"Futurama" Roswell That Ends Well (2001)

User Rating:

9.2/10   

Director:

Rich Moore

Writers:

Matt Groening (creator)
Matt Groening (developer) ...

TV Series:

"Futurama" (1999)

Original Air Date:

9 December 2001 (Season 4, Episode 1)

Genre:

Animation | Comedy | Sci-Fi

Plot:

A mishap involving a microwave oven and a supernova throws the Planet Express staff back in time to...

Plot Keywords:

Back In Time | Microwave | Supernova | Incest Overtones | Nuclear Bomb

US TV Schedule:

Mon. July 27

1:30 AM

COMEDY

Roswell That Ends Well

#4.1

Cast

Billy West	...	Philip J. Fry / Prof. Hubert J. Farnsworth / Dr. Zoidberg / Enos Fry / Sears-Roebuck Salesman (voice)
Katey Sagal	...	Turanga Leela (voice)
John Di Maggio	...	Bender / General's Assistant / Conspiracy Nut (voice) (as John DiMaggio)
Tress MacNeille	...	Mildred (voice)
Maurice LaMarche	...	President Harry Truman (voice)
David Herman	...	General / Sergeant / Scientist (voice)

Runtime:

Argentina:30 min

Certification:

Argentina:Atp

Trivia:

This episode borrows heavily from the rumors surrounding the famous Roswell Incident, including the capture of a live alien (Zoidberg), the recovery of strange metallic debris (Bender's body) and the "alien autopsy." It also bears a striking resolution to the "grandfather paradox" of time travel.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: Fry's grandfather, Enos, says "finger licking good" when talking about cooking chicken. This is a clear reference to Kentucky Fried Chicken; however, Harland Sanders didn't begin franchising KFC until 1952, so it is unlikely that the slogan existed at this time much less that Enos would know of said slogan.

Quotes:

Mildred: What'll you folks have today?
Professor Hubert Farnsworth: I'll have some Soylent Green, with a slice of Soylent Orange and some Soylent coleslaw.
Mildred: Huh?
Leela: [whispering] It's the 20th century, Professor.
Professor Hubert Farnsworth: Oh, right. I'll have a croque monsieur, the paella, two mutton pills, and a stein of mead.
Leela: I'll just have a small injection of Fem-a-slim.
Mildred: Uh, two chili dogs comin' right up.

Movie Connections:

References Soylent Green (1973)

What an episode!

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

An absolutely brilliant season opener, filled with really hilarious, and at times very clever, jokes. It had a very enjoyable and interesting plot as well, with a good twist when we find out that Fry is his own grandfather. Didn't see that coming. I like the way the show directly took on the famous 'grandfather paradox'. Farnsworth had some great lines, particularly when he explains the problems with time travel: "Don't do anything that affects anything! Unless it turns out you were supposed to do it, in which case, for the love of God, don't not do it!". I also liked "Oh, a lesson in not changing the past from mister 'I'm-my-own-grandpa!'". However, Zoidberg definitely stole the show this time. His general good-naturalness while being interrogated and dissected by the military was a joy to watch. The most hilarious moment this episode has to be when he smashes against the glass to lick up food à la Independence Day. I also loved the conspiracy crackpot's pictures that turned into famous photos that have nothing to do with with anything, and the newspaper headline: 'Crackpot photographs Truman again'. A masterpiece.