"A Fishful of Dollars (1ACV06)" Episode Capsule Part One
JEdraw
============= THE FUTURAMA CHRONICLES ==== EPISODE CAPSULE =============
========================================================================
Official Title: A Fishful of Dollars
Episode Number: 1ACV06 (#6)
First Airdate : Tuesday, April 27th, 1999
Written by : Patrick M. Verrone
Directed by : Ron Hughart & Gregg Vanzo
========================================================================
= Additional tidbits =
Opening theme promotion : LOADING....
Opening theme cartoon : Unknown.
28-Apr-99 Neilsen ranking: 2nd in its timeslot (7.6 million) {dga}
MPAA rating : TV-PG-L
Length minus commercials : [21:16]
========================================================================
= Foxworld Synopsis =
Fry discovers he's a billionaire because his savings have been
accruing interest for 1,000 years. Caught up in the excitement of
his riches, he squanders his fortune to buy an unopened can of
anchovies -- extinct since the year 2200. What he doesn't realize is
that Mom, the head of a mega-conglomorate, will do anything -- even
use Pamela Anderson's head-in-a-jar -- to get her hands on those
anchovies.
========================================================================
= Minutiae =
- It's a full moon when Fry has trouble sleeping.
- Unlike Bender, the robots in the apartment next door actually use the
"closet space" given to them by Robot Arms. Don't they feel silly
playing cards in the closet? :-)
- Lightspeeds come in a 3-pack. {jb}
- Leela wipes the egg-yolk off her face, but she misses a spot on her
left cheek.
- Dr. Zoidberg has the only swivel chair. {jb}
- You can see Madison Cube Garden in the establishing shot after the
crew runs out to buy brand-name merchandise at low, low prices.
- Even though Dr. Zoidberg and Professor Farnsworth dash out with the
rest of the crew to buy "brand-name merchandise at low, low prices,"
they're in the group once they arrive.
- After Bender sprays oil on the intrusive Calvin Clone woman, guess
who rides on the escalator behind them ... the teacher from Fry's
dream! I guess Fry has ESP or something.
- Various robot pieces such as arms, feet, eyes, etc. are all in their
respective bins in Robot Accessories.
- The survaillence cameras look like little vacuum cleaners. {jb}
- One of the security robots passes Amy and Leela as it trails a
shoplifting Bender. {jk}
- Did you notice the 'subliminal' "mmm, tasty" in the Mom's Old-
Fasioned Robot Oil commercial, as well as a split-second flicker?
{jb} [That 'subliminal' message is actually just Bender speaking in
the background.]
- The screens displaying Mom's commercial aren't exactly in synch. In
the screen all the way to the left, you can see a little more of
Walt's arm (in the photo behind Mom) than in the center screen.
- Among the things Bender shoplifts are a yo-yo and a lonely shoe.
- You can actually see the security camera behind Fry as he enters his
PIN number.
- Fry's congratulatory banner is decorated with $ dollar signs.
- When Leela and Fry shoot down those historic paintings, Fry's shot is
the one that actually destroys the Mona Lisa, while Leela's veers off
in the wrong direction.
- Fry must've gotten those goggles Leela wore custom-made, unless one-
eyed aliens are common enough on Earth to warrant the goggle company
to make a single-eyed version. {jb}
- In Fry's twentieth-century-recreated apartment, hanging on his wall,
was that one of those Peter Nagel drawings from the Eighties? {mm}
- Fry has a lava lamp. {jb}
- Fry put Ted Danson's skeleton next to the radiator. {jb}
- Rap music is considered classical music. {hl}
- The 30th/31st century still has third-world kids. {jb}
- After so much progress, it seems security cameras still put out
black-and-white pictures. (Mom did call it "old-fashioned.")
- Fry didn't have enough sense to lock his door. {jb}
- There's a little yellow voodoo doll on Fry's mantlepiece with a
pincushion next to it. {jb}
- Fry has been watching static. {jb}
- Did anybody notice that when Mom's guys knocked Fry unconscious to
get his PIN number that they could have just stolen the sardines
right off of his table? {jh} [This isn't a goof, because they'd
obviously overestimated Fry's intelligence and didn't bother
searching his apartment.]
