Farnsworth Region: #6 Rev. Lionel Preacherbot vs #11 Hedonismbot

[on:]

Preacherbot is hot off putting the Holy Spiritware into Boxy, while Hedonismbot narrowly shutout on Harold Zoid. Who'll move on in this bot battle? Discuss now and voting starts at midnight tonight!

[Reply #1 on:]

Hedonismbot! Easily one of the best robots ever in the history of great robots.

[Reply #2 on:]

Hedoismbot is the greatest of all the robots.  If he ends up battling Bender, I am voting for him.  Fuck Bender.

[Reply #3 on:]

Hedonismot, no doubt.
But whom I REALLY would like to meet is the guy who COMISSIONED Hedonismbot.
Having a robot built for you, who even does your job to be decadent...THAT'S style

[Reply #4 on:]

Hedonism Bot, though I don't really care for either choice. I still have a bad taste in my mouth from the Preacher Bot's, um, "hilariously satirical" appearance in "Proposition Infinity."

Hedoismbot is the greatest of all the robots.  If he ends up battling Bender, I am voting for him.  Fuck Bender.

I'm fairly certain Herdonism Bot would agree to such an arrangement. Oh my, yes.

[Reply #5 on:]

A fuckbattle? He might demand, nevermind agree to that.

[Reply #6 on:]

Agreed with the highly pro-Hedonismbot sentiment. I am amused by how many bot-battles we've had. I would have to vote Bender over Hedonismbot, but the latter is likely my second favorite robot on the show.

I'd like to meet whoever commissioned a whole bunch of these robots. Like the vending machine one (or any of the ones in the asylum) or any of the various homeless robots. Why do they exist?

[Reply #7 on:]

I like both about equally - but I'm not a GIGANTIC fan of either. I think I'm going to side ever slightly with Preacherbot although it looks like I'll be heavily out-numbered.

[Reply #8 on:]

Let the games begin!
In choosing between two great characters with hilarious voices, I decided to go with perhaps the funniest voice on the show; the depraved and forever horny Hedonism Bot. I can see him continuing on until he faces one of the main characters.

[Reply #9 on:]

The closet robosexual tension portrayed by Lionel Preacherbot was played brilliantly.

[Reply #10 on:]

I voted for Hedonismbot because he never fails to make me laugh any time he's onscreen.

[Reply #11 on:]

The closet robosexual tension portrayed by Lionel Preacherbot was played brilliantly.

I'll contend forever and a day that it was portrayed as a trite and hackneyed cliche, that it was unneccessary, and that it didn't contribute to the overall humour or plotline of the episode. It was a misplaced jab at entirwely the wrong group of people for the episode to get away with its holier-than-thou overtones.

Plus, science-fiction cartoons shouldn't be soapbox platforms in the first place. Leave the social commentary to things like South Park.

[Reply #12 on:]

Amen, tnuk. I agree with the message of "Proposition Infinity"--couples should be allowed to marry regardless of prudish and (oftentimes) religiously-motivated laws that say one type of union is inherently "healthier" or more natural than another--but in execution the whole episode comes off as mean-spirited and simplistic. Organized religion is by no means the only obstacle standing in the way of the legalization of gay marriage, and it's not as if every Church has a problem with homosexuality (or is run by homophobes who are trying to compensate for their own "deviant" tendencies).

The scene with Preacher Bot getting his jollies watching robots sex up some dolls is so cringe-worthy to me. And, like, you know you've failed at satire when you manage to turn off people who actually agree with the ideology you're attempting to promote.

[Reply #13 on:]

Y'know, sometimes I think you're stealing my opinions via hypersonic radio waves.

[Reply #14 on:]

Science fiction media always has acted as a platform for social commentary. Star Trek is famous for its various social critiques, and many books and films like Do Robots.../Blade Runner and Jurassic Park criticize various aspects of society and morality. Just because this show's animated doesn't change mean it can't have critiques as well. Perhaps Futurama's main function as a comedic show makes it so its commentaries sometimes aren't executed as well, but it doesn't mean that it can't ever do commentary. For example, Gorky's issue of the episode's supposed single-minded attack on organized religion may just be a product of the 20-minute episode format. The Beast with a Billion Backs took its stabs at organized religion and I don't see as much of a hateful reaction to it - most of the hate for it come with Yivo as a character.

