"Space Pilot 3000 (1ACV01)" Episode Capsule Part 3

S01E01 Space Pilot 3000retroApr 8, 199911 days later1 post by 1 poster
1 post
Jordan Eisenberg

[Comtinued from Part 2, this is the beginning of Act Three, after Fry and the robot (Bender...don't I sound corny?) activate the suicide booth.]

% The suicide booth is aparently still in use. Inside ...

  Robot: Come on!  come on!  Kill me already!  [To Fry]  By the way, my
         name's Bender.
    Fry: Help!  What's happening?

% The booth's various weapons each jump into the center of the booth, % slashing and zapping in an attempt to kill their customer, which Fry % and Bender manage to avoid. As a final knife extrudes forwards and % twists in the air, the voice returns.

Voice: You are now dead. Thank you for using Stop-N-Drop, America's favorite suicide booth since 2008. % The hatch opens, and Fry stumbles outside trying to catch his breath, % as Bender kicks the booth.

Bender: Lousy, stinking ripoff. [To Fry] Well I didn't have anything else planned for today. Lets go get drunk!

% Meanwhile Leela's five minutes are up. She's thawed out, and resumes % her counting, but gives up when she realizes what happened. She is % given the same melodramatic greeting that Fry got, but she replies % with "Shut up, Terri." She later reports to her boss.

   Boss: This is unacceptable, Leela.  You must find this Mr. Fry and
         install his chip.
  Leela: Look, he's just a nobody who doesn't want to be a delivery
         boy.  I'd really rather not force it on him.
   Boss: Well, thats your job, whether you like it or not.  And it's my
         job to make you do your job, whether I like it or not ... which
         I do.  Very much.  Now get to work!  [Leela leaves dejectedly]
         Ah, Life is good.

% Bender and Fry are drinking at a local pub. Fry watches Bender take a % drink of Olf Fortran Malt Liquor.

     Fry: Why would a robot need to drink?
  Bender: I don't _need_ to drink, I can quit any time I want.  [burps a
          flame of fire]  So they made you a delivery boy, huh?  Man,
          that's as bad as my job.
     Fry: Really?  What do you do, Bender?
  Bender: I'm a bender.  I bend girders.  That's all I'm programmed to
          do.
     Fry: You any good at it?
  Bender: You kiddin'?  I was a stud.  I could bent a girder to any
          angle.  30 degrees, 32 degrees, you name it.  31 ...  But I
          couldn't go on living once I found out what the girders were
          for.
     Fry: What?
  Bender: Suicide booths.  [throws his empty bottle down his throat]
          Well Fry, it was a pleasure meetin' ya.  I'm gonna go kill
          myself.  [gets up to leave]
     Fry: Wait!  You're the only friend I have.
  Bender: You really want a robot for a friend?
     Fry: Yeah, ever since I was six.
  Bender: Well, okay, but I don't want people thinking we're robosexuals
          so if anyone asks, you're my debugger.
     Fry: [sees Leela outside the pub's window]  Oh no, its the cyclops!
          [Bender turns to look]  Don't look!  Don't look!
  Bender: [condescendingly]  I'm not looking.

% Bender obviously _is_ looking, because his eyes slide forward to about % three times their original length as he faces Leela. Outside, Leela % shows a photograph of Fry to a pedestrian. The man points to Fry % through the Pub window, and Fry and Bender quickly run away. Leela % activates her wrist-radio and states "This is officer 1-BDI, % requesting backup." The cop on the other end of the conversation (who % is actually right behind her) replies "We'll be there in five % minutes."

% Bender and Fry run down the street, as Bender spots a museam. Bender % decides to hide in the museam because it's free on Tuesdays, and as % the two of them duck around a corner inside, they meet Leonard Nimoy's % head in a jar. There are rows of other heads in the room behind him.

