The Simpsons 411-415

That 90's Show

This episode premiered on January 27th 2008. The lead in show was Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader and was followed by King Of The Hill. It ran opposite Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Shark and the U.S. Figure Skating Championship.

The title comes from That 70's Show.

The couch gag is the family is sitting on the couch and underneath is written Ceci n'est pas une couch gag. This is a play on the painting The Treachery Of Images by Rene Magritte. They then zoom out to a group of museum patrons looking at the painting. The joke, of course is that nothing is happening so it isn't a couch gag and yet the play on the famous painting makes it a couch gag. Get it?

The family is freezing because Homer hasn't paid the heating bill because he thought global warming would have kicked in. While finding things to burn Bart comes across Marge's old memory box. Lisa finds Marge's diploma from Springfield University. Lisa does the math and figures out that Marge didn't get pregnant right after high school so the parents tell the story. Homer and Marge are sharing an apartment in Springfield Place, their neighbors are Kirk and Luann Van Houten. Homer, Carl, Lenny and Lou (the cop) are in a band together. Homer is upset that Marge is accepted to college but he goes to work for Abe to get her the tuition money. Marge is infatuated of Professor August, a teacher of Woke. Homer is watching Seinfeld and when Marge quotes August he replies "no soup for you because I'm the master of my domain, Newman." August twists Marge's words to break up her and Homer. Homer becomes depressed and invents Grunge, an instant hit with the college kids. Marge and Homer get into a fight and break up, she runs off with professor August. Moe is running a cigar bar. Homer's band plays Seattle, which is mostly coffee bars including Starbucks. Homer burns his gold records while Weird Al does a parody of his song. Marge starts to get tired of August's constant wokeness and leave him, she see Homer on MTV and realizes all his songs are about her. Homer's band breaks up as rumor spread that he is on drugs. Marge finds Homer with a needle sticking out of his arm but it turns out to be insulin. Marge and Homer get back together. Marge and Homer go to the mini golf course to "snuggle" and Marge gets pregnant, and the rest is Simpson's history.

Kurt Loder and Weird Al Yankovic do their own voices.

The family is listening to Harry Connick Jr singing Walking In A Winter Wonderland.

Magazines Bart burns, Redbook / Popular Science /Big And Tall Halloween Costumes 

Marge's memory box was also in the episode Three Gays Of The Condo.

Homer burns the boat painting from over the couch.

Self Aware Joke, Homer talks about how a struggling Matt Groening created Futurama. Groening is the creator of The Simpsons, his first TV hit. 

Homer and Marge live in Springfield Place, a spoof on the TV show Melrose Place. 

Billboard outside of Homer and Marge's apartment "Sonic The Hedgehog says: Wait Until Marriage"

Homer records his songs at Groovetone Records. In the episode Jazzy And The Pussycats Homer wants Bart to get a record deal with Groovetone Records. 

It costs $3000 a year to got to Springfield U.

Abe runs Simpson Laser Tag "Enjoy this fad while it lasts"

At the university Comic Book Guy is talking about why LOTR can't be filmed.

Flounder from Animal House is seen in the background of the university, Marge confuses the Hillel Jewish center for a fraternity and Yamakas for pledge beanies. 

The history teacher teaches Woke, 10 years before Woke. 

Homer is reading The Bridges Of Madison County, the book was first published in 1992.

Homer is watching Seinfeld. He mentions "sponge worthy". This is from the episode The Sponge that ran on December 7th 1995. He quotes the Soup Nazi from the November 2nd, 1995 episode of the same name and says he's the master of his domain which is from the November 18th, 1992 episode The Contest.  Homer is also drinking a Zima

The boat painting is over the couch in Marge and Homer's apartment. 

Closing Time by Semisonic plays. This is a bit of a continuity error since it was released in 1998

Marge's painting for college is the Statue Of Liberty cutting off Florida. 

The campus has a statue, Moonbird by Joan Miro. This is a real statue and is in Washington D.C. There is also The Button by Claes Oldenburg. 

A stuffy professor mocks Homer for being a townie,  the character is based on Professor Kingsfield from The Paper Chase

Homer's grunge band is called Sadgasm. 

Marvin Cobain calls his cousin Kirk to have him listen to Homer's band. This is a spoof on Back To The Future. 

Self Aware Joke, after the commercial break Bart asks "Mom, why did you stop talking for 2 1/2 minutes", the length of the commercial

When dividing up their stuff Homer takes all the outdated stuff like the records and the typewriter. He also takes the Enron stock while giving Marge the Microsoft stock.  In 2002 Enron stock had crashed and was delisted from the NYSE trading platform.

When Marge and Homer are dividing up their stuff Bittersweet Symphony by The Verve plays.

Springfield's most wheelchair unfriendly restaurant is Top Of The Staircase Grill on a hill. 

Homer accidentally blows up an oxygen bar with his cigar. 

Homer does a version of Glycerine by Bush, but changes it out to Margine 

Future (from the 90's) things mentioned, Reality Shows, Brittany Spears, the baseball juicing scandal, "a President worse than Bill Clinton" (in 2008 George Bush jr was still President and the nation was in the midst of the economic collapse)

This episode was made because the show had been on the air for 19 years and the original origin story of Homer and Marge had become outdated. They decided to create a new origin story that would fit with the current age of the characters. A 10 year old Bart was conceived in 1998 instead of 1978. They recycle Homer's music career but instead of Barbershop Quartet he stars a grunge band. Ironically this show aired 16 years ago and once again the storyline is out of date, for Bart to be 10 he would have to be conceived in 2013. Basically this episode is a reboot of The Simpsons and claims everything that happened over the past 20 years never happened, maybe the show will get better after this.

Love, Springfield Style

This episode premiered on February 17th, 2008. Its lead in show and following program were both King Of The Hill. It ran opposite Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Big Brother and American Gladiators.

The title comes from the 1969 comedy anthology program Love, American Style.

The couch gag is the family runs in and connects themselves to a mobile. However Homer cause his end to groan towards the floor. 

