Hell Is Other Robots

One of the best episodes from the first season. The storyline isn't quite as focused as I'd like, but the concept of a Robot Devil was inspired and Dan Castellaneta's performance as such goes to show why he's one of the all time great voice-actors. Almost all of the character's life and personality comes from Dan.

It's also a very funny episode. Not as funny as Futurama would get in later episodes, but still very funny.

The episode also features perhaps the best musical number in the show's history which turns a rather lame joke into an incredibly funny one simply because it rhymes.

"Hell is Other Robots" is the most ambitious episode of the first season of Futurama, as it attempts to offer a futuristic take on drug addiction and religion. After a raucous Beastie Boys concert, one of the roadies takes Bender backstage, where he indulges in some electricity abuse. After Bender's addiction plunges him to rock bottom, Bender stumbles upon the Temple of Robotology, which is portrayed as more of a satire of fundamentalist Christianity and features Rev. Lionel Preacherbot, who speaks in the style of a black preacher. After Fry and Leela tire of the new milquetoast Bender, they drag him out for a night of debauchery in Atlantic City, after which Bender is abducted by the minions of the Robot Devil, forcing Fry and Leela to brave the depths of Robot Hell to save him.

"Hell is Other Robots" serves up an entertaining satire of drug addiction, as Bender experiences a psychedelic trip, John DiMaggio acts out Bender's agitated tremors and speech, and Fry unwittingly plays the role of enabler. The portrayal of the Temple of Robotology unfortunately isn't nearly as sharp, as it is too generic and bland to really offer any bite. Fortunately, Robot Hell is an absolute riot, with Dan Castellaneta performing a hilarious number enumerating the ironic punishments Bender must suffer during his descent through the circles of Hell, and the episode ends with Bender cheekily concluding that he won't ever again be "too good or too evil". Adam Horovitz and Mike Diamond make a real contribution to the episode, performing snippets of a couple of their tracks and chipping in on the Robot Hell number.

HiOR is one of the best Futurama episodes, easily up there in the top twenty. It's got a little more scope than episodes before it, in terms of the themes explored. Robot religion, addiction, and redemption are pretty big ones to explore, and this does a really good job.

The jokes are nearly all hilarious, the guest stars don't feel shoehorned in, there aren't really any continuity blips that I'm upset with, and there's a wonderful musical number near the end. It's episodes like this that got me hooked on Futurama, rather than leaving me content to be a casual viewer.

It's also the beginning of Bender's "breakout", IMO. It's his first episode carrying more than one big theme/plot element (and they're seamlessly woven together, too). As such it's an early glimpse into the personality and psyche of Bender - back when the character was still being formed, to some extent.

Not to say that there aren't problems. There are minor animation issues, and Katey Sagal puts in a lacklustre performance during the song... which is more than made up for by Dan Castawhatsis's performance as the Robot Devil.

Overall, a solid 9/10