The Simpsons episodes 21 through 25

Bart The Daredevil 

This show aired on December 6th, 1990. It ran in it's usual spot and opposite Father Dowling Mysteries, Top Cops and The Cosby Show. 

In this episode the chalkboard gag is I will not drive the principal's car and the couch gag is everyone hops on but it falls over to the left, Maggie falls off but lands on a cushion. 

The episode starts with Bart and his friends watching a professional wrestling match at home while Homer watches the same show at the bar. Bart steals Milhouses seat while Homer steals Barney's seat. They both see a commercial for a monster truck rally including Truckasaurus and make plans to attend, however they find out Lisa's band recital is on the same day. Marge points out that they have time to see Lisa's performance and still make the truck rally. When they show up at the  speedway they can't find a parking spot and accidentally end up inside the arena,  the car is attacked by Truckasaurus. The speedway pays off Marge for the damages and gives her a bottle of Truckasaurus champaign. Lance Murdoch makes an appearance jumping over a shark tank, that includes a lion. Everyone closes their eyes except Bart who shouts "He made it!" When Lance pulls back up on the ramp to salute the crowd he fall in and after the attack is hauled off in the ambulance. Bart dreams about being a daredevil jumping things on his skateboard. The next day his first real world attempt is to jump over the family station wagon, however he crashes, when the kids watching think he's hurt they run off. Bart is taken to the emergency room for stitches and then is shown to the ward where kids are injured by imitating stuff they see on TV, a common complaint by parents in the day. Bart learns nothing and tries the jump again with a better ramp and succeeds, he then goes on to do more stunts including jumping over Homer. Just as he is running out of ideas the school takes a field trip to the Springfield Gorge, Bart decides that this will be his next challenge. A worried Lisa takes Bart to meet Lance who is in a full body cast and traction. Lance's advice is pretty bad, "bones heel, chicks dig scars". Lisa tells the parents so Homer tells Bart he can't and to go to his room but he says he'll do it anyhow. Marge tells Homer to have a heart to heart talk with him. Homer gets series and Bart finally promises, however he lied. Homer finds out he snuck out and goes to stop him. Just as Bart starts riding down the ramp Homer tackles him. Homer decides he has to jump the gorge to teach Bart a lesson however Bart begs him to stop and sincerely promises to give up being a daredevil, however Homer is standing on the skateboard and rolls down the hill, Just as he thinks he's going to make it across he crashes to the bottom. A helicopter lifts him out but the ambulance crashes into a tree and Homer falls to the bottom again. In the end Homer ends up on the same ward as Lance and says "You think you've got guts, try raising my kids".

Flanders is also at the school concert, Todd has a violin solo. 

Bart and Homer are watching World Class Wrestling, The bout is between Rasputin the Friendly Russian (formally Mad Russian) vs Professor Werner Von Brawn from Heidelberg. The professor cheats by smacking the Russian over the head with a wrench. 

Pop Culture references, The Truckasaurus is based on Robosaurus, a popular monster truck show character. When the kids are watching wrestling one of the characters is Rasputin the Friendly Russian, he use to be the Mad Russian but after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 relations with the Soviet Union had changed. BTW, this show aired a full year before the final collapse of the USSR. Did The Simpsons predict the future? Captain Lance Murdoch is a version of Evel Knievel, a popular daredevil known not only for his successful jumps but his spectacular crashes. His big dream was to jump the Grand Canyon but the closest he got was a failed attempt to jump the Snake River Canyon. Many kids in the 70's and 80's attempted to imitate Knievel and have the scars to prove it.

A funny background sign, the speedway billboard lists the next attraction, Bear Baiting, a banned spectacle of a chained bear attacked by dogs.

This episodes first appearances are Captain Lance Murdoch and Dr. Hibbert.

Itchy And Scratchy And Marge

This episode first aired on December 20th, 1990. It ran in it's regular time slot and opposite the regular programs. 

The chalkboard gag was "I will not pledge allegiance to Bart and the couch gag was when they run into the house the couch is gone. (a note, where the couch was in the wall is the classic arched mouse hole)

The episode opens with Marge making her world famous pork chops, one of Homer's favorite meals. Homer offers to make her a spice rack, when he goes out to the garage all the tools are still in original wrapping or have price tags on them. When he finishes his project Maggie hits him in the head with mallet. As he's laying on the couch complaining, and the family is trying to figure out what happened Maggie tries to stab Homer with pencil, Marge notices the Itchy and Scratchy episode where Itchy tries to stab Scratchy, Marge blames violent cartoons for Maggie's actions and bans the kids from watching, however Bart and Lisa go over to other kid's houses to watch. Marge writes letter which is mostly ignored but she gets a rude letter from Roger Meyers Jr. which concludes with "and the horse you rode in on. Marge founds Springfieldians For Nonviolence Understand and Helping and starts a picket in front of the animation studio,  Bart changes his sign to say "Don't ban Itchy And Scratchy". As the protests pick up Marge has less time for the house,  Homer complains about having to eat TV dinners, he asks Marge to make pork chops the next night however she's leading a protest at the  Krusty show. As things get out of hand Meyers wants solution to the problem, his executives offer cartoon solutions like dropping an anvil on her. One of the animator sees Marge protesting and adds a squirrel with big blue hair to an episode, Itchy And Scratchy knock the squirrel's head off. Marge then appears on Smartline along with Meyers, Krusty and Dr. Marvin Monroe. During the debate Meyers brings up the Crusades as his example of violence before cartoons while Krusty just makes jokes to the camera. Marge asks people to write in and the studio gets flooded with letters Meyers changes the cartoons, they become boring. so all the kids go outside to play. Then when it's announced the Statue of David  will come to Springfield the mothers turn out to protest because of his nudity, Marge supports the statue and admits you can't censor other people's creations, Itchy and Scratchy goes back to violence and all the kids go back inside.

This episode has a number of Itchy And Scratchy cartoons, Itchy kicks football bomb to Scratchy blowing him up, There is a scene in a kitchenwith character hitting each other, Itchy pins down Scratchy and stabs him. Itchy knocks on Scratchy's door, when he opens it Itchy blasts him with a bazooka. Itchy hits Scratchy in the back of the head with a hammer, his eyeballs pop out, Itchy replaces them with bombs, When Scratchy looks at himself in the mirror he "sees" the bombs and his head explodes. There is the previously mentioned baseball game where Marge Squirrel appears and gets her head knocked off. Itchy blows up Scratchy's grave, he goes flying into the air on fire. Once the shows become non violent the first cartoon features the two characrters drinking lemonade, Another has them dancing. The third has Scratchy reading Itchy a bedtime story. Once they return to violence Itchy and Scratchy keep pulling out bigger and bigger guns until Scratchy is shot into the sun.

Pop Culture Reference. When Maggie hits Homer with the mallet they do the Psycho shower scene complete with the slasher music and a can of red paint running down the drain. When Homer is complaining about Marge's protests he claims he's married to Jane Fonda, who was known for her Vietnam protests. When the kids go outside to play The Rite of Spring by Igor Stravinsky plays, a reference to the scene in Disney's Fantasia, during this scene we see Nelson whitewashing a fence in attire similar to the Norman Rockwell painting. When complaining about dinner Homer refers to them as TV dinners, in the modern world we call them frozen or microwave dinners.

This episode featured the first appearance of Roger Meyers Jr. voiced by character actor Alex Rocco probably best known for playing Moe Greene in The Godfather (he was a real life mafia character until he got out of prison and changed his life) Also seen, but didn't have a speaking part was Sideshow Mel, Bob's replacement on Krusty The Clown. This show also mentioned Janie (Lisa's friend) by name. We also see Smartline for the first time, this was the late night news talk show hosted by Kent Brockman and was a take on ABC's Nightline.

When we see Roger Meyers jr walking through his office we see various awards and posters including a Screaming trophy award, Golden Custard winner 1985, Duff beer featuring Itchy and Scratchy, Itchy And Scratchy On Ice and Itchy and Scratchy cologne 

In an interesting pop culture twist when a Florida principal was forced to resign because he showed a photo of the statue of David to students people pointed out that The Simpsons did it first.

