Thoughts on 7ACV09 - Free Will Hunting - SPOILERS

[Reply #120 on:]

For me, the 40% joke never gets old. 

For me, those jokes are 40% old.

So now that Bender has been found guilty of (repeatedly) shooting his boss what are the chances of him still being employed by that boss next week?

Congratulations! I missed that completely!

(NOT)

The biggest complaint about this episode seems to be the large number of things not resolved.

And hobbitboy, you need to follow Internet Rule #37 (Faisal Nameer Jawdat): Read the thread from the beginning, or else.

[Reply #121 on:]

After a third viewing, a few more things solidified into place or stood out.

First, I came up with a fairly solid rationalization for why Chapek 9 is now referred to as the 'Robot Homeworld.'  This is because the robots who live on Chapek 9 don't call it that, they just call it their homeworld, despite not originating from there.  It may be that, due to propaganda from the Elders, they don't even remember that it used to be called Chapek 9.  As for why the Professor didn't use Chapek 9, I don't have a good reason.  Perhaps Chapek 9 fell out of use and everyone just calls it the Robot Homeworld now.

I really enjoy the low angle shots in the PE ship bridge, looking forward out the front windows, like this:

A neat visual callback (among other more obvious ones) to FOABP, like this one:

Silly thing to get all happy about, but these particular perspectives are what made me fall in love with the bridge design of the PE ship in the first place.  It rivals the TOS Enterprise's bridge in function and awesome factor.  I want to be on that ship so bad!

Also, this little bit with the thumbs up from Fry is just the sort of subtle character interaction that really spices up the show for me:

Waiter, I'll take a double order please.

[Reply #122 on:]

Anyone else notice the downstairs lab at PE had a fourth wall? It has windows and a doorway.

[Reply #123 on:]

For me, the 40% joke never gets old. 

For me, those jokes are 40% old.

So now that Bender has been found guilty of (repeatedly) shooting his boss what are the chances of him still being employed by that boss next week?

Congratulations! I missed that completely!

(NOT)

The biggest complaint about this episode seems to be the large number of things not resolved.

And hobbitboy, you need to follow Internet Rule #37 (Faisal Nameer Jawdat): Read the thread from the beginning, or else.

See? 40% anything = 100% funny. Even when you don't mean it to be.

Bender shot his boss, yes . ..  but his boss is FARNSWORTH. An amoral crackpot with cannibalist leanings. Given his own history, I seriously doubt he'd be pressing charges.

Also, Bender is Planet Express's most expensive appliance!

[Reply #124 on:]

Louiswuenator : They've really upped the ante on the animation this season, haven't they? The stone spaceship taking off in Farewell to Arms, Fry and Leela's orbital kiss in FoaB, Morris surfing the Nimbus to safety in Zapp Dingbat . . . there have been quite a few really breathtaking scenes this season. Kudos to the studio!

Also loved Fry's thumbs-up, and that whole sequence, actually. I know it was farce, but it made me laugh out loud.

[Reply #125 on:]

Someone should really calculate what percentage of metals and other materials Bender is constructed of - Not me obviously, I have a life

[Reply #126 on:]

Working on this theory that Bender is like the Tardis in Doctor Who - bigger on the inside! :P

[Reply #127 on:]

So now that Bender has been found guilty of (repeatedly) shooting his boss what are the chances of him still being employed by that boss next week?

also, I give this one a 7 out of 10.

I'm pretty sure that the Professor will have forgotten that Bender shot him.  The Professor has a history of forgetting things like that.

[Reply #128 on:]

Also true.

[Reply #129 on:]

The Fry/Leela bedscene (Fry missing Bender, just to tell him to leave them alone) reminded me of the TLPJF's beginning, when Bender woke up Fry for similar reasons.

[Reply #130 on:]

Someone should really calculate what percentage of metals and other materials Bender is constructed of - Not me obviously, I have a life

I believe it is on the Infosphere.

[Reply #131 on:]

So now that Bender has been found guilty of (repeatedly) shooting his boss what are the chances of him still being employed by that boss next week?

also, I give this one a 7 out of 10.

I'm pretty sure that the Professor will have forgotten that Bender shot him.  The Professor has a history of forgetting things like that.

"I really ought to prosecute that robot ... But I am in my pajamas ..."

[Reply #132 on:]

*Though I am already in my pyjamas.

Shame that line was only ever used twice.


