Rate/Review "The Prisoner of Benda"

[bartyboy]

Same

[Sniper Squirrel]

fun episode, weird way to get Fry and Leela together

[D'ohmer]

It didn't do much for me. I liked the concept, but while there were some funny moments, the execution didn't work for me. The plot was all over the place. I get that this was one of those episodes with multiple plots, like 300 Big Boys, but this episode didn't feel as solid as that episode did. It was hard to keep up with the plot at times. I did enjoy the Fry/Leela plot the most and Amy wanting to gorge was funny. Characterization was alright, but I did think that Leela got too mad too quickly at the beginning. Finally, the way the episode returns to status-quo proves that this episode was not meant to be taken seriously. 3/5

[Ryan]

What a wacky little episode.

It highly reminded me of "Three Hundred Big Boys", in which various stories intertwine among the characters. The constant body-switching was a tad silly at first, and never fully caught on to be clever, but was fun nevertheless. Which, honestly, would be the perfect word to describe this episode: fun. All the side-plots weren't taken very seriously, even Fry and Leela's plot, as it culminates in what is essentially one giant (and disgusting) punchline. The jokes were also constantly batting home runs, as I recall numerous accounts of belly laughs and such, including the translator joke, Bender spitting out the diamonds, Zoidberg destroying Fry's apartment ("Yes, it's me, the Fry!"), Scruffy making out with Amy/Washbucket. All assorted craziness, that at points you couldn't help but forgive the eye-rolling and eat it up.

Not that there weren't missteps. Fry and Leela seemed like an attempt to make a somewhat serious plot that only pays off in a visual that while some may find hysterical, I felt was sort of dumb and forced. (not to mention the awkward way to introduce it at the start) Farnsworth/Bender at the circus had a good start, but kept me fairly uninterested (even if it helped spell the moral out in this twisted web). I initially wasn't crazy about them going the Prince and the Pauper route, but the bizarre way in which they pulled it off, along with the numerous gags (Bender placing the crown in the other body was a great touch) it sufficiently did right.

All together, throughout this episode I was weary, but ended up largely enjoying it. Sure, the story was a little twisty and a few plots could've been cut for their own good, but fuck... it was a lot of fun and made me laugh. And who can't get a chuckle out of Zoidberg making friends with a robotic washbucket? Better than Cubert.

4/5

[You See How You Scum]

Great ep. My 2nd fav of the season so far. Gave it a 4/5.

[Jims]

God, this episode was great. Just awe-inspiringly fantastic.

To begin with, the jokes were fantastic. The initial premise of the episode allowed for a lot of fun to be had, and they definitely capitalized on the humor potential. The jokes don't even have to be that inspired, since the delivery of the line helps out so much. The mismatched voice/acting really made this thing fun. I especially liked Bender as the Emperor, the wash bucket as Amy, Fry as Zoidberg, and Zoidberg as Fry. Considering how tiresome I find Zoidberg's humor sometimes, that's a huge compliment to the episode. I feel like this was one of the funniest Futurama episodes ever... That's how good it was.

I mean, this was an episode that had Zoidberg and Farnsworth making out on a table in Elzar's restaurant. And Amy declaring her love to Scruffy (a perfect scene, btw). Ridiculous.

And on top of that, they managed to do the "ensemble plot" correctly. They did this concept once before in One Hundred Big Boys, but I feel like that episode didn't come together well enough as a whole. This episode did a great job of tying the different motivations together, but manage to not make it too cumbersome... It was almost separated into subplots. There was the Bender/Emperor/Professor/Wash Bucket story, and there was the Fry/Leela/Zoidberg one, with Amy/Hermes subbing between the two. They threw just enough at us to keep us on the edge of our seats, but not flying off of them.

One of my favorite plot points was the callback to the miniature clown robots. It was really concise writing, that. Those throwaway jokes sometimes come in handy.

I really enjoyed the progression of how badly they messed up the system. When Amy and Farnsworth switched the first time, I thought, "Well, all they need is a third person to substitute in." I thought I had the episode figured out when that's exactly what they did, but was really surprised when they pointed out that it wouldn't work. The episode kinda tricked me into the wrong answer. I liked that they immediately started throwing other people into the mix, so I could just go along for the ride and not think about the proper way to get everything back. The episode would've slowed down a bit if the characters were constantly so focused on the solution during the episode. The writers made a wise decision by throwing all the characters in the air and letting it sort itself out later. You knew that they were going to do some sort of "puzzle solution" scene at the end, so I was looking forward to seeing it.

The only minor nitpick I would have with the episode is that some of the excuses to switch bodies seemed overly convenient and arbitrary sometimes. But, frankly, I was having such a good time watching the episode, it didn't bother me too much.

Futurama is on the decline? Pfft. 5/5.

