First Aired: Aug. 10, 2003 on Comedy Central

Rate Episode: 5/5 (2 votes)
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Season 5 » Episode #16 - The Devil's Hands Are Idle Playthings

Futurama - 05x16 The Devil's Hands Are Idle Playthings
Summary: Fry, in an effort to win Leela's love, makes a deal with the Robot Devil to become a gifted musician. He has tried to take Holophonor lessons, but his teacher claimed he had "stupid fingers." Bender realizes that the Robot Devil is the only one to help. Fry makes a deal only to regret it immediately as it comes with a hefty price.

Who appeared in this episode?


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Guest Stars:

President Richard Nixon's Head voiced by Billy West (II)
Dr. Zoidberg voiced by Billy West (II)
Bartender voiced by Billy West (II)
Bender voiced by John DiMaggio
Child at Recital voiced by Tress MacNeille
Mother at Recital voiced by Tress MacNeille
Mrs. Mellonger voiced by Tress MacNeille
Hedonismbot voiced by Maurice LaMarche

Episode Quotes

Leela: Don't stop playing, Fry. I want to see how it ends.
Bender: What up?
Beelzebot, The Robot Devil: Oh. Well it so happens that I'm in the mood to make a deal with you.
Bender: Forget it. You can't tempt me.
Beelzebot, The Robot Devil: Really? There's nothing you want?
Bender: Hmm. I forgot you could tempt me with things I want.
Hedonism Bot: Ah, Fry, congratulations. Your latest performance was as delectable as dipping my bottom over and over into a bath of the silkiest oils and creams.
Fry: Thank you, sir. That's exactly what I was going for.
Hedonism Bot: You were the sole diversion in what has been a pale and unamusing season, and so I would fain commission you write an opera.
Fry: But I've never written an opera.
Hedonism Bot: And I've never heard one. Still, if you can keep me amused through the overture I shall consider it a smashing success.
[More Quotes]


Mistakes/Goofs

  • Goof (incorrectly regarded as a mistake): Even though Leela is deaf, she is able to have a conversation with the Robot Devil. However, it is extremely possible and likely that she is only able to figure out what he is saying by the hand gestures he makes.
  • Goof (continuity error): After Fry trades hand with the Robot Devil he masters the holophonor. However in the advertisement he is photographed with his old hands although the photograph is clearly taken when Fry is already famous.
  • Goof (continuity error): At about 4:15, the Robot Devil chastises his band mate for making a mistake 200 years ago, implying that they have been playing music for 200 years. This contradicts the events of "Hell is Other Robots" of Season One.

Trivia

  • The Robot Devil spins a large wheel featuring the names of various robots. As it spins, the following names are visible (In order): Robot Devil, Billionairebot, Flexo, Daisy Mae 128K, Crushinator, Roberto, Helper, Kwanzabot, Robot I-X, Clamps, Hedonismbot, Fatbot, Linctron, Destructor, Santa, Joey, Tinny Tim, Chain Smoker, Angleyne, Execu-tor, Preacherbot, Fembot, Hair Robot, Unit 2013, Donbot, Boxy, Lulubelle 7, Humorbot 5.0, Calculon, URL, Foreigner, iZac, Cartridge Unit, Barkerbot, Teenbot, Gearshift. Q.T. McWhiskers, Deep Blue, iHawk, Cylon, Patchcord Adams, Liubot, Stage Mom 7.0, Sinclair 2K, Vending Machine, Oily, Coolometer, Andrew, Monique, Rab-bot, Lisa, Executive Gamma, Keg Robot, Greeting Card, Eurotrash 80, Nannybot 1.0, Emotitron Jr. (Displayed as: "EMOTITROM,JR."), Ceiling Fan, Hookerbot, Bender, and Robot Devil (Again - as, apparently, it rotates full circle). Coincidently, Fry has actually met or come in contact with a great deal of these robots, going against what Devil Robot said about Fry "definitely probably not knowing him".
  • We find out Bender named his hands Grabby and Squeezy.
  • The advertisement for the two volume set of Fry's holophone music claims to contain over 900 of his pieces in a total of 30 minutes. This means that the average time of his pieces is less than 2 seconds.
  • When the final episode was produced, there was about a 50/50 chance of it being the last episode. Because of this, the staff chose to loosely resolve the show, but left it open in case production continued.