Thoughts on 7ACV17 - Fry and Leela's Big Fling - SPOILERS

[Reply #40 on:]

I loved the ending on this one.

"YOU WERE IN A ZOO!!"

[Reply #41 on:]

This was awesome, loved actually seeing Sean after all of the subtle and completely random references to him scattered right from season one onwards.

[Reply #42 on:]

The episode had some funny scenes, but also some logical inconsistences:

- During the beginning, Fry and Leela make a big deal about no one knowing them together (Leela demonstratively proclaiming she's going home alone). And then they announce their vacation to everyone.

I didn't interpret it this way. The rest of the crew clearly knows they're dating at this point, but I think they just wanted their plans (especially since they were going to be in the Plan EX HQ) to be private and secret; otherwise, they would have just gone to one of their places and no one would have known. They don't run and hide from Nibbler, Zoidberg, Scruffy, etc. They just wanted privacy, is all. (As someone who dates in New York City - a place where virtually everyone under 40 has a roommate - I know the feeling.)

I liked this one a lot. I wouldn't say it's quite a classic, but we'll see on future viewings. Regardless, it was really clever and sweet, and really captured a lot of things about dating and relationships really well. Plus, tons of funny lines (Zoidberg mentioning that they might remember him from LinkedIn was inexplicably funny to me), and the whole zoo conceit was just awesome. Definitely a lot better than the structurally-messy "2D Blacktop."

[Reply #43 on:]

I just realized how Fry and Leela smile at each other while drinking smoothies on the camera feed and I actually squealed. ADOR. ABLE.

I'm sorry, but I'm still in shipper heaven.

[Reply #44 on:]

It was entertaining... and it was interesting to meet Shawn for the first time.  What was really gay is how oblivious Leela was to her current relationship, though sitcoms use that from time to time.

I also rather disliked how the episode ended.... it was an obvious thing and almost demanded to be done... but.... it wasn't funny and so failed in it that sense because it didn't surprise or add to what was already there.

[Reply #45 on:]

I didn't like jealous Fry. The one thing about characters getting into relationships on TV shows I always hate is how afterwards the writers keep trying to throw constant and arbitrary threats that they might break up. Fry was drunk, and meeting your partner's ex(es) is always awkward, so I'll let it pass this time.

This time.

The big plot twist caught me by surprise -- I didn't watch on TV, I had it beamed directly into my mind. So the promo's didn't rule it for me. I enjoyed seeing Dr. Banjo again -- I had been hoping he would make a comeback someday. Guenther wasn't annoying to me as he was back in the college days but I'm also not sure he added all that much, either.

I actually preferred the 2-D Blacktop episode, which looks like it's edging into the minority opinion. I suppose it didn't have as much 'heart' as this episode did, but I found it funnier and laden with more Sci-Fi.

These are just my nitpicks though. My first two criteria for Futurama episodes are that it kept me entertained, and that it made me laugh. So I'm good.

[Reply #46 on:]

Perhaps the human enclosure in the zoo is a reference to Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse-Five? I dunno.

I imagine that it was...I know the Tralfamadorians were the first thing I thought of when they revealed the twist.

This is probably a geezer post, but I thought of the Twilight Zone Episode "People Are Alike All Over".

[Reply #47 on:]

Loved this episode.

THEM! gag at Elzar's
The ape planet, which was awesome
Gunter and Dr. Banjo!
Human Zoo plot, reminded me of The Menagerie

Great episode.
10/10

[Reply #48 on:]

Bumping my score up to 8.5/10. I think the reason I initially found the Fry/Leela scenes awkward to watch is because I'm not used to them being so... intimate. I guess it just feels weird after seasons of inconsistent writing. In other words, it's not this episode's fault.

One other thing I enjoyed that I haven't seen anyone here mention yet is the way Zoidberg and Bender worked together in breaching the zoo fence. It was pretty neat seeing Zoidberg snip the wire and Bender bend the escape hole.

Hey, sometimes I enjoy simple things. 

[Reply #49 on:]

I think while we all loved it (few people excluded) we all felt really awkward.

[Reply #50 on:]

Well, we mostly dug "Fry and Leela's Big Fling", and Eric Rogers knows it. If you're reading this, thank you, mr. Rogers .

