The Devil's Hands Are Idle Playthings

Season 5, Episode 16, Aired
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Episode 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.moreless
9.2
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Cast & Crew

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  • David Herman

    Mayor Poopenmayer, Professor Ogden Wernstrum, Scruffy, Toronga Morris, Larry, Dwayne, Various

  •

    Katey Sagal

    Turanga Leela, Various

  •

    Billy West

    Philip J. Fry, Professor Hubert Farnsworth, Dr. John Zoidberg, Zapp Brannigan, Leo Wong, Various

Fan Episode Reviews (54)

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  • 10
    "Perfect"
    By earthquake17, May 22, 2011 Report Abuse
    The Devils Hands are Idle Play Things is the best episode in the whole series. It is funny, it includes the best character,the robot devil, and the song is amazing. The robot devil is always funny. I believe the writers kept a couple of the jokes just for this episode to go out with a bang. And the song...it was so well written. It had a perfect mix of comedy and surprising drama that is not very often found in futurama. The song was so good it got nominated for an Emmy and an Annie award. It was the perfect episode to finish a great show.moreless

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  • A fitting end to the show

    9.2
    "Superb"
    By scaryness, May 22, 2011 Report Abuse
    Well, that's it. It's over, and with a very fitting episode as well. This had a great balance of emotion and comedy, and even had a real sense of urgency and finality and an epic plot, particularly towards the end. While it would have been nice to have some final storylines for Amy and Zoidy, I'm glad this wasn't just about Leela and Fry, with Bender having a real part to play in the storyline. Obviously, I had huge expectations for this and can't help but feel a little disappointed, but I like it more every time I see it. I loved the return of the Robot Devil, who had some great lines and gags, and it was cool to put a new spin on the 'deal with the devil' storyline, with Fry actually having the upper hand (pun not intended) to begin with. I was truly surprised when the wheel slipped over from Bender to the devil, which is always good. I was also happy to see the holophoner return, the music it plays is always hauntingly beautiful. Leela finally telling the whole story of her and her ex-boyfriend Sean was great, and the way she was given a real reason to change her mind about Fry made the whole thing more believable. HedonismBot was OK, but not great. Bender had some great gags ("By 'metaphorically' I mean get your coat.") and even a crazy kind of closure with the crotchplate thing. I was a bit disappointed with the opera itself, I was hoping for something more modern, or abstract like in 'Parasites Lost' (that was one of my favourite scenes). It was really more of a parody of an opera, which is fine, but could have been better. Once the characters started singing themselves it got better, and I like that part more every time I see it. The very ending was just absolutely fantastic, with beautiful music, and a fitting end to the show.moreless

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  • Incredible way to end the original run of the series.

    10
    "Perfect"
    By ctm723, May 22, 2011 Report Abuse
    I am not usually a fan of sappy endings but this ending was extremely well written and Dan Castenella's performance as the Robot Devil was brilliant and the Robot Devil was so funny in this episode like when had Fry's hands and said they touch me in all kinds of places and Fry says yup those guys know how to get around or something like that. Also it was very funny when Bender lost his catchphrase and the musicals at the end where some of the most brilliant musicals in a tv series I have ever seen. Overall this episode is hilarious,well written, and touching and how could fox have cancelled such a wonderful show.moreless

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  • Very nice end

    10
    "Perfect"
    By futuramarama, May 22, 2011 Report Abuse
    If this was the original finale I would have been more then satisfied. Fry makes a deal with the robot devil to trade hands so Fry can play the holophoner and impress Leela. Fry becomes gifted at it, but the devil wants his hands back. So he tricks Leela into "giving me your hands." What she doesn't know is he means marriage. So now the robot devil refuses to side, meaning Fry has to make a choice: trade hands or agree to have Leela be married to the devil.

    This was a perfect episode with great humor and a wonderful plot. As a fan I couldn't ask for moremoreless

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  • The original end of Futurama

    10
    "Perfect"
    By AdrenalinDragon, May 22, 2011 Report Abuse
    "The Devil's Hands Are Idle Playthings"

    Grade: A*

    I remember watching this when it first aired back in the UK in 2003, and it was really depressing back then to know that Futurama was ending with this episode. Fox cancelled the show too early, but with a little luck revived it again with movies and then CC airing new episodes for it. Nevertheless, the Devil's Hands Are Idle Playthings was a fitting last episode in which Fry wins Leela's heart (supposedly).

    The episode begins with Fry trying to learn the Holophoner, an instrument that previously got Leela interested back in "Parasites Lost", and he realises he's just not supposed to be good at it, as his teacher calls his hands "stupid hands". Fry seems hopeless in winning Leela, but Bender suggests that they see the Robot Devil for help.
    The Robot Devil tells Fry that he can exchange his hands for a robot's so that he can play the holophoner perfectly, but who it lands on is determined by a wheel of robots spin. Fry fortunantly lands on the Robot Devil. Having to stick with the deal, the Robot Devil switches his hands with Fry's as a result.
    With the Robot Devil's hands, Fry is now a success with the holophoner, becoming famous and even given a chance to make an opera about anything. He chooses Leela as his subject, and the Robot Devil returns with a scheme of getting his hands back.
    The Robot Devil offers a deal to give Bender whatever he wants, and so Bender chooses to be more annoying with an air horn. He uses it on Leela and as a result she goes deaf. Leela is heartbroken that she won't be able to hear Fry's opera now.
    As Fry's opera reaches the 2nd part, the Robot Devil offers Leela a deal of new robotic ears in exchange for her hand. She takes it and is able to hear Fry's opera again, but the Robot Devil isn't impressed with it, as Fry mocks him in the opera show.
    The Robot Devil jumps in and stops the opera, claiming it to be lousy, and wants his hands back. Fry says no and everyone sings along in a opera fashion until the Robot Devil reveals that Leela signed the deal for a hand... in marraige. Fry, realising he has no choice if he wants to be Leela, gives up his robot hands for her, and the Robot Devil leaves.
    With his regular hands again, Fry attempts to play the Holophoner again, but its absolutely terrible, and sends everyone out of the show apart from Leela, and the final quote from the show "Please don't stop playing Fry, I want to hear how it ends" is said from her, and nevertheless with a smile Fry goes back and plays the final scene, and although a bit crudely in terms of quality, it shows Fry and Leela having a kiss and walking away holding hands.

