A Taste of Freedom

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Season 4 episode
Broadcast season 5 episode
A Taste of Freedom
A Taste of Freedom.JPG
Zoidberg is allowed to bite the flag for saving Earth from the Decapodians
No.59
Production number4ACV05
Written byEric Horsted
Directed byJames Purdum
Title captionOr is it?
First air date22 December, 2002
Broadcast numberS05E04
Title referenceThe book of the same name by Peng Ming-min, about an objective observer's unwitting participation in political matters, and subsequent troubles
Opening cartoon"The Queen was in the Parlor" (1932)
Additional
Commentary
(Transcript)
Transcript

Pictures

Season 4
  1. Kif Gets Knocked Up a Notch
  2. Leela's Homeworld
  3. Love and Rocket
  4. Less than Hero
  5. A Taste of Freedom
  6. Bender Should Not Be Allowed on Television
  7. Jurassic Bark
  8. Crimes of the Hot
  9. Teenage Mutant Leela's Hurdles
  10. The Why of Fry
  11. Where No Fan Has Gone Before
  12. The Sting
  13. Bend Her
  14. Obsoletely Fabulous
  15. The Farnsworth Parabox
  16. Three Hundred Big Boys
  17. Spanish Fry
  18. The Devil's Hands Are Idle Playthings
← Season 3Season 5 →

"A Taste of Freedom" is the fifty-ninth episode of Futurama, the fifth of the fourth production season and the fourth of the fifth broadcast season. It aired on 22 December, 2002, on Fox. In celebration of Freedom Day, Dr. Zoidberg eats the Earth flag, for which he is sentenced to death. In retaliation, the Decapodians enslave the entire world.

The Story

Act I: "Freedom, freedom, freedom, oy! Freedom, freedom, freedom, oy!"

It is Freedom Day on Earth, an the Planet Express crew are celebrating with everything that is right and proper for this occasion - like doing whatever you want or taking a hot nude group bath in the traditional Freedom tub. Zoidberg, however, enjoys it more than everyone else, as on Earth freedom is given, but on his home world, people have to suffer for it. That's why he loves Earth. They all go to Washington DC to watch the great parade, including military vehicles from DOOP. When Earth President Richard Nixon's head holds the Freedom Day Speech and salutes the beloved symbol of Freedom, Old Freebie, Zoidberg eats the flag in order to express the concepts behind Freedom Day. Unfortunately, the assembled Earthicans do not agree with Zoidberg's actions and Nixon's head orders Zoidberg's execution.

Act II: "I was hating Zoidberg before it was cool!"

Zoidberg flees inside the Decapodian embassy and finds a safe haven there for the time being. The Ambassador promises Zoidberg the full support of his government. Nixon's head orders to storm the embassy, but the Planet Express crew intervene on Zoidberg's behalf claiming the freedom of expression guaranteed by the Earth's constitution. Nixon therefore takes the case to a place where the constitution doesn't mean squat - the Supreme Court. The crew find a lawyer to defend Zoidberg, Old Man Waterfall. The Supreme Court decides that flag eating is not protected by the constitution and orders Zoidberg to apologize, but he refuses and is thus sentenced to death. Earth forces, led by Zapp Brannigan, begin attacking the Decapodian Embassy, whereupon the ambassador orders the Decapodian Army to attack.

Act III: "Is it possible that all this slavery and oppression is schmutzing up our freedom lesson?"

The Decapodians conquer Earth

After disabling the defenses by subterfuge, the Decapodians conquer Earth, enslaving every inhabitant and forcing them to build the Mobile Oppression Palace which provides cheap oppression and begins wrecking up Washington D.C. Fry, Leela, Bender, Zapp Brannigan and Kif are preparing a counterattack with an ancient heat-seeking missile. Old Man Waterfall tries to stand up to the invaders with his precious Earth flag, but is killed, which causes Zoidberg to change sides. However, the missile cannot acquire the target as all Decapodian technology is cold-blooded. Zoidberg saves the day by setting Old Man Waterfall's Earth flag on fire and hurling it into the Mobile Oppression Palace - the missile homes in on the target and destroys the oppressive device, freeing the Earth. On a celebration to honor Zoidberg, he is allowed to take a bite out of the flag to be hoisted with the approval of Nixon's head.

