The Simpsons 296-300

Helter Shelter

This episode premiered on December 1st 2002. The lead in show was King Of The Hill and it was followed by That 70's Show. It ran opposite The W.W.O. Disney (Pinocchio), Becker and American Dream.

The title of the episode comes from the 1968 song Helter Skelter by The Beatles.

The chalkboard gag is "Milhouse did not test cootie positive" and the couch gag is a cursor comes on screen, moving Homer to the other side of the couch, changes the wall color to green and the sailboat painting to the Mona Lisa.

A conduit pipe falls on Homer at work and although he could sue for millions Burns gives him skybox tickets instead. The family thinks they are going to a basketball game but it's hockey. When the guys in the regular seats try to climb up and attack Homer he dumps hot fudge on them. Lisa complains about the family enjoying the skybox luxuries so she goes to the floor, she gives some advice to the players and they score, he gives her his hockey stick however it's full of termites. The house gets tented for fumigation, the bullies think it's a circus so they sneak in and pass out, but are saved by the exterminator. The house will be uninhabitable for 6 months. The family can't find a room because the bran convention is in town so they try staying with Lenny. He has a great apartment but he shares a wall with a Jai Alai court. Next they try Comic Book Guy's place but he's holding an imaginary intergalactic meeting with cardboard cutouts. They try to stay in a booth at Moe's but Maggie gets drunk on the fumes, and she's a mean drunk. Barney suggests they try a realty show where you live in a house from 1895. The first test family is Bill Cosby (a joke that didn't age well). The producers love how the Simpsons fall apart over nothing. When they show the family the confession room Marge rushes in to confess her hair isn't really blue. It takes Marge 6 hours to make breakfast and Homer cuts himself with a straight razor. The family drives to the Kwik-E-Mart in a coal fired car. Apu can only sell them items available in 1895, which doesn't include Earkel O's. The family is miserable but Homer tells them they are on TV and have to overcome. Bart sends a telegram to Moe "Heywood U. Cuddlemee". The family adapts to their lifestyle and the ratings decline so the executive bring in Squiggy. The network then drops the house in a river and after it goes over the falls everything is destroyed, Squiggy is dead. The family stumbles across a lost tribe from another reality show. The people decide to overpower the current reality show crew and steal their helicopter. Homer is about to smash the helicopter but instead gets squished under a boulder. The family goes home and watches scripted TV. They are bored with what's on so they go outside to watch Homer drink from the hose, which Bart keeps turning on and off so Homer gets sprayed.

This was the last episode to use an ink and paint method. From the next episode on it will be done digitally.

David Landers does his own voice (as the character of Squiggy from Lavern and Shirley) and Larry Holmes does his own voice. 

The plot of this episode is based on the 2002 PBS series Manor House in which modern people try to live like the year 1900.

The Springfield stadium is now the Gee Your Hair Smells Terrific Arena. This was a brand of shampoo in the 80's that would leave a lingering odor in your hair. Currently it is only available in the Philippines. 

After being hit with the pipe Homer says he lost 20% of his brain function and then trails off into a series of sounds. Is this another Simpson Prediction about the current mental state of Donald Trump?

The stadium has two entrances, Skybox Entrance and Schnook Entrance.

Bart has a painting done punching Larry Holmes.

A Bug's Death Exterminator (This is a spoof on A Bug's Life complete with the image of a dead ant)

The exterminator uses the good poison, with James Coburn on the label.

When the Simpsons can't go back in their house they hang out by the front curb and the King Of The Hill opening credits montage plays. 

The family tries to check into Yee Olde Off-Ramp Inn. It was first seen in the episode Homer's Night Out.

Posters at the Reality Channel studio: Sucker Punch / Mystery Injection / Tied To A Bear 

Self Aware Joke: The producer of The 1895 Channel says she doesn't want a family that has been on TV forever. The Simpsons had reached its 13th year, and is still on 22 years later. 

Marge confesses her hair isn't really blue, in the episode Secrets Of A Successful Marriage Homer revealed that she's grey as a mule and has been dying it blue for years.

Law and Order: Elevator Inspectors Unit.

The Great Louse Detective

This episode premiered on December 15th 2002. The lead in show was the NFL Postgame Show and it was followed by King Of The Hill. It ran opposite The W.W.O. Disney (Nancy Drew), Becker and American Dreams.

The title of the episode comes from the Disney film The Great Mouse Detective

The couch gag is when Homer clicks the remote the family is transported back in time, first to caveman days when they watch a fire and then Ancient Rome where they watch a gladiator battle and then back to the present day.

