Spanish Fry
| "Spanish Fry" | |
|---|---|
| Futurama episode | |
| File:Futurama ep71.jpg | |
| Episode no. | Season four |
| Directed by | Peter Avanzino |
| Written by | Ron Weiner |
| Original air date | July 13 2003 |
| Episode features | |
| Opening cartoon | Unknown |
"Spanish Fry" is the seventeenth episode of Season four of Futurama. It originally aired in North America on July 13 2003.
Plot summary
Template:Spoiler While camping in the woods on a company outing, Fry is abducted by aliens in his search for Bigfoot. He wakes up the next morning to find that his nose was stolen from his face. Fry learns that human noses are considered an alien aphrodisiac called "Human Horn". Bender, Leela, and Fry find out that Fry's nose was stolen by an alien porn dealer who sold the nose to Lrrr.
The three travel to Omicron Persei VIII, where they learn Lrrr and Ndnd are having marriage problems, thus explaining Lrrr's purchase. After retrieving Fry's nose, Leela reattaches it with her laser. Once Bender finishes explaining some human anatomy to Lrrr, Lrrr orders that Fry's penis (his "lower horn") be removed for consumption. Leela stalls Lrrr by suggesting that he and Ndnd have a romantic dinner together in the woods and work on their relationship. The dinner almost fails and as Fry is about to get his penis chopped off, Bigfoot shows himself.
The park ranger also shows up pleased to have finally seen Bigfoot. He attempts to amputate one of Bigfoot's feet as a trophy, but Lrrr stops him. Lrrr then delivers a speech on how Fry's penis, like Bigfoot, is one of God's most beautiful creatures. Ndnd then realizes that her husband is still the sensitive Omicronian she fell for. The crew runs for it as the now-happy couple passionately make love.
Cultural references
- The episode's title is based on Spanish fly, popularly and erroneously known as an aphrodisiac.
- The reference to "human horn" is based on the belief that rhinoceros horn is also an aphrodisiac.
- Joe Camel can be seen at the galactic bazaar.
- The sex shop at the Galactic Bazaar is named "The Beast With Two Bucks", a reference to "the beast with two backs", a common euphemism for sex. The phrase originates from Shakespeare's Othello.
- The flying Winnebago from Spaceballs is seen amongst the RVs in the parking lot.
- A vehicle resembling a sand crawler from the Star Wars universe can be found in the parking lot.
- Bender's constant mockery of Fry's genitals is a parody of Fox sitcoms such as Married... with Children, in which similar sexual gags provoke raucous laughter and hooting from the audience.
- Lrrr's quote "One of these days Ndnd, bang, zoom, straight to the third moon of Omicron Persei 8" is a reference to Ralph Kramden's classic line in The Honeymooners. A similar line was cut out of the episode "The Problem with Popplers".
- The tubes that come out of the saucer that abducts Fry are similar to the popular Microsoft screensaver "3-D Pipes".
- The final shot of the episode is very similar to the infamous shot of Bigfoot walking away in the Patterson film.
- One of the satellites that carries Ranger Park's exercycle advertisement resembles Sputnik, the first manmade object launched into space.
- The scene where Fry is abducted is a parody of the very first episode of The X-Files, "Pilot".
- When Farnsworth first sees what happens to Fry's nose, he says: Fry! what in Sega Genesis happened to you!?.
- Lrrr refers to Bigfoot as an "innocent giganto;" some people believe Bigfoot may be a living example of an ancient ape species called gigantopithecus.
- A green Pacer can be seen roasting on a spit in the background when the characters are walking through the bazaar.
Continuity
- This is the third time the opening theme is different and the second time it is replaced by a version sung a cappella by Billy West and John DiMaggio. The first time is in "Bender Should Not Be Allowed on TV".
- The 3D car being roasted over a fire at the outer space bazaar is the same car used in the episode "The Lesser of Two Evils"
- The Twilight Zone parody (The Scary Door) over the ending credits was originally going to be used in the episode "The Birdbot of Ice-Catraz".
- Though the episode goes with the idea that Bigfoot is still a mystery, in "The Farnsworth Parabox" Leela reads a magazine with a cover story about Bigfoot's 80th birthday.
- Fir trees are said to be extinct in Xmas story though they are plentiful in this episode.
