The Honking
Encyclopedia
"The Honking" is episode eighteen in season two of Futurama
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 November 5, 2000. The title comes from The Howling
The Howling (film)
The Howling is a 1981 werewolf-themed horror film directed by Joe Dante. Based on the novel of the same name by Gary Brandner, the screenplay is written by John Sayles and Terence H. Winkless...

, a modern werewolf
Werewolf
A werewolf, also known as a lycanthrope , is a mythological or folkloric human with the ability to shapeshift into a wolf or an anthropomorphic wolf-like creature, either purposely or after being placed under a curse...

 film.

Plot

As part of his late uncle Vladimir's last will, Bender has to spend a night in his family's sinister old castle near Thermostadt, the capital of the Robo-Hungarian Empire. However, the castle's holographic "robot ghosts" cause him to flee out into the night, where he is promptly run over by a mysterious car that "creeps (or crept) on the ground on four rubbery feet, like a wolf." (Wheeled propulsion has long since faded from the population's collective memory, as seen in previous episodes.)

After returning to New New York, Bender begins to experience nightmares and blackouts, and starts to believe that the car has followed him home. In the city, mysterious tire tracks are discovered at places where Bender has been. Worried, he seeks "professional help" from a coin-operated Gypsy Bot machine. It informs him that he was run over by a "werecar," the robotic equivalent of a werewolf
Werewolf
A werewolf, also known as a lycanthrope , is a mythological or folkloric human with the ability to shapeshift into a wolf or an anthropomorphic wolf-like creature, either purposely or after being placed under a curse...

, and has thus become one himself. He is cursed to keep running people over
Vehicular homicide
Vehicular homicide in most states in the United States, is a crime. In general, it involves death that results from the negligent operation of a vehicle, or more so a result from driving while committing an unlawful act that does not amount to a felony...

 and eventually kill his best friend, Fry. The only thing that can lift the curse is to destroy the original werecar.

That night, Bender indeed turns into a sedan that resembles the Lincoln
Lincoln (automobile)
Lincoln is an American luxury vehicle brand of the Ford Motor Company. Lincoln vehicles are sold mostly in North America.-History:The company was founded in August 1915 by Henry M. Leland, one of the founders of Cadillac . During World War I, he left Cadillac which was sold to General Motors...

 from the movie The Car
The Car
The Car is a 1977 thriller/horror film directed by Elliot Silverstein and written by Michael Butler, Dennis Shryack and Lane Slate. The film stars James Brolin, Kathleen Lloyd, John Marley, and Ronny Cox, and tells the story of a mysterious car which goes on a murderous rampage, terrorizing the...

and goes after Leela. This angers Fry, who takes this as a sign that Bender does not consider him to be his best friend after all.

After narrowly surviving Bender's nocturnal rampage, the crew returns to the village near Uncle Vladimir's castle. From there, they follow a trail of various bizarre werecars (e.g. the "abominable snowmobile"), until they ultimately find the original werecar: Project Satan, a demonic car built a thousand years earlier from parts of the "most evil cars in history" (such as Hitler's
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...

 Mercedes and the Manson Family's
Charles Manson
Charles Milles Manson is an American criminal who led what became known as the Manson Family, a quasi-commune that arose in California in the late 1960s. He was found guilty of conspiracy to commit the Tate/LaBianca murders carried out by members of the group at his instruction...

 Volkswagen transporter).

In the final act, Bender once again transforms, and this time goes after Fry, to the latter's immense joy. A climactic fight (which quotes extensively from John Carpenter's Christine) ensues between Leela, Fry, Bender-car and Project Satan, Project Satan accidentally drives into a large furnace, destroying himself and lifting the curse.

The episode ends with a cured Bender trying to strangle Fry for taking his last beer, signaling their friendship has returned to normal - or what passes for it between them.

Reception

In Doug Pratt's DVD Pratt noted that this episode had an "extremely witty plot turn".

Cultural references

  • The factory where Project Satan was initiated is called Anti-Chrysler
    Chrysler
    Chrysler Group LLC is a multinational automaker headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, USA. Chrysler was first organized as the Chrysler Corporation in 1925....