It's Valentine's Day and Homer takes Marge to the carnival, where they can ditch the kids for two hours. Bart dumps Jello into the Tunnel Of Love ride, Marge and Homer get stuck next to a witch that keeps jumping out at them so Homer tells a romantic story.

L-O-V-E by Nat King Cole plays during the opening scene featuring various series couples. 

Bonnie And Clyde

Homer is Clyde and Marge is Bonnie. She convinces Homer to rob a feed store, owned by Abe. Bonnie gets bored so Clyde shoots down a plane. Ned comes along and agrees to drive them around. FDR removes all the air guard from Pearl Harbor to hunt for Bonnie and Clyde and asks someone to remind him to move them back, the Japanese Ambassador promises to do the job. Ned is upset that he's running around with criminals but figures it's the depression so what can he do, until he finds out they are unmarried and turns them in. He offers to help Wiggum catch the outlaws. Ned claims the car battery is dead and runs off. While being shot to pieces Clyde proposes to Bonnie.

Thompson's Machine Guns Presents The Bonnie And Clyde Hour, A radio program starring George and Gracie Burns. 

Robbie Robin in Tijuana Trouble. A Woody Woodpecker type character gets a taco from a sleeping Mexican mouse. When he eats it he power pukes winding up in a tree where a bunch of children mice beat him like a pinata. 

Shady And The Vamp

The story is based on Lady and the Tramp

The kids show up at the tunnel of love so Marge tells the story of Shady And The Vamp. The street mutt Shady tries to seduce Vamp but gets run over by a bunch of kids, she agrees to go on a dinner date. They go to Luigi's back door and he brings them spaghetti. The health inspector shows up and shuts the place down since the alley is full of animals on dates. Shady and the Vamp snuggle and she gets pregnant, Shady runs off pretending to be going on a fox hunt. Patty and Selma play the cats. The puppies look like Bart and Lisa, they set off to find Shady but get picked up by Willie the dog catcher. Shady heads to the pound to save the pups. Shady shows up and mauls Willie and takes the pups back to the Vamp. It turns out there are ll puppies.

Animals eating in the alley, Dogs, Monkeys, Walrus, Raccoons, Pigs.

The animals sing Any Minute Now. 

The dog catcher takes Goofy to the gas chamber. 

Sid And Nancy

Bart tells the story of Sid and Nancy. He is Johnny Rotten, Lisa is Nancy, a foreign exchange student in London. Nelson is Syd. Otto is trying to sell chocolate and Lisa runs off with a bar, when her current boyfriend Milhouse pays for it he's arrested by Wiggum, Otto was an undercover cop. (chocolate is filling in for heroin in this story btw). Martin plays Saturday Night by the Bay City Rollers on the jukebox so the Sex Pistols stuff him in the machine. (Dolf and Jimbo make up the rest of the band). Sid and Nancy share some chocolate and become addicted. The cops show up so Syd flushes all the chocolate. Syd is late to the concert and is all strung out on chocolate. Syd knocks over a speaker on stage and crushes drummer Dolf, the audience riots. Nancy announces that Syd is quitting the band and she's his new manager. Cut to CBGB's and Syd and Nancy are in letterman sweaters singing a pop song, Comic Book Guy throws them out the back door. Syd and Nancy make out while Homer dumps trash on them. He says to have a happy Valentine's Day and shut your gob. They naturally don't tell the tragic ending of the real Syd and Nancy. 

Shouldn't have fallen in love with by the Buzzcocks plays during the chocolate montage. 

San Antonio Arena. Tonight The Sex Pistols, Friday: The Sex Grahams featuring Billy Pistol. 

The Debarted

This episode premiered on March 2nd 2008. The lead in show was NASCAR and it was followed by King Of The Hill. It ran opposite Extreme Makeover, Big Brother and Dateline NBC.

The tite and plot of the eposide is based on the 2006 movie The Departed.

The chalkboard gag is "The art teacher is not fat, not pregnant" and the couch gag is a hand creates a Light-Brite image of the family on the couch. 

Marge discovers that Homer has been using his car as a taxi. Distracted by the kids fighting Marge runs into Moleman. Bart is late to school and discovers that Donny has taken his desk, he has to sit in one made out of an old crate and toilet. Donny becomes the new cool kid in school. It will take a week to fix Homer's car so they give him a loner, a shiny new car. While playing with the heater, air conditioner and rear window defroster Homer creates a tornado in the new car. Skinner forces Willie to play basketball, Bart slips steel insoles into his shoe. He then uses a magnet to move him around on stage in a very cartoon way. Skinner ends up in a dumpster full of lost retainers. Skinner demands to know who did it, Donny clams to be the perpetrator. It turns out Donny is a spy for Skinner and Chalmer and they wanted Donny to become friends with Bart. Bart takes Donny to the treehouse and gives him BlueVines. Bart shows Donny his collection of bathroom passes and doctor's notes plus rigged Cootie Catchers. Just as Homer and Marge are about to snuggle in the loner car Homer gets a call saying his old car is ready. While Milhouse and Nelson distract Skinner Bart sneaks into his office to steal the key to the faculty lounge in order to dump live crickets into the room, however it turns out to be the detention room. Later when Bart sprays "Kick Me" on Skinner's jacket he pulls away a hidden panel that changes it to "Kick Mediocre Study Habits".  When Donny hits Skinner with a spitball it turns out to be a secret message saying "Keep an eye on the Band Candy", later when Bart opens a stolen crate it turns out to be carrots. Bart sneaks into the copier room to make copies of his butt but when he pushes the button the wall rotate and he finds himself the model in the art class, and he's glued to the copier. Willie lets Bart know that there is a mole in the school but doesn't know who it is. Skinner meets with the kid in the library, Bart loses track of him but chases him to the dark rom, where he exposes Martin's photos. Bart almost catches the mole but finds himself in line for a flu shot instead. Bart takes his crew out to a field to find out who the mole is, he claims it's Milhouse so they stuff him in a locker in the middle of the field, Cletus comes along to use the locker because he thinks it's an outhouse. With Milhouse out of the way Bart reveals that he plans to egg Skinner's house with an ostrich egg. Homer sees his car being sold for $99, some hillbillies plan to use it for target practice, so Homer goes and gets it back leaving the new car at the repair shop. Skinner makes Bart help him put up a banner, Springfield Elementary Prank-Free For 14 Days, Bart notices Skinner has a blue tongue and realizes it's from the BlueVines he gave Donny. Bart leads his gang to the storage unit at the school and they accuse Donny. He tells them that he came from the Shelbyville Orphanage. They plan to soak Donny with Diet Coke and Mentos however Skinner and Chalmers are waiting because Willie set Bart up in exchange for a grade school diploma. They plan to send Bart to the toughest juvenile detention school but Donny crashes the Diet Coke and Mentos together and Bart escapes. Then Ralph points out that the rat on the fence is the symbol of obviousness. The story just ends with no real conclusion. 

