Episode Capsule: [3ACV03] A Tale of Two Santas

Title: A Tale of Two Santas
Written by: Bill Odenkirk
Directed by: Ron Hughart
Opening theme promotion: THIS EPISODE PERFORMED ENTIRELY BY SOCK PUPPETS

Synopsis

Bender is declared the new Santa when it is discovered that the evil Santabot has been frozen in a block of ice on Neptune. But when Bender begins delivering toys, the citizens, who are unaware that Santa is now a good guy, stage an all-out assault against him. Just when things can't get any worse, the evil Santa's icy tomb thaws and he escapes to exact his wrath upon the world.

Voice Credits

Starring

Billy West (Fry, Professor Farnsworth, Zoidberg)
Katey Sagal (Leela)
John DiMaggio (Bender, Santabot)
Tress MacNeille (Linda)

Guest Starring

Coolio (Kwanzabot)

Also Starring

Phill LaMarr (Hermes)
Lauren Tom (Amy, Bicycle Girl)
Maurice LaMarche (Morbo)
David Herman (Mayor Poopenmeyer)

Did You Notice…

The bucycle gun shoots real bikes while everything else which used to have wheels now is floating. — Jym Dyer
The guy giving the Christmas warning is 'Walter Cronkite'. He worked for CBS news for 49 years. — Reed
Santa is at the North Pole of Neptune. — Reed
Kwanzabot is giving out books to kids called 'What the Hell is Kwanza'? — Reed
The things pulled out of the Mayor's pockets by the magnet were a watch, a bottle of liquer and an iron. — Reed
It's exactly 5 minutes to twelve when the toys are finally ready. — Marc Wichterich
The Neptunians - with their purple skin, four arms, and piggish nose - seem to be of the same alien species as everyone's favorite TV chef: Elzar. — Wang
Santa's Workshop is using non-union workers. This is just one of many links between the Neptunians and Mexicans (especially the immigrants) — Martin Fink
Smitty was fired from the police force, but still wore his uniform and went on patrol with URL. Can't you get charged with impersonating a police officer in the 31st century? — Michael Nissen
Professor Fransworth puts on bullet-proof shields, but at the end of the episode, the shields are off? I would keep them on! — Justus

External References

I Love Lucy (TV series)

The toy factory speed "Lucy" is remenicent of a classic episode of the series in which she works in a chocolate factory. — Joe25 A Tale of Two Cities (novel)
Where the episode name is derived from — Joe25 A Christmas Carol
Santa writes with a feathered quilled pen — haleys_comet Rudolf the red nosed reindeer (Carol)
Santa says 'won't you slay with me tonight'. — haleys_comet Deck the halls. (Carol)
Bender says "T'is the season" — Michael Nissen Star Trek: TOS
Kirk is famous for defeating artificial lifeforms by telling stories containing logical paradoxes. — Michael Nissen Star Trek: DS9
The chimney cover looks exactly like the Cardassian airlocks on DS9 — Michael Nissen

Futurama References

[1ACV09] Hell Is Other Robots

Belzebot is sitting in jail — Marc Wichterich [1ACV12] When Aliens Attack
Spray cans are introduced as means to do anything. That time: Spray-on-Bikini, this time: Spray-on-XMas-tree decoration — Marc Wichterich [2ACV04] Xmas Story
Robotic santa and chimney cover are intoduced — Joe25 [3ACV11] Insane in the Mainframe
We see Judge Whitey for the first time — Joe25 [2ACV07] Put your head on my shoulder
Petunia (the woman with a flamethrower) first appeared — Joe25 [1ACV02] The Series Has Landed
Magnets mess up Bender's inhibition unit causing him to folk sing — Joe25 [2ACV01] I Second That Emotion
The father in the first house Bender visits is the veterinarian in this episode — Joe25 [2ACV04] Xmas Story
Santa uses the TOW missle launcher in both eps — Joe25 [1ACV01] Space Pilot 3000
Bender drinks "Old Fortran" — Michael Nissen [2ACV02] Brannigan Begin Again
We see the Hyperchicken lawyer for the first time. — Michael Nissen

Freeze Frame Fun

FOX Warning for the show:
       Due to the mature
  theme and violent content,
parentral discretion is advised.

Planet Express XMas Slogan:
TRESPASSERS
  WILL BE 
   SHOT

Entrance to the Neptune Northpole:
      WELCOME 
        TO
  JOLLY JUNCTION

Toy Factory reads:
TOY WORKS CLOSED
 coming soon:
  CRACKHOUSE

On The way up to Santa's Ice Fortress
* ELVES ONLY
* IF YOU ARE TALLER THAN THIS, PREPARE TO DIE!
* ELECTRIC FENCE - NOW WITH SHOCKOLIN

The sledges are parket at:
EPLOYEE PARKING

Toy Factory sign changes:
CLOSED -> NON-UNION SHOP

Present produced by the elves:
Clinton Logs

Toy Machine Speeds:
SLOW - FAST - LUCY

People on Bender's delivery list:
* Liz Francis
* Tristan John
* Michelle Raven
* Professor Farnsworth
* Erin Quigley
* Teddy Kaplan
* Nicky Reingold

New New York Post:
SUSPECT NABBED IN SANTA CASE!
Chanukah Zombie still at large.

Court Building:
Famous Original Ray's Superior Court

Stattica Robot
 Penitentiary
Two Death Rows
  No Waiting

Bender is nearly executed using the:
MAGNEXECUTIONER

Van hit by Bender:
Stinky Storky's
Diaper Service

Animation, Continuity, and Other Goofs

How did the Neptunians make all those toys in so little time? — Reed
Bender's legs were mended minutes after they were beaten by the family. — Reed
Bender's shotgun wounds disappeared after he'd been shot. — Reed
Robot Santa's spiked hat is on Bender after he takes it. Robot Santa isn't wearing the hat when he rides the PE ship to Earth, but is wearing a second hat when he frees Bender, who is still wearing the "original" hat. — Joe25
How is Santa able to keep the PE ship from flying away? It doesn't matter how strong he is,because there is nothing holding him to the ground. — Joe25
When Santa breaks in to save Bender the one magnet is still pulling hard on Bender, but has no effect on Santa or his sleigh. — Mister C
Neptune actually has no north pole at all, since its rotation-axis is allways pointing towards the sun. (unless one wants to define that as north then) — Martin Fink

Comments and Other Observations

Tinny Tim who played a pretty large part in Xmas story, didn't show up this episode. He is a christmas based character, after all. — haleys_comet
The Fry household had two different kind of egg-nogs for christmas. In "Xmas Story" Fry talks about his fathers special egg-nog, made from bourbon and icecubes. Now we learn that Fry's grandma prefered bathtub egg-nog. — Michael Nissen

Original capsule author: Can't get enough Futurama <www.gotfuturama.com>