Going to the World of Tomorrow 07.08.08: War is the H-Word
Posted by Jerome Cusson on 07.08.2008
This has absolutely nothing to do with our current situation... nothing.
Fry/Professor Farnsworth/Zapp Brannigan/Dr. Zoidberg…Billy West
Bender…John DiMaggio
Leela…Katey Segal
Amy Wong…Lauren Tom
Hermes Conrad…Phil LaMarr
Various Voices…Maurice LaMarche
Todd Susman …The P.A. announcer
Writer: Eric Horsted
Director: Ron Hughart
Production Code: 2ACV17
Original Airdate: November 26, 2000
Opening Subtitle: Touch Eyeballs To Screen For Cheap Laser Surgery
This is one of those timeless episodes that while funny, also provides some interesting social commentary about war and the military. This is another very good episode for a lot of reasons, many of which having to do with Zapp Brannigan.
It all begins with Fry and Bender actually being dumb enough to join the earth army simply to get a discount on some gum. Seriously, how does this person and that robot manage to exist in the year 3000? Not ten seconds later, Earth declares war on Spheron I. This planet, according to Captain Zapp Brannigan, has no natural resources or strategic value. Whew. At least the United States goes after countries that have oil are in strategically placed. That’s a relief. At least we’re better then these folks in that respect.
Leela is rightfully concerned about her friends being thrown into battle so she decides to join the war cause as well. Because of a men-only policy, Leela must sneak onto the ship called Nimbus disguised as a man under the name Lee Lemon and Brannigan finds himself attracted to this allegedly male officer. After some training, the soldiers are sent to the strange planet. The soldiers discover that it is a race of sentient spherical creatures. Fry shows off his cowardice by hiding in a hole while the battle is going on. Bender becomes a hero when he falls on an exploding bomb. The robot is taken to the hospital and Fry is ordered to become Kif’s assistant.
The soldiers regroup. Bender has become an office and Richard Nixon in coordination with Henry Kissinger’s head plan a negotiation with Spheron. Leela overhears Nixon and Brannigan discuss what the real plan, and it is not good for anyone. Luckily we get a very funny sequence because of it. Bender has a bomb in his butt and based on him saying his favorite word, “ass,” the bomb will go off and destroy the entire planet.
Leela takes Fry along on a mission to prevent this plan from taking effect. She reveals her true identity, much to the surprise of one Phillip J. Fry and the relief of Brannigan. Bender realizes just wht kind of power he has, and that’s very dangerous. The spheroids reveal tell Bender that Spheron I is their home planet, and humans are invading their territory, but Bender then tells the spheroids “get the Hell off [his] planet!” The spheres then all bounce into the sky and disappear without further incident. If only we were that lucky.
Back at Planet Express, Professor Farnsworth and Zoidberg make it clear they couldn’t actually get the bomb out of Bender’s ass. Instead, the trigger is reset to another word, which Bender of course tries to guess. The crew rightfully won’t tell him the word, but he eventually manages to get it. Luckily, Bender is okay after the explosion.
The “Bite my shiny medal ass!” moment for best line/moment : Going over the top ten list of words Bender says. Second place goes to the Hawk parody.
The Zoidberg moment for worst line/moment: Nothing too offensive.
The 411:
I hadn’t realized just how popular this episode was until I did some research on it. I think this remains one of the more timely episodes of all. Science fiction is able to do use allegory in a way to make a statement without jamming the message down your throat. Although the U.S. wouldn’t go to war for a couple years after this, there is still a lot that people can take away from this episode about what war and the military means to the world.
