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Johnny Unusual

(He/Him)
Bart Gets Famous

One of my least favourite feelings: the second you realize you've run a joke into the ground. I consider myself fairly witty amongst the people I know. Look, I'm not hysterical, but I get by. But when I tell a joke and then I realize there is some more juice in it, I may re-use it when appropriate. So if I discover if doesn't have any more give after trying it one more time, its pretty disheartening, not only because people don't laugh because I can feel it be bad and realize how not good the joke is IN REAL TIME. On the other side of things, there are also jokes that I've told that my parents parrot back at me. When my aunt was cutting very thin slivers of pie once, I recalled a MST3k joke: "Cut to the width of one electron." I didn't mean any insult but it made my aunt self-conscious. But mom loved it and repeats it frequently. Even more uncomfortably, I recently learned that it might because her family grew up poor that she cuts food thinly, making me feel worse about this undying joke. A joke getting out of your control in some capacity can be an ugly scene to be sure.

In this episode, Bart escapes a dull field trip to a box factory to wander around Channel 6 studios to see behind the scenes. There, after helping out Krusty, he's given a job as Krusty the Klown's assistant. Unfortunately, it turns out working in the business isn't as glamourous as it seems and Bart is ready to quit after constantly being mistreated and used. However, just as he's about to leave he's given a small role in a sketch. After accidentally destroying the set, he proclaims "I didn't do it." and his spontaneous comment is met with huge applause. Soon, Bart becomes a celebrity, gaining fame from his catchphrase. But Bart soon grows tired of limiting himself to a single catchphrase, despite the fact that this is all people wanted from him. Bart is ready to quit when Marge convinces Bart to keep going since despite the inanity of the bit, it makes people happy. But during the show, it soon become apparent that the Bart fad has passed.

I remembered this being a good episode but I was surprised how much I liked it this outing. Like, I think I would put it in the top ten episodes. Its extremely funny and also very insightful of the showbiz experience and, like many episodes, acts as a meta-commentary on the show itself. Bart's trajectory feels like a perfect encapsulation of a lot of people working on sitcoms. It would easy to put Bart in the shoes of similar child stars, most of which have catch phrases, but I also think it works very well for sitcom stars of the 80s and 90s. It starts with Bart paying his dues with a lot of thankless behind the scenes work and is eventually able to get an opportunity to shine (of course, Bart wasn't even planning to be a star but not every analogy is perfectly one to one). I've no doubt that actors like Bronson Pinchot worked very hard to get where they were and then when their catchphrase heavy characters came into being, they felt limited despite their success (which I think was the entire plot of Extras).

Bart makes it but soon finds a moment of true comedy has been echoed into meaninglessness, its context long forgotten. One nice touch is the second "I didn't do it" sketch not only feels painfully artless but the success of the original is the unexpected while with the second sketch it is all very clearly set up. Of course, by the time Bart comes around to do the terrible bit to the best of his ability to make people happy, people are all Barted out and his career is over. But despite a cynical view on the industry, it ends happily. As Marge points out, he'll always have a memory of when he meant a whole lot to people, capturing attention of the world and as Lisa points out he can have this without being shackled by his fame.

This echoes the show itself. We start with a visit to a mind-numbing business and possibly a job future. Bart wanders off the beaten path into showbusiness. But the glamour of showbusiness is eventually marred by the reality which is generally more mundane and often downright soulcrushing. Eventually, success is found in the Simpsons and then the success is dependent on catchphrases and merchandising. When the honeymoon phase is over, the show is finally free to evolve. Of course, the key difference is that the show has success beyond the fad phase and the Simpsons is still a catchphrase heavy show, a fact that the show calls itself on in the last gag.

So it is an insightful and cynical episode tackling the entertainment industry. But, in general, it is also just funny. These past three seasons have not had a loser amongst them aside from the clips show (and even that has its moments). But it has long segments that yield rich veins of comedy. I think the Simpsons is the show that should that you don't need to be off-the-wall with magic robots to be funny, as the absurdity of the mundane and denial of anything else is very funny. The show manages to make the box factory SO mundane and dull, that it can't not be funny. Something interesting failing to happen is in itself funny, such as Bart finding himself incapable of a whimsical fantasy sequence. Really, there's no slow spot in the whole episode and it manages to make a sequence of jokes tell the story in many places, using the increasing absurdity of Bart's shitty job and later Bart's fame trajectory to do much of the work. It feels like the momentum is built on scenes that are primarily gags that when taken together let you know what you need to know with only a couple scenes to act as exposition and even then, its more explaining Bart's emotional reactions to the story and his attempts to take control of his life.

Maybe the Simpsons finally hit the phase were its tepid laughs and the show is unable to stay fresh in this business *Honk* *Boing*. But its legend has far outlasted any chance the show will be forgotten. The episode also aged well in that catchphrases are strongly connected to current meme culture/language. Fact is, the whole episode aged well, thanks to no jokes that aged poorly/offensively. The nature of fame may change but there are always going to be aspects that are evergreen, such as the fleeting nature of fame and pop culture moments that burn out fast and hard. People might end up as some shmoe working at a box factory, but the fact that a person gets to have such sudden weird fame for a brief time is fascinating in itself.

Jokes I missed before:
I feel like there were specifics in jokes I didn't understand before but the structure of the joke, I did. Like I didn't know who Ross Perot or Oliver North were at the time but I got that the joke about Bart's biography was that the grown up political stuff had nothing to do with Bart's story.

Also, I think Selma and Patty starting a fire in their apartment was cut for syndication.

The Clue reference. Also, apparently Krusty killed someone? I mean, I guess I'm not surprised.

Other great jokes:
Where to begin. I could spend an entire afternoon on the box factory alone.
2gf3raTP8bjAWHGHc3QFV1lN7lw=.gif


So much gold in this clip alone. The story of the box factory, "Oh, we don't assemble them here. That's done in Flint, Michigan.", "I don't know what kind of factory you're thinking of. We just make boxes here." "This is just like the other rooms", the tour of the office.

"A box damn you! A BOX!"

Bart surprisingly retain something from the box factory visit.

"A certain kind of soft drink has been found to be lethal. We won't tell you which one until after sports and the weather with funny, sunny storms."

Homer's great advice followed by the revelation that its what got him to where he is today. Then comforting Bart over this fact.

"He's dead." "Dead?" "Or sick or something I dunno."

"Repetitiveness is my job."

Other notes:

Seems like they should order more danishes if that's the one barrier between order and chaos at channel six.

The animators give Lisa a facial journey about regretting ragging on Bart's career as Homer talks about punching Urkel.

