Futurama/Fear of a Bot Planet

Fear of a Bot Planet
Season 1, Episode 5
Airdate	April 20, 1999
Production Number	1ACV05
Written by	Evan Gore, Heather Lombard
Directed by	Peter Avanzino, Carlos Baeza, Ashley Lenz, Chris Suave
← 1x04 Love's Labors Lost in Space	1x06 → A Fishful of Dollars
Futurama — Season One

Fear of a Bot Planet is the fifth episode of the first season of Futurama, and the fifth episode overall. Planet Express travels to the robot controlled planet of Chapek 9 where humans are killed on sight.

Guest Stars: Byrne Offutt (Ultility Player), Tom Kenny (Robot, Judge)

Plot Overview

While at a game of blernsball, Bender gets annoyed by the fact robots have been segregated in the sport. In fact, he feels that robots are mistreated in general by humans. In the middle of the game they get a call from Hermes who has a job for them; they are to travel to the planet of Chapek 9 which is ruled by robot extremists. Bender has to make the delivery once they get there, because humans are killed on sight.

However the robots figure out that Bender is working for humans and imprison him. Bender and Leela go after him dressed as robots and for a while are able to pass. That is until a robot catches Leela sneezing. Bender, who is now a celebrity due to made up stories about killing millions of humans, leads the hunt to find the humans. He comes across them at an old porn store where they are arrested. At the trial a judge rules tha they become slaves, living as robots live on Earth. However they soon discover that the planet is in fact ruled by robot elders who know the truth about humans. They are all able to escape by telling the elders that Fry can breath fire; the elders are confused if it's true or a lie that they had made up. Having escaped they crew are able to deliver their package of lugnuts and celebrate Robotica.

Notes

Title Sequence Quote

• "Featuring GRATUITOUS ALIEN NUDITY"

Quotes

• Bender: Admit it, you all think robots are just machines built by humans to make their lives easier.
  Fry: Well, aren't they?
  Bender: I've never made anyone's life easier and you know it!
• Robot Guard 1: Administer the test.
  Robot Guard 2: Which of the following would you most prefer. A, a puppy. B, a pretty flower from your sweetie. Or C, a large properly formatted data file.
  Fry: Uh, is the puppy mechanical in any way.
  Robot Guard 2: No, it is the bad kind of puppy.
  Leela: Then we'll go with that data file.
  Robot Guard 2: Correct.
  Robot Guard 1: The flower would also have been acceptable.

Reviews

• Overall Grade: B-, 1 review
• Review Breakdown: A+: 0 A: 0 A-: 0 B+: 0 B: 0 B-: 1 C+: 0 C: 0 C-: 0 D: 0 F: 0
• B-: For some reason this is the episode of Futurama I remember the most. Perhaps it ran a lot in syndication in my area, I don't know. What ever the case, I feel that it probably causes a little bit of negative bias towards the episode, as I feel like I know every line. That doesn't change the fact that there are some genuinely hilarious gags in this episode, such as when Leela and Fry, disguised, approach the robot guards who test them to see if they are robots. But really the plot is kind of silly, and one that seems like would have to happen in the series eventually. I'm just glad they got it out of the way early into the show. --MateoP 20:01, 20 August 2006 (EDT)