    , a pun on Antichrist
    Antichrist
    The term or title antichrist, in Christian theology, refers to a leader who fulfills Biblical prophecies concerning an adversary of Christ, while resembling him in a deceptive manner...

     and the car company, Chrysler.
  • The eerie sound that is heard in the castle is the default startup tune for Windows 98
    Windows 98
    Windows 98 is a graphical operating system by Microsoft. It is the second major release in the Windows 9x line of operating systems. It was released to manufacturing on 15 May 1998 and to retail on 25 June 1998. Windows 98 is the successor to Windows 95. Like its predecessor, it is a hybrid...

    . Also when the Gypsy's reading the book about the Were-car the book also says Windows 98.
  • One of the robot
    Robot
    A robot is a mechanical or virtual intelligent agent that can perform tasks automatically or with guidance, typically by remote control. In practice a robot is usually an electro-mechanical machine that is guided by computer and electronic programming. Robots can be autonomous, semi-autonomous or...

     ghost
    Ghost
    In traditional belief and fiction, a ghost is the soul or spirit of a deceased person or animal that can appear, in visible form or other manifestation, to the living. Descriptions of the apparition of ghosts vary widely from an invisible presence to translucent or barely visible wispy shapes, to...

    s chasing Bender is the Microsoft Windows
    Microsoft Windows
    Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...

     logo. Another is a flying toaster.
  • The town of Thermostadt is a pun on Thermostat
    Thermostat
    A thermostat is the component of a control system which regulates the temperature of a system so that the system's temperature is maintained near a desired setpoint temperature. The thermostat does this by switching heating or cooling devices on or off, or regulating the flow of a heat transfer...

    , a device used to adjust the temperature in many homes, using the common German suffix "-stadt" or "town."
  • One of the tombstones in the castle cemetery reads "The Red LeBaron", a punning reference to the Red Baron and the Chrysler LeBaron
    Chrysler LeBaron
    The Chrysler LeBaron was originally a classic luxury car of 1930s manufactured by Chrysler which competed with other luxury cars of the era such as Lincoln and Packard....

    , foreshadowing the were-car plot.
  • Uncle Vladimir's spoiled son Tandy is named for the Tandy Corporation
    Tandy Corporation
    Tandy Corporation was a family-owned leather goods company based in Fort Worth, Texas. Tandy was founded in 1919 as a leather supply store, and acquired RadioShack in 1963. The Tandy name was dropped in May 2000, when RadioShack Corporation was made the official name.-History:Tandy began in 1919...

     (now the RadioShack Corporation). On his torso is written "Euro-TRaSh
    Eurotrash (term)
    Eurotrash is a derogatory term used in North America for Europeans, particularly those perceived to be arrogant, affluent, and expatriates in the United States....

    -80", a reference to Tandy's TRS-80
    TRS-80
    TRS-80 was Tandy Corporation's desktop microcomputer model line, sold through Tandy's Radio Shack stores in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The first units, ordered unseen, were delivered in November 1977, and rolled out to the stores the third week of December. The line won popularity with...

     personal computer, nicknamed the "Trash-80".
  • When the will is read, the line for Tandy is a parody of a line from the famous Volkswagen commercial "Funeral."
  • The painting with the moving eyes is that of "Commodore LXIV", referring to the Commodore 64
    Commodore 64
    The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...

     personal computer.
  • Calculon's claim that he was all of "history's greatest acting robots" is a subtle reference to the immortal Mr. Flint from the Star Trek
    Star Trek: The Original Series
    Star Trek is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry, produced by Desilu Productions . Star Trek was telecast on NBC from September 8, 1966, through June 3, 1969...

    episode "Requiem for Methuselah". David X. Cohen
    David X. Cohen
    David Samuel Cohen , primarily known as David X. Cohen, is an American television writer. He has written for The Simpsons and he is the head writer and executive producer of Futurama.-Early life:...

     confirms this Star Trek reference in the DVD commentary.
  • Calculon claims that he was once David Duchovny
    David Duchovny
    David William Duchovny is an American actor, writer and director. He has won Golden Globe awards for his work as FBI Special Agent Fox Mulder on The X-Files and as Hank Moody on Californication.-Early life:...

    .
  • The impound lot in which Bender wakes up has the slogan "The Happiest Place on Earth", a reference to Disneyland.
  • Fry draws attention to himself shouting "I'm a blind pedestrian, 20 points!" refers to Death Race 2000
    Death Race 2000
    Death Race 2000 is a 1975 cult action film directed by Paul Bartel, and starring David Carradine, Simone Griffeth and Sylvester Stallone. The film takes place in a dystopian American society in the year 2000, where the murderous Transcontinental Road Race has become a form of national entertainment...

     (and its successors, i.e. Carmageddon
    Carmageddon
    Carmageddon is the first of a series of graphically violent vehicular combat video games produced by Stainless Games, published by Interplay and SCi...

    ).
  • Project Satan refers to "Ed Begley, Jr.
    Ed Begley, Jr.
    Edward James "Ed" Begley, Jr. is an American actor and environmentalist. Begley has appeared in hundreds of films, television shows, and stage performances. He is best known for his role as Dr. Victor Ehrlich, on the television series St...

    's electric motor, the most evil propulsion system ever conceived!" Begley is known for his environmentalism
    Environmentalism
    Environmentalism is a broad philosophy, ideology and social movement regarding concerns for environmental conservation and improvement of the health of the environment, particularly as the measure for this health seeks to incorporate the concerns of non-human elements...

     and support for hybrid vehicle
    Hybrid vehicle
    A hybrid vehicle is a vehicle that uses two or more distinct power sources to move the vehicle. The term most commonly refers to hybrid electric vehicles , which combine an internal combustion engine and one or more electric motors.-Power:...

    s like the Toyota Prius
    Toyota Prius
    The Toyota Prius is a full hybrid electric mid-size hatchback, formerly a compact sedan developed and manufactured by the Toyota Motor Corporation...

    , and owned a General Motors EV1
    General Motors EV1
    The General Motors EV1 was an electric car produced and leased by the General Motors Corporation from 1996 to 1999. It was the first mass-produced and purpose-designed electric vehicle of the modern era from a major automaker, and the first GM car designed to be an electric vehicle from the...

    .
  • At one point, Doctor Zoidberg attempts to sell Mary Kay
    Mary Kay
    Mary Kay, Inc. is a privately held company that sells skin care and cosmetics products. Mary Kay World Headquarters is located in Addison, Texas, United States, a Dallas suburb. Mary Kay Ash founded Mary Kay Inc. on Friday, September 13, 1963...

     products to his co-workers.
  • The castle that once belonged to Bender's uncle is located in the former Robo-Hungarian Empire, a reference to the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
  • Calculon says that the most evil parts of the most evil people's cars were used to build Project Satan, like the steering wheel from Adolf Hitler
    Adolf Hitler
    Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...

    's staff car and the left turn signal of Charles Manson
    Charles Manson
    Charles Milles Manson is an American criminal who led what became known as the Manson Family, a quasi-commune that arose in California in the late 1960s. He was found guilty of conspiracy to commit the Tate/LaBianca murders carried out by members of the group at his instruction...

    's VW, both Adolf Hitler and Charles Manson are considered to be two of history's greatest villains. He also mentions the windshield wipers from KITT
    KITT
    KITT is the short name of two fictional characters from the adventure TV series Knight Rider. While having the same acronym, the KITTs are two different entities: one known as the Knight Industries Two Thousand, which appeared in the original TV series Knight Rider, and the other as the Knight...

     from the series Knight Rider, to which Fry says "Knight Rider wasn't evil!". Calculon responds "His windshield wipers were! It didn't come up much on the show, though."

Horror film references

This episode references several horror films, including The Car
The Car
The Car is a 1977 thriller/horror film directed by Elliot Silverstein and written by Michael Butler, Dennis Shryack and Lane Slate. The film stars James Brolin, Kathleen Lloyd, John Marley, and Ronny Cox, and tells the story of a mysterious car which goes on a murderous rampage, terrorizing the...

, Christine, The Haunting
The Haunting (1963 film)
The Haunting is a 1963 British psychological horror film by American director Robert Wise and adapted by Nelson Gidding from the novel The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson. It stars Julie Harris, Claire Bloom, Richard Johnson, and Russ Tamblyn. The film centers around the conflict between...

, The Shining
The Shining (film)
The Shining is a 1980 psychological horror film produced and directed by Stanley Kubrick, co-written with novelist Diane Johnson, and starring Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, and Danny Lloyd. The film is based on the novel of the same name by Stephen King. A writer, Jack Torrance, takes a job as an...

and An American Werewolf in London
An American Werewolf in London
An American Werewolf in London is a 1981 British-American horror film, written and directed by John Landis. It stars David Naughton, Jenny Agutter, and Griffin Dunne....

.
  • The line spoken by a Thermostadt villager, "Mumbo, perhaps. Jumbo, perhaps not," is a parody of a line from the 1934 horror film The Black Cat
    The Black Cat (1934 film)
    The Black Cat is a 1934 horror film that became Universal Pictures' biggest box office hit of the year. It was the first of eight movies to pair actors Béla Lugosi and Boris Karloff. Edgar G. Ulmer directed the film; Peter Ruric wrote the screenplay...

    : "Supernatural, perhaps. Baloney, perhaps not."
  • While staying in Vladimir's castle, Bender sees the binary
    Binary numeral system
    The binary numeral system, or base-2 number system, represents numeric values using two symbols, 0 and 1. More specifically, the usual base-2 system is a positional notation with a radix of 2...

     number 0101100101 (357 in decimal) on the wall, but is only alarmed when he sees the reflection in the mirror, resulting in 1010011010, which is the binary representation of 666, the Number of the Beast
    Number of the Beast
    The Number of the Beast is a term in the Book of Revelation, of the New Testament, that is associated with the first Beast of Revelation chapter 13, the Beast of the sea. In most manuscripts of the New Testament and in English translations of the Bible, the number of the Beast is...

    . The fact that it is only coherent in the mirror is a reference to the famous "Redrum" phrase occurring in The Shining
    The Shining (film)
    The Shining is a 1980 psychological horror film produced and directed by Stanley Kubrick, co-written with novelist Diane Johnson, and starring Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, and Danny Lloyd. The film is based on the novel of the same name by Stephen King. A writer, Jack Torrance, takes a job as an...

    (the leading zero in the unreflected version makes no sense for arbitrary width binary numbers; even Bender points this out by saying it was gibberish).
  • The scene where the horse-drawn carriage is moving along the cliffs towards the castle is very similar to a scene in Bram Stoker's Dracula.
  • The villager who takes them to the castle remarks "I will go this far and no further" similar to the 1931 film Dracula
    Dracula (1931 film)
    Dracula is a 1931 vampire-horror film directed by Tod Browning and starring Bela Lugosi as the title character. The film was produced by Universal and is based on the stage play of the same name by Hamilton Deane and John L...

    . They are, in fact, at the doors to the castle.
  • The transformation sequence, though a standard aspect of werewolf stories, appears quite similar to the well-known transformation in An American Werewolf in London
    An American Werewolf in London
    An American Werewolf in London is a 1981 British-American horror film, written and directed by John Landis. It stars David Naughton, Jenny Agutter, and Griffin Dunne....

    . As well Bender waking up in the impound lot references the protagonist waking up in the zoo, unaware of what transpired during the night.
  • The car that hits Bender is a 1958 Plymouth Fury, just like the one from Christine.
  • The car the Bender turns into looks a lot like the car from "The Car
    The Car
    The Car is a 1977 thriller/horror film directed by Elliot Silverstein and written by Michael Butler, Dennis Shryack and Lane Slate. The film stars James Brolin, Kathleen Lloyd, John Marley, and Ronny Cox, and tells the story of a mysterious car which goes on a murderous rampage, terrorizing the...

    ".

External links

  • The Honking at The Infosphere.
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