This isn't an emotion-focused episode (save for the feeling of disillusionment) but Marge gets to add an emotional dimension twice. Like, its far from making me well up with tears but her recontextualizing the situation to make Bart feel better works when she encourages him to keep trying because despite everything his work makes people happy and again when she points out there is a moment in time when you were treasured by everyone. That last one feels especially effective for someone is despite class clown popularity feels very much like he's often at odds with the world (albeit in a very different way to his sister).
 

Johnny Unusual

(He/Him)
Homer and Apu

Apu is a character I used to have a lot of affection for. It is clear the writers did and as time went on gave him nuance and a detailed backstory. He was often very funny but the character was also educated, intelligent and insightful. But that doesn't mean the character isn't offensive in a myriad of ways, sadly straight down to the core. And coming to terms with realizing something I cared about harbors a harmful stereotype can be rough. I went through a bit of a defensive phase but eventually realized that despite any good intentions, he's a "funny voice" character who often embodies particular stereotypes and is a representative character whose entire narrative is controlled by white people, which in turn has an effect on the people whom the character represents.

In this episode, Homer gets sick after Apu repeatedly gives Homer spoiled food and Homer helps Channel Six News expose his shady business practices. Apu was just following the letter of the law of the parent company but they hang him out to dry. Apu comes to the realization that he's wronged Homer and has decided to help him by... *sigh* becoming his servant. Oof. Anyway, Apu is eventually a part of the family but still misses his job and he and Homer head to India to find a way to get it back.,

Before this episode, I finally decided to watch The Problem With Apu, the hour-long documentary in which Indian comedian Hari Kondabolu grapples with the legacy of a character in a who that had meant a lot to him. Its a very smart and funny documentary and for anyone who hasn't seen it, PLEASE seek it out. Its an examination of racism and representation in the media but at the same time its a pretty fun, breezy watch. (Definitely compared to when I watched the four hour documentary "Leaving Neverland" before watching the Michael Jackson episode). I feel I could discuss that for a while but mostly I wanted to use it to enhance my ability to judge the first Apu-centric episode. One of the things Hari points out in the documentary (and I think this is not word for word so I might be missing an element of his argument) on the character in the show is that just because something can be wrong doesn't mean it isn't also funny and that just because it is funny doesn't mean it should be accepted. Apu does get some good lines and jokes that go beyond his "funny accent" but it is still very much in the forefront.

But beyond that, the documentary also points out that Apu, though often gouging people, is often in a "servile" role and boy is that extremely clear here when the character choices to make amends by being "at his service" and helping out the family. And there are some good jokes that way, such as getting the kids to eat corn by stacking it like its in a convenience store. But the plot itself is problematic and it doesn't get better when he travel to India to the first convenience store run by an archetypical guru.

There is a lot of good here. There are very funny jokes. Despite being born of unfortunate stereotyping, it is clear that even in jokes Azaria does want to make the character more nuanced in terms of acting. But that doesn't change the fact that he still is a white guy doing a stereotypical accent. The character decides to seek redemption through being a servant. There's a great scene in the documentary where Hari talks to Whoopi Goldberg who, in addition to being a comedian, is something of a scholar of minstrel history and when he asks "by your definition, would Apu be a minstrel act." She does say he fits into slots and says "but he's not singing and dancing for white people" and SMASH CUT TO THE MUSICAL NUMBER IN THE EPISODE WHERE HE SINGS AND DANCES FOR THE FAMILY in one of the shows beloved musical numbers.

As for the solution, I think is tough. The Simpsons decided to retire the character but that's a double-edged sword: we are rid of a stereotype but it also means less representation in Springfield (which I guess would be more impactful if the more recent episodes were things people watched but its the principle of the thing). The show itself just threw up itself and said "I don't know". Hari himself mentioned some interesting narrative turns that could help rehabilitate some of the issues with the character (making him a business owner, having his children voiced by actual South Asian actors). Getting rid of the character shuts down the conversation but keeping him the same would continue to reinforce stereotypes. Its really a thing that needs to be dealt with after a lot of soul searching, reflecting, seeking advice and, hey, maybe more South Asians in the writer's room, but the show as it is isn't prepared to deal with that. Heck, its a shambling sausage factory that is pretty hesitant to replace its parts. Finally having the black characters voiced by black actors is a big win.

I will say one other thing about the documentary: despite a few jokes, its clear Hari is not looking to vilify the people who worked on the show but instead point out there are blind spots and that maybe when you realize something is wrong you should act on it. Even though Dana Gould's reaction don't make him come across as particularly sensitive to the plight (though he clearly is listening and being as honest as he can, even at the cost of looking bad) and Hari is pretty concerned about Azaria still doing the voice (at the time of the documentary, of course) after people let him know how it effects them, I feel he wants to listen and be listened to. But we also need to take a hard look at the things we've laughed at before. I loved Arrested Development and the good is still good but a lot of it has aged quite badly. I can still keep the positives with me in my heart but I also have to acknowledge the negatives and hurtful elements of it. And as problematic as he is, I still have a soft spot for Apu because for all of the issues with the character, he often gets both funny lines and is sometimes instilled with humanity, like the other characters. But I can't let the positives blind me to the many negatives and going forward need to accept that as great as the Simpsons is, its moral hygiene is not above reproach.

Great jokes:

"Who needs money when we got feathers."

"What's this called again?"
"A napkin."
"Hehehe! OUTRAGEOUS!"

"Mmm, it's cran-tastic!"

"I'm... me?"
"Hey, don't... jerk me around fella."

"Well, Mr. Woods, your next song is going to be #3 with a bullet."
"I'm not a singer."
"Shut up!"

Other notes:
Oh, yeah, real life asshole/creep James Woods is in this. He does well within the show, less within real life. BTW, there's a recurring joke that for every role he was in, he researched by living it, even in speculative fiction. Which raises a lot of Videodrome-related questions. Reminder, even the lead in Videodrome, an amoral TV producer who becomes obsessed with a kinky torture TV series and becomes a fleshy assassin, is still much more likable than actual James Woods.
 

Johnny Unusual

(He/Him)
Lisa Vs. Malibu Stacy

There are definitely a lot of things I like that are problematic. Things I have a lot of affection for. In some case, I can compartmentalize but it can certainly make it hard to recommend certain things because of that. Its one thing for me to watch and deal with it but I feel a little more uncomfortable sharing something that might spread an ugly message. I love anime but even many of the series I really like have SERIOUS issues. I used to watch South Park even though I often disagreed with it but after the 2016 election, I seriously couldn't stomach the shows messaging and world view anymore. There are some things where it comes to a point where I really need to confront whether I can support and/or enjoy it anymore. In this episode, Lisa does the very same.

