Line #17 Recap/FuturamaS4E6BenderShouldNotBeAllowedOnTelevision


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/bender_on_tv.jpg]]
2
3	''[[CouchGag Controlling you through a chip in your butt since 1999]]''
4
5	After a child acting unit has a (literal) breakdown during a live taping, Bender gets a part on ''[[SoapWithinAShow All My Circuits]]'', and his shameless antics quickly make him an idol. But when children start imitating him, it doesn't take long for parents to start complaining.
6
7	!!Tropes
8
9	* AbstractScale: The Cool-O-Meter measures coolness in [[Series/HappyDays megafonzies]].
10	%%* AesopAmnesia: At the end after the Professor repeats the Aesop just learned, everybody still doesn't want to turn off the TV.
11	* AlwaysALiveTransmission: Antonio malfunctioning and Bender ad-libbing seemingly appear live on the broadcast. In fact, the show's ratings (albeit just with a test audience) go up the moment Bender does his scene. It gets a HandWave when Calculon [[invoked]] [[WagTheDirector refuses to do a second take]] because "amateurs do two takes."
12	* AreYouPonderingWhatImPondering: When they look for a replacement for the child robot actor in ''All My Circuits'', Bender asks the orphan robot kid if he thinks the same thing as he does. Of course Bender was only thinking of himself.
13	--> '''Tinny Tim:''' You raised my hopes and then dashed them expertly. Bravo sir.
14	* AsHimself: The show is starring Bender as "Bender".
15	* BadBadActing: Bender's acting leaves much to be desired. This was Calculon's reaction to his tryout:
16	-->'''Calculon:''' That was so bad I think you gave me cancer!
17	* BaitAndSwitch: In one episode of ''All My Circuits'', there seems to be another melodramatic plot twist coming when Antonio suddenly glitches out and is rendered unable to reveal his mother's DarkSecret. Turns out the show is broadcast live and the actor malfunctioned on-air.
18	* BreakoutCharacter: In-universe: Bender becomes this by going wildly off-script and being his obnoxious, self-centered self. The former TropeNamer is even used as a measurement of coolness (megafonzies) by the Farnsworth's Cool-O-Meter!
19	* CallBack: Bender mispronounces "guacamole" the same way Zapp does in "[[Recap/FuturamaS2E15TheProblemWithPopplers The Problem with Popplers]]".
20	* CreditsGag: The end credits music is the cast singing Music/BlackFlag's "TV Party," but the last lines has the cast screaming titles of the [[ShowWithinAShow shows seen]] throughout the series.
21	-->'''Cubert''': ''All My Circuits''!
22	-->'''Dwight''': ''Everybody Loves Hypnotoad''!
23	-->'''Amy''': ''Scary Door''!
24	-->'''Leela''': ''Blernsday Night Blernsball''!
25	-->'''Bender''': ''Futurama''!
26	* DoNotDoThisCoolThing: In-universe. After Dwight, Cubert, and Tinny Tim decide to rob Bender, Dwight says, "TV gave us the idea." It then cuts to the ''Futurama'' title card and Bender's voice over saying: "You're watching ''Futurama'', the show that does ''not'' advocate the cool crime of robbery."
27	* DoNotTryThisAtHome: During one episode of ''All My Circuits'', Bender lights himself on fire and tells the kids at home to try doing it. At the same time a disclaimer appears across the bottom of the screen telling them ''not'' to try this at home.
28	* EasyAmnesia: Practically rampant on ''All My Circuits''.
29	-->'''Calculon:''' LetMeGetThisStraight. Does anyone here ''not'' have amnesia?
30	* ExecutiveMeddling: In-universe: Calculon was ready to fire Bender after one take, but the network execubots insisted he stay on because Bender's filthy antics increased ratings.
31	* FauxFluency: Bender's "flawless" Spanish accent.