- Apparently, the future offers tranquilizers in pill-form, and the
pills can somehow take effect immediately.
- The Panucci's Pizza set has no ceiling. {jb}
- Walt (as Mr. Panucci) tells Fry to work the "currency register."
- The only 3 items on the [Panucci's Pizza menu] are Cheese Pizza,
Large Soda and Anchovies. {jb}
- Did you see the poster on the wall behind Mom's oldest son when he
was pretending to be Fry's boss? It was a poster of Nixon. {aa}
- Pamela Anderson still has a nice pair (eyes, of course). {hl}
- I still like the line, "What century is this?", (when he should be
able to easily tell by visual clues as to the century). {zz}
- Farnsworth is drinking strawberry milk. {jb}
- Mom takes her checkbook out from inside her "fatsuit" cleavage.
(Hey, those could act as two huge secret pockets!)
- Mom's checkbook has a fancy "M" on the cover.
- She's apparently right-handed.
========================================================================
= Parallels to Science Fiction =
+ "Star Wars" (movie)
- Mom's sons are dressed like the Imperial Officers. {jb}
========================================================================
= Other References =
+ "A Fistful of Dollars" (movie)
- The name of this episode, "A Fishful of Dollars," parodies an old
(1964) Italian motion picture by the name of "A Fistful of
Dollars." It was a western, and was about a mysterious gunslinger
that comes to a desolate town and becomes involved with two warring
clans. It starred Clint Eastwood. {mr}
+ "Baby Got Back" (1992 Sir Mix-A-Lot song)
- According to Leela, the 31st century's definition of "classical"
music is apparently this genre of early-1990's (c)rap. ... as
opposed to the early-1980's, late-1980's and late-1990's variety of
(c)rap. [See "Final Thoughts/Comments" for the full lyrics.]
+ Charles Atlas
- What Fry looked like in mirror. {hl}
~ "Cheers" (TV show)
- Sitcom with Ted Danson.
+ "Baywatch" (TV show)
- Fry may remember Pamela Anderson's head from such oscar-winning
pictures as "Baywatch: The Movie."
+ "Calvin Klein" (cologne)
- Calvin Klone. {jk}
~ "Doom" (video game)
- In Robot Accessories, the robot torsos that hang on the wall look
like the armor power-ups used in this game.
~ "Hogan's Heroes" (TV show)
- Bender does a great impression of Colonel Klink. {jb}
~ "Late Night With Conan O'Brien" (TV show)
- The scene with them blowing up the Mona Lisa reminded me of the
LNWCO with Hunter S. Thompson. [...] Hunter S. Thompson and Conan
sat around blowing stuff up with high powered weapons while a guy
brought them drinks from the outdoor wet bar. {mo}
+ "Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots" (game)
- The antique robot toy. {jk}
+ "Sanford and Son" (TV show)
- What Fry was watching. {hl}
+ "The Three Stooges" (TV show)
- Larry, Walt and Igner are the clones of Larry, Moe and Curly. {jb}
========================================================================
= Freeze Frame Fanaticism =
>> Ancient Egyptian Algebra {jb}
(eye)
----- = (squiggle)(man)+(delta)
2
h4<=a^2+(squiggly lines, water?)
(scales?)+(can opener?) . (eye)
----------------------- . . -----
34r^2 (sideways omega?)
>> Various stores / buildings
- Alien
Overlord
& Taylor
- NNYPD ASK ABOUT OUR
GENEROUS
BRUTALITY
SETTLEMENTS
- BAB | BIG APPLE
| BANK
- LE
SPA
- ORIGINAL
COSMIC RAY'S
PIZZA
- HISTORIC
20th-CENTURY
APTS.
