Why Must I Be a Crustacean in Love?

One of the season's worst.

The plot is inspired by an episode of Star Trek which is a big plus for any geeks like myself but unfortunately, Zoidberg just isn't lead-character material. He's my favourite character in the show, but he seems unable to sustain his own plot. Add on to that how most of the episode takes place on his home planet which is a visually very dull place with everything being made out of sand. Bland visuals really do go a long way to turn me off of Futurama and it's simply unfotunate that Zoidberg's planet had to look like it does.

On the humour front, I've seen better, but I've also seen worse. Not one of Futurama's best but there are worse episodes.

I personally thought this was a good episode. The episode featured funny moments from mainly Fry and Zoidberg, although the humour in it is consistent, its only just above average in my opinion. Basically, the episode follows Zoidberg going back to his home planet to find a mate (as its mating season for his species). Unfortuantly, no one wants to be with him and he tries to win a high school crush of his named Edna, which fails, even after Fry tries to help him but ultimately backfires on them and they end up in a fight to the death.

The episode had some good moments, mainly from Zoidberg's stupidity on immediatly wanting to mate and not making any sense. Fry trying to reason with Zoidberg was funny and ironic, to just see Zoidberg chop Fry's arm off was kind of dark and in-character for Zoidberg to do, with Fry shouting "You bastard, I'll kill you, you bastard!" but again the episode ends on a funny note, with Zoidberg trying to reattach Fry's arm after calming down and missing the mating frenzy, only to mess it up and cut his legs and head off. Overall, a score of somewhere in the mid 8/10 range.

Though an interesting plot and filled with great jokes (Zoidberg has always been the funniest crew member and this episode is entirely devoted to him and his species), the story lacks inspiration and turns out somewhat predictable and, honestly, boring. It has been proven on numerous occassions that while Zoidberg is an excellent side character, he cannot handle his own episode.

This aside, I do like the entire frenzy plot and seeing Zoidberg as what he is - a weird alien. But the continuity lack. Zoidberg's species dies after mating, but we have seen many old Decapodians since. Sure, it could be explained saying they failed to mate, but what about a famous man like Uncle Zoid? Surely he could attract some females?

Overall, a decent episode, and the first and third act are really funny, but the mid is pretty boring or at least not as interesting as a Futurama episode can be.

Once more, Futurama delivers an outstanding episode. Pretty much any line from this episode is amusing at worst, downright hilarious at best, and every character involved is perfectly played. The voice acting is amazingly good, and the animation is superb.

Jokes for nerds, background jokes, sight gags, and even filthy filthy jokes for filthy filthy nerds. This episode is overflowing with jokes. However, a couple of them fall a bit flat. Still, we're treated to Zoidberg eating his former school bunny, as well as Fry being essentially raped by a gigantic lobster - this is classic and bizzare Futurama humour at its best. If one or two jokes fall short of the mark, they can be forgiven in light of the many that are spot-on.

The music is perhaps one of the best parts of this episode, particularly the Decapodian National Anthem, and the incidental musical cues. That said, the rest of the episode is so good, you might not notice the music. The opening and ending are both strong, and although the plot isn't exactly new, it's superbly timed and paced.

Once more, Futurama manages to boldly go where many shows have been before, and show us something new and exciting. As well as something truly disgusting.

"Why Must I Be a Crustacean in Love" is a bizarre episode that is quite unique to Futurama. After Dr. Zoidberg starts acting extremely frisky during a workout at the gym, we learn that it is mating season for his species and that he has a very strong biological urge to mate with a female.

The gang fly to Zoidberg's home world, Decapod 10, and quickly learn that mating is a purely biological act among Decapodians; no notion of courtship, romance or love exists among the species, only an evolutionary desire to seek a genetically top-class mate. Zoidberg performs his mating dance and fails to secure a mate, inspiring Fry to teach Zoidberg some rudimentary, phony and boorish human courtship rituals. Fry's attempt to help his friend soon gets him into trouble as Edna, a female Deacapodian with whom Zoidberg had wanted to mate with for years, falls in love with him, and Zoidberg challenges Fry to a duel to the death. What would have been a mindless romantic comedy of errors in any other sitcom setting turns into an absolute riot when it involves a sentient but animalistic species such as the Decapodians, and "Why Must I Be a Crustacean in Love" exploits the clash of romantic cultures and the physical pecularities of Zoidberg's species to maximum effect.