As was foretold, we've added advertisements to the forums! If you have questions, or if you encounter any bugs, please visit this thread: https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/240191/forum-advertisement-faq-and-reports-thread/

[futurama] "almost ten deliveries per year!"

1262729313247

Posts

  • JustinSane07JustinSane07 Really, stupid? Brockton__BANNED USERS regular
    edited July 2011
    It's about time some of you have come around to the dark side.

    Now, I've actually enjoyed these 3 episodes more than any of the last season, but the same problems with season 5 still remain. And I still say it's one of the same problems as the Simpsons. The new writing teams are essentially writing fan fiction of characters they grew up with.

    I don't know if I'd go that far, but I will admit both season 5 and what's been shown of season 6 have been remarkably deep in weird little winking nods to the original 4 seasons. Hedonism Bot was all over season 5, and rarely for any good reason other than to make a passing gay-panic joke.

    Futurama has a deep enough cast of recurring characters to actually write decent stories about them, but I'd rather the writers either write a story for a character or come up with a new one. Using them repeatedly as one-off gags, especially the same one-off gag each time, gets really stale.

    If I hear "My Manwich!" one more time, I'm going to throw something at my TV.

    As far as bad episodes go, I don't really like Hell is Other Robots; I Second That Emotion and either of the Flexo episodes. But I don't really like Flexo as a character. I find him to rather annoying.

    JustinSane07 on
  • BiopticBioptic Registered User regular
    edited July 2011
    The problem with that theory is that the new writing team on Futurama is, for the most part, the old writing team. The last three episodes were written by writers from the original four seasons (hell, J. Stewart Burns, who wrote the episode that won an Emmy, wrote "Neutopia"). They should know how to write these characters because they helped characterize them in the first place. Why they seem to be missing the mark now... I don't know.

    Right - and the writer of the current episode was one of the writers on "The Problem with Popplers", one of my favourite episodes ever. I maintain it's the fact that they can't (or won't) put as much time and money into episode development as they used to. This bender ghost episode had a single writer, with Groening and Cohen producing as normal. The Problem with Popplers had 3 writers, and the oft-mentioned system of doing a table read, and going back and adding more and more jokes when people weren't laughing as much - if it's being done at all for these, it's not being done as extensively or as effectively.

    Bioptic on
  • AtomikaAtomika Live fast and get fucked or whatever Registered User regular
    edited July 2011
    If I hear "My Manwich!" one more time, I'm going to throw something at my TV.

    Second'd.

    The first time Hermes even said that was because someone stole his goddamned Manwich.

    Now he says it for no discernible reason at all. Last time he said it it was a euphemism for "vagina."

    Atomika on
  • yalborapyalborap Registered User regular
    edited July 2011
    If I hear "My Manwich!" one more time, I'm going to throw something at my TV.

    Second'd.

    The first time Hermes even said that was because someone stole his goddamned Manwich.

    Now he says it for no discernible reason at all. Last time he said it it was a euphemism for "vagina."

    No, he said YOUR manwich. As in your penis. Because his wife had become a man.

    yalborap on
  • ArteenArteen Adept ValeRegistered User regular
    edited July 2011
    That fucking cat episode was probably the lowest the series has ever sunk.

    I kind of liked the cat episode. Just counting recent episodes, I thought Neutopia, Benderama, Futurama Holiday Spectacular, A Clockwork Origin, and Attack of the Killer App were all worse.

    Arteen on
  • fshavlakfshavlak Registered User regular
    edited July 2011
    Arteen wrote: »
    That fucking cat episode was probably the lowest the series has ever sunk.

    I kind of liked the cat episode. Just counting recent episodes, I thought Neutopia, Benderama, Futurama Holiday Spectacular, A Clockwork Origin, and Attack of the Killer App were all worse.

    I wasn't a fan of the cat episode, but it had one of my favorite jokes from the season.
    The horse says ... doctorate denied!

    fshavlak on
  • RandomEngyRandomEngy Registered User regular
    edited July 2011
    You people are crazy. The new episodes are great. The cat episode was great.