Also, the thumbs up is cute, but shouldn't Fry be more concerned for the girl he was intimate with in the previous scene? It would have been even funnier though for Leela to clock him one afterwards for seemingly not caring that she was flattened.

[Reply #133 on:]

Louis, I did catch that thumbs-up, and what bothered me a little about that scene was the stupid cartoon gag of Leela getting flattened by a flying door. I know, I know, this is a cartoon, but it just seemed so...I don't know, Bugs Bunny-ish. But, that minor annoyance went away when Fry gave his thumbs up.

Also, the thumbs up is cute, but shouldn't Fry be more concerned for the girl he was intimate with in the previous scene?

TLF, that thought flitted through my head, but again, this scene was done with such cartoony absurdity that I thought the thumbs-up was appropriately frivolous, and that Fry's clueless and insensitive approval was humorous.

[Reply #134 on:]

The door to that room reminds me of the safe room doors in Valve's Left 4 Dead games. That is all.

[Reply #135 on:]

Louiswuenator : They've really upped the ante on the animation this season, haven't they?

Agreed, especially considering they have less money.

Louis, I did catch that thumbs-up, and what bothered me a little about that scene was the stupid cartoon gag of Leela getting flattened by a flying door. I know, I know, this is a cartoon, but it just seemed so...I don't know, Bugs Bunny-ish. But, that minor annoyance went away when Fry gave his thumbs up.

The cartoony stuff doesn't bother me if the payoff is good enough.  For me, it was worth it for the joke of Leela's scrunchie being tough and elastic enough to rip out a section of wall.  It's so her.  I spit out fish and chips when that happened.

Also, the thumbs up is cute, but shouldn't Fry be more concerned for the girl he was intimate with in the previous scene?

This is interesting, because I had a different reaction.  I think that this scene could be interpreted as subtle evidence of maturity in their relationship.  In the past, Fry would almost always rush to her aid or throw himself in front of any potential danger.  She didn't ask for it, because as she said in "The Sting" she can take care of herself.  (She has that 'survivor' complex, having difficulty accepting help from others.)  I think that now, post-FTA, he has a level of trust in knowing that his girlfriend is tough as nails and doesn't need him to 'be the hero' all of the time.

*Though I am already in my pyjamas.

Shame that line was only ever used twice.

He should bring it back.  This far down the road, there's no reason not to.

[Reply #136 on:]

*Though I am already in my pyjamas.

Shame that line was only ever used twice.

He should bring it back.  This far down the road, there's no reason not to.

There's no reason to not NOT do it ...

(Yes, I messed it up, and when I posted it, I knew I was probably messing it up. I'm getting lazy in my old age.) (Make that lazier.)

[Reply #137 on:]

Edit: Anyone else think that "do not show to horses" is one of the lamest starting sequence lines they've come up with so far?

One of the best, IMO.

Why? Is there any insider joke that I've missed? Or could the horses be replaced with any random animal? In that case, it should at least have been some future alien creature, not a present day animal.

[Reply #138 on:]

Also, the thumbs up is cute, but shouldn't Fry be more concerned for the girl he was intimate with in the previous scene? It would have been even funnier though for Leela to clock him one afterwards for seemingly not caring that she was flattened.

Let's not forget all the times Frys been hurt and leela hasn't seemed to care. Like, 20 seconds before the door slam moment.

[Reply #139 on:]

Why? Is there any insider joke that I've missed?

Perhaps it is that horses can get spooked easily.   A spooked horse tends to be more difficult to handle than, say, a spooked spice weasel.   

[Reply #140 on:]

Why? Is there any insider joke that I've missed?

No, you just have to have a good sense of humour, which you apparently lack.

[Reply #141 on:]

Just because someone disagrees with you Danny doesn't mean they are wrong. The horse joke is totally random (albeit I though it was funny).

[Reply #142 on:]

Why? Is there any insider joke that I've missed?

Perhaps it is that horses can get spooked easily.   A spooked horse tends to be more difficult to handle than, say, a spooked spice weasel.   

Blucher!

Show spoiler

Young Frankenstein

[Reply #143 on:]

Just thought I'd point out that on CGEF, this episode is now rated the same as The Butterjunk Effect. *sigh* If only there was some sort of futurama meme I could use that would sum up my feelings. Perhaps one featuring the professor?

