Overclocked and Underestimated

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

Futurama "Overclockwise" (S06E25): [I wasn't a fan of the opening quote - "soon to be a hit television show" - what's the point in saying something like that?] Fry, Bender, and Cubert are setting up for a video game marathon (on the Xcube)... they apparently need a bucket of hot dogs and a butt massager. [well both of those just sound disgusting!] Bender's circuitry is twelve years out of date, and therefore he sucks at the game. Cubert works on overclocking Bender (to make him run faster but overheat quicker) while Leela and Fry talk about their on-again, off-again relationship. She wants to talk about their future, and Fry says that she's always in his view of it... though she doesn't seem as sure. [I think they need to give it up, personally. Though I'm not one for romance in cartoons.] Bender and Cubert play a round of the game and actually win. However, it appears that they always play the same people, who are now pissed that they actually lost. They claim that "the other team" cheated, and whine to Mom. Mom digs around and realizes that Bender's team only won because of his overclocking. [I'm never a fan of an episode where Mom messes with things...] Well, overclocking violates a license agreement, so both Cubert and the Professor are brought to jail. [I don't like the pig jokes. Um, and they're months late for the party... South Park did this back in April.]  Soon afterward, Mom sends for Bender, who has accelerated himself some more. Bender managed to knock out all of the creatures who came for him [crazy actions!], and plans to use their ten processors for himself as well, so he takes off to find a more suitable location. With so much changed, Leela decides to leave, too. This really upsets Fry, who decides to kill himself... but finds Bender accidentally.. Turns out, he's at the Niagara Falls Hydroelectric plant, where he is using a lot of power and liquid coolant. [...okay. But the real Niagara Falls is several hundred miles from the real New York, so it doesn't make sense that Fry would travel that far just to commit suicide... ]

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Bender hacked himself inside-out and no longer cares about petty things like Fry's problems. [...like he really cared before?] Bender does decide, however, to return and testify. Because Cubert is only twelve, the charges get dropped. Then, since Cubert is the Professor's clone, technically making them the same person, the Professor can't be tried, either. [wow. such a smart way to reason, Bender!] Leela, now working in real estate, ends up returning, since she can't stop thinking about Planet Express and Fry. [figures.] Leela asks Bender what will happen if she and Fry stay together, and Bender gives them a few pieces of paper to read. It has its ups and downs, but ultimately it seems to have a positive outcome. [I hope we forget this story happened and move on...]