2ACV12: The Deep South First UK airing: Sky One, 7:00pm, 18-6-00 "Why couldn't she be the other kind of mermaid, with the fish part on top and the lady part on the bottom?" Who says animated comedies don't have any character development? Just look at Amy -- in her first appearance in 1ACV02 she was in awe, if not scared, of Leela, then progressed to inadvertantly insulting her, and now she's doing it on purpose. You don't get that on Friends. Much. Actually, I have to admit to having a lot of sympathy for Amy this episode, since this weekend I also overdid it with the sun (England has been struck by a heatwave, which in Futurama's hometown would probably be just an ordinary LA day, but hey! It's all relative) -- and I can't even claim to have a fabulous body to ruin. In fact, if there's ever a need for a live-action Fry, a bit of hair-lightening work and a quick shave and I reckon I'm the man. Sadly, parts of me are now a closer match to Dr Zoidberg in colour. But at some point, anyone who comes to this site regularly (a number measured in literally the tens per week!) probably expects an episode review, so enough about me, the "friendly webmaster" [™ Futurama Oscars]. 'The Deep South' was actually perfect for the day I've been having, a fun summer story that hits all the bases, generates plenty of laughs and is ideal viewing while relaxing on the couch with beer and pizza. (A little peek into my life!) Fry really is turning into a regular Caso-ma-nova of late -- I ought to compile a list of everybody's love interests, since I think at this rate, Fry could well overtake Amy before long. But his fling with Umbriel the not-so-little mermaid was funny, even if it did seem to be somehow rushed into the last few minutes of the story. In fact, the whole 'deep south' aspect of the story just sort of popped up quite late in the day, which made the choice of title seem a bit like calling Star Wars 'Meeting The Rebels On Yavin And Blowing Up The Death Star'. All the same, Bender's bit of 'Duellin' Banjos' when he met the Colonel was brilliant -- there's something about the mocking of rednecks that seems to work all over the world. There were even some good, understated jabs at one of the cliches of sci-fi -- namely, indestructible spaceships that can withstand any environment imaginable (can you say "Delta Flyer"? Sure you can) with the Professor's assessment of exactly how much pressure the hull should be able to stand. And I absolutely loved the fact that Fry saved everyone's lives -- without even having a clue that he was doing so. That's another thing I must do sometime, a 'who-saved-who-o-meter'... We even got to see loads of new parts of the ship. Ha! I thought there had to be a central corridor on the top deck, and I was right. However, the episode did plant a toilet right where I thought there was a ladder -- which puts a whole new spin on Fry rushing that way out of the bridge to set foot on the Moon in 1ACV02! By the way, I've been to Atlanta. Hated it. Too hot, too spread out, too boring. And the much-vaunted airport sucked. (Incidentally, I've also flown Delta, they of hub fame, and they sucked too -- though not nearly as much as American.) Bottom of the Atlantic? Second-best place for the city -- after the bottom of the Pacific! Rating: BTW, did we really have to see Hermes' arse again?