You know, when the Doctor said in "Waters of Mars" that he hated funny robots, I think he actually meant he hated UNfunny robots. I would put "Gadget" in that category. And there are a LOT of unfunny robots in science fiction - Twikie, Old B.O.B. from The Black Hole, Stephen Harper, etc. - because it seems writers can't help but see robots as mechanical comic relief. And mechanical, it is. Cutesy appearance + funny sounds/voices + undignified tasks = instant comedy gold. Or so they seem to think. And yet, there are those robots, unfairly lambasted by the Doctor, who ARE funny. Here are ten favorites, let me know who yours are.
10. Data
Comedy routine: Observational
Data's had his moments, but practically all of them were unintentional. When he WAS trying to be funny, the best he could manage was irritating. This is an important lesson to learn in the robot comedy business. Most robots, especially the so-called emotionless ones, are at their best with deadpan deliveries. They are machines who think in terms of facts and figures, not metaphors, so they are at their funniest when they don't realize they're being funny, instruments of their writers' dramatic irony. So for example: Data's stand-up with Joe Piscopo, dreadfully unfunny; Data's poem about his cat, hilarious.
9. Marvin the Paranoid Android
Comedy routine: Pathetic
I'm not a huge fan of Marvin's portrayal in the television version of Hitchhiker's Guide, and even less from the film (where they only made him funny LOOKING), but I am a fan of his portrayal in the books. A good example of Douglas Adams' emotional technology, Marvin is severely depressed and bored because he is never given tasks that can engage even the tiniest fraction of his massive intellect. Sarcasm and over-the-top whining ensue. Adams was laughing at emo kids before they ever registered on our radars, and that, folks, is TRUE speculative fiction.
8. Number 5
Comedy routine: Vaudeville
A large part of what makes a funny robot not unfunny is how endearing it is. We're far more likely to smile and chuckle at a lovable robot, but (as the movie Marvin showed us) robot builders often mistake a cute appearance with lovability. Ponder Short Circuit's Number 5, an expressive mechano construct that stole Ally Sheedy's heart and ours in the spring of 1986. 5 is cute and cuddly and funny in large part because of his innocence (the exact same design is also used for evil killer 'bots). He's like Data but with emotions, so he gets the Three Stooges. Of course, as soon as he "grew up" and became "Johnny 5", he immediately ceased to be funny.
7. R2-D2
Comedy routine: Slapstick
Speaking of fuggly appearances, Star Wars' rolling dustbin comes in at #7. I'm not a Star Wars fan (sue me), but I have a lot of respect for robots who can't talk and yet manage to make comedy work. I mean, R2-D2 successfully expresses sarcasm with a handful of electronic burps and whistles, and acts as chorus to the whole saga. Nobody thinks C-3P0 is particularly funny. But everyone loves R2-D2. Sometimes, less is more (oooh, I just burned George Lucas with his own creation!). And he serves a mean cocktail.
6. Skeets
Comedy routine: Deadpan
Booster Gold's sidekick does have the ability to talk, but also has no face, no way to even express body language. He's literally an autonomous skeet. How can he be funny? Dry wit. Deadpan delivery. And the uncompromising attitude that says Booster's the sidekick, not him. It's because he's so funny that 52 managed to make him truly sinister.
5. The Metal Men
Comedy routine: Sitcom
Keith Giffen recently wrote a too-short back-up series (in Doom Patrol) about the Metal Men that took them from kooky (which they always were) to extremely funny. It's all played for laughs of whatever kind Giffen can get. He throws it all out there and much of it sticks - silliness, parody, banter, self-referential humor, vaudeville, character-driven comedy, screwball farce, whatever - and Kevin Maguire's art adds a lot with his trademark expressions. Giffen had proven his comedic skill with L-Ron in the old Justice League series, and L-Ron could definitely have been on this list. I guess he hasn't been in the public spotlight for a long time.
4. Crow T. Robot and Tom Servo
Comedy routine: Snark
Mystery Science Theater 3000's resident snark experts are programmed to entertain Joel Robinson (and us) and stave off space madness. Snarking off at bad B-movies is only part of their appeal. They also look completely ridiculous. Tom is the cynical one on the right. Crow is the immature one on the left.
3. Mechanical Robot Arm #1
Comedy routine: Slapstick
Or, the one with the fire extinguisher who keeps screwing up during Tony Stark's training sequence in the original Iron Man. As with R2, here we have a non-speaking, non-humanoid robot who is brilliant at physical comedy. How then can he project so much personality? It's a mystery. Love the low-ebb A.I.
2. Soundwave
Comedy routine: Political
Soundwave from the Transformers? Really, Siskoid?! Of all the Transformers, his primitive robotic voice allows for the most deadpan of deliveries, so he was always the funniest anyway. It's when he ran against Steven Dollansky in the University of Alberta's Student Union 2007 elections, however, that he showed was he was truly made of. Puny humans, we laugh at your democratic process. He got 26% of the votes despite being an evil Decepticon. How? His delightful wit.
1. Bender
Comedy routine: Shock
Sticking it to anyone who hates funny robots (sorry, Doctor) is Bender Bending RodrÃguez. From Futurama's pilot episode, in which he literally shits a brick right up to getting billed in the title of half of last year's DVD specials, there can be little doubt in my mind that he's #1. His hatred of humanity combined with the fact that he's the most human of the cast creates the comedic tension... why am I analyzing it. He's just damn funny. Big shout-out to Futurama. Its robots are practically all funnier than the other 9 on this list. Could be there own list. Let the robot wars begin.
