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| The Devil's Hands Are Idle Playthings August 10, 2003 |
Director: Bret Haaland
Production Code: 4ACV18
Original Air Date: August 10, 2003
Guest Voices: Dan Castellaneta
See You on Some Other Channel
While practicing the holophoner to impress Leela, Bender walks in on Fry and suggests that in order to get better at it maybe he should make a deal with the Devil - the Robot Devil to be precise. They go to Robot Hell to meet up with the Robot Devil who makes a deal with Fry - a set of robot hands for his set of human hands. The Robot Devil spins his selecting wheel (which contains all robots names on it) and surprisingly it lands on the Robot Devil! Grudgingly he exchanges hands with Fry.
Fry learns he can do much more with his robot hands than he could with his old hands and the Robot Devil soon learns he cannot do as much with his human hands. He tries to persuade Fry to change his mind but Fry denies him so the Robot Devil sets out a scheme to get his hands back. In the meantime with his robot hands Fry is now able to play the holophoner like no other person ever has. He is soon giving private concerts until Hedonism-Bot approaches him to commision an opera. At a loss for ideas on what to base it on Fry decides on developing an opera for and about Leela. As he sets out to compose his masterpiece the Robot Devil sets out to get his hands back.
First he tricks Bender in to trading his ass plate in for a blow horn on his nose. He vows to blow his horn in the face of the first person he comes in contact with. It so happens that it is Leela and when he does she is deafened by the loud noise. Not being able to hear she is worried that she will not be able to hear the opera that Fry is composing for her.
At the opera opening Leela gets assistance from Amy on what emotions she should convey at what times since she cannot hear the music. During the intermission Leela comes in contact with the Robot Devil who offers her a deal - robot ears to hear with in exchange for one of her hands. Fearing she will never hear the beautiful opera Fry has written for her she agrees to it, however the Robot Devil informs her that in due time he will approach her about getting Leela's hand.
During the final act of the opera the Robot Devil makes his mischevious plans be known - he now looks to collect from Leela what is rightfully his - her hand - in marriage!! He will reconsider but only on one condition and that being he and Fry agree to trade back hands. Fry agrees and with his own hands back sets out to complete the performance of the opera but without the robot hands he is now once again a failure on the holophoner and the crowd walks out on it. That is everyone except for Leela who asks Fry to show her how the opera ends.
Captain
Who is this one eyed female baby Moses?
With courage in her female babies smile?
Orphans
A savior from the stars
Or something stranger still
Leela
Or just a lonely filthy starving child
Bender
Leela! Leela, Leela save him
Save Fry! Save Fry! Godzilla,
Will devour him as for me I must be off
To have my doctor check this cough
Goodbye Fry
To win Leela's heart with the holophoner's art
I need hands of transcendental quickness
Robot Devil
Well I don't see any danger
In gambling with a stranger
For my head is of a most amazing thickness I'm stupid! I'm stupid! I'm stupider than you
I'm stupider than you in every way
Robot Devil (spoken)
Stupider?
Bah! This opera is as lousy as it is brilliant
Your lyrics lack subtelty
You can't just have your characters announce how they feel
That makes me feel angry!
Fry (spoken)
Look, what do you want?
Robot Devil (singing)
I want my hands back!
Ahahahahahahaha!
Fry
Never!
A Deals a deal, even with a dirty dealer
Robot Devil
Very well, then I'll take what I want from Leela!
Leela has promised me her hand
Leela
Fry, you do not understand!
I should have revealed I've been deafened by Bender
the shame, the shame
But I feared you'd stop writing this musical splendor
Deceptions', the curse of my whimsical gender
He gave me mechanical ears
Effective yet just a bit garish
In return without shedding a tear
I agreed that I'd give him my hand...
Robot Devil
In marriage
Leela
What?
Robot Devil
You'll give me your hand in marriage
Hermes
Is this really happening or just being staged?
Farnsworth
It can't be real,
Amy
Not if Leela is engaged
Leela
That isn't what I meant, that isn't what I signed
Robot Devil
You should have checked the wording in the fine,
Leela (spoken)
I'll give you my hand
Leela/Robot Devil (singing)
In marriage
Bender
The use of words expressing something other than
their literal intentions, now that, is, irony!
Robot Devil
I will marry her now and confide her to Hell
How droll, how droll!
Where Styx is a river and not just a band
Though they'll play our reception if all goes as planned
Unless Fry you surrender my hands!!
Fry
Destiny has cheated me, by
forcing me to decide upon
the woman that I idolize
Or the hands of an automotan
Without these hands I can't complete
The opera that was captivating her but if I keep
them, and she marries him
then he probably won't want me dating her
Farnsworth
I can't believe the Devil is so unforgiving
Zoidberg
I can't believe everybody is just ad-libbing!
Robot Preacher
By the power invested in me by the state of New New York
Fry
No!! Stop!
Take my hands, you evil! Metal! Dork!!
Robot Devil
Ahahahahahaha!!
One of the best episodes ever of Futurama and one that was directly geared to us the fans. There are plenty of nods to the fans in such things as the opening title banner, the billboard gag and sprinkled throughout the episode itself. The use of many characters and having them come back in a black tie celebration (at the opera) played out as a sort of going away party with all your favorite characters from the show.
The opera itself was really wel done and played out in two parts with each part having a different spin on it. In the middle of it all are the main characters of this story and the series - Leela and Fry. The ending could bring a tear to your eye even if you were not a fan of the show.
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