    "Cash, cash, CASH FOR YOUR BONES"
    Nibbler smoking a pipe, looking out the window determinedly, having his diaper changed by Amy
    "I'm petting mine down to the bone!"
    "What do cats need with that much yarn and cobalt?"
    "Now come on Bender. Something sinister won't build itself."
    "He's one of those dog-operated puppets that's been adapted for use by a cat!"
    "My best friend died in that uniform."

    RandomEngy on
    Profile -> Signature Settings -> Hide signatures always. Then you don't have to read this worthless text anymore.
  • NappuccinoNappuccino Surveyor of Things and Stuff Registered User regular
    edited July 2011
    I'll have to re-watch this episode (i kept getting interrupted during the second half) but the first half was glorious. Unless the second half was way worse than the bits i did pick up, this felt like golden age futurama again.

    Nappuccino on
    Like to write? Want to get e-published? Give us a look-see at http://wednesdaynightwrites.com/
    Rorus Raz wrote: »
    There's also the possibility you just can't really grow a bear like other guys.

    Not even BEAR vaginas can defeat me!
    cakemikz wrote: »
    And then I rub actual cake on myself.
    Loomdun wrote: »
    thats why you have chest helmets
  • President RexPresident Rex Registered User regular
    edited July 2011
    "Technology isn't intrinsically good or evil. It's how it's used. Like the Death Ray."


    That episode has some decent jokes, but the cats aren't very interesting or funny. Meow Mix jokes are not first class material.


    The episode also outlines something they've been doing far too frequently since the series restarted - having characters say ridiculously obvious things and trying to pretend it's funny. It's like they've become the embodiment of the Robot Devil's "You can't have your characters say how they feel! That makes me angry!"

    Except it's not ironic or funny when you do it constanty; it's lazy...which is why they made fun of it in the first place.

    President Rex on
  • Hexmage-PAHexmage-PA Registered User regular
    edited July 2011
    The episode also outlines something they've been doing far too frequently since the series restarted - having characters say ridiculously obvious things and trying to pretend it's funny. It's like they've become the embodiment of the Robot Devil's "You can't have your characters say how they feel! That makes me angry!"

    Except it's not ironic or funny when you do it constanty; it's lazy...which is why they made fun of it in the first place.

    Uh, the Robot Devil was talking about having characters say "I'm sad" or "I'm happy" rather than showing it.

    Hexmage-PA on
  • AbsoluteZeroAbsoluteZero The new film by Quentin Koopantino Registered User regular
    edited July 2011
    I think the main problem with the new episodes is the terrible, stupid obvious family circus style jokes. Fry-day, really? That kind of shit is a real groaner. They might as well put on Conway Twiddy.

    AbsoluteZero on
    cs6f034fsffl.jpg
  • President RexPresident Rex Registered User regular
    edited July 2011
    Hexmage-PA wrote: »
    The episode also outlines something they've been doing far too frequently since the series restarted - having characters say ridiculously obvious things and trying to pretend it's funny. It's like they've become the embodiment of the Robot Devil's "You can't have your characters say how they feel! That makes me angry!"

    Except it's not ironic or funny when you do it constanty; it's lazy...which is why they made fun of it in the first place.

    Uh, the Robot Devil was talking about having characters say "I'm sad" or "I'm happy" rather than showing it.

    Yes, the Robot Devil parodies lazy writing and acting by doing that exact thing he disdains. And in recent episodes characters will say something incredibly obvious or unnecessary - something that should just be shown and not said. But the writers apparently think having the main characters look incredibly aloof is somehow funny.

    Stuff like "And now I'll let down my guard for no reason at all!" is just lazy. No "I haven't been harassed by robot ghosts lately, eh, who needs this thing." or "I broke that doohicky in my sleep." Just "Let us move the plot forward by having our character announce that they're doing something stupid for no reason - that's funny, right?"

    President Rex on
  • BiopticBioptic Registered User regular
    edited July 2011
    I think the main problem with the new episodes is the terrible, stupid obvious family circus style jokes. Fry-day, really? That kind of shit is a real groaner. They might as well put on Conway Twiddy.

    Really? To me, that kind of thing is the complete opposite of Family Guy jokes - "this Saturday shall henceforth be known as Fry-Day" isn't dwelt upon, no-one stares awkwardly at each other for several seconds, it just cuts to the next scene. Possibly I'm slower on the uptake than most, but I liked that it took my brain just a second to work out why having two days called 'Friday' right next to each other might be massively confusing, and then I was in the middle of some exposition.

    I do think that overall the 'punchlines' used before a scene change have been weaker overall for these past couple of seasons, but it doesn't hugely stand out for me.

    Bioptic on
  • DehumanizedDehumanized Registered User regular
    edited July 2011
    not family guy, family circus

    Dehumanized on
  • King RiptorKing Riptor Registered User regular
    edited July 2011
    not family guy, family circus


    Neither really makes sense.

    King Riptor on
    I have a podcast now. It's about video games and anime!Find it here.
  • JustinSane07JustinSane07 Really, stupid? Brockton__BANNED USERS regular
    edited July 2011
    Dehuman is saying the jokes are bland, predictable and uninteresting.

    JustinSane07 on
  • King RiptorKing Riptor Registered User regular
    edited July 2011
    Dehuman is saying the jokes are bland, predictable and uninteresting.

    And we're saying that despite your opinion to the contrary they aren't. Hence the reference doesn't make sense.
    I will admit the pacing for these episodes is very off. And I am sick of then running the manwhich thing into the ground. The actual writing is solid though.

    King Riptor on
    I have a podcast now. It's about video games and anime!Find it here.
  • SheepSheep Registered User, __BANNED USERS regular
    edited July 2011
    Whats the Cat episode? New Season? I've only seen the gray goo, lady parts, and the Bender ghost.

    Sheep on
  • OrganichuOrganichu poops peesRegistered User, Moderator mod
    edited July 2011
    i thought the fry-day joke was hilarious

    Organichu on
  • ElJeffeElJeffe Moderator, ClubPA mod
    edited July 2011
    Sheep wrote: »
    Whats the Cat episode? New Season? I've only seen the gray goo, lady parts, and the Bender ghost.

    It was from last season.

    I thought it was cute.

    I think the worst Futurama episode I've ever seen has still made me laugh repeatedly. I don't know which the worst would be offhand. Do movies count? Because one of the movies I found pretty meh. Maybe it was Into the Wild Green Yonder.

    ElJeffe on
    I submitted an entry to Lego Ideas, and if 10,000 people support me, it'll be turned into an actual Lego set!If you'd like to see and support my submission, follow this link.
  • Officer 1BDIOfficer 1BDI Registered User regular
    edited July 2011
    Sheep wrote: »
    Whats the Cat episode? New Season? I've only seen the gray goo, lady parts, and the Bender ghost.

    This is the cat episode (< spoilers). It aired last summer.
    Yes, the Robot Devil parodies lazy writing and acting by doing that exact thing he disdains. And in recent episodes characters will say something incredibly obvious or unnecessary - something that should just be shown and not said. But the writers apparently think having the main characters look incredibly aloof is somehow funny.

    Stuff like "And now I'll let down my guard for no reason at all!" is just lazy. No "I haven't been harassed by robot ghosts lately, eh, who needs this thing." or "I broke that doohicky in my sleep." Just "Let us move the plot forward by having our character announce that they're doing something stupid for no reason - that's funny, right?"

    I've noticed this, too. I think these kinds of jokes can work if used efficiently and sparingly, but I don't think that's what's happening right now. Not only does it come across as lazy, but sometimes it strikes me as annoyingly repetitive: what was the point of having Fry shout that he was going to save one of the audience members from that rolling globe moments before he jumped in and saved one of them? Maybe it's just not my kind of humor, but it felt like episode padding to me.

    Officer 1BDI on
  • cloudeaglecloudeagle Registered User regular
    edited July 2011
    Sheep wrote: »
    Whats the Cat episode? New Season? I've only seen the gray goo, lady parts, and the Bender ghost.

    The cat episode. It aired last summer.
    Yes, the Robot Devil parodies lazy writing and acting by doing that exact thing he disdains. And in recent episodes characters will say something incredibly obvious or unnecessary - something that should just be shown and not said. But the writers apparently think having the main characters look incredibly aloof is somehow funny.

