Thoughts on 7ACV18 – The Inhuman Torch – SPOILERS

[Reply #40 on:]

I think Amazon has the new eps. *looks*

Yep.</scruffy>

http://www.amazon.com/Forty-Percent-Leadbelly/dp/B00DS1OAQ8/ref=sr_1_1?s=instant-video&ie=UTF8&qid=1373724919&sr=1-1&keywords=futurama

[Reply #41 on:]

This episode surprised me with how good it was, if only because it didn't seem all that spectacular from the promo material Comedy Central gave us beforehand. But damn if it didn't prove to be the second best episode of the season, after "Fry and Leela's Big Fling." I particularly appreciated how this episode did something a little different with the Fry/Bender friendship than what was done in "T: The Terrestrial" and "Forty Percent Leadbelly" (and myriad episodes in 6B). I don't really think that

it looks like Fry and Bender's friendship is dying

On the contrary, this episode well illustrates how important Fry is to Bender. That whole slapping-each-other thing at the end of the episode, and Bender sincerely calling Fry his best friend, was really sweet. In fact, Bender's characterization throughout this episode was strong: he was appropriately self-aggrandizing, but he became very sympathetic in act two with the (genuinely surprising) reveal that he had not, in fact, been setting fires to sate his own ego.

This brings me to the only critique I really have of this episode: the whole Flamo thing was kind of, you know, lame-o. I've never thought of Futurama as this villain-of-the-week sort of show; there are recurring antagonists, yes (like the Brain Spawn, the Robot Mafia, Mom, and the Omicronians), but I've never been overly fond of episodes that pick a bad guy out of nowhere and expect me to care about his presence bringing Earth to the brink of destruction. (Examples of this type of episode include the thoroughly meh "That Darn Katz!" and the slightly less irksome "The Beast With a Billion Backs.") That said, though, Flamo's presence in the story served as a vehicle for Bender's character growth, so I can abide the baddie in this instance.

That semi-complaint aside, I agree with everyone who found this episode really funny (I think the biggest laugh for me came from the anguished mother's baby being in the podium; also, it was great to see Zapp and Kif again) and really well-animated (the off-model weirdness of some season six episodes seems to have been eliminated in season seven). I'd say this is a solid 8.5/10, which I'll round up to 9/10 for this poll. 

[Reply #42 on:]

The plot didn't strike me as particularly ground-breaking, which dulled its charm for me, to be honest, but it was still a very good episode and chock full of great one-liners. Easily my favourite behind Big Fling, but then I told myself I couldn't give it an 8 because that would be contradictory (as I only gave Big Fling a 7...I think) but yeah, I regret not making it an 8...

[Reply #43 on:]

I liked it, a whole lot. A solid episode that made me laugh. *claps*

[Reply #44 on:]

TOS would be proud. 10/10

[Reply #45 on:]

Is there an episode you haven't given 10/10 for so far this season, FEB?

[Reply #46 on:]

And maybe it's just me but the whole mine part,reminded me to what happened to these chileans mine-workers years ago.

It's not just you; that scene was definitely based on the (amazing!) Chilean mine rescue.

[Reply #47 on:]

Excellent episode ! Simple but working story. I like how Fry is the universe's greatest hero and now bender is Earth's greatest hero.

[Reply #48 on:]

Gotta agree with everyone else, this episode was really good. I like that the story managed to have twists and turns while still being relatively simple and not too convoluted throughout, unlike a lot of the recent high concept episodes. Lots of memorably great jokes, I also thought the sense of humor in general was much more subtle than it is in most of the newer episodes.

This episode along with Fry And Leela's Big Fling were both better than ANY of the episodes in the first half of season 7. Hopefully there's at least a couple more gems like this one in this season to end the show on a good note.

[Reply #49 on:]

Upon a second viewing, and in good company, I can't stand really give this episode points for hilarity. I'm demoting my rating to 5/10 or "meh". Really, the plot is nice and... plain, but the Sun's Alderman? Their appearance wasn't anything great other than to resolve the problem at hand, which wasn't very inspired. I was just bored

[Reply #50 on:]

I was quite amused by the ridiculousness of it all. The Sun's Alderman was probably the biggest laugh of the whole episode for me.

[Reply #51 on:]

Well, the Sun's Alderman is a much better excuse for a living organism on the sun than the ones on the Futurama game. I'd say it's much more creative than the Futurama Game sun-creatures as well.

Or maybe I like it because it's alot more sci-fi-ey.

But yeah, this episode is definitely one of the best of the season, if not maybe the best. So Far!

Still sticking by my score of a 9/10.

