Dan's Mind: The Farnsworth Parabox (Futurama)

As stated in a stat update (when did DA start doing these?) I'll be posting two reviews in one day, hitting the 50th milestone. Wanted to try something big this time around. So today we're heading back to Futurama, just a week after reviewing The Honking. We're gonna look into one of my personal favorites, one of the first few episodes I remember watching as I was getting into the show. This was a very interesting premise, and the fun of this episode comes from all the strange things going on from an alternate dimension within their world. So let's dive right in.

"The Farnsworth Parabox"

We begin to another typical day with--

"OH LORDY LOU, HELP!!!!"

...Um, scratch that.

Apparently, there's something wrong with Farnsworth all the while Fry and Leela are trying to hit it off again, as she's always making up excuses for their lack of dates.

"I can't go out tonight because... I HAVE SWEATY BOOT RASH!"
"No spluh! Why do you think I'm sitting over here in the stink-free zone?"

Swing and a miss. =v=

Farnsworth calls everyone together and assigns them to get rid of the latest creation that nearly killed him (hence the ruckus we've heard at the start), kept hidden and secured in a box. He instructs that no one must look in the box no matter what, opening the curiosity of everyone else.
This begins to drive them mad, leaving Leela to look after the box and make sure no one else looks in it. Bender and Fry try to sneak pass to the box but Leela scams them beforehand. Some time passes after a while and she's guarded the box throughout. Turns out even she is curious to look and she decides to take a peek. Much to Leela's surprise, she ends up in an alternate dimension. Everything seems to be different colored here, but everyone's still the same. There's Fry, Bender, Farnsworth, Leela... LEELA!?

"This throws my entire perception of reality into question."

The alternate-reality crew investigates on the real Leela to find she's been in the box, only to come to the conclusion that she's evil. They get their Leela to check out the real universe and bring everyone out to see if they're so. They begin to fight with each other and soon enough, they begin to talk it out.

You know, it's pretty interesting to see how the same people in alternate universes come together, and here it's done right for most.

Turns out both Farnsworths created a box containing their universes at the exact same time. To ease up on everyone's confusion, their alternate dimension is Universe A and the real dimension Universe 1. Why everyone and everything look so weird, and why Leela A didn't look in the box?
Leela 1 flipped a coin and ended up looking.
Leela A flipped and didn't.

"Apparently, the key difference between our universes is that coin flips have opposite outcomes."
"That explains fruity here. I tossed a coin to pick my finish. Fog hat gray."
"Hey! Bite my glorious golden ass!"
Please, I couldn't stand your shiny metal ass.

Convinced they're still evil, Farnsworth 1 has hid the box and convinces his group to keep an eye on the other.

There they learn interesting things about each other or just chat out while watching for any evil outcomes.
In this dimension, Fry and Leela are married. Farnsworth got his head wound from a brain experiment, and Zoidberg is just.... Zoidberg.

"I'm an appalling failure!"
"Me too! A big fat one!"

Upon noting their fury on everyone shooting them down, the two Zoidbergs hatch a plan to find the box.
Oh boy, I smell trouble...

...and it's real fishy.

In any case, the Farnsworths announces they've found none of them are evil.
"Yes. The Bible is the real good news."
True words to live by.
Surprisingly enough, their Hermes pops in, questioning how the box isn't destroyed. Much to everyone's dismay, since this Hermes isn't destroying the box...

"Like my granny said, If you want a box hurled into the sun, you got to do it yourself."

Unable to find their box, they decide to make another box containing their universe.
Here's hoping...
This proves to be hopeless, but they've yet to give up.

"I finally found someone as great as me. It's like I say, Make new friends and keep the old. One is silver..."
"...and the other's gold~"
"Why the long faces?"

Oop, there they are! The Zoidbergs show they have the box, resulting in a chase throughout many different dimensions and universes, each different and bizarre than the next.

Universe 25: No eyes
Universe 1729: Bobble-heads
Universe 31: Androids
Universe XVII: Ancient Greeks
Universe 420: Hippies

I have to say, watching all these universes are amazing and fun, it's always a kick to see what wacky things lie beyond the other worlds.

They find their boxes and the real counterparts head to their universe just in time stop Hermes.

"Don't press that button!"

[pause]








"...Okay."

Huh. That was easy.

Both Universe A and Universe 1 counterparts head back into their original universes, while Farnsworth makes a swap with his alternate self, and they both have a box containing THEIR OWN UNIVERSE.

"We must cherish it, as we cherish every moment of our lives..."
***THE VERY NEXT SCENE***
[Fry sits on the box, compressing the universe]
THE END

This episode was a pretty fun ride, I must say. All the interactions with their alternate selves was great and the Zoidberg chase is probably one of my favorite moments as they explore the many different universes around them. It's episodes like this I consider unique and interesting, an enjoyable treat to have a look at.

This has been Dan's Mind, and I'm out.