[Paul]

Another excellent episode. They're really knocking them out of the park at the moment - as far as I'm concerned, the show's been on high form since "Proposition Infinity." No other show on TV even comes close to making me laugh as much as Futurama does right now. This episode exists just to make you laugh at the sheer insanity of it, and it was all the better for it. So many great moments here, too many to name, but the Scruffy/Washbucket romance was one of the most hilarious things I've ever seen. Just the sheer spontaneity of it, if anything. Every character was utilized perfectly, and seeing them speak in other voices never got old (I particularly got a kick out of Farnsworth for some reason.) I literally can't think of a bad thing to say about this one, so it gets a 5/5. Any doubts about Futurama's revival should certainly be laid to rest now.

[CHEESYPOOFS]

Instant classic. 5/5. Anyone who disagrees deserves a perma-IP ban.

[arii]

As soon as I saw Ken Keeler's name pop up, I got really excited. And was expecting greatness, but thinking that it might not come, that I might be expecting too much.

... And then the entire episode was amazing.

Nothing to go on about in-depth here. The episode was just Futurama: Insane, wacky fun with a sci-fi trope or two. The jokes all hit, the subplots meshed together brilliantly, the characters were well-used, the pacing was spot-on, and it was just meant to make you laugh. The Bertha robot moral was a little too tacked on for me, but it really only felt applicable to Farnsworth, anyway; pretty much everyone else was switching bodies for petty reasons, which just added to the humour. This wasn't meant to be deep or introspective or anything, just body-switching silliness.

Definitely amongst the funniest Futurama episodes. Just so brilliant and crazy. Futurama at its finest.

[Tomacco]

The first great episode of Futurama's new run, IMO. This was totally the fun sort of Futurama I love. A simple little sci-fi plot device used to its fullest comedic potential, with every character getting good moments in. Definitely had a bit of a "Three Hundred Big Boys" feel, but I like that episode and found this one to be similar, but even better (and fewer stories that petered out and jokes that fell flat). It wasn't a favorite of all-time for me, but definitely had a total feel of older episodes and the Futurama spirit I love, so I'm giving it 5/5.

[Semaj]

Much better than expected. It seemed for a moment like they were running out of time to resolve the story, which would've made it feel like another "should've been a two-parter" story. But it wrapped up nicely enough that that was not a concern.

4.5/5

[Dark Homer]

hilarious, maybe most hilarious of the season? although like ryan o i thought the fry-leela plot was pretty forced. also nikolai's character never rose above the level of "plot device" to me. when he first appeared i thought he was a cleaned up version of the eurotrash robot from the beginning of the honking

the amy-scruffy scene was the best... i admire how the writers only use him sparingly, just the occasional line every couple of episodes. in contrast to, like, ralph wiggum or the crazy cat lady or something

[DotheBartman]

Unlike the dreadful "Three Hundred Big Boys," this episode told a bunch of stories at once while still making the most of the show's setting and characters, as well as forming a much more cohesive whole. Not to mention, it was hilarious. Much like certain other episodes, like "Teenage Mutant Leela's Hurdles," it provided one unifying theme and insane sci-fi premise that ties the whole episods together, and then sees what happens to all the characters individually as a result of such a circumstance. The Fry/Leela storyline was quite gross but funny, and there was some great comic joy in doing simple things like having Zoidberg try to act like Fry. And even with all the weird stuff going on, it felt connected together and much that occurred in the smaller stories still felt important to the whole. Not an all-time classic, probably, but still a winning episode.

[HRH Sir Prince Charles]

Oh my god that was the funniest episode of Futurama I've ever seen. It's like Three Hundred Big Boys made sweet, tender love to The Farnsworth Parabox and this was their offspring. Just perfect in every way, a joke a minute (all of which hit) with a little character development thrown in for good measure. Perfectly plotted so that no moment went to waste. And the scene where Amy/Washbucket professes her love for Scruffy? Oh my god.

How rad is it that the first canonical time we see Fry ("the Fry!") and Leela have sex, it's as Zoidberg and Farnsworth? Oh man. Lovely callback to The Honking with the Robo-Hungarian Empire, a joke which will never be unfunny.

5/5, but I accidentally voted 4.

[Mira]

pretty great episode. the zoidberg/ professor stuff, scruffy and the washbucket, zoidberg destroying the apartment in like 5 second flat... all so great. the way a few things were introduced was a little forced such as Leela getting that angry for what seemed like no reason and the emperor's wife cheating on him and trying to kill him was also a little too easy and kind of cliche'. Even with the flaws, I loved it. 4.5/5

[arii]

hey wait, Zoidberg's species dies if they have sex!

so what really happened in that room

or is it just if they ejaculate. so like. ...

okay someone else take over working around the continuity on this because I really don't want to type some of this out

[HRH Sir Prince Charles]

What if the Professor/Leela gave it to him? It would be the ultimate proof that Fry/Zoidberg was okay with it, no?

[arii]

yeah that's what I was thinking

still wondering if Fry/Zoidberg got any relief then. or if it was even needed in Zoidberg's body

... man. these are the questions

[Real Melvin]

Fry was faking it. truth be told, if you look at the character clues, he's frigid.

edit: ^ stupid Applied Cryogenics joke

[HRH Sir Prince Charles]

I'm changing my vote to a 3 based on this continuity error

[Mira]

they only die when they have sex in that particular mating ceremony at the beach. and only with other zoidbergs/ lobster monster things. there.