    Stuff like "And now I'll let down my guard for no reason at all!" is just lazy. No "I haven't been harassed by robot ghosts lately, eh, who needs this thing." or "I broke that doohicky in my sleep." Just "Let us move the plot forward by having our character announce that they're doing something stupid for no reason - that's funny, right?"

    I've noticed this, too. I think these kinds of jokes can work if used efficiently and sparingly, but I don't think that's what's happening right now. Not only does it come across as lazy, but sometimes it strikes me as annoyingly repetitive: what was the point of having Fry shout that he was going to save one of the audience members from that rolling globe moments before he jumped in and saved one of them? Maybe it's just not my kind of humor, but it felt like episode padding to me.

    Humor and the plot. Admitting that you can't save both of them while risking your life to save one of them is funny, plus it got a callback with the Amish sphere and the climax, when Bender decides to do something selfless for once. Besides, Fry was yelling it while he was jumping to save one of them. It didn't really feel like episode padding to me.

    I'll agree with Jeffe, even the worst episodes of Futurama have entertained me. Weirdly enough I'd also nominate Into the Wild Green Yonder as the worst episode. Also I kinda liked the cat episode, yet I hate actual cats.

    cloudeagle on
    Switch: 3947-4890-9293
  • AbsoluteZeroAbsoluteZero The new film by Quentin Koopantino Registered User regular
    edited July 2011
    Dehuman is saying the jokes are bland, predictable and uninteresting.

    A million times this. The original series had it all over the second coming in terms of clever jokes. Futurama is so very much like reading the funnies in a sunday newspaper. Except with billowing saggy farnsworth tits.

    AbsoluteZero on
    cs6f034fsffl.jpg
  • Smaug6Smaug6 Registered User regular
    edited July 2011
    The Cat episode was pretty funny.

    I thought the Attack of the Killer app episode was heavy handed and a rather bland.

    This season has had a slow start, maybe it will ramp up.

    Smaug6 on
    steam_sig.png
  • RichyRichy Registered User regular
    edited July 2011
    Old Futurama still makes me laugh after all these years.

    New Futurama doesn't make me laugh the first time I see it, and I don't care if I never see a rerun again. I only watch it once because it says "Futurama" on it.

    Richy on
    sig.gif
  • OrganichuOrganichu poops peesRegistered User, Moderator mod
    edited July 2011
    i love some of the new eps as much as i love the old, though it's not as consistent

    Organichu on
  • Cameron_TalleyCameron_Talley Registered User regular
    edited July 2011
    I LOLed at "Fully Buckminstered" when they were about to be squished by a Bucky-Ball.

    Cameron_Talley on
    Switch Friend Code: SW-4598-4278-8875
    3DS Friend Code: 0404-6826-4588 PM if you add.
  • ResorathResorath Registered User regular
    edited July 2011
    The new episodes are pretty hit or miss. The old ones were fantastic, but maybe they don't have the same writers anymore, or maybe the writers only had a certain inventory of jokes and are panicking.

    The general theme of "all this technology and we still have year 2000 problems" is pretty funny.

    Resorath on
    makibanner.png
  • OptyOpty Registered User regular
    edited July 2011
    I think one thing they're missing is being restricted. The restricting censorship of being on network TV and the restricting fear of needing to do well to not be cancelled. A lot of good in the original run is from them being creative in regards to getting things into the show that wouldn't have normally been able to make it in. Nowadays they've got free reign so they just do things bluntly instead of creatively to the detriment of the show. I've always been one to say that restrictions help creative endeavors by forcing one to come up with things they wouldn't have otherwise.

    Opty on
  • AtomikaAtomika Live fast and get fucked or whatever Registered User regular
    edited July 2011
    Opty wrote: »
    I think one thing they're missing is being restricted. The restricting censorship of being on network TV and the restricting fear of needing to do well to not be cancelled. A lot of good in the original run is from them being creative in regards to getting things into the show that wouldn't have normally been able to make it in. Nowadays they've got free reign so they just do things bluntly instead of creatively to the detriment of the show. I've always been one to say that restrictions help creative endeavors by forcing one to come up with things they wouldn't have otherwise.

    I've thought this as well.

    There's nothing inherent about being uncensored that makes comedy funnier. It's what I never understood about Jon Kricfalusi's desire to have visible genitals in Ren & Stimpy episodes.

