Less Than Hero

This article is about the Futurama episode. For the Brandy & Mr. Whiskers episode, see List of Brandy & Mr. Whiskers episodes.

"Less Than Hero"
Futurama episode
Captain Yesterday (Fry), Super King (Bender) and Clobberella (Leela)
Episode no.	Season four Episode 58
Directed by	Susie Dietter
Written by	Ron Weiner
Production code	4ACV04
Original air date	March 2, 2003
Opening caption	"Soon To Be A Major Religion"
Opening cartoon	The Dover Boys, by Warner Brothers, 1942.
Season four episodes
January, 2002 – August, 2003 Kif Gets Knocked Up a Notch Leela's Homeworld Love and Rocket Less Than Hero A Taste of Freedom Bender Should Not Be Allowed on TV Jurassic Bark Crimes of the Hot Teenage Mutant Leela's Hurdles The Why of Fry Where No Fan Has Gone Before The Sting Bend Her Obsoletely Fabulous The Farnsworth Parabox Three Hundred Big Boys Spanish Fry The Devil's Hands Are Idle Playthings
List of all Futurama episodes

"Less Than Hero" is the fourth episode in the fourth production season of Futurama. It first aired on March 2, 2003 as the sixth episode in the fifth broadcast season. The episode was directed by Susie Dietter and written by Ron Weiner.

Plot

Professor Farnsworth orders a supercollider from πKEA; and after assembling it, Fry and Leela are left with sore muscles. Dr. Zoidberg prescribes them a "miracle cream". While returning the broken supercollider to the store, Fry and Leela are mugged. They discover they are immune to laser fire and physical attacks, a side effect of the "miracle cream"; they also gain the abilities of super strength and super speed (the tube also says they may gain the ability to command sea life, but they find they do not when Zoidberg refuses to obey them). They form a team of superheroes, the New Justice Team, taking the names "Captain Yesterday," and "Clobberella," with Bender joining them as "Super King."

Leela makes a visit to CitiHall, and procures a special one-day surface pass for her mutant parents from the sewers. Shortly after, the mayor summons the New Justice Team to deal with a criminal threat. The Museum of Natural History is going to be robbed of the Quantum Gemerald at 9 a.m. by a criminal mastermind called the Zookeeper, who uses trained animals to aid him in his crimes.

Leela, planning her day, schedules her parents' surface visit for 10 a.m. at the same museum. Her plans are ruined when the Zookeeper is an hour late for the theft. The New Justice Team foils the robbery, but the Zookeeper escapes. Leela's parents, convinced that Leela did not show up because she is ashamed of them slink back to the sewers, just a moment before Leela rushes out onto the street to greet them.

Leela makes a trip to her parents' home where she apologizes. Although they forgive her, saying she could never disappoint them, her guilt is too much for her to bear and she reveals her superhero identity so her parents understand why she did not meet them. Leela swears them to secrecy for their own protection, but Morris cannot hold his tongue for long and tells his friends, and the word spreads. Shortly after, Planet Express receives a call from the Zookeeper, who has kidnapped Leela's parents. He is willing to ransom them for the Quantum Gemerald, which he demands they steal for him.

The New Justice Team resolves to steal the gem. Unfortunately, they have run out of miracle cream, and are forced to commit the robbery without super powers. Fortunately, the museum guards still think The New Justice Team have superpowers, and the Gemerald is retrieved successfully. The Quantum Gemerald is given to the Zookeeper, who releases Leela's parents and escapes. Leela and her parents resolve their issues, her parents reassuring her that, "it's natural for kids to be a little ashamed of their parents, just as it's natural for parents to be a little disappointed in their children." Bender and a morally confused Fry set off to commit a few more crimes while they still have their superhero costumes, and life returns to normal.

Broadcast and reception

In its initial airing, the episode received a Nielsen rating of 5.0/9.^[1]

References

1. ^ "Nielsen Ratings. (Programming).(Illustration)". Broadcasting & Cable (Reed Business Information). 2003-03-10. http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-98752163.html. Retrieved 2009-03-07. 

External links

• "Less Than Hero" at TV.com
• "Less Than Hero" at the Internet Movie Database
• Less Than Hero at The Infosphere.