Warning: Spoilers ahead forFuturamaseason 12, episode 1, “The One Amigo.”
Summary
Futuramaseason 12 has come out the gate strong by revealing that Professor Farnsworth has achieved a goal he first mentioned almost a quarter of a century ago.Futuramaseason 11’s endingmay have been a high-concept affair, butFuturamaseason 12, episode 1,“The One Amigo,” brings back the animated sitcom’s famous sillinesswith a nod to an episode as far back asFuturamaseason 2.
Professor Farnsworth is one of manyFuturamacharacters voiced by Billy West, and the senile genius is known for his almost-useless inventions and frequent declarations of “Good news, everyone!” His role in “The One Amigo” is just as central as ever, with his immense intellect once again sitting at odds with some of his underwhelming yet hilarious breakthroughs. Knowing thatFarnsworth is still at his bestis a promising sign for the season ahead, as is the show’s willingness to look back at its earliest episodes.
8 Things That Happen In Every Episode Of Futurama
Futurama’s formula allows several things to happen again and again without feeling stale, with certain repeat events getting funnier each time.
Futurama Season 12, Episode 1 Reveals Professor Farnsworth Finally Invented The Fing-Longer
The Fing-Longer has only ever shown up in a non-canon story
Futuramaseason 2, episode 20, “Anthology of Interest I,” revolves around the professor’s What-If Machine. While the impressive device is capable of offering a look at the potential outcome of almost any scenario, it’s a slightly more low-tech invention that gets the laughs.The Fing-Longer is nothing more than a left glove with a hugely extended index finger, which Farnsworth uses to activate the What-If Machine. Ultimately, it turns out the entire episode is one big glimpse of what would have happened if the professor had actually created the Fing-Longer. Finally, “The One Amigo” makes it happen.
“So, that’s what things would be like if I’d invented the Fing-Longer. A man can dream, though. A man can dream.” - Professor Farnsworth.
The real Fing-Longer is a little different from its conceptual counterpart. It matches the professor’s skin tone rather than its previous yellow coloration, and he wears it on his right hand instead. He also uses it in a more humorous way. Rather than making use of the Fing-Longer’s slightly-further-than-normal pointing capabilities, he uses it to point at elements of his museum model that would easily be within his reach without his invention to help him. In fact, his actual hand ends up further away from the model than it would have been if he wasn’t wearing the Fing-Longer.
The Fing-Longer Isn’t The Only Futurama Throwback Reference
“The One Amigo” also includes a Flexo reference
In the main story of “The One Amigo,” Bender’s visit to his ancestral home in Mexico brings with it another nod toFuturama’s golden era. WhenBender eats the food given to him by Abuelatron, he says, “Oh, man, that’s good! I wouldn’t mind having seconds.” He then proceeds to take the food from his stomach and eat it again. This moment is remarkably similar to a Doctor Zoidberg scene inFuturamaseason 4, episode 1, “Roswell That Ends Well,” where the Decapodian eats “The same deviled egg” when he reclaims it during his living autopsy.
Doblando, voiced by Danny Trejo, is almost identical to Bender.
There is also the matter of Bender’s cousin to address. Doblando, voiced by Danny Trejo, is almost identical to Bender. One of the few things that separates the shared appearance of the two relatives is Doblando’s robotic facial hair. InFuturamaseason 2, episode 11, “The Lesser of Two Evils,” Bender’s Twin, Flexo, would also be difficult to separate from Bender if not for the metallic whiskers. However,Doblando does have a slightly different coloration than Bender, so the confusion present in the Flexo episode isn’t the same.
Futurama Season 12 Also Adds New Farnsworth Inventions
The professor doesn’t stop at the Fing-Longer
Even though “The One Amigo” is the first canonical appearance of the Fing-Longer, it’s still not an original concept due to the fact it has shown up on the screen of the professor’s What-If Machine. Thankfully, theFuturamaseason 12 opener also introduces previously unseen inventions from the professor. For instance,the reverse jetpacks used by the Planet Express crew to infiltrate the museum have Farnsworth’s handiwork written all over them. They only slow the user’s descent at the last minute, like a really over-engineered parachute.
I’m So Excited For This Futurama Season 12 Episode (Despite 1 Recent Failure)
Futurama season 12 looks like it has a specific plan for one of its episodes, and I’m looking forward to it despite a recent failed attempt.
The professor also reveals his USB drive, which disguises itself neatly as one of his teeth. It’s probably a good security measure to add a booby trap to such a sensitive piece of hardware, but making it so explosive for a device he stores in his mouth is clearly a mistake - not even mentioning the fact he somehow managed to set off his own booby trap. With any luck, the slew of inventions from Professor Farnsworth will continue intoFuturama’s future, as will the return of some of the classics.
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Beauty and the Bug
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One is Silicon and the Other Gold
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Attack of the Clothes
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Futurama
Cast
Futurama is an animated science fiction series that follows Philip J. Fry, a pizza delivery boy from late-20th-century New York City. He is accidentally cryogenically frozen for a thousand years and becomes an employee at Planet Express, a delivery service in the retro-futuristic 31st century.