    Atomika on
  • BubbaTBubbaT Registered User regular
    edited July 2011
    I love that Benders entire reasoning for this episode is rendered moot
    All a dead robot needs is an extra body hence their mortality is pointless

    It did
    sap some of the sentimentality from Lethal Inspection.


    Also
    If ghost Bender exists in the computing cloud then how does he exist on the non-machine Amish planet?

    I mean, normally I'd let it slide with "a wizard did it", but we're talking about the same show that invented a whole mathematical theorem to fill a plot hole in a previous episode. Here they just gloss over it completely.

    BubbaT on
  • QliphothQliphoth Registered User regular
    edited July 2011
    Opty wrote: »
    I think one thing they're missing is being restricted. The restricting censorship of being on network TV and the restricting fear of needing to do well to not be cancelled. A lot of good in the original run is from them being creative in regards to getting things into the show that wouldn't have normally been able to make it in. Nowadays they've got free reign so they just do things bluntly instead of creatively to the detriment of the show. I've always been one to say that restrictions help creative endeavors by forcing one to come up with things they wouldn't have otherwise.

    I've thought this as well.

    There's nothing inherent about being uncensored that makes comedy funnier. It's what I never understood about Jon Kricfalusi's desire to have visible genitals in Ren & Stimpy episodes.

    see also: Arrested development's use of bleeping.

    I agree with those saying that the revived series feels as if they've crammed less effective jokes in whether for cost or whatever. That said it's still an excellent show, benderama was a great episode among several other excellent ones last year. Hopefully if it rates well they'll get a bigger budget to do some more work sharpening the jokes.

    Qliphoth on
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
  • King RiptorKing Riptor Registered User regular
    edited July 2011
    Opty wrote: »
    I think one thing they're missing is being restricted. The restricting censorship of being on network TV and the restricting fear of needing to do well to not be cancelled. A lot of good in the original run is from them being creative in regards to getting things into the show that wouldn't have normally been able to make it in. Nowadays they've got free reign so they just do things bluntly instead of creatively to the detriment of the show. I've always been one to say that restrictions help creative endeavors by forcing one to come up with things they wouldn't have otherwise.

    I've thought this as well.

    There's nothing inherent about being uncensored that makes comedy funnier. It's what I never understood about Jon Kricfalusi's desire to have visible genitals in Ren & Stimpy episodes.

    The man is mentally deranged. That's really the only thing to understand.

    King Riptor on
    I have a podcast now. It's about video games and anime!Find it here.
  • fshavlakfshavlak Registered User regular
    edited July 2011
    BubbaT wrote: »
    I love that Benders entire reasoning for this episode is rendered moot
    All a dead robot needs is an extra body hence their mortality is pointless

    It did
    sap some of the sentimentality from Lethal Inspection.


    Also
    If ghost Bender exists in the computing cloud then how does he exist on the non-machine Amish planet?

    I mean, normally I'd let it slide with "a wizard did it", but we're talking about the same show that invented a whole mathematical theorem to fill a plot hole in a previous episode. Here they just gloss over it completely.

    I don't think ghosthood is a given for dead robots, just special cases, and therefore wouldn't necessarily cheapen the death of a robot, as in most cases dead is dead is dead.

    fshavlak on
  • AbsoluteZeroAbsoluteZero The new film by Quentin Koopantino Registered User regular
    edited July 2011
    fshavlak wrote: »
    BubbaT wrote: »
    I love that Benders entire reasoning for this episode is rendered moot
    All a dead robot needs is an extra body hence their mortality is pointless

    It did
    sap some of the sentimentality from Lethal Inspection.


    Also
    If ghost Bender exists in the computing cloud then how does he exist on the non-machine Amish planet?

    I mean, normally I'd let it slide with "a wizard did it", but we're talking about the same show that invented a whole mathematical theorem to fill a plot hole in a previous episode. Here they just gloss over it completely.

    I don't think ghosthood is a given for dead robots, just special cases, and therefore wouldn't necessarily cheapen the death of a robot, as in most cases dead is dead is dead.

