Hell Is Other Robots - Cultural References

Cultural References

This episode contains a large amount of religious parody, with references to many religiously themed works of fiction. The episode's title is itself a parody of the famous line "Hell is other people" from Jean-Paul Sartre's one act play No Exit, though the episode has no other resemblance to the play. The punishments in Robot Hell are similar to the levels and rationale which are portrayed in Dante's The Divine Comedy, specifically the Inferno. The "Fairness in Hell Act," where the damned may engage in a fiddle battle to save his soul and win a solid gold fiddle, is taken directly from The Charlie Daniels Band song "The Devil Went Down to Georgia." Jokes poking fun at New Jersey are included because writer David X. Cohen and actor John DiMaggio both grew up there.

The Temple of Robotology is a spoof of the Church of Scientology, and according to series creator Matt Groening he received a call from the Church of Scientology concerned about the use of a similar name. Groening's The Simpsons had previously parodied elements of Scientology in the Season 9 episode "The Joy of Sect." In a review of the episode, TV Squad later posed the question: "Is the Temple of Robotology a poke at the Church of Scientology?" When TV Squad asked actor Billy West about this, he jokingly sidestepped the issue.

When Fry and Leela enter "The Inferno" ride at the amusement park, a small heart with the initials H.S. + M.B. can be seen carved into the wall. This is likely a reference to Homer Simpson and Marge Bouvier from The Simpsons, another show created by Matt Groening.