The Day the Earth Stood Stupid
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The Day the Earth Stood Stupid is the 7th episode in series 3 of Futurama. It originally aired in North America on February 18, 2001.
Plot
After the Planet Express staff discovers an ominous trend of destroyed planets leading toward Earth, Nibbler begins gibbering excitedly and runs away. Tracking Nibbler to an alley, Leela is attacked by giant floating brains. Leela is rescued by Nibbler, who has donned a uniform and is piloting a tiny flying saucer. Nibbler and Leela leave New New York and fly away from Earth.
The next day, Fry discovers that all the citizens of New New York have been rendered stupid, except himself. Meanwhile, Nibbler begins communicating to Leela telepathically, and they travel to planet Eternium, at the exact center of the universe. There, in the Hall of Forever (10 miles west of the exact center of the universe), the Nibblonian council tells Leela of the threat of the Brainspawn, the giant brains that have invaded Earth and are attempting to wipe out all thought in the universe. While the Nibblonians have been fighting them for billions of years---from the beginning of the universe, in fact---they are powerless against the Brainspawns' powers of stupidity; in fact, Fry is the only being in the universe immune to the Brainspawn's mental attack, and is the only one capable of combatting them.
Leela arrives on Earth to tell Fry of his mission, and retains just enough intelligence to remember what it is. In a successful leap of logic, Fry seeks the leader of the brains at the New New York Public Library. There Fry discovers that thinking hurts the brains, but the brain leader traps Fry and Leela in a mental realm based on Moby-Dick. Fry and Leela pursue the giant brain through The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, and into Pride and Prejudice. Fry breaks free of the illusion, and attempts to attack the giant brain. We see Fry's effort result in him being crushed by a bookcase, but then we discover that this is an illusion based on a story Fry had quickly written. In accordance with the story, the giant brain left Earth, and the people of Earth regained their intelligence. Unfortunately for Fry, no one remembered the events of the brain invasion. Nibbler returned to his undercover position observing Earth.
Quotes
- Fry: People said I was dumb, but I proved them!
- Nibblonian: Welcome back Lord Nibbler, ambassador to Earth, home of the pizza bagel.
- Fry: Man, even the news monster is acting strange. What are we gonna do?
Professor: Duh, I know, let's play the lottery.
Amy: No, let's buy Internet stock!
Zoidberg: On margin! Zoidbie wanna buy on margin!
Hermes: [Hiding behind block of wood] Look at me! I'm invisible!
Fry: Wait a minute, I know what's going on here. You've all become idiots!
Bender: Hey, let's all join the Reform Party!
All: Yeah! - Leela: So why are these Brain Spawn attacking Earth, Nibbler?
Nibbler: The Brain Spawn hate all consciousness. The thoughts of others screech at them like the forced laughs of a billion art house movie patrons. - Leela: Brain! Brain make people dumb!
Fry: No Leela, Brain make people smart. - Big Brain: Tom Sawyer, you tricked me. This is less fun than previously indicated.
- Fry (narrating): Leela cried for her lost love as Fry lay dead under the heavy bookcase. The big brain laughed in triumph. "Hahaha." Then, for no reason, he left Earth forever. The End.
(Fry Closes Book)
Fry: There. Now he's trapped in a book I wrote, a crummy world of plotholes and spelling errors.
The Big Brain: The Big Brain am winning again. I am the greetest. Muhahaha. Now I am leaving Earth for no raisin.
References
- The title of this episode comes from the classic Sci-Fi movie The Day the Earth Stood Still
- Amongst the books Fry, Leela and the Big Brain find themselves in are The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Moby Dick, and Pride and Prejudice. Fry also states The Bonfire of the Vanities as being just in between the difficulty levels of Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys
- The scene with the stellar map and the path of destroyed planets leading toward Earth may be an allusion to the "Star Trek" episode ""
| Preceded by: Bendless Love | Futurama episodes | Followed by: That's Lobstertainment! |
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