Futurama: Season 1 - Episode 9: 'Hell Is Other Robots' (1999) - TVEpisode Review

Official Score = 3 Devils

I don't know about you guys, but when it comes to Futurama, for me I have to say that my favorite character of all time has to be, 'Bender', that smart-ass robot always knew when the right time to make a comic remark, and when it would be the funniest point to tease or generally make fun of some one and get the most amount of comedy out of it!

Now in the first season though, Bender, it seems, had the most growing up to do... I mean in the first couple of episodes of the series, his character... Although mostly there, did not seem to be particularly developed, but as the season went on, you could tell the progression, and when he got his first episode devoted to him... I must say, absolutely hilarious!

That episode of course being: 'Hell Is For Other Robots'!

The Beastie Boys singing to Bender in Robot Hell!

Written by: Eric Kaplan (The Big Bang Theory) & Directed by: Rich Moore (Technological Threat), Gregg Vanzo (RoboCop 3). Starring: Billy West (The 7D), Katey Sagal (Married With Children), John DiMaggio (Adventure Time), Dan Castellaneta (The Simpsons), Phil LaMarr (Samurai Jack) & Lauren Tom (Bad Santa).

This hilarious episode tells the story of how after Bender gets addicted to Electricity, he weens himself off of it and finds robot religion... And like all great conversions, Bender goes for it with gusto and ends up being a good little robot for awhile... A little while anyway...

That is of course until his so-called friends who have gotten board of him, decide that they want the old Bender back, and thus tempt him to the darkside...

Joining this religion will have funny consequences for not just Bender, but the rest of the Planet Express crew!

And when he disappears, it will be up to his friends to find him... Because even in a robot's religion... Where there is a heaven, there is also a hell!

In the end, the only thing that I didn't like about this episode was the song near the end of it... I mean I know that last part of the episode is tied in to it... but still...

Other then that guys, it is a fun episode, and certainly one worth watching!

Futurama: Season 1 - Episode 8: 'A Big Piece Of Garbage' (1999) - TV Episode Review

Official Score = 2 Devils

Now I am going to be honest here and say that Futurama is one of those series whose first season generally seems to tends to be not quite as good... Don't get me wrong, there are some truly fun moments, and some truly hilarious episodes! But I will admit that for my money, the future seasons tended to get successively better and better, to the point where I was surprised where I heard that the show was canceled when it was!

And I hate to say it, but, Season 1 - Episode 8: 'A Big Piece Of Garbage' is just one of those episodes!

Written by: Lewis Morton (Newsradio) & Directed by: Susie Dietter (Open Season) & Gregg Vanzo (RoboCop 3). Starring: Billy West (Space Jam 2), Katey Sagal (Sons Of Anarchy), John DiMaggio (Adventure Time), Ron Popeil (As Seen On TV), Lauren Tom (Bad Santa), Phil LaMarr (Samurai Jack) & Tress MacNeille (The Simpsons).

Now listen, I know this story is primarily meant to entertain children, but it was also designed for adult to... And I will go so far as to say that I suspect that this episode was intended to parody Armageddon (1998)... The main problem is, is this episode just didn't have the same comedic appeal that a lot of the other ones had!

"Now, now. There'll be plenty of time to discuss your objections when and if you return." - Professor Hubert J. Farnsworth (Quote from: Futurama Season 1 - Episode 8: 'A Big Piece Of Garbage'.)

Professor Farnsworth showing the trajectory of the massive stinky meteor! 

You see this episode tells the story of how after almost a thousand years a ball of barely post 20th century garbage that had been slingshot in to outerspace is heading back to Earth and threatens life as we know it... And of course, the only one's that can fix this is the Planet Express crew... 

Maybe not the best episode, but if you are going through the series one right after the other... It is worth checking out!

Futurama: Season 1 - Episode 7: My Three Suns (1999) - TV EpisodeReview

Official Score = 2 1/2 Devils

You know I am really glad that Fox gave Futurama another run... I mean this show, besides being absolutely hilarious, is fun to see a sort of, 'spoof'  of all of Science Fiction that have come out in the last fifty years... And on the more serious side of things, it is fun to see these characters as they develop in to a closer and closer almost family like unit!