  Nimoy: Welcome to the Head Museum.  I'm Leonard Nimoy.
    Fry: Spock?  Hey ... uh, do the thing!  [presents the Vulcan 'live
         long and prosper' sign]
  Nimoy: [chuckles]  I don't do that any more.
    Fry: This is unbelievable!  What do you heads do all day?
  Nimoy: We share our wisdom with those who seek it.  It's a life of
         quiet dignity.

% Just as he says this, a woman announces "feeding time" and comes to % sprinkle fish food into Nimoy's jar. He darts his head around to % munch on the food, as Leela and her two backup officers pound on the % museam's front door. Fry and Bender try to hide their faces among % other heads in jars, but are quickly discovered.

Leela: I'm sorry, Fry, but I have to install your career chip. Fry: Yeah, well, if you're sorry, then why are you doing it? Leela: Its my job. 'You gotta do what you gotta do.'

% Fry backs away from Leela, but bumps into several head jars in the % "Wall of U.S. Presidents," causing Nixon's to fall and break. Nixon's % head uprights itself in a puddle of water, and informs Fry "You just % made my list!" before jumping up and biting Fry's arm.

Fry: Stop it! Down boy! Bad president!

% The two other cops approach and don light-saber-like weapons.

Cop 1: Alright buddy, step away from the head. Cop 2: I'm gonna get 24th century on his ass.

% Fry and Bender are beaten with light sticks.

Leela: Please officers! There's no need to use force! Cop 2: Let us handle this, weirdy. Leela: Oh come on, he's just a poor kid from the stupid ages. Cop 1: Keep your big nose out of this, Eyeball! Leela: [angry] No one makes fun of my nose!

% Leela jump-kicks the first cop, and then attacks the second cop.

Cop 2: [on the floor] Damn. Leela: You guys were totally out of control. Cop 1: Its our job, we're peace officers! Cop 2: Yeah, you know the law. You gotta do what you gotta do.

% This appears to have an effect on Leela, as we rejoin Fry and Bender, % who've found hideout in the Hall of Criminals and locked the door. % Bender thinks they're trapped, but Fry sees the prison bars blocking % one window, and has an idea.

     Fry: Wait a second.  You're a bender, right?  We can get out of
          here if you just bend the bars.
  Bender: Dream on, Skin Tube.  I'm only programmed to bend for
          constructive purposes.  What do I look like?  A de-bender?
     Fry: Who cares what you're programmed for?  If someone programmed
          you to jump off a bridge, would you do it?
  Bender: I'll have to check my program.  [pauses]  Yep!
   Leela: [banging on the door]  Open up!
     Fry: Come on, Bender.  Its up to you to make your own decisions in
          life.  Thats what separates people and robots from animals,
          and ... animal robots.

% Bender remarks "You're full of crap, Fry" and walks away, but his head % gets stuck to a wire hanging from the ceiling, and his circuits get % scrambled. He turns back around and says "You make a persuasive % argument, Fry," then tries for the prison bars. As Fry cheers him on, % Bender repeats that he can't do it, but finally, two of the bars snap % off.

     Fry: Yes!
  Bender: [proudly]  You were right, Fry!  From now I'm gonna bend what
          I want, when I want, who I want.  I'm unstoppable!

% He holds the two broken bars high in the air, but both of his arms % fall out of their sockets, clanking to the ground.

Bender: Aww.

% End of Act Three. (5:57)

% Once Bender gets his arms put back on, Leela breaks into the room. % Fry and Bender slip through the window, and Bender bends two of the % remaining prison bars inward so that Leela can't follow them. Leela % cries sincerely for them to wait, but they don't listen.

% Bender and Fry find themselves in an alleyway and decide to escape % down a grate in the pavement. Bender stretches his arms and brags % "Looks like one of us will have to bend this grate," but Fry simply % lifts it open. Bender looks disappointed as they climb down, but he % returns once more and bends the bars on the already-open grate for his % own amusement. Apparently, the ladder leads down to a city of ruins.

