Commentary:Space Pilot 3000

Production Number: 1ACV01

Topics of Discussion

 * 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.
 * Simultanious countdown is a stretch.
 * The sequence while Fry is frozen was inspired by The Time Machine
 * Script changed many times, it was important to end the cold openning in the future. The first shot of New New York was also the first 3D sequence in the show, and experiment of sorts.
 * 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) crygenics lab.
 * Fry was to be the captain of the ship.
 * He may also have been an army man.
 * It was decided all technology was to malfunction, much like it does in the present.
 * Dificulties animating a cyclops, origins of the Leela character.
 * A removed scene featured flashbacks of important parts of Fry's life; Birth, Colledge, etc.
 * Such long scenes caused them to have two hours worth of material.
 * 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 divices that injured him.
 * Career chips were going to be much more important.
 * Cohen points out a sign with alien language one on it and discussess the languages.
 * They were thrilled to have "approval" from Leonard Nimoy, and to be able to still make fun of Nixon.
 * Designers didn't want Leela's nose 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 were to be recognisable from silhoetee.
 * Notes that the French language is gone.

Highlights / Quotes
[laughter] Groe:Wow! Everything is of significance.
 * DXC: That's my parent's home address "405". It's a different street, but that's where the number came from.
 * ???:I think this is the first time we see Leela.
 * Fox production note: Standard caution on the probulator.

Goofs

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

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, miscelaneous)