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Hell Is Other Robots

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"Hell Is Other Robots"
Futurama episode
File:Temple of Robotology.png
Bender outside Temple of Robotology
Episode no.Season one
Directed byRich Moore
Written byEric Kaplan
Original air dateMay 18, 1999
Episode features
Opening cartoonMax Fleischer Studio's "Betty Boop and Grampy" from 1935.[1]
Episode chronology
Futurama season one
List of episodes

"Hell Is Other Robots" is the ninth episode of season one of Futurama. It originally aired in North America on May 18, 1999, as the season finale of the first season. The episode was written by Eric Kaplan and directed by Rich Moore. Guest stars in this episode include The Beastie Boys as themselves and Dan Castellaneta voicing the Robot Devil. The episode is one of the first to focus heavily on Bender as he develops an addiction to electricity. When this addiction becomes problematic, Bender joins the Temple of Robotology; however, after Fry and Leela successfully tempt Bender with alcohol and prostitutes, he quits the Temple of Robotology, but receives a visit from the Robot Devil for sinning. When Fry and Leela come to rescue him, the three escape safely.

The episode introduces the Robot Devil, Reverend Lionel Preacherbot and the religion of the Temple of Robotology, a Futurama spoof on the Church of Scientology. The episode received positive reviews, and was one of four featured on the DVD boxed set of Matt Groening's favorite episodes: Monster Robot Maniac Fun Collection.

Plot

After a Beastie Boys concert, Bender attends a party with his old friend, Fender. At the party, Bender and the other robots abuse electricity by "jacking on," and Bender develops an addiction. After receiving a near-lethal dose from an electrical disturbance, Bender realizes he has a problem and searches for help. He joins the Temple of Robotology, accepting the doctrine of eternal damnation in Robot Hell should he sin. After baptizing him in oil, the Reverend Lionel Preacherbot welds the symbol of Robotology to Bender's case.

As Bender begins to annoy his coworkers with his new religion, Fry and Leela decide they want the old Bender back. They fake a delivery to Atlantic City and tempt Bender with alcohol, prostitutes, and easy targets for theft. He eventually succumbs, rips off the Robotology symbol and throws it away, causing it to beep ominously.

While seducing three female robots, Bender is interrupted by a knock at his hotel room door. He opens the door and is knocked unconscious. He awakens to see the Robot Devil and finds himself in Robot Hell. The Robot Devil informs Bender that he agreed to be punished for sinning when he joined Robotology. After discovering Bender is missing, Fry and Leela attempt to track him down using Nibbler's sense of smell. Eventually, they arrive at an abandoned New Jersey amusement park where they find the entrance to Robot Hell.

A musical number starts as the Robot Devil begins detailing Bender's punishment. As the song ends, Fry and Leela arrive and try to reason with the Robot Devil on Bender's behalf. The Robot Devil tells them that the only way to win back Bender's soul is to beat him in a musical contest using a solid gold fiddle. After a few notes it is clear Leela's fiddle playing is pathetic, so she beats the Robot Devil with the fiddle instead. As Fry, Leela, and Bender flee the Robot Devil's clutches, Bender steals the wings off a flying torture robot, attaches them to his back, and airlifts Fry and Leela to safety. Leela drops the heavy golden fiddle onto the Robot Devil's head, making them light enough to escape. Bender promises to never be too good or too evil but to remain as he was before joining the Temple of Robotology.

Production

David X. Cohen

David X. Cohen and Ken Keeler traveled to New York to work with the Beastie Boys for their role.[2] They waited three days for the Beastie Boys to call and say they were willing to record but eventually gave up and returned to the studios in Los Angeles.[2] The audio tracks were recorded at a later date.[2] Adam "MCA" Yauch was unavailable at the time of the recording so only Adam "King Adrock" Horovitz and Michael "Mike D" Diamond voice themselves in the episode with Horovitz also voicing Yauch.[2][3] The Beastie Boys perform their 1998 hit single "Intergalactic" and "Super Disco Breakin", the first track from their album, Hello Nasty.[3] It was initially requested that they perform "Fight for Your Right" but they did not want to perform that particular song.[1] The episode also contains Futurama's first original musical number.[3] The lyrics to "Robot Hell" were written by Eric Kaplan and Ken Keeler and the music was written by Keeler and Christopher Tyng.[2] When praised for his performance in the audio commentary John DiMaggio, the voice of Bender, notes that the most difficult part of the performance was singing the lower part rather than a difficulty with the speed of the song.[4]

