Obsoletely Fabulous

Production Number: 4ACV14

Title Caption: YOU CAN'T PROVE IT WON'T HAPPEN

First Aired: July 27, 2003

Act I: I'm your top-of-the-line, Mom!
The "Roboticon 3003", the worlds largest robot trade show, takes place in Madison Cube Garden, and the crew goes to have a look. Professor Farnsworth and Dr. Wernstrom use this opportunity to present their latest Killbots - unfortunately their stalls are side by side, so they end up in a fist fight, while their killbots go share a drink in the face of the senseless violence from their creators. Mom's Friendly Robot Company presents it's latest model: Robot 1-X, a servant robot with countless uses around the house. The Professor is so impressed that he buys one of them, which makes Bender unhappy who feels threatened by this superior piece of technology. To take care of that, he decides to get an upgrade to become compatible with the new technology. Seeing how the other robot's getting the upgrade are changed by it, Bender changes his mind and flees from the factory, but is afraid to face his co-workers in his current obsolete state. He constructs a makeshift boat and heads out to sea.

Act II: I am a hideous triumph of form and function
Bender strands on a lonely island and soon runs out of power. He is rescued by a group of obsolete robots who refused to get upgrades and defy modern technology, instead they embrace nature. Bender soon adopts their ways and goes even further - he decides to get a downgrade. He emerges from it as a steam-powered unit with a wooden body. He decides it is time to declare war on technology.

Act III: The 1-X robots are my friends!
Bender and his fellow robots travel in a wooden rowing sumbarine to New New York, performing acts of anti-technological terrorism. Their last target is the Planet Express building where Bender has a score to settle with Robot 1-X. They shoot the building with a catapult but miss, trapping the crew under the damaged Planet Express Ship where they are threatened by burning fuel. Bender rushes to save his friends, but is let down by his wooden body that disintegrates as it is too vulnerable and not up to the task. The only way to save the crew is to ask Robot 1-X for help, which Bender does, and it saves the crew. Bender realizes that he loves Robot 1-X - and finds that he never left the factory in the first place, and his expreience on the island was an illusion triggered by the upgrade process. He is somewhat unnerved as he feels he can't really trust his senses, but also content that all is back to normal - after all, reality is what you make it.

Trivia

 * The Killbot from the deleted scene in Love's Labours Lost in Space can be seen on the "Roboticon 3003", it is standing in front of Wernstrom's stall.

Quotes

 * Bender: That new robot is great, huh? It sure made me look like a pile of crap.
 * Professor: Indeed! That's why I bought one to help around the office!
 * Bender: Eeee!

Outside References

 * The mill-wheel-powered robot's name is Lisa, the name of the Apple Macintosh's predecessor.
 * Sinclair 2K probably refers to the Sinclair home computer series of the 80s.
 * The wooden submarine has its origin in the series' creators obsession for a similar device, possibly C.S.S. Hunley or the Turtle.
 * The name of the big computer in the island is "Deep Blue", IBM's Computer who won over Garry Kasparov circa 1997.

Characters

 * Fry
 * Leela
 * Bender
 * Professor Farnsworth
 * Amy
 * Hermes
 * Zoidberg
 * Wernstrom
 * Roberto
 * Fatbot
 * Debut: Nannybot 1.0
 * Debut: Robot 1-X
 * Debut: Cartridge Unit
 * Debut: Sinclair 2K|Sinclair 2K
 * Debut: Lisa

Episode Credits

 * Writer
 * Dan Vebber
 * Director
 * Dwayne Carey-Hill
 * Voice Actors
 * Billy West
 * Katey Sagal
 * John DiMaggio
 * Maurice LaMarche
 * Lauren Tom
 * Tress MacNeille
 * Dave Herman
 * DVD Commentary
 * Matt Groening
 * David X. Cohen
 * Rich Moore
 * Dan Vebber
 * Dwayne Carey-Hill
 * Billy West
 * Maurice LaMarche