The Mutants Are Revolting

The crew is hired for their 100th delivery and Bender plans the "party of the millennium". The wealthy widow Astor invites Fry and Professor Farnsworth to a fundraiser for mutant education. Leela notices that Astor and the socialites want to distract the mutants from their living conditions and social inequality. Fry accidentally reveals Leela as a mutant illegally living on the surface, and she is banished to the sewers. While attempting to appeal to Mayor Poopenmeyer on Leela's behalf, the crew is banished to the sewers for two weeks for harboring a mutant. In the sewers, the crew finds the wreckage of the Land Titanic, a luxury land bus that sunk into the street in 2912 after striking a mailbox on its maiden voyage, with Astor's husband among the ship's dead passengers. They find the original passenger manifest and a priceless quantum-force from Astor's husband to his wife. Meanwhile, Bender (who stayed behind), is hosting the 100th delivery party at Planet Express but prematurely ends it and demands everyone leave when he realizes the remaining crew is absent. Fry attempts to reconcile with Leela, who rebuffs him. Determined to prove that he stands by Leela and mutants' plight, Fry jumps into the toxic sewage lake and emerges as a grotesque mutant blob. The crew is disgusted by Fry's new appearance, but Leela is touched by Fry's sacrifice and rallies the mutants and the crew to fight for equal rights. The mutants recruit Bender to sabotage the sewer system by bending the main sewage pipe, which sends waste up to flood the surface. While the mutants demand desegregation and equal rights from Mayor Poopenmeyer, Astor tries to force them back underground using a wave of sewage held in Madison Cube Garden, but Fry uses the 's energy to part the wave and defend the mutants. He shows the mayor and Astor the Land Titanic passenger manifest, which includes Leela's maternal grandmother, who worked on the Land Titanic when it sank. Leela's grandmother explains that Astor's husband gave up his reserved seat on the life car for her and her mother. The widowed Astor is moved and urges Mayor Poopenmeyer to support mutant equality. As he and Leela kiss over their victory, Fry's grotesque form melts away, revealing itself to be Astor's mutated husband who fell into the toxic lake and survived as the Land Titanic sunk; Fry had unknowingly lodged himself in the mutant's mouth. The Astors happily reunite, and the Planet Express crew throw another party in celebration together with Leela's family, who are now allowed access to the surface. ==Production==

The episode was written by Eric Horsted and directed by Raymie Muzquiz. In an interview, series co-producer and head writer David X. Cohen stated that the 100th episode coinciding with the season finale was unplanned, with the staff only realizing it after receiving the broadcast schedule from Comedy Central. The episode serves as the official season finale to season six, which Cohen described as being a decision made by Comedy Central. the staff decided to write a story that "had roots in the history of the show." The episode also guest starred Mark Mothersbaugh of the 1980s American rock band Devo. The band is portrayed as the mutated future versions of themselves and their song "Beautiful World" was used in the episode. Devo's guest appearance on the show became one of Cohen's favorite moments in the series. ==Theme and cultural references==

The episode's plot contains a theme of equality and civil rights. "The Mutants Are Revolting" has been interpreted as a political warning against societies with a "disposable class" of people. It has also been interpreted as a statement about the plight of undocumented immigrants, due in part to Leela's secret status as an "illegal alien" in the series (as mutants are not allowed to live on the surface). Mr. Astor giving up his seat on the "lifeboat" for Leela's grandmother and great-grandmother may be a reference to Alfred Vanderbilt, a wealthy passenger on the Lusitania, who gave his life belt to a young woman and her child, though he himself could not swim. Ms. Astor, who invites the crew to the party, has a meal delivered that contains Nitroglycerin. This chemical is very explosive and is produced by nitrating glycerol with white fuming nitric acid under conditions appropriate to the formation of the nitric acid ester. The episode also contains several cultural references, including references to P. L. Travers' character Mary Poppins, and the 1997 film Titanic. The song "Bend It" by the British 1960s pop group Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich is used in this episode. The "Westside Pipeway" scene is reminiscent of a scene in the 1927 silent film Metropolis. Leela also refers to the uprising of the mutants as the 'Million Mutant March' which references the 'Million Man March'. The episode also contains self-references, such as the inclusion of many one-time and recurring characters in the background of Bender's party scene. When Devo appear, they are asked to play "Whip It", their most successful single. Refusing, they decide to play "the other one" and perform "Beautiful World", one of only a few singles of theirs to find mainstream success. Near the end of the episode, Fry divides the wave of waste in two, preventing it from hitting the mutants and saying "let my people stay", which is a reference to the Crossing of the Red Sea and the "Go Down Moses" song. After this happens, one mutant says "Are we not men!", a reference to Devo's song "Jocko Homo", which includes the lyric "Are we not men? We are Devo", and also to their first album, Q. Are We Not Men? A. We Are Devo!. ==Broadcast and reception==

"The Mutants Are Revolting" originally aired on Comedy Central on September 2, 2010. In its original broadcast, "The Mutants Are Revolting" was viewed by an estimated population of 1.792 million with a 1.2 rating/2% share in Nielsen ratings and a 0.9 rating/2% share in the 18–49 demographic, going down two tenths of a point from the previous week's episode "Lrrreconcilable Ndndifferences". Barr also praised the episode's subtle jokes and lack of "forced topicalness". Alex Zalben of UGO was disappointed with the episode, calling it a "bummer episode" and "one of the weakest entries this season." Zalben criticized the episode for covering familiar territory, noting the civil rights theme in the same season's earlier episode "Proposition Infinity" and the Titanic jokes of first season's "A Flight to Remember". He also criticized the formulaic writing style, comparing it unfavorably to The Simpsons. Zack Handlen of The A.V. Club gave the episode a mixed review, stating that it had some funny jokes, but "wasn't hilarious", and rated it a B+. He also criticized the Titanic gag, calling it "lazy", but enjoyed some of the cultural references and the guest appearance of Devo. ==References==