Topher Grace does the voice of Donny, Terry Gross does her own voice.

Lisa reads The Joy Of Sax.

Homer's taxi license shows "Hair, none". 

Homer sings Driver Of A Loner Car to the tune of Owner Of A Lonely Heart. 

Skinner has two books: Public School Punishment Guidelines and Catholic School Punishment Guidelines (There is a crucified kid on the cover)

I'm shipping up to Boston by Dropkick Murphy plays while Bart tries to prank Skinner.

A guy is pushing a sign that says Bronson's View Blockers. 

Dial 'N' For Nerder

This episode premiered on March 9th 2008. The lead in show was American Dad and it was followed by King Of The Hill. It ran opposite Extreme Makeover, Big Brother and 100 Most Outrageous Moments Of All Time

The title comes from the 1954 film Dial M For Murder

The couch gag is there are several capsules on the couch. Frink drops water on them and they turn into sponge versions of the family except Homer's is shrunk down. Frink returns with a bucket of water to get him to full size.

Marge and Homer are about to snuggle but he's too out of shape to do anything. The next day Marge hires a nutritionist to help Homer lose weight, her plan is to substitute all his bad habits with bell peppers. Homer still gains weight. The kids are watching Sneakers, a show that tracks down cheaters, Marge decides to hire them to catch Homer cheating on his diet. Martin is digging for arrowheads. to trick him Bart steals Sideshow Mel's bone and pretends it's a fossil. Bart pulls a string and knocks Martin in the head but he goes over a cliff. Bart runs away. While watching TV a news story breaks in to report that Martin fell off the cliff and was probably eaten by a cougar. Lisa imagines going to prison where the only books they have are Danielle Steele. Bart plans to turn himself in but Lisa stops him since everyone thinks it was an accident. Homer is leaving at 4 on a Saturday afternoon so Marge calls the show and they track him. The school holds a memorial for Martin. Nelson starts to question Martin's death. Homer goes to an all you can eat restaurant. He has chips and salsa hidden in a briefcase. He goes to the Sleep Easy motel to eat greek lamb. Nelson catches up with Bart and Lisa at the Kwik-E-Mart and does a Columbo questioning. Lisa goes to talk with Bart but she finds a note. "I can't live with the guilt, I'm going to Martin's house to end it all", Lisa catches Bart at Martin's house and finds out that Bart came to help the butterflies hatch. Martin has a recording set up to play lute music when the butterflies hatched however when they turn it off the music continues. Homer gets caught by Marge and the camera crew at a pudding restaurant, however Marge tells off the show producers. After Lisa shouts that she killed Martin Nelson steps forward and has recorded the whole thing. Martin shows up wearing a leaf skirt, he was saved when his underwear got caught on a tree. A cougar almost ate him but he was launched onto an island in the middle of a lake where it took him a while to build a raft and return. The show ends with the NBC Mystery Movie opening sequence.

Sneakers. Complainant: Jennifer / Age: 23 / Is Acupuncturist boyfriend sticking it to someone else?

Springfield National Park, Now Smaller Than Ever. 

Springfield Elementary banner: Martin Prince Memorial, Tell Kindergarteners he's on a long vacation.

I will remember you by Sarah McLachian plays during the Martin tribute. 

Taj Mah-All-You-Can-Eat

Pudding On The Ritz, 300 new flavors daily.

The NBC Mystery Movie opening credits: Nelson as Columbo / Dr Hibbert as Quincy / The Rich Texan as McCloud / Burns and Smithers as McMillan & Wife. I imagine most people didn't get the joke and probably had to Google it.

Smoke On The Daughter

This episode premiered on March 30th 2008. The lead in show was American Dad and it was followed by King Of The Hill. It ran opposite Extreme Makeover, 60 Minutes and Dateline NBC

The title comes from the Deep Purple song Smoke On The Water

The couch gag is Wile Coyote paints a fake couch on the wall. The family runs into the wall except for Maggie who makes the Roadrunner sounds and runs off. The rest of the family sits on the painted couch except for Homer who crashes through the wall.