The was the last episode of the 1991 season. 33 years to go.

Itchy And Scratchy And Marge is one of my top 5 Simpsons episodes.

Bart Gets Hit By A Car titled Episode 23: Bart Gets Hit By A Car

This episode premiered on January 10th 1991 and ran in it's usual time slot and opposite the same schedule.

The chalkboard gag is I will not sell school property and the couch gag is they all cram on but eventually fall off, except for Homer. 

While riding his skateboard down the sidewalk Bart gets hit by Mr. Burns's car. Bart dies and rides the escalator to heaven, seeing members of the Simpsons family along the way. Despite being warned Bart spits over the side, the escalator turns into a slide straight to hell. The devil says he came too soon and sends him back. When Bart asks how he can avoid returning and the Devil says he wouldn't like it. When Bart wakes up in the hospital the whole family is there, and Lionel Hutz, attorney at law. Burns offers Homer $100 in exchange for signing wavers. Hutz law office at the mall, he offers Homer a big cash settlement and a fake pearl necklace. He promises a million dollar settlement, which he will get half of. Two doors down in the mall is Dr. Nicks office. Dr. Nick claims Bart has whiplash and trauma. Burns wants to fire Homer but Smithers talks him out of it, Burns decides to put it off until later. Hutz coaches Bart to fake it in court. Bart tells his story in court, seen as dark and menacing. Burns tells story, colorful and happy and Bart intentionally ran into him. Burns lawyers want a settlement, he tells them to get Homer to his house, offers $500,000. Burns spies on Homer from peephole. and overhears Marge mention phony doctors. Burns's lawyer calls Marge to the stand, she honestly testifies and they lose. Homer is mad at Marge and goes to the bar, she insists he look her in the eye and tell her that he doesn't love her anymore. However he realizes he still does.

Escalator to heaven has announcement in both English and Spanish.

Pop Culture Reference: Hell looks like Hieronymus Bosch's Garden Of Earthy Delights. Devil says Bart not due until the next time the Yankees win the pennant that's nearly a century from now. They won in 1996 beating the Orioles. They went on to beat the Braves for the World Series title.

First appearance of Lionel Hutz, voiced by Phil Hartman., and Dr. Nick Riviera. First appearance of the devil. Burns lawyer. Burns says it's nice to meet Homer for the first time. This is the first episode where Mr. Burns actually says "release the hounds".

Dated references: When checking Bart's naughty list the Devil uses a 90's computer. Lionel Hutz's phone number starts off with Klondike (it turns out most Springfield numbers do, and the numerical equivalent is 55. 

Hutz talks about his education including the Sorbonne and the Louvre.

Dr. Nicks medical diplomas, Mayo Clinic Correspondence School, Club Med School, Official Body Inspector, I went to medical school for four years and all I got with this lousy diploma. 

Burns fantasy when told to think of the headlines. Burns Fires Ungrateful Employee, Another Smart Move By Burns, Hooray for Burns!

Barts testimony similar to haunted car movies like Christine. Burns story has Tijuana Brass song.

Burns brags about shooting last endangered Indonesian rhino. 

One Fish, Two Fish, Blowfish, Blue Fish

This episode, premiered on January 24th, 1991 and ran in it's usual time slot opposite the usual programs.

The chalkboard gag is I will not cut corners however Bart has just put " under the rest to denote a repeat of the line, the couch gag is they all sit down and it falls over backwards, Maggie pops up to watch TV. The opening credits skip everything from Lisa getting kicked out of band practice to Homer pulling into the yard.

