Kif Gets Knocked Up a Notch

Production Number: 4ACV01

Title Caption: BIGFOOT'S CHOICE

First Aired: January 12, 2003

Act I: Prepare for Ship-to-Ship-Intimacy!
Kif just can't stand his long-distance relationship with Amy any more - he wants more. Just at this moment, the crew is to deliver pain medicine to the hive mind of Nigel 7, around where the Nimbus is patrolling. Amy smuggles herself on board of the Planet Express Ship and changes course towards the Nimbus while the crew is in hibernative naptosis to save oxygen. Kif and Amy share an intimate moment on the Nimbus' Holo-shed where he tries to display his romantic feelings to her, when the Holo-shed malfunctions and the holographic characters come alive. Kif and Amy flee towards the bridge, pursued by the holograms. Zapp fires on the pursuers, causing an explosive decompression that whirls everyone around on the bridge. In the process, Kif looses his right glove and has skin contact with everyone present. Later in sickbay, the doctor finds that Kif is pregnant.

Act II: So the toilet seat is the uncle or something?
It turns out that Amphibians can exchange genetic material over their skins when romantically engaged. Kif is delighted, but Amy does not quite share his enthusiasm. Besides, it is unclear who is the sire of Kif's offspring. They travel back to Earth and let the Professor figure it out with the Alien Cross-Species Genetic Analyzer - it turns out that Leela has provided the DNA. But Kif states that his romantic involvement is with Amy, his smizmar, who after the rules of his people is considered the mother. On Kif's baby shower with the crew and Zapp in Fry's and Bender's appartment, Amy can't stand it any longer - she is not yet ready for the responsibility of motherhood and runs away in tears, leaving Kif behind alone.

Act III: What a disgusting and beautiful process
Just then, Kif's birthing process is about to start and he returns to his home world Amphibion 9, accompagnied by the Leela, Fry, Bender and Zapp. They enter the ancestral birthing grounds of Clan Kroker in a swamp, where they meet the Grand Midwife. Since his smizmar Amy is not with him, he has to go through the beginning of the birthing ceremony alone, but then Amy arrives and assists in the birth of the several hundred tadpole-like offspring. Leela and Amy defend the little creatures as they are attacked by predators on the way towards the water and succeed. In twenty years time, the offspring will crawl onto land as children, and Amy thinks she will be ready then. Leela indeed turns out to be the genetical mother - many of the tadpoles have just one eye.

Trivia

 * The DVD commentaries state the ship-to-ship-intimacy is a spoof from the James Bond movie "Moonraker". It might also have been inspired by the slightly older predecessor "You only live twice" that had a similar setting.
 * Outside the Nimbus' sickbay, the sign reads "Sick Bay & Horta Burn Clinic", referring to a Star Trek TOS episode featuring a crystalline being named Horta.
 * Only in this episode, we see Amy's wristlojackimator in operation - as a holographic diary.
 * The doctor in the Nimbus' sickbay resembles Dr. "Bones" McCoy from Star Trek.

Quotes

 * Amy: "Spirit! Kif, that's the pony I always wanted but my parents said I had too many ponies already." Kif: "Yes, I programmed it in for you. Four million lines of Basic!"
 * Kif: "The Holo-shed's on the fritz again! The characters turned real!" Zapp: "Damn! The last time that happened, I got slapped with three paternity suits!"
 * Kif: "As long as Amy is with me in my heart, I will have the strength of two. *gnarg* Apparently, Amy hasn't been working out much lately..."
 * Prof. Farnsworth: If anyone needs me, I'll be in the Angry Dome!
 * Zapp: By the way, Kif, your flush seems to be set on "stun", not "kill".

Goofs

 * In the shot after Zoidberg is ejected from the Maternifuge, it looks as if he's got no pants on - belly and legs are carapace-coloured.

Characters
(In alphabetical order)
 * Amy
 * Bender
 * Professor Farnsworth
 * Fry
 * Kif
 * Leela
 * Scruffy
 * Leo and Inez Wong
 * Zapp Brannigan
 * Zoidberg
 * Debut: The Grand Midwife
 * Debut: Attilla the Hun
 * Debut: Professor Moriartry
 * Debut: Evil Lincoln
 * Debut: Jack the Ripper

Episode Credits

 * Writer
 * Bill Odenkirk
 * Director
 * Wes Archer
 * Voice Actors
 * Billy West
 * Katey Sagal
 * John DiMaggio
 * Maurice LaMarche
 * Lauren Tom
 * Tress MacNeille


 * DVD Commentary
 * Matt Groening
 * David X. Cohen
 * Bill Odenkirk
 * Wes Archer
 * Billy West
 * Maurice LaMarche