Marge is timing herself cleaning the house but sucks up Maggie in the vacuum. The family is invited to a free weekend at Stagnant Springs Spa. The kids go to Dr. Mas-Seuss. An Asian woman walking on Homer's back sinks into his fat. When Homer is in the steam room someone cranks up the heat to Murder level and jambs the door with a wrench, he is saved when Krusty comes along. To solve the attempted murder they go to Sideshow Bob. In exchange for his help Wiggum offers Bob his choice of rolls in the prison musical Man Of La Mancha. To catch the killer the prison lets Sideshow Bob go home with the Simpsons, and tape a shock monitor to his leg. Bob wants to follow Homer through a normal day so they go on gliders, Homer just wanted to impress Bob. They head to the Kwik-E-Mart where they find out it's two weeks until Mardi Gras. Juniors Garage (foreshadowing) tows off Homer's car after he crashes it. Bob sets up a Homer dummy on a pulley loop to attract the killer. First Moe attacks then Patty and Selma, Willie, Reverend Lovejoy and then Homer attack his own dummy. While playing darts at Moe's Bob throws them in the pattern of Bart's face and then hits it between the eyes. The bar crowd mocks Bob for not being able to kill Bart. The door opens and someone takes a shot at Homer, but hits the pickled egg jar. (When the door swings closed we can see the back of a tow truck, foreshadowing). Marge shocks Bob but the button gets stuck. Bob tells Homer to stay out of site but he's elected King of Mardi Gras. Bob realizes that the killer stuffed the voting box but Homer wants to go anyhow. Homer hears gunshots and gets scared but it's just Fat Tony killing a guy. The police tell Bob that a mechanic tuned up the float before the parade, he puts the clues together, the wrench through the sauna door, a greasy smudge on the invitation, and realizes that the tow truck driver cut the break line. Homer asks people to help slow him down but they fail. Bob shoots himself out of a cannon and grabs the Duff blimp and pulls Homer off the float before he crashes into the swordfish museum. Just then Grimes Jr., on stilts, shoots Duffman who is flying the blimp. Homer and Bob drop down onto the bullies and steal their stilts, they corner Grimes Jr. in an alley. The police show up to hall off Grimes Jr and then shoot Bob with a tranq dart. Bob manages to escape and plans to kill Bart but he just can't do it, then sings Accustom To His Face from My Fair Lady. Bob is about to run away but a couple of birds have found his shock button and are standing on it. 

The Roman scene in the couch gag is a spoof on the 2000 film Gladiator.

Homer has the George Forman Mail Sorter, it puts the Visa Bill, Jury Summons and an invitation to Patty And Selma's birthday party in the Bad pile. 

Stagnant Springs Health Spa. Follow The Smell

Bart plans to throw a Baby Ruth in the resort hot springs. This is a spoof on the pool scene from the 1980 movie Caddyshack.

When Marge asks what position the down on all fours is the yoga instructor says "The American Taxpayer, the taxpayer" and then does a golf swing. This is a spoof on Johnny Carson. 

Springfield Prison is now called Campbell's Chunky Soup Maximum Security Prison.

When Marge says they shouldn't have brought the kids to a maximum security prison Lisa says "It still beats Disney's California Adventure". The Simpsons is now owned by Disney and I'm watching this on Disney +

Sign at prison warden's door "shhh! Backroom deal in progress"

Self Aware Joke: Bart says Sideshow Bob tried to kill him in so many ways that it isn't funny anymore. 

Potential suspects in the attempted murder, Mr Burns / Fat Tony / The Emperor of Japan (thirty minutes over Tokyo) / ex President Bush (Two Bad Neighbors) / the late Frank Grimes (Homer's Enemy, foreshadowing) / PBS (Missionary: Impossible) / Stephen Hawking (They Saved Lisa's Brain) / the fat little Dixie Chick / the state of Florida (Kill The Alligator And Run)

Homer buys a copy of Juggs and Ammo. A Larry Flynt Publication. Then he crashes the car while trying to read it while driving.

Homer's car comes from Croatia and is mostly built from discarded tank parts.

When Moe is looking at the photos of him with his shot pickle jar Memory by Barbara Streisand plays.

Bob watches That 30's Show. This is a spoof on That 70's Show which had followed The Simpsons on several occasions. 

Lenny is from Chicago.

During the stilt walker chase scene classic 70's detective show music plays.

The alley is closed off by Sanderson's High Brick Walls "No one builds 'em higher"

Lisa claims she solved the case but her note says Bumblebee Man.

This episode has perhaps the biggest continuity error, Frank Grimes jr. is around the same age as Frank Grimes, which is biologically impossible. 

This was the last episode of 2002. Only 22 more years to go, hopefully.

Special Edna

This episode premiered on January 5th 2003. The lead in show was the NFC Wildcard Post Game Show and it was followed by King Of The Hill. It ran opposite the ABC Sunday Night Movie (Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, 1971 version), Becker and American Dreams.

The title is a spoof on Special Education

There is no chalkboard gag and the couch gag is the family is dropped into a fast food deep frier, dumped out on the couch and salted.

The kids are given an assignment to write a report about WWI but don't know anything about history, except for Martin. Every time he makes a suggestion Nelson beats him up, and is finally thrown out the window. Mrs. Krabappal wanted to go apple picking but Skinner's mother had a neck wattle accident so he cancels. Bart goes to the library to read a book on the war but a guy paid for 99 copies when he only needed one, Bart makes 99 copies of his butt, which he slips into the prayer books at church on Sunday morning. He then tries to concentrate on his paper but Milhouse shows up, his uncle stole a Blackhawk helicopter from the military and wants to take them on a joyride. After 30 days Bart has written the headline of his paper and put his name on it, but nothing else, he asks Grandpa who then tells him about how he joined the army when he was two. Bart gets an F and is told to redo the paper after class, he gives an oral report. Skinner comes in to talk to Edna but his mother calls and he leaves, Bart suggests they go out. He tells the family about how sad Edna is so Lisa suggest Bart nominate her for Teacher of the Year. When the Teacher committee finds out that Bart Simpson is a real kid and Krabappel is his teacher she is nominated as a finalist. Meanwhile Nelson is nominated as Bully Of The Year. At the press conference Krabappel thanks Bart, Skinner starts to worry that she may get a job at a better school so he goes to praise her, but his mother pages him. The family gets to go to Orlando to attend the ceremonies, they list off multiple theme parks including Leisure World and Gator Gulch but are disappointed to find out they're going to EFCOT (This isn't a typo, that is how they spell the name of the park in this episode). Skinner realizes he's made a mistake and heads to Florida. He shows up during the fireworks show, but brought his mother along. Skinner finds out that the winner of Teacher Of The Year gets a cash prize so they never have to teach again, he enlists Bart to help him sabotage Edna. Skinner tells Bart he'll dispel the Teacher's Pet rumor so Bart agrees, Skinner then flashes back to Vietnam where he stole a cupcake from the Officer's Tent. The students who nominated the teacher get to ask the last question in the competition, Bart's question is "What would you most like to teach the world" but he pretends he can't read. Skinner confesses to setting up the scheme and decides to stop listening to his mother, he then asks Edna to marry him and Little Richard gives him a ring to give to her. Julio Estudiante wins. Homer crawls over the wall to Disney World where a churro is $14. (Another Simpson prediction about the future). During the credits Homer is eating a pie and liking it so much he starts singing about it but walks off screen and the song cuts off. Edna asks if they should follow him and Marge says "I'm on vacation"

Little Richard does his own voice in this episode.

Bart watches wrestling, Uncles Sam and Colin Ka-Pow vs. Osama bin Rotten. (This episode was 3 years after the 9/11 attack and 7 years before Seal Team 6 would kill bin Laden)

First Church Of Springfield sign: Welcome Pissed Off Catholics.

Bart includes 6 pages of ads in his 10 page report on WWI (why didn't I think of that?): Moe's Tavern "we check ID's (with a picture of Moe winking) / Kwik-E-Mart / Costington's Shoe Sale / Herman's Military Antiques / Graduation Rings / Android Dungeon and (something) Card Shop / Krusty the Clown

Springfield IMAX Theater: Nature's Biggest Holes. The documentary is narrated by Wolfcastle (I miss Troy McClure).

When Lisa finds out Bart went to the movies with Krabappel she asks "what happened to the Bart who put the mothballs in the beef stew". This comes from a line in the 1990 song Do The Bartman

"It wasn't long ago, just a couple of weeks,
I got in trouble, yeah, pretty deep.
Homer was yellin',
Bart!
Mom was too,
Because I put mothballs in the beef stew."

There are two buildings, Teacher Of The Year Foundation and next door is the Substitute Teacher Of The Year Foundation except the building is covered in graffiti, vandalized and on fire. 

One of the Teacher Of The Year nomination videos is a guy doing Robin William's Dead Poet's Society from the 1989 film. One of the judges comments that the movie destroyed teaching.

Cletus is the reporter for the Outhouse Times-Picayune.

Dated reference: Skinner gets paged by his mother, remember pagers? The message is "Fridge too loud"

The Simpsons go to Efcot Center (a spoof on EPCOT) and make fun of Disney, which now owns the show.

EFCOT Center: When Everything Else Is Booked. The Futuresphere, "It's what people in 1965 imagined the world would look like in 1987" The ride features the world taken over by Eastern Airlines that uses robots to enslave humanity while Happy Together by The Turtles plays. 

The Electric Car Of The Future ride is a spoof on Disney's Ford Magic Skyway ride from the 1964 Worlds Fair. The ride is sponsored by the Gasoline Produces of America and the animatronics make fun of the guests for driving a Gay car.

Springfield Shopper Headlines: Teacher Nominated For Award, Will She Leave Old Life Behind? / Closed Pistachio Styles Fatso (with a photo of Comic Book Guy)

Orlando is 2653 miles away from Springfield. That's equivalent to driving from Los Angeles to Orlando, part of the running gag about the locations of the Simpson's home town.

The family goes to an international restaurant at the World Showcase. The menu features La Pizza, Der Hamburger and Señor Grilled Cheese. 

Bart and Homer go to see Honey, I Squirted Goo On The Audience. This is a spoof on the Disney World show Honey, I Shrunk The Audience and the Nickelodeon Studios Attraction at Universal Studios. Nickelodeon Studios closed in 1998 and Honey closed in 2010.

Marge and Homer go to see Great Moments With Mr. Eisner. This is a spoof on Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln and Michael Eisner who was CEO of Disney from 1984 to 2005.

Marge, Homer and Skinner go on the ENRON's Ride Of Broken Dreams. ENRON went bankrupt in 2001. The ride is a roller coaster of their stock history.

Lisa and Marge go to see The Home Of Tomorrow. It's based on the Monsanto House Of The Future that was an attraction at Disneyland from 1957 to 1967. They spot Skinner sleeping in one of the beds. 

Bart is playing Halloween Hit And Run. Among the kid targets are Charlie Brown as a ghost and Lucy in the witch mask. Larry The Looter and Shark Bait are in the background. 

Tonight "Teacher Of The Year" Awards. Tickets Very Available.

Julio Estudiante is based on Jamie Escalante from the 1988 movie Stand And Deliver. (Estudiante is Spanish for Student, in case you didn't figure that one out.

The end credit scene came out a year before the movie The Pirates Of The Caribbean that featured an end credit scene.

This episode aired 16 years before Disney took over 21st Century Fox and The Simpsons became part of their entertainment empire.

The Dad That Knew Too Little

This episode premiered on January 12th 2003. The lead in and following shows were King Of The Hill. It ran opposite The W.W.O. Disney (101 Dalmatians), 60 Minutes and American Dreams. 

The title comes from the 1956 movie The Man Who Knew Too Much

The couch gag is the family is in black and white and lowered on a girder to the TV where they eat their lunch.

The Simpsons are watching Padz, a show about the houses of Springfield celebrities. The episode is about Krusty but he didn't know they were showing up so he's hung over. During the tour Elliott Gould comes over to complain that Mr. Teenie bit his kid. A commercial comes on for the Turbo Diary and Lisa instantly wants one. Homer and Bart head to the mall where Homer gorges himself on the free samples in the food court. By the time they get to the store the diaries are sold out. Flanders is getting a movie of Rod, one of those where you add the kids photo and name and the computer does the rest, Homer decides to get one for Lisa but the photo is terrible and he gets all the facts wrong. At her birthday Lisa starts crying and runs off. Homer tries to get to know Lisa but she rejects him. Moe convinces Homer to hire a detective to find out more about Lisa. the detective investigates the school and messes up Skinners papers, including stapling them to force Skinner to let him see Lisa's permanent record. Nelson steals Lisa's book report on The Secret Garden in exchange for his photo with Snow White. With the detective's information Homer plays Lisa's favorite album, takes her to an animal testing lab protest and the Museum of Sadness And Oppression. The detective charges Homer a $1000 in expenses but Homer runs off without paying. The next day there is a news story on a protest group breaking into the animal testing lab, trashing the place and freeing the animals. The cops find a Malibu Stacy scrunchy, a saxophone reed and Lisa's book report at the lab. Ralph shows up at the door and asks for Lisa to come out to play, with her hands up, Homer grabs Lisa and crashes through the garage door resulting in a high speed chase with the police. To distract Marge from the fact that Homer and Lisa ran off Bart throws his spaghetti into the ceiling fan making a huge mess. When checking into a motel Homer says his name is Rock Strongo, the clerk doesn't believe him so he says his name is Lance Uppercut and this works. The cops have tapped the family phone and trace the call to the motel. Homer finally confesses that he hired a detective, Lisa gets mad. The cops show up but Lisa and Homer escape through the window, they discover the stolen animals from the lab are at a circus. The detective threatens to shoot them with the man in the cannon but Homer pushes Lisa out of the way and takes the shot. They then up into the hall of mirrors, Homer laughs and says "You can't shoot all of us" but Dexter shoots him in the arm. Lisa shows up and uses the laser pointed Bart gave her for her birthday to blind the detective. The cops arrest Dexter for trashing the lab and framing Lisa. The animals wind up at Cleatus's house. In the credit scene Lisa gets her diary, Bart steals it and asks Homer to read him a bedtime story, Homer opens it and is shocked by the anti theft device. 