The episode features the two major social issues of drug addiction and religious conversion. In the DVD commentary for the episode, David X. Cohen, Matt Groening, and Eric Kaplan all agreed that they felt comfortable enough with each of the Futurama characters to begin to take them in new and strange directions.[3][5] Cohen noted that Bender's addiction is a perfect example of something they could do with a robot character which they could not get away with had it been a human character.[2] One person at the studio refused to work on this episode because they did not agree with the portrayal of some of the religious content.[1] Cohen also noted that the writing team had begun to loosen up during this episode which made this episode feel similar to the later episodes in the series rather than the earlier episodes.[2] Writer Eric Kaplan claims that enough material was cut from the episode during the editing process that they could have created a three-part episode.[6]

Themes

This episode is one of very few that focuses on the religious aspects of the Futurama universe. In most episodes, it is indicated that the Planet Express crew, along with most beings in the year 3000, are "remarkably unreligious".[7][8] It introduces two of the religious figures of Futurama, The Robot Devil and Reverend Lionel Preacherbot, both of whom make appearances in future episodes. Preacherbot, who speaks in a manner typical of inner-city African-American pastor stereotypes, converts Bender to the religion Robotology.[7] This leads to a series of events that are similar in many ways to the experiences of real world religious converts.[7] Mark Pinsky states that the episode has a "double-edged portrayal of religion" as it portrays both an improvement in Bender's character but also some of the "less pleasant characteristics of the newly pious".[7] The Robot Devil is introduced after Bender's fall back into sin.[7] While explaining to Bender his claim on his soul, he uses logic similar to that used by many Southern Baptists.[7] By the end of the episode, Bender has returned to his old ways and states that he will no longer try to be either too good or too bad, a parody and contradiction of the Book of Revelation statement that one should not be lukewarm in their faith.[7]

Cultural references

The Robot Devil playing the fiddle

This episode contains a large amount of religious parody and thus references numerous works of fiction which have a religious focus. The title of the episode is a comedic pun of the famous line "Hell is other people" from Jean Paul Sartre's one act play No Exit, although the episode has little to do with the actual play.[7][8] The punishments in Robot Hell are similar to the levels and rationale which are portrayed in Dante's The Divine Comedy, specifically the Inferno.[7] The "Fairness in Hell Act," wherein one must engage in a fiddle battle to save their soul is taken directly from The Charlie Daniels Band song "The Devil Went Down to Georgia."[7] The jokes poking fun at New Jersey in the episode are due to the fact that writer David X. Cohen and actor John DiMaggio both grew up in the Garden State.[3]

The Temple of Robotology is a spoof of the Church of Scientology,[9][8] and according to series creator Matt Groening he received a call from the Church of Scientology concerned about the use of a similar name.[5] Groening's The Simpsons had previously parodied elements of Scientology, in the Season 9 episode "The Joy of Sect".[10][11] In a review of the episode, TV Squad later posed the question: "Is the Temple of Robotology a poke at the Church of Scientology?"[3] When TV Squad asked actor Billy West about this, he jokingly sidestepped the issue.[3]

Reception

"Hell Is Other Robots" is one of four episodes featured in the DVD boxed set Monster Robot Maniac Fun Collection, indicating it is one of Matt Groening's four favorite episodes from the series.[12] The DVD includes audio commentary from Matt Groening and John DiMaggio, the voice of Bender as well as a full-length animatic of the episode.[13][14][15] In an article on the DVD release, Winston-Salem Journal described "Hell Is Other Robots" as one of Futurama's best episodes.[16] Dan Castellaneta's performance as the Robot Devil in this episode along with the episode "The Devil's Hands are Idle Playthings" was described as a "bravura appearance".[8] In a review of Futurama's season one DVD release, the South Wales Echo highlighted the episode along with "Fear of a Bot Planet" as "crazy episodes" of the series.[17] Brian Cortis of The Age gave the episode a rating of three stars out of four.[18]