But surely, you've got your own laughable robots to share with it?
10. Data
Comedy routine: ObservationalData's had his moments, but practically all of them were unintentional. When he WAS trying to be funny, the best he could manage was irritating. This is an important lesson to learn in the robot comedy business. Most robots, especially the so-called emotionless ones, are at their best with deadpan deliveries. They are machines who think in terms of facts and figures, not metaphors, so they are at their funniest when they don't realize they're being funny, instruments of their writers' dramatic irony. So for example: Data's stand-up with Joe Piscopo, dreadfully unfunny; Data's poem about his cat, hilarious.
9. Marvin the Paranoid Android
Comedy routine: PatheticI'm not a huge fan of Marvin's portrayal in the television version of Hitchhiker's Guide, and even less from the film (where they only made him funny LOOKING), but I am a fan of his portrayal in the books. A good example of Douglas Adams' emotional technology, Marvin is severely depressed and bored because he is never given tasks that can engage even the tiniest fraction of his massive intellect. Sarcasm and over-the-top whining ensue. Adams was laughing at emo kids before they ever registered on our radars, and that, folks, is TRUE speculative fiction.
8. Number 5
Comedy routine: VaudevilleA large part of what makes a funny robot not unfunny is how endearing it is. We're far more likely to smile and chuckle at a lovable robot, but (as the movie Marvin showed us) robot builders often mistake a cute appearance with lovability. Ponder Short Circuit's Number 5, an expressive mechano construct that stole Ally Sheedy's heart and ours in the spring of 1986. 5 is cute and cuddly and funny in large part because of his innocence (the exact same design is also used for evil killer 'bots). He's like Data but with emotions, so he gets the Three Stooges. Of course, as soon as he "grew up" and became "Johnny 5", he immediately ceased to be funny.
7. R2-D2
Comedy routine: SlapstickSpeaking of fuggly appearances, Star Wars' rolling dustbin comes in at #7. I'm not a Star Wars fan (sue me), but I have a lot of respect for robots who can't talk and yet manage to make comedy work. I mean, R2-D2 successfully expresses sarcasm with a handful of electronic burps and whistles, and acts as chorus to the whole saga. Nobody thinks C-3P0 is particularly funny. But everyone loves R2-D2. Sometimes, less is more (oooh, I just burned George Lucas with his own creation!). And he serves a mean cocktail.
6. Skeets
Comedy routine: DeadpanBooster Gold's sidekick does have the ability to talk, but also has no face, no way to even express body language. He's literally an autonomous skeet. How can he be funny? Dry wit. Deadpan delivery. And the uncompromising attitude that says Booster's the sidekick, not him. It's because he's so funny that 52 managed to make him truly sinister.
5. The Metal Men
Comedy routine: SitcomKeith Giffen recently wrote a too-short back-up series (in Doom Patrol) about the Metal Men that took them from kooky (which they always were) to extremely funny. It's all played for laughs of whatever kind Giffen can get. He throws it all out there and much of it sticks - silliness, parody, banter, self-referential humor, vaudeville, character-driven comedy, screwball farce, whatever - and Kevin Maguire's art adds a lot with his trademark expressions. Giffen had proven his comedic skill with L-Ron in the old Justice League series, and L-Ron could definitely have been on this list. I guess he hasn't been in the public spotlight for a long time.
4. Crow T. Robot and Tom Servo
Comedy routine: SnarkMystery Science Theater 3000's resident snark experts are programmed to entertain Joel Robinson (and us) and stave off space madness. Snarking off at bad B-movies is only part of their appeal. They also look completely ridiculous. Tom is the cynical one on the right. Crow is the immature one on the left.
3. Mechanical Robot Arm #1
Comedy routine: SlapstickOr, the one with the fire extinguisher who keeps screwing up during Tony Stark's training sequence in the original Iron Man. As with R2, here we have a non-speaking, non-humanoid robot who is brilliant at physical comedy. How then can he project so much personality? It's a mystery. Love the low-ebb A.I.
2. Soundwave
Comedy routine: Political
Soundwave from the Transformers? Really, Siskoid?! Of all the Transformers, his primitive robotic voice allows for the most deadpan of deliveries, so he was always the funniest anyway. It's when he ran against Steven Dollansky in the University of Alberta's Student Union 2007 elections, however, that he showed was he was truly made of. Puny humans, we laugh at your democratic process. He got 26% of the votes despite being an evil Decepticon. How? His delightful wit.
1. Bender
Comedy routine: ShockSticking it to anyone who hates funny robots (sorry, Doctor) is Bender Bending RodrÃguez. From Futurama's pilot episode, in which he literally shits a brick right up to getting billed in the title of half of last year's DVD specials, there can be little doubt in my mind that he's #1. His hatred of humanity combined with the fact that he's the most human of the cast creates the comedic tension... why am I analyzing it. He's just damn funny. Big shout-out to Futurama. Its robots are practically all funnier than the other 9 on this list. Could be there own list. Let the robot wars begin.
But surely, you've got your own laughable robots to share with it?
Comments
And being a huge Soundwave fan, I can't quibble with #2 either ("Constructicons inferior - Soundwave superior").
Being a Star Wars fan (I WILL sue you... ;) ), I'd rank Artoo a bit higher. And blow up C-3PO.
Would K-9 make the cut? Or maybe Sherman from the time travel movie Millennium?
That Soundwave clip was surreal.
And then there's Death's Head, yes?
Comedy routine: Satire