Although the latest episode was kind of funny, I really had to feel sorry for Kif. It is sort of tiring watching him put up with Zapp in every episode that they appear in. That leads to my question.
When Kif asked Leela to join the Planet Express crew why didn't she or the others say something--if they knew what Zapp was like? After all, ever since "Love's Labours Lost in Space", they had seen first hand how Kif was treated.
I thought the same thing. Kif really got screwed in the last episode. The only reason Leela didn't like him was because he always talked about Zapp. Although I was laughing my ass off, I felt really bad for Kif (yeah yeah, he's just a cartoon character, blah blah blah).
--------
"Maybe, just once, someone will call me 'Sir' without adding, 'You're making a scene.'" -Homer Simpson
Yep. He sure did. Right down to the point that Zapp slapped the space suit on Kif and went off into space. It kind of made me mad that Kif didn't put his foot down and told Zapp to go to hell.
That's true too. But of course, I think she views the entire situation through being irritated over the fact that she actually slept with Zapp--and lived to tell about it. And because Zapp keeps on bringing it up, it seems like a bad memory replaying over and over without any release. She's a woman scorned--with a hint of shame.
That's not so bad. After all, what's a good television program without feeling some connection to the characters? Thinking about Kif's plight really makes me wonder whether he's prone to co-dependent relationships. With the talk about him hooking up with Amy (which has its insinuations way back in "A Flight to Remember"), I wonder if Amy could be a liberating force for him...if the writers so choose to pursue it.
And of course, I laughed throughout the entire episode too. The show was funny as it was sad--when it comes to the idea of manipulating people in terms of loyalty.
On Tue, 30 Nov 1999 23:30:42 -0800, Ceci M. wrote:
I think that's the point right there. As soon as Kiff is free from Zapp, all he does is talk about him. After A Flight to Remember, he was free of Zapp and could have requested re-assignment, or resigned. He knew that it was Zapp's course change that destroyed the ship and he was making out with Amy. But he ended up back with Zapp. When they were both court martialed, he was under no obligation to follow Zapp, but he did. Right after the mutany, he could have refused to obey Zapp and opt to go to the laundry room with Leela rather than be an accessory after the fact.
In his own way, Kiff is almost as pathetic as Zapp. He could have fought his court martial. After all, he warned Zapp not to use the Laser and he had witnesses.
Here's one more thought. After the mutiny, Zapp, Bender and Fry don't want the facts to come out because they are all guilty. I believe that mutiny would still be a pretty serious crime in 3000. Leela would rather not let anyone know that she lost control of her ship and crew. So Kiff could use the whole situation to his advantage. When they all meet up again, and they probably will, Kiff could ask to join the Planet Express crew in exchange for keeping quite. My guess is, he won't do anything except follow Zapp around again.
They choose not to have Amy interact with him at all in this episode. It seems they are just going to drop it completely. They also never mentioned Fry and Leela's engagement when Zapp showed up again (When Aliens Attack). He propositions Leela, but she never mentions that she's engaged, and Fry doesn't object.
Excerpts from netnews.alt.tv.futurama: 30-Nov-99 About Kif by Ceci [email]
Ya, I was refraining from saying anything. Its cool to watch someone suffer as long as you don't develop their character. Like something to be the beatdown toadie... But if you develop their character, you inevitably start feeling sorry for them... Even worse is when all they do is complain about that. They need a Kif goes berzerk episode.
The same sort of metamorphosis happened with Frank Burns in M*A*S*H, who was constantly being picked on, played jokes upon, and otherwise belittled. He was meant to be the butt of jokes, but you couldn't help but feel sorry for poor ferret face sometimes. Shortly before Larry Linville's departure, Frank "broke down" on the phone with his mother.
Not his mother, his wife. He called her 'Mommie' in direct reference to his insecurity. Kiff on the other hand, seems committed to being the toady, through some obscure loyalty to Zapp. I would like to see Kiff put on trial for fragging Zapp because he is so incompetent.