[WITH ORIGINAL ASBESTOS]
- STAADGI & STAADGI
AUCTIONEERS
- MOM'S
friendly robot
company
>> Other signs
- COSMETICS
- LIGHTSPEED
BRIEFS
as seen
in your dreams
- OBJECTS IN MIRROR
ARE LESS ATTRACTIVE
THAN THEY APPEAR.
- ROBOT
ACCESSORIES
- NOW OFFERING
BANK-BY-BRAIN
- CONGRATULATIONS, FRY
- MENU
Cheese pizza
Large soda
Anchovies
- ROBO-REPO
>> Robot Accessories {jb}
Eyes
Arms
Feet
Robot oil
Torsos
>> Robot Oil can
MOM'S
OLD-FASHIONED
ROBOT
OIL
>> Mom's logo
MOM'S
OLD-FASHIONED
[oil ROBOT OIL
can] Made with
10% more love
than the next
leading brand
>> Stuff that falls out of Bender's sweater {jb}
Toothpaste
Robot oil
A yo-yo (?)
Pink boxes(turn to brown between shots)
A wallet
A red baseball cap
Liquor bottles
A shoe
>> PIN machine prompts; Fry's ATM card #
- SLIDE CARD
ENTER PIN
- 5431000892
>> Anchovy tin
[man] ANGRY
NORWEGIAN
ANCHOVIES
>> January 2000 calendar
JANUARY
2000
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29 30 31
>> Poster in the phony Panucci's Pizza set
- NIXON'S THE ONE
========================================================================
= Goofs =
- In Fry's dream, his classmates keep switching seats. Fry himself
moves from a middle seat to the aisle seat, and a girl who was
sitting behind him moves into his old seat.
- The Ancient Egyptian Algebra formulas change between shots. {jb}
- Fry's pillow looks like it's half-floating in midair, propped up
against nothing.
- The egg on Leela's cheek disappears after the camera cuts back from
Fry. {jb}
- The table in the PE lounge keeps changing its length. First, it's a
small square, almost like a card table. Then, it's shaped like a
big, dining room table.
- Bender only puts four Robot Oil cans into his sweater, but there are
six bulges when he walks away. The sweater was clearly empty when he
started.
- Fry says he's poor, yet he has three major credit cards in his wallet
that he at least thinks he can use.
- A small pink box falls out of Bender's sweater, but when the 'camera'
cuts to a closeup of Bender and then cuts back out, the box is brown.
{jb}
- In the beginning, the main room in Fry's and Bender's apartment
contains little more than a bed and a night stand. Later on, it's
fully furnished.
- In 1ACV04, Leela used a 20th-century style reciever when calling
Zapp. Is Amy so out of touch with the antiquated workings of the
ship that she didn't know what that thing was, either? {jb}
- Your standard VHS tape will start to deteriorate in quality after a
short period of time. If left unwatched for an entire millenium, I
doubt you'd be able to decipher _anything_, and that includes the
audio.
- Fry doesn't actually kiss his can of anchovies, his lips just sort of
hang in the air and never touch the can when he's going "mwuh." {jb}
- All Fry said about Panucci's Pizza was "back where I used to work."
How'd Mom and her sons figure out the rest of the story?
- There already is a "Baywatch" movie. However, it is only a direct-
to-video release. {jk}
- The Robo-Repo truck disappears.
- The opened tin of anchovies next to the pizza rotates 180 degrees.
- Bender spits out the anchovy pizza even though according to MG he
doesn't have any taste buds. {jb} [Maybe it's the natural robot oil
in the anchovies that makes him dislike eating it.]
========================================================================
= Extended Goofs / Technical Nitpicks =
>> So much for my Get-Rich-Quick idea!
Probably the most obvious plot hole the show has given us yet; there are
just so many things wrong with Fry disappearing for a millenium,
returning to an active bank account, and becoming rich off the
compound interest. Why wasn't Fry declared dead after 7 years, and
all his bank account closed? Why hasn't inflation decreased the
value of the dollar at all over 1,000 years? Why was the bank's
interest rate _larger_ than whatever inflation was present? Why
wasn't the bank destroyed in either of the two alien attacks? Why
didn't the measley 93 cent account shrivel up and die from mere bank
fees regardless of the decidedly high compound interest? Why did Fry
bother to have a bank account when the only savings he had was 93
cents? Why did a high-profile bank like BAB even let him open an
account with so little money?
