Who's the GREETEST character of them all?

[#80 :]

Bender B. Rodriguez.

Why? I'm sure you have a good explanation for your answer...There must be some things that make Bender stick out to you.

[#81 :]

I quite like the idea of Calculon. :-)

However, the character i find myself quoting most frequently, is Free Waterfall, Jr.

"Shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up!

No, YOU shut up!

Shut up, let me talk! You're all crazy!" Something like that. 

So wonderfully rude and politically correct at the same time. It tickles me. :-P

[#82 :]

I have to say, either Zoidberg or Bender.   I simply can't decide. They're both hilarious and have memorable quotes and moments, and each one is interesting in concept (being non-human and all). I think overall I prefer Zoidberg just a little bit more.

I also love the robot devil but he doesn't appear much. I'd love to see him in more episodes.

Edit - In fact, I think the fight from Anthology of interest I is accurately the same fight that's going on in my head.

http://th05.deviantart.net/fs71/PRE/i/2010/180/0/1/BENDER_VS_ZOIDBERG_by_BattleEagle.jpg

It's epic, it's huge, but in the end, one has to die. Sorry, Bender.

[#83 :]

On PEEL there is a feature called 'edit' you may notice that above every one of your posts. If you feel like adding something on to your post use the edit button unless your post  is at least a couple of hours old.

Welcome to PEEL

[#84 :]

Ok then, sorry. I didn't know it makes such a big difference.

[#85 :]

It makes all the difference. You should probably Lrn2PEEL by reading the manual and taking a look around wikiPEELia in general.

Back on topic, this character discussion is rather pointless. We all know that the greatest character in Futurama is the ultimate space hero, Zapp Brannigan. What more could you ask for? He's every space adventurer cliche rolled into one package of awesome, and given a very incompetent human side with which to counter his godlike prowess and allow the audience to identify with him.

Zapp Branningan. What a character. What a man. Truly, there can be no finer role model in the universe than this pinnacle of sci-fi heroism and all-round general awesomeness.

For example, did you know he defeated a horde of rampaging killbots in the something-something system?

What a guy.

[#86 :]

Yep he's even good enough to be in my top 5, an honor I'm sure tnuk considers to be Zapp's proudest achievement. As for the absolute GREETEST character, look no further than the obvious answer here (Fry).
Though both are important, subtracting Fry from the show would have a greater impact than erasing Zapp. Without Fry there'd be slightly less hilarious dumb jokes and less emotion. The show, and the Leela/relationship storyline, would devolve into a sad situation with Zapp constantly demeaning Leela and proving most male stereotypes right. I know that sounds awesome but trust me, it wouldn't be the same.

[#87 :]

Fry's one of those lovable background characters that add flavour to the Zapp Brannigan show, to be sure. But he's hardly the greatest character in any cast that includes Zapp.

Zapp's proudest achievement is probably his triumphant carpet-bombing of the Gandhi nebula. You probably oughtn't to be so sure of any assumption you make involving myself. It'll be wrong. I defy assumption wherever I can.

[#88 :]

I learned a lesson abouts assuming thingses that I won't soons forgets.

[#89 :]

Zapp is a great character. He's probably the only one in the show where simply thinking about his great lines makes you wanna go watch the episode immediately.

Now, after typing up this post, I am highly tempted to go watch "Brannigan, Begin Again". 

[#90 :]

"I came as quickly as I wanted to!"

[#91 :]

 

Please, please don't try and make me watch Neutopia. Please? 

[#92 :]

It's good. Shut up.

[#93 :]

It's an absolute mess with barely any redeemable qualities whatsoever. It makes "Yo Leela Leela" look like a masterpiece.

Neutopia is an embarrassment to the series and deserves to be put through a meat grinder, tossed into the ocean, and then swallowed by a whale. Then the whale would have to be decontaminated and probably killed.

Long story short: I really, really despise Neutopia.

[#94 :]

Not as bad as Yo Leela Leela.

[#95 :]

Do you really want me to continue? Because I firmly believe that my previous post makes it blissfully obvious that there's no changing my opinion. All you're doing is wearing away your keyboard by posting non-arguments like that.

[#96 :]

I'm posting my opinion. Nothing can be worse than Yo Leela Leela. Maybe a Season 7 episode. But I doubt it.

[#97 :]

Not as bad as Yo Leela Leela.

It's far worse, and this is coming from a "Neutopia" defender.

