Character ages

[#240 :]

its a cartoon, no matter how logical and scientific it is, its a cartoon. like in the simpsons i like seeing the show how everyone but the main characters ages, lol

[#241 :]

I actually kind of like the aging myself.  It is quite daring for a cartoon show.  It has been done successfully in literature, such as with Harry Potter, where the core audience of the books has grown older along with the main characters.  In response to that the tone of the books has changed as well to reflect readers getting older.   A TV show could do this as well if they did it in a well thought out way.  I myself would personally not mind at all seeing characters get older and show they still are just as interesting just maybe in a different point in life.  I often have wondered myself if Futurama would maybe wind up being like Star Trek in that it might very well reinvent itself as a "Next Generation" series following the story at a later stage in the characters' lives and with new characters added in.

[#242 :]

My only problem with it is that now the characters are in their mid 30s, and we don't know when or if there will be a new season beyond Into the Wild Green Yonder. They could be approaching 40 by the time a 6th season comes. The lengthened lifespans in the future could be exploited, but I dunno whether they'll think to do that.

[#243 :]

Meh that could be interesting but it just wouldn't be Futurama.

[#244 :]

this calls for a 2nd generation futurama!
in my experience with 2nd generations it will be a total faliure....scratch the whole comment...

[#245 :]

 

Originally posted by x.Bianca.x:
this calls for a 2nd generation futurama!

With hookers!
And blackjack!

Originally posted by x.Bianca.x:
in my experience with 2nd generations it will be a total faliure...

Aw, fergit th' whole thing... 

[#246 :]

Mid 30's isn't much compared to Bender's age.
He was about 4 years old early in the series. Since then he was stuck in the desert near Roswell for over 1050 years, but was rejuvinated in TMLH. But in BBS he goes back thousands of years multiple times - at least as many times as there are duplicate Benders at the end. I have to wonder what the warranty is like on a Bending unit. He at least ought to be due for an oil change and chassis lube.

[#247 :]

 

Originally posted by SpaceCase:
 

Originally posted by x.Bianca.x:
this calls for a 2nd generation futurama!

With hookers!
And blackjack!

In fact, forget the 2nd generation Futurama! 

[#248 :]

 

Originally posted by futz:
Mid 30's isn't much compared to Bender's age.
He was about 4 years old early in the series. Since then he was stuck in the desert near Roswell for over 1050 years, but was rejuvinated in TMLH. But in BBS he goes back thousands of years multiple times - at least as many times as there are duplicate Benders at the end. I have to wonder what the warranty is like on a Bending unit. He at least ought to be due for an oil change and chassis lube.

That's missing the point. Bender isn't exactly going to be dying of old age any time soon. The other characters will, unless they become heads in jars but it doesn't seem as if they want to.

[#249 :]

If people routinely reach 160 years of age in the 31th century, then a mid-thirties Fry and Leela aren't having to worry about collecting Medicare anytime soon.

30 years of age then is probably comparable to somebody in their mid to late teens today.

Also, age must not matter much since Leela has been known to be interested in men much older than her.  Lars, Dean Vernon and Alkazar are examples I can come up with off the top of my head.

That's the thing I'm holding out for - that both Fry's and Leela's immaturity and personal issues will be ironed out as they get older.

[#250 :]

 

Originally posted by Ralph Snart:
If people routinely reach 160 years of age in the 31th century, then a mid-thirties Fry and Leela aren't having to worry about collecting Medicare anytime soon.

30 years of age then is probably comparable to somebody in their mid to late teens today.

Also, age must not matter much since Leela has been known to be interested in men much older than her.  Lars, Dean Vernon and Alkazar are examples I can come up with off the top of my head.

That's the thing I'm holding out for - that both Fry's and Leela's immaturity and personal issues will be ironed out as they get older.

True.  I also think Leela and Fry in the future (given the slow aging and long lives that seem to be in place) could potentially be in their late 40s and yet look not that much older to us. 

I totally agree with your last sentence there.

[#251 :]

Anarchy_Balsac: Not sure about that. 100,000 - 250,000 years old is a lot for a Bending Unit made obsolete by the 1-X line around 3005. Can't see an outfit like MOM Corp. overbuilding him to that degree.

Ralph, et al.: Leela, being raised in an orphanage, would very likely be attracted to Father figures. But I can't really say I care anymore if Fry & Leela get together anymore. Tends to lead the show back towards The Simpsons-type stuff. Then there's always Scrubs if you want endless romantic dithering that goes on, and on, and on... for filler between funny bits.