In this episode, Lisa buys a new Talking Malibu Stacy doll and is disgusted by the sexist views it spouts. Lisa decides to take her concerns to the parent company only to find some empty lip service. Lisa decides to seek out the original Stacy creator, Stacy Lovell, to help, only to find she doesn't have any connection to the company anymore. Lisa then comes up with a plan: make her own doll with Lovell's help. The doll becomes a success but the momentum of the dolls popularity is brought to a screeching halt by a new Malibu Stacy doll. However, Lisa claims a small victory as one more child walks off with her doll.

Lisa is such a great character. It would be easy for Lisa, if a bit bittersweet for her, to boycott the doll. It would be a sensible moral decision. But she wants to make the world better in a big way and creating a doll that can be as fun as the doll she once loved but also espousing values she wants to put into the world. It reminds me of shows like "Steven Universe", which takes all the best from its inspirations (some of which haven't aged as well as others) and using them to teach even better lessons about empathy and acceptance. Lisa makes the change she wants to see in the world and though at times some people try to pervert it (namely a boardroom full of grim old men deciding the future of a girl's doll), she is relentless about her mission.

The b-plot is about Grandpa trying to find his place in the world after his family clearly wants to avoid him. Its a fun bit of business and does what Grandpa stories often do best: remind us that maybe we are not good at treating our elderly very well. Its all funny stuff and the conclusion Grandpa comes to is that an old person's job is to complain. But more than that, its OK not to be or at least be perceived of as young. But really, its strongest virtues is more grandpa ramblings, always a show highlight.

Yeardley Smith does great work in the episode but extra credit goes to an incredible performance by Kathleen Turner. I keep forgetting how great she is as an actress and in particular as a voice actress. She's been doing more in the last few years in guest roles but I really think I would love to see her in a consistent role or a larger one. Here, she kills it as the drunken but passionate Stacy Lovell. She brings a lot of weight and sadness to her role and does the smart thing of giving most of her joke lines very straight, understated reads. Her character has a ludicrous backstory where she was essentially married to action figures of the 60s/70s (including the first appearance by Dr. Colossus!) but she plays it weirdly real. Its great.

The message of the episode is the message Lisa leaves behind: what we say and show in culture can have an effect and it can be good or bad. When Marge wants to change things with Itchy and Scratchy, she just wants to end it and when she is told to change it, it is with little regard for the show. Lisa LOVED Malibu Stacy and she wants to change the direction of the narrative while retaining all the appeal as best she can and maybe even generating some new appeal. Sure, there are times when we feel we want to leave some of our pop culture behind but its always impressive when we see the things we love shepherded in better directions.

Jokes I missed before:

In Grandpa's rant, he notes (spoilered for racist language) "Injun Eyes" are part of an old-fashioned Thanksgiving meal. Also, Stacy being referred to an "8 1/2 incher".

Oh, and the reference to "We Love You Conrad", which is only a reference that exists in the periphery of my mind and I don't even know where it comes from.

Other great jokes:

"I give you the man who puts young people behind bars, where they belong."



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"Children much didn't like the taste of dry onion meal..."

Still very true.


"Do you have any idea how many kids have tried to track me down?"
"Am I the first?"
"Yes."

"Well, that and I was funneling profits to the Viet Cong."

Its not something easy to quote but that might be my single favourite moment in the episode.

"We're out of secret sauce. Put that mayonnaise in the sun."

"Ow, damned sandwich took a bite out of me."

"Release me from your kung fu grip."
"All right. I'll bomb your house to the ground missy."


"Well, I didn't tell them who you were."


"Well, you were right about the Berlin Wall."

"Oh, and the president was arrested for murder, more about that tomorrow night or turn to another channel. Oh. Do not turn to another channel."

"...but she has a new hat."
 

Johnny Unusual

(He/Him)
Deep Space Homer

I try to be a mature guy. But the fact is I constantly have some immature fantasies. I'm not even talking about my puerile erotic fantasies which I will not get into FOR ALL THE REASONS THERE EVER WERE. I'm talking about the kind of entitled fantasy that somehow I'll be recognized for my good qualities and be plucked out of obscurity to gain some level of fame and respect that I am due. Except I'm not due and no one is out there looking for a completely normal introvert who likes anime and video games, despite being the most unique person who ever was. Seriously, though, its not like I believe them but I do daydream "what if someone just found some worth within me like a voice from on high." In fact, it would probably be irresponsible to do that. In this episode, we see why that fantasy would be the worst decision in actuality.

In this episode, Homer feels unappreciated at work and at home. After an angry call to NASA, the space program plucks Homer from obscurity to send him into space. It turns out NASA is very rating conscious, as it has an impact on their funding and need a spectacle to get America's eyes back on the space program. After a surprisingly close competition with Barney Gumble, Homer eventually gets the opportunity to go to space. After nearly chickening out, Homer eventually gets to space and almost immediately ruins the mission. Thankfully, he's able to do a last minute save and while he doesn't quite get the hero status, he finds himself a hero in his own house AND has had an opportunity few people in the world have had.

Its amazing how good this episode is. The title and premise sound like something you'd have in season 18, when eventually writers shrug and say "I dunno, send him into space, I guess?" It feels like the premise of a spec script from a very young fan. But in practice, it is a very smart episode and does a lot I like. First of all, and this goes without saying at this point, it is very funny. I'm afraid how long my great jokes list is going to be this time. But I feel like its exploring a few big ideas and carrying a few interesting messages and ideas throughout.

OK, so first is the more basic one: that feeling of not being respected and having to have the courage to do something big to do so. OK, so there's not a lot in this respect and the show definitely wants this in because despite everything that happens, we do want things to turn out well for Homer. And he does have some virtues. Despite losing the competition, he works genuinely hard in his astronaut training and though he proves to be a bit of an immature winner, he becomes surprisingly gracious in defeat for his best friend, clearly saddened but no anger or sour grapes we often associate with the character (there's a potential alternate story out there of Homer having to deal with losing his one big chance to his closest friend who did deserve it more, wrestling with his own bitterness).

But I feel like the more pointed and cynical elements are where the episode is at its strongest. That's not to say its a bitter episode, because it isn't. Its fun and irreverent and breezy. But its also insanely astute about the blurring lines between entertainment/media and everything else. Obviously, we've seen that in politics to a very upsetting degree. And while it is presented as ridiculous how obsessed NASA is with ratings, it makes sense: more attention means more funding. Of course they need to keep the public interest. NASA is insanely expensive and while space travel advancements are incredibly important, it can be a hard sell when immediate practical results aren't provided, which is not what it is about. So it makes sense they need to be appealing.

