Talk:Futurama/Archive 1
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
This is an archive of past discussions. Do not edit the contents of this page. If you wish to start a new discussion or revive an old one, please do so on the current talk page. |
Contents |
Celebrity voice actors
Stephen Hawking? How do you know it wasn't just someone with a SimpleText program and a speaker? Was he actually listed in the credits? Did he actually take the time out of his busy schedule as a physics theorist to go to a studio and degradingly record the voice out of his speakerbox for the novelty value? DryGrain 13:51, 13 Apr 2004 (UTC)
- Yes, it was him (Stephen Hawking's IMDb page). Ausir 14:06, 13 Apr 2004 (UTC)
- What exactly is so degrading about it? He has stated before that he identifies with that voice as his. Quite frankly, it humanizes him to know that he's willing to make fun of himself by playing a murderous credit-stealing jackass.
- And if you think Hawking is busy, Al Gore appeared in the same episode while being Vice President of the US and planning his presidential run. -- Cyrius|✎ 17:06, Apr 13, 2004 (UTC)
-
- Hawking is also the only person to play himself (or rather a hologram of himself) in a Star Trek episode. Ausir 18:50, 13 Apr 2004 (UTC)
-
-
- Plus he was on The Simpsons, where he was introduced as "The World's Smartest Man!" --Arteitle 22:32, Apr 13, 2004 (UTC)
-
And was misidentified by Homer as Larry Flynt, parapalegic publisher of Hustler.
Wasnt it *fouth* and last season? They were broadcast as 5 seasons, but made as four.
- Why don't you do some research, and update the article accourdingly? MB 00:52 2 Jun 2003 (UTC)
- All 72 episodes were originally created in 4 production runs called 1ACV to 4ACV. They were aired in five season, this current season being the 5th season. The announcement that they were going to stop production of Futurama came in the 3rd season (2001). I guess we should update the article to refelct this. Tonights episode was S05E09 or 4ACV12 MB 01:05 2 Jun 2003 (UTC)
" and horribly inefficient "transport tubes." "
As an avid Futurama watcher, I'm not sure this has been illustrated satisfactorily (with the exception of Fry's shenanigans) should this be removed?
Perhaps, althought it's only mentioned in the briefest passing. I too agree that it is unfair to call the tubes inefficient, we've only seen them in action in a handful of shows. They're hardly part of the series. Cogibyte 04:17, 8 Dec 2003 (UTC)
- There was an episode where the mayor opens a new tube line because of the congestion, however generally they work fine Paul Weaver
About the speculation section... I put that in because I saw a connection, and nobody has taken it down yet. I haven't seen it documented anywhere else, so I'd like some feedback on the possibility. Anybody agree? Cogibyte 01:51, 10 Dec 2003 (UTC)
I like your theory but I don't think it's actually very acurate.
- the pessimistic, depressed, super-intelligent robot Marvin the Paranoid Android is similar to the pessimistic, suicide-prone (in the first episode), hard-drinking robot Bender
- Marvin is well known for his intelligence while Bender is not. Bender is lazy, greedy and a cleptomaniac, not of that applies to Marvin who always does as ordered by humans despite complaining about it. Appart from both beeing suicidal robots I don't think they've got anything in common.
- The cheerful, attractive, intelligent Trillian parallels the good-natured, attractive, competent Leela.
- I wouldn't describle either of them as especially cheerful or attractive.
- Fry, the displaced, somewhat bumbling liability and last surviving 20th centurian closely resembles Arthur Dent, the displaced, confused, liability and last surviving 20th centurian, and earthling.
- Arthur Dent isn't the last surving human beeing because Trillian is also human (and therefore not the last surving "20th centurian"), also all the non human characters could be described as "20th centurians". I don't really see why beeing one of only two humans left alive is in any way similar to beeing the last "20th centurian". Also Fry and Dent aren't really similar at all. Dent is an average human who finds the alien culture very strange, while Fry also finds the 31st century very strange he is also of below average intelligence.
- The strongest connection are the mutually cocky, showish, shortsighted, womanizing, ships Captians Zapp Brannigan in Futurama and Zaphod Beeblebrox in HGG. Even the names are similar (ZB).
- There are some similarities there I admit but I think its probably coincidence.
- Professor Farnsworth once declared himself dead as a tax dodge. Hotblack Desiato, a rock singer did the exact same thing in HHGG.
- I don't rember Farnsworth declaring himself dead. Was he really dead or just pretending? If he was just pretending then its not really like Hotblack Desiato at all.
- The writing style is not a wide departure either; both series use a sharply ironic and character based humor.
- You could say that about most sitcoms so it's hardly much of a connection. I don't really think they're much like each other at all really apart from both beeing comedy science fiction. Saul Taylor 08:14, 31 Dec 2003 (UTC)
Professor Farnsworth did not declare himself dead as a tax dodge. Hermes's son incorrectly believed that the Professor had done so, but the Professor himself denied it, complaining that he once took a nap in a ditch in the park, and "they" declared him dead for no good reason (yet another example of the "throwaway" lines). Publius 19:02, 16 Jan 2004 (UTC)
-
- Does any one think the "speculation" section should stay? It seems completely un-encyclopedic to me, at best debatable and at worst completely unfounded. Saul Taylor 05:32, 17 Jan 2004 (UTC)
-
-
- Just wanted to belatedly address the (long-since deleted) statement that Fry was the "last surviving 20th centurian" by pointing out a few other 20th century defrostees we've seen in the 31st century. Off the top of my head: Fry's ex-girlfriend, Pauly Shore, and "That Guy" (though he's no longer "surviving", having succumbed to his boneitis). --Arteitle 04:35, Mar 12, 2004 (UTC)
-
I added short bits explaining what consoles the game was available on, and about the spin-off Bongo Comics series too. Considering the comic books the only form Futurama is still continuing in, I thought it was worth the mention. Perhaps it is worth breaking the bits about the game/comics off into a 'Merchandising' or 'Spin-offs' section, for neatness and clarity, as they now fall under 'Production', but are nothing to do with the animated series' production. Any opinions on that idea? (WikiSimon, 19 March 2004)
- I broke the parts about non-broadcast media into their own section, without having read this first. =) It could probably use a retitle. "Non-broadcast media" is sounding decent right now.
- Having 'Spin-offs' and 'Merchandising' sections (you'd need both) isn't justified with the current text volume in the section. -- Cyrius 23:34, Mar 19, 2004 (UTC)
Speculation section deleted
since nobody has argued for keeping the "speculation" section since I asked whether it should be deleted or not, I have now removed it from the page.Saul Taylor 15:58, 26 Jan 2004 (UTC)
If anyone thinks it should be put back then heres the full text:
-
- It seems possible that some of the characters and settings found in Futurama episodes are loosely based on Douglas Adams' books and radio series The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. For example, the pessimistic, depressed, super-intelligent robot Marvin the Paranoid Android is similar to the pessimistic, suicide-prone (in the first episode), hard-drinking robot Bender. The cheerful, attractive, intelligent Trillian parallels the good-natured, attractive, competent Leela. Fry, the displaced, somewhat bumbling liability and last surviving 20th centurian closely resembles Arthur Dent, the displaced, confused, liability and last surviving 20th centurian, and earthling. The strongest connection are the mutually cocky, showish, shortsighted, womanizing, ship captains of Zapp Brannigan in Futurama and Zaphod Beeblebrox in Hitchhiker's Guide. Even the names are similar (ZB).
-
- Professor Farnsworth once declared himself dead as a tax dodge. In Hitchhiker's Guide, a rock singer named Hotblack Desiato did exactly the same thing.
-
- The writing style is not a wide departure either; both series use a sharply ironic and character based humor. Futurama however, being only produced for television, is more mass consumable; its jokes are less involved or as serious.
- The article on Zapp Brannigan reproduced the speculation linking him with Zaphod Beeblebrox. Following the discussion on this page, I nixed it there. (After all, Brannigan obtained his captaincy by working up a—presumably incompetent—chain of command, whilst Beeblebrox got the Heart of Gold by stealing it.) Anville 14:21, 20 Mar 2005 (UTC)
Episode summaries
Is there any demand for more episode summaries like Futurama (animated series) season 1? -- Cyrius 20:17, 11 Mar 2004 (UTC)
- Hmm, most of those summaries look like they've been lifted straight out of TV Guide or something. "Fry discovers the nuts and bolts of living with a robot." I don't even know if this stuff is copyvio or not... Original summaries would be good though- we have them for plenty of other shows. - DropDeadGorgias (talk) 21:13, Mar 11, 2004 (UTC)
-
-
- I've rewritten the Season 1 summaries, but they're definitely works in progress. They're overly detailed, and need a lot trimming. I included a few quotes for each episode that I think provide good characterization, add to the setting, or provide social commentary, but YMMV. -- Cyrius 08:26, 12 Mar 2004 (UTC)
-
Inventions
"showcases numerous technological advantages that have been developed by the year 3000." - followed not by technological advantages but bizare inventions developed by the Professor that never see the light of day. Can't think of a good edit to clarify this. --DamienG 21:12, 30 Aug 2004 (UTC)
anti-MP3 slant
More attention need to be given to the horribly undisguised anti-MP3 message from "I Dated a Robot". How can Groening claim to be different from Family Guy when he's just as loud a mouthpiece for some half-assed, questionable "cause"?
Um, what cause? Believing in intellectual property rights? Oh, no, how dare he? Everything should be free for you, right?
Maybe he's... JOKING?
Or maybe just because something is a satire doesn't make it the same as Family Guy. I believe Groening claims that Futurama is different from Family Guy because of the structure of the show. Family Guy is a series of non-linear one-liners while Futurama is a somewhat more plausible storyline. Both are unique works in adult animation, and both are humor-based, but pointing out that both have satiric messages and are thus the same show is a bit inane.
Broken Images?
Neither image is working for me. The image page says they were uploaded on January 27, 2004, during the "January Gap", and the web server is reporting a 404 on the actual image url [1]. I doubt the uploader Maveric149 still has them. -- Cyrius 23:17, Mar 19, 2004 (UTC)
Links for unneeded articles
I rolled back; those links weren't all useless by any stretch. If people don't want them, don't click on them. Meelar 04:32, 1 Apr 2004 (UTC)
- Many of those links will not be used for anything. For instance, the Space Pope: the character only shows up for a few seconds in the series, with hardly any information as to what he is at all. There's no need for such excessive linking, and there isn't a need for several articles on every little detail of the series. And even for the ones that exist, there isn't a need for links to every single word. -- LGagnon
-
- I agree wih this and the Space Pope is the perfect example. All we know about the Space Pope is that he is reptilian. There's nothing there to make an article out of. Likewise, Soylent Cola and the Finglonger are never going to have enough information for a real article. Links need to be kept relevant, and links to intern, bureaucrat, and business aren't. -- Cyrius | Talk 22:15, Apr 2, 2004 (UTC)
-
- I am in agreement. I've never cared for a link to every single show, especially when those pages aren't written. Wikipedia is an encyclopedia, and a detailed article for each episode of one of many television series doesn't seem to belong. Listing the episodes and a brief summary, fine. But there are resources on the web that deal with the series more thoroughly, and this page links to them. Furthermore, whereas items such as the Space Pope 'may' need 'some' explanation, I agree with the parent; that it doesn't justify an entire article. Wikifying every proper noun is not responsible editing. --Cogibyte 03:01, 3 Apr 2004 (UTC)
An article on the Space Pope was recently made, despite this debate. Maybe we should have that one deleted, as well as any other unneeded articles created recently that could simply have their contents put in this article? -- LGagnon 23:36, 16 Jul 2004 (UTC)
- Maybe merge them into some sort of secondary one-shot background characters article. -- Cyrius|✎ 23:40, 16 Jul 2004 (UTC)
We still have a bunch of stub articles being made for both major and minor characters from this series. Could we please just make one Characters of Futurama article and merge all those into it? There's no need for all these gratuitous stubs. There are also other unneeded articles being made that can be found in the Futurama category that should be either merged into this article or given a single article for themselves. Having so many of these for every tiny aspect of the series is just ridiculous. -- [[User:LGagnon|LGagnon]] 04:45, Aug 23, 2004 (UTC)
- This idea is doubleplusgood... Fandom seems to be running rampant for a number of series' and we're practically tripping ofer stubs. Suggest merging into one page, and leaving redirects at each character name article to the single page (my idea would be Futurama (TV series - characters). -- Netoholic 05:00, 23 Aug 2004 (UTC)
The amount of arbitrary Futurama articles has only continued to grow out of control. I suggest someone starts merging all the minor character articles into one article, and then merge all of the other minor detail articles into articles for such things. The current state of it all is just rediculous, and needs to be fixed immediately. -- LGagnon 18:37, Sep 11, 2004 (UTC)
Quotes to Wikiquote?
Maybe we should move the recently added quotes to the Wikiquote page for Futurama (there's a link in the article's External links section to it). -- LGagnon
- If you want to do the work, I won't complain. It'll need some restructuring to handle the short conversation quotes though. -- Cyrius|✎ 04:06, Apr 26, 2004 (UTC)
When was this set?
According to this article, Futurama is set in the year 3000. According to 30th century, most of Futurama is set in the 31st century.
- The portions of Futurama that aren't set in the "present" begin on December 31, 2999, with the defrosting of Philip J. Fry after almost exactly 1000 years of cryogenic suspension. The four production seasons of Futurama correspond roughly to years within the Futurama universe. The second season episode "Xmas Story" is explicitly set on December 24, 3000, leaving most of the show's run to take place after new year's day, 3001.
- So Futurama is initially set in the year 3000, but most of the show's episodes are set in the 31st century. -- Cyrius|✎ 02:05, 30 Nov 2004 (UTC)
- The article as it stands is misleading. My suggestion: Set in "New New York City" during the present (January 1, 2000) and over four years beginning on December 31, 2999, ... Brianjd 05:53, 2004 Dec 1 (UTC)
That's stupid. The term "31st century" conjurs up no details of _exactly_ when it was set, and so should be taken as a rough estimate of at least about 1000 years from now. Anything more would be pedantic.
![[1]](http://en.wikipedia.org/upload/b/b6/Futurama1.jpg){kind=link}