“Comets, the icebergs of the skies.”

Guess what I watched today? Futurama he he my favourite show. The current episode I watched A flight to Remember, which parodies Titanic. This episode was in 1999 so it is fairly recent to the Titanic movie being out. It was done in a time when Titanic could still be parodied and get away with it. The basic idea of it is. Bender the robot falls in love with a robot Countess De La Roca. Fry dates both Amy and Leela, Amy to fool her meddling parents and Leela to fool the dastardly Captain Brannigan, who has a thing for Leela due to a previous encounter. (She slept with the captain out of pity.) Captain Brannigan decides to set a course for adventure and if you have seen Titanic you know what that means. The ship is set on a course with a swarm of comets which Captain Brannigan refers to as the “icebergs of the sky.”

I wrote about Futurama for my Cultural Industries class last term. I am hoping I can write about it again for my Introduction to Communication and Culture class for my final essay because I think it’s a very clever social commentary. I am thinking of doing it on my favourite episode the only problem is I don’t know which one.

And another thing my new flatmate Kayla already wants to borrow my episodes. When she said I think I will have to borrow them from you one time. I am thought the hell you will. The stupid thing is I won’t be able too. I am selfish when it comes to my things, yet I readily borrow from others. It’s a terrible trait and very hypocritical. My goal: to let her borrow them, although, I may enforce strict rules about borrowing. I have to learn to share.

It stupid, I was selfish over root beer when I was 17 and that’s a drink. I only let three person have my root beer, (I always paid for it my self.) My mom, when she was out of Pepsi and had a bad head ache, my high school crush because umm… I have no idea why and my third cousin Wayne because my Grandma made me. Wait make that four people, my friend Carol. There is no root beer in Australia. I think I am being punished for my selfishness. It took almost three months for my Futurama DVDs to arrive coincidence?

Anyways now that I have gone off in a tangent about my favourite pop, here is my essay on Futurama. I edited it to make it more current and better because of the stupid word restrictions.

Futurama is my favourite cartoon show. I love it so much I am had my mom send my DVD collection of all four seasons all the way from Canada. I don’t own much merchandise related to the show other than the fore mentioned DVDs but I can draw the characters in my sketch book and quote a few lines from my favourite episodes. However, I haven’t gone as far decrypting the alien language hidden through out the show or sign a petition to bring it back, as the show was cancelled in 2003.

When Futurama first came out, I was 15. It became a regular routine on Sunday nights. I thought it was cool because it took place in the future, it had an eccentric story line, and it was funny, but as I got older I enjoyed it more as I noticed its social commentary, hidden references to Star Trek and strangely I could relate to one of the characters.

The show, created by Matt Groening and David X. Coen, the creators of the Simpsons, has a bizarre plot, which is one of the main reasons I watch it. It’s about a 25-year -old pizza delivery boy Philp. J. Fry, a slacker from New York, who is accidentally cryogenically, freezes himself on New Years Eve 1999. He is then awakened 1000 years later in New New York on New Years Eve 2999. He first meets Turanga Leela a beautiful one eyed alien, with purple hair, who is eventually found to be a mutant human. Then Bender an alcoholic powered bending robot addicted to cigars, stealing and a many other immoral human behaviours.

Fry determined to have a fresh start, eventually meets his distantly related, doddering 160 year-old Great, Great, Great…(you get the idea) nephew Professor Hubert J. Farnsworth, who is brilliant scientist, yet slowly going senile. Ironically, he ends up working with as a delivery boy for Professor Farnsworth’s Planet Express Delivery Service along with Leela and Bender. Fry then meets his co-workers Hermes Conrad, a bureaucrat Jamaican who manages the delivery service; Amy Wong, a university intern from Mars, who was hired by Farnsworth because she has the same blood type as him and; Dr. Zoidberg, a lobster like alien, who is the crew’s doctor, but knows nothing about human anatomy.

Being somewhat of a science fiction nerd, I find the references to Star Trek hilarious. For example Zapp Brannigan's disgraceful, self-centred personality is a parody of Star Treks Captain Kirk. Zapp makes many references to Brannigan's Law, The Democratic Order of Planets rules in which interfering with undeveloped worlds is prohibited. This is a parody of the Prime Directive in Star Trek. There is also made an episode called “Where No Fan Has Gone Before” a parody of the series and Trek fandom, in which all the characters from the original Star Trek appeared, except for Scottie, who was replaced by a character named Welshie.