Elliott Gould does his own voice in this episode.

The couch gag is a spoof on the 1932 photo Lunch Atop A Skyscraper. The actual photographer is unknown.

Padz is a spoof on MTV's show Cribs. Dredric Tatum, Rainer Wolfcastle and Kent Brockman are in the opening credits.

Photos on Krusty's wall: Bette Midler (Krusty Gets Kancelled), Richard Nixon (a spoof on Elvis), a fake Body at the beach / Clown College degree / Sideshow Mel / A gold record, probably for Krustophina from Behind the Laughter.

When Gould beats up Krusty he says "Say hello to Bob, and Ted, and Carol, and Alice", this is a reference to the 1969 movie.

The Turbo Diary is based on the Girl Tech Password Journal.

Springfield Mall: Now Disney Store-Free! Disney Stores launched in 1987 and peaked in 2001. Today Disney licenses the name out to third party retailers. 

The Tickle Me Krusty, most popular toy of 1999: "I'm anatomically correct. Go ahead, take a peek / I wonder what mommy's medicine tastes like."

Mall stores: Elvis's Pretzels / Taste Of China / Buns / Shish K-Bobs / Toys / Mug On A Mug / Put A Swear On A Hat / Kumbersome Key-Chains / Make Your Child A Movie Star / Another Damn Candle Cart

Moe had a cow heart transplant 

The detective's business card: Dexter Colt Private Investigator KL5-5141. His door sign: Dexter Colt Private Investigator. Please, No Set-ups. Framed newspaper on his wall: Drunk Cop Fired From Force (with the new digital ink and paint cels the headline stands out while the copy is blurred) however the story he saved it for is about Private Eye Wins Bake-Off (there is a photo of him holding a pie)

Dexter Colt is based on Robert Mitchum and the classic Noir films of the 40's and 50's.

Signs on the bad side of town: Bail / Easy Hotel / Pawn / Hard Luck Cafe (a spoof on the Hard Rock Cafe) / Hangover Hamlet / Neon Signs 

Homer's email is chunkylover53@aol but it was hacked and used to spread viruses to computers so it's best to not write to them.

Lisa is a member of P.T.E.T.A, Pre-Teems for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, her favorite album is Miles Davis-Birth Of The Cool.

Officer Lou's ex was was named Amy.

During the high speed chase Homer turns down a road with a sign that says "Bridge Out" however the bridge is intact and when Lou pulls down the branch they see the entire sign that says Bridge Outstanding! -Overpass Monthly.

Continuity detail. A shot of the Simpsons house shows some boards nailed up over where Homer drove through the garage door.

When they dye their hair as a disguise Lisa says she looks like like a Powerpuff Girl. The show premiered in 1998.

Homer checks into the Three Seasons Motel, a spoof on the Four Seasons Inn

Homer getting shot by the guy in the cannon is a reference to the episode Homerpalooza.

The Strong Arms Of The Ma

This episode premiered on February 2nd 2003. The lead in show was King of the Hill and was followed by a rerun of The Simpsons (Large Marge). It ran opposite the NFL Pro Bowl (AFC 45 - NFC 20), Becker and American Dreams

The title comes from the expression The Long Arm Of The Law

The chalkboard gag is "The school does not need a "Regime Change" and the couch gag is the family puts their heads through a photo backdrop. Lisa's head is on Homer's body, Homer on Marge, Maggie on Lisa, Bart on Maggie and Marge on Bart. A photographer takes their picture.

