Dr. John A. Zoidberg, often referred to only by his last name, is a fictional character from the
animated series
An animated series is a set of animated works with a common series title, usually related to one another. These episodes should typically share the same main characters, some different secondary characters and a basic theme. Series can have either ...
''
Futurama
''Futurama'' is an American animated science fiction sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series follows the adventures of the professional slacker Philip J. Fry, who is cryogenically preserved for 1000 years a ...
''. He is a Decapodian, a
crustacean
Crustaceans (Crustacea, ) form a large, diverse arthropod taxon which includes such animals as decapods, seed shrimp, branchiopods, fish lice, krill, remipedes, isopods, barnacles, copepods, amphipods and mantis shrimp. The crustacean group ...
-like species of alien, who works as the staff
doctor
Doctor or The Doctor may refer to:
Personal titles
* Doctor (title), the holder of an accredited academic degree
* A medical practitioner, including:
** Physician
** Surgeon
** Dentist
** Veterinary physician
** Optometrist
*Other roles
** ...
for ''Planet Express'', despite his woeful understanding of human
physiology
Physiology (; ) is the scientific study of functions and mechanisms in a living system. As a sub-discipline of biology, physiology focuses on how organisms, organ systems, individual organs, cells, and biomolecules carry out the chemical ...
and allusions to his questionable credentials. His character parodies the supposed wealth and automatic respect of modern doctors—for example, his incompetence at human medicine makes him extremely poor despite his profession, and he is implied to be frequently
homeless
Homelessness or houselessness – also known as a state of being unhoused or unsheltered – is the condition of lacking stable, safe, and adequate housing. People can be categorized as homeless if they are:
* living on the streets, also kn ...
when not at work. The Decapod (named after the actual
Decapoda
The Decapoda or decapods (literally "ten-footed") are an order of crustaceans within the class Malacostraca, including many familiar groups, such as crabs, lobsters, crayfish, shrimp and prawns. Most decapods are scavengers. The order is esti ...
order of ten-footed crustaceans) are an extended parody on
Jewish culture
Jewish culture is the culture of the Jewish people, from its formation in ancient times until the current age. Judaism itself is not a faith-based religion, but an orthoprax and ethnoreligion, pertaining to deed, practice, and identity. Jewi ...
—the bigger joke being that
shellfish
Shellfish is a colloquial and fisheries term for exoskeleton-bearing aquatic invertebrates used as food, including various species of molluscs, crustaceans, and echinoderms. Although most kinds of shellfish are harvested from saltwater envir ...
are not
kosher
(also or , ) is a set of dietary laws dealing with the foods that Jewish people are permitted to eat and how those foods must be prepared according to Jewish law. Food that may be consumed is deemed kosher ( in English, yi, כּשר), fro ...
. The writing riffs on the marine theme in a playfully absurd way, with just about any marine
Arthropod
Arthropods (, (gen. ποδός)) are invertebrate animals with an exoskeleton, a Segmentation (biology), segmented body, and paired jointed appendages. Arthropods form the phylum Arthropoda. They are distinguished by their jointed limbs and Arth ...
a or
Mollusca
Mollusca is the second-largest phylum of invertebrate animals after the Arthropoda, the members of which are known as molluscs or mollusks (). Around 85,000 extant species of molluscs are recognized. The number of fossil species is esti ...
being implied to be akin to Zoidberg. He is voiced by
Billy West
William Richard Werstine (born April 16, 1952), known professionally as Billy West, is an American voice actor. His voice roles include Bugs Bunny in the 1996 film ''Space Jam'' and several subsequent projects, the title characters of '' Doug'' ...
, who performs the character with a
Yiddish
Yiddish (, or , ''yidish'' or ''idish'', , ; , ''Yidish-Taytsh'', ) is a West Germanic language historically spoken by Ashkenazi Jews. It originated during the 9th century in Central Europe, providing the nascent Ashkenazi community with a ver ...
-inflected accent inspired by actors
George Jessel and
Lou Jacobi
Lou Jacobi (born Louis Harold Jacobovitch; December 28, 1913October 23, 2009) was a Canadian character actor.
Life and early career
Jacobi was born Louis Harold Jacobovitch in Toronto, Canada, to Joseph and Fay Jacobovitch.
Jacobi began acting ...
.
Character creation
Zoidberg is named after an
Apple II
The Apple II (stylized as ) is an 8-bit home computer and one of the world's first highly successful mass-produced microcomputer products. It was designed primarily by Steve Wozniak; Jerry Manock developed the design of Apple II's foam-m ...
game that series writer
David X. Cohen created in high school called ''Zoid'', similar to the game ''
Qix
is a 1981 puzzle video game developed by husband and wife team Randy and Sandy Pfeiffer and published in arcades by Taito America. ''Qix'' is one of a handful of games made by Taito's American division. At the start of each level, the playing f ...
''. The game was rejected by
Broderbund
Broderbund Software, Inc. (stylized as Brøderbund) was an American maker of video games, educational software, and productivity tools. Broderbund is best known for the 8-bit video game hits ''Choplifter'', ''Lode Runner'', ''Karateka'', and '' ...
.
One of Cohen's inspirations for the character of Dr. Zoidberg was the fact that ''
Star Trek
''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, which began with the eponymous 1960s television series and quickly became a worldwide pop-culture phenomenon. The franchise has expanded into vari ...
'' character
Leonard McCoy
Dr. Leonard H. McCoy, known as "Bones", is a character in the American science-fiction franchise ''Star Trek''. McCoy was played by actor DeForest Kelley in the original ''Star Trek'' series from 1966 to 1969, and he also appears in the anim ...
, the ship's doctor, frequently administered medical treatment to aliens such as
Spock
Spock is a Character (arts), fictional character in the ''Star Trek'' media franchise. He first appeared in the Star Trek: The Original Series, original ''Star Trek'' series serving aboard the starship USS Enterprise (NCC-1701), USS ''Enterprise ...
, so Cohen wished human characters in ''Futurama'' to be in the uneasy situation of being treated by an alien doctor.
During the first season, jokes surrounding Zoidberg usually focused on his poor understanding of human anatomy and his resulting incompetence as a doctor, and the fact that all of his co-workers hate him. His incompetence is aggravated by the fact that he believes himself to be an expert on human anatomy, and will blithely attempt to treat human patients as he would his own species. One of his running traits is his pronunciation of the word "robot", pronouncing it rather than . His use of English grammar and idioms resembles the stereotypical speech of Jewish people living in the northeastern United States, and elements of
Jewish humor
The tradition of humor in Judaism dates back to the Torah and the Midrash from the ancient Middle East, but generally refers to the more recent stream of verbal and often anecdotal humor of Ashkenazi Jews which took root in the United States ove ...
, and playful reversals on it, are a theme. As the series progressed, writers gradually introduced the themes that Zoidberg is also poor, homeless, friendless, smelly, undignified, and repulsive
—comically opposite the idea that a doctor stereotypically occupies a respectable, wealthy, and romantically desirable role. Regardless of these traits, Zoidberg is good-natured and means well, and will help the crew when the situation calls for it. Zoidberg also generally attempts to make himself look refined, successful and important in front of others, though this illusion is quickly dashed when pointed out.
Biography
Zoidberg is the
company doctor at Planet Express. Although he claims expertise in
human
Humans (''Homo sapiens'') are the most abundant and widespread species of primate, characterized by bipedalism and exceptional cognitive skills due to a large and complex brain. This has enabled the development of advanced tools, culture, ...
medicine
Medicine is the science and practice of caring for a patient, managing the diagnosis, prognosis, prevention, treatment, palliation of their injury or disease, and promoting their health. Medicine encompasses a variety of health care pract ...
, particularly
internal medicine, his knowledge of human
anatomy
Anatomy () is the branch of biology concerned with the study of the structure of organisms and their parts. Anatomy is a branch of natural science that deals with the structural organization of living things. It is an old science, having its ...
and physiology is atrocious. He has been shown as unable to tell the difference between robots and humans (or human males and females), believes food is digested in the heart, and that humans have multiple mouths and a dorsal fin. His only knowledge of humans seems to come from
television advertisement
A television advertisement (also called a television commercial, TV commercial, commercial, spot, television spot, TV spot, advert, television advert, TV advert, television ad, TV ad or simply an ad) is a span of television programming produce ...
s, although his skills as a physician generally vary: in "
Put Your Head on My Shoulders
"Put Your Head on My Shoulders" is the seventh episode in the second season of the American animated television series ''Futurama''. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on February 13, 2000. The episode was written by K ...
" he manages to successfully transplant
Fry's head onto
Amy's body after Fry's body incurs massive trauma in a vehicular accident, that he caused, that requires extensive repair, but in ''
Into the Wild Green Yonder
''Futurama: Into the Wild Green Yonder'' is a 2009 American direct-to-video adult animated science fiction comedy- adventure film based on the animated series '' Futurama'', and the fourth and final of the direct-to-DVD films that make up the show' ...
'' he incorrectly declares Fry dead only for him to wake up a few seconds later. In ''
Bender's Big Score
''Futurama: Bender's Big Score'' (or ''Bender's Big Score'') is a 2007 American adult animated science fiction comedy-adventure film based on the animated series ''Futurama''. It was released in the United States on November 27, 2007. It was the ...
'', he performs several limb reattachments to moderate success. It may be assumed that advances in medical technology have made limb and head reattachment a simple process, as in ''
Bender's Big Score
''Futurama: Bender's Big Score'' (or ''Bender's Big Score'') is a 2007 American adult animated science fiction comedy-adventure film based on the animated series ''Futurama''. It was released in the United States on November 27, 2007. It was the ...
'' head reattachment is shown to be little more than applying a paste to the area and placing the head back on (a process that works even if the head is on backwards, as shown). In "
Parasites Lost
"Parasites Lost" is the second episode in season three of ''Futurama''. Although the title is a play on John Milton's epic poem ''Paradise Lost'', the episode is a parody of the 1966 film ''Fantastic Voyage''. It originally aired on the Fox networ ...
", due to his incompetence as a physician, he comes to the conclusion that Fry, who is frequently injured, is a
hypochondriac
Hypochondriasis or hypochondria is a condition in which a person is excessively and unduly worried about having a serious illness. An old concept, the meaning of hypochondria has repeatedly changed. It has been claimed that this debilitating cond ...
, an accusation he makes when Fry sits before Zoidberg with a pipe through his chest. He claims to be an
MD, but states, unconvincingly, in "
A Clone of My Own" that he lost his medical degree in a
volcano
A volcano is a rupture in the crust of a planetary-mass object, such as Earth, that allows hot lava, volcanic ash, and gases to escape from a magma chamber below the surface.
On Earth, volcanoes are most often found where tectonic plates are ...
. However, he later states in "
The Duh-Vinci Code
"The Duh-Vinci Code" is the fifth episode of ''Futurama'' sixth season. It originally aired on Comedy Central in the United States on July 15, 2010. In the episode, Fry finds a drawing of a lost Leonardo da Vinci invention which leads him and Pro ...
" that his
PhD is in
art history
Art history is the study of aesthetic objects and visual expression in historical and stylistic context. Traditionally, the discipline of art history emphasized painting, drawing, sculpture, architecture, ceramics and decorative arts; yet today ...
(as opposed to
medicine
Medicine is the science and practice of caring for a patient, managing the diagnosis, prognosis, prevention, treatment, palliation of their injury or disease, and promoting their health. Medicine encompasses a variety of health care pract ...
). Other intimations to his dubious medical training include the episode "
Teenage Mutant Leela's Hurdles
"Teenage Mutant Leela's Hurdles" is the ninth episode in the fourth production season of the American animated television series '' Futurama''. It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on March 30, 2003. The episode was directed by ...
", in which he comments, "I'm no doctor, but this machine guy could really use a lozenge."
Although he is shown to be incompetent at treating humans, the episode "
The Tip of the Zoidberg
"The Tip of the Zoidberg" is the eighteenth episode of the sixth season of the animated sitcom '' Futurama''. It aired on Comedy Central in the United States on August 18, 2011. A pivotal episode, it reveals Dr. Zoidberg's backstory. This episo ...
" shows he is a competent doctor for alien species, such as the
Yeti
The Yeti ()["Yeti"](_blank)
''Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary''. is an ape-like creature purported t ...
. In the episode,
Professor Farnsworth
Professor Hubert J. Farnsworth, commonly referred to in-show as either Professor Farnsworth or simply Professor, is a fictional character in the American animated television series '' Futurama''. The mad scientist proprietor of the Planet Expres ...
says he is an expert in alien
physiology
Physiology (; ) is the scientific study of functions and mechanisms in a living system. As a sub-discipline of biology, physiology focuses on how organisms, organ systems, individual organs, cells, and biomolecules carry out the chemical ...
. There are also frequent mentions throughout the series that he has good medical knowledge regarding his own species, for example in the episode "
Why Must I Be a Crustacean in Love?
"Why Must I Be a Crustacean in Love?" is the fifth episode in the second season of the American animated television series '' Futurama'', and the 18th episode of the series overall. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on F ...
" he talks about
fin rot
A fin is a thin component or appendage attached to a larger body or structure. Fins typically function as foils that produce lift or thrust, or provide the ability to steer or stabilize motion while traveling in water, air, or other fluids. Fin ...
, which is a real disease that affects fish.
Despite his career as a physician, Zoidberg is repeatedly identified as living in
poverty
Poverty is the state of having few material possessions or little income. Poverty can have diverse social, economic, and political causes and effects. When evaluating poverty in ...
, lonely and desperate for friendship and attention. The crew are often disgusted by his foul habits, such as
squirting ink or eating from trash cans, though he is mostly oblivious to their true feelings about him, having referred to
Hermes Conrad
This article lists the many characters of ''Futurama,'' an American Cartoon series, animated science fiction sitcom created by Matt Groening and developed by Groening and David X. Cohen for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series follows the a ...
and
Bender as friends. Hermes seems to have the most intense dislike of Zoidberg, seeing him as even more expendable than the rest of the crew. However, when Fry reads Hermes' mind in ''
Into the Wild Green Yonder
''Futurama: Into the Wild Green Yonder'' is a 2009 American direct-to-video adult animated science fiction comedy- adventure film based on the animated series '' Futurama'', and the fourth and final of the direct-to-DVD films that make up the show' ...
'', it is revealed that Hermes sees him as "pathetic but lovable". In "
The Six Million Dollar Mon
"The Six Million Dollar Mon" is the seventh episode of the seventh season of the animated sitcom '' Futurama''. It originally aired on Comedy Central on July 25, 2012.
The episode was written by Ken Keeler and directed by Peter Avanzino.
Plot ...
", after Hermes quits Planet Express and trades his own body parts for robot parts, a depressed Zoidberg recovers the discarded parts and sews them together to create a full-fledged ventriloquist dummy of Hermes, which he later uses to transplant Hermes' brain out of his robot body and back into his original body. After Hermes thanks him and admits that they had never been friends, Zoidberg callously calls out Hermes for his treatment of him, leaving Hermes impressed with this confrontation. Zoidberg briefly becomes a hero when he saves Earth from enslavement to his own kind in "
A Taste of Freedom
"A Taste of Freedom" is the fifth episode in the fourth season of the American animated television series ''Futurama''. It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on December 22, 2002. The episode was directed by James Purdum and writ ...
". Fry and Professor Farnsworth are usually the only ones to refer to Zoidberg as a friend, and in ''Bender's Big Score'', Zoidberg says of Fry, "He was the only one of you who never struck me!" during the latter's memorial. Zoidberg has ambitions to be a
stand-up comedian
Stand-up comedy is a comedy, comedic performance to a live audience in which the performer addresses the audience directly from the stage. The performer is known as a comedian, a comic or a stand-up.
Stand-up comedy consists of One-line joke ...
, but he is entirely unsuccessful at this endeavor. In "
That's Lobstertainment!
"That's Lobstertainment!" is the eighth episode in season three of ''Futurama''. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on February 25, 2001.
Plot
After a disastrous attempt at stand-up comedy, Dr. Zoidberg informs the crew ...
", his uncle, the
silent hologram star Harold Zoid (a parody of
Harold Lloyd
Harold Clayton Lloyd, Sr. (April 20, 1893 – March 8, 1971) was an American actor, comedian, and stunt performer who appeared in many silent comedy films.Obituary ''Variety'', March 10, 1971, page 55.
One of the most influential film co ...
), advises him to give up on comedy and finance a film whose script Zoid is writing.
The reason that the Professor continues to employ Zoidberg as the staff physician, despite his apparent incompetence, is revealed in the sixth-season episode, "
The Tip of the Zoidberg
"The Tip of the Zoidberg" is the eighteenth episode of the sixth season of the animated sitcom '' Futurama''. It aired on Comedy Central in the United States on August 18, 2011. A pivotal episode, it reveals Dr. Zoidberg's backstory. This episo ...
". The Professor is under the impression that he had been infected with the fatal disease hyper-malaria, contracted during a covert quasi-military mission. The Professor had asked Zoidberg to promise to kill him when the latent disease manifested itself, and Zoidberg agreed. In that episode it is also explained that Zoidberg is, in fact, a very competent physician ''for all other species except humans''. Planet Express' main competitor,
Mom
]
A mother is the female parent of a child. A woman may be considered a mother by virtue of having given childbirth, birth, by raising a child who may or may not be her biological offspring, or by supplying her ovum for fertilisation in the cas ...
, whom Zoidberg knows on a first name basis as "Carol", states that Zoidberg is "the best in the business" when it comes to alien anatomy; "at his price level". Unlike all of the other characters, Mom addresses Zoidberg with great respect and admiration. Mom tells Zoidberg that he could have been a millionaire with his own research lab if he had worked for her. Mom also asks Zoidberg why he has stayed with Farnsworth through the years; Zoidberg replied that it is because Farnsworth is his friend.
When frightened or fleeing from danger or trouble, Zoidberg makes a high-pitched whooping sound, similar to
Curly Howard
Jerome Lester Horwitz (; October 22, 1903 – January 18, 1952), known professionally as Curly Howard, was an American actor and comedian. He was best known as a member of the American comedy team the Three Stooges, which also featured his elder ...
of
The Three Stooges
The Three Stooges were an American vaudeville and comedy team active from 1922 until 1970, best remembered for their 190 short subject films by Columbia Pictures. Their hallmark styles were physical farce and slapstick. Six Stooges appeared ...
, or squirts ink at his attacker. It is revealed in "
The Cryonic Woman
"The Cryonic Woman" is the nineteenth and final episode of the second season of ''Futurama''. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on December 3, 2000. The plot incorporates a cryonics theme. Sarah Silverman does the voice o ...
" that Zoidberg has always dreamed of becoming a grandmother. "A Taste of Freedom" and ''
Futurama: Bender's Game'' indicate that Zoidberg harbored a childhood dream of working in
show business
Show business, sometimes shortened to show biz or showbiz (since 1945), is a vernacular term for all aspects of the entertainment industry.''Oxford English Dictionary'' 2nd Ed. (1989) From the business side (including managers, agents, produc ...
as a comedian or song-and-dance man, but that his parents pushed him to become a doctor.
Zoidberg is depicted as being ignorant of human customs, and socially inept, to the point of inspiring great aggravation in others. In "
Where the Buggalo Roam
"Where the Buggalo Roam" is the tenth episode in season three of the animated television series '' Futurama''. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on March 3, 2002. The title is a pun on a lyric from the classic Western fol ...
", during his stay at the ranch of
Amy Wong's parents, he treats them as surrogate parents – to the point of calling them "Ma" and "Pa" – despite their obvious distaste for him, and abuses their hospitality until they throw him out.
Zoidberg's race, the Decapodians—from the sandy, beach-like planet Decapod 10—are
crustacean
Crustaceans (Crustacea, ) form a large, diverse arthropod taxon which includes such animals as decapods, seed shrimp, branchiopods, fish lice, krill, remipedes, isopods, barnacles, copepods, amphipods and mantis shrimp. The crustacean group ...
s, generally
lobster-like in appearance, with lobster-like claws, mouth tentacles, a hard
exoskeleton
An exoskeleton (from Greek ''éxō'' "outer" and ''skeletós'' "skeleton") is an external skeleton that supports and protects an animal's body, in contrast to an internal skeleton (endoskeleton) in for example, a human. In usage, some of the ...
, a fleshy, boneless interior, a fin that appears atop their heads during mating season or extreme anger, an ink pouch, two stomachs (one saltwater and one freshwater), four hearts,
gonopore
A gonopore, sometimes called a gonadopore, is a genital pore in many invertebrates. Hexapods, including insects have a single common gonopore, except mayflies, which have a pair of gonopores. More specifically, in the unmodified female it is the ...
s, and a complex system of internal organs, "most of which are either redundant or unnecessary." In "
Roswell That Ends Well
"Roswell That Ends Well" is the 19th episode in the third season of the American animated television series ''Futurama''. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on December 9, 2001. The plot centers on an accidental time tra ...
", he is not fazed when one of his hearts is removed by an alien autopsy team of human doctors, saying "Take it, take it, I have four of them!". Zoidberg has been depicted as able to consume things not considered food by humans, such as fish bones, wood, and chess pieces. Decapodians are able to molt their shell, like a lobster, leaving behind a whole exoskeleton—a trait which Zoidberg has used to fake his own death on occasion. In the episode "
Bendin' in the Wind
"Bendin' in the Wind" is the thirteenth episode in season three of the animated television series ''Futurama''. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on April 22, 2001. It guest-stars Beck as himself. Bender becomes a folksing ...
", Zoidberg produces
tie-dye
Tie-dye is a term used to describe a number of resist dyeing techniques and the resulting dyed products of these processes. The process of tie-dye typically consists of folding, twisting, pleating, or crumpling fabric or a garment, before binding ...
blue pearls after consuming large amounts of dirt. Zoidberg also habitually eats clothing and once, an Earth flag. Given that he refers to clothes as food and considers them a kind of delicacy, it may be that Decapodians themselves consume clothes. In "
Möbius Dick", it is revealed that Zoidberg spontaneously grows hair in moments of extreme fright. At one point in all Decapodians' lives, they enter a mating phase, or "The Frenzy" as they call it, which causes them to behave in a neurotic and manic way. During this chaotic time, their behavior is dictated by the tiny brain located in their rumps. They also develop incredible super strength, their head fin comes out for mating displays, their stink glands increase production and the males become saturated with male jelly as the females become engorged with eggs. In the episode "
Why Must I Be a Crustacean in Love?
"Why Must I Be a Crustacean in Love?" is the fifth episode in the second season of the American animated television series '' Futurama'', and the 18th episode of the series overall. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on F ...
", it is indicated that once Decapodians mate, they die; Zoidberg was raised by a third figure, placed on equal footing as his biological parents.
The episode "
Teenage Mutant Leela's Hurdles
"Teenage Mutant Leela's Hurdles" is the ninth episode in the fourth production season of the American animated television series '' Futurama''. It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on March 30, 2003. The episode was directed by ...
" indicates that young Decapodians progress through various larval forms, including those resembling crustaceans,
invertebrate
Invertebrates are a paraphyletic group of animals that neither possess nor develop a vertebral column (commonly known as a ''backbone'' or ''spine''), derived from the notochord. This is a grouping including all animals apart from the chordate ...
, fish, coral, starfish, sea sponges, and clams, before reaching their humanoid adult forms. However, in the episode "
A Taste of Freedom
"A Taste of Freedom" is the fifth episode in the fourth season of the American animated television series ''Futurama''. It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on December 22, 2002. The episode was directed by James Purdum and writ ...
", a young Zoidberg is seen with his typical humanoid form.
Dr. Zoidberg is also a skilled
theremin
The theremin (; originally known as the ætherphone/etherphone, thereminophone or termenvox/thereminvox) is an electronic musical instrument controlled without physical contact by the performer (who is known as a thereminist). It is named afte ...
player, and is the only person ever seen in the series to be 'good' enough to receive a present from Robot Santa. He is an honorary member of the
Harlem Globetrotters
The Harlem Globetrotters are an American exhibition basketball team. They combine athleticism, theater, and comedy in their style of play. Created in 1926 by Tommy Brookins in Chicago, Illinois, the team adopted the name ''Harlem'' because of i ...
, and a talented hand-to-claw combatant; he severs Fry's arm in an honor-duel ("Claw-Plach") and eventually fights and defeats the dangerous robot
Clamps
Clamp may refer to:
Tools and devices
*Brick clamp, an early method of baking bricks
*Clamp (tool), a device or tool used to hold objects in a fixed relative position (many types listed)
** C-clamp
** C-clamp (stagecraft)
**Riser clamp, a device ...
.
Dr. Zoidberg finally finds happiness in the penultimate episode "
Stench and Stenchibility
"Stench and Stenchibility" is the twenty-fifth episode of the seventh season of the animated sitcom ''Futurama''. It originally aired on Comedy Central on August 28, 2013. The episode was written by Eric Horsted and directed by Crystal Chesney-Th ...
", when he meets and starts dating a
flower merchant named Marianne, who suffers from
anosmia
Anosmia, also known as smell blindness, is the loss of the ability to detect one or more smells. Anosmia may be temporary or permanent. It differs from hyposmia, which is a decreased sensitivity to some or all smells.
Anosmia can be due to a num ...
. He performs a "nose transplant" to give her a sense of smell, though he is afraid that once she smells him, she will immediately reject him. Serendipitously, Marianne turns out to abhor the smell of flowers, instead preferring Zoidberg's aroma. She becomes a
waste collector
A waste collector, also known as a garbageman, garbage collector, trashman (in the US), binman or (rarely) dustman (in the UK), is a person employed by a public or private enterprise to collect and dispose of municipal solid waste (refuse) and r ...
and the two continue dating.
By the end of the series, Zoidberg has largely corrected his medical blind spot concerning human anatomy, as demonstrated by Marianne's transplant and his earlier complete re-assembling of Hermes' body from cast-off parts.
Relationship with Marianne
In
season 7 episode 12, it is revealed that Zoidberg has been video-dating an alien woman named Zindy for four years. He organises to meet her in person and buys her flowers at the bus station, where she is immediately repulsed by Zoidberg's stench. After attempting to return the flowers, the flower stand owner, Marianne (
Emilia Clarke
Emilia Isobel Euphemia Rose Clarke (born 23 October 1986) is an English actress. She is best known for her portrayal as Daenerys Targaryen in '' Game of Thrones''. She has received various accolades, including an Empire Award, a Saturn Award, ...
), is unsuccessfully mugged by
Roberto
The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory, honou ...
as Zoidberg's smell drives him away. Marianne and Zoidberg eventually fall into a relationship.
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Zoidberg
Fictional extraterrestrial characters
Fictional crustaceans
Fictional physicians
Futurama characters
Fictional homeless people
Jewish comedy and humor
Television characters introduced in 1999
Animated characters introduced in 1999
Male characters in animated series
simple:Doctor Zoidberg