[Reply #51 on:]

They give the fans what they want

[Reply #52 on:]

I've already been re-watching it for the 8th time now, single best episode ever! Permanently on my phone...

They give the fans what they want

They give MOST fans what they want, not every fan is a Freela shipper...

[Reply #53 on:]

No, not just ship-wise. Almost everyone seemed to enjoy the episode, is my point

[Reply #54 on:]

This was sort of like the first one, but not quite as bad:

A coherent plot that more or less held together (which is better than most of season 7, so far), but a rather dull one in its execution and not very funny at all.

Stands as one of season 7's best, so far, but only by being the lesser of two evils without literally being the episode "The Lesser of Two Evils".

[Reply #55 on:]

They give MOST fans what they want, not every fan is a Freela shipper...

In fact, both episodes seemes rather fan-service-y.
There were many scene in which Leela held her (suspiciously increased) cleavage towards the camera, and many Fry/Leela love scenes.

[Reply #56 on:]

I bit the bullet and watched this on iTunes. There's just no way I can wait for the final season to come out on DVD...in December! I shudder to think.

This episode was great to watch. There were so many details that the artists put in to pull together the scenes: the highlighters hanging from the ship in the office dinner scene, the floating "no Zoidberg" head in the getaway advertisement, the robot hands putting away Fry and Leela's clothes (none of which seemed to be their standard outfits, I might add), the jungle-gym style primate transport system, just so many things to try to catch on repeat viewings. Oh, and the framed pictures of the zoo animals in Dr. Banjo's office- foreshadowing of critters to come later on.

For all the comments about Leela's interactions with Sean, I disagree. She showed a reasonable amount of polite interest in a person with whom, in her opinion, she'd had a mutual breakup. She clearly was bored with his endless saxophone solo yet like most people, she sat through it with feigned interest. Would people have been happier if she'd just gotten up and walked away to Fry? I don't think it would be a credible act for her character. Bender, maybe.

It was such a contrast to see Gunter's "cartoon monkey" style next to the much more elaborate character designs of the unnamed primates. I liked seeing the interaction of Zoidberg, Amy, Bender, and Gunter in their storyline. Gunter was actually a pretty nice character giving everyone the tour of his adopted home planet and when he tried to help them escape Dr. Banjo's office. I guess without the extraordinary brain power from his hat, he wasn't such a jerk after all. Getting to see Amy be the group leader again didn't bother me at all. For the folks who don't like to see her as the "back-up Leela," is it hard to accept an alternate female lead or just Amy's character? Of the cast members, she's the most capable (other than Hermes) of handling things in Leela's absence- no drinking contests with the autopilot, no claws to accidentally cut off important steering components, and goodness knows what kind of mess the Professor gets into when he drives the ship.

I thought it a solid episode.

[Reply #57 on:]

I really, really enjoyed this one; I agree with Eric Rogers that it is probably the best episode he's written for the show (I suppose "Zapp Dingbat" is a close second), so good for him that he gets to go out on a high note. My only major complaint, plot-wise, is that the Sean thing was ultimately kind of inconsequential; it seemed to exist mostly as filler, so that the Fry-and-Leela-are-on-display-at-a-zoo reveal could be held off until the end of the second act. There was no real threat there--it's not like Leela was smitten with anything about the guy besides his frugality--and though it led to some fun Fry/Leela stuff (that peanut butter exchange was so funny to me; I like watching the two of them bicker like this weird old married couple), I'm still on-the-fence about whether or not Sean should ever have become a real character. As others have noted, he certainly didn't match up, physically, with the kind of character I had been led to picture (he was not nearly pasty or hunched enough!), which kind of irked me.

That said, though, I liked how the writers subtly called back to what Leela had previously revealed about her ex-boyfriend (that he liked noodlin', and that their mutual break-up was totally mutual), and I didn't think Fry's jealousy went too far into silly sitcom territory. In fact, I thought the writing between Fry and Leela was this episode's strongest point. This was certainly the most physically intimate we've ever seen the characters (and I, like others, was somewhat taken aback by this), but it was also the most, I don't know, partner-y we've seen them, too. Despite its absurdity, I loved their coworker-trashing pillow talk; it sort of established them as a couple separate from everyone else at Planet Express (even the ubiquitous Bender), and that easy intimacy was fun to see. Oh, and the two of them gleefully robbing Bender was absolutely brilliant; I watched this episode with Tedward, and I think that single moment inspired the episode's biggest bout of laughter from us both (he also noted, correctly, that it was really cute to see Fry and Leela in cahoots like that).