The family goes to Rainer Wolfcastle's bankruptcy sale, Homer buys the actor's first weight set. Lisa buys a Van Gogh. Bart buys a cyber head. On the way home Maggie has an "accident" so Marge goes to the Kwik-E-Mart to change her. The restroom is disguised as a High Voltage Room. A guy in a Goofy hat robs Marge, stealing her pearls, she breaks down crying. She starts to panic when she goes out, pepper sprays Ralph and develops agoraphobia. To try to help Marge they wheel her out to the mailbox but a wasp starts circling around so Homer sets fire to the nest and they all have to run back into the house. Homer builds a set of the Kwik-E-Mart so Marge will get use to going there, Bart dressed up like Apu, however Milhouse comes in with a gun claiming to be a robber and she runs to the basement. The family brings a walkie talkie to church so Marge can participate. The family is eating dinner in the basement since Marge can't come upstairs anymore. Marge gets bored and starts working out with the weight set. When Marge is cooking she needs a lemon and runs upstairs to pick a lemon off the lemon tree. She realizes she's not afraid anymore and goes running around town. She runs into the burglar and beats him up, Wiggum wants to know why the rest of the town doesn't catch the criminals that robbed them. Marge runs into Ruth Powers, who is now buff after a stint in prison. Powers convinces Marge to use steroids to build up even more muscle. When Otto takes off without the kids Marge chases him down and lifts the bus. Marge decides to "snuggle" with Homer even though he doesn't want to. As her talent in the body building competition Marge pulls a bus with her teeth, she comes in Second. She decides to increase her workout and scares everyone at the bar. Moe insults her and she attacks him with a broken pickled egg jar. A fight breaks out and she beats everyone up including a group of sailors. Homer talks her down from her roid rage, Moe decides to torch the bar to recoup his losses but Carl points out he doesn't have insurance. When they go home marge throws the weight set into the furnace. 

Pamela Reed returns to do the voice of Ruth Powers. Although Powers had been in the background of crowd shots throughout the series this was the first time the character spoke since the episode Marge On The Lamb in 1993.

Eye On Springfield. The last time the show appeared on The Simpsons was in the episode My Sister My Sitter.

Items at Rainer Wolfcastle's yard sale: Golden Globes "50¢ a pound". Sword everything, Homer eats the sword pie. Bart buys a cyber head, this is a spoof on the Terminator movies. Homer buys a Powersauce bulk pack (King Of The Hill)

Wolfcastle was in a movie with Rob Schnider, My Baby Is An Ugly Man.

The crackhouse across the street from the Kwik-E-Mart has a sign that says "Restrooms are for crack customers only"

The mailman gets trapped under Marge's car but she can't go outside and help him so he decides to read Twilight Zone Magazine, but breaks his glasses. This is a spoof on the 1959 episode Time Enough At Last.

To help Marge Dr. Hibbert gives her a Lifetime movie "The Woman Who Died In Her Home"

First Church Of Springfield sign: No Outside Eucharist.

The Olmec head is back in the basement. It first appeared in the episode Blood Feud. Homer's Santa suit from Simpsons Roasting On An Open Fire is also hanging on the wall.

Marge beating up the crook is a spoof on The Godfather scene where Sonny beats up Carlo on the street.

When Marge works out the theme from Rocky plays. 

Marge and Ruth go to Let's Hear It For The Soy juice bar. The name is a spoof on the 1984 song Let's Hear It For The Boy.

Ruth gives Marge steroids, Ragin' 'Roids 

Marge's bumper stickers, Moms Against Meth / Just say No / I'm Anti-Crank And I Vote / D.A.R.E. / Talk to your kids about HUFFING. Her license plate is EABF 04, this was the production code of this episode.

When Marge chugs the steroids the Popeye The Sailor Man song plays, and her eyes turn green like The Hulk.

Women's Bodybuilding Finals. First Two Rows May Get Oily

After the bar fight when the beaten up guys are laying all over the music from Platoon starts playing in a spoof on the post attack scene.

Continuity error, Ruth Powers suggests that she was in prison for at least three years but she's been popping up in crowd scenes on a regular basis.

I'm pretty sure I never saw the last two episodes before, or if I did they were just on in the background and I wasn't paying attention.

Look at that, I've reached an even 300. I figure I would have given up by now. Only 475 (so far) to go. I've gone deep down the Simpsons rabbit hole and yet I can still see the light from above. Time to delve even deeper.