32	-->'''Bender:''' I will see adeeos, Padre. Come, Jesoos, my faithful chee-hua-hua. Tonight we eat some gee-oo-ack-a-mole by del ree-o.
33	* FingerSnapLighter: Bender does this in the cottage scene of the show.
34	* {{Foreshadowing}}: The Donbot being part of the F.A.R.T. group hints at a [[Recap/FuturamaS6E14TheSilenceOfTheClamps later episode]] which reveals that Donbot has at least two daughters.
35	* FromBadToWorse: As Calculon and the Director observe Bender's footage in the editing room, it's interrupted by ''different'' footage:
36	-->'''Calculon:''' (while watching footage of Bender whistling nonchalantly as he empties a chest of drawers) I don't even remember shooting this scene...
37	-->'''Director:''' We didn't. That's security camera footage from your dressing room.
38	-->'''Calculon:''' He stole the scene ''and'' my money?! That's it! I demand you fire this felonious ham!
39	* FunWithAcronyms: The Anti-Bender group is called "'''F'''athers '''A'''gainst '''R'''ude '''T'''elevision".
40	* HisNameIs: The original actor kid breaks down while trying to deliver his lines.
41	* HypocriticalHumor: Bender has no problem with people imitating his television antics, until Cubert and Dwight steal his stuff while doing so. Likewise, Prof. Farnsworth resorts to violence to stop Bender, inspired by something Bender did on television.
42	** Calculon, too.
43	--->'''Calculon:''' [[MemeticMutation That was so terrible, I think you gave me cancer!]] I don't care how popular you are; you will never work on my show!
44	--->'''Fry:''' Yay, Bender!
45	--->'''Leela:''' We demand Bender!
46	--->'''Calculon:''' However, you've got the job.
47	* IResembleThatRemark: Bender finds the notion that he's a terrible role model to be wrong... while spinning two scissors right next to [[ButtMonkey Zoidberg]].
48	* InformedAttribute: PlayedForLaughs. In his audition, Bender claims to be able to speak in a flawless Spanish accent, then proceeds to [[EpicFail mispronounce literally every word in the script]].
49	* IncendiaryExponent: At one point, Bender suggests his character to be [[ManOnFire on fire]].
50	* InsaneTrollLogic: During the auditions, Calculon believes Bender is the studio audience, despite the woman he's with trying to point out they're not ''in'' a studio.
51	* MisplacedAccent: Subverted InUniverse, Bender hopes Antonio will now have a British accent after the director said he re-wrote his part to better suit his acting abilities. Then the director reveals Antonio is in a coma, much to Bender's chagrin.
52	* LargeHam: Bender outhams Calculon here.
53	* LiteralMinded:
54	-->'''Cubert:''' Hey, dad, [[BorrowedCatchphrase bite my shiny metal ass!]]\
55	'''Farnsworth:''' What?! Such an act would be most uncomfortable for both of us!
56	* LookBehindYou: Bender gets the Network President to turn away by pointing in the other direction and announcing "hey, look, the prop guy has a lamp!"
57	* PanderingToTheBase: In-universe. What the producers do to ''All My Circuits''.
58	* PlayingATree: Bender's role is rewritten to fit his talents - his character is now in a coma. And he can't even manage that.
59	* RealLifeWritesThePlot: InUniverse. After Antonio's original actor malfunctions, Bender replaces him and keeps breaking the script. Since Calculon refuses to do multiple takes, the writers have to work Bender's antics into the show.
60	* RecklessGunUsage: Bender wielding and shooting Farnsworth's gun at the studio.
61	* RecordNeedleScratch: Can be heard when the adults crash the kids party.
62	* RunningGag: Hypnotoad.
63	* SawItInAMovieOnce: During the climactic confrontation at the Hollywood studio, Farnsworth pulls out his gun, remarking that he saw it work on TV.