And well so far I think that Season 1 is a pretty good season, I mean we got to see the characters establish themselves, and also to see them getting in to more then a few hilarious problems! And you know what? I am gonna have to say that the latest episodes, 'My Three Suns' (1999) maybe one of the more funnier episodes of the season!

Written by: J. Stewart Burns (The Simpsons) & Directed by: Jeffrey Lynch (The Gift), Kevin O'Brien (WALL-E), Gregg Vanzo (RoboCop 3). Starring: Billy West (The 7D), Katey Sagal (Married With Children), John DiMaggio (Adventures In Time), David Herman (Office Space), Phil LaMarr (Pulp Fiction), Maurice LaMarche (Frozen), Lauren Tom (Bad Santa) & Danny Jacobs (Batman: Arkham Asylum).

The latest adventure of the intrepid, 'Planet Express crew'... Fry drinks the recipient of their latest package delivery...

This hilarious episode tells of the latest attempt by Fry to fit in to the new world, but ultimately messing things up!

What I mean by this is that the Planet Express crew end up making a delivery to a planet that is all desert, and well they end up landing the ship about as far away as you can from the actual city, so when Fry gets to the Palace, he decides to take a drink from what at first looks like a cold bottle of water!

Well little does he know that it is actually the, 'King' of a race of fluid based sentient life forms... And well everything seems to be going alright... That is until they find out how the line of succession in this kingdom works!

Fry, when he discovers the great hall where all the former world leaders pictures were hung!

And it will be up to the Planet Express crew to fix things and get out of their quick, before the water drinks them!

In the end, this episode is just hilarious, and it shows that the show is really coming in to itself... So if you have a chance to check it out, do so, it is more then well worth it... Trust me!

Futurama: Season 1 - Episode 6: 'A Fishful Of Dollars' (1999) - TV Episode Review

[caption id="attachment_325" align="alignright" width="263"] Official Score = 3 Devils[/caption]

Futurama... What can I say about this show that hasn't already been said? I mean this show is truly epic... in that it parodies every epic Science Fiction medium known to man!

Unfortunately, I have since discovered that this show has been cancelled yet again, but you know what? During the run of this show that Matt Groening (The Simpsons) created, we saw a lot of funny moments, and parodies of some other great Science Fiction mediums, (including Star Trek.)

And, 'A Fishful Of Dollars' (1999) is another hilarious episode in this classic series!

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="360"] The Planet Express crew as they are celebrating Fry's new fortune![/caption]

Written by: Patric M. Verrone (Pinky & The Brain) & Directed by: Ron Hughart (American Dad). Starring: Billy West (The Looney Tunes Show), Katey Sagal (8 Simple Rules), John DiMaggio (Adventure Time), Pamela Anderson (Baywatch), Phil LaMarr (Pulp Fiction) & Lauren Tom (Batman Beyond: Golem).

This hilarious episode tells the story of how Fry (Billy West), after heading over to the bank and checking up on his old bank account from the 20th century, ends up discovering that with all the interest after 1,000 years, that not only is he no longer mega poor... But he is mega rich!

This effects the Planet Express crew in different ways, but in the end all Fry really wanted was a place that reminded him of the century that he had been forced to forget... But after shunning all of his friends, a cruel manipulator behind the scene will help Fry get the one thing he truly missed from that area, and the friends that he loved from his current century back to enjoy it !

In the end, this episode is pretty awesome, and if you check it out, I think that you might find that you like it as well!

http://youtu.be/9PJNlmk5Yik

Futurama: Season 1 - Episode 5. 'Fear Of A Bot Planet' (1999) - TV Episode Review

[caption id="attachment_557" align="alignright" width="307"] Official Score = 3 1/2 Devils[/caption]

When Matt Groening created the Simpsons, he created something truly magical and memorable, (I mean if you consider the fact that, 'The Simpsons' to this date is the longest running cartoon of all time... That really is saying something...)

