A Flight to Remember
Encyclopedia
"A Flight to Remember" is episode ten in the first production season of Futurama
. It originally aired in North America
on September 26, 1999 as the first episode in the second season. This episode was written by Eric Horsted
and directed by Peter Avanzino
. Dawnn Lewis
guest stars in this episode as LaBarbara Conrad. The episode is a parody
of the 1997 film Titanic
.
, Leela, and Bender hand their resignations to Professor Farnsworth
after narrowly escaping another delivery, but reconsider when he announces that the Planet Express team will take a cruise on the maiden voyage
of the largest space cruise ship
ever built: the Titanic. As they board they are stopped by Zapp Brannigan
, the ship's honorary captain. Attempting to avoid Brannigan's advances, Leela claims she is engaged to Fry. Bender meets the robot Countess de la Roca.
Brannigan deviates from the ship's course, opting to fly through a swarm of comet
s. Amy
unexpectedly runs into her parents who attempt to set Amy up with a date. To redirect her parents' attention, Amy claims Fry is her boyfriend
, making Leela jealous.
Bender meets the Countess again and pretends to be rich. At first he is only after her money, but he soon realizes he loves her. She learns Bender is a broke felon when he attempts to steal drinks from the bar. She tells him that she is not interested in his wealth; she loves him for his personality.
Hermes
is urged to participate in a limbo
competition, but declines. During the 2980 Earth Olympics
, a young fan, emulating Hermes—at the time an Olympic limboer—fatally broke his spine. Hermes has never limboed since. Brannigan declares Leela the winner of the competition, despite her not being a contestant. She and Fry are invited to dinner at the captain's table.
At dinner, both Brannigan and Amy's parents are present; they demand that Fry kiss his date. Before the fake relationships are exposed, Kif
calls Brannigan to the bridge; the new course has endangered the ship. Brannigan attempts to correct the problem by piloting the ship too close to a black hole
. Realizing the danger he has put them in, Brannigan promotes Kif to Captain before fleeing the ship. Bender heads off to save the Countess while the rest of the crew head for the escape pods. An airlock door closes, blocking the crew's escape. Zoidberg holds it open a few inches, but the door release is on the other side. Hermes resurrects his old limbo skills to squeeze under the door. Arriving at the escape pods, they meet Amy's parents, who have found Amy a new boyfriend: "Captain" Kif. After waiting as long as they can for Bender, the crew launches the escape pod. Bender leaps from the Titanic, Countess in tow. He grabs the escape pod, but they are overweight. The Countess sacrifices herself so the others may escape. An upset Bender says he has her diamond bracelet to remind him of her. He asks Hermes how much it is worth. Hermes responds that it is fake, the knowledge of which further breaks Bender's heart.
Futurama
Futurama is an American animated science fiction sitcom created by Matt Groening and developed by Groening and David X. Cohen for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series follows the adventures of a late 20th-century New York City pizza delivery boy, Philip J...
. It originally aired in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
on September 26, 1999 as the first episode in the second season. This episode was written by Eric Horsted
Eric Horsted
Eric Horsted is an American television writer. He has written for several shows, including Home Improvement, Coach, Futurama and Out of Jimmy's Head.- Coach episodes :*"About Face"*"Uneasy Riders"*"The Devil in Mrs...
and directed by Peter Avanzino
Peter Avanzino
Peter Avanzino is an American animation director. He has directed several episodes of Futurama, and currently serves as supervising director on the 6th season of the series. He has also directed episodes of Drawn Together, Duckman, The Wild Thornberrys, Sit Down, Shut Up, and The Ren and Stimpy Show...
. Dawnn Lewis
Dawnn Lewis
Dawnn Lewis is an American actress and singer, perhaps best known for her roles on sitcoms such as A Different World and in the first season of Hangin' with Mr. Cooper.-Career:...
guest stars in this episode as LaBarbara Conrad. The episode is a parody
Parody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
of the 1997 film Titanic
Titanic (1997 film)
Titanic is a 1997 American epic romance and disaster film directed, written, co-produced, and co-edited by James Cameron. A fictionalized account of the sinking of the RMS Titanic, it stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Jack Dawson, Kate Winslet as Rose DeWitt Bukater and Billy Zane as Rose's fiancé, Cal...
.
Plot
FryPhilip J. Fry
Philip J. Fry, known simply as Fry, is a fictional character, the main protagonist of the animated science fiction sitcom Futurama. He is voiced by Billy West using a version of his own voice as he sounded when he was 25.-Character overview:...