The spectacle they create is a farce. They want Homer and Barney to be the kind of fun TV slobs that people like but they are even worse: Homer is a boob and Barney is a drunken boob. They need to follow trends. We find out that the entire NASA control center is designed to follow TV ratings. NASA is weirdly both out of touch with the common man and the media and yet are necessarily media-success minded. Ironically, the mission where a spaceship is crashed probably less then 12 hours after it is launched is probably a rousing success, not because it made any advancement but because it was great ratings. I think its a very pointed and astute view of the proliferation of the media in ways that may be deeply unhealthy for the world's mindset.

In doing that, they simultaneously tackle the "plucked from obscurity" fantasy and the danger of putting someone deeply unqualified in a key position. Obviously, again, we've seen that in real life recently and America is currently trying to put out all of the metaphorical fires. Here, Homer is a good man and he does work hard and train himself but the fact is he doesn't have the mental discipline to not fuck up and in a precarious situation where every precaution must be taken, Homer is NOT the man to bring along. He saves the day but pretty much every crisis is specifically one he created and his solution is a complete accident AND he tries to undo it out of spite. Still, Buzz Aldrin is cool enough to try to let stupid Homer take the hero role... which the media passes onto an inanimate carbon rod (a great full circle joke). Look, being picked to be special is a wonderful fantasy but the reality of it is despite out good qualities and even some hard work, there are things we might not be good at or cut out for, particularly if we didn't spend nearly a lifetime beforehand preparing. The astronauts who are not Homer are dull as dishwater but that's OK, they know what they are doing.

Deep Space Homer feels like is could and perhaps should have been a shark jump move for the show. I'm not sure if there is one particular moment the show did but perhaps it more inched over it over the years (though if I have to pick, maybe the one where Homer is sexually assaulted by a Panda or the Elon Musk IS AWESOME episode). Instead, they told a surprisingly intelligent and pointed story that I think works from a bunch of different angles. The show might end on a note of "Homer did good" but at the core is something that gives us a few unfortunate truths in a candy coated comedy.

Other great jokes:

A donkey being described as "shiny" as an enticement is funny. Objectively.

h13014539dty.png


"Wow, you actually got to SEE the rod?!"

I love how it gets... worrying.


"A mathematician, a different kind of a mathematician and a statistician."

"How did you get this number?"
"SHUT UP!"
This is a good alternative to "A wizard did it."

"I don't really think that was necessary, they wanted to be astronauts."
"I know."


"You know Homer, when I found out about this I went through a wide range of emotions. First I was nervous, then anxious, then wary, then apprehensive, then kinda sleepy, then worried, and then concerned. But now I realize that being a spaceman is something you have to do."
"Whose doing what now?"

"Second comes right after first!"

"But in another, more accurate way, Barney is the winner."

748280.jpg




"Wow, former president James Taylor."

Brockman's joyful heel turn is perfect.

James Taylor: unkempt youngster.

Other notes:

I can't imagine the show didn't make someone on staff question their "civilian in space nearly dies" story considering it was fewer than 10 years since the Challenger disaster.

Did Tang really disappear around 1994 or so?

 

Büge

Arm Candy
(she/her)
It always bothered me when they cut in syndication gags which had a payoff later, like the big piano in Lisa vs. Malibu Stacy, or Homer playing with the box in Rosebud.
 

Johnny Unusual

(He/Him)
Homer Loves Flanders

When you are a kid, its relatively easy to find friends. But sometimes you come across someone who wants to be your friend and you don't feel the same way. I've had friends at times because I wanted to play their Nintendos or whatever but usually those didn't work out. There was one kid I was literally hiding from because unwanted friendship is a weird feeling and sometimes you don't have the courage to come out and say that you don't want to be friends. Even as an adult, you want to be civil and not hurt anyone but some times the best thing to do is to be honest, otherwise it might hurt even more.

In this episode, Ned invites Homer to a football game and despite Homer's animosity towards Flanders, he accepts due to his desire to see the game. While at the game, Homer takes full advantage of Ned's generosity and grows fond of him, proudly proclaiming Ned his friend by the game's end. But soon, Flanders finds Homer's friendship to be obnoxious and smothering and attempts to distance himself from it quietly backfire and hurt his reputation. Eventually, Flanders reputation is in tatters while Homer becomes a local hero due to a lucky photo op. But after an outburst in church, Homer defends Flanders to the community and the two reconcile.

Homer is a character who needs to properly ride the line between deeply flawed and often a jerk but still likable and sympathetic on some level. In this episode he's a force of obnoxious nature but is still likable because most of his jerky moves aren't out of any intended ill-will (which he is not above by any stretch) but instead complete obliviousness regarding boundaries, good manners and other people's feelings. This isn't like Homer's Enemy, in which Homer's numerous flaws are laid bare by Frank Grimes but we still like him more than Grimes by a wide margin. We definitely sympathize heavily with Flander's irritation with his new friend. I think we've all been in conversations with people who can't take a hint and it risks breaking certain social contracts to come out with the truth.

I feel like Homer's Enemy and Hurricane Neddy are episodes that extrapolate on some of the ideas here. Flanders himself is smart but often seems oblivious to Homer's feelings in other episodes, using unending friendliness and eternal patience with Homer. But the flaw of both of them is loving their friend but all on kind of a superficial level. Ned learns to be friends with Homer in the end but he first needs to understand Homer's virtues: Homer is awful in a myriad of ways but he shows surprising humility is all in the tank for the people he loves, even when the world turns against them. The worst of Homer is never fixed but the best in him reveals itself. Meanwhile, the best in Flanders, his love and patience, is worn away through the episode only to find by the episode's end that Homer understands his virtue. He doesn't know what he is doing to annoy Flanders but once he sees that he is annoyed, he understands.

Homer and Flanders quasi-friendship can pay dividends and I feel its a damned shame that Flanders gets too "Flander-ized" as the show goes on. I'm sure it allowed the writers to rightly knock evangelical Christianity but it came at the cost of the likability and the humanity of Flanders. After all, the joke is Homer is generally constantly pissed off at a man whose only major sin is having better qualities than Homer. There are episodes that reveal more, like Hurricane Neddy. And I don't even necessarily mind stories like Flanders having flaws or letting his beliefs blind him to the fact that he might be causing more harm than good, But I think the mistake is trying to keep the balance of Homer's unjustified hate of Flanders and giving us good reasons to dislike him for the sake of a joke. And one of the take aways in this one (and, again, Hurricane Neddy) is that a good man can be flawed but we can still love them. Enough to make metal bands in their honor.


Jokes I missed before:

Flanders boat is called "Thanks for the Boat, Lord II"

Other great jokes:

51367.jpg


"Warning, tickets should not be taken internally."
"See, because of me, now they have a warning."

