Commentary:Where the Buggalo Roam

Topics of Discussion

 * They note how they tend to take one city and use it to characterize and entire planet (based off the Wong Ranch characterizing all of Mars and having a "Wild West" theme.
 * They discuss how there are canals on Mars that they never address.
 * Billy West does not feel guilty about doing an overexaggerated Chinese accent for Leo Wong.
 * Later, when Singing Wind is talking, they decide that Billy West likes doing "divisive voice"
 * Also, Singing Wind's voice is apparently based on that of West's gardener.
 * The Buggalo were voiced by numerous "mouth sounds" that overlapped one another.
 * Yet, David Cohen was certain that Maurice LaMarche did the voice for Betsy, and jokingly added that it was the best voice he did.
 * The Buggalo were originally introduced in The Series Has Landed on The Moon, and they discuss whether the Buggalo were native to Mars or the Moon, and which they migrated to. They agree it will be settled by the plot of the episode, but the topic never resurfaces.
 * This is Pat Shinagawa's directorial debut on Futurama.
 * The censors had a problem with the smoking bits that involved Kif and R.J.
 * Specifically, the inclusion of Joe, a character strikingly similar to Joe Camel, was a point of dispute, but Cohen argued that his inclusion was meant to be satricial.
 * Following Bender burping within the episode, Cohen notes that John DiMaggio is a fantastic burper, better than Billy West.
 * Furthermore, they notice that they fall upon burping as a source of humor very frequently within the show.
 * They say how they got the acreage of half of Mars accurate, thus pleasing die hard fans on the internet.
 * Matt jumps the gun, quoting a Zapp line from the episode about 10 minutes before it is said.
 * Shinegawa says how the episode is nicely balanced between character focus, including Kif, Amy, Zapp, Fry, Leela, and Bender very well.
 * Inez Wong wears a pot leaf on her hat.
 * Also, later in the episode, Amy hides in bushes that look suspiciously like pot. Nevertheless, Cohen jokes that it is a Martian plant called "poot."
 * Apparently, about 10 minutes of Martian exploration got cut from the episode.
 * They mention how Amy Wong is probably a sexual image to some fans, and misname this website site "Can't Get Enough Amy Wong."
 * Matt Groening launches into a lengthy story about Tuvan throat singing, and Tuvans who visited Los Angeles and apparently recording with Frank Zappa at some point.
 * This stemmed from the comparison of the Martian chanting to Tuvan throat singing.
 * Ken Keeler, apparently, is a talented throat singer.
 * Zapp's uniform was originally to be even more exaggerated, with a shorter bottom and taller boots.
 * After seeing and discussing the Great Stone Face of Mars, they discuss where or not there's life there.
 * Shinegawa thinks there is.
 * Cohen hopes there is, but doesn't think that's the case.
 * Stuart Burns jokingly mentions that, like in the episode, there might be life underground.
 * Shinegawa thinks that people won't understand the Crying Indian reference.
 * They notice that, after the Martians abandon their planet because their bead was really a giant diamond, there is really no "message" within the episode.
 * There was originally a plot line where Kif became addicted to smoking based off the two times he did so within the episode.

Highlights / Quotes

 * Cohen: Do you feel guilty doing that over-the-top Chinese voice? West: No, I'm into dividing everybody. I don't want anybody coming together.
 * Cohen: The other day we were recording another episode with John DiMaggio, and he did the best burp I have ever heard in any situation, professional or amateur.
 * Burns: Apparently we got the acreage [of half of Mars] right, so anybody who is listening to this part of the DVD probably got on the internet already and complented us on getting it right.
 * Cohen: This is the guy the censor didn't like. The Camel-like alien. Kids love him. Now, my contention was that "kids love him" was a sarcastic or satirical comment on that type of character. The censor thought that we might just be saying that's it's cool to smoke.
 * DiMaggio: Hey, man, you ever had that Martian poot, man? That's some serious stuff, man...
 * West: See, I'm sure there's some young guys who have a crush on [Amy]. Because I had a crush on Natasha from Rocky and Bullwinkle, with all that cleavage... Cohen: There's a website called "Can't Get Enough Amy Wong." Burns: Does it have naked pictures of Amy Wong? Cohen: I wouldn't know. Burns: I've only been to the Fry site, so...
 * West: We've spent a lot of time talking about Tuvans!
 * Cohen: I guess it is a little weird to have people cheering at someone successfully smoking.

Related DVD Features

 * Season 3, Disc 2
 * Where the Buggalo Roam, deleted scene