Commentary:Obsoletely Fabulous

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Commentary for
Obsoletely Fabulous
Production number	4ACV14
On DVD	Season 4 Disc 3
Additional
Transcript
Participants
Matt Groening Executive Producer David X. Cohen Executive Producer Rich Moore Supervising Director Dan Vebber Writer Dwayne Carey-Hill Director Billy West Actor (Fry, Professor Farnsworth, miscellaneous) Maurice LaMarche Actor (Cartridge Unit, miscellaneous)

Topics of Discussion

• The episode had not yet aired at the time of recording, causing some confusion at the start of the commentary.
• Wernstrom was intended to be a one time character, but was too good to leave out.
• Robot 1-X's design is based on an iMac.
• Satellite technology and the speed of light.
• Bender falling over in the trash can.
• Bender is the only major character in act 2.
• There had been a scene with a rock that was in reference to Tom Hanks' volleyball in Cast Away.
• Maurice had recently acted in some anti-smoking ads for radio.
• Bender's line the the pig "now turn around" was contributed by Matt.
• Sinclair 2K is based on the Timex Sinclair computer from the 1970s, which had 2KB of memory.
  • His design is based on Robby the Robot from Forbidden Planet.
• They didn't think Lisa would be easy to animate.
  • The Lisa was predecessor to the Macintosh.
• John (as Bender) hummed along to his memory of the music for the recording. When they added the music later in matched up correctly.
• Dan did the initial design of wooden Bender. A slight change was made to remove the steam engine that was on his back.
• Wooden submarines.
• The music during the robots' attack on modern technology is by Christopher Tyng, not something that was licensed.
• There had been brief moments showing what each of the characters had been doing when the power went out; Amy had been on a treadmill and fell off onto Scruffy's lap.
• The sound of Bender's arms falling off had been temporary, but the good sounds weren't funny.
• They were concerned because both this episode and "The Sting" both feature long plots that aren't really happening.

Highlights / Quotes

Dan Vebber: It was named after Steve Jobs' daughter, right?
David X. Cohen: Sure, why not?
Billy West: He should have named it after his son, Shemp.
Dan Vebber: His son, Computer.

Dan Vebber: This was... You actually drew this in the storyboards, didn't you? The way that he walks on his eyeballs? David?
David X. Cohen: Me. That's all... That's pure Cohen. [pause] I didn't draw it, but I thunk of it.
Billy West: Thanks Zeke!

Related DVD Features

• Some of the deleted scenes mentioned are on the disc, including scenes at the convention and in the upgrade facility.

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