When Aliens Attack
| "When Aliens Attack" | |
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| Futurama episode | |
 The Omicronians attacking Monument Beach
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| Episode no. | Season one Episode 12 |
| Directed by | Brian Sheesley |
| Written by | Ken Keeler |
| Production code | 1ACV12 |
| Original air date | November 7, 1999 |
| Opening caption | "Proudly Made On Earth" |
| Opening cartoon | "Daffy – The Commando" (1943) |
| Season one episodes | |
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| List of all Futurama episodes | |
"When Aliens Attack" is episode twelve in season one of Futurama. It originally aired in North America on November 7, 1999. This episode was written by Ken Keeler and directed by Brian Sheesley. The episode features an attack by aliens from Omicron Persei 8 who are outraged when the final episode of Earth show Single Female Lawyer is interrupted by technical difficulties.
Plot[edit]
The episode opens in the year 1999, with Fry making a pizza delivery to the control booth of WNYW, New York's Fox flagship station. While there, Fry spills beer on the console (later in the episode, Amy did some research, saying it was a coke), interrupting the broadcast of Single Female Lawyer (a spoof of Ally McBeal). As the technician panics, Fry ominously states, "Like anyone on Earth cares." The camera pulls back from the broadcast tower, away from Earth, and through the depths of space, settling on Omicron Persei 8, a thousand light-years away and a thousand years later. Incensed that they do not get to see the end of the episode, the Omicronians launch an invasion fleet. Back on Earth during the year 3000, the off-duty Planet Express crew decides to take a trip to Monument Beach for Labor Day, where most of the world's monuments have stood since the 27th century (thanks to the activities of New New York's super villain governor), when the Omicronians begin to invade, destroying them all one after another.
Lrrr, ruler of Omicron Persei 8, demands that the Earth produce "the one called McNeal". President McNeal, fearing for his own safety, orders Zapp Brannigan to lead an assault against the alien invaders, enlisting the Planet Express crew and thousands of other ships, and turning on the Robot's patriotism circuits, to Bender's annoyance. However, they only succeed in blowing up the Hubble Space Telescope while suffering heavy casualties: the fleet stands no chance against the actual alien mother ship. After the attack predictably ends in disaster, Earth's government hands over President McNeal. Lrrr announces that he is the wrong McNeal, and vaporizes the President. Lrrr shows the world a photo of the McNeal they want, and Fry recognizes her as Jenny McNeal, the title character of Single Female Lawyer. The Omicronians demand the broadcast of the television show, or they will destroy the Earth. Unfortunately, most videotapes were destroyed in 2443, during the second coming of Jesus. The Planet Express crew decides to fake the show in order to save the world.
Fry's script comes up short, and Leela (as Jenny), is forced to improvise. She proposes marriage to the judge (played by Professor Farnsworth). During a commercial break, an aggravated Fry tells Leela that people do not watch TV for clever and unexpected situations because they scare them. Lrrr makes a public statement backing up Fry's assertion. Fry quickly writes an ending where the judge (Farnsworth) dies (even though the judge did not know what was going on and tests his pulse), leaving Jenny McNeal as a single female lawyer again. The Omicronians, satisfied with the ending, give the episode a C +, leave Earth to watch a one thousand year old Jay Leno monologue, saying the show was good enough for them to spare the planet, though not good enough for them to give humans their secret to immortality (Fry blamed it on Zoidberg's overacting). The episode ends with Fry stating that the secret to a successful television show is that everything ends up back to normal at the end of each episode. Ironically, the camera pans out to a view of New New York burning in ruins (though, surely enough, it is restored in subsequent episodes).
Production[edit]
The broadcast of "Single Female Lawyer" takes 1000 years to reach Omicron Persei 8, but the Omicronians are able to travel to Earth in much less time. In the DVD commentary for this episode, executive producer David X. Cohen explains that the writers had decided that the speed of light would be increased in the future and that massive particles would still not be able to travel faster than light, but that electromagnetic waves from the past would still travel at their regular, lower speed.[1]
Though his coworker Linda appears, Morbo is absent from this episode. According to the DVD commentary, the writers try to avoid putting Morbo into episodes that have a large focus on aliens. They also discuss the similarities of Morbo's voice to that of Lrrr's.
Cultural References[edit]
As the Planet Express ship intercepts the Omicron mothership Fry compares himself to Uhura, Captain Janeway and Xena.
The show Single Female Lawyer, as well as Earth President McNeal, is a reference to Ally McBeal, a popular contemporary Fox program.
The spaceship blowing up the White House at the Monument Beach is a reference to the film Independence Day.[2]
References[edit]
External links[edit]
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