Bend Her
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Futurama episode | |
"Bend Her" | |
Coilette, Bender's female self. |
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Episode no. | 67 |
Prod. code | 4ACV13 |
Airdate | July 20, 2003 |
Writer(s) | Michael Rowe |
Director | James Purdum |
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 the animated television series Futurama.
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[edit] Plot summary
Hermes is called by the Jamaican limbo team to compete in the Earth 3004 Olympic Games. Farnsworth gives him a special suit to push his center of gravity closer to his knees and help him win. At the track, Hermes meets Barbados Slim, his limbo rival, who usually bests him when they meet. As the race starts Hermes initially does well but at the last pole the suit gives way, bouncing the pole off its stand and disqualifying him.
While attending the Olympics, Bender decides to pose as a fembot in order to compete. Competing as "Coilette" from Robonia he easily bests the female competitors. He wins five gold medals without being discovered, until he is called in for gender testing. Bender has the professor give him a sex change. The Professor drains his male oil and replaces it with fembot oil, eventually cutting off his antenna.
"Coilette" is invited to go on Late Night with Humor-Bot 5.0 and starts to show fembot tendencies, while insulting other women. Also appearing on the show is robot actor Calculon, who falls for Coilette instantly. The two go on several dates, which Bender claims he is doing for the fame and money. Calculon later proposes to Coilette, 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. Professor Farnsworth then reveals that Bender is slipping closer and closer to being a fembot forever due to the female hormones. At the wedding, Leela, Doctor Zoidberg and Fry stage an elaborate scene, ending in Coilette's death. Though heartbroken, Calculon vowed to star alone in a film "dedicated to her memory". Bender returns to his male persona, but still seems to miss Calculon.
[edit] Cultural 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 producer 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 Brewer and Shipley hit song "One Toke Over the Line".
- Humorbot 5.0's show is a mix between The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and the Late Show with David Letterman. The rising television behind the desk for the viewing of a clip is a similar to that of the Tonight Show, whereas 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] Continuity
- Humorbot 5.0 also appeared in "That's Lobstertainment!" doing stand-up. In this episode, Humorbot 5.0 is now the host of his own late-night talk show a la David Letterman.
- In the beginning of the episode, no one believes Hermes will be able to do any limbo dancing—and even he seems to have problems, though we have seen his excellent ability to limbo in "A Flight to Remember" of Season 1.
- It is revealed in this episode that the year is now 3004.
[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!
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