Today’s a good day to review the last four episodes because it’s John DiMaggio’s 42nd birthday! If you have to ask, then you obviously don’t watch enough and you can’t stop reading this now.
I was a bit miffed with it ending at 12 but then I remembered how cable networks, especially Comedy Central have shorter seasons compared to the dying dinosaurs known as broadcast networks. Even South Park is abbreviated most years. I’m confident I will have to buy another season pass through iTunes based upon the rather arbitrary definition.
Still, I feel the show regained its footing and could gamble more on its jokes because it was on a basic cable channel which means the standards and practices aren’t as lame; Al Jean of The Simpsons stated how butt cracks aren’t allowed on Fox…Fox of all networks, the one which lowered the standard along with injecting more advertising so a half-hour sitcom is only 20 minutes? Comedy Central isn’t quite as Puritanical yet they share Fox’s mercenary values.
Enough griping. Here’s the synopses on what will have to suffice until Comedy Central airs the remaining 14 they ordered with hopes they’ll buy another couple seasons.
A Clockwork Origin takes on the arguments of Evolution versus Creationism with a hilarious cameo during the Creationists’ protest. My favorite part was Professor Farnsworth deflating a common argument (more like a tactic) Intelligent Design proponents use called God of the Gaps. Somebody on the writing staff really knew his/her anthropology. I found the ending to be a cop out in the vein of Maureen Dowd’s way of thinking.
The Prisoner of Benda is the triumphant return of writer Ken Keeler doing a show (he’s part of the regular staff) and demonstrating how Math (really Logic or a Proof) can be utilized to make an awesome plot. It hinges upon the Professor and Amy building a machine which transfer personalities between bodies but it’s a one-way trip. Oddly, there’s no musical number which Keeler’s other claim to fame.
Lrrreconcilable Ndndifferences brings everybody’s favorite conquerer to Earth, Lrrr of Omicron Persei 8. Due to his wife Ndnd’s nagging, Lrrr crashes San Diego Comicon 3010 and gets contradictory marital advice from the Planet Express crew, namely Leela and Bender. I loved the jokes ripping on how fanboys behave at conventions. Believe me, people are so f-ing rude recording with their phones at these events and concerts. This was written by Patric Verrone who contributes to the comic book and most may know him as the former WGA (West) President during the writers’ strike. Katee Sackhoff (Starbuck) is the guest voice of Grrrl alongside Matt Groening, David X. Cohen and cartoonist Sergio Aragones.
The Mutants are Revolting celebrates the 100th show (not bad, it took 11 years) which coincides with PE making its 100th delivery! Devo appears through the voice of Mark Mothersbaugh. Watch for the reference from one of the first major Sci-Fi movie ever made. It’s a bittersweet milestone because there’s a dedication at the end for producer Alex Johns who died last month. He was very involved with the program’s original run on Fox and worked on other animated shows/movies: The Ant Bully, Olive the Other Reindeer and Ren & Stimpy.
The scorecard as per The Onion’s AV Club:
- A Clockwork Origin: B
- The Prisoner of Benda: A+
- Lrrreconcilable Ndndifferences: B+
- The Mutants are Revolting: B