My favourite character is Dr. Zoidberg, because he is weird. He isn’t well liked, which is a shame because he is the nicest character in the show. He says and does odd things. Unfortunately he is ignored by the other characters and when he speaks no one listens to him. I used to feel this way when I was growing up, not liked, out of place. The only thing that’s different, is unlike Zoidberg, I don’t rummage through rubbish bins and eat table scraps.

Another reason I like the show is because it makes fun of society today, yet it takes place in the future, which is far from utopian. They deal with issues similar to those society deals with now, for example, the Internet is still plagued with pornography, giant corporations are still powerful and environmental problems such as global warming still exist. Although, it was said in a later episode that it was cancelled out to nuclear winter, but came back again due to fuel emissions by robots.

Race issues exist in Futurama like today, except is mainly centred on relations between humans and aliens. In the year 3000 alien immigration is common on Earth. Humans find it hard to treat aliens respectfully because of their differences and the various invasions and obliterations of Earth in the past. For example the Omicronians from Omicron Persei VIII have launched various attacks on Earth over ridiculous events such as, the abrupt ending of the show "Single Female Lawyer,” and accidental consumption of their alien young. Because of these events, they launched a full scale war on Earth. I find this similar to race issues today because society does have troubles respecting people from different cultures due to terrorism and lack of understanding.

Although the show has an outlandish plot and characters who are highly eccentric, it my favourite show. Now that I own all the DVD seasons I notice things I never did while it was on air. Watching Futurama and analysing it the way I do, as well as enjoying it for its entertainment value, makes me feel like nerd, but in a good way. As for its cancellation something shows are not meant to go on forever.

Now for something completely different

I know with the essay this will be an extremely long entry…but I could resist telling you about the last couple of days.

On Thursday I finally saw Superman Returns. It was good, but it isn’t the same as the old movies. To me Superman will always be Christopher Reeves. I find Superman to be really sad, because he is so isolated and he can never be with the woman he loves or do anything for himself. Maybe that’s why I like him, because I always feel that way, different, except I am not in love with a woman and the unselfish part.

I went to the movie with Louie. She shouted me again. I never even asked. I tried to pay her back but she wouldn’t let me. That’s been the third movie. She said to get used to it. I felt really bad about…so I told her next time I would pay. We even played video games for awhile before. She is really cool.

Maybe I should leave the amount on her desk saying I insist she take it. Yes that’s what I will do. I will even put money for petrol. Because of all the times she took me shopping. I don’t want her to think I am mooching off of her. I don’t want to be known as the Canadian girl who mooched off of Louie. I mean I am already the lonely Canadian girl. That’s bad enough. I’ll ask my mom what she thinks.

Yesterday I saw Chris at work. I think I upset him because I couldn’t give him a discount on his Coke a Cola. I would have gotten in trouble or else I would have gladly discounted for him. The next one is on me Chris.

What else? Ah yes it was rainy. I think I am acclimatizing to the Australian weather because if I was back in Canada. I wouldn’t find it cold at all, but now I do. It’s really strange.

I wanted to take the bus to work yesterday because of the weather, but this lady waiting for a different bus went all Miss I Know It All, and told me I missed the bus. This other lady was waiting for route 11 just like me. She said she waiting it out for a while, but I listened to the stupid cow and went back for my bike. Just as I rode my bike I saw the bus. It was route 11. So I ended up riding my bike home in the rain. If only I had just waited it out.

Ah yes I sent an e-mail to Joan as well. Telling her I don’t like being called “Mel” Here is the e-mail and her response.

Me:
Hey Joan just a quick note for you.Its Melissa not Mel its M-E-L-I-S-S-A. Melissa Melissa Melissa Melissa Melissa Melissa Melissa Melissa Melissa Melissa Melissa Melissa Melissa Melissa Melissa Melissa Melissa Melissa Melissa Melissa Melissa Melissa Melissa And in case you forgot its Melissa.And if that doesn't convince you that I don't like being called Mel, I don't know what will?

Melissa

Joan:
I’m sorry MELISSA, it wasn't intentional just more of a slip up on my end!! I’m SORRY....I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry!!!! Get my message!! lol

Jo

Me thinking: Does she get my message?

Ah yes that reminds me. I have eight stories in the works about Wild Will. Yes eight, they all have different plots but they all come together eventually. Yep and that’s about it for Today.