And the truth is, is even when he created his next show, 'Futurama', I have to admit that I was sad to see that show go when it did, it was absolutely hilarious in just about every facet, and when I found out that it came back on the air, I have to admit that I was pretty excited... I mean this show has continued to make audiences all over the world laugh for years... And this why I am glad to review my favorite episode of this series, Episode 5 of season 1'Fear Of A Bot Planet'!

Written by: Evan Gore (George Of The Jungle) & Directed by: Peter Avanzino (Drawn Together), Carlos Baeza (Ghostbusters), Ashley Lenz (The Simpsons Movie), Chris Sauve (The Iron Giant), Gregg Vanzo (RoboCop 3). Starring: Billy West (Ultimate Spider-Man), Katey Sagal (Sons Of Anarchy), John DiMaggio (Epic), Tress MacNeille (Animaniacs) & Phil LaMarr (Justice League).

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Leela & Fry as they are looking for Bender on the Bot Planet...[/caption]

This is the hilarious story of when Bender (John DiMaggio) is feeling depressed about his work, and during this time, one of the places that the Planet Express crew end up being sent to is a world in which Robots would rather kill a human as opposed to live with them (thus the planet is exclusively inhabited by Robots.)

Well because of this fact, Bender is the one who will have to make the delivery, and like he does, Bender sees an opportunity to exploit the entire planet's population... but before doing so, he sends a distress call to the Ship, which prompts Leela (Katey Sagal) & Fry (Billy West) to make these ridiculous disguises and go down to the planet...

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Bender, after he finds Fry & Leela...[/caption]

But with the planet full of Robots that would happily kill them (as a matter of fact, the leadership of the planet made, 'Human Hunting' a planetary bonding experience...) Leela & Fry are going to have to rely on Bender to rescue them before the Robots have the opportunity to destroy them!

I don't want to say to much, but this episode is really hilarious, and although I am aware that I an not saying why... I love this episode, and if you give it a try, then I think you might end up finding out why!

http://youtu.be/bOM0Jwg2CEw

Futurama Season 1 - Episode 4: 'Love's Labour Lost In Space (1999) - TV Episode Review

[caption id="attachment_322" align="alignright" width="258"] Official Score = 1 1/2 Devils[/caption]

Ok, so one of the things that you have to know about Leela, is that because she is a mutant... (Or well at this point she is still an, 'Alien') that the show generally tends to play up her differences as one of the main reasons that she never seems to be able to find some one who is good enough for her... There are other reasons as well, but this one seems to be pretty well documented...

With that said though, the first time that this particular part of her role is heavily introduced is in an episode that I have to admit that I found particularly bland, the 4th episode of season 1, 'Love's Labour Lost In Space'...

Written by: Brian Kelley (Joey), Directed by: Brian Sheesley (Camp Lazlo) & Gregg Vanzo (RoboCop 3). Starring: Billy West (Animaniacs), Katey Segal (8 Simple Rules), John DiMaggio (Princess Monoke), Phil LaMarr (Pulp Fiction), Lauren Tom (The Newsroom) & Maurice LaMarche (Alvin & The Chipmunks Meet The Wolfman).

You see this episode tells the story of how Leela (Katey Segal) whom at this time is feeling particularly lonely is about to be sent (along with the rest of the, 'Planet Express' crew) to a planet called, 'Vergon 6', a planet that has been essentially mined out entirely, and is dying... Their tax-deductible charity mission is to go and rescue a male and a female of every living creature still on that planet...

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Zapp Brannigan (Billy West), when he first meets, 'Turanga Leela' on board his ship.[/caption]

As they get there though, Zapp Brannigan (Billy West) throws them all in to the brig for violating a security cordon... The only way that they will be able to get out is when Leela ends up sleeping with the idiot...

After this, they quickly head to the dying planet to rescue as many animals as they can... After they do so though, Leela will find the ultimate companion for which to call her own!

In the end, this episode had a few funny moments... But not many... The sad truth is that in a show that is supposed to be funny,  this episode really wasn't all that funny, honestly I would say that the best thing about this episode is that they introduce Leela's pet, 'Nibbler' in to the show... And for that, I hate to say it, but this episode is worth a watch... At the very least to keep up with the story...

http://youtu.be/bOM0Jwg2CEw