     Fry: Good lord, what is this?
  Bender: It's the decaying ruins of Old New York.  Welcome home, pal!
     Fry: [exploring the ruins]  It's my old neighborhood.  Man this
          brings back a lot of memories.
  Bender: Keep 'em to yourself, pops.
     Fry: [dreamy]  This is where I brought my girlfriend on our very
          first date.

% Through Fry's eyes, the scene transforms into New York of 1999, where % Fry and Michelle are ice-skating in central park. The bright colors % morph back into decaying ruins, and Fry and Michelle are replaced by a % huge, tentacled monster which dives back into the mud.

     Fry: [stunned]  My God, she's gone!  Everyone I ever knew or cared
          about is gone.
  Bender: Wait.  Theres someone you know.  [he points off-screen, and we
          see Leela standing prominently beside them]
     Fry: [to Leela]  Aw, can't you leave me alone?  I'm miserable
          enough already.
   Leela: Look, I know its not much consolation, but I understand how
          you feel.
     Fry: No, you don't.  I've got no home, no family ...
  Bender:                                             ... no friends!
     Fry: My whole world is gone.  You can't possibly understand what it
          feels like to be so alone.
   Leela: I understand.  I'm the only one-eyed alien on this whole
          planet.  My parents abandoned me here as a baby, and I don't
          even know which galaxy they were from.  I know how it feels to
          be alone.
     Fry: Look, Leela ... I don't understand this world, but you
          obviously do, so I give up.  If you really think I should be a
          delivery boy, I'll do it.

% Fry clenches his face as he holds his hand out. Leela takes out her % clamp-like device again and prepares to inject Fry, when she instead % pries it into her own hand, and her own career chip comes out.

    Fry: Your chip!  What are you doing?
  Leela: Quitting.
    Fry: Why?
  Leela: Because I've always wanted to.  I just never realised it until
         I met you.

% Fry and Leela touch hands, then Bender slams his hand on top.

     Fry: [annoyed]  What is the matter with you?
  Bender: I just wanted to be part of the moment.
   Leela: Hey, he stole my ring!
  Bender: Sorry.  [returns it to her] [obnoxiously]  Well that solves
          the mystery of the missing ring.  This calls for a drink!
          [he takes three liquor bottles out of his chest compartment,
          but drinks all three at the same time]
   Leela: I don't want to spoil the party, but we're all job deserters
          now.  We're unemployed and we have nowhere to go.
     Fry: Correction: we're unemployed, but we have a doddering old
          relative to mooch off of!  [holds up a picture of his nephew]

% Professor Farnsworth snores in front of his television. On screen, % Dick Clark's head is in a jar, speaking to the camera: "Hello, I'm % Dick Clark's head. Welcome to a special Year 3000 edition of New % Year's Rockin' Eve." The doorbell wakes the professor, as our % fantastic trio waits outside.

  Professor: [answers the door] Who are you?
        Fry: I'm your dear old uncle Fry.
  Professor: I don't have an uncle Fry.
     Bender: You do now.  [pushes his way through the door]

% Profesor Farnsworth uses what is apparently a DNA-matching device to % validate Fry's claim. When the test comes back positive, he thinks % it's absolutely incredible, and after Bender's request for money is % rejected, we follow them into the professor's laboratory.

  Professor: Let me show you around.  That's my lab table, and this is
             my work stool, and over there is my intergalactic
             spaceship.  [gestures unenthusiastically]  And here's where
             I keep assorted lengths of wire!
        Fry: Whoa, a real live spaceship.
  Professor: I designed it myself.  Let me show you some of the
             different lengths of wire I used!

% The door is pounded on yet again, and Cop #1 speaks. "Attention, job % deserters! Come out with your hands up. We have you partially % surrounded." The crew is shocked, and Bender is so scared that he % literally [drops] a brick. Outside, Richard Nixon's head (being % carried by one of the peace officers) instructs "Get those bums!"

     Bender: Well we're boned.
      Leela: Can't we get away in the ship?
  Professor: I suppose it is technically possible. ... though I _am_
             already in my pajamas.