Not sure why there's a "fear of 40" among fans. I imagine even the crew being called back from their rocking chairs for a delivery could be a good episode.

[#252 :]

 

Originally posted by Ralph Snart:
If people routinely reach 160 years of age in the 31th century, then a mid-thirties Fry and Leela aren't having to worry about collecting Medicare anytime soon.

30 years of age then is probably comparable to somebody in their mid to late teens today.

I did consider that, but consider also that Lars looked rather oldish at 50. Almost as if the writers messed that up. Of course, that doesn't mean they will in the future (No pun intended).

@futz: Consider this, Robot 1-X is superior, but as of BBS it still isn't in widespread use. Plus, most of the 100000-250000 years were lived in the past, thus have no effect on him becoming obsolete. On top of that, becoming obsolete doesn't mean dying.

[#253 :]

 

Originally posted by Anarchy_Balsac:
  I did consider that, but consider also that Lars looked rather oldish at 50.

Because he did most of his aging in the past - he spent twelve years there, aged, got burned by Bender, and then Lars looks pretty much the same as he did when he was frozen.

[#254 :]

That's kind of what I've been hoping turns out to be the case, but, we won't know for a while yet.

[#255 :]

A_B: Old machines never die, they just cease to function. I bet you'll have trouble thinking of a machine that still works that was built a mere 250 years ago without major restoration.

[#256 :]

While that's true, it's clear Bender can function much, MUCH longer than modern machines. For all we know, he may have another million years left, or so.

[#257 :]

The only way Bender would ever be able to 'die' would be either he gets horribly broken beyond repair or if there was no way he could ever recharge his batteries.

Although the only way he can stay alive wihout liquor would be going on standby, sort of like what he did in roswell, he would have been on standby, thus saving his power, thus making it a fact that robots can 'sleep'.

Also, if he did power out, it wouldnt be permanent. Just say something is invented to be almost identical to alcohol. Problem solved.

--------------------

[#258 :]

He does have a mild point though, the metals in Bender's body will be supposedly breaking down in movie 4. Of course even then it's clear Fry and Leela will save him and he'll have another 300000 or so years.

[#259 :]

Where did you hear this? I haven't heard word one about "Wild Green Yonder" yet!

[#260 :]

 

Originally posted by Frisco17:
Where did you hear this? I haven't heard word one about "Wild Green Yonder" yet!

It was mentioned in the commentary of "Bender's Big Score" that metal will eventualy turn to liquid after a very long time period and this would be a plot point of the "Wild Green Yonder."  There is also supposed to be something in there about a war that takes place over a very, very long time so this may also be part of the reason why Bender might be in a position to experience the metal solid-to-liquid phenomena.

[#261 :]

My thoughts on Bender's age is that he simply kept repairing/replacing worn-out parts in the thousand-year waits after his journeys into the past.

[#262 :]

Specifically, David X Cohen said steel would turn to a liquid state, not that all metals will. Of course, that was the first I've heard  of such a thing at all so I dunno.

[#263 :]

I don't remember that. Therefor I must watch the comentary again. To the Friscave!

[#264 :]

@Anarchy_Balsac

Thanks for the clarification- I was not thinking steel, just metals in general, so thanks for pointing that out .    I am no natural scientist but I get into geeky facts and thought it cool from chemistry classes that many elements we think are static really will shift between solid, liquid and gas forms under the right circumstances.  The thought that solids like steel would do this was very, very interesting- I would never have guessed that, so it really did stick with me.  I look forward to how they will explore that prospect in the "Wild Green Yonder." 

[#265 :]

Me too. As for how it's explored, well I posted my theory on it here:
 http://www.theinfosphere.org/Talk:Into_the_Wild_Green_Yonder

[#266 :]

Yup, thanks for that!  It is cool beyond cool people are discussing things like this...

[#267 :]

Pretty much known since I was a kid that glass is a acts as a liquid over time. On some antiques you can notice the glass is thicker on the bottom than the top, sort of like slow motion taffy. Oxidizing and air pollutants usually degrade metals, plastics, rubber, lubricants, etc. long before before metal "creep" has much effect. As do tension, compression, operating temperature, and general wear and tear.

Heck, a CD disc is only good for about 150 years.

[#268 :]

Well yeah, every force, even the gravity of distant stars have a slow effect of some kind on every existing object, albiet, ever negligibly. It's simple physics. Of course, there aren't any known ways to design a living robot when you go there.

[#269 :]

 

Originally posted by Anarchy_Balsac:
Well yeah, every force, even the gravity of distant stars have a slow effect of some kind on every existing object, albiet, ever negligibly. It's simple physics. Of course, there aren't any known ways to design a living robot when you go there.