A giant lizard creatures comes in to Bart's room in the middle of the night, he wakes up and attacks it with a bat. Homer pulls off his costume head to reveal that he is dressed up like Lord Evilton from the Angelica Button books, he and Lisa are going to the midnight release of the last book. Bart continues to hit Homer with the bat. CBG tries to mock Lisa for her Angelica costume however she says she based it on the books, not the movies, everyone laughs at CBG so he gets on his broom and hops away in embarrassment.  The bookstore guy plans to hand out colored bracelets to determine people's place in getting into the store but Homer runs him over. Lisa reads the whole book before they get home. Bart is wearing a t shirt that says Magic Isn't Real. Marge sees a commercial for a ballet academy and wants to sign up.  Homer reveals to Bart that he makes beef jerky in the basement. Marge gets the cramps and the dance instructor kicks her out but he decides to teach Lisa instead but she's terrible. Lisa discovers that the ballerinas smoke in order to stay thin, she complains but breaths in the second hand smoke and improves. Homer offers to sell Apu jerky but when they go to the room it's empty, Homer accuse Flanders despite the raccoon tracks. Lisa sees her future self, and famous women smoking. Homer tries to drug the racoons but eats the tainted jerky, he then tries to shoot them with a crossbow but almost shoots Rod, Bart, a gas truck, an archery target truck which crashes. Marge becomes a stage mom. Homer discovers that the raccoons are a family living in the tree out back and makes friends with them. Lisa goes on a break but it's a windy day so she almost smokes but Homer catches her. Marge is so hooked on being a stage mom that Homer has second thoughts about removing her from the school. Homer gets Bart to keep an eye on Lisa but she sneaks off. Without smoking Lisa is a terrible dancer but the other dancers pressure her into smoking. Bart catches her and calls Homer. Homer turns a raccoon loose into the dance academy to steal all the cigarettes. The dancers return to the dressing room to discover their cigarettes are gone, they all do terrible in the second act. Lisa gives a speech about ballet. Lisa wears Hello Kitty nicotine patches. Homer tries to make Bart a Mexican Wrestler.

Angelica Button and the Teacup Of Terror / and the Deadly Denouncement. 

The Angelica Button books are based on Harry Potter. The lining up in costumes at the bookstore at midnight is based on the excitement of the release of The Deathly Hallows, the final book in the Potter series.

The book store is named Bookachino's. 

The family watches NCIS Miami. 

Chazz Busby Ballet Academy. Chazz is based on the character Joe Gideon from the 1979 movie All That Jazz. (The character was based on Bob Fosse)

Lisa took tap dance lessons in Last Tap Dance In Springfield and Bart danced ballet in Homer vs. Patty And Selma.

Chazz Busby Ballet Academy, No Fat Chicks / Opera Academy,  No Thin Chicks

The jerky room has a sign, Homer's Secret Area Keep Out

The Olmec head is back in the basement along with the Santa coat. It's nice to see classic Easter Eggs.

Line of the night "You have made a very powerless enemy"

The Hardy Boys, The Mystery Of The Odd Shaped Rock.

Marge's bumper stickers: Ask me about my daughter's talent / Dancers' moms do it in the wings. Marge's license plate is WA1A2N

Bart spying on Lisa smoking is a spoof on the killing of Colonel Kurtz scene from the 1979 movie Apocalypse Now. This Is The End by The Doors plays.

And so I come to the end of another 5 episodes. I have to say, the post movie era is starting to look better. Several of these episodes had the classic Simpsons feel to them even though one did the bit where they run out of story and just say "well, it's over". I'm kind of looking forward to what's coming up, how odd is that. 

 The Simpsons 406-410

Little Orphan Millie

This episode premiered on November 11th, 2007.  The lead in show was the OT and it was followed by King Of The Hill. It ran opposite Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, The Amazing Race and Football Night In America.

The title of the episode comes from the comic strip and movie Little Orphan Annie

The chalkboard gag is "There is no such thing as an iPoddy" and the couch gag is the family is on the cover of Modern Couch Gag magazine "10 couch gags to spice up your marriage. The boat painting is crooked.

At a picnic a bee gets on Maggie. Homer panic and jumps up getting the hive stuck on his head, he falls into a blueberry bush staining it and then ends up rolling in the green blanket. He comes up looking like Marge and she gets mad at him for mocking her. Kirk and Luann announce they are getting remarried. Homer can't pick out a tie so Marge says to pick out one that goes with her eyes, he doesn't know the color so they have a fight. The marriage is on a beach and Reverend Lovejoy gets hit by a volleyball (didn't see that one coming). Kirk and Luann go on a cruise for their second honeymoon so Milhouse stays at the Simpsons. Homer tells them a story with a commercial for The Container Store. During the cruise the boat starts rocking Kirk and Luann fall overboard. Bart shoves a hose down a hole in the yard and ends up spraying spiders on Lisa, Milhouse says the weekend is the best and he doesn't care if his parents ever come back. Festival Cruise Lines sends two guys in uniform to tell Milhouse his parents are lost as sea, just then Bart shows up with the hose to spray him saying "drown monster, drown". Later Marge tells Milhouse that there's always hope just as one of the sailors shows up to tell them they stopped searching. Milhouse decides it's time to grow up and act like a man. Homer tries to look at a photo to find out what the color of Marge's eyes are but the wedding album has a lock on it and the combination is their anniversary. Milhouse becomes a mopey kid, Nelson doesn't beat him up and Lisa becomes infatuated. Milhouse becomes the coolest kid in school and Bart is depressed by it. To be cool again Bart does krumping, but nobody cares. (Krumping was a popular free form dance in the day). Bart calls Solvang California to find one of Milhouse's relatives. (You'd think someone would have done this by now) Milhouse's uncle Norbert (Zach) shows up, he arrives in a biplane and is an Indiana Jones character.  Abe reminds Homer that he wrote a song about Marge so he sings it, Marge forgives him and her eyes are hazel. Homer suddenly remembers all the stuff from their past. Lisa convinces Bart that he loves Milhouse but he and his uncle are leaving. Milhouse and Zach are leaving by hot air balloon and Bart joins them. They just happen to fly over the island where Milhouse's parents are trapped, but Kirk crashes into them on his crude glider. They are rescued because Zach radioed for help but him and Kirk get into a fight. The end.

I'm going to have to go check but in the opening when Bart rides his skateboard past the people on the street we hear them speak, Helen Lovejoy says "Oh My", Moe say "Hey", Barney burp and Wiggum says "Watch It!" Has it always been this way? Also Bleeding Gums Murphy doesn't say anything because he's dead.

The 10 Commandments of Beer: 1. Thou Shalt Not Spill 2. Honor thy Lager 3. Thou Shalt Not Bear False I.D.  "The cornerstones of the Brewish Faith"

Beach Sign: Van Houten Wedding "Please Do Not Kick Sea Turtles"

The bad news arriving for Milhouse is a spoof on the scene from Saving Private Ryan. 

