Although there’s still an episode to go in the current season, the latest installment has the feel of a Futurama finale, with an epic scope and some relationship issues to be addressed. Overclockwise concentrates on Bender (which makes it perfect already), who gets an illegal upgrade from Farnsworth’s ‘offspring’, Cubert – all just to win at a videogame (‘cos the shiny metal-assed one is no good at it). This modification alerts the authorities (well, Mom, as Bender has managed to beat her sons in said videogame), and due to this violation of the license agreement, Bender is hunted down. There’s some fun, if somewhat familiar gags about license agreements and the notion of authorship: “I slightly modified the thing that I own. We’re monsters!” This leads to Bender becoming more powerful through his increased knowledge and god-like before the episode is over (again evoking another cracking episode, Godfellas, where Bender became the creator of a world whilst floating through the universe). Clearly, the writers were aware of the situation between the two lovebirds, as Leela amusingly refers to their on-again-and-off-again relationship. The denouement is straight out of the aforementioned The Devil’s Hands Are Idle Playthings, where their future would seem to indicate a happy ending for the couple. Of course, I fully expect (nay, hope) that they’re not together in the next season (and possibly the next episode, I would wager). Overclockwise is classic Futurama, with some great videogame gags, Matrix-style jellyfish killer-robots, the return of Mom in badass mode, loads of knowingly mocking self-reverence, and a whole heap of Bender action. Had it been a finale, it would have been suitably placed. As it is, it’s simply another great episode in this wonderfully entertaining season. Follow Den Of Geek on Twitter right here. And be our Facebook chum here.