"They made the world's biggest pizza so we burnt down their city hall."

"Sacrilicious."
The show is so good at non-sequitors at this point.

Homer and Flanders sharing a lauigh over his intended assault.

340422.jpg


"That's all well and good for sheep but what are we to do?"

The fruit punch advisory board.

"Lies make baby Jesus cry."

"I guess he didn't see me."

"I bet he's the one who wrote Homer all over the bathroom."

"Let's sacrifice him to our God! C'mon, we did it all the time in the 30s."

Other notes:
One thing is I like the low key joke that Homer should be upset by the irony of Two Tickets to Paradise coming on the radio and then he just gets into it. I feel like we've seen the ironic/appropriate hold music happen on the show a couple times before but this is Homer missing it.

Why is Lisa upset by the no-sugar thing? I get Marge, her food is being rejected.

Dating the show: killer mailman joke.

"I'm not hepped up on goofballs" is a line that is read very strangely.
 

Patrick

Magic-User
(He/Him)
Oh, and the reference to "We Love You Conrad", which is only a reference that exists in the periphery of my mind and I don't even know where it comes from.

Ah, I see someone’s high school high school drama group didn’t perform Bye Bye Birdie.

 

Johnny Unusual

(He/Him)
Bart Gets an Elephant

When I was in seventh grade, my family spent nearly a year living in Thailand. We got to see and do a lot of stuff, including a visit to an elephant "school" which taught elephants to help in logging by dragging wood around. Its not that I didn't wonder if there was something wrong with this but I think since everyone else seemed to accept it, I did too. Now, I haven't done research since then so I don't know all the ins and outs of the morality of such schools but I strongly suspect even if they are treated well, the elephants would probably be a lot better off without being trained. There are animals like dogs and domestic cats who evolved with us out of convenience but a lot of intelligent animals need us less than we might need them. Or even covet them.

In this episode, Bart wins a radio contest but rather than take the money, Bart wants the "gag" prize, a full-grown African elephant. The station initially is hesitant but the bad PR forces them to relent. Bart loves his elephant, Stampy, but it soon becomes apparent that the family cannot afford to keep the elephant, even after trying to monetize it. Eventually the Simpsons are forced to get rid of the elephant and Homer must choose between an elephant preserve or an ivory dealer. Because he can pay, Homer chooses the ivory dealer so Bart frees Stampy, who runs amok in town. When the Simpsons finally catch up with Stampy, it ends up saving Homer, who decides to give it to the nature preserve.

Going in, I remembered this as just a silly episode with little to say beyond the inherent comedy of the Simpsons having to deal with an elephant. In the end, I came around to the idea that this episode is really about the relationship between animals and people. I think we LOVE animals but our love is often possessive. We want them in zoos where we can get a good look at them and some people try to own animals that really shouldn't be owned. Despite my complaints, if someone said "Hey, do you want a chimp?", it would be VERY difficult for me to turn down that offer. Thankfully, pet shops are becoming less of a thing with pets being bought through other venues. Hopefully, we can also be weened off of zoos, too. I think children should be seeing and experiencing animals but we need to find ways to do it that are kinder to the animals.

In this episode, Bart LOVES Stampy but it takes until the end of the episode to accept that he needs to let Stampy go and that despite his feelings they don't belong together. Homer is mistreating Stampy through the episode as one might expect but while Bart is trying to be nice to his friend, simply the act of owning him (and in particular keeping him in the back yard) is also cruel. Lisa pretty much states the thesis from the get but it can be pretty hard to accept that out desire to shower an animal with love and keep them around is a wrong form of love, intentions aside.

I love that Stampy is in no way anthropomorphized. I mean, I was never accepting a talking animal but at the same time everything is both funnier and even more touching with an animal that does not emote and just acts like an animals. It does express a bit of affection and even helps but it is also very muted and brings home the point that this is an animal who doesn't belong in the world of Springfield. Ironically, the Simpson pets, who also usually aren't at this point, behave in a sillier manner than usual (this is interesting because most of the time up to this point, Santa's Little Helper's sweet yet inhuman gormlessness was very much part of the joke).

I feel like this episode is great at exploring our not always healthy relationship with animals. Obviously, there's Blackheart the ivory dealer but there's Homer's attempt to monetize it and his obliviousness to his own cruelty (which at one points he lists). Bart wants it to be his friend but while it does have affection toward him later, most of the time it is indifferent to him and even sticks him in his mouth. The episode is very silly but Stampy's plight is sad with his poor diet (until he strips an arboretum bare) and uncomfortable lifestyle.

As just pure comedy, this is also a strong one. Homer's obnoxious and cruel but I feel like the previous episode did a job in evolving the side of Homer that is bizarrely... not even just oblivious but almost in his own zone. Dan Castellaneta at one point just stares into space and says "He's taking the elephant instead of the money" with a big smile and a blank stare (a similar moment. "...He likes peanuts."). Homer's gotten to a level of stupid that is detached from reality and anyone else's wavelength but his own. Strangely, that's the closest he is to likable as he seems to represent the worst of humanity's relationship with animals. Lisa is the one who has the correct take. But while Lisa has the correct and compassionate take, Bart might be more relatable, having that feeling of wanting an animal of his own and having to learn to accept that his love, while holding no ill-will, is selfish and harmful to Stampy. I think its great to love animals but to love them in a healthy way is the part we need to do better.

Jokes I missed before:

Other great jokes:

"Push her down, son."

"I think you'll find that escape is impossible."

"We pay your principal $10,000 to pull down his pants and keep em down for the rest of the school year."
"I'll do it, Bart."
...
"How about we use the money to surgically transform Skinner here into some sort of lobster-like creature."
"Wait, I didn't agree to that."

Homer gleefully getting thrown out of the radio station.

"I love that song. It reminds me of elephants."

"So isn't that what we're all asking in our own lives; 'where's my elephant?' I know that's what I've been asking."

Those clowns in congress.

"Well that was never five feet."

Homer trying to get money from the Van Houtens, who already paid.

"Lisa, a guy who has LOTS of ivory is less likely to hurt Stampy than someone whose ivory supplies are low."
The most capitalist rationalization in politics.

"THAT WASN'T PART OF OUR DEAL, BLACKHEART! THAT WASN'T PAAAAAAART!"

Four good ones in a row.

"Now I'll pull my arms out with my face..."

"And I owe it all to this feisty feline."
"Dad, feline means cat."
"Elephant, Lisa. He's an elephant."

Homer attacking that one guy with his head is good stuff.

Other notes:
Clinton playing the saxophone feels like the most 90s reference made in the 90s.

I like the background callback that the Simpsons buy Neapolitan ice cream and then only eat chocolate.

How... how did Homer train that bird to groom him?

Hey, first appearance of Cletus. Yay, classist comedy.
 

jpfriction

(He, Him)
Tang is readily available these days, I just bought some and my daughter hated it, but I do think it was MIA for a while.
 

Johnny Unusual

(He/Him)
Burns' Heir

Before watching the Michael Jackson episode of the Simpsons, I watched the grueling and heartbreaking documentary Leaving Neverland to give myself the proper context in watching the episode. One of the things I notice was how both the children and adults were manipulated with such terrifying efficiency so as to turn on each other and unable to see the root of the strife in their lives. Deceit and wealth are a powerful combination and even wielded with naked stupidity for everyone to see, we've seen it do a LOT of damage in the last four+ years. So knowing there are people who are smart enough to get away with it for a long time is upsetting. I like to consider myself a smart guy but I suspect I can be easily manipulated and easy to bully and can understand how it can happen, even with people in my life who love me.

In this episode, a near-death experience results in Burns' realizing he wants someone to carry on the Burns fortune and legacy after he passes. The Simpsons kids audition and Bart is humiliated by Burns, causing him to give him some mischievous revenge. Burns is incredibly impressed and makes Bart his heir. Marge encourages her son to spend an evening with the lonely Burns, who uses this opportunity to manipulate Bart to favour him over his family. Eventually, Bart leaves home in favour of the free reign that Burns gives him. But soon Bart becomes bored and isolated due to his wealth, as which point Burns tricks Bart into thinking that the Simpsons turned their back on Bart. It seems as though Bart is completely within Burns' grasp but when asked to fire Homer, Bart turns on him and returns to his family.

Its eerie how similar the whole this episode is similar to Michael Jackson's strategy, with Bart being both blinded by fun and games and being told his family doesn't actually love him. I'm sure that this is likely because someone on the writing staff was familiar with similar tales of the rich brainwashing people with wealth and power. We know that wealth and power can be terrifying and corrupting but there's something extra upsetting when it is used to target a person's (a young person in particular) intangible qualities like their feelings of love and safety. Its a very astute episode about how such things happen.

Of course, we are fortunate because we get a "love conquers all" ending, which is easy to buy because we know these characters, we know that Bart is pretty empathetic for all of his mischief, we know Bart loves Homer and Burns makes the mistake of having the two face-to-face again when his divide and conquer plan is much more effective. The show also does a good job in seeing in many ways Bart become Burns. In the end, he is literally being molded in Burns' "engravened" image thanks to a corrective outfit but even before then Bart is put through paces that corrupts him the same. Obviously, there's Bart living without rules but we also see Bart drifting away from Milhouse and his wealth isolating him from the people who make him human.

Burns does some awfully effective work on Bart but he underestimates Bart's humanity in the end, something both connected with Bart's internal elements and the nurturing by his family. Even as shitty as Homer can be as a dad, he loves his son and usually by the end a given episode proves to be a decent guy in some way. Meanwhile, Burns finds basic humanity alien and while he knows enough about people to manipulate them, he can't understand certain finer points, which is why he often loses individual battles against the Simpsons while still winning in life by his rubric. Of course, its also a very funny episode and its clear the writers are having a lot of fun with the ridiculous excesses of Mr. Burns. Its a very funny episode and it tells a good story about how innocent people can be manipulated into very bad places in life.

Jokes I missed before:
When Bart lists off the things he's most impressed by at Burns' house, he includes "bleached hardwood floors". Did Bart notice that himself or do you think Burns kept talking about how impressed he was by it and Bart just soaked it in?

Also didn't realize at the time that fake Homer was Michael Caine (or at least Caine-esque), in a reference that Caine starred in some shitty movies for a paycheck.

Other great jokes:
"The big guys at the top work even harder."
Mid-90s Simpsons got contemporary capitalism better than most people today. But maybe that's because so little has changed...

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"I don't know what phallocentric means, but NO GIRLS!"
Re: Pretty much any storytelling medium.

Homer finding things way too funny is always good.

"The lesson is never try."

"Oh, look, a bird has become petrified and lost its sense of direction."
"I think its a rock."
"We'll see what the lab has to say about that."

"Even some kind of gelatin dish. Its made from hooves, you know."

"The disputed islands lie here off the coast of Argentina..."

Even my sister remembers this one.

He'll be back.

"Mr. Burns is clearly the boy's biological father."

"Wow, a Bob Mackey!"
I hope Bob Mackey has a big picture of Milhouse somewhere.

Cowabunga, dudes!
Other notes:
There is NO reason for anyone to be an industrial chimney sweep.

Mr. Burns theatre appearance is a reference to this confounding trailer to the confounding movie Toys.

I like the touch that when Bart decides he can only trust Burns, the soundtrack plays "heartwarming music" with an underscore of "menacing music."
 

Octopus Prime

Mysterious Contraption
(He/Him)
The actors playing the fake Simpson family is also how I always pictured the cast to look IRL.

This is probably more flattering for Dan and Julie than it is Yeardly
 

Johnny Unusual

(He/Him)
Sweet Seymour Skinner's Baadasssssss Song

It's been about 4 years since I last did any real teaching. Its work that meant a lot to me and as much as I love taking care of my niece and nephew, I miss it. Often I think about the fact that my students, particularly the young ones I taught in China, were very affectionate towards me and knowing that I am assuredly very much forgotten. Its bittersweet: I can be proud I helped them learn something but for most of them I am, at best, a nameless extra in an early memory. And it goes the other way. Its not like I forgot all my students by a long shot (certainly, I'll always remember Arphdat, a cherubic little boy who constantly said his own name with glee) but many of them fade away after their education was so important to me. I want to get into education or perhaps childcare again sometime next year, if possible, but I'm often a little misty when I think about the actual divide between the past and the present in the lives of my students. They may not remember them and I sadly may forget, but we had genuinely affected each other for a time and just knowing that means a lot.

In this episode, Bart brings Santa's Little Helper to school, which leads to an incident in the school. Said incident gets Principal Skinner fired, which makes Bart feel a little guilty for his indirect involvement. At the school itself, Ned Flanders replaces Skinner and allows the students to do whatever they want. Meanwhile, Bart finds himself becoming closer to Skinner as a friend. Eventually, Skinner, feeling a hole in his life without his school, decides to rejoin the army. Bart, missing the antagonistic roles the two played with each other, becomes determined to get Skinner rehired. To this end, he simply shows Superintendent Chalmers the state of the school. It prove ineffective until Flanders asks God to bless the school, which is far to un-secular for Chalmers and Skinner is back on board. Bart and Skinner accept the desired status quo, knowing their friendship is at an end.