    Didn't the robot devil tell Bender that robots who commit suicide become ghosts which can not pass on to the afterlife because their software gets stuck in an infinite loop? It would then also make sense that when the robot devil dies he simply returns to hell.

    Though maybe I imagined this to rationalize the episode.

    AbsoluteZero on
    cs6f034fsffl.jpg
  • Rhesus PositiveRhesus Positive GNU Terry Pratchett Registered User regular
    edited July 2011
    BubbaT wrote: »
    I love that Benders entire reasoning for this episode is rendered moot
    All a dead robot needs is an extra body hence their mortality is pointless

    It did
    sap some of the sentimentality from Lethal Inspection.


    Also
    If ghost Bender exists in the computing cloud then how does he exist on the non-machine Amish planet?

    I mean, normally I'd let it slide with "a wizard did it", but we're talking about the same show that invented a whole mathematical theorem to fill a plot hole in a previous episode. Here they just gloss over it completely.

    Second spoiler:
    Maybe he was projecting himself from the on-board wireless router on the Planet Express Ship.

    Rhesus Positive on
    [Muffled sounds of gorilla violence]
  • cloudeaglecloudeagle Registered User regular
    edited July 2011
    Opty wrote: »
    I think one thing they're missing is being restricted. The restricting censorship of being on network TV and the restricting fear of needing to do well to not be cancelled. A lot of good in the original run is from them being creative in regards to getting things into the show that wouldn't have normally been able to make it in. Nowadays they've got free reign so they just do things bluntly instead of creatively to the detriment of the show. I've always been one to say that restrictions help creative endeavors by forcing one to come up with things they wouldn't have otherwise.

    I've thought this as well.

    There's nothing inherent about being uncensored that makes comedy funnier. It's what I never understood about Jon Kricfalusi's desire to have visible genitals in Ren & Stimpy episodes.

    The man is mentally deranged. That's really the only thing to understand.

    He's also essentially unemployable at this point, since he's pretty much pissed off/scared away every single broadcaster. Hell, the man can't even get anyone to work for him at an indie animation studio nowadays.

    cloudeagle on
    Switch: 3947-4890-9293
  • DemerdarDemerdar Registered User regular
    edited July 2011
    I love me some good ol' first season Ren & Stimpy though.. I can't believe I was allowed to watch that show as a child.

    Demerdar on
    y6GGs3o.gif
  • Hexmage-PAHexmage-PA Registered User regular
    edited July 2011
    cloudeagle wrote: »
    Opty wrote: »
    I think one thing they're missing is being restricted. The restricting censorship of being on network TV and the restricting fear of needing to do well to not be cancelled. A lot of good in the original run is from them being creative in regards to getting things into the show that wouldn't have normally been able to make it in. Nowadays they've got free reign so they just do things bluntly instead of creatively to the detriment of the show. I've always been one to say that restrictions help creative endeavors by forcing one to come up with things they wouldn't have otherwise.

    I've thought this as well.

    There's nothing inherent about being uncensored that makes comedy funnier. It's what I never understood about Jon Kricfalusi's desire to have visible genitals in Ren & Stimpy episodes.

    The man is mentally deranged. That's really the only thing to understand.

    He's also essentially unemployable at this point, since he's pretty much pissed off/scared away every single broadcaster. Hell, the man can't even get anyone to work for him at an indie animation studio nowadays.

    Damn. What the hell did the man do?

    Hexmage-PA on
  • BubbaTBubbaT Registered User regular
    edited July 2011
    BubbaT wrote: »
    I love that Benders entire reasoning for this episode is rendered moot
    All a dead robot needs is an extra body hence their mortality is pointless

    It did
    sap some of the sentimentality from Lethal Inspection.


    Also
    If ghost Bender exists in the computing cloud then how does he exist on the non-machine Amish planet?

    I mean, normally I'd let it slide with "a wizard did it", but we're talking about the same show that invented a whole mathematical theorem to fill a plot hole in a previous episode. Here they just gloss over it completely.

    Second spoiler:
    Maybe he was projecting himself from the on-board wireless router on the Planet Express Ship.

    I guess Fry could have a
    mechanical pacemaker that Bender could possess


    Also, the Robot Devil reading "Life in Hell" was pretty clever.

    BubbaT on
Sign In or Register to comment.