Homer offers Milhouse, Ocean Spray juice, Cap'n Crunch cereal, 7 Seas dressing, Chicken Of The Sea tuna, a Billy Ocean CD, The History Of Atlantic Records. Marge sends him to Moe's where he plans to get a Anchor Steam beer. 

Bart and Milhouse play Bar Brawl 4: Final Fracas.

Daily Fourth Grader: Bad About Milhouse 73%, Batty For Bart 27%

Solvang California phone numbers: Butter Cookie 8-2147 / Hans Christian Anderson 5-5166 / Aquavit 3-2599

The airplane to Solvang is shaped like a Danish hall. 

The Indiana Jones theme song plays when Mihouse and Uncle Zach return to Springfield. 

Eh, not that great. It was another "Homer and Marge's marriage is in trouble" episode and it would have been a nice change of pace to have Milhouse off on adventures every week. 

Husbands and Knives

This episode premiered on November 18th 2007. It ran in its usual time slot and opposite The American Music Awards, The Amazing Race and Football Night In America.

The title comes from the 1992 movie Husbands and Wives. 

The chalkboard gag is "The Pilgrims were not illegal aliens" and the couch gag is a hand opens up a Pop Up book of The Simpsons and the family is sitting on the couch.

Bart opens up the controversial Wolverine comic with the pop out claws, it hits Milhouse and he starts to cry, getting a tear on the comic book. CBG makes Milhouse pay $25 for the damaged comics. A new comic book store opens across the street, Coolsville and all the kids go there. Milo gives everyone Japanese candy and plays a Korean version of What's Up Pussycat. Lisa finds copies of Asterix and TinTin. Bart challenges Milo to prove he knows about comic books by saying who is stronger, the Mulk or the Thung, he asks Bart what he thinks and Bart is impressed. Marge compares herself to a cutout of Wonder Woman and thinks she's getting fat. The kids go to a signing by famous alternative comic artists, CBG busts in to say that Milo isn't one of them because he has a girlfriend however her name is Strawberry and she carries a Malibu Stacey lunch box purse. CBG tries to get his customers back by offering ninja weapons but gets called out for it and goes on a rampage. The comic book artists form the League of Extraordinary Freelancers and beat up CBG. Marge goes looking for a gym, she checks out L.A. Body Works, she has trouble with the treadmill and discovers that the showers have windows that look into the gym area. She sees the now closed Android Dungeon and decides to start her own place, Shapes A Gym For Women (this is based on Curves). The place is so successful they open a second gym, in a closed Krusty Burger, the place is closed because he smuggled in workers from Asia.  Marge goes on The Opal Show. Marge asks Opal when Straighman is going to pop the question so she hands out cuckoo clocks. Homer meets the husbands of successful women and finds out they are all second husbands after the women dumped their first husbands. Homer asks Marge about her day and he gets distracted by the TV. Marge meets all the criteria for a successful woman about to dump her husband. One of the husbands lets Homer in on the secret to keeping his wife, a complete makeover, diet and exercise. Homer decides to get his stomach stapled. Homer has to liquify his food to swallow it. Homer covers the bedroom in flowers and reveals his new look, however he has a lot of old skin. He decides to go back to the doctor for more surgery.  To honor Marge's success Quimby gives her a gift card to Sweat Pants Etc. Homer shows up as a muscly freak and the town chases him to Notre Dame Of Springfield. Marge says she's leaving Homer for a trophy husband and he plans to jump, but she pushes him instead. It turns out to be a dream Homer had while under anesthesia, the doctor had called Marge and she stopped the surgery, and had his stomach unstapled. Homer asks Marge why she stays with him and she says he's still the boy she fell in love with. The comic book artist spot a meteor headed for the Earth but they go to a benefit for old comic book artist instead. The Korean version of Pussy Cat plays again and at the end we find out that it was Jack Black singing the whole time.  

Daniel Clowes, Alan Moore and Art Spiegelman do their own voices. Jack Black does the voice of Milo.

Comics at the comic book store: Death of Superman / Death of Aquaman / Death of Casper / Caveman Robin / Black Robin "Right On" / Born Again Robin "Holy Trinity Batman!" / Wolverine comic with pop out claws / World's Finest Comics (Superman moves to Gotham city) /The Formidabel Mulk / Thung "Look who's doing the Super Thung Shuffle" (with the Chicago Bears) / A DVD of Watchmen Babies in V for Vacation 

The mattress store is called Snooze At 11

When Alan Moore gets worked up about the commercialization of his work he calms down by reading Little Lulu and singing the theme song.

When Marge is having trouble with the treadmill she sees Rainer Wolfcastle, Duffman, Kookie Quan and Miss Worldwide doing the video from OK Go's Here It Goes Again.

Shapes rules: No Men, No Cell Phones, No Mirrors, No Shame. "I am Woman, hear me sweat" "Pride Power"

Successful Magazine "Gym Dandy"/ Fortunate "Gym Cla$$! (there is an image of Marge reading Successful) / Rupert Murdoch's Wall Street Journal "Republican Tax Cuts Let Marge Simpson Succeed 

The Opal Show was first seen in the episode Ice Cream Of Marge

Palm Springfield Resort. Welcome Lady Busninessladies.

Warnings husbands are about to be dumped by their successful wives: 1. A Makeover 2. Doesn't want to talk about her day.  3. Happy and full of life.

Plastic Surgery Center "Correcting God's Mistakes"

I decided to look up Marge's success with the gyms but there doesn't seem to be a mention of them again, except in the video game. I guess this will be another Simpson thing that is just forgotten. Also this was the second episode in a row in which Marge and Homer's marriage was in trouble. 

Funeral For A Fiend

This episode premiered on November 25th, 2007. The lead in show was a Simpsons rerun (He loves to fly and it D'ohs) and was followed by another Simpsons rerun (You Kent Always Say What You Want) l. It ran opposite Extreme Makeover, 60 Minutes and Football Night In America

The title comes from the Elton John song Funeral For A Friend

The couch gag is the living room is empty, a magician walks in and throws out his cape, the couch appears from underneath it. He does it again and the family appears. 