"Neutopia" has a lot of redeeming qualities if you ask me. Not only is it very funny but the alien world they visit is visually quite lovely.
It's only really let down by a messy plot with a lazy conclusion.

[#98 :]

It's a little better than YLL. Sure the ending was sloppy, but YLL was just mildly amusing all the way through.

[#99 :]

"Neutopia" has a lot of redeeming qualities if you ask me.

I'll agree with that. I can't agree at all with it making YLL look like a masterpiece, because YLL has no redeeming features.

Neutopia has some brilliant art and animation. The dialogue and plot are fairly crummy in parts, but I can almost forgive it entirely for the hilariously disturbing gender-swapped PX calender sequence, and the PX spaceship's transformation into a 1950's-style airplane. The mineral planet... that's also a highlight. It's just the jokes, the dialogue, the overall plot, and the resolution that are below par - and only just below at that. Nowhere near as far below as YLL.

Of course, I expect that there will be people disagreeing with this, and they've a right to. But their taste is bad and they should feel bad.

[#100 :]

My favorite characters are those with zingers that get seldom seen but do not feel "forced" for the plot. I used to like Scruffy, and HedonismBot a lot, but I like them less (I like Scruffy a lot less) because of what they did to thim in recent seasons. They lost their charm.

I agree with tnuk, one guy has not lost his charm...and that man is the man with no name. Zapp Brannigan!

[#101 :]

Of course, I expect that there will be people disagreeing with this, and they've a right to. But their taste is bad and they should feel bad.

I guess I fall into this category. I'm not going to try and defend YLL, because such a crap episode deserves no defending. But I firmly believe that it still manages to somehow trump Neutopia in every aspect other than perhaps the humour; an area in which both episodes fail miserably.

Like I said a while back, it almost feels wrong in thinking YLL better than Neutopia. But if I'm honest, that is what I think. The plot was such a muddled horrible mess that to this day the very thought of the episode makes me feel queasy. Granted, I was exaggerating when I said there were no redeeming qualities, because the airplane plot is amusing, even if it still has the entire crew out of character and no real link to the rest of the so-called 'plot'.

Wait... since when was this thread about Neutopia and Yo Leela Leela?

[#102 :]

Wait... since when was this thread about Neutopia and Yo Leela Leela?

You started it. Here.

[#103 :]

Yes please refrain from further commenting on the episodes and let's all talk about how Zapp's boots are the whitest.

[#104 :]

And his uniform the shortest and velour-iest.

I used to like Scruffy, and HedonismBot a lot, but I like them less (I like Scruffy a lot less) because of what they did to thim in recent seasons. They lost their charm.

I'll second this. I also used to like Fry a lot more (I think he used to edge out Leela as my favorite character), but in season six I just got sick of his goddamn bitching. Though I enjoy "The Duh-Vinci Code" and "The Mutants Are Revolting" and "Overclockwise" overall, I kind of hate how whiny and childish Fry is throughout those episodes. It goes beyond anything that was done in the original run; he goes from well-meaning doofus to self-pitying man-child. And I don't like that.

And speaking of episodes that everyone hates (holla, "Yo Leela Leela"), part of the reason I've always enjoyed "Attack of the Killer App" more than most people is that Fry actually does something insensitive and guy-like, and manages to make amends with Leela, without devolving into a mopey sack of crap. I'm not saying I want him to be a jerk-ass of Homer Simpson proportions, but it's nice when he acts in a conventionally guy-ish way and can still remain a generally likable and redeemable character.

[#105 :]

Bender is always awsome but Fry is Fry so Fry

[#106 :]

Fry is so Fry? I was not aware of this! What A descriptive post!

[#107 :]

I think he meant that Bender is awesome but Fry is Fry, so Fry [is his choice for best character].

[#108 :]

I understood it...I was poling at how dumb the statement was.

[#109 :]

I'll second this. I also used to like Fry a lot more (I think he used to edge out Leela as my favorite character), but in season six I just got sick of his goddamn bitching. Though I enjoy "The Duh-Vinci Code" and "The Mutants Are Revolting" and "Overclockwise" overall, I kind of hate how whiny and childish Fry is throughout those episodes. It goes beyond anything that was done in the original run; he goes from well-meaning doofus to self-pitying man-child. And I don't like that.

Yep, seconded.
In the early episodes, Leela was the crews crybaby. That emotional vulnerability seemed character-design-driven, as some kind of counterweight regarding Leelas tomboyish traits. Means: Making Leela the crybaby was based on logical character design thoughts.

