She recognizes the inequality with which mutants are forced to live and rallies them together in an equal rights revolt against the surface dwellers.
The production team sought to focus the episode's subject matter on a topic with roots in the series' history.
Devo's guest appearance is one of co-producer and head writer David X. Cohen's favorite moments in the series.
While attempting to appeal to Mayor Poopenmeyer on Leela's behalf, the crew is banished to the sewers for two weeks for harboring a mutant.
Meanwhile, Bender (who stayed behind), is hosting the 100th delivery party at Planet Express but prematurely ends it and demands everyone leave when he realizes the remaining crew is absent.
The mutants recruit Bender to sabotage the sewer system by bending the main sewage pipe, which sends waste up to flood the surface.
Leela's grandmother explains that Astor's husband gave up his reserved seat on the life car for her and her mother.
The Astors happily reunite, and the Planet Express crew throw another party in celebration together with Leela's family, who are now allowed access to the surface.
In an interview, series co-producer and head writer David X. Cohen stated that the 100th episode coinciding with the season finale was unplanned, with the staff only realizing it after receiving the broadcast schedule from Comedy Central.
[1] In recognition of the episode as the series' landmark 100th,[2] the staff decided to write a story that "had roots in the history of the show.
[1] The episode end credits feature a dedication in memory of Alex Johns, a former co-producer of Futurama who died on August 7, 2010.
[7] It has also been interpreted as a statement about the plight of undocumented immigrants,[8] due in part to Leela's secret status as an "illegal alien" in the series (as mutants are not allowed to live on the surface).
[9] Mr. Astor giving up his seat on the "lifeboat" for Leela's grandmother and great-grandmother may be a reference to Alfred Vanderbilt, a wealthy passenger on the Lusitania, who gave his life belt to a young woman and her child, though he himself could not swim.
The song "Bend It" by the British 1960s pop group Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich is used in this episode.
Near the end of the episode, Fry divides the wave of waste in two, preventing it from hitting the mutants and saying "let my people stay", which is the reference to the Crossing of the Red Sea and the "Go Down Moses" song.
Alasdair Wilkins of io9 gave the episode a positive review, calling it "brilliant" and writing, "'The Mutants are Revolting' is another excellent addition, with Futurama's customary mix of jokes, emotions, and wild ideas.
[10] He also criticized the Titanic gag, calling it "lazy", but enjoyed some of the cultural references and the guest appearance of Devo.