Future Stock
Encyclopedia
"Future Stock" is the 21st episode in the third production season of Futurama
. The episode first aired on March 31, 2002 as the ninth episode in the fourth broadcast season.
and Dr. Zoidberg wander off in search of food. Fry finds his way into a cryogenic defrostee support group meeting, where he meets a sleazy Gordon Gekko
-esque 1980s businessman (referred to only as "That Guy" throughout the episode, though named in the script as Steve Castle) who froze himself to await a cure for his terminal "bone-itis".
Fry and That Guy return to the Planet Express stockholders' meeting, where a revolt against Professor Farnsworth
is in progress. Fry nominates That Guy as new CEO
, and That Guy beats out the Professor by one vote. That Guy names Fry his new Vice Chairman, and sets out to remake Planet Express by giving it an expensive image overhaul.
That Guy wastes piles of money on flying chairs, expensive suits, and an enigmatic television commercial (which is a reference to the 1984 Macintosh commercial), Zoidberg gets fed up and sells his stock to That Guy for a sandwich: "Net gain for Zoidberg". After draining the company's funds and its employees' morale, That Guy announces that he is selling Planet Express to Mom
.
The takeover begins at the orbiting Intergalactic Stock Exchange, and all the Planet Express employees vote against it. Unfortunately, the stock That Guy bought from Zoidberg gave him a controlling interest
(Hermes had given Zoidberg huge amounts of shares - "The shares were worthless, and he kept asking for toilet paper!") and he votes them down. Mom
and her sons vote for the merger, though a slight mishap occurs as Igner mistakenly votes for Pat Buchanan
: "The ballot was confusing, mommy!" (a joke on the 2000 Election when Buchanan received votes for Al Gore
by accident due to complicated so-called butterfly ballots, which led to the infamous "hanging chads" and 2000 election recount).
However, before the final approval takes place, That Guy abruptly succumbs to a lethal attack of bone-itis, causing his body to contort as his bones snap, twist and curl. In his death-throes, That Guy admits he was so busy "being an 80s guy", he had forgotten to get the cure.
Fry gains control of That Guy's shares, and moves to vote against the merger. The Planet Express staff initially tries to convince him to sell the company, because the sale of their stock will make them all rich. However, Fry has already given a speech that drove the stock's price through the floor—since the staff will be poor no matter what he does, he votes against the merger. The staff leaves to spend the weekend in disappointment over the loss of their potential wealth: a seemingly oblivious Fry happily remarks he will see them on Monday.
Futurama
Futurama is an American animated science fiction sitcom created by Matt Groening and developed by Groening and David X. Cohen for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series follows the adventures of a late 20th-century New York City pizza delivery boy, Philip J...
. The episode first aired on March 31, 2002 as the ninth episode in the fourth broadcast season.
Plot
Planet Express holds its stockholders' meeting, and the state of the business is not good. Uninterested in the meeting, FryPhilip J. Fry
Philip J. Fry, known simply as Fry, is a fictional character, the main protagonist of the animated science fiction sitcom Futurama. He is voiced by Billy West using a version of his own voice as he sounded when he was 25.-Character overview:...
and Dr. Zoidberg wander off in search of food. Fry finds his way into a cryogenic defrostee support group meeting, where he meets a sleazy Gordon Gekko
Gordon Gekko
Gordon Gekko is the main antagonist of the 1987 film Wall Street and the antihero of the 2010 film Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, both by director Oliver Stone...
-esque 1980s businessman (referred to only as "That Guy" throughout the episode, though named in the script as Steve Castle) who froze himself to await a cure for his terminal "bone-itis".
Fry and That Guy return to the Planet Express stockholders' meeting, where a revolt against Professor Farnsworth
Hubert J. Farnsworth
Professor Hubert J. Farnsworth, or simply The Professor, is a fictional character in the American animated television series Futurama. He is voiced by Billy West using a combination of impressions of Burgess Meredith and Frank Morgan. Farnsworth is the proprietor of the Planet Express delivery...
is in progress. Fry nominates That Guy as new CEO
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
, and That Guy beats out the Professor by one vote. That Guy names Fry his new Vice Chairman, and sets out to remake Planet Express by giving it an expensive image overhaul.
That Guy wastes piles of money on flying chairs, expensive suits, and an enigmatic television commercial (which is a reference to the 1984 Macintosh commercial), Zoidberg gets fed up and sells his stock to That Guy for a sandwich: "Net gain for Zoidberg". After draining the company's funds and its employees' morale, That Guy announces that he is selling Planet Express to Mom
Mom (Futurama)
Mom, real first name Carol, is a character from the animated television series Futurama. Voiced by Tress MacNeille. Mom is one of the show's two main antagonists, the other being Zapp Brannigan...
.
The takeover begins at the orbiting Intergalactic Stock Exchange, and all the Planet Express employees vote against it. Unfortunately, the stock That Guy bought from Zoidberg gave him a controlling interest
Controlling interest
Controlling interest in a corporation means to have control of a large enough block of voting stock shares in a company such that no one stock holder or coalition of stock holders can successfully oppose a motion...
(Hermes had given Zoidberg huge amounts of shares - "The shares were worthless, and he kept asking for toilet paper!") and he votes them down. Mom
Mom (Futurama)
Mom, real first name Carol, is a character from the animated television series Futurama. Voiced by Tress MacNeille. Mom is one of the show's two main antagonists, the other being Zapp Brannigan...
and her sons vote for the merger, though a slight mishap occurs as Igner mistakenly votes for Pat Buchanan
Pat Buchanan
Patrick Joseph "Pat" Buchanan is an American paleoconservative political commentator, author, syndicated columnist, politician and broadcaster. Buchanan was a senior adviser to American Presidents Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, and Ronald Reagan, and was an original host on CNN's Crossfire. He sought...
: "The ballot was confusing, mommy!" (a joke on the 2000 Election when Buchanan received votes for Al Gore
Al Gore
Albert Arnold "Al" Gore, Jr. served as the 45th Vice President of the United States , under President Bill Clinton. He was the Democratic Party's nominee for President in the 2000 U.S. presidential election....
by accident due to complicated so-called butterfly ballots, which led to the infamous "hanging chads" and 2000 election recount).
However, before the final approval takes place, That Guy abruptly succumbs to a lethal attack of bone-itis, causing his body to contort as his bones snap, twist and curl. In his death-throes, That Guy admits he was so busy "being an 80s guy", he had forgotten to get the cure.
Fry gains control of That Guy's shares, and moves to vote against the merger. The Planet Express staff initially tries to convince him to sell the company, because the sale of their stock will make them all rich. However, Fry has already given a speech that drove the stock's price through the floor—since the staff will be poor no matter what he does, he votes against the merger. The staff leaves to spend the weekend in disappointment over the loss of their potential wealth: a seemingly oblivious Fry happily remarks he will see them on Monday.
Broadcast and reception
In its initial airing, the episode received a Nielsen rating of 2.7/6, placing it 94th among primetime shows for the week of March 25-31, 2002.External links
- Future Stock at The Infosphere.