The strange behavior of sexually mature crustaceans during the mating season

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Episode of the series Futurama
title The strange behavior of sexually mature crustaceans during the mating season
Original title Why Must I Be a Crustacean in Love?
subtitle From the sender who is also "The Simpsons," brought to you
(From the network did Brought you "The Simpsons")
Country of production United States
original language English
length 22 minutes
classification Season 2, episode 5
18th episode in total ( list )
First broadcast February 6, 2000 on FOX
German-language
first broadcast
January 15, 2001 on ProSieben
Rod
Director Brian Sheesley
script Eric Kaplan
synchronization

  Main article: Dubbing Futurama

chronology

←  Predecessor
Xmas Story

Successor  →
The choice for Miss Universe

The strange behavior of mature crustaceans during the mating season (Original title: ? Why Must I Be a Crustacean in Love ) is an episode of the American science fiction - animated series Futurama . It was released on February 6, 2000 by the US broadcaster FOX . This made it ninth in the second season and the 18th episode overall. ProSieben first broadcast the German dubbed version on January 15, 2001. Brian Sheesley received an Annie Award in 2000 for directing this episode .

action

Dr. Zoidberg , the extraterrestrial doctor of the interplanetary delivery company Planet Express , behaves aggressively for no apparent reason, and the crab-like Zoidberg has a finned head. Prof. Farnsworth identifies a physical change as the cause , triggered by Zoidberg's sexual cycle - the mating season has broken out on his home planet . So the Planet Express crew decides to bring Zoidberg to a mating orgy on his home planet Decapod 10 .

Once there, Zoidberg wants to find a female willing to mate through an erotic demonstration according to the customs of his people. But his courtship attempts fail. Even Edna, an old friend he meets by chance, rejects him. To support him, Fry, himself a frustrated single, gives him tutoring in wooing. In fact, by feigning interest in her everyday life on Fry's advice, Zoidberg can persuade Edna to have dinner together. Edna finds out, however, that Fry is behind the sudden success of Zoidberg and invites him to her apartment to seduce him. When Zoidberg catches the two there in red- handedness, he challenges his former helper Fry to a duel for life and death and for Edna's favor.

In battle, Fry defeats Zoidberg, but he spares his life. Instead, he addresses the bloodthirsty audience with a moving speech and evokes the value of friendship, until Zoidberg suddenly severed an arm from the careless Fry. Another fight breaks out between the two. However, they let go of each other when they notice that the audience has disappeared: Zoidberg's conspecifics have gone into the water for a mating orgy. There they die immediately after mating. Then the friends set off on their journey home.

background

The original English title Why Must I Be a Crustacean in Love? (German: Why do I have to be a crustacean in love?) is based on a line from the song A Teenager in Love by Doc Pomus , with which Dion and the Belmonts celebrated their greatest success in 1958. In its chorus it says: “ Why must I be a teenager in love? ”(German:“ Why do I have to be a teenager in love? ”) This allusion was not transferred into German during the translation. Instead, the translators chose a title that is reminiscent of the German romantic comedy The Strange Behavior of Sexually Mature City dwellers during the mating season .

The plot is based on the spaceship Enterprise episode space fever (original title: Amok Time ), in which the Vulcan Mr. Spock similar to Dr. Zoidberg suffers from his reproductive instinct and has to return to his home planet. Like Zoidberg, he too has to fight a life and death duel with a friend, Captain Kirk . The Futurama episode also alludes to space fever in details : For example, among the weapons that Fry can choose from for battle, there are two that were also used between Kirk and Spock. And immediately before the fight between Fry and Zoidberg, music from the Starship Enterprise episode is played.

Among the many other allusions to literary and cinematic works is one to Edmond Rostand's Cyrano de Bergerac . The way in which Fry supports Zoidberg in courting his loved ones is reminiscent of scenes from Rostand's play.

production

The strange behavior of sexually mature crustaceans during the mating season emerged as a total of the 18th episode and the fifth episode of the second production season of Futurama . The script was written by Eric Kaplan and directed by Brian Sheesley. In addition to the speakers for the main characters , Tress MacNeille took on the part of Edna and David Herman various supporting characters; both MacNeille and Herman worked regularly for the series and were later incorporated into the main cast.

publication

The episode was first broadcast on February 6, 2000 by the US broadcaster FOX . This had previously canceled the broadcast of the first production season prematurely and moved the remaining episodes to the second broadcast season. The strange behavior of sexually mature crustaceans during the mating season was therefore the ninth episode of the second broadcast season (see first broadcast of Futurama ), which deviates from the production count .

With this episode, Futurama was reassigned a new slot for the second time within a year . After the series had been canceled in the previous weeks for various reasons, it was now shown on Sunday evening at 7:00 p.m. She had to vacate the previous slot in favor of the sitcom Malcolm in the middle . The Futurama creator Matt Groening criticized the relocation and complained that FOX did not give the series any sustainable support. Bruce Fretts, a television critic for Entertainment Weekly magazine, predicted the change in programming schedule would prove detrimental. In recent times, no half-hour television program has been able to establish itself on this broadcast slot. The number of viewers actually fell: if the last Futurama episodes were seen by over 7.5% of Americans according to measurements of the Nielsen ratings , the episode only reached about 4.2%. Subsequently, too, the series achieved comparable ratings.

Awards

Director Brian Sheesley received the 2000 Annie Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement for Directing in an Animated Television Production for this episode . He prevailed against his colleague Susie Dietter, who was nominated in the same category for her performance in the Futurama episode Wedding Day on Cyclopia .

See also

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. Allusions in the episode titles. Archived from the original on April 25, 2010 ; accessed on April 13, 2020 .
  2. Futurama. Archived from the original on January 9, 2010 ; accessed on April 13, 2020 .
  3. The strange behavior of sexually mature crustaceans during the mating season. Retrieved November 23, 2010 .
  4. Why Must I Be a Crustacean in Love? Archived from the original on October 13, 2004 ; accessed on April 13, 2020 (English).
  5. Chrystal Litchford: Futurama: Season 2-05: Why Must I Be A Crustacean In Love. June 6, 2008, accessed November 23, 2010 .
  6. FUTURAMA. Episode 209. "WHY MUST I BE A CRUSTACEAN IN LOVE?" In: The Internet Movie Script Database (IMSDb). Retrieved November 23, 2010 .
  7. Gerald Fried: Amok Time Music Composer. May 25, 2010, accessed November 23, 2010 .
  8. Why Must I Be a Crustacean in Love? In: The Infosphere. Retrieved November 23, 2010 .
  9. Why Must I Be a Crustacean in Love Trivia and Quotes. In: TV.com . Retrieved November 23, 2010 .
  10. Belinda Acosta: TV Eye. World Party. In: Online edition of The Austin Chronicle . January 14, 2000, accessed November 23, 2010 .
  11. a b c Adam Winer: Futurama Shock . In: Entertainment Weekly . December 9, 1999 ( Futurama Shock ( August 24, 2000 memento on the Internet Archive ), originally published on the Futurama Chronicles [accessed April 13, 2020]).
  12. Episode List: Futurama. Retrieved November 23, 2010 .
  13. List of the Annie Award nominees and laureates 2000. International Animated Film Society, accessed on June 17, 2010 (English).