    This episode was brilliantly plotted and ended the series on a high note. Although the series is revived again and with seemingly no hint of the Fry-Leela relationship again, its no wonder why this finale worked so well, and kudos for Futurama going out with a bang, but what can we expect to see in the new revived series now?moreless

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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  • Trivia

    ADD TRIVIA
    • After the Robot Devil grabs Nixon and sets off the smoke on stage, he seems to disappear, yet you can see him tiptoeing down the aisle. Edit
    • Opening theme promotion: SEE YOU ON SOME OTHER CHANNEL Opening Theme Cartoon: "Futurama" by Curiosity Company (1999) Edit
    • The holophoner first appeared in the season three episode "Parasites Lost." Edit

  • Notes

    ADD NOTES
    • This episode was nominated for a Emmy Award for Outstanding Music and Lyrics. Edit
    • This episode was nominated for a Annie Award for Outstanding Music in an Animated Television Production. Edit
    • The final line in the episode took a while to record due to Katey Sagal being cast in the new show 8 Simple Rules. Edit

  • Quotes

    ADD QUOTES
    • Lyrics to "I Want My Hands Back" Fry: (spoken) What do you want?! Robot Devil: I want my hands back! (The Robot Devil roars with laughter and causes flames to appear on-stage.) Fry: Never! A deal's a deal Even with a dirty dealer! Robot Devil: Very well. Then I'll take What I want from Leela! (The Robot Devil pulls Leela out of the audience and onto the stage.) Robot Devil: Leela has promised me her hand. (The audience gasps.) Leela: Fry, you do not understand! I should have revealed I've been deafened by Bender. The shame. The shame! But I feared you'd stop writing This musical splendor. Deception's the curse Of my whimsical gender. He gave me mechanical ears, Effective, though just a bit garish. In return, without shedding a tear, I agreed that I'd give him my hand. Robot Devil: In marriage! Fry: (spoken) Huh? Leela: (spoken) What?! Robot Devil: You'd give me your hand in marriage! Hermes: Is this really happening Or just being staged? Professor: It can't be real. Amy: Not if Leela is engaged. Leela: That isn't what I meant! That' isn't what I signed! Robot Devil: (taking out the contract) You should have checked the wording In the fine... Print! Leela: (spoken, reading) "I'll give you my hand..." Leela and Robot Devil: (sung) "...in marriage." Bender: (reading from a dictionary) "The use of words expressing something Other than their literal intention." Now that...IS...irony! (The Robot Devil then reaches into the audience and takes out the Reverend Preacherbot.) Robot Devil: I will marry her now And confine her to Hell. How droll. How droll! Where Styx is a river And not just a band (Though they'll play our reception If all goes as planned.) Unless, Fry, you surrender MY HANDS!!! (Fry gets up from his chair and looks at the metal hands he possesses as the music becomes solemn.) Fry: Destiny has cheated me By forcing me to decide upon The woman that I idolize Or the hands of an automaton. Without these hands I can't complete The opera that was captivating her. But if I keep them and she marries him, Then he'll prob'ly won't want me dating her. (The audience applauds.) Richard Nixon's Head: (spoken) Row-rowoo!! Zapp: (spoken, rhyming the latter's first syllable with "pen") "Brave-o!" "En-core!" Professor: I can't believe the Devil Is so unforgiving! Zoidberg: I can't believe Everybody's just ad-libbing! (The Robot Devil keeps Leela, who is trying to escape, in his grasp.) Reverend Preacherbot: By the power vested in me By the State of New New York -- Fry: (spoken) No, stop! (sung) Take my hands, You evil...metal...doooooooooooork!!! (The Robot Devil laughs gleefully and chops Fry's hands off.) Edit
    • (Deleted scene) Robot Devil: Well I'm the robotic prince of darkness and you're some sort of moron. Edit
    • Hedonismbot: Surgery in an opera, how wonderfully decadent. And just as I was beginning to lose interest. Edit

  • Allusions

    ADD ALLUSIONS
    • Rodgers And Hammerstein When Leela talks about her ex-boyfriend, Bender asks "So musicians really Rodger your Hammerstein?", which is a reference to the songwriters Rodgers and Hammerstein. Edit
    • Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events The Robot Devil's 'marraige plan' to get back his hands is similar to the plan of Count Olaf's in Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events. In the first book of the series, The Bad Beginning, Count Olaf tries to marry Violet Baudelaire in a play to get her fortune, but he ends up failing. Edit
    • Foundation and Empire In an interview, Matt Groening admitted that the holophonor was taken from the Isaac Asimov classic novel Foundation and Empire, in which the main villain the Mule, or Magnifico Gigantico as he was known to by his inner circle, played a similar mental-audio-visual device called the visi-sonor. Edit

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