On the subject of neat character interactions, I liked the Bender-Amy-Zoidberg dynamic in the B-plot (both this episode and "2-D Blacktop" did a nice job of not dragging the entire PE crew along for the wacky adventure). I also thought Guenter got a nice chance to redeem himself from the unpleasantness that was "Mars University" (like Fry, I never really liked the little guy...or the episode in which he first appears), and I was actually kind of sad to see him shot so savagely in the belly by Dr. Banjo. Speaking of those two characters: the callbacks in this episode weren't nearly as obtrusive as they were in an episode like, say, "Ghost in the Machines" (which I hate, and which is full of needless wink-wink/nudge-nudge/hey-guys-remember-this moments with the Robot Devil), which I appreciated a bunch.

I also appreciated how the two plots came together so nicely in the third act, and found it funny that Amy and Bender and Zoidberg were ultimately unsuccessful in their plan to alert Fry and Leela of their unwitting exhibitionism. Which brings me to my one other complaint about this episode: the very last scene. Unlike some other posters, I didn't much appreciate that final moment where Bender blurts out that Fry and Leela were in a zoo; it seemed too, you know, in-your-face. Amy's last line makes it clear that Fry and Leela will promptly be informed of their captivity, and none too sensitively--but I didn't need to actually see that moment. That going-one-step-too-far thing with jokes is something that bugged me in both this episode and "2-D Blacktop"; in this episode, Amy's comment about the monkeys still driving small cars was unnecessary because I could deduce the irony of the situation from seeing a monkey in a small car, and in "2-D Blacktop" I laughed at the hypocrisy of the cops running Randy over without him chirping "Ironic!" afterwards. I just don't understand this compulsion the writers apparently have to run otherwise funny jokes into the ground by lamp-shading the hell out of them.

But I digress. This was a pretty great episode, and as such I bestow it with a 9/10.

[Reply #58 on:]

I loved it.  I am sucker for Fry/Leela episodes though. 

My family and I just can't understand why CC would forfeit this show for lesser shows.

[Reply #59 on:]

Fry and Leela being a couple worked very well, much better than those background appearances in season 7A. There wasn't actual conflict with their relationship, but zoo-twist covered that, merging plots together - without interaction of characters, however.
"Wanna watch me eating peanut butter?"
"Not really, but I will."
"Fine..." [loud, gross eating sound]

Episode wasn't filled with jokes, but was humorous with classic-feeling jokes.
Professor's lack of knowledge of staff: "You are humanbeings?"
Zoidberg's stupidity: "We'll better ask Amy."

Whole rescuing operation was hilarious, especially week-lasting "natures work" inside the worm. However, them getting annoyed of the comments about themselves seemed too much overreacting.
"You know who I really hate, that monkey we haven't seen in years, Guenter."   Even though their discussion fitted the situation/characters perfectly (something that bothers me little).

Episode was moving forward with clear storyline, it was overall good and funny. 8/10


_Edit: I needed to upgrade my rating 7 -> 8.

[Reply #60 on:]

I absolutely loved this one and, like most everyone else it seems, found it to be much better than "2-D Blacktop."

The interaction between Fry and Leela was adorable. I love how they are as a couple: sweet, goofy, and affectionate. The office supplies date was a great idea, and the scene where they mugged Bender was awesome. I especially loved how natural and intimate they seemed to be with each other. I was a bit taken aback by the level of physical affection we saw but very happy and filled with shipper-joy about it.

I was fairly neutral to Sean's presence. I didn't think he was particularly funny, but I did enjoy his frugality. I also appreciated that his appearance didn't play too major of a role in the episode.