I feel that what this episode does best is dealing with that weird feeling when you see a teacher outside the context of teaching. Or even more than that, just being a regular person. Bart gets to see a side to Skinner he's never seen before. Milhouse, seeing him not wearing a suit and tie, assumes he's gone crazy. Skinner without his job is a pretty humble picture. He lives with his mother, pretends to conduct music and goes to an Italian restaurant alone. Its really not to far from my life. I think that's one of the great things about teaching kids: it can give yourself and them the illusion that one has it all together even if they are more like a hot mess.

While a silly one, I also feel this is one of the more emotional episodes of this season. When Skinner looks at the school and reminisces, it ends on a punchline but I would totally believe that even Ralph ralphing in his office is a treasured memory to him. One of the weirder parts is the thesis that we "all need an enemy", which feels weird. Any kind of "nemesis" I've had made me feel a toxic stew of hate. Like, a rival makes sense but a rival and a nemesis are not the same. I feel this is something to do with the nature of fiction that we'd buy characters may enjoy a mutually antagonistic role that's beyond mere rivalry. That said, if someone has a for real enemy in their life that makes something inside of them feel complete, I want to hear about it. It sounds fascinating.

But the episode is primarily about Bart discovering the humanity of someone he previously viewed merely as a doler of punishments and a figurehead for the kind authority he wants to rebel against. He finally gets to see him as just... some guy. We are not our jobs but for some of us they can do a lot to define us and fulfill something within us. Skinner is someone to whom being an educator means a lot, despite all his recurring cowardice and rigid adherence to the rules even in the face of common sense. While the show tends to get cynical about our systems including the school system, I feel like the teachers who are often the butt of jokes are also given some of the most humanity, with Skinner and Krabappel having surprising passion for their work. Not Miss Hoover, though. She kind of just sucks.

Jokes I missed before:
"Its good to have another combat veteran around here. I myself received a number of metals for defending that Montgomery Ward in Kuwait City."

Other great jokes:

Seriously, this is the best line read on the Simpsons EVER.
Like, if after that, you say "Marge isn't funny." go straight to Hell.

I love the reveal that Nelson reading the ingredients on a tomato paste can is his show and tell every week.

"I wager he has some variety of walking clock in that box."

"I knew the dog before he came to class."
Hipster Milhouse

"Remember the time you said Snagglepuss was outside?"
"He was going to the bathroom."

"It sounded so made up. I mean, yom-kip-pur."

Man, there are some killer line reads in this episode. "Yes. Yes we do."

"Class after class of ugly, ugly children."

"Excuse me, did you just call me a liar?"
"No, I said you're fired."
"Oh, that's much worse."

This whole scene is great. What... what does Leopold do, exactly. Is he just Chalmers' muscle?

It is unfortunate the last line brings home some of the baggage with the Apu character because this is such a great scene. Also worth noting, someone was smart enough to actually write a Billy and the Clonasaurus book. And it actually sounds kinda cool.'/

Hearing Skinner list monosyllabic detergents feels like an ASMR video Harry Shearer needs to make.

"I needed those, I really did."

"I dunno but I been told, the Parthenon is mighty old."
"How old?"
"We don't know."
"Well that's real good but it needs improvement."
*silence*

"Once he found out we were going to get Ned Flanders fired, he insisted on helping."
"That is true."
Again, solid weird line reads in the episode.

"Eh, he seems to know the student's names."
Hey, from experience, this is to be commended.

Other notes:
I love how Chalmers openly admits that he'd rather have a worse principal because he just doesn't like Skinner.
 

Octopus Prime

Mysterious Contraption
(He/Him)
Teg is right to praise you, Johnny.

Also, I have an enamel pin of “I Just Think They’re Neat” written over a potato.
 

Johnny Unusual

(He/Him)
The Boy Who Knew Too Much

As a kid, I was constantly afraid of getting in trouble. I still do, really. I believe Paul F. Tompkins has a bit where he confesses that despite being a grown man, his biggest fear is being "yelled at". I relate. So as a kid, I was always trying to be a good boy. I never drank, smoked, did drugs or skipped school. I kind of regret the last one. I feel we should all get one good skip, at the very least. Its OK to break the rules now and then. But I'm the kind of guy who gets worried about being penalized for tiny infractions. My most common nightmares are me realizing I missed an entire semester of a University class and that its too late to drop out of it. Now that I'm older, I know I shouldn't care so much about the rules but it seemed like the end of the world as a kid.

In this episode, Bart skips school after a demoralizing day at school. Principal Skinner tries to catch Bart and Bart ends up fleeting to the birthday of Freddie Quimby, Mayor Joe Quimby's obnoxious nephew. There, Bart is witness to a waiter sustaining terrible injuries. Freddie is blamed but Bart knows that Quimby is innocent. However, he doesn't want to get in trouble with Skinner and the case seems to be going well for Freddie due to classic Quimby graft. But when Quimby's antics endanger the case, Bart eventually is convinced to confess his own crime to reveal that the waiter was merely the victim of his own buffoonish incompetence.

Four Bart-centric episodes in a row and they are all gold. In this one, once more Bart has a crisis of conscience. It actually reminds me a lot of 12 Angry Men (which I'm surprised they didn't parody more in this episode). Both show that the law is dependent on good people to work within it, putting aside what is convenient and personal biases to make the right decision. In the case of 12 Angry Men, its about a room full of the average citizens slowly being convinced to examine the case and admit that there isn't enough to prove that the defense is guilty. In this case, Bart has an internal battle (with some help from Lisa), choosing between getting into trouble by helping a jerk or letting him get in trouble for a crime he didn't commit, even if he likely deserves the repercussions.

As usual, the show is comically cynical about our institutions and human nature makes a mockery of them. Ironically, the "correct side" almost wins thanks to grotesque corruption and Homer's own selfishness gumming up the wheels of justice. It handles this with classic playfulness but the point our court systems can be at the whims of pretty selfish people. But I feel like while the Simpsons has its mistrust of human nature and our systems, it is never misanthropic. The system can work better if we make the sacrifices to make it happen. I feel like the belief is people can be good and can make the system better, Of course, things can be a little more complicated than that but the heart of it, even the best systems require everyone to honor them beyond mere lip service has some merit.

Of course, while the whole episode is good, the first act is a series highlight with great bit after great bit. Starting with a myriad of ways school can feel repressive to Principal Skinner: Crime Fighter (complete with a crime lab out of Batman) to Skinner: terminator, there's a lot of golden stuff. But structurally it works well with what the episode becomes: Bart is frustrated with his prison-like confinement and finds himself being the only person who can save someone from real, actual jail time. I also feel like the scene where Homer and Bart pretend to be other people, caught up in their own fear of getting caught and unaware of the other person's fear. And the episode ends with Homer and though he's not integral to the story, it fits in well, as Homer is surrounded by the goods of his own crime, an opportunity given to him by the justice system.

