I liked how Gary Gygax rolled his dice for everything.
Its a (rolls dice) pleasure to meet you.
The cover of the Monster Manual at the end matches the original print TSR Monster Manual. Yes I KNOW it's sad that I know that.
I believe the clip in the opener was from the Bosko series.
The 500 foot Bender story.
First, 500 feet? No metric system?
Second, it shows Leela working for Planet Express, and Fry without a friend. If Fry hadn't met Bender then wouldn't he have been killed by the suicide booth? If Fry were dead, then wouldn't Leela still be working at her old job?
The Fry not frozen story also shows the characters as they would have been had Fry gone to the future. Without Fry why would Leela quit her job & work for Planet Express and wouldn't Bender have been chopped up in the suicide booth?
I did like the tag at the begining of the episode... "Painstakingly drawn before a live studio audience"
"What are you Hackin' off?"
"Is it my torso?"
(Hacking sounds)
"It is!"
"My precious Torso!"
Heh. I love that.
>First, 500 feet? No metric system?>
They never stated that the metric system has caught on in America. I serious doubt it ever will.
America? Isn't the 30th century a united world, Ccabe?
Your nit about the street level being higher is accurate. Remember New New York is built on the ruins of Old New York, so of course the Empire State Building is 'shorter.'
I wonder if Bender's antannae was included in the 500 foot measurement?
So, Ccabe, is your new Futurma history chart going to include the what if events as well? ;-)
I wonder if Bender's antannae was included in the 500 foot measurement?
He only has one, so it's antenna, not antennae.
LOL I like that tag line too Jason. I think it comes from a Simpsons episode..the one where homer becomes poochy and he asks if the Itchy and Scratchy show is done live...the response is that it would be painful for the animators. :-)
I guess I should change that to "They never stated that the metric system has caught on in New New York. I serious doubt it ever will."
I'm surprised that nobody's mentioned that the new janitor is an obvious riff on Billy Bob Thornton in Sling Blade. Especially when he explains who the murderer is.
I noticed that! I just didn't come to the board till today.
I wondered if the "500' Bender" story was a take off on either "The Iron Giant" (I laughed so hard when "Iron Man" played as Bender flamed his way toward earth)
or "Mighty Joe" (the part when bender "hides" behind the tree)
Using people as weapons...I about died laughing.
So would men hog the finglonger like they do the remote?
I want a what-if machine!!!!
I believe it's a take off on the "Attack of the 50' Woman", a classic case of 50's SciFi camp.
Giant Bender's death is, I think, a takeoff of King Kong. Kong dies falling from the Empire State Building, Bender dies falling on it.
The first establishing shot of giant Bender with all the little Bender's building him really kicked.
No mention of Nichelle Nichols in her Uhura get up?
When Leela takes her boots off I wondered: "No socks?"
I thought the Giant Bender story was a cross between the Iron Giant and King Kong. Also reminded me a little of those Gamera Japanese films when the giant Zoidberg got in on the act. The Beastie Boys' "Intergalactic" film clip as well.
GUEST STAR PATROL: E. Gary Gygax played himself.
For those who don't know, Gygax is the guy who invented the game "Dungeons & Dragons" (but was not responsible for the abysmal movie).
Is it just me, or did (former) vice-president Al Gore actually provide his own voice in this episode?
He did, as did Stephen Hawking.
I liked how Gary Gygax rolled his dice for everything.
Its a (rolls dice) pleasure to meet you.
The cover of the Monster Manual at the end matches the original print TSR Monster Manual. Yes I KNOW it's sad that I know that.
I have only 4 words for Fry in bed with Leela....GO FOR IT, FRY!
Reference: Honey Comb Cereal..."I'm a big robot & I want a big cereal" (Bender) This was the slogan during the late 70's, early 80's
During Fry's segment, when he misses falling into the crygenic chamber, Nibbler's shadow is missing. Nice touch.
Spoiler for season 4
In the Fry segment, even though Nibbler's shadow is missing, Fry still delivers a pizza to I.C. Weiner even though it's Nibbler who makes the call for that pizza.
Nibbler must have accidentally knocked himself out.
Best quote from Nichelle Nicholls (probably the line that sealed the show's fate)- "An eternity with nerds- it's the Pasadena Star Trek Convention all over again!". In the commentary the producer noted that she said this line with a little too much realism!