Moe buys a plasma TV but refuses help loading it so he doesn't have to tip an employee. He drops it and all the plasma leaks out so he chases the Hibberts to see their in car dvds. They are watching Big Bird In China with Derick Jeter. Homer goes to Circuit Circus to buy a battery, the 50¢ one. They give it to him for free, with a $200 Tivo and a two year contract. Homer pays the $200 and walks out without the Tivo. Lisa uses a mechanic's cart to roll under the TV to hook up the Tivo. Marge watches Opal, her boyfriend Straighman has proposed, that they go on separate vacations again, Marge decides to speed through the cheering but that is most of the show. Marge saves Lost and watches all of Rome in one day and watched Two And A Half Men in two and a half minutes. She also had to choose whether to save her recording of Schindler's List or Sophies Choice (get the jokes?) She falls asleep in front of the TV and Keith Olbermann talks to her, and complains about her skipping all the commercials so she agrees to watch some of them. The family sees a commercial for Wes Doobner's Rib Hut, there is something for every member of the family. The only people at the place are the Simpsons but it turns out to be a trap created by Sideshow Bob. He is about to explain his plan but the family complains he never asks what they've been up to in between their encounters, Lisa talks about the strawberry fest. Bob brought a slide carousel. His plan is to leave a laptop running, when the battery overloads it will set off a stack of TNT. Bob quotes Shakespeare and Lisa corrects him. He gets on the laptop to look up the quote and gets blown up. Bob declares himself innocent by reason of insanity and blames Bart for his condition, his psychiatrist father takes the stand to tell the story of Bob's heart condition and confirms the crazy diagnosis. Bob asks the jury to consider what Bart did to them and they sympathize with his case. Bob pulls a vial of nitroglycerin and everyone panics, Bart jumps forward, grabs it and throws it out the window, however it was for Bob's heart condition and he drops dead. Cecil tells Bart to make his peace. Bart goes to the funeral home. Milhouse comes by the Simpsons and tells them where Bart went, suddenly Lisa realizes Bart is in danger, sure enough Bobt faked his death and plans to cremate Bart. The family shows up, Homer throws unclaimed ashes in Bob's face and Marge stops the coffin from going into the furnace. Lisa realized that the coffin had extra room for his large feet, so he wouldn't be cramped in it. Bob imagines hiding in a cake and killing the family but he's really in a prison wearing a straight jacket, and his whole family is sharing a cell. 

John Mahoney does the voice of Dr. Robert Terwilliger Sr., David Hyde Pierce returns as the voice of Cecil, Mahoney played Martin Crane and Pierce played Niles on the series Frasier. Keith Olbermann does his own voice.

Cecil Terwilliger was first seen in the episode Brother From Another Series. 

Circuit Circus is a spoof on Circuit City

Big Bird In China came out in 1983.

Batteries at the store: Ever-Ready / Durivolt / Max Power (Homer's name in the episode Homer To The Max) / Sometimes Ready / Dead Already (Homer's choice)

Tivo was launched in 1999. It has mostly been replaced by streaming in the modern world (like I'm doing right now). I tried Tivo, in order to use it I was going to have to get a dedicated phone line and pay long distance charges to connect with their nearest server, 90 miles away. I sent it back and got a refund. 

Itchy and Scratchy Show: Spherical On 34th Street. It's Thanksgiving and there is a big parade, there is a Poochie the Dog ballon. Itchy shows up and pumps Scratchy full of hydrogen gas, he then floats into the parade. Itchy lights a flaming arrow from the Pilgrim's float and shoots it at Scratchy. Krusty cuts to a commercial however Lisa skips them to Scratchy blowing up, his body parts raining down and the Pilgrims eating them. A dog and cat walk in with a sign that says "Happy Thanksgiving"

Commercials skipped: Suds McDuff (Old Yeller-Belly) / Turbo Diary (The Dad Who Knew Too Little) / Funzo (Grift Of The Magi) / Springshield (Poppa's Got A Brand New Badge) / Mr Sparkle (In Marge We Trust) / Wes Doobner's World Famous Family Style Rib Huts

Shows saved on Tivo: Afternoon Yak / Snuggle And The City / The Dog Talk-To-Er / Pimp My Laundry Room / Opal (today's topics: Iran Goes Nuclear, Spring Fashions, Opal's Pie Club)

There is a commercial for Prop 87, the talking frog sounds like Walter Matthau. "Paid for by Cartoon Frogs for Wetlands Destruction"

Wes Doobner's World Famous Family Style Rib Huts is an anagram for Sideshow Bob's World Famous Family Style Return.

After Sideshow Bob says they were all tricked by a commercial Homer says the next time a commercial comes on he's going to "Close his eyes, cover his ears and scream as loud as he can". The show cuts to a commercial and he starts screaming. (btw, since I'm watching this on Disney + there are no commercials)

Sideshow Bob's slides: The families escape from his last attempt (The Italian Bob) / Bob and his family trying to hitch a ride through the Chunnel to get to England / Bob working as a chimney brush / The changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace / At Parliament / The Sherlock Holmes Museum (I went there, it's right across the street from the Wax Museum) / Rowing on the Thames / Bob dreaming about murdering Bart / Sneaking back into the U.S. in a box car disguised as a Canadian comedy writer for the Jimmy Kimmel Show / Building the fake restaurant / producing the commercial to lure in the Simpsons 

Bobs commercial gets him an offer to direct a movie The Hills Have Eyes 3: The Hills Still Have Eyes.

When Bob turns on the laptop Clippy pops up "Looks like you're trying to blow up the computer.  Mind if I hug my kids?

Bob's parents are Dr. Robert Terwilliger Sr. and Dame Judith Underdunk. 