Writing in The Observer after Futurama's debut in the United States but before it began airing in the United Kingdom, Andrew Collins wrote favorably of the series, and highlighted "Hell Is Other Robots" and "Love's Labors Lost in Space".[19] He noted that the jokes in the episodes "come thick and fast".[19] John G. Nettles of PopMatters gave the episode a favorable review: "'Hell is Other Robots' is a terrific introduction to Bender and Futurama's irreverent humor, sly social satire, and damn catchy musical numbers."[20] TV Squad also gave the episode a favorable review noting that the funnier material appears in "robot hell" - after Bender is "born again" in the Temple of Robotology.[3] David Johnson of DVD Verdict described "Hell Is Other Robots" as "Not one of my favorites," and gave it a rating of "B".[21] The episode led to a Dark Horse Comics book, Futurama Pop-Out People: Hell Is Other Robots.[22]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Moore, Rich (2003). Futurama season 1 DVD commentary for the episode "Hell Is Other Robots" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Cohen, David X. (2003). Futurama season 1 DVD commentary for the episode "Hell Is Other Robots" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h Keller, Joel (July 30, 2006). "Futurama: Hell is Other Robots". TV Squad. AOL Television. Retrieved 2007-11-07.
  4. ^ DiMaggio, John (2003). Futurama season 1 DVD commentary for the episode "Hell Is Other Robots" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
  5. ^ a b Groening, Matt (2003). Futurama season 1 DVD commentary for the episode "Hell Is Other Robots" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
  6. ^ Kaplan, Eric (2003). Futurama season 1 DVD commentary for the episode "Hell Is Other Robots" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Pinsky, Mark. The Gospel According to the Simpsons. Bigger and possibly even Better! edition. pp. 229–235. ISBN 978-0-664-23265-8.
  8. ^ a b c d Booker, M. Keith. Drawn to Television: Prime-Time Animation from The Flintstones to Family Guy. pp. 115–124.
  9. ^ Pinsky, Mark (2001). The Gospel According to the Simpsons. Westminster John Knox Press. pp. 158–159. ISBN 0-664-22419-9.
  10. ^ Mirkin, David (2006). The Simpsons season 9 DVD commentary for the episode "The Joy of Sect" (DVD). 20th Century Fox. {{cite AV media}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
  11. ^ Turner, Chris (2005). Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation. Da Capo Press. p. 269, The First Church of The Simpsons. ISBN 030681448X.
  12. ^ Lacey, Gord (2005-05-11). "Futurama — Do the Robot Dance!". TV.com. Retrieved 2007-06-26.
  13. ^ Lane, Joshua (February 7, 2005). "Futurama: Monster Robot Maniac Fun". AnimatedBliss.com. Joshua Lane & AnimatedBliss.com. Retrieved 2007-11-07.
  14. ^ Staff (August 25, 2005). "This week in DVDs: Also New This Week". Eye Weekly. Toronto Star Newspapers Limited. Retrieved 2007-11-07.
  15. ^ Johns, Anna (2007-01-01). "Holiday loot spending guide: DVDs". TV Squad. AOL Television. Retrieved 2007-11-07.
  16. ^ Staff (2005-08-27). "Adam 12 and Emergency Keep Los Angeles Safe In New DVD Sets". Winston-Salem Journal. Factiva, from Dow Jones. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
  17. ^ Staff (2002-02-02). "Win Futurama box set". South Wales Echo. Trinity Mirror. p. 9.
  18. ^ Cortis, Brian (2000-01-16). "Waging words on mediocrity — HIGHLIGHTS". The Sunday Age. p. 5.
  19. ^ a b Collins, Andrew (August 22, 1999). "Screen: Television: Futurama looks bright: Where do you go after The Simpsons, the TV triumph of the decade? Into the 30th century, as creator Matt Groening unveils his new show, Futurama. Andrew Collins applauds". The Observer. Guardian Newspapers Limited. p. 2.
  20. ^ Nettles, John G. (August 29, 2005). "Futurama Monster Robot Maniac Fun Collection". PopMatters. PopMatters Media, Inc. Retrieved 2007-11-07. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
  21. ^ Johnson, David (August 22, 2005). "Futurama: Monster Robot Maniac Fun Collection". DVD Verdict review. David Johnson. Retrieved 2007-11-07.
  22. ^ Dark Horse Comics (2002). Futurama Pop-Out People: Hell Is Other Robots. Diamond Comic Distributors. ISBN 1569716722. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
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