I really enjoyed the scenes on Simian 7, too. They seemed to have a "classic" feel to them and were all quite humorous, in my opinion. I also didn't find Guenter obnoxious like he was in MU, and I loved Fry's line about hating Guenter the most. I really appreciated Amy here, too. I generally don't find her funny at all, but I thought she was cute and used very well in this episode.

The little subtle touches were great, too, like seeing the "Turangalila Symphonie" in Leela's apartment and the "no Zoidberg" in the targeted advertising.

This is now one of my favorite episodes of the new run and possibly one of my favorites overall. I'm giving it a solid 9/10.

[Reply #61 on:]

'What are we, Fry?'
'Naked and interrupted.'

This episode was fabulous, and yes I'm biased because shipping. Lovely little details and story, definitely full of funny. I shall screencap review later, but a first off score of a solid 8/10

[Reply #62 on:]

It's better than an 8/10. The Blue Ass Group and tongs joke by Amy boost this episode to a 10/10.

[Reply #63 on:]

I just don't understand this compulsion the writers apparently have to run otherwise funny jokes into the ground by lamp-shading the hell out of them.

It's not funny if you explain it.

[Reply #64 on:]

Truth. Any joke - ANY joke - becomes unfunny if you shout GET IT? after it.

[Reply #65 on:]

enjoyed this episode.  you haters that are dissing it, that's the reason this show is being cancelled.  It's great to see Guenter and finally Shawn, Leela's mentioned ex.  It would've been more interesting if he married Michelle, Fry's ex.  Wish they bring her back.  great twist about the resort.

[Reply #66 on:]

I find it surprising that I have barely heard anybody acknowledge the Leela and Fry stealing from Bender gag. I think that was one of the best gags in the series.

[Reply #67 on:]

Oh, I agree, it was pure gold!!

[Reply #68 on:]

I find it surprising that I have barely heard anybody acknowledge the Leela and Fry stealing from Bender gag. I think that was one of the best gags in the series.

It almost seems as if they hadn't planned it at first. But when Bender screamed "Help, I'm getting mugged", they thought "Hm..actually not a bad idea".
Of course
[nitpick mode on]
with all those wallets, they would not have to worry about the island trip being beyond their financial means
[nitpick mode off]
As this scene might not be too plot relevant, I will show some admirable generosity and let it slide.

[Reply #69 on:]

That was a great joke with a carrot and all.
While it wasn't relevant to plot, it had connection to beginning of episode, when everybody left work. So it's not too cutaway-like and extremely funny with reverse roles.

[Reply #70 on:]

Wish they bring her back.

Michelle is coming back in 7ACV23 - "Game of Tones".

[Reply #71 on:]

you haters that are dissing it, that's the reason this show is being cancelled.

First of all, I don't see many people "dissing" this episode. Even a few people who are typically negative/indifferent toward the new season seem to like it.

Secondly, the show's not being cancelled based on a few people crying on a forum. Low ratings is to blame for that (or presumably something similar). If companies decided to renew shows based on their critical reception, then The Simpsons would've been cancelled years ago.

[Reply #72 on:]

the show's not being cancelled based on a few people crying on a forum. Low ratings is to blame for that

No, it's totally 'cause of the goofs thread on this forum. If we hadn't kept track and made note of all the animation goofs, then the creators wouldn't have seen the fans as ungrateful bastards, and wouldn't have taken up drinking to dull the pain.

They wouldn't have been caught doing coke off a stripper's butt somewhere in LA, wouldn't have attracted unwanted attention from the network suits, and wouldn't have decided to cancel the show so that they could work on holding together their fragile and shattered psyches.

When he says "haters", he really means everybody who didn't shower the show in universal praise since day one, and instead did awful, horrible, hate-filled things like discuss plot holes and animation errors within the show.

Don't you see? We're all to blame, because we just didn't know how to love it properly!

Disclaimer: may contain high levels of sarcasm, small amounts of irony, and trace amounts of nut products. Do not read if pregnant.

[Reply #73 on:]

that's my point.  low ratings means people barely watch them because they've complain how it's not as good as it used to be.  Also Fry and Leela mugging Bender was awesome.