John Wasser: The quoted average interest rate for tonights episode was
2.25% compounded by 1000 years makes for interest of
460,592,306,400%. A principle of $0.93 would have a future value of:
$4,283,508,450.00 (roughly $4.3B).
At 2.25% he would make about $96M/year in interest.
Steve Brinich: The pair of fancy briefs (I forget the brand name, but
then I never did remember dreams very often) was $30, and bailing out
Bender was $80, so the value of a dollar is at least within an order
of magnitude of its real-world value.
Louis Silverman: The alien attacks probably shot the economy down so it
is just returning to its original value. (Kinda like how it took
about 1100 years to return to a money-driven society after the Roman
Empire.)
========================================================================
= Reviews =
Dale G. Abersold: Assuming that "Futurama" will be a big hit and last
for several seasons (and it's sure looking like the show will be
around for awhile), "A Fishful of Dollars" may become one of the all-
time most beloved episodes for one simple reason: Mom. Yes, "The
Simpsons" has its evil characters in Sideshow Bob and Mr. Burns, but
for sheer maliciousness and hatefulness, they can't hold a candle to
the evil that is Mom. With a grotesque character design and an evil
voice courtesy of Tress MacNeille, Mom is a terrific villain. Here's
hoping we see more of her.
"Fishful" was very funny, but, happily, that's become par for the
course. It was the introduction of this new villain that made this
episode a standout in an already excellent first season. "Futurama"
is exceeding my high expectations for the show. (A-)
Joe Klemm: Today's episode is the obvious man-gets-rich-dumps-friends-
loses-money-apologizes-to-friends episode, which turned out to be
dull for the Futurama version. However, there were a few clever
moments, like Fry's second dream, and the doctor wanting more
anchovies, but it was nothing more than a weak episode of the show.
(C-)
Haynes Lee: Another major character introduced but the ending was a bit
abrupt. (B)
Yours Truly: One of this season's better episodes. As usual, the plot
somehow brushes itself against a multitude of different though-
provoking concepts without actually going out of its own way. Mom
was good, and it was funny, but in the end it's not the most original
story they've ever come up with. (A)
Average Grade: [19/4=4.75] (B)
========================================================================
= Final Thoughts / Comments =
>> Urban Legend Alert
Haynes Lee: Subliminal messages in advertising are ineffective, but
outlawed anyway.
Based on a bogus advertising survey based on ads flashed momentarily
on movie screen. <http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_187.html>
>> Style and comfort for the impulse-buying crotch
Rick Carlson: Anyone care to wager how long we'll have to wait before
"Merchandising" produces LightSpeed briefs for Futurama fans? Mom's
Old-Fashioned Robot Oil may not have an immediate market, but the
briefs would be popular, as well as spin-offs, such as kids pajamas,
etc.
>> Sorry, no anti-eye-cancer experiments
Melanie Mayfield: What a coincidence! There was supposedly an
"experimental" high-definition broadcast that evening -- at least I
recall seeing some ad about showing Leno -(I think?)- in HD one
night. But, that's NBC, not FOX. Maybe the tattoo gag was a poke at
NBC, eh? Or maybe it was just a coincidence ...
>> Baby got staying power
For those curious, Vince Yim gies us the full lyrics to Baby Got Back:
"What can I say? I used to love that song when I was 14. Biggest
song around, even when rap was fading from popularity and Grunge was
being the next big thing (C).