[Reply #144 on:]

"Free Will Hunting"


Bender as a member of the Robot Monastery on Chapek 9


The definition of an average episode. It had some good gags (mostly one liners and a few good sight gags) but there were very few funny moments and it is probably the most dry, humor-wise, of the new season. The concept of the story was really quite interesting but it just did not reach it's full potential and was not executed very well. The first act was pretty terrible reminding me of recent Simpsons episodes where the set piece has very little to do with the pay off. It did get better through each act but it really didn't add up to much at the end...

This episode will probably be remembered as the return of Chapek 9. I wouldn't have minded never seeing the planet again but I guess it was a nice bit of nostalgia. However, like most things in this episode it was handled badly, the callbacks were heavy-handed with most of them feeling extremely forced (especially the Robot Elders) Bender was pretty funny in most scenes although a few had him act a little too annoying. I definitely appreciated seeing the return of Mom but she should've been introduced earlier to make the pay off with Farnsworth more interesting (and maybe a little longer). It wasn't totally humorless, here are a few things that I enjoyed...


* "Psst, over there ... I mean over here, sorry I forgot where I was"

Judge: "How do you plead?"
Bender: "Not guilty, although I did do it ... that's right, I'm bad!"

* "I hate to be the bearer of bad news also, good news everyone!"
* I laughed at the cartooniness of Leela using the bowling ball to open the door...
* "Well then you got surprised by my swivel chair for nothing"
* "Thanks to you I went on a soul searching journey, I hate those!"
* I also got a chuckle out of the ending


As you can probably see, there were no real funny moments during the second act which is probably one of the worst second acts in the shows history. The episode is definitely messy with it being too hectic in the first act, too slow in the second and just about right in the last. It does have a few funny gags but it is nothing compared with the top from this season. I expected more from Cohen but I'm happy to see another episode of his even if it wasn't great...


13/20 (B-)    

[Reply #145 on:]

Plot was good, episode had chances to be excellent. But there was too cartoon resembling feeling in the episode. What I liked was that tempo wasn't too fast.

Episode was one of the best episodes in the season so far.

[Reply #146 on:]

The concept of the story was really quite interesting but it just did not reach it's full potential and was not executed very well. The first act was pretty terrible reminding me of recent Simpsons episodes where the set piece has very little to do with the pay off. It did get better through each act but it really didn't add up to much at the end...

I can sort of understand how you might think this if you only enjoy the episode on a surface level, but its first act was actually a great way to begin things with regards to structure and set-up. It's intentionally a bit "out there", but it all ties to the episode's overall concept regarding Bender and free will. Plus, the ending brings it all full-circle which isn't something you'd see in a Simpsons episode of the nature that you're complaining about.

it is probably the most dry, humor-wise, of the new season.

Honestly, I think this is the funniest episode of the new season by a long way. Season 7 has been very dry on the humour-front compared to the past 6 seasons and this is one of the only episodes that felt roughly on par with the show's pre-cancellation days in terms of gags per minute that didn't fall flat.

[Reply #147 on:]

Just saw this one and ehhh it was okay. The episode itself wasn't too spectacular, the ones with plots where you lose the other main characters generally aren't. The ending seemed kinda "not sure how to end this" in the way that "Yo Leela Leela" had ended (not as terrible, mind you, nothing compares to that). I probably wouldn't watch this one again anytime soon, so for those reasons I'd probably rate it a 6 or so.   

[Reply #148 on:]

Anyone know who did the voice of Fabricio? My guess is Dave Herman but tough to tell. Too bad he's dead.

[Reply #149 on:]

I think it was Dave as well. He usually does the accents.

[Reply #150 on:]

This was a very fun episode!  Bender going to college and then joining a gang.  The funniest was when he got beat up by Girl Scouts.  The way Bender got beat up in this episode, he reminded me of Jim Rockford. 

Then Bender goes back to Chapek 9 to go on a Soul Searching Journey.  It's cool that Fry and Leela didn't follow him this time around.   Becomes a monk, and goes back to Earth to recruits Fry and Leela to help him find that Free Will device.  It was hilarious how Bender held Farnsworth hostage.   "Hand it Over"  "I went on a soul searching journey!  I hate those!" 

All in all, very fun episode which was one of the reasons why season 7A was so awesome!

[Reply #151 on:]

For some reason I played this expecting "31st Century Fox". I don't know why, I got confused cause the title had "hunting" in it.

Also Bender shooting the professor was just incredibly unlikable.