Simpson regulars on the jury: Cletus / Manjula / Kirk / Luigi / Ms. Hoover / Gil / Moe / Lindsay Nagel / Kearny / Bernice Hibbert / Moleman / Lenny

Kent Brockman lists the outlaws turned folk heroes: Billy The Kid / Bonnie And Clyde / Jesus Christ / Bob

At Bob's funeral Krusty plays Candle In The Wind with new lyrics. Snake leaves a wreath with a banner "Beloved Cellmate". Krusty promotes a DVD, Best Of Sideshow Bob 

Springfield Shopper headline: Boy Shames Region (photo of Bart) 

Springfield Funeral Home "Same price even for fatties"

Cremation speeds: Off / Gloating Speed / Kill him already

The Simpson's cake decoration "10th Fiendish Plot Foiled"

Eternal Moonshine Of The Simpson Mind

This episode premiered on December 16th 2007. The lead in show was The OT and it was followed by King Of The Hill. It ran opposite Extreme Makeover, Survivor and Football Night In America.

The title comes from the 2004 movie The Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind

The chalkboard gag is "The Capitol Of Montana is not 'Hannah'" and the couch gag is a repeat of The Power Of 10 but Homer says "Weird" at the end.

The Duff blimp gets loaded with snow and crashes "Oh No" appears on the message board. Homer wakes up in a snow drift but when he gets home nobody is there. When Homer goes to the kitchen SLH attacks him. He goes to Moe's to find out what happened so Moe tells him about Homer drinking a Forget Me Shot. Homer panics about what he might have done, Wiggum says there was a domestic call to the Simpson's house. Homer remembers that Marge had a black eye, she says she walked into a door. Homer figures that Flanders called the police however he just heard the commotion but didn't see what happened. Homer remembers Marge saying "Stop Homer, please" and then flashing forward to her saying "My eye!" Homer goes to see Grandpa for help, he suggests visiting Professor Frink. Frink puts Homer in a machine that helps him relive his memories. Homer goes through a series of images. He finds where he came home, he hears the couch squeaking and walks in on Marge with another man. Homer gets Lisa from a memory. Memory Bart comes along to see if he could have kicked 10 year old Homer's butt, which he does so Homer takes him to see 20 year old Homer and Memory Bart beats him up too. While strangling memory Bart Homer crashes through several memories destroying them. Lisa tells Homer that she is just an image he generated in his mind so he decides to get some pizza, but calls the place and they tell him it will take 35 minutes. A bottle is blocking Homer's view but he can't move it because it's part of the memory. Lisa tries a scientific approach but Bart starts jumping up and down to hit Homer's brain and make it start working, real Homer starts bleeding out of his nose. The image jumps like a film in a projector and he returns to the part where he walked in on Marge, the mysterious figure turns out to be Duffman. Homer remembers Duffman saying "I'm just giving it to your wife, she'll be sore tomorrow" and comes out of the machine. Homer heads out into the snow and plans on jumping off a bridge, he says "goodbye cruel world" just as a truck from a bakery drives by, he shouts "And goodbye cruller world!", the driver says "goodbye Homer". Patty and Selma show up to encourage Homer to jump. When he won't do it they push him. They do a montage of Homer's life, he remembers that Marge wasn't having an affair with Duffman but was planning a surprise party for Homer, Marge got the black eye when Homer tried to open a bottle of Duff Champaign. Homer lands on a boat where his party is being held. Lenny and Homer remind him that he drank the Forget-Me-Shot so he'd be surprised. The boat has "The End" on the back but a question mark on the dingy it is towing. I have no idea what that is about. 

Hannah Montana ran from 2006 to 2011

Scrat from the 2002 movie Ice Age comes out of a snow drift and tries to get an acorn. Willie beats him with a snow shovel in order to get the nut. A group of squirrels pop out of the snow and attack him. 

Homer wants SLH to show him where the family is on MapQuest (launched in 1996) or Google Maps (launched in 2005)

Forget Me Shot recipe: Jaegermeister / sloe gin / Triple Sec / Quadruple Sec / gunk from a dog's eye / Absolute Pikl / the red stripe from Aquafresh toothpaste / the venom of the Louisiana Loboto-moth / stir with pregnancy test until it turns positive.

A high school glee club visits the nursing home and sings a depressing version of Oh What A Night.

Dimwillie's restaurant with a statue of a hamburger figure wearing a dunce cap. The character is a spoof on McDonald character Mayor McCheese.

Memory Recovery Institute "We do not do MRIs"

Frink's memory machine has a pamphlet "Your Memory Bubble And You"

Snow sculptures the Simpsons crash through: Snoopy / Peace Sign / Robert Indiana's Love / Lincoln / Kool-Aid Man / Bowling pins 

While experiencing a memory Homer sees a commercial for Synergy phones. It's a Beautiful Morning by The Rascals plays.

Suicide Bridge "In Memory Of Governor Chester L. Suicide"

Homer remembering his life is a spoof on Noah Kalina's video in which he took a photo of himself every day for 6 years. (He's now up to 20 years)

Marge writes a sign for the party, Homer, Congratulations on completing your community service.

Homer standing on the bridge is a spoof on the scene in the 1946 movie It's A Wonderful Life.Various parts of the episode are a take on the 1997 movie The Game including when Patty and Selma push him off the bridge.

This episode came out 8 years before the show Inside Out. Hmmm....

This was the last episode of 2007. Onward to 2008.

E Pluribus Wiggum

This episode premiered on January 6th 2008. The lead in show was American Dad and it was followed by King Of The Hill. It ran opposite Extreme Makeover, 60 Minutes and Deal Or No Deal.

