Zoidberg goes to Hollywood to get tips on comedy from his uncle, the once-famous silent hologram star Harold Zoid. Zoid, however, thinks that with funding from his "rich, doctor nephew", he'll be able to produce a movie that will put him back in the spotlight. Bender gets Calculon involved, and if they can rig the awards, maybe someone could get an Oscar.
Tropes
- Bad "Bad Acting":
- Zoidberg's acting is especially awkward in the scene where he opens the door for the Vice President, where he speaks slowly and while staring directly at the camera. Oddly enough, he actually seems to have improved as the shoot went on, as he delivers the movie's penultimate line in a much better way.
- Subverted with Calculon's acting; Harold thinks Calculon's acting like this, when in fact he's being his usual Large Ham self, which is still more subdued than the Denser and Wackier acting that was apparently the norm in Harold's heyday.
- Biting-the-Hand Humor: At one point, the tour guide says the 30th Century Fox logo spotlights are used to blind pilots so that they can film the resulting plane crashes. The joke being that Fox makes pilots
crash and burn. It once provided the page image for the Logo Joke. - Box Office Bomb: In-Universe example with "The Magnificent Three". During its opening night, everyone except Bender, Zoidberg, Zoid, and Calculon walked out before the film ended. As Calculon put it, "I've seen plagues with better opening nights than this!".
- Brick Joke: Throughout the shooting of the film, Zoid complains that Calculon's not being enough of a Large Ham and orders him to emote more. Eventually, Calculon does emote to the level Harold wants him to... right after the film has been finished and when he's threatening Zoid, Zoidberg, and Bender to get him an Oscar.
- Budget-Busting Element: In-Universe. Post-production on Harold Zoid's movie is reduced to less than a week because they blew the budget on pies for a background pie fight.
- Call-Back: Also playing at Loew's Qaddafi's Mann's Grauman's Chinese Theater is the 1000th Anniversary re-release of Jury Duty II: Trouble on the Hubble, first mentioned by its star Pauly Shore in the earlier episode "The Cryonic Woman". Shore and Fry's ex-girlfriend Michelle (who ran off with him in that episode) can also be seen in the audience at the Academy Awards ceremony.
- Cheaters Never Prosper: Subverted! Bender and Zoidberg hijack the Oscars to give away someone else's award and get off scott-free.
- Exact Words:
- Bender gives Calculon a hilariously succinct reply upon being asked if he's guaranteed an Oscar for his being in "The Magnificent Three". Bender can certainly guarantee whatever Calculon wants; now, making good on that guarantee, however...Bender: Hey, I can "guarantee" you anything you want!
- After the movie bombs, Calculon confronts Bender about the latter telling him that an Oscar was practically on his mantle.Bender: Now you know why I used the qualifier "practically".
- Bender gives Calculon a hilariously succinct reply upon being asked if he's guaranteed an Oscar for his being in "The Magnificent Three". Bender can certainly guarantee whatever Calculon wants; now, making good on that guarantee, however...
- Face Death with Dignity: When the room starts shaking like an earthquake is happening — actually the Planet Express ship with Fry and Leela emerging from underground — Harold is okay with dying as he has finally gotten someone's Oscar.
- I'll Kill You!: With the movie a bomb and him out a million bucks, Calculon angrily threatens Bender and the lobsters that they get him an Oscar or they're dead.Calculon: Dead, do you hear me? DEAD!
(Bender and Zoidberg whimper and cower as Calculon storms off)
Zoid: Oi, now he emotes! - Madness-Induced Omnivore: The Planet Express ship sinks into the La Brea Tar Pits, leaving Fry and Leela stranded underground, and Fry worries that he'll grow hungry enough to start eating his shoes. When Leela does end up finding a way out, Fry says he still wants some shoe and starts eating.
- Never My Fault: It was Bender's idea to get Calculon to fund Zoid's movie, under the premise that it could win an Oscar. When Calculon threatens murder if he doesn't get that Oscar, Bender gripes, "Calculon's going to kill us and it's everybody else's fault!"
- No Celebrities Were Harmed: Harold Zoid is none-too-subtly based on Harold Lloyd, while his films are based on those by Buster Keaton. Both were silent comedy stars that matched the popularity of Charlie Chaplin. However, they all but retired when talkies emerged and now are mostly remembered by classic film buffs.
- Not So Above It All: Rather than pay a nominal parking fee for a Hollywood premiere, Leela flies around for hours before landing on the La Brea Tar Pits... which is exactly the sort of thing she usually scolds Fry and Bender for.
- Overly Narrow Superlative: In his letter to Zoid, Zoidberg calls himself the most important doctor at the delivery company where he works. He doesn't mention that he's the only one.
- Police Are Useless: Downplayed, in that they're not even mentioned! Despite Calculon's threat of literal murder, Zoid, Zoidberg, and Bender don't even consider telling the authorities. It could be because of Screw the Rules, I'm Famous! as seen below.
- Product Placement: Parodied. In the 31st Century, the Academy Awards now has a Best Soft Drink Product Placement category.
- Quicksand Sucks: During the premiere of "The Magnificent Three", Fry and Leela try to find a place to land the Planet Express Ship (due to Leela refusing to pay a valet as a matter of principle), before eventually touching down... right on the La Brea Tar Pits, which they immediately sink into. They spend the whole final third of the episode trying to get out.
- Reading the Stage Directions Out Loud: Played with.Bender: That plot makes perfect sense, wink-wink.
Zoidberg: Bender, you said "wink-wink" out loud.
Bender: No, I didn't, raise middle finger. - Resignations Not Accepted: In the movie, the Vice President, refusing to follow in his father's footsteps as the President of Earth, hands in his letter of resignation, only for the President to tear it up before accidentally falling to his death.Zoidberg: The President is dead. (To Calculon) Congratulations, Mr. President!
Calculon: (To the sky) NNNNNOOOOO!!! - Russian Reversal: This is Zoidberg's schtick as a stand-up "comic".
- Screw the Rules, I'm Famous!: After their movie flops, Calculon threatens to murder Zoid, Zoidberg, and Bender if they don't give him the Oscar they promised. He even makes two attempts, both times in front of entire crowds, with it being implied that he'll face no repercussions for it, especially considering famous people are allowed to get away with murder in "The Honking".
- Special Guest: Hank Azaria as Harold Zoid.
- Stylistic Suck: To say "The Magnificent Three" sucks is the kindest thing one could say about it.
- Take That!:
- Twice during the episode, a Neanderthal skeleton is mistaken for Sylvester Stallone.
- When Zoidberg, posing as a presenter at the Oscars, reads the wrong name, two stagehands are seen fretting over the mistake. One of them tells the other to act like nothing went wrong, "like with Marisa Tomei".
- Harold tells Zoidberg he's completely unfunny and untalented, that's why he'd be perfect for drama.
- Calculon disdains his Golden Globe, calling it the Emmys of movie awards.
- Walking Out on the Show: Everyone but Bender, Calculon, Zoidberg, and Zoid walk out on the opening night of "The Magnificent Three".
- White-Dwarf Starlet: Zoid, for the first half of the episode. He thinks he's one good movie away from getting his fame back, but near the end seems resigned to his fate as a has-been.
- Writers Suck: When Bender is asked if the Best Actor category has been announced, he says, "They're giving out the minor technical awards. I think they're up to writing."