It's meatloaf night at the Simpsons, Lisa complains that Thurday is always meatloaf and Friday is always pork chop night. She wants a change of routine and asks to go out to somewhere that isn't burgers, pizza or fried chicken so Marge suggest the new sushi place. When the Simpsons arrive at the Happy Sumo the Chefs yell a greeting, in Japanese, at the Simpsons so Homer yells "Hello" back. Marge and Lisa trie the sushi surprise, Bart orders squid and Homer picks random things off the menu. Homer tries sushi and likes it and proceeds to eat everything on the menu except fugu, the liver of the blowfish. He order it but the Master sushi chef in car with Mrs. Krabappel so the assistant tries to do the job. When master chef sees deflated blowfish he rushes to stop Homer but it's too late. Homer goes to hospital and told bad news by Dr. Hibbert, he'll be dead by the morning. Homer goes through all five stages of grief in a single conversation. He makes plans for his final day on Earth but sleeps until 11:30. When Homer calls Bart over to the bed Bart drops his pants and prepares to be spanked but instead Homer gives him three sentences to use in any situation and shows him how to shave including covering up cuts and aftershave, which burns. Homer then listens to Lisa play sax and gets extra sad until she plays When The Saints, Homer sings Over there. His next stop is at the Flanders house to borrow Ned's camcorder. Flanders invites them to bbq on Sunday, since Homer is going to be dead he agrees and offers to bring t bones. He makes a video for Maggie and then goes to see his dad in the nursing home. Homer tells Abe he loves him so Abe asks him to go fishing then play catch and wrestle, Homer has to keep crossing things off his list. To make up for lost time he rushes but gets caught speeding. He tells the cops his taxes pay their salaries and to just give him a ticket, instead they arrest him. Homer gets one phone call but calls Barney. Marge is waiting for Homer but doesn't want to tell the kids why. Barney begs Homer to have one last beer, at the bar Homer tries to call home but it's just when Bart is making prank call to Moe. Barney has flat tire so Homer runs home in order to be intimate one last time. Marge writes poem, it's really depressing. Homer listens to The Good Book on tape. The next morning Marge finds Homer in living room but he's still alive. Homer vows to live life to it's fullest, cut to him sitting on the couch eating pork rinds.

The title of the episode is based on the name of a Dr. Seuss book One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish.

We find out Meatloaf night is Thursday night, the first mention of Meatloaf night was in the episode Some Enchanted Evening. First time Lisa uses the repetitive asking of a question until Homer gives in. It's the first time a character has been given a pamphlet, this one is called So You're Going To Die.

The suushi restaurant called The Happy Sumo with neon sumo fighters on the sign. At the restaurant Homer drinks a Japanese version of Duff beer, Duffahama. The Great Wave Of Kanagawa by Hokusai on beer bottle table. The bar at the restaurant is Karaoke, one guy sings Gypsies Tramps and Thieves then Bart and Lisa sing the Theme from Shaft. There is a scene where the ambulance is rushing to the hospital, it will be repeated many times in the series. When he finds out he's been poisoned Homer says "No one every died from poison pork chop." The joke is many people have died from tainted pork.The five stages of grief are denial, anger, fear, bargaining, and acceptance. This will come up again in the series. When Homer is in jail there is a guy playing a harmonica, Homer asks him what he's in for and he replies "atmosphere". (self aware joke)

Homer's Last Day On Earth List

Make list

Eat hearty breakfast

Make video for Maggie

Have man-to-man with Bart

Listen to Lisa play sax

Make funeral arraingemetns

Beer with the boys at the bar

Tell off Boss

Hang gliding

Plant a tree

Final dinner with my beloved family

adds Be intimate with marge and Watch the sunrise.

Homer's three all purpose sentences for Bart, Cover for me, Oh, good idea boss, It was like that when I got here.

Homer makes video take for Maggie like Michael Keaton did in the movie My Life. He's interrupted by a call from Milhouse.

We learn that Mr. Burns has a foot fetish. When Homer drives by and shouts an insult, Burns plans to tell him off on Monday morning.

When Moe answers the phone he says "Moe's, birthplace of the Rob Roy." It was actually created at the Waldorf Astoria in NYC. Bart's phone gag is asking for Seymour Butts.

Larry King reads bible, Homer fast forwards through the Begats part.

Dated reference, Barney's novelty answering machine tape. Homer listens to the Bible on tape on a cassette player. Larry King says the San Antonio Spurs will win it all, but the Bulls ended up winning the championship in 1991. 

The Way We Was

This episode premiered on January 31st, 1991 It ran in it's usual time slot and opposite the regular programming.

