The Problem with Popplers



Production Number: 2ACV15

Title Caption: For external use only

First Aired: May 7, 2000

Title Reference: Star Trek episode The Trouble with Tribbles

Act I: "We taught a lion to eat tofu."
Returning from the Planet of the Moochers, the crew has no food. After some foraging they discover a delicious, bite size, motionless animal, and pack the ship full of them. the rest of the staff approve and Fry comes up with the name Popplers. Bender decides to sell them. Fishy Joe decides to sell them at his restaurant, paying them $1 a dozen. Soon over a million are sold. Hippies, led by Free Waterfall Jr., protest the eating of Popplers outside Planet Express. Leela discovers a week-old Poppler, it opens it's eyes and calls her "mamma".

Act II: "Parrots talk and we eat them, right?"
Leela tries to stop people from eating Popplers, and has the rest of the crew join the protesting at Fishy Joe's. Joe, Free and Leela appear on Datenight with Linda to discus wether it's okay to eat Popplers, the young Poppler joins in. The Omicronians arrive and tell the world that the Popplers are their young and announce that they'll eat the people of Earth. Zapp and Kif begin negotiations with them. They make a deal stating that they'll only the Earthling that first ate one of their young, Leela.

Act III: "Try our new, extreme walrus juice!"
The eating of Leela is done on TV with a large audience. Zapp creates a plan to fool the Omicronians, Kif disguises an orangutan as Leela. Lrrr almost falls for it, but Free Waterfall Jr. interrupts and tells him the truth to save it. Ndnd eats it anyway. Leela is sent out to Lrrr, but the young Omicronian, now calling itself Jrrr, convinces him to stop. Lrrr eats Free, to the delight of the crowd, and becomes high. The Omicronians leave. The staff has a feast of young animals to celebrate.

Trivia

 * The start of the tradition of killing the Waterfalls.
 * Brought to you by Molten Boron.
 * 198 billion Popplers eaten.
 * The profit that Planet Express and staff would have received from the sales comes to $16.5 billion, where the money went is unknown.
 * Fry and Leela's rarely-used first names are used.

Quotes

 * Leela: Well, it's a type M planet, so it should at least have Roddenberries. Fry: I'm experienced at foraging. I used to find edible mushrooms on my bath mat! Bender: I found some rocks! You guys eat rocks, right? Leela: No... Bender: (invitingly) Not even if they're sautéed in a little mud?
 * Farnsworth: Hey! Unless this is a nude love-in... get the hell off my property! Free Waterfall Junior: You can't own property, man. Farnsworth: I can. But that's because I'm not a penniless hippie.
 * Brannigan: Hmm. A hundred and ninty eight billion babies in a few weeks. We'll need an army of super virile men scoring 'round the clock! I'll do my part. Kif, clear my schedule.
 * Lrrr: Where's the real female? Brannigan: I'll never tell. Lrrr: *cocks gun* Where is the real female? Brannigan: I'll get her for you.

Inside References

 * Fry: Leela! That's the second billboard you've crashed into this week!
 * Refers to the introduction sequence's billboard crash.

Outside References

 * "Roddenberries" (see Quotes) and the term "Type M Planet" refer to the creator of Star Trek, Gene Roddenberry, and his creation.
 * The title of the episode is most likely a reference to the classic Star Trek episode "The Trouble with Tribbles"

Characters
(In alphabetical order)


 * Amy
 * Bender
 * Debut: Fishy Joe
 * Debut: Free Waterfall Jr.
 * Fry
 * H. G. Blob
 * Hattie
 * Hermes
 * Debut: Jrrr
 * Kif Kroker
 * Leela
 * Linda
 * Lrrr
 * Ndnd
 * Prof. Farnsworth
 * Zapp Brannigan
 * Zoidberg

Episode Credits

 * Writer
 * Patric M. Verrone
 * Director
 * Chris Sauve
 * Gregg Vanzo
 * Voice Actors
 * Billy West
 * Katey Sagal
 * John DiMaggio
 * Tress MacNeille
 * Maurice LaMarche
 * Phil Hendrie
 * Lauren Tom
 * Phil LaMarr
 * DVD Commentary
 * Matt Groening
 * David X. Cohen
 * Rich Moore
 * Patric M. Verrone
 * Billy West
 * Christopher Tyng