Additional Info

Trivia

  • Harold Zoid appears on a newspaper in this episode.
  • The episode originally featured the Mobile Oppression Palace destroying buildings, but were considered in bad taste due to the 9/11 attacks and were replaced with alternate footage (one of which was the sexually suggestive visual pun of the Bill Clinton Monument getting its tip cut off).
  • The episode is based off the famous flag burning controversy.
  • The embassies in Embassy Row include these of the Neutral Planet, the Klingons (pink, because it was originally supposed to be a Barbie Embassy, but it was scrapped during production, so the only indication that it is the Klingon embassy is the logo), the Globetrotter Homeworld and of Decapod 10.
  • Richard Nixon's Head is carried around by the Secretary of Transportation, instead of the Headless body of Agnew.
  • The woman seen talking to the young John Zoidberg is not his birth parent, as the events of "Why Must I Be a Crustacean in Love?" show that they must be dead; not to mention the fact that she herself uses the phrase "if you want your parents to roll over in their graves". She may be his third, non-biological, parental figure - in "That's Lobstertainment!" he identifies himself as "Norm and Sam and Sadie's boy".
  • Dr. Zoidberg's dream of being a comedian was previously mentioned in "That's Lobstertainment!".
  • During the Curiosity Company logo, Bender can be heard saying, "Freedom!" one last time.
  • Michelle is in the crowd and is thrown out of the way by Bender.
  • This episode marks the first appearance of Frida Waterfall who later becomes the leader of the Feministas in Into the Wild Green Yonder.

Allusions

Click here to see cultural mentions made in this episode.
  • While raising the flag (after taking a bite), Zoidberg says "I wonder what the Shroud of Turin tastes like"

Goofs

  • When Zoidberg takes the flag from Old Man Waterfall, Old Man Waterfall's fake hand is the wrong one, unless he has two fake hands.
    • It is likely that every part of Old Man Waterfall's body is fake.
  • When Bender's "freedom train" first pushes aside the crowd during the Freedom Day parade, one of the women who we see getting pushed aside is also seen standing on the far left of the crowd at the front. She looks like Michelle.
  • During the courtroom scene there are many discrepancies with the spectators.
    • In the first shot of the courtroom, identical people sit on either side with different colored hair/clothes. These people don't match the following shot from the front.
    • Zoidberg's podium is first seen close to the crew, but later is moved forwards significantly.
    • During the opening statements of Old Man Waterfall the spectators switch places.
    • During the telepathy, the spectators are completely different than before.
  • Leela's tank top strap is irregular and crooked when they are sitting on the building steps at night (approx 16:45)

Continuity

Quotes

    Fry: They sure hate Dr. Zoidberg.
    Bender: Pft. Posers! I was hating Zoidberg before it was cool.
    Fry: Where are we ever going to find a lawyer to take his case?
    Leela: I'll ask the head of the ACLU -- once he's done singing.
    Head of the ACLU: [singing] Don't mess with Earth. [talking] Kill Zoidberg! Goodnight!

    Zoidberg: Yes, I'm desecrating a flag, but to preserve the freedom it represents!

    Old Man Waterfall: Do your worst, you sea devils. I'll make my stand with Old Freebie. You can crush me but you can't crush my spirit!
    [The Mobile Oppression Palace crushes him.]
    Old Man Waterfall: Argh, my spirit!

    Leela: Zoidberg, you set us free! I feel like I could stand to hug you! I can't, but you know what I'm trying to say.

    Zoidberg: Ambassador Mervin, you killed my lawyer.
    Ambassador Mervin: You're welcome!
    Zoidberg: He defended my freedom when no one else would. He was a good and honorable man.
    Cut to the Washington DC Street
    Old Man Waterfall: I request a Satanic funeral.

    Fry: I'm having one of those things. You know, a headache with pictures?
    Leela: An idea?
    [Fry nods.]

Alien Language Sightings

    Time: 07:55
    Location: Side of Earthican Flag Company truck
    Language: AL2
    Translation: A Venusian Corporation

Appearances

(In alphabetic order)

Characters

Places

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Episode Credits