billionaire Bot
Victor
Monique
Crack Addict
Mayor Poopenmeyer
Calculon
Judge Whitey
Gus
Mom's Bastards(not seen on Mars, but appear to have landed on Earth from jumping
With the PE crew)"

I noticed:
The Queen of Yonkers
Mrs Aster from TMAR
Linda
21st Century Girl
And... WASHBUCKET!

[Reply #152 on:]

On first viewing, I give it an 8/10 because despite a really strong 1st and 2nd act, the ending pissed me off enough to drop the score. It was too ridiculous in my opinion.

[Reply #153 on:]

Anyone else think people should have been a lot more pissed at Amy for mistranslating that thing?  It just contrasts so much with the previous episode's overreaction to Fry's Slurm addiction.  I really think they should have had someone shout: "Hey, it's that bimbo who got loads of us killed!  After her!"  and had her being chased by a furious mob.  Fry became a citywide hate figure for being the Common Cold patient zero, and Amy's mistranslation caused chaos and got a lot of people smushed into people pulp.

It's possible that only very few people realized the ships dismantling.
So, most could have been in a "Great...now we have to fly back again ffor nothing" mode, instead of a "she got us all killed" mode.
And "flying back again" was a most a medium nuisance, but nothing lynch worthy.

She mistranslated a prophecy that said Mars was going to go kabloomie, and not Earth.  So everyone who ended up in killed on Mars was pretty much her fault. 

I would like to add to flesheatingbull's list.  Who else have you eagle eyed malcontents noticed?
"Dr. Ben Beeler and Wife
Elzar
Billionaire Bot
Victor
Monique
Crack Addict
Mayor Poopenmeyer
Calculon
Judge Whitey
Gus
Mom's Bastards(not seen on Mars, but appear to have landed on Earth from jumping
With the PE crew)"

I noticed:
The Queen of Yonkers
Mrs Aster from TMAR
Linda
21st Century Girl
And... WASHBUCKET!

The wash bucket cameo was awesome!

[Reply #154 on:]

This episode fell towards my least favorite episodes of Futurama, it was still a quality peice of television, and far better then nearly anything else on TV, but as a Futurama episode it wasn't great.

[Reply #155 on:]

Anyone else think people should have been a lot more pissed at Amy for mistranslating that thing?  It just contrasts so much with the previous episode's overreaction to Fry's Slurm addiction.  I really think they should have had someone shout: "Hey, it's that bimbo who got loads of us killed!  After her!"  and had her being chased by a furious mob. 

That's how a lot of Benny Hill episodes ended.

[Reply #156 on:]

Getting chased by a mob also seems to happen a lot in The Simpsons. I am fine with Futurama not going this route.

[Reply #157 on:]

The way the street cart vendor yells when Bender rolls the giant disk over his trailer is freaking great!   A la la la la....!   Wham.

[Reply #158 on:]

Isn't that street vendor the same as the one who got hit by some luggage as the Planet Express "airplane" took off in "Neutopia"?  I think he and Horse Coke Vendor should have a duel to see who can die the most.

[Reply #159 on:]

Getting chased by a mob also seems to happen a lot in The Simpsons. I am fine with Futurama not going this route.

I'm not saying it had to be a mob,  I'm just saying Amy got off pretty easy considering how characters have become hate figures on the show for considerably less.