Bend Her
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| Futurama episode | |
| "Bend Her" | |
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| Episode no. | 67 |
| Prod. code | 4ACV13 |
| Airdate | July 20, 2003 |
| Where |  United States |
| Writer(s) | Mike Rowe |
| Director | James Purdom |
| Opening subtitle | Too Hot for Radio! |
| Opening cartoon | unknown |
| Season 4 January 2002 – August 2003 |
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| List of all Futurama episodes... | |
Bend Her is the thirteenth episode of the fourth production season of Futurama.
Contents |
[edit] Plot summary
While attending the Earth Olympics, Bender decides to pose as a fembot named Coilette in order to win gold medals. Bender, having won five gold medals, seemed to have succeeded, until he is called in for gender testing. Thinking quickly, Bender has the professor give him a sex change. Bender fools the world into believing he is a she.
"Coilette" is invited to go on Late Night with Humor-Bot 5.0 and starts to show woman-like tendencies. On the show, Calculon is a fellow guest and falls for Coilette instantly. The two go on several dates, while Bender claims he is doing this for the fame and money. Calculon later proposes to Coillette, who accepts — Bender's motive being to subsequently divorce Calculon to get half his belongings. On an outing, however, Coilette's emotions go wild as she sees that Calculon really loves her/him. Professor Farnsworth then reveals that Bender is slipping closer and closer to being a fembot forever due to her female hormones. The crew decides to stage a soap opera death at Coilette and Calculon's wedding. They pull it off, leaving Calculon alone to make a film about his heartbreak. Bender returns to his male persona, but still seems to miss Calculon.
[edit] Robonia planetary anthem
In addition to the Coilette's awards ceremony, the anthem is played during her appearance on Late Night with Humorbot 5.0. The tune is loosely based on the national anthem of Freedonia from the Marx Brothers movie Duck Soup. According to Bender the only lyrics are:
- Hail, hail, Rob-on-i-a
- A land I didn't make up!
[edit] Quotes
- Leela: It does seem like Jamaica would be able to field a strong limbo team without you.
Amy: Yeah, isn't that basically all Jamaicans do?
Hermes: Jamaicans have other interests! Which is why the limbo team got detained at the airport. - (Calculon is on "Late Night with HumorBot 5.0.")
HumorBot 5.0: (monotone) So, Calculon, would you like to set up this clip from "All My Circuits?"
Calculon: No, I think it's self-explanatory.
(The clip rolls. It is a high-angle shot of a backyard. A pirate is cooking hamburgers on a barbecue grill. Calculon drops to his knees and shouts)
Calculon: NNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!
(Back on the show)
Calculon: Funny story: the script actually called for me to say "yes", but I gave it a little twist. - Bender (as Coilette): (gasp) Congo Jack!
Calculon: Another shocking twist!
Fry (as Congo Jack): Yes, and I have a message from Colonel Mtumbe. He says "This is from Congo Jack." - (Bender is undergoing a sex change back to being a male)
Fry: Well, Bender. I hope this has taught you a lesson about changing your sex to win five gold medals.
Bender: It truly has. My romance with Calculon has taught me a lot about myself.
Prof. Farnsworth: Almost done!
Bender: If only somehow, some way, he and I could--- (changes to male voice) drive to Vegas, pick up some floozy-bots and void their warranties all night long! WOOOOOO!
Fry: Yay, my buddy's home! And his respect for women is back to normal.
[edit] Trivia
- Barbados Slim, based off his popularity amongst the staff, was to have a musical episode with him as the focus, but it was not written, as the writers wanted to stick with the crew during the series' final episodes.
- In a deleted scene, Bender tries to enter the Olympics by threatening to have his country retaliate with terrorist attacks, but this was cut following the September 11, 2001 attacks.
- Humorbot 5.0 also appeared in "That's Lobstertainment!" doing stand-up.
- In the year 3004, the Earth is like its own country, but in the opening ceremonies you can see the flag of Canada marched out with the team, along with several other countries, such as the "Republic of French Stereotypes". Also, when the Planet Express crew went to go see Hermes (limboing for Jamaica) the Professor notices people rooting for Sweden and says "Sweden? I don't think so!" and ripped a banner they were holding. It is similar to The United Kingdom's standing within the Commonwealth Games. The United Kingdom actually competes separately as England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
- In the episode "A Flight To Remember", a flashback to the 2980 Olympics shows that in that year there was a team for all of Earth (Hermes was announced as limboing for the Earth team) - indicating that the Olympics were held between planets rather than countries. But in this episode the competition appears to be between countries of Earth, as with today's Olympic Games. This could, however, possibly be due to the fact that in the 31st century, there is both an Intergalactic Olymics, and a separate Earth event for all nations within for it does clearly state in the episode "Welcome to the Earth Olympiad".
- The Robot Bending event uses "unbendable" girders, first seen in "Bendless Love"; apparently, Bender's previous bending wasn't as amazing an act of love, as strong robots seem able to bend them easily.
[edit] References
- The title is a reference to Ben-Hur. It is also a reference to Bender's name and the act of "gender bending". In the DVD commentary David X. Cohen claims the episode title is a "triple joke"
- Hermes says Barbados Slim, his rival, has gone "One toke over the line!", a reference to the 1971 song "One Toke Over the Line".
- Humorbot 5.0's show is a mix between The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Late Show with David Letterman. Coilette's behavior is similar to that of Drew Barrymore on the Late Show.
- When becoming female, Bender is injected with "Femzoil", a parody of Pennzoil. When he is made male again, he receives "Testosteroil".
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
| Preceded by: "The Sting" |
Futurama episodes | Followed by: "Obsoletely Fabulous" |