I dont know how you intend that comment about a living robot, but its simply artificial intelligence. 1000 years is a long time, and people are discovering new things every year and there are already pretty impresive robots in japan now!

[#270 :]

 

Originally posted by Anarchy_Balsac:
Well yeah, every force, even the gravity of distant stars have a slow effect of some kind on every existing object, albiet, ever negligibly.

 

...since every piece of matter in the Universe is in someway affected by every other piece of matter in the Universe, it is in theory possible to extrapolate the whole of creation - every Galaxy, every sun, every planet, their orbits, their composition, and their economic and social history from, say, one small piece of fairy cake.

~ The Restaurant at the End of the Universe

[#271 :]

 

Originally posted by x.Bianca.x:
 I dont know how you intend that comment about a living robot, but its simply artificial intelligence. 1000 years is a long time, and people are discovering new things every year and there are already pretty impresive robots in japan now!

None of them are alive though. Is it possible that we may one day create a living robot, sure, but we can only say that because you can't prove a negative. Thus we can't prove it impossible to create a man-made living robot if it is indeed impossible, we can only prove the affirmative if it is.

[#272 :]

 

Not sure why there's a "fear of 40" among fans. I imagine even the crew being called back from their rocking chairs for a delivery could be a good episode.

I am late to respond to this, my friend, but I loved your above comments!  Having reached the 40 years and seen I am still as athletic as ever I have to say being older is not bad!  The rocking chair idea is actually quite cute and may even change a few stereotpes about aging, especially since I have met more than a few older folk who are very hot looking and  athletic.  It gives hope to all of us. 

[#273 :]

Hear, hear!

[#274 :]

 

Originally posted by futz:
Pretty much known since I was a kid that glass is a acts as a liquid over time.

This isn't actually true, it's a mistake based on people looking at very old windows made in the days when such windows were made by spinning out a big flat plate of glass and then cutting it up into pieces. The glass would naturally be thicker toward the middle of the disc, and it made sense to put that thicker part at the bottom of the window in order to give it a bit more stability. It gave the impression of the glass "running" toward the bottom, but it doesn't actually do that. 

[#275 :]

Gasp! They lied!   

Googling a bit deeper though it does seem that glass is odd because because it's structure doesn't crystalize when cooled from its molten state.

[#276 :]

 

Originally posted by FordMustang:
 I am late to respond to this, my friend, but I loved your above comments!  Having reached the 40 years and seen I am still as athletic as ever I have to say being older is not bad!  The rocking chair idea is actually quite cute and may even change a few stereotpes about aging, especially since I have met more than a few older folk who are very hot looking and  athletic.  It gives hope to all of us. 

Gawd, not to be mean, but if youre over 40 and still on cartoon chatrooms, I suggest getting a life!
When im 40, I hope to be doing better than Matt Groening, creating my own cartoons and having my own tv show chatroom, and living in LA in a house, no matter how far america may be from australia!

[#277 :]

Yeah, I had the impression that an appreciable downward 'flow' of glass in, say, 100 years was closer to being an urban legend than an established fact. Sure glass is non-crystalline in its structure but its hard to see how an item made of glass could survive intact long enough to display any noticable 'flow'.

[#278 :]

 

Originally posted by x.Bianca.x:
 
Gawd, not to be mean, but if youre over 40 and still on cartoon chatrooms, I suggest getting a life!

I wish you best of luck on your dreams and no doubt there will be easy connections between Australia and California in the future.

Anyhoos, thanks for your post.  I actually do try to keep a busy life with participation in church activities, local politics, a hiking club and a horseback riding singles club I am in.  Plus I do a lot of adventure travel abroad.  I just have this yearning to connect with people who like intellectual  stuff and animation and classic sci fi that I cannot find in the clubs I am in.  Enter peelified.com and other sites.  I can have lovely talks with animation/sci fi and fantasy loving folk like me that I do not meet in my other clubs.  To me, that is valuable time, and never wasted. 

Also, you have some lovely dreams for the future.   I love your plans and wish the best for you in making them come true. 

[#279 :]

 

Originally posted by hobbitboy:
Yeah, I had the impression that an appreciable downward 'flow' of glass in, say, 100 years was closer to being an urban legend than an established fact. Sure glass is non-crystalline in its structure but its hard to see how an item made of glass could survive intact long enough to display any noticable 'flow'.

Correct.  The apparent difference in thickness is a result of the manufacturing processes used until recently.