The Devil's Hands Are Idle Playthings

I remember watching this when it first aired back in the UK in 2003, and it was really depressing back then to know that Futurama was ending with this episode. Fox cancelled the show too early, but with a little luck revived it again with movies and then CC airing new episodes for it. Nevertheless, the Devil's Hands Are Idle Playthings was a fitting last episode in which Fry wins Leela's heart (supposedly).

The episode begins with Fry trying to learn the Holophoner, an instrument that previously got Leela interested back in "Parasites Lost", and he realises he's just not supposed to be good at it, as his teacher calls his hands "stupid hands". Fry seems hopeless in winning Leela, but Bender suggests that they see the Robot Devil for help. The Robot Devil tells Fry that he can exchange his hands for a robot's so that he can play the holophoner perfectly, but who it lands on is determined by a wheel of robots spin. Fry fortunantly lands on the Robot Devil. Having to stick with the deal, the Robot Devil switches his hands with Fry's as a result. With the Robot Devil's hands, Fry is now a success with the holophoner, becoming famous and even given a chance to make an opera about anything. He chooses Leela as his subject, and the Robot Devil returns with a scheme of getting his hands back. The Robot Devil offers a deal to give Bender whatever he wants, and so Bender chooses to be more annoying with an air horn. He uses it on Leela and as a result she goes deaf. Leela is heartbroken that she won't be able to hear Fry's opera now. As Fry's opera reaches the 2nd part, the Robot Devil offers Leela a deal of new robotic ears in exchange for her hand. She takes it and is able to hear Fry's opera again, but the Robot Devil isn't impressed with it, as Fry mocks him in the opera show. The Robot Devil jumps in and stops the opera, claiming it to be lousy, and wants his hands back. Fry says no and everyone sings along in a opera fashion until the Robot Devil reveals that Leela signed the deal for a hand... in marraige. Fry, realising he has no choice if he wants to be Leela, gives up his robot hands for her, and the Robot Devil leaves. With his regular hands again, Fry attempts to play the Holophoner again, but its absolutely terrible, and sends everyone out of the show apart from Leela, and the final quote from the show "Please don't stop playing Fry, I want to hear how it ends" is said from her, and nevertheless with a smile Fry goes back and plays the final scene, and although a bit crudely in terms of quality, it shows Fry and Leela having a kiss and walking away holding hands.

This episode was brilliantly plotted and ended the series on a high note. Although the series is revived again and with seemingly no hint of the Fry-Leela relationship again, its no wonder why this finale worked so well, that opera song is still in my head! Kudos for Futurama going out with a bang, but what can we expect to see in the new revived series now?

The Devil's Hands Are Idle Playthings is the finale of the original run, and it really is perfect for it. One of the more emotional episodes, it also has an amazing musical number that showcases the vocal talents of the main actors as well as guest Dan Castellaneta.

What strikes me when watching the episode is how much it could be a film, with its quite slow tempo that is increased in the finale climax. What I miss from the episode, however, is jokes. It is an emotional episode, but it is not a calm one, it is pretty action-filled (at least the third act), and it is not extremely emotional until the very end, markin lots of spaces where jokes could have been without disturbing the emotions.

This is such a great finale to me. Without having anything special happening by the end, making space for a continuation (the films and the second run), it still has a beautiful ending that hints hope that Fry will finally get Leela. We are shown that Fry, this lovable idiot, actually has a really big heart, and he has the brains to express himself in a wonderful opera, if he only have the hands to play it.

Ofcourse mentioning it's a finale, it's immediately compared to the end of Into the Wild Green Yonder, that really is the exact opposite, the action-packed sci-fi finale that leaves everything open in an entirely different way. If there is to be a final, third finale... I can't see a better one made, but I want it to be in the style of this.

Futurama's first of many 'finale's and a damn fine open-ended-ending too. I've read interviews where David X. Cohen said they tried to end on a show that didn't conclude things (because of the possibility of a 5th season still being there), but rather that they tried to create an episode that sums up everything Futurama is to people and with that in mind, this episode is a triumph. Let's see. It's hilarious, so that's ticked off. Certainly one of the show's funniest. Does it make use of the wonderful setting? There's no sci-fi epic here, but a constant bombardment of sci-fi gags more than make up for that, so again tick. Lastly, it's a wonderful Fry and Leela episode where their feelings for eachother are made very clear. The animation throughout the episode is excellent and it may well be Futurama's finest hour in the musical number department. Fry's opera allows for several songs to be showcased and each and every one is brilliant. There are also countless callbacks to past episodes without things being gratuitous and the Robot Devil makes a comeback! One of the best characters in the show's run and one of the best guest stars too.

It's not the greatest episode ever, but it's up there.