Episode Capsule: [3ACV22] 30 % Iron Chef

Title: 30 % Iron Chef
Written by: Jeff Westbrook
Directed by: Ron Hughart
Opening theme promotion: IF ACCIDENTALLY WATCHED, INDUCE VOMITING

Synopsis

Bender attempts to become a chef, and is quickly rejected by the Planet Express crew. He then turns to the chef that inspired him, Elzar who also rejects him. Bender soon makes friends with some space hobos and, coincidently, one of them is Helmut Spargel, formerly the world's greatest chef. Helmut takes Bender under his wing and trains him to be a master chef by giving him a secret weapon -- a crystal vile containing "the pure essence of flavor". A now confident Bender challenges Elzar to a competition in the televised kitchen coliseum known as the "Iron Cook" show.

Voice Credits

Starring

Billy West (Fry, Prof. Farnsworth)
Katey Sagal (Leela)
John DiMaggio (Bender)
Tress MacNeille

Guest Starring

David Herman
Phil LaMarr
Lauren Tom (Amy)
Frank Welker

Also Starring

Maurice LaMarche (Morbo)

Did You Notice…

Morbo is married? — Marc Wichterich
Leela appropriately gets eyes for food? — Marc Wichterich
Bender has 8 senses, one is smission? — Marc Wichterich
cam surveillance in Elzar's? — Marc Wichterich
Bender has a pen in his finger? — Marc Wichterich
Bender has beer in his drawer and a floozie (no bare circuits) at the inside of the door? — Marc Wichterich
Zoidberg's first name is 'John'? — Ken
It's 5 minutes to midnight in the 'Accusing Parlor' — Marc Wichterich
the woman, sitting at the table Elzar is attending when Bender comes in, is the cat lady (Hattie; owns one share of Planet Express)? Her cat is swept off the table by Bender. — Lena Linck
soylent green is "my kind of people", according to the Harlem Globetrotter chief and that the body of Martha Stuart has also been food-economically recycled? — Lena Linck
the "dark side of cooking", by which Elzar was seduced, includes selantro, mango suffle and rasberry vinegrette? — Lena Linck

External References

Good Morning America (TV show)

Morbo and Linda moderate "Good morning Earth" — Marc Wichterich Karate Kid (movie)
Bender's learning phase resembles the one of that movie and the soundtrack (You're the best) is played, too — Marc Wichterich Star Wars (movie)
Bender using a light saber to hit a floating potato while blindfolded — Marc Wichterich
Spargel talks (and looks some) like Yoda — Marc Wichterich Iron Chef (Japanese TV show)
Title — Alan Hamilton
Cooking competition and host are identical to this Japanese combat cooking show. — Alan Hamilton Mr. Roboto (Song by Styx)
Chorus of the song is said by the announcer of Iron Chef — Andrea Huckstep Space:1999 (Sci-fi serie)
Bumbase Alpha, a play on Moonbase Alpha. — Michael Nissen Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
Wrath of Con-rail. — Michael Nissen Starlight Express
Train car is named after big-budget Andrew Lloyd Webber musical — Alan Hamilton Star Trek: Voyager 6x04: Tinker, Tenor, Doctor, Spy
The fish in elzar's dish sing's La Donna E Mobile - as does the doc in the opening (its shown on the preview aswell) — Riv Inspector Gadget (80s cartoon)
Bender has a pen in his finger, just like Inspector Gadget does — Matty Jorissen Star Wars (movie)
The dark side of cooking, like the dark side of the force — Lena Linck Leisure Suite Larry 7: Love for Sail (computer game)
Bender winning because the judges get high from LSD is similar to Larry winning the ship's cooking contest by adding Orgasm Powder to a quiche that makes the judges trip. — Matty Jorissen

Futurama References

[1ACV02] The Series Has Landed

The fat guy from the moon brings in the Venice replica in this episode — Marc Wichterich [1ACV03] I, Roommate
The old lady (Hattie) is sitting at Elzar's — Marc Wichterich [2ACV13] Bender Gets Made
Bender is a big fan of Elzar, but Elzar isn't too fond of Bender. — Michael Nissen [2ACV17] War Is The H-Word
The use of a lightsaber while blindfolded — Andrea Huckstep
Fry sings "I'm Walking on Sunshine" while showering — Joe25 [2ACV16] Anthology of Interest 1
Zoidberg brings everyone to the "accusing parlor" to investigate a crime — Joe25 [1ACV07] My Three Suns
Bender's love of cooking is first acknoledged — Joe25 [3ACV14] Time keeps on slippin'
Bubblegum Tate is one of the judges — Joe25 [1ACV03] I, Roommate
Bender has a button to clear his memory. — Michael Nissen [1ACV13] Fry & the Slurm Factory
Soylent food (cola) is mentioned in Futurama for the first time. — aslate

Freeze Frame Fun

Alien Language 1:
* Used Human Probes

Alien Language 2:
* Iron Cook

On the Professor's desk: 
* Strong Force Krazy Glue
* Zoidberg: Don't touch!

Bender's pre printed notes:
* A Note from Bender
* A Ransom Note from Bender
* A Plea for Attention from Bender
  [ ] I am committing suicide
  [ ] I am getting a tattoo
  [x] I am running away
  [x] And this time I mean it

Fry's shirt:
I hate bottles

The train waggons:
* Baltimore & Orion
* Starlight Express
* Wrath-of-Conrail

Guy in soda can:
Jammin' Orange Blast

Hover Potatoes -5 LBS.

Confession note:
      Fry 
   Confesses

From the Desk of
John Zoidberg, M.D.

Kitchen 
    Coliseum
   Home of the
Kitchen University
    Wildcats

Signs in the audience:
* Go carrots
* Daikon Radish #1
* Fish Sauce

Animation, Continuity, and Other Goofs

Bender's memory deleting button which he used in "I, Roommate" has moved to his butt's side now? — Marc Wichterich
We already know Bender is 40% zink (I Second That Emotion) and 40% titanium (A Head In The Polls). Now they tell us he's 30% iron, somebody need to brush up on their math skills (or keep an eye out for continuity). — Michael Nissen

Comments and Other Observations

The name "Spargel" is German for asparagus. Being regarded as noble plant it sort of is appropriate for a chef. FOX got the name wrong in their press release. Helmut also has German first name and accent. — Marc Wichterich
Move over Leela. Bender sounds like he's becoming the mothering type of the group: "C'mon eat. I slaved all day over a filthy stove" — haleys_comet
Spargel is a goof on the chef of Spago's in Hollywood, Wolfgang Puck, who is from austria. — ebola

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