[EthanRunt]

Almost a 5/5, the opening felt a little slow, but once it got going it was a well crafted series of subplots, jokes and the nastiest things TV should never have broadcasted (eugh).
4/5

[blueguy]

4/5
Pretty fun little episode. Not a whole lot of great jokes, but there was nothing that bugged me about it.

[TriforceBun]

This episode reminded me more of Teenage Mutant Leela's Hurdles than 300 Big Boys, probably because of the level of success it achieved in using the whole cast with a distinctively sci-fi plot. After several episodes being a little light on the humor this season, Benda goes all-out with its concept and delivers perhaps the funniest show since Leela's Hurdles.

The aspects that made it all come together weren't just the bizarre, occasionally disgusting scenarios (although they certainly contributed). It was in the surprisingly amusing animation, where we get to see character A physically act and emote like character B (C, D, etc). There's something inherently funny and silly about Amy hunching over like the professor, and it's interesting to see certain character's "usual" expressions in other members of the cast. Case in point--we get to see Farnsworth's "eyes" (in a way) show distinct emotion as he speaks, leading to a pretty fresh feel. Zoidberg in Fry's body was similarly great, with his uncomfortable, blank stare, scuttling, claw-fingers and all-around awkwardness.

Also, hearing a bikini-clad Amy talk like Bender and chomp a cigar is just great.

The story was pretty mind-bending in a way that only Futurama can be, and like The Late Philip J. Fry, was another episode that kept me thinking about it's strange concepts (and puzzle, in this case), long after the show was over. And I really enjoy big ensemble pieces like this where everyone plays a part in the story. The reasons for switching bodies, though flimsy, were fun enough to work (and more believable when you get the impression that everyone switching believes that they can easily get their own body back), and it led to some decent surface-level exploration of some of the characters' lesser-known idiosyncrasies (when was the last time we got a reference to Fat Amy, or Leela being self-conscious about her eye?).

Amy's plot to get back in her body, Zoidberg's befriending of "Bender" ("It's me! The Fry!"), Farnsworth's circus escapade, Bender's elaborate heist, Fry and Leela's horrifying subplot (which is sort of sweet once you get past the gag reflex), Hermes connecting with Amy, and of course, Scruffy and the Bucket's torrid affair were all hilarious, well-done, and just a lot of fun. And it's quite a dilemma--even when it handles a gag-driven just-for-laughs show, Futurama still has a brain.

I double-checked the body switching too, just to see if it worked out. Spoilered for easy skipping:

 Zoidberg goes to Fry, then to Sweet Clyde, then to Zoidberg.

Fry goes to Zoidberg, then to Bubblegum, then to Fry.

Leela goes to Farnsworth, then to Sweet Clyde, then to Leela.

Nikolai goes to the Bucket, then to Bubblegum, then to Nikolai.

Farnsworth goes to Amy, then to Bender, then to Bubblegum, then to Farnsworth.

Amy goes to Farnsworth, then to Leela, then to Hermes, then to Sweet Clyde, then to Amy.

The Bucket goes to Amy, then to Sweet Clyde, and back to the Bucket at the end.

Sweet Clyde, used as a vessel, first has Zoidberg's mind, then Bubblegum's, then Leela's, then Hermes', then he gives Hermes his own mind back and takes the one in Hermes, which is Amy. Switching minds with Amy's body, he then gets the Bucket's mind. Then he switches with the Bucket at the end when they have each others' minds.

Bubblegum Tate goes to Zoidberg, then the Sweet Clyde, then to Farnsworth, then back to his own mind.

Oddly, the characters keep their stock expressions throughout the mind switching, no matter what mind they have. 

So yeah, great episode and JUST below Late Fry as the top-runner of the seasons for me (and that's high praise). If we can get a couple episodes as clever as those two per season, I'll be one happy fan.

5/5 A

[Mt. Doom]

Great episode, but I don't think D DEBBS will be all too pleased with the numerous Amy-in-underwear scenes

4.5/5

[Green_Peaness]

This was a lot of mildly amusing shit that didn't amount to anything imo. 2/5

[HRH Sir Prince Charles]

IN A NEW CITY, WE COULD BE WHOEVER WE WANT!

[EthanRunt]

I juste remembered ZoidFry in the apartment and laughed, that's what good Futurama does.

[Yosemine]

they only die when they have sex in that particular mating ceremony at the beach. and only with other zoidbergs/ lobster monster things. there.

Hehe well that whole aspect doesn't have much continuity anyway. Example: Uncle Zoid and references to Zoidberg's mother.

Anyway, I found this to be an amusing episode. I was interested in the plot, and what would happen. I actually loved the random reasons they switched bodies. I mean, come on, if that option is out there and I believed I could switch right back, it does sound like something somebody would want to do.

One nitpick, Leela referencing Nicolas Cage. Come on, we're supposed to be 1000 years in the future here...

A high 4/5 from me.

[Paul]

Actors from our time are still acting, as heads. For example, Lucy Liu, and Pamela Anderson.