REVIEW: FUTURAMA “31st CENTURY FOX”

Bender becomes a prey after saving a robotic fox from hunters.

Spoilers Below

Planet Express needs new uniforms so they go to the shop and get all snazzy, especially Bender who finds some Fox hunting garb in a size robot medium. Despite Leela’s objections, Bender goes off and joins a Fox Hunting club in Jersey. Once there, Leela takes part in picketing the hunting of foxes, Fry finds the champagne fountain, and Bender joins up with the fox hunt brigade lead by Stewart. After waiting for the 30 minute head start given to the fox, the hunters take off into the booby-trap laden forest and capture their prey. After the fox gets torn to shreds, its revealed that the animal is actually a robot, as is the dogs of which they used to find the thing, and horses of whence the hunters rode in on.

Leela is relieved to find out the animals being harmed are fake but Bender is pissed having found out that this club engages in violence against robotic animals. Soon, Bender starts a club with other robots to help put an end to robot  on robot violence which involves the stoppage of robot chickens(!!!!), robot pigs, and even carnival games! Eventually, Bender ends up back in NJ where Bender and the rest of Planet Express present the club with an injunction against harming robot foxes but is quickly overturned by one of the hunters who just HAPPENS to be a judge.

Leela, Bender, and Fry decide to give it another go at the club and as such Leela and Fry takes the fox back to HQ while Bender acts as the new victim of the hunters’ cruel game. As such, Bender gets his 30 minute head start but is stopped early by a fork in the road. Meanwhile, back at the headquarters everyone seems to love their new fox…that is until it ruins the recently bought uniforms, kills Amy’s bird, and ruins both Leela’s sign and Fry’s face. A chase ensues with Planet Express and the fox which leads them back to the game reserve of which Bender is on with the little critter setting him free from a bear trap. Leela and Fry on the other hand calm down the hunters with the exception of Stewart who is out hunting Bender. But as luck would have it, Bender springs a number of traps and gets Stew on the other end of a shotgun but doesn’t pull the trigger. That said the fox attacks Stewart revealing the son of a bitch to be a robot!

This was by far the better of the two episodes as it provided the most laughs, had the best plot, and featured the great Patrick Stewart.  Bender just kept coming with the laughs tonight and worked really well with Stewart who is always willing to say any line I am convinced. This season of Futurama despite a slow start has given us a very good season overall with every character getting to shine in their respected episodes but also showing off the gems of the ensemble cast working together. Granted, this episode was all about Bender which lets face it, Bender wouldn’t want it any other way! But, the plot would not have worked with the awesome Farnsworth layup to start us off and all the B-plot was scant, it had enough meat on the phone to help mix things up and still provide for a twist of an ending that no one saw. Looking forward to Futurama 2013!

(9.0 out of 10)