64	* SeasonalRot: In-universe: Fry claims that ''Everybody Loves Hypnotoad'' has been going downhill since season three. How a still shot of the Hypnotoad staring at the camera can decline in quality is anyone's guess [[note]]though that could be because Fry was born without a delta brainwave which makes him impervious to brainwashing or any kind of mind control and not because of the show's quality or lack thereof[[/note]].
65	* ShoutOut:
66	** One of the mother robots at the ''All My Circuits'' audition sees several loose wires inside her son's chassis, rips them out and begins beating him with them in a full-tilt rage, screaming "[[Film/MommieDearest NO! MORE! HANGING! WIRES!!]]."
67	** One of the child actors auditioning is Macaulay Cul-con, who, according to Leela, hasn't been cute since he got puberty installed. He even does the ''Home Alone'' scream when he gets rejected from his audition.
68	** There's a poster for "[[Franchise/PlanetOfTheApes Planet of the Clams]]" hanging in the studio's waiting room". Also a CallBack, as it was the film Zoidberg wanted to watch back in the season two episode "[[Recap/FuturamaS2E8RagingBender Raging Bender]]".
69	* SpeaksInShoutOuts: One of the network execubots speaks only in {{Character Catchphrase}}s.
70	* {{Spexico}}: In-universe, Bender describes his [[FauxFluency "flawless" accent]] as Spanish, even though the character he is playing is Mexican.
71	* SpoofAesop: "Have you ever tried simply turning off the TV, sitting down with your children, ... and hitting them?
72	* StrangeMindsThinkAlike: Bender wasn't the only adult robot to turn up for their audition. A pair of FormerChildStar robots (one who once robbed a convenience store and one who became a convenience store) also make appearances.
73	* SuspiciouslySpecificDenial:
74	-->'''Farnsworth:''' The ruffians (Dwight) smoked one of your cigars.\
75	'''Hermes:''' That's not a cigar. Uh... [[BlatantLies and it's not mine.]]
76	* TakeThat: After Hermes and Professor start protesting ''All My Circuits'':
77	-->'''Leela:''' Kids don't turn rotten just by watching TV.
78	-->'''Fry:''' Yeah. Give a little credit to our public schools.
79	* ThingOMeter: Farnsworth's Cool-O-Meter, which measures the level of "cool" in any area.
80	* ThirdPersonPerson: Bender lapses into this after getting mad that his stuff had been stolen because of kids imitating his actions on TV:
81	-->'''Bender:''' Bender must be stopped! I've gone too far! Who does that guy think I am?!
82	* ThrowItIn: Happens in-universe with Bender's off script shtick.
83	* TitleDrop: Funnily enough, the episode's title is spoken by Bender himself after he realizes that Cubert, Dwight and Tinny Tim stole his stuff:
84	-->'''Bender:''' What? What's going on?
85	-->'''Farnsworth:''' I'll tell you what. Our boys have taken up stealing! One of the worst and coolest of crimes.
86	-->'''Hermes:''' And all from watching you on TV, you cool jerk.
87	-->'''Bender:''' Hey, lay off me. TV would stink if everyone on it was a positive role model. Bender is about entertainment, baby! You can't hold me responsible for what kids do when-- [[ImmediateSelfContradiction Hey!]] This is ''my'' stuff they stole! That's the last straw! Bender should not be allowed on television!
88	* VomitIndiscretionShot: Happens when Dwight attempts to smoke what looks like a cigar while imitating Bender.
89	* WeAreExperiencingTechnicalDifficulties: The original Antonio malfunctioning during broadcast is cut off by a card reading "Oops! Broken Actor!" alongside an image of damaged robot with smoke coming from its neck.
90	* WhoWouldBeStupidEnough: Fry wonders what kind of losers would start a protest group against Bender. The Professor then announces that he and Hermes have started a protest group against Bender.
91	-->'''Zoidberg:''' That was uncanny!

Context Recap / FuturamaS4E6BenderShouldNotBeAllowedOnTelevision