Jokes I didn't get before:

I'm not sure but I think the "do you want to see a dead body" guys are a reference to specific villain characters from a Tom Sawyer/Huck Finn story. I think I saw it in... let's say, Wishbone?

Other great jokes:

I love Lincoln's incredibly nonchalant attitude.

Lisa being way too into interrogation bungling.
"Now you're the good cop!"

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"Oh my God, he's like some sort of... non-giving up... school guy."


"We were collecting canned goods for the starving people in... you know, one of them loser countries."

"He's also innocent of not being guilty."

I love that Homer needs "if" defined for him, that Skinner unblinkingly gives the answer and Homer understands it.

The narrator is really judgmental. Also, I love that apparently McGarnagle is trying to eat lunch in the Chief's office in the middle after presumably being suddenly called in.

I love how Marge's reactions imply that she worked really hard to repress this.

"Wait a minute, Bart. Make that... four months detention."
Harry Shearer knows exactly how long to stagger his words for maximum impact.

Other notes:

Apparently they worked really hard on the Skinner/Bart Westworld chase so its weird that there are two shots of Bart running taken from other episodes.

The look on the party goer's faces are perfect. They are humoring this jerk for political/social jockeying but their pained smiles say "I hope he doesn't wish me into the cornfield."

Small nice touch: when the show cuts to Kent Brockman, we just get the self introduction of "-ockman." Not even a joke, just a little flavor.

The Free Willy gag isn't bad but it feels VERY mid-90s

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This stenographer seems pretty unphased. EYES ON THE PRIZE, LADY!
 

Johnny Unusual

(He/Him)
Lady Bouvier's Lover

I'm not an "old" person, but as someone who is heading into middle age and still single, I do get worried about growing old alone. I haven't had much romantic experience and part of me is afraid if I do get into a relationship, my lack of wisdom and fear of being alone will make me get into some unhealthy relationship. I mean, my other worry is I'm too self-involved to be an involved partner. Regardless, I guess I fear in learning about love I may give and get some heartache along the way. People want to be together but sometimes people make bad choices for what feels like a good reason.

In this episode, the Simpsons and the Bouviers gather for Maggie's first birthday and Marge notices that Grandpa and Mrs. Bouvier get along pretty well. She decides to set them up and the two end up dating and Grandpa falls in love. But during one date, Mr. Burns arrives to sweep Mrs. Bouvier off of her feet with surprisingly slick dance moves. He too falls in love and proposes. Mrs. Bouvier accepts despite Marge's protests due to Mr. Burns being... just the worst. As Burns reveals his ugly side during the wedding, Grandpa interrupts in an attempt to win Mrs. Bouvier back. Realizing both are kind of bad options, she rejects both, which Grandpa takes as a win.

Grandpa is a character who is funny in his crankiness and weird stories but the show is usually pretty good at using the character to make a point about how the elderly are treated in our society. This one feels less societal, though, and more about loneliness in one's later years and the joys of finding love. As Homer once started, Grandpa is pretty love starved and when he realizes his feelings, he is desperate to jump into it as soon as possible. Mr. Burns, enters the scene and is equally genuinely elated by his love and also goes headlong into making it happen. Meanwhile, Mrs. Bouvier seems to like both of them on some level but her concerns prove to be practical. Grandpa has good qualities but she doesn't want to have to deal with his crankiness. Mr. Burns is the practical choice but it eventually becomes clear his money and charm doesn't forgive his shittiness. Instead, she comes to the conclusion that its OK to choose neither. Though Grandpa is the star of the episode, Mrs. Bouvier's journey might be the one that matters most, despite the fact that even the writers don't seem to want to bother remembering her first name (it's Jacqueline).

In the background is Marge and Waylon Smithers, both disapproving of a relationship. Smithers out of jealousy, of course, which makes him act uncharacteristically grumpy towards his boss. But while his journey makes for some jokes, it kind of ends there. Marge, however, is trying to play matchmaker so that two important people in her life can find happiness. Its a sweet gesture and Marge certainly doing a good thing in trying to make two lonely people less lonely. But I like that her mother finds that its OK not to be in a relationship, particularly ones she realizes aren't worth her time. She likes her potential suitors but she finds reasons she doesn't want to be with either. Perhaps, she could have learned to live with Grandpa's flaws but Mrs. Bouvier seems to know what she wants and she doesn't want to spend a relationship with Abe. Mr. Burns on the other hand seems like he's fun and can provide comfort. At this point, it feels like she assumes she has to be with someone. But seeing the two acting unseemly at the wedding, she can see that "neither" is a very good option.

The jokes about Grandpa courting Mrs. Bouvier is actually quite similar to "Old Money", in that the two are bonding over old people stuff. There's also a lot of film and literature references in this one, many I feel are flying all over my head. I get the Charlie Chaplin one but I only kind of know the Jimmy Durante one purely from being referenced in shows like this. But I also sense its referencing... Wuthering Heights? Is that the one where the woman ends up with the rich guy she doesn't love? Or did that happen a lot. If so, maybe this is the writers who read those books saying "choosing no one would have been a much better ending." Also some strong voice acting in this one. I keep forgetting how good Harry Shearer is. As Burns, he does great with his joy and his sinister quiet rage and as Smithers he's pouring surprising amounts of passion when reciting his love letter. Like, all the actors are good but while Hank and Dan read their joke lines impeccably, Harry is giving soulless monster Burns something... not with more nuance, per se, but with more... real-ish emotional modulation.

Jokes I missed before:
I kind of get the Hal Roach Apartments as a reference but I'm not sure what it is doing as a joke (save that Hal Roach was a director from the 30s)

Mrs. Bouvier's friends that her popularity with boys "drove crazy" are famous people with mental health problems. That's dark, man.

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I don't say this often, but I LOLed.

Other great jokes:
"You know it's funny, both your father and my mother seem pretty lonely."
"Hehehehehe, that is funny."

"Can I come, too?"

Why is everyone so quick to punch a child in the face?

"Oh, Monty, you're the devil himself."
"WHO TOLD YO- oh, hehehehe."


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Me energy.


"Compared to Mr. Burns, he's Judge freakin' Reinhold."

"...I don't know who that is."

Other notes:
Oh my God, the Simpsons play room gets another appearance. Will this be the last time?

Man, only two episodes and the baby with the one eyebrow (Gerald) already has another appearance.

Weird touch: after Maggie goes to bed, we see that no one touched the cake