[Reply #52 on:]

I just watched this for the first time, CC had a marathon on and I watched 40% through Assie for the first time.  Alot of times you have to watch an episode twice before you get most of the episode...that said:

6/10
Pretty average like most of this season, but a few good things (SUPREME ALDERMAN!!!), the concept of the flame being, and one of my favorite quotes of the recent seasons "Did they pick a new pope??!!".  Otherwise it fell flat for me, probably will be better on repeat viewings.

[Reply #53 on:]

During my quest to rewatch the entire show, I had an interesting time when I came to this episode, because I remembered almost nothing from it. All I could remember was that the crew become firefighters and there was a little evil blue flame. So all the details about Bender's suspected arson and the overall plot were completely gone.

It's like... an entirely new episode materialised out of nowhere. It's not not even like it's a bad episode or anything, either. In fact, I reckon it's pretty good.

How odd.

[Reply #54 on:]

During my quest to rewatch the entire show, I had an interesting time when I came to this episode, because I remembered almost nothing from it. All I could remember was that the crew become firefighters and there was a little evil blue flame. So all the details about Bender's suspected arson and the overall plot were completely gone.

It's like... an entirely new episode materialised out of nowhere. It's not not even like it's a bad episode or anything, either. In fact, I reckon it's pretty good.

How odd.

You are not alone. As a matter of fact, I recently discovered how much I forget out of CC era.

[Reply #55 on:]

But damn if it didn't prove to be the second best episode of the season, after "Fry and Leela's Big Fling."

This. I agree here but would add "Assie Come Home" as the best one, it had this dream-like eerie feel of the original run. Generally 7B was great and the only with no bad episodes, especially the middle episodes + "Murder On Planet Express".

The Inhuman Torch is one of those CC run episodes that ended too shortly with resolution out of nowhere, but here it is on purpose. This time Bender is innocent, but no one will believe him becaue no one saw Flamo or any of the Sun beings, neither they'd belive him. Such a clever episode.

Oh, and Zapp's got very funny cameo, it was his best appearance in the second run, imho.

10/10

[Reply #56 on:]

7B was great and the only with no bad episodes

Forty Percent Leadbelly, 2-D Blacktop, T.: The Terrestrial, Fry and Leela's Big Fling, Calculon 2.0, Game of Tones

7B is only good compared to 7A. Every other season is miles better.

[Reply #57 on:]

You're definitely in the minority thinking "Game of Tones" is bad.

In my opinion, the only bad episode in 7B is "Saturday Morning Fun Pit"

There are definitely a few mediocre ones that come close, though.

[Reply #58 on:]

I cried when watching Game of Tones. Same with Leela's Homeworld. I guess you'd just have to be an orphaned mutant and clueless ditz raised in a troubled household for those episodes to resonate fully. :-/

[Reply #59 on:]

7B was great and the only with no bad episodes

Forty Percent Leadbelly, 2-D Blacktop, T.: The Terrestrial, Fry and Leela's Big Fling, Calculon 2.0, Game of Tones

7B is only good compared to 7A. Every other season is miles better.

Let me clarify: by no bad episode I mean every ep is rewatchable and is not damaged beyond repair. In every season since CC era there are episodes that I don't want to watch ever again (and I'm very forgiving person). 6B had Yo Leela Leela, 7B Buttejunk Effect and 6A had like 3 shit episodes: IAGDL, Attack of the Killer App and Proposition ∞ and there are less great episodes than in the next seasons. So I would call 6A the worst.

I wonder why you didn't mention Saturday Morning Fun Pit? I liked it barely. I mean the G.I. Zapp is very fun, the Scooby Doo one is mediocore but has a few great jokes and Purpleberry Pond is... shit, but still it's like the shortest.

Fry and Leela's Big Fling and Game of Tones are considered good generally. I was disappointed with the former at first because they wasted opportunity for explaining the Other or expand on Fry/Nibblonians story arc, but it's so creative and fun that I can forgive it now.

Forty Percent Leadbelly - can't dislake a Ken Keeler episode, though the resolution wasn't great

2-D Blacktop - not perfect, but the 2-D world was creative and liked the conflict between Leela and the Professor

T.: The Terrestrial - the humor of A-plot was bad, but the B-plot saved it for me

Calculon 2.0 - fine ep, there's like less jokes so maybe that's the reason some people didn't like it?

[Reply #60 on:]

Personally, I think every episode of Futurama is rewatchable.

Season 7 probably has the highest concentration of "bad" episodes overall for me, though a lot of them are in 7A.

The ending of Game of Tones is excellent, but it's a total arse-pull after an episode that's largely illogical and half-baked.