The title comes from the official U.S. Motto, E Pluribus Unum "From many, one"

The chalkboard gag is "Teacher Did Not Pay Too Much For Her Condo" is and the couch gag is a tapestry of Realm Of: Les Flanders. There is an image of a castle with Ned as the King and Rod and Todd in the towers. The next panel shows Realm Of: Les Simpson with the family on the couch and SLH and Snowball II in the towers. There is a portrait of Marge behind the couch. The next panel shows Ned on a horse being followed by a group of knights carrying the couch. The Simpsons are shocked to discover their couch is gone. Ned has the couch on top of his castle. The Simpsons get in long boats and sale towards Ned, Grandpa's image is on the sail. There is a battle between the two families. The Simpsons are back home on their couch with the quartered body of Ned at their feet. Then the title segments are shown.

Carl, Lenny and Homer are watching out the window, they can't leave until Burns does and he's walking across the parking lot. The mailroom guy stops Burns to talk about how he went hang-gliding so Homer calls him to tell him that he has the guy's wife and makes him dance like a prospector but this entertains Burns. Lenny and Carl remind Homer that they want Burns to leave so Homer tells the mailroom guy to walk away, like a Rockette. Homer is looking forward to the deep fried pork chops but Marge reminds him that he is going to start a diet, so he heads out for fast food. He tosses all the trash he has in the car into the Krusty Burger drive up trash can, however the old battery he tosses in leaks acid onto the gas main. Homer sparks up a cigar and tosses the lit match into the trash can which blows up the fast food district. The Mayor holds a memorial with a banner "Fast-Food Boulevard: 1972-2008" , Homer insists on rebuilding the district so the Mayor declares a bond issue for the next election, however the Presidential Primaries aren't until June so he moves them up to Tuesday. Springfield's primary is now before New Hampshire. Dan Rather is interviewing people in New Hampshire when he's told about Springfield so he and the rest of the media rush off to do a story. A couple at the New Hampshire diner are all alone so they rob the place. Krusty talks with Jon Stewart about the election to steal his jokes. The Simpsons put up a political sign that says "Undecided" and are swarmed by political operatives and candidates. One group even brings a medieval door ram. Homer kicks everyone out, including Fred Thompson. Everyone gets tired of the media and the politicians and want to go to a dictatorship (did the Simpsons predict MAGA?). Homer suggests they write in the most ridiculous candidate, Ralph Wiggum wins, who immediately becomes favored by 53% of the voters. Lisa complains. The leaders of the Republican party call for the cancellation of the rest of the primaries and make Ralph their candidate. Since he isn't registered both parties start fighting over making him their candidate. When the Democrats are trying to convince Ralph to join them they say 'We have Alec Baldwin, they have Steven Baldwin. They might as well not have a Baldwin". Ralph says he wants to "Make this country great again", holy cow trump stole his slogan from The Simpsons. There is a joint commercial from the Democratic and Republican party, Ralph Wiggum: Pick A Winner. There is an image of Ralph with his finger up his nose. The end.

Dan Rather and Jon Stewart do their own voices. In 2008 Dan Rather was working for AXS-TV hosting The Dan Rather Report, after getting fired from CBS for running a story on Bush jr. having gone AWOL during his time in the Texas Air National Guard. Jon Stewart was hosting The Daily Show on Comedy Central.

Fast food places in Springfield: General Chang's Taco Italiano / Dead Lobster / We Have Restrooms / Captain Corn Dog Schnitzel Palace / Chili Blasters / KFP (with a panda in a bucket) / Vesuvius Pizza / Zesty's Pizza Subs. 

Hungry Like The Wolf by Duran Duran plays during Homer's fast food binge. 

Homer smokes Jerk Ass Homer Cigars

The Ribwich frog makes an appearance at the fast food memorial. He was first seen in the episode I'm Spelling As Fast As I Can.

Welcome to New Hampshire "Providing Cheap Liquor To Massachusetts Teens For 200 Years.  Rather interviews a couple at The Live Free Or Diner

The reporters rushing to Springfield "Which Springfield? The one the Simpsons live in!"

Decision '08 Springfield Primary. There is a CGI generated animation of an eagle going to vote. Names on the voting rolls: Public, John Q. / Six-Pack, Joe / Eagle, Bald / Sam, Uncle / Liberty, Statue Of 

Homer imagines a Think Tank, they are discussing Micronesia.

Residency Inn By Hyatt Embassy Suites By Courtyard By Marriot- A Starwood Hotel.

A Summer Place plays during a Republican commercial. 

Political signs: Vote Aleppo President / Vote For Huntingchurch / Elect Whinergirl / Hillary (Bill Clinton is putting up the sign) / Vane (wait, is that a Trump prediction?) The Simpsons have a sign that says Undecided 

When Homer suggest they write in the most ridiculous candidate Apu suggest Dennis Kucinich, who just happens to be standing in the bar but nobody sees him because he's three feet tall.

Kent Brockman says Roll over Anne Coulter and tell James Carvel the news. This is a spoof on the Chuck Berry song Roll Over Beethoven. 

Headbutt With Nash Castor. The opening has FDR and Reagan fighting. 

Burns on Bush jr. "at least he one, the second time, assuming they don't find those voting boxes in Ohio"

Trader Earth's Organic Market "Salad Bar Closed Tonight For Democratic Party Meeting"

When Lou and Wiggum get into a fight over former candidates Clancy says he's off to the offices of the World Book Encyclopedia. (I still have a set of those, I can't get rid of them)

Homer wants the most ridiculous candidate. Ralph's stance on foreign policy is "Stranger Danger" and he wants to make America great again. Did this episode predict Trump? It sure seems that way.

Lenny makes several jokes about Juan Peron and the military death squads. The result was that the episode isn't aired in Argentina. 

There have been a number of episodes where the story just ended as if to say "well, we ran out of story and time". This has to be the oddest of the bunch. There is no real conclusion to the plot, they just leave it hanging. 

This is also the end of this set of episodes. Most of them I never saw, even in reruns. So far the post movie era has been kind of bland. Maybe it gets better in the next couple of years.  Oh well, I've made it through 19 1/2 seasons, I might as well keep going.

I'm back. I took some time off for the holidays, a funeral and getting super sick. But all that is in the past now, except I have a lingering cough from being super sick. Back to watching The Simpsons. Why, I don't know.