Ghost in the Machines

"Ghost in the Machines" is the one hundredth and seventh episode of Futurama, the nineteenth of the sixth production season and the third of the eighth broadcast season. After Bender dies, his disembodied software begins haunting the Planet Express crew.

Story
Fed up with the crew, Bender decides to kill himself using a suicide booth. After he dies, his software takes on a ghostly existence.

Production
During May 2011, Countdown to Futurama released five items of promotional material for the episode: a promotional picture featuring the Robot Devil on 15 May, concept art of an Earthican pride float depicting Zapp Brannigan and the Nimbus on 16 May, a promotional picture featuring the Planet Express crew mourning for Bender as his ghost watches from above on 17 May, part of the storyboard showing Mayor Poopenmeyer give Fry the keys to the city on 18 May, and a promotional picture featuring Fry and Bender's ghost sleeping in their apartment on 19 May.

On 15 June, David X. Cohen revealed that Dan Castellaneta would be reprising his role as the Robot Devil. On 28 June, two days prior to the release of the episode, Comedy Central released a two-minute clip featuring Bender's death. On 29 June, the day before the airing, Bongo Comics released a picture of the Robot Devil in an outfit.

Before airing, several items released had the episode title "Ghosts in the Machines" (example), but most sources seem to use "Ghost in the Machines".

Allusions

 * The title is a parody of the phrase "".


 * The name and logo of DeadEx is an obvious reference to, a company. This was previously referenced in "Future Stock", when Planet Express changed name to PlanEx and with it adopted the same logo.
 * Zapp Brannigan holding up the Earth as the Earthican pride float is a reference to of, who according to the mythology supported the heavens in such a way.


 * Bender asks the Robot Devil if he's "a g-g-g-ghost?!" This is a reference to grown-ups' reaction to seeing  in the cartoon series of the same name.

Continuity

 * Bender's mortality was the main theme of "Lethal Inspection".


 * Suicide booths have previously appeared in multiple episodes, first in the pilot. This is, however, the first time a suicide booth is seen to have feelings and being capable of decision-making.
 * The concept of robots turning into ghosts was previously seen in "The Honking".

Characters

 * Amy
 * Bender
 * Dr. Ben Beeler
 * Dr. Ben Beeler's wife
 * Debut: Drugman (mention)
 * Professor Farnsworth
 * Fry
 * Debut: Granny Hester (mention)
 * Hermes
 * Hypnotoad
 * Kif
 * Leela
 * Debut: Lynn
 * Debut: Lynn's mother (mention)
 * Mayor Poopenmeyer
 * Mrs. Poopenmeyer (mention)
 * Preacherbot
 * Robot Devil
 * Debut: Robot God
 * Scruffy
 * Zapp
 * Zoidberg

Alien Language Sightings
Time:Currently Unknown

Location: Hypnotoad poster

Language: AL1

Translation: OBEY