[Reply #15 on:]

You guys are insane in the mainframe, the "that's REEEAL good" scene from Prop Infinite is hilarious, and amazingly-well acted by Phil.

[Reply #16 on:]

Science fiction media always has acted as a platform for social commentary. Star Trek is famous for its various social critiques, and many books and films like Do Robots.../Blade Runner and Jurassic Park criticize various aspects of society and morality.

You're comparing turds to diamonds there.

Everything you mention has a much more subtle social commnetary than the Futurama episode we're talking about. In fact, it's possible to enjoy them for their own sake, rather than looking at the social commentary at all. It's background, rather than the social commentary itself driving forwards the episode, it's merely there as something that can be applied to the events of the film/episode to derive a lesson. Something so heavy-handed has no place in a medium that's famed for sublety and layers.

You guys are insane in the mainframe, the "that's REEEAL good" scene from Prop Infinite is hilarious, and amazingly-well acted by Phil.

First of all, you mis-spelled "inifinity", and second of all, you're about as wrong as it's possible to get. See above.

The Beast with a Billion Backs took its stabs at organized religion

A couple of jabs, as opposed to twenty solid minutes of solid bashing with a stone pickaxe. I repeat, that science-fiction is supposed to be about layered subtlety when it comes to social commentary, and the over-the-top exaggeration is supposed to be reserved for spaceship battles and suggestive costumes.

[Reply #17 on:]

A couple of jabs of brief subtlety, such as A Clockwork Origin, Crimes of the Hot, or A Big Piece of Garbage?

I'm just pointing out other Futurama eps that are fairly heavy handed about contentious social issues and are still funny; I'm not trying to bait you.

If Prop ∞ seems crudely blunt and unfunny to some people, well, that's fine.  Different people have different filters and perceptions.

Hedonism bot is droll and very funny, even if somewhat predictably so.  I like both characters and I think the Preacherbot character has a little more breadth and is a bit better acted -- and that's who I voted for.

[Reply #18 on:]

A couple of jabs of brief subtlety, such as A Clockwork Origin, Crimes of the Hot, or A Big Piece of Garbage?

You'll note I'm not defending those episodes here either. I dislike preachiness in cartoons overall. ABPoG gets a pass because it's more funny than it is preachy (Futurama never used to take itself too seriously) and contains the documentary-porno. The other two episodes you mention, I consider to be overly preachy or contentious with little to no justification as well. I rate them higher than PI though, because of your second point: they're still funny.

Plus, I sorta agree with you. If not for PI, I'd probably have voted for the Preacherbot.

[Reply #19 on:]

Thank you Mr. Tnuk. I read your spiel and I just don't agree. But I mistyped a word so what do I know?

Seriously though, preachy or not, Phil's delivery of his lines in that scene is effin' funny in my opinion. As a catholic, I don't even agree with what they're saying, but I don't let that get in the way of how funny that one scene is. That's all I'm sayin'.

[Reply #20 on:]

Thank you Mr. Tnuk. I read your spiel and I just don't agree. But I mistyped a word so what do I know?

Nothing!

[Reply #21 on:]

I'm surprised to see so much Preacherbot support.
Preacherbot is funny at times, but Hedonismbot is always hilarious.

[Reply #22 on:]

Thank you Mr. Tnuk. I read your spiel and I just don't agree. But I mistyped a word so what do I know?

Nothing!

Zing!

[Reply #23 on:]

I'd love to have seen Hedonismot as part of the "Robosexuals Anonymous" group under Preacherbot...
(Okay...Heramphrobot was okay, but Preacherbot vs Hedonismbot...that would have been just too great )

[Reply #24 on:]

But Hedonismbot is not anonymous!

[Reply #25 on:]

   Perhaps you and I — and Jumbie — could get together and vote for HB* sometime, eh?


* I mean Hedonismbot, not me.

[Reply #26 on:]

I chose Hedonismbot. He's just funnier. I don't mind Preacherbot though.

[Reply #27 on:]

Hedonismbot wins 18-5. Continue discussion in the General thread.