Futurama/Bendin' in the Wind

Bendin' in the Wind
Season 3, Episode 13
Airdate	April 22, 2001
Production Number	3ACV13
Written by	Eric Horsted
Directed by	Ron Hughart
← 3x12 Insane in the Mainframe	3x14 → Time Keeps on Slipping
Futurama — Season Three

Bendin' in the Wind is the thirteenth episode of the third season of Futurama, and the forty-first episode overall.

When Bender is damaged by a giant can opener, he winds up sharing a hospital room with Beck who inspires him to make music. When Bender goes on tour with Beck in support of damaged robots, his sincere charity turns into a scam after he becomes repaired.

Guest Stars: Beck (Himself), Maurice LaMarche (Patchcord Adams), Phil LaMarr (Hermes), Lauren Tom (Amy), David Herman ()

Plot Overview

Bender and Fry stumble upon an archeological dig at the top of the episode where an old Volkswagen bus is uncovered. The construction crew lets him have it and he pushes it back to Planet Express. The van had been mostly preserved by time, however it was out of gas. When Bender attempts to use the barrel-sized can-opener, it pulls him into the magnet and tears through him. At the hospital, Bender is told that his hydraulics are shot and he'll never move again. When his friends leave, Bender discovers that he's sharing a room with Beck. Using the metal arms Beck was using to play the harmonica, Bender turns himself into a living washboard and joins Beck's band.

While Bender leaves with Beck on tour, Fry, Amy, Leela and Zoidberg decide to follow them in Fry's van. Unfortunately for the four, their money is ruined in the wash and can't buy anything at the concert. After the show finishes, Bender is greeted by a cart full of a broken robot fans that are quickly demolished and turned into paperweights. He decides to write a song dedicated to his demolished fans. While Bender writes his song on the bus, he comes up with the idea to have a live festival for the benefit of broken robots with Beck's rock star friends called Bendaid. At his hotel room, Bender discovers that he can move again during his heartfelt confession that the broken robots are the first thing he cares about.

On the way to Bendaid, Amy and Leela discover that Zoidberg has been coughing up blue pearls which they wind up selling. After Beck plays a three hour rendition of Sexx Laws, Cylon and Garfunkel present Bender with a check for $14,000 to start his foundation for broken robots. He takes the check and performs his song, only to accidentally start moving. He's chased down by Beck in his hovering tour bus. When they drive off the Golden Gate Hover bridge, the passengers hold onto Bender who manages to gently lower the van to the ground until he's shot into the sky and lands in Fisherman's Wharf. They take back the check and Bender floats down the bay in the VW Bus with a magnet stuck to his head.

Notes

Alien Language Sightings

• Where Utah Was On The Map: "Human Farm"

Characters

• Fry: Fry reconnects with his past again when he finds a broken down VW Bus in an excavation site.

Referbacks

• 1x02 - The Series Has Landed: Bender's dreams of becoming a folk singer are finally met in this episode. For the first time, he sings folk tunes that aren't inspired by magnets.

Trivia

The Show

• Opening Caption: Federal Law Prohibits Changing The Channel
• States On The Map: New New York, Sylvania, Penn Republic, Washington A.C., West Virginia, East West Virginia, eHIO, 'Ucky, XORegon, Muontana, User ID: aho, Wy(omega)ing, 24-Bit Colorado, Nukevada, HighCal, LoCal
• My Broken Friend: The song that Bender wrote in the episode was written by Eric Horsted, Ken Keeler and Christopher Tyng and was performed by John Di Maggio and Beck.

People say my broken friend is useless

But I say his mind is free

There's lots of things my mangled robot friend could be

He could make a good hatrack

(He only has to stand there)

Or a cheap doorstop

(He doesn't need to move)

Or a great big giant Thermos

With a twist-off top

(That would be good for soup)

He could be a storage closet For outdated pants

(I like 'em tight!)

My broken friend could do it all,

Just give him a chance!

That robot has a tragic secret

That I'd like to share

My broken friend is closer to me

Than an ass to a chair

That robot's name I never told you

You could not foresee

I'll say it loud and sing it proud...

His name is you and me.

Don't melt me down into a crowbar

(It suffers alone)

Just 'cause I can't move my arms and legs

Or toss me into a trash can

Just 'cause I can't cook you ham and eggs

Don't crush me into an anchor

Just 'cause I can't jump and dance and sing

I'm telling you, my broken friend

Put your hands in the air like you just don't care!

I'm telling you, my broken friend

Can do 'most anything!

Behind the Scenes

• So Much For Censors: In the script, when Fry pulls the bong out from under the seat it was described as a "crazy bottle."
• Alternate Title: This episode is also known as "The Time's They Are a-Bendin."
• Sheet Music: The sheet music that Bender is writing for his song is actually the sheet music for is actually the introduction for the first movement of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony.

Allusions and References

• Blowin' In The Wind: The title of the reference is a parody of the Bob Dylan protest song, "Blowin' In The Wind."
• Beck Songs: A number of songs by Beck are played in the episode including Where It's At and Sexx Laws.
• Cylon and Garfunkel: The group itself is a parody of Simon & Garfunkel, but the Cylon is a reference to Battlestar Galactica, a sci-fi series prominently featuring the cybernetic race known as Cylons. They sing "Scarborough Fair."
• Freaks: The bit in which the broken robots begin to bumrush the stage is a small reference to the movie Freaks.
• Bullitt: During the big car chase scene, the VW bus loses 5 hubcaps. In the movie Bullitt, the car Steve McQueen drives loses six hubcaps in all. Also, a green Volkswagon makes several apperances during both chases, another subtle homage.

Memorable Moments

• Bender literally shitting a brick after eating an ancient Olestra potato chip.
• Zoidberg turning everyone's clothes tiedye on accident.
• Bender singing his song and being more nible and movable than he used to be.

Quotes

• Hermes: Congratulations Bender, you got mangled and now you're a folk singer. Both our dreams came true!

• Beck: You know, when I'm upset, I write a song about it. Like when I wrote Devil's Haircut, I was feeling really... what's that song about?
  Bender: Hey, yeah, I could write a song! With real words, not phony ones like "odelay".
  Beck: "Odelay" is a word. Just look it up in the Becktionary.

• Bender: How can I sing about broken robots when I'm not? That's like Christina Aguilera singing in Spanish! Wait, that's it! I'll fake it!