Sunday, July 22, 2012

Futurama - The Butterjunk Effect


After returning moon rocks to the moon, Fry (Billy West), Amy (Lauren Tom), and Leela (Katey Sagal) decide to check out the local Butterfly Derby. Despite being disgusted with the sport, her friendly rivalry with Amy gets both women to sign up to be a new Butterfly Derby team but in order to compete they're forced to take a performance-enhancing drug called Nectar.

The side effects of the drug turn both women ultra-violent and competitive, and when their local supply runs out they force Kif (Maurice LaMarche) to take them to the source - a butterfly preserve on his home world. After Fry is exposed to the pheromones of the male butterfly both women find themselves uncontrollably attracted to him.

Although there are a couple of fun moments, "The Butterjunk Effect" is largely a one-joke episode that has nowhere to go. We far too little of Kif (and no explanation for the appearance of his parents as swarms of flies) and Leela and Amy's addiction, not to mention Fry's bizarre transformation, feel far too rushed.

No comments: