Episode Recap: The Deep South

An excited Hermes announces that the pet license he requisitioned for Nibbler has finally arrived in the mail. But when he opens the envelope, he finds a fishing license, the result of a clerical snafu. The Planet Express crew heads the space ship out into the Atlantic Ocean, where they use the vessel as a make shift boat. A bored Bender makes the trip a little more interesting by collecting five dollars from his shipmates. The person who catches the biggest fish will win the pot. Using everything from a laser-guided rod to a harpoon, Fry and the others try their luck. Tired of his fancy rod, Bender bends a large umbrella into a giant hook and ties it to a thin line coming out of an eyelet in the ship. The Professor warns him that the diamond filament tether is unbreakable. A short time later, a colossal mouth bass swallows the giant hook and pulls the ship underwater.

Trapped at the bottom of the sea, tempers amongst the crew begin to wear thin. Leela reminds her shipmates that not only is there a lack of food, but the rocket engines have stopped functioning. As Leela and the Professor work on the ship, Bender and Zoiberg, who can survive underwater, head out in search of food. Fry swallows an anti-pressure pill and, using a bag filled with oxygen, joins the pair on their journey. During their expedition, Fry encounters a beautiful mermaid named Umbriel. He is instantly smitten But when he tells his shipmates about his discovery, they conclude he is hallucinating.

Later that night, as Fry tries to sleep, he sees Umbriel floating outside his window. Excited, he leaps to his feet and steps out of the ship, where Umbriel give him a mouthpiece that allows him to breath underwater. The pair head for a volcanic vent in the ocean floor, where they enjoy a romantic picnic. The next morning, the crew realizes Fry is missing. They set out to find their friend…and stumble upon the lost city of Atlanta.

The crew is surrounded by the mermaids and mermen of the lost city. One of them, the Colonel, steps forward and introduces himself. He encourages the group to tour the city and spend as much money as possible. A short time later, Fry and Umbriel, holding hands, step out of a donut shop. The Colonel puts his arm around Umbriel and introduces his daughter to the others.

Later, the group takes in a Chamber of Commerce video narrated by folk-rock singer Donovan. The group joins the Colonel and Umbriel for dinner at a southern manor. After finishing the meal, Hermes announces it is time for the group to return to the ship. But Fry announces his intention to remain behind so he can be with his beloved Umbriel. Later, Fry and Umbriel retire to Umbriel’s bedroom…where they realize it is physically impossible for them to have sex (Fry being human; Umbriel being half-fish). Fry runs off and grabs hold of the fishing hook just as the Planet Express rocket fires its engines.

As the ship drags Fry through the water, the colossal mouth bass mistakes him for bait and swallows him whole. Later, Bender proudly displays the bass as the mayor of New New York awards him with a check for his record-breaking catch. Suddenly, the fish’s mouth snaps open and Fry emerges, a bit dazed but unharmed.