You’ve gotta love heroes who’re this callous. Sure, the eco-terrorists waste an entire room full of bystanders in cold blood... but do Spike and Jet let that distract them from their mark? Nope. Do they waste a single moment thinking about the tragic loss of innocent human life? Nah. Does the tone of the show even change to reflect the implications of this calamity? Hell no!
Like I said about the last episode of DEATH NOTE, the measure of well-written villainy is how angry you get when the baddies succeed… and how satisfied you are when they finally get their comeuppance. To that end, Mom for FUTURAMA (as I liked to think of her) was seriously getting on my nerves, cheating her way out of the bounty, and I thoroughly relished Spike turning her virus bomb against her. The deal was all-the-more sweetened by how he didn’t even seem to know what it was playing with (trying to crack the case open like Tex Avery squirrel and a walnut.) And then, she talks all big at the end, reaches into her pocket and… what does she pull out? The bomb!
That's a whammy!
Faye hitchhiking in outer space was hilarious. I’ve watched enough space opera to… well… to fill an opera house, and I’ve never seen a "galactic gag" like that before. But don’t worry, Bloodraven. I’m not going to get sweet on her. Uh-uh. No way, Jose. I know she’s a bad girl. I’ve seen her type before. She might look sweet, but she’s not to be trusted.
The sad thing is, this episode’s actually a little topical given that bizarre eco-terrorist hostage situation that happened at the Discovery Channel’s UK offices yesterday. I was actually going to comment that this episode also reminded me of 12 MONKEYS (to further the movie tribute theme) but, upon reflection, the connection’s a little tenuous. Do you figure I'm missing some references here, friends?
Tom Pinchuk’s the writer of HYBRID BASTARDS! & UNIMAGINABLE. Order them on Amazon here & here.
