Commentary:Space Pilot 3000

Production Number: 1ACV01 DVD: Season 1, Disc 1

Topics of Discussion

 * They attempted to insert secrets into the episode to set up the future episodes and plan to point them out in the commentary.
 * Secrets included the Nibbler shadow; at several other points the group randomly said "Secret!" despite nothing important being on screen.
 * Simultaneous countdown is a stretch.
 * The sequence while Fry is frozen was inspired by The Time Machine
 * Script changed many times, but it was seen as important to end the cold opening in the future.
 * An early version of the script featured Fry being sold at an auction to the professor for spare organs.
 * Another early version had Fry as a night watchman at the (1999) cryogenics lab.
 * Fry was to be the captain of the ship.
 * He may also have been an army man.
 * A removed scene featured flashbacks of important parts of Fry's life; Birth, College, etc.
 * Such long scenes caused them to have two hours worth of material.
 * The first shot of New New York was also the first 3D sequence in the show, and an experiment of sorts.
 * It was decided all technology was to malfunction, much like it does in the present.
 * Character design
 * Difficulties animating a cyclops, origins of the Leela character.
 * Designers didn't want Leela's nose as big as it is, Matt had to push for it, the belief was that female leads had to have tiny noses.
 * Bender used to have ear antennas.
 * Fry's outfit is based on James Dean in Rebel Without a Cause.
 * All designs in Matt Groening's style are intended to be recognisable from silhouette.
 * Fox was shocked at the high ratings the pilot received and didn't understand most of the concepts, particularly the suicide booths.
 * Bender's voice was what John DiMaggio thought the Professor should sound like.
 * The Statue of Liberty was going to be robotic.
 * Suicide Booths are based on a Donald Duck cartoon, in which Donald went to a museum of the future and used coin-op devices that injured him.
 * Career Chips were going to be much more important.
 * Cohen points out a sign with alien language one on it and discusses the languages.
 * The group was thrilled to have "approval" from Leonard Nimoy, and to be able to still make fun of Nixon.
 * Notes that the French language is gone.

Highlights / Quotes

 * David X. Cohen: That's my parent's home address "405". It's a different street, but that's where the number came from. [laughter] Matt Groening: Wow! Everything is of significance.
 * Rich Moore: I think this is the first time we see Leela?
 * Fox (a production note made on the script): Standard caution on the probulator.

Goofs

 * They note that they are aware Leela's armband is on the wrong arm.

Related DVD Features

 * Season 1, Disc 1
 * Animatics
 * Script The script contains an early version of the episode, which includes a mild profanity; divided by the introduction ([[Media:Naughty_Fry.jpg|A]], [[Media:Naughty_Fry_2.jpg|B]])
 * Storyboard

Commentators

 * Matt Groening
 * Writer
 * Creator
 * David X. Cohen
 * Writer
 * Executive Producer
 * Rich Moore
 * Co-Director
 * Supervising Director
 * Gregg Vanzo
 * Co-Director
 * Supervising Director
 * John DiMaggio
 * Actor (Bender, miscellaneous)