% The group makes their way into the ship, and Fry dons the controls % first. "I'll get us out of here" he says as he presses a few buttons, % but all the ship does is pour Fry a hot cup of coffee.

Professor: Can anyone drive stick? Leela: I can, as long as I don't have to parallel park.

% Outside, the police are preparing an offense as the ship prepares to % leave. Cop #2 instructs "If they try to take off, give em' an ass % full of laser" to the other cop, who's sitting in the controls of a % rocket-like weapon. Back in the spaceship ...

Leela: Prepare for liftoff. 10 ...

% The countdown for liftoff coincides with that of the New Year's Eve % countdown. Scenes of celebration are shown from around the world, % as each one recites a number counting down to the new millenium. The % countdown is completed by those in New New York.

          Terri: Fire.
  Leonard Nimoy: Four.
      Professor: Three.
         Bender: Two.
          Leela: One.
            Fry: Blast off!

% The ship leaves orbit as fireworks fill the sky. Nixon yells at the % cops to fire, but the fireworks in the sky block their vision. Cop #1 % says "I can't see nottin'. Pretty, yo." Meanwhile, in the spaceship, % signs of relief and cheers of celebration can be heard now that % they're safely out in space.

        Fry: So I guess without jobs we'll be fugitives forever.
  Professor: Not neccesarily.  Are you three by any chance interested
             in becoming my new spaceship crew?
     Bender: New crew?  What happened to the old crew?
  Professor: [sadly] Oh, those poor sons of ... [brightly]  But that's
             not important.  The important thing is, I need a new crew!
             Anyone interested?
        Fry: Yes!  Yes!  That's exactly the job I've always wanted!
      Leela: Thanks for the offer, professor, but we don't have the
             proper career chips.
  Professor: Oh, that won't be a problem.  As luck would have it I saved
             the chips from my previous crew.  [shakes them out of an
             envelope labelled "Contents of Space Wasp's Stomach"]
        Fry: This is awesome.  Are we gonna fly through space fighting
             mosters and teaching alien women to love?  [grins smugly]
  Professor: If, by that, you mean transporting cargo, then yes.  It's a
             little home business I started to fund my research.
        Fry: Cool!  What's my job gonna be?
  Professor: You'll be responsible for insuring that the cargo reaches
             it's destination.
        Fry: So, I'm ... gonna be a ... delivery boy?
  Professor: Exactly.
        Fry: [long pause]  Alright!

... I'm a delivery boy!

% The ship flies away into space as the music plays.

% End of Act 4 (6:43)
========================================================================
= Contributers =
{aa}  Amid Amidi                    {jj}  Jeff Johnston
{db}  David Brunt                   {jj2} John Jenson
{dh}  Dave Hall                     {jk}  Joe Klemm
{dr}  Dave Rout                     {meh} Mark E. Hardwidge
{ds}  Dave Sweatt                   {pb}  Paul Brinkley
{ec}  Ellen Cohen                   {pm}  Paul Melnyk
{gw}  Gary Wilson                   {tjm} Theodore Jay Miller
{hl}  Haynes Lee                    {tpe} Todd Paul Emerson
{jg}  Jeremy Gallen                 {yd}  Yuri Dieujuste
========================================================================
Futurama and its characters belong to  ===== First posted  : 07-Apr-1999
FOX.  Please do not confuse them with  ===== Last revised  : 07-Apr-1999
fans of the show, such as the people   ===== E-mail me: 
who contributed to this capsule.  :-)  =================================
Compiled by Jordan "2BDIs" Eisenberg.  =================================

Available on the web at: <http://futurama.simplenet.com/episodes/1ACV01.txt>

  • Jordan Eisenberg -- <http://members.aol.com/JEdraw/Simpsons/>
  • -- ( S1.2 OFF+++ APU# MAU! OTT@ f+++ )
  • ( n++/+++ Ilpswo $+++ 7G12, 9F09, 9F15, 1F06, 2F16 M1983 )
  • "And then I sped away without anyone seeing my license plate."
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