, Leela, and Bender hand their resignations to Professor Farnsworth
Professor Hubert Farnsworth
Professor Hubert J. Farnsworth, or simply The Professor, is a fictional character in the American animated television series Futurama. He is voiced by Billy West using a combination of impressions of Burgess Meredith and Frank Morgan. Farnsworth is the proprietor of the Planet Express delivery...
after narrowly escaping another delivery, but reconsider when he announces that the Planet Express team will take a cruise on the maiden voyage
Maiden voyage
The maiden voyage of a ship, aircraft or other craft is the first journey made by the craft after shakedown. A number of traditions and superstitions are associated with it....
of the largest space cruise ship
Cruise ship
A cruise ship or cruise liner is a passenger ship used for pleasure voyages, where the voyage itself and the ship's amenities are part of the experience, as well as the different destinations along the way...
ever built: the Titanic. As they board they are stopped by Zapp Brannigan
Zapp Brannigan
Captain Zapp Brannigan is a fictional character in the animated sitcom Futurama. He is voiced by Billy West, but was originally intended to be voiced by Phil Hartman, with West taking over the role after Hartman's death. Brannigan is a 25-Star General in the Democratic Order of Planets, and captain...
, the ship's honorary captain. Attempting to avoid Brannigan's advances, Leela claims she is engaged to Fry. Bender meets the robot Countess de la Roca.
Brannigan deviates from the ship's course, opting to fly through a swarm of comet
Comet
A comet is an icy small Solar System body that, when close enough to the Sun, displays a visible coma and sometimes also a tail. These phenomena are both due to the effects of solar radiation and the solar wind upon the nucleus of the comet...
s. Amy
Amy Wong
Amy Wong, voiced by Lauren Tom, is a fictional character, one of the main characters from the Fox and Comedy Central television animated series Futurama. She works as an intern at Planet Express...
unexpectedly runs into her parents who attempt to set Amy up with a date. To redirect her parents' attention, Amy claims Fry is her boyfriend
Boyfriend
A boyfriend is a person's regular male companion in a romantic or sexual relationship, although normally not in long-term committed relationships, where other titles A boyfriend is a person's regular male companion in a romantic or sexual relationship, although normally not in long-term committed...
, making Leela jealous.
Bender meets the Countess again and pretends to be rich. At first he is only after her money, but he soon realizes he loves her. She learns Bender is a broke felon when he attempts to steal drinks from the bar. She tells him that she is not interested in his wealth; she loves him for his personality.
Hermes
Hermes Conrad
Hermes Conrad is a fictional character in the Futurama animated series. He is voiced by Phil LaMarr.- Appearance and personality :Born in 2959, Hermes is a grade 36 bureaucrat from Jamaica. He manages the Planet Express delivery business with responsibilities that include paying bills, giving out...
is urged to participate in a limbo
Limbo (dance)
Limbo is a popular form of dance that originated on the island of Trinidad. The dancer moves to a Caribbean rhythm, then leans backward and dances under a horizontal pole without touching it. Upon touching it or falling backwards, the dancer is "out"...
competition, but declines. During the 2980 Earth Olympics
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
, a young fan, emulating Hermes—at the time an Olympic limboer—fatally broke his spine. Hermes has never limboed since. Brannigan declares Leela the winner of the competition, despite her not being a contestant. She and Fry are invited to dinner at the captain's table.
At dinner, both Brannigan and Amy's parents are present; they demand that Fry kiss his date. Before the fake relationships are exposed, Kif
Kif Kroker
Lieutenant Kif Kroker is a character from the animated television series Futurama. He is the long suffering assistant to Captain Zapp Brannigan and Fourth Lieutenant on the Democratic Order of Planets starship Nimbus...
calls Brannigan to the bridge; the new course has endangered the ship. Brannigan attempts to correct the problem by piloting the ship too close to a black hole
Black hole
A black hole is a region of spacetime from which nothing, not even light, can escape. The theory of general relativity predicts that a sufficiently compact mass will deform spacetime to form a black hole. Around a black hole there is a mathematically defined surface called an event horizon that...
. Realizing the danger he has put them in, Brannigan promotes Kif to Captain before fleeing the ship. Bender heads off to save the Countess while the rest of the crew head for the escape pods. An airlock door closes, blocking the crew's escape. Zoidberg holds it open a few inches, but the door release is on the other side. Hermes resurrects his old limbo skills to squeeze under the door. Arriving at the escape pods, they meet Amy's parents, who have found Amy a new boyfriend: "Captain" Kif. After waiting as long as they can for Bender, the crew launches the escape pod. Bender leaps from the Titanic, Countess in tow. He grabs the escape pod, but they are overweight. The Countess sacrifices herself so the others may escape. An upset Bender says he has her diamond bracelet to remind him of her. He asks Hermes how much it is worth. Hermes responds that it is fake, the knowledge of which further breaks Bender's heart.
Production
This episodes features the beginning of the relationship between Kif Kroker and Amy Wong. The relationship was originally meant to be a one–off joke; however, the writers found it to be convenient and used it in multiple later episodes.Introduced characters
- Leo and Inez Wong
- LaBarbara Conrad
External links
- A Flight to Remember at About.comAbout.comAbout.com is an online source for original information and advice. It is written in English, and is aimed primarily at North Americans. It is owned by The New York Times Company....
- A Flight to Remember at The Infosphere.