Futurama Season 7 Discussion Thread

Discussion in 'Science Fiction & Fantasy' started by The Nth Doctor, Jun 21, 2012.

  1. Christopher

    Christopher Writer Admiral

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    I've always found it sad that we remember Tonya Harding, who committed a horrible crime just to win a contest, more than we remember Nancy Kerrigan, the more gifted skater that she victimized. I mean, Harding committed the assault because she wanted to be more successful and famous than Kerrigan, and we basically gave her the fame she wanted, even though she didn't deserve it.
     
  2. Ar-Pharazon

    Ar-Pharazon Admiral Premium Member

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    Infamous usually trumps moderately famous, though we might not remember either one if not for the "incident".
     
  3. RJDiogenes

    RJDiogenes Idealistic Cynic and Canon Champion Premium Member

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    Actually, the incident inspired me to watch skating to support Nancy Kerrigan (who is a local girl)-- which led to my obsession with Surya Bonaly. :rommie:
     
  4. Christopher

    Christopher Writer Admiral

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    First off, just because something is "usual" doesn't make it right or fair. Second, Nancy Kerrigan was already a rising star before the attack -- she'd won bronze at the '92 Olympics and was designated the United States Champion for the World Championships, and she had many corporate sponsorships lined up (the fact that she's gorgeous certainly didn't hurt). That's why Harding arranged to have her attacked -- out of jealousy of her fame and success.

    In fact, the attack only raised Kerrigan's profile at first, and it didn't harm her skating performance in the long run; she went on to do well at the '94 Winter Olympics. But the media decided her 15 minutes were over and tore her down because of a couple of ill-chosen comments she made while mikes were on, because the media love scandals even when they have to make them up.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nancy_Kerrigan
     
  5. Mister Fandango

    Mister Fandango Fleet Captain

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    It just makes it real life rather than the happy-happy-joy-joy wonders of Fantasyland.
     
  6. 1001001

    1001001 Serial Canon Violator Moderator

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    Well, I really wish the finale had been an hour long, so they could have said a more appropriate goodbye to everyone.

    But having said that, I loved it.

    Fry: "What do you say, wanna go around again?"
    Leela: " I do."

    :wah:

    Great, great show.

    Farewell, everyone!
     
  7. Chris3123

    Chris3123 Vice Admiral Admiral

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    I agree. Just way too short.

    Me too.

    And then Comedy Central airs the very first episode right after that. Brilliant. :techman:
     
  8. Christopher

    Christopher Writer Admiral

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    Well, it's come to an end... again. "Meanwhile" was pretty nice -- not as poignant as, well, all the other poignant ones up to and including "Game of Tones," but still rather sweet and effective. It did both of the things that tend to make for better Futurama episodes: telling a character-driven story that lets the characters have genuine emotion and growth rather than just being caricatures or the butt of jokes, and employing a science-fiction premise that actually drives the story and shapes events rather than just being a background trapping. In fact, it was a pretty good use of time manipulation as a symbol or parallel for Fry's feelings and wishes, the SF and the character story meshing smoothly and propelling each other. And seeing Fry and Leela's life together was rather touching.

    The main thing that brought it down for me was the quite literal reset button at the end. I think they've gotten a bit too used to expecting to get uncancelled. I'm glad the Professor survived, but I regret seeing all of Fry and Leela's life together erased and forgotten. It makes it feel a bit too much like just another episode.

    Then again, I suppose the parts they won't remember will have started after Fry's proposal, so if the show does come back, there should still be a change in the status quo -- I hope. Maybe someday we'll find out.
     
  9. bigdaddy

    bigdaddy Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Nope. If it comes back Fry proposed with the button, the Professor said it would go back to before the button was made.

    The writers don't like the two of them together, too limited. If it comes back than I doubt they will be engaged yet.
     
  10. Tosk

    Tosk Admiral Admiral

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    He was already planning it though, so there's that.

    Not that it matters anyway, they already got married and lived a wonderful life together. The reset button doesn't ruin that any more than the fact that Leela isn't even the Leela that Fry originally fell in love with. Not so long ago, he traveled forward so far into the future that the universe ended and re-started. Then he did it again. Then he killed the Fry that was living there and took his place. :)

    Loved the finale. As I have done twice before. (Hmmm...)

    I'll miss you Futurama. Again. I will avenge you!
     
  11. The Nth Doctor

    The Nth Doctor Infinite Possibilities... Premium Member

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    Beautiful finale. *sniff*

    As digits said, the only thing I would have wished for was a longer episode so everyone could get a proper ending (although I suppose one could argue Zoidberg already got his proper ending last week).

    The show gave us 14 on-and-off years of hilarity, science-fiction nuttiness, a plethora of great characters, and one of the television's best romances as well as one of the best series finales (yes, even better than "The Devil's Hands are Idle Playthings"). I'm very happy the show came back (twice), but now it's time to let the show rest.
     
  12. Christopher

    Christopher Writer Admiral

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    Yeah, but they won't remember that life. That's what disappoints me.
     
  13. dansigal

    dansigal Captain Captain

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    Normally I'm with you on the resets, but I felt like this one wasn't a reset just for the sake of returning everything to normal, this reset gave two people who spent a wonderful life together the chance to do it all again. Whether they remember the first time or not, it doesn't negate that it happened. Plus, we know that Fry and Leela have already learned exactly what their future together holds.
     
  14. Tosk

    Tosk Admiral Admiral

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    No one gets to remember their life when it's over. For me, it's enough that they loved their life together. Decades of it. Getting to do it again is better than we can ever hope for. :)
     
  15. dansigal

    dansigal Captain Captain

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    Yes. This.
     
  16. IndyJones

    IndyJones Vice Admiral Admiral

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    That's a nice way of looking at it.
     
  17. Christopher

    Christopher Writer Admiral

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    Fair points. I guess I just feel that a reset button in a series finale is a bit of a copout. Although, granted, if they had left this status quo intact, it would've been pretty hard to undo it if the show did return.

    Really, though, I'd kind of prefer it if it didn't return. The revivals weren't as good as the original, but they still had some worthwhile or even excellent episodes. I wouldn't want to see it come back only to deteriorate further in quality.
     
  18. RJDiogenes

    RJDiogenes Idealistic Cynic and Canon Champion Premium Member

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    For you absent-minded professor types out there who missed the finale, Comedy Central is re-running it next Monday at 3:08am.

    Just sayin.'
     
  19. JirinPanthosa

    JirinPanthosa Admiral Admiral

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    I liked the finale.

    I've pretty much only seen the first and last season so far, with scattered episodes in between. I think the quality of the writing in the last season was way better than the quality of writing they had at the beginning, which is the opposite of most TV series.

    (And I think the biggest mistake they made in the series was the heads. In the series premiere they give the writers an out to make easy references to 20th century celebrities in a show that takes place in the distant future. I mean, who flipping cares about Richard Nixon, really?!)

    Futurama had the potential to get more network success, but I think a lot of people were hoping for another Simpsons and instead got a show with nihilist overtones that was at it's best when it was cartoon-violent and cynical. The last season definitely had the heart it was lacking at the beginning.
     
  20. JD

    JD Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    The heads are one of my favorite elements of the show, if it weren't for the heads we never would have gotten Where No Fan Has Gone Before. I love Nixon's head, he's hilarious.