Fry started as the emotionally tougher character (sometimes based on insensitivity, but he could also take a bad event thrown at him). Making him whiny serves neither plot nor character design.
In earlier episodes, an occasional whininess on Fry was used to show some caring, maternal side on Leela. But this was an occasional strechting of Fry's character, with a specific purpose. Making him constantly whiny for the sake of it just does not serve any purposes.

In season 6, Leela showed less tomboy activities (hardly any fighting scenes, hardly handling a gun, etc...), in favor of more "acitivities more socially acceptable for an adult woman" (working with little kids, sellint real estates). With more typical female solo careers, there was not a big need to counter tomboyish traits with a more emotionally vulnerable side.

[#110 :]

I'm gonna be boring here and say Fry is my favourite. Then Leela.
I just love Fry's overall sweetness, it's sometimes overshadowed by idiocy or capricious disloyalty or selfishness but it's always there. Underneath all his negative aspects he is just a mellow, loving and all round good person.
Leela is second because she's just such a fun character, fun cuz she's interesting. She's so unique, strong and clever. She's such a good role model! (I wish I was more like her, except I wouldn't wanna be bossy.)

[#111 :]

Bender, followed closely by Zoidberg, and then of course WELSHYYYY!

[#112 :]

Did anyone else notice that Welshy/ Welshie (although funny) didn't actually have a Welsh accent at all?
In fact, I'm not sure it was an accent of any kind! Ha ha, it was just twangy gibberish.

[#113 :]

No Welshy the the episode was actually speaking Welsh. I believe he said "I am very drunk." Of course it sounded like gibberish it was Welsh. In the commentary they mentioned that they actually had him say that. If you do not believe me listen to the commentary.

[#114 :]

Oh right, I didn't remember that. (Don't worry, I believe you.)
I'm currently rewatching them all with the commentary on, I've just finished season 3, so I'll be onto WNFHGBefore quite soon and I'll pay attention to that bit.

Even though it is Welsh, it doesn't sound Welsh, accent wise. :/

[#115 :]

Yeah, it was a complete non-accent but I can't imagine that many Americans are particularly aware of what the Welsh accent sounds like.

To be honest, it's only just clicked with me that he's supposed to be Welsh. Obviously, I've heard the commentary before - but I forgot about the fact that he's speaking Welsh.
He doesn't sound Welsh and I don't think any Welsh people exist that don't just speak English when they're in English-speaking company. In fact, in my experience, Welsh seems to be a fairly dead-tongue that Welsh people just won't let die out of some strange sense of loyalty and heritage despite the fact that they all speak English anyway and that the Welsh language is one of the most ridiculous and ugly languages ever conceived of.

I just assumed that he was called Welshy and was some sort of non-descript foreigner. I suppose it's not really helped by being English. I mean... Scottish and Welsh and Northern Irish people aren't really foreign to us because you know... we're all British. The other Irish people aren't really foreign either but they like to pretend that they are.

[#116 :]

I loves me some robot devil! That's probably mostly because I loves me some impromptu musical numbers. Roberto is awesome, too! I always end up laughing hysterically when he makes an appearance. Axe crazy=highly amusing!
I gotta give props to Fry, too, because he's just so lovable!

[#117 :]

@cyber_turnip: David Mitchell has a very humorous Soapbox episode where he talks about that subject, albeit with respect to the Gaelic language (he does mention Welsh, though):

<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvlQXPNwrqo&list=PL110593162DBB358A&index =5&feature=plcp>

As another of my favorite QI panelists, Welshman Rob Brydon, once quipped: "This is another example of institutionalized racism which is accepted when it's directed towards the Welsh." (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNJStquFEGk).

[#118 :]

I assumed he was speaking Welsh.

Of course, I also watch the episodes with subtitles turned on so it probably said "(Speaking Welsh)" when he turned on the mouth full of marbles and oatmeal effect.

[#119 :]

As another of my favorite QI panelists, Welshman Rob Brydon, once quipped: "This is another example of institutionalized racism which is accepted when it's directed towards the Welsh." (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNJStquFEGk).

I never said anything bad about the Welsh people, I just think that the Welsh language is stupid and people should let it die.

So, I suppose I might qualify as a "languagecist" in much the same way as I might be considered a "filmcist" because I don't like films made by Uwe Boll or a "smellcist" because I don't like bodily odours.

Some might even refer to me as a being like a cyst on this forum's anatomy (but those would be unpleasant people).