[Reply #74 on:]

"Fry and Leela's Big Fling"


Fry and Leela on their suspiciously perfect romantic vacation


In my opinion this was on par with "2-D Blacktop". Although I say that, the two episodes are completely different beasts. This one had a great story with a few great jokes, whilst the other had a good story with many great jokes (granted, these were mixed with some lame ones also). I do believe that this one would be likely to increase on my grading scale over time as you find that funny episodes with weaker plots often run dry with time. This one has a great story and twist that is likely to remain fresh and new even on repeated viewings.

Although this episode started off slow with only a few jokes, it did get a whole lot better over time (pretty much the exact opposite of the last episode). The jokes, whilst few and far between, were great and felt like many could have come straight from the original run. Mixed with the great characterization and real emotion between Fry and Leela, it was a pretty fun outing overall. The main and side stories both evolved well together and although I guess it is kind of obvious now, the twist of Fry and Leela being in the simian zoo was really quite clever.

I don't know if it's Eric Rogers ability at writing for Zoidberg, it might just be a coincidence that his episodes include some of the best lines from the lobster, but my favourite character was absolutely hilarious here. Along with Zoidy's best lines, here are some of my favourite moments and jokes from the episode...


* The cabinet filled with bowling balls making its first appearance just to fall on Zoidberg
* The lobster doctors song about cleaning the dishes
* "The planet of the apes ... and monkeys, and tarsiers, and several lemurs"
* "Hooray! I'm the Fry, with the cool red jacket and the walking on sunshine"
* "Someone might see Wingus and the Ping Pong Boys"
* "Gentlemen: the new office chairs are here"
* "I recorded a demo and shot a video ... but then I lost my phone"
* The "PLEASE DO NO FLING POOP AT THE ANIMALS" sign a funny touch
* Banjo turning around on the tyre and not being able to stop
* "Do you know who I hate most? That monkey we haven't seen in years; Guenter"
* "After they said I had an obnoxious ego, me, the magnificent Bender!"
* "YOU WERE IN A ZOO!"


Overall it's a good episode, very good in fact. It evolved naturally and had some funny moments along the way. I don't believe it's as brilliant as others have said, but I do think it is one my opinion with change on over time (hopefully for the better) but for now, I think I'll give it a solid B grade.


16.5/20 (B)  

[Reply #75 on:]

14/20 is 70%. That's a C-.

[Reply #76 on:]

14/20 is 70%. That's a C-.

I guess you're right, I hadn't even noticed...

[Reply #77 on:]

that's my point.  low ratings means people barely watch them because they've complain how it's not as good as it used to be.

But all of the complaining that's been done on PEEL has been by people who have watched the episodes. We're not blindly, cynically remarking on how the show's heyday has come and gone; we are watching the episodes, and then expressing our (sometimes critical, yes) opinions. As UrL notes, the show isn't being canceled because people don't like it anymore--it's being canceled because people aren't watching it anymore.

But obviously the PEELers who are griping about the episodes know what they're griping about, having watched the episodes pre-gripe, and are therefore not responsible for the show going unwatched, getting poor ratings, and being canceled.

[Reply #78 on:]

Not to mention that the vast majority of people on here who watch the show don't live in the Los Angeles area and don't have Nielsen boxes and so therefore have zero effect on the ratings whatsoever.

Seems like what fryfan is trying to get at though is "People don't like the show as much anymore, so they stopped watching, so the ratings went down so it got cancelled" which if so, well then no shit my friend, that's how shows work. If people with Nielsen boxes don't like it enough to watch it, it's going to be cancelled. So my question to you is, what's your point? Are you saying that people who don't like it anymore should force themselves to watch it anyway, even though they get no enjoyment out of it, just for the sake of everyone else who does still like it? Because that would be kind of a ridiculous request.

[Reply #79 on:]

I just think that since it got moved to the Wednesday night slot, it just wasn't as convenient as the Thursday night one. Hell, there might be some people who didn't know about the change until recently. And most Wednesdays, people are out there working during these hours, and don't have the chance to watch it. That's pretty much why I think we're getting such low Ratings.

The only evidence I have to back this up, is the high amount of purchases the episodes get on iTunes. Hell, right now 2D Blacktop is #18 on the TV Show charts, as well as Fry and Leela's Big Fling is at #20. And don't even get me started about the DVD Sales......