Futurama

Work Title: Futurama
Medium: TV Episode
Episode Title: I Dated a Robot
Year: 2001
Writer(s): David Cohen
"Original" Writer: Yes Writer(s): Kristin Gore
"Original" Writer: Yes Writer(s): Jeff Westbrook
"Original" Writer: Yes Writer(s): Eric Kaplan
"Original" Writer: Yes Own work?: No
Summary:

from imdb.com Fry ignores the warnings of the Planet Express staff and starts dating a robot with the downloaded personality and holographic image of Lucy Liu. Leela and Bender make a disturbing discovery while trying to save Fry from his short-sighted decision. Written by Jeff Lindstrom

Era/Year of Portrayal: distant_future
Distinctive characteristics of the world in portrayal:

The year 3000 - cars fly, space travel is common, robots are common.

Technology

  • Name of portrayed presence-evoking technology: Robot Lucy Liu
  • Description of the technology: A blank robot is placed into a machine, where it downloads and takes on Lucy Liu's physical appearence, including facial and voice expressions. Her personality is composed of Lucy's movie character's weighted by box office receits. People interact with her as if she was human. She generally acts docile, sexy, and submissive, yet smart. However, she is an illegal copy.
  • Nature of task or activity: Physical intimacy, conversations, fighting other Lucy Liu robots.
  • Performance of the Technology: works well.
  • Description of creator(s): A company called kidnappster, run by geeky Interent nerds, white. They have kidnapped celebrity heads, then sell illegal copies of them online.
  • Major goal(s) of creator(s): to make money.
  • Description of users of technology: Phillip Fry: male, 25 years old, white, from the 20th century, very average.
  • Type(s) of presence experience in the portrayal: social_presence
  • Description of presence experience: very pleasurable, physically stimulating, enjoyable.
  • User awareness of technology during experience: yes.
  • Valence of experience: enjoy it.
  • Specific responses: physiological arousal, enjoyment, involvement, intense parasocial relationships
Long-term consequences:

Fry's friends save the real Lucy Liu from kidnappster. She convinces Fry to erase his illegal copy of her. Fry is sad and then angry when Lucy reveals her lobev for Bender.

Other:

Coder name: Amanda Scheiner
Coder email: amandags@temple.edu
Coder affiliation: Temple Unversity