Svip

It is no surprise that this pilot was the most viewed pilot in Fox history when it aired. It gets everything straight for a show that has a great deal of premise required to be explained. And does it well. And just like Groening mentions on the commentary, 'it doesn't look like a different show'.

Indeed not, Groening, indeed not. And this is why I find this episode to very rewatchable over and over. But that is not to say all is perfect, however.

While the plot is hindered by being a pilot, it is still slightly weak, and a bit too 'emotional' at times. It's cute, I guess, but ending does seem a bit like a cop out to me, even if a nice call back to the original countdown in the beginning of the episode.

Gag wise you need to understand that almost *every* piece of dialogue in this episode is a punchline. It's almost baffling how they managed that. Then again, they had 2 hours worth of material for this episode I hear!

And also a great with some guest actors in this episode, though I feel Dick Clark was rather underused in this episode, which is a damn shame, because it seems his performance was for naught.

The Series Has Landed proves that Ken Keeler is a master of his craft. He is presented with a tough situation; introduce 4 secondary main characters in one act. Establish their personality and what they do.

Fortunately, the episode comes out on top. There are many memorable quotes and situations in this episode (such as 'I'll just build my own lunar lander!', 'Ah, to be young again and also a robot' and many many more).

However, plotwise, the episode is not so strong, while not entirely weak, the plot is somewhat forgettable. It's essentially character driving, but as well done as in "I, Roommate" or as goofy as in "Mars University". But that is actually okay, because that is a safe bet for a second episode. It's like 'let's see what these characters can do'-kind of episode.

Much like the rest of season 1, this episode suffer from not entirely established voices for the characters. So I won't completely fail them, but cannot give them top rates either.

Continuity-wise is this episode a great tease, but we'll have to wait till season 3's "Bendin' in the Wind" before we get back to the folksinging!

A great down to Earth episode. And one of the few of Futurama, in fact. This episode is thoroughly character driven, but some may argue that its plot and premise doesn't really put the whole science-fiction setting to good use.

But the episode establishes an importance between the relationship of Bender and Fry, and the episode succeeds thoroughly on this matter, so despite its drawbacks of being very sitcom-y, it comes out on top.

It is hard to point out any obvious flaws in this episode, because there aren't any. But this episode isn't really that overly memorable and fans tend to forget it. And I guess the reasoning is that little happen in the episode and doesn't have the most memorable moments of the show nor the first season.

Probably one of the best episodes of all time. The introduction of Zapp Brannigan and his relationship with Leela is nailed in this episode. And there are tonnes of hilarious moments captured in this very episode.

Premises for future episodes are established. Many episodes and whatnot, in fact. It's still hard for me to grasp the fact that Billy West performs the voice of Brannigan as well as Fry and the Professor and Zoidberg; brilliant job to this day.

The plot is well paced, and actually has a lot of things going on. The mission, finding Nibbler, the whole Brannigan affair. And at no times does the plot feel rushed, everything takes its natural turn of events. Solid plot, solid voice acting, solid episode in general.

A rather mediocre season premiere of the second production season, good it never aired as a season premiere, I guess. The idea of the plot is not terrible, but it doesn't really get further than how many gags they can use the chip on Bender tied to Leela's emotions with.

Yeah, I'd say the moment between Fry and Bender at home while Leela is out on the town is pretty much the most hilarious part of this episode (and one of my favourite moments in Futurama in general), this episode's climax doesn't really do it for me.

In fact, the whole arguing with Leela about how she needs to think about herself more is one of the very few cringe worthy moments in the original series of Futurama for me. I get what the point is, but the way it is carried out is so... lame.

However, this episode does have a brilliant continuity tease, that is actually rather subtle. Leela's parents make a cameo just once. And we won't know it was them until "Leela's Homeworld". This kind of foreshadowing is like porn to me.

This episode is without doubt the funniest episode of Futurama. For if not the funniest, at least one of them.

The writers have managed to maintain the jokes and gags at an incredibly level while at the same time ensuring that each gag is different, i.e. not based on the same premise or a repetition of an earlier joke.

The story itself may not be the most in-depth Futurama plot, but it works. It has an engaging story, that while perhaps a bit cliché-ish at times, still manages to put the characters in expectable positions. Leela's fight for rights of intelligent beings, yet being at opposition of Free Waterfall Jr. and his organisation.

It's also an excellent commentary on the whole notion of eating meat and whether eating intelligent creatures is wrong.

The story constantly provides new challenges and jokes for the crew, setting up a Popplers business, getting to grips with what the Popplers actually are and then at the end saving Leela from getting eaten.

And Zapp Brannigan is brilliant in this episode as well, and it helps that the story makes great use of him.

So despite this not being the most engaging episode or the most interesting in regardless to overall continuity, I still give this 10 overall, because it is so damn funny and so well executed.

As I am reviewing this episode, I consider myself largely biased. Why? Because I am a sucker for mystery plots, and this episode simply parodies this fantastically. And while funny and filled with its great gags, this episode is, however, not perfect.

The pacing of the episode makes great sense during their tour through Rome, which is very fast, because of the supposedly large mystery which is basically resolved on quick assumptions and badly kept secrets (which in itself is pretty hilarious). I personally, however, don't know what to think of the robot, it's not entirely a new gag for someone to constantly speak over themselves. I am sure that you could have written a new twist on that old gag.

But I do like an adventure episode, and this one nails it for me. While Fry and Farnsworth are both on the extreme ends of their spectrum in this episode, it doesn't matter, because it creates an interesting dynamic between the characters, and serves for a touching end.

However, plot-wise, the episode is not really that original. It has a mystery plot first (solving some sort of ancient secret), which is okay, since it is parodying just that (oh, and for the record, this isn't a direct parody of "The Da Vinci Code", but rather mystery plots of this kind in general), then the episode leads into a whole new story on Planet Vinci. Here the upside down world is okay and does leave for Fry becoming the one making the right decisions.

And what Fry does makes sense at the end. Farnsworth, whom is usually used to being the smart one, surely won't be glad to be a position where he is the dumbest one. And being the character Farnsworth is, it makes sense for him to join Leonardo in his revenge. Fry, on the other hand, whom has always been dumb, know how it is, so it makes the right decision of helping them, which resolves in a common fate for Fry as he is hurt in a slapstick fashion between clogs.

Overall, an episode that require some repeat viewings to get all the gags and nerd jokes (there are MANY mathematics jokes in this episode), but at least Futurama gets back at appeasing its inner geek.