The chalkboard gag was I will not get very far with this attitude and the couch gag was the family crashing through the floor, a repeat. However this time Homer didn't say "D'oh". The credits skipped the middle part again.

The show starts with the kids sitting too close to the TV, the family is watching Yakkin' About The Movies and they are reviewing the McBain film. When the TV goes on the fritz Marge offers to answer questions so Lisa asks how Homer proposed, it turns out it was when he found out Marge was pregnant, Marge deicides to tell the story of how her and Homer met. We flashback to 1974, Homer and Marge are senior in high school. Homer skips class but gets caught smoking in the restroom and is given detention. Marge burns her bra after reading Ms. Magazine, detention. Homer talks to Marge but she's not interested. Abe has a beer and a talk with Homer and tells him to aim low. Homer goes to the guidance councilor for women advice, the councilor suggests Homer consider working at the new nuclear power plant since it won't require a higher education. Homer joins debate team and has to argue against the 55 MPH speed limit, when he's insulted by Artie Ziff he moons class for his rebuttal. Homer asks Marge out and gives references, the Coach, Shop Teacher and Barney. When Homer finds out Marge tutors French he pretends to be in the class and hires her. After the lesson Homer asks Marge to stick around and then asks her to the prom, she says yes. He then confesses that the whole tutor thing was a fraud, she storms out, Homer calls Barney to tell him he has a date to the prom. Marge is exhausted and loses the forensics meet. Artie asks her to the prom and uses debate topics, she says yes. When Homer shows up at her house he's embarrassed to find out she has another date. Marge and Artie win prom king and queen, Homer leaves heartbroken. Marge comes to talk to him but tells him to forget about her. At Inspiration Point Artie gets handsy and Marge slaps him. When he drives her home Artie says his reputation has to remain in tact for the good of the school so she shouldn't say anything about what happened. Marge goes and finds Homer to give him a ride home and they fall in love. The show ends with Homer singing The Joker. 

First appearance of McBain played by Rainier Wolfcastle (although he isn't mentioned by name), people will claim that these clips form an actual story. We also meet  Principal Dondelinger for the first time, he'll appear in other episodes. We learn that  Marge's maiden name is Bouvier. Artie Ziff makes his first appearance. We see Marge's father, I can't remember if he's in any future episodes. Homer's driver who sounds like Charles Bronson makes his first appearance, he'll show up as a service guy in other episodes. 

Pop culture reference Yakkin' About Movies  based on At The Movies with Siskel and Ebert

McBain movie, Police captain complaining at McBain for his reckless behavior, McBain tosses captain out the window who falls into fountain. 

Dated reference, the tv picture fades to a dot when it goes off.

1974 references Make Love, Not War with peace symbol graffiti. Homer driving Charger with large air foil and chain steering wheel, When the Carpenter's Close To You comes on Homer changes the station to The Joker by the Steve Miller Band. Keep on Truckin' graffiti on a school locker. Marge reads Ms. Magazine for the first time,  burns her bra, a popular protest in the day. A girl mentions Eliot Gould. Abe Simpson drinks from a pop top beer cans. Marge's debate topic is Butterflies Are Free, the name of the Goldie Hawn movie. The debate team argues the lowering of the national speed limit to 55 MPH which took place in 1974. Homer wears a digital watch, he has to push the button to read the time because the first ones had a week batteries and couldn't be on all the time. Marge and Homer dance to The Hustle. The Prom theme, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, the name of the Elton John album that was released in 1973. Barney streaks the prom, a popular thing to do in the day, the band plays The Streak, a Ray Stevens song released in 1974. The band plays Yellow Brick Road, Precious and Few and Just Like Me.

We see a Young Dr. Hibbert with a full afro, Homer also has hair.

Abe eats Shakespeare Fried Chicken in the bucket, Homer breaks wishbone but the middle pops off and he ends up with two short ends.

The Nuclear power plant brochure the guidance councilor gives Homer has Burns on the cover. The first time a character was given a pamphlet on a topic was in the previous episode, One Fish Two Fish.

The Larry David Experience plays the prom, they were first seen in Some Enchanted Evening.

That concludes 25 episodes. only 725 to go.