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Philip J. Fry (Billy West) is the hero of “Futurama,” however his robotic buddy Bender (John DiMaggio) is the present’s star. A crass alcoholic “lovable scamp” (learn: sociopath), Bender is to “Futurama” what Homer is on “The Simpsons.”
“Futurama” takes place within the thirty first century, and this future is stuffed with a lot extra charming robots than solely Bender. From performing unit Calculon (Maurice LaMarche) to the Robotic Satan (voiced by Homer Simpson himself, Dan Castellaneta), among the funniest characters in “Futurama” have silicon souls.
Nobody can accuse “Futurama” of being written by Isaac Asimov, however many episodes of the present discover Bender’s existence as a robotic too. In “Worry Of A Bot Planet,” the characters go to a planet that’s Bender’s paradise (a planet of robots who wish to kill all people). “Obsoluely Fabulous” sees Bender befriend a number of outmoded robots whereas he himself offers with fears of obsolescence. “Free Will Searching” forces Bender to reckon with how, as a robotic, he has no true free will.
Bender can also be by no means one to share the highlight. In response to the latest e book “The Artwork of Futurama,” although, the creators of “Futurama” initially conceived there could be one other robotic in the primary forged: the Pocket Pal. A small robotic, the Pocket Pal has a battery torso, pipe-cleaner limbs, Mickey Mouse glove arms, and a TV-shaped head (antennae and all). See “Futurama” creator Matt Groening’s sketch of the Pal beneath:
Matt Groening
The Pocket Pal (who has solely had two small cameos) was meant to serve a significant operate in “Futurama” — exposition.
The Pocket Pal was supposed to show Fry about the way forward for Futurama
Comedy Central
Fry is the viewers surrogate of “Futurama.” As a person from 1999, he is the one who can also be confused in regards to the bizarre elements of the longer term. Even in later seasons, when he is been residing within the thirty first century for many years, the opposite characters will nonetheless generally have to clarify new customs and know-how to him.
In response to DVD commentary for the “Futurama” episode “Much less Than Hero,” the Pocket Pal was going to be the one who answered Fry’s questions. Fry would carry the Pal round in his pocket, then pull it out every time one thing was confused. Bender could be irritated by the Pocket Pal’s cutesy look.
Groening defined in “The Artwork of Futurama” that the Pocket Pal relies on a personality from the “Uncle Scrooge” comics: Little Helper, mini-robot assistant to rooster inventor Gyro Gearloose. “Futurama” director Invoice Morrison stated that the Pocket Pal was initially going to have a lightbulb head, similar to the Little Helper does. (See beneath.) Certainly, even the Pocket Pal’s closing design has Disney design thrives.
Disney
The Pocket Pal was dropped even earlier than “Futurama” debut episode “House Pilot 3000” was accomplished, and the mini robotic has solely proven up two instances. In “Much less Than Hero,” a mugger assaults Fry and Leela. He is holding a small robotic which is holding a tiny gun in his personal hand; the robotic appears to be like like a imply, inexperienced Pocket Pal.
The Pocket Pal itself (implied to be a mass-produced mannequin) seems in “Futurama” film “The Beast With A Billion Backs.” The crux of the film is that there is a crack within the universe, an “Anomaly.” Professor Farnsworth, plus his rival Wernstrom, workforce up and uncover that electrically-powered gadgets can’t go by way of the anomaly. To display the impact, Wernstrom makes use of a projector that mimics the Anomaly, and a yellow Pocket Pal. As soon as it shouts “Playtime is funtime” (voiced by Tress MacNeille), Wernstrom throws it in direction of the projector the place it explodes.
Earlier than the 2 Professors mount an expedition to the Anomaly, they resolve to blow off steam by blowing up extra of the Pocket Buddies — “Playtime is funtime,” Farnsworth observes. The Pocket Pal’s grotesque destiny displays how the very concept of it was thrown out from the present.
“The Artwork of Futurama” is out there in print and from digital retailers.
