Bender Should Not Be Allowed on TV
| "Bender Should Not Be Allowed on TV" | |
|---|---|
| Futurama episode | |
| File:Futurama ep60.jpg | |
| Episode no. | Season four |
| Directed by | Ron Hughart |
| Written by | Lewis Morton |
| Original air date | August 3 2003 |
| Episode features | |
| Opening cartoon | unknown |
Bender Should Not Be Allowed on TV is the sixth episode of the fourth production season of Futurama.
Plot summary
Template:Spoiler After an actor on All My Circuits malfunctions, an open casting call is held for a replacement actor. Bender applies and wins the part, even though the part is that of a childbot.
On the set, the writers have written a part for Bender appropriate to his acting ability, a never ending coma. Not liking the decision, Bender starts singing, dancing, drinking and smoking while the show is filming. Bender is almost fired, but the network executives reveal that Bender's reckless behavior boosted the show's ratings. The show is turned into a vehicle for Bender, and kids, such as Dwight, Cubert, The Cookieville Orphans and Tinny Tim, start to follow his example.
Farnsworth and Hermes, disgusted by this, start the protest group Fathers Against Rude Television (F.A.R.T). Meanwhile, the three kids decide to rob Bender, imitating his robberies on TV. The kids throw a party at the Planet Express office, until it is stopped by Hermes, Farnsworth, and Bender.
Bender, annoyed that he inspired the robbery of himself, decides to lead the F.A.R.T in a crusade to get himself off TV. Invading the set, Bender is held at gunpoint by both F.A.R.T and the network executives to quit the show and shoot the scene, respectively. Bender grabs both guns and makes a statement about just "turning off the TV, sitting down with your kids and hitting them".
At Planet Express, Farnsworth realises that sometimes you just need to turn off the TV once in a while. The group continues to watch, however.
Trivia
- This episode reveals that Dwight's birthday and Cubert's "growth-scraping day" are in the same week.
- Amongst the F.A.R.T members are the pizza alien from "A Leela of Her Own", the Horrible Gelatinous Blob (whose parentship was revealed in "The Route of All Evil"), and the Donbot.
- In the original airing order this is the third episode in a row to focus on Bender.
- The end of this episode features the cast singing TV Party by Black Flag while Everybody Loves Hypnotoad is shown.
References
- The entire episode is a reference to parent group's reactions to Bart Simpson in the early 90s. The Simpsons had a similar episode about a parent's group protesting against violence on television.
- One of the mothers is upset that their child has wires hanging in his compartment. She screams at him "I told you, no hanging wires!" a reference to the 1981 film Mommie Dearest.
- One of the robots has his hands bolted onto his head, looking like Macaulay Culkin in Home Alone. Leela comments that he hasn't been cute since he had puberty installed, referencing Culkin's loss in appeal after he reached puberty.
- Everybody Loves Hypnotoad is a reference to Everybody Loves Raymond.
- The head executive is a Mac laptop.
- Gamma Bot says "It will play in Peoria". Peoria, Illinois is often used as a test market for America at large in the entertainment industry.
- "F.A.R.T" is possibly a reference to "Americans for Responsible Television" (see Terry Rakolta). "F.A.R.T." could also be based on the Parents Television Council, which is a social conservative group lead by L. Brent Bozell III. The PTC is known for constantly protesting the FCC to remove content that they do not like.
- There is a reference to a device called a coolometer, which measures coolness. The unit is a Megafonzie.
- This episode shows multiple issues of "Playbot" magazine, a robot version of Playboy.
- When the Execubots arrive the Red Alert sound from Star Trek is played.
Quotes
- Calculon: That was so terrible I think you gave me Cancer!
- Director: (shouting) Cut! (He walks onto the set.) That's the worst coma acting I've ever seen. We'll have to shoot it again.
Calculon: No! No, no, no. I don't do two takes.
Director: But this guy was--
Calculon: Amateurs like you do two takes. I do one take. Print it. I'll be in my three-story trailer.
[He takes a bouquet of flowers from a woman.] - Calculon: I've seen better acting from extras in Godzilla movies!
- Network President: Greetings gentlemen. You already know my execubots. Executive Alpha, programmed to like things it has seen before.
Executive Alpha: Hey, hey, hey.
Network President: Executive Beta, programmed to roll dice to determine the fall schedule.
Executive Beta: (rolls dice) More reality shows!
Network President: And Executive Gamma, programmed to underestimate middle America.
Executive Gamma: It's funny, but is it going to get them off their tractors? - Professor Farnsworth: Good lord! I'm getting a reading of over 40 megafonzies!
- Bender: Viewers of the world! Do smoking and drinking on TV make me cool? Of course they do! How about committing crimes and violence? Again, the answer is yes. But do we really want our kids exposed to that kind of trash on TV? I say: Absolutely not!
(accidentally fires a gun at Professor Farnsworth)
On the other hand, most, perhaps all the blame rests with the parents. That's right, you!
(points a gun at FART protesters, who scream)
And so, I ask you this one question. Have you ever tried simply turning off the TV, sitting down with your children, and hitting them?
Hermes: We're just so busy...
Bender: Well, make time.
Professor Farnsworth: And for what? Some kind of cheap laugh? That's not what F.A.R.T. is about."