Less Than Hero
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| Futurama episode | |
| "Less Than Hero" | |
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| Episode no. | 58 |
| Prod. code | 4ACV04 |
| Airdate | March 2, 2003 |
| Writer(s) | Ron Weiner |
| Director | Susie Dietter |
| Opening subtitle | SOON TO BE A MAJOR RELIGION |
| Opening cartoon | The Dover Boys, by Warner Brothers, 1942. |
| Guest star(s) | None |
| Season 4 January 2002 – August 2003 |
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| List of all Futurama episodes... | |
"Less Than Hero" is the fourth episode in the fourth season of Futurama. It first aired on March 2, 2003.
Contents |
[edit] Plot
Professor Farnsworth orders a supercollider from πKEA. After assembling it, Fry and Leela are left with sore muscles, and Dr. Zoidberg prescribes them a dubious "miracle cream". The supercollider super-explodes, and the Professor makes them take the remains back to the store. While walking along the streets of New New York, parts in tow, Fry and Leela get mugged. Tragedy is averted when Fry and Leela prove immune to laser fire and physical attacks. Arriving back at the Planet Express building, they discover that one of the listed side effects of the miracle cream is that it causes super powers in humans.
Along with Bender, they form a team of superheroes, the New Justice Team. With Fry as Captain Yesterday, Leela as Clobberella, and Bender as Super King, the New Justice Team begins making a name for themselves. Fry and Leela have a variety of powers (super-strength, super-speed, invulnerability), but Bender, being a robot, does not gain power from the cream (however he already has superhuman strength and stretching arms). Leela makes a visit to CitiHall, and procures a special one-day surface pass for her mutant parents. Shortly after, the mayor summons the New Justice Team to deal with a criminal threat.
The museum of natural history is going to be robbed at 9am by a criminal mastermind called the Zookeeper, who uses trained animals, including a badger, an elephant, and a crab named Citizen Snips, to aid him in his crimes. Leela, planning her day, schedules her parents' surface visit for 10am at the same museum. Her bright idea is ruined when the Zookeeper is late for the theft ("It's a long story," the Zookeeper explains). The New Justice Team foils the robbery, but the Zookeeper escapes. Leela's parents, convinced that Leela didn't show up because she's ashamed of them, slink back to the sewers, just a moment before Leela is able to get out of her costume and look for them.
Leela makes a trip to her parents' home in the sewers. There, saddened by her parents thinking she is ashamed of them, Leela reveals her superhero identity. Leela swears them to secrecy for their own protection, but Morris tells his friends, and the word spreads. Shortly after, Planet Express receives a call from the Zookeeper, who has kidnapped Leela's parents. He is willing to ransom them for the Quantum Gemerald, the item he tried to obtain in the museum heist.
With no other choices, the New Justice Team resolves to steal the gem. Unfortunately, they have run out of miracle cream, and are forced to commit the robbery without super powers. Fortunately, the museum guards still think they have superpowers, and they manage to get the Gemerald successfully. After a successful escape, they give the Quantum Gemerald to the Zookeeper, who releases Leela's parents and escapes. Bender and a morally confused Fry set off to commit a few more crimes while they still have their superhero costumes, and life returns to normal.
[edit] Cultural references
- This episode parodies several aspects of the 1960s Batman series complete with corny villains, exaggerated narration, cheesy costumes and comic book-style action bubbles on screen. Also, the New Justice Team's theme tune is a loose parody of the Spider-Man theme from the 1960s Marvel Super-Heroes animated show. The name "New Justice Team" is a parody of DC Comics' Justice League, including the logo.
- Leela's dramatic ripping of her clothes to show her parents her true identity (and subsequent revealing of yet another layer under her superhero costume) are a reference to Clark Kent's transformation into Superman.
- The furniture company πKEA (pronounced pi-kea) is a parody of Swedish retailer IKEA and the company's self-assembly furniture.
- The shot of the New Justice Team on top of the Planet Express office was visually inspired by the short-lived series Dark Angel, which was also airing on Fox at the time.
- Heard in the credits, the phrase "Winners Don't Use Drugs" was a slogan used in many 1980s arcade machines.
- Fry's "Captain Yesterday" name may be a reference the science fiction character "Captain Future".
- Fry and Leela's use of Miracle Cream to give them super powers for a limited time may be a reference to the DC Comics hero Hourman, who similarly uses a drug called "Miraclo" to give him various super powers for a period of one hour.
- Leela's "Clobberella" name is a reference to the comic or film character Barbarella.
- When Bender pulls out his crown, puts it on and says "We are not amused", he is making a direct reference to Queen Victoria and her famous mis-quote.
- The theme song lyric "And all the rest" is likely a reference to the theme song of the first season of Gilligan's Island, which used virtually the same phrase in its original theme song rather than list "second-tier" characters the Professor and Mary Ann.
- The title of this episode refers to Bret Easton Ellis' classic novel about growing up in Los Angeles Less Than Zero
[edit] Continuity
- The device that the Zookeeper uses to get the piranhas to walk on land is part of the device Wernstrom presents at the Academy of Inventors annual symposium two seasons previous in "A Big Piece of Garbage", though without the breathing apparatus. Both episodes were directed by Susie Dietter
[edit] Production notes
- When the kangaroo hits Bender, it shows the action bubble Binary "01001010," which translates into "J".
- The small robot Andrew, the mugger that threatens Fry and Leela, was based on a character in early drafts of the show referred to as "Pocket Pal", an extremely cute and annoying sidekick for Bender that was intended to drive him insane.
[edit] Trivia
- The clock on the wall of the museam displays 10 o'clock when Leela, Fry and Bender are atop of the lights. However, after they have rescued the emerals, the clock on the wall is them saying twenty-five past nine
[edit] Songs
[edit] The New Justice Team
Go, go, go, New Justice Team
Go, team, go, team team team team
Who's the newest Justice Team
The New Justice Team
Captain Yesterday is fast
Also he is from the past
Not just fast but from the past
Captain Yesterday
Super King has all the powers of a king
Plus all the powers of Superman
Also he's a robot
Ain't it cool
Super King, you rule!
Clobberella beats you up
Clobberella beats you up
Who does she beat up
You!
Clobberella
Citizens, never fear
Crazy do-good freaks are here
Until they run out of steam
Miracle Cream! Miracle Cream!
Gives the power to the team
Its effects wear off for sure
So they just slop on some more
The New Justice Team!
[edit] The New Justice Team (Credits)
Go, go go New Justice Team
Fighting justice is their quest
Super King, Clobberella
And all the rest
Here's to you, New Justice Team
Do the things that make a team
Help each other do some things
Winners don't use drugs!
The New Justice Team!