Artist: Sir Mix-a-Lot
Album: Mack Daddy
Song: Baby Got Back
*talking*
Oh my god
Becky, look at her butt
It is so big
She looks like one of those rap guys girlfriends
Who understands those rap guys
They only talk to her because she looks like a total prostitute
I mean her butt
It's just so big
I can't believe it's so round
It's just out there
I mean, it's gross
Look, she's just so black
*rap*
I like big butts and I can not lie
You other brothers can't deny
That when a girl walks in with an itty bitty waste
And a round thing in your face
You get sprung
Wanna pull up front
Cuz you notice that butt was stuffed
Deep in the jeans she's wearing
I'm hooked and I can't stop staring
Oh, baby I wanna get with ya
And take your picture
My homeboys tried to warn me
But with that butt you got
Me so horney
Ooh, all of that smooth skin
You say you wanna get in my benz
Well use me use me cuz you aint that average groupy
I've seen them dancin'
The hell with romancin'
Sweat, sweat, got it goin like a turbo vette
I'm tired of magazines
Saying flat butts are the thing
Take the average black man and him that
She gotta pack much back
Fellas (yeah) Fellas(yeah)
Has your girlfriend got the butt (hell yeah)
Well shake it, shake it, shake it, shake it, shake that healthy butt
Baby got back
(LA face with Oakland booty)
I like'em round and big
And when I'm throwin a gig
I just can't help myself
I'm actin like an animal
Now here's my scandal
I wanna get you home
And --, double up -- --
I aint talkin bout playboy
Cuz silicone parts were made for toys
I wannem real thick and juicy
So find that juicy double
Mixalot's in trouble
Beggin for a piece of that bubble
So I'm lookin' at rock videos
Watchin' these bimbos walkin like hoes
You can have them bimbos
I'll keep my women like Flo Jo
A word to the thick soul sistas
I wanna get with ya
I won't cus or hit ya
But I gotta be straight when I say I wanna --
Til the break of dawn
I got it goin on
Alot of pimps won't like this song
Cuz them punks lie to hit it and quit it
But I'd rather stay and play
Cuz I'm long and I'm strong
And I'm down to get the friction on
So ladies (yeah), Ladies (yeah)
If you wanna role in my Mercedes (yeah)
Then turn around
Stick it out
Even white boys got to shout
Baby got back
(LA face with the Oakland booty)
Yeah baby
When it comes to females
Cosmo and got nothin to do with my selection
36-24-36
Only if she's 5'3"
So your girlfriend throws a Honda
Playin workout tapes by Fonda
But Fonda and got motor in the back of her Honda
My anaconda don't want none unless you've got buns hon
You can do side bends or sit-ups, but please don't lose that butt
Some brothers wanna play that hard role
And tell you that the butt and gold
So they toss it and leave it
And I pull up quick to retrieve it
So cosmo says you're fat
Well I aint down with that
Cuz your waste is small and your curves are kickin
And I'm thinkin bout stickin
To the beanpole dames in the magazines
You aint it miss thing
Give me a sista I can't resist her
Red beans and rice didn't miss her
Some knucklehead tried to dis
Cuz his girls were on my list
He had game but he chose to hit 'em
And pulled up quick to get with 'em
So ladies if the butt is round
And you wanna triple X throw down
Dial 1-900-mixalot and kick them nasty thoughts
Baby got back"
>> Not quite a mastermind of the highest order
Here's a list of everything that Larry, Walt and Igner misconceived in
their attempt to recreate Panucci's Pizza and the year 2000. And Fry
_still_ didn't clue himself in to what was going on!
- It looked nothing like Fry's real workplace. In fact, it didn't
look much like _anything_ but some sort of poorly designed and
decorated cubicle in a big warehouse.
- Panucci lost about 100 pounds and was temporarily wearing a fake
mustache for some reason.
- Panucci somehow knows what Fry was dreaming about right away.
- Fry's job was Delivery Boy, not Currency Register Operator.
- The calendar on the wall was one day off. The 1st of January
should be on a Saturday, and the 31st on a Monday.
- The menu showed nothing but the two relevant items and anchovies.
- 'Panucci' says anchovies aren't extinct "yet," and refers to 2000
as "1,000 years ago."
- There's a Nixon poster on the wall.
- Pamela Anderson simply looked ridiculous.
- She mentions a movie that wasn't even made or awarded its Oscar
yet.
- She forgets her line and has to have someone in the back room yell
it to her.
- The order was fulfilled so quickly, it's almost as if they were
anticipating it ...
========================================================================
= Fun Stuff =
>> Alien Language #1 sightings
TV Guide ad (not in actual episode): "NO ONE MESSES WITH MOM"
>> Alien Language #2 sightings
None.
>> References to Previous Episodes
- [1ACV01] Head museam {hl}
- [1ACV02] 30th century casette tapes shown
>> Fan-made Alternate Titles for this Episode
"In Man's Best Interest" {ksp}
"Mother, Can You Spare a Fry?"
"The Good, the Bad and the Salty" {hl}
========================================================================
= Voice Credits =
>> Starring
Billy West ....................... Fry, "Lightspeed" voice, Professor
Farnsworth, human peace officer, Dr.
Zoidberg, pizzaria robot, auctioneer,
Petridge Farm voice, Igner
Katey Sagal ................................................... Leela
Joe DiMaggio ................................................. Bender
>> Special Appearances
Pamela Anderson ............................... her own head in a jar
>> Guest Starring
Tress MacNeille .................. Fry's teacher, Calvin Clone woman,
cosmetics lady, Mom, bank teller, crab
woman
Maurice LaMarche ............................ Walt, Robo Repot worker
Phil LaMarre ................................................. Hermes
Lauren Tom ...................................................... Amy
Dave Herman ...................... squeaky robot, Underwear Salesman,
Larry
DarthArada
shoplifting Bender.>
Oh geez, I never noticed that!
Steakfish
5-10 years ago (they've had some upheavals since), Saatchi & Saatchi. (I
worked one summer as a Creative Intern for a subdivision of S&S in the Chrysler
Building in NYC.) I can't imagine what the connection to "Futurama" could be.
The only thing relevant I can think of is that one of the Saatchi brothers is
known for his art collection (hence the cartoon's auction house name).
Mike in Washington, DC
vxpmrz3
> >> So much for my Get-Rich-Quick idea!
> Probably the most obvious plot hole the show has given us yet; there
>are just so many things wrong with Fry disappearing for a millenium,
>returning to an active bank account, and becoming rich off the
>compound interest. Why wasn't Fry declared dead after 7 years, and
>all his bank account closed?
Because he wasn't dead, he was in cryogenic storage. It's not like
there wasn't a record of where he went, or anything. Now as to why
he wasn't thawed, perhaps the tube had a timelock or maybe they weren't
sure they could revive safely him so..
> Why hasn't inflation decreased the value of the dollar at all over
>1,000 years?
>Why was the bank'sinterest rate _larger_ than whatever inflation was
>present? Whywasn't the bank destroyed in either of the two alien
>attacks?
Ask Matt Groening, he's decided it.
>Why didn't the measley 93 cent account shrivel up and die from mere
>bank fees regardless of the decidedly high compound interest?
It's a student, or other type or promotional account where they carrot
you with the interest and no annual fees and get you on the
transactions?
> Why did Fry bother to have a bank account when the only savings he
>had was 93 cents?
He's a young person, he doesn't have a sound fiscal policy.
> Why did a high-profile bank like BAB even let him open an
>account with so little money?
Who said he opened it with only that much money? Was that explicitly
said, or was that just his current balance? Perhaps he withdrew some?
> = Final Thoughts / Comments =
>
> >> Urban Legend Alert
>
> Haynes Lee: Subliminal messages in advertising are ineffective, but
> outlawed anyway.
>
> Based on a bogus advertising survey based on ads flashed
>momentarily on movie screen.
<http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_187.html>
That's true, however, let's not assume that new technology couldn't do
the job effectively.
--
Ash: Klaatu borada n... Necktie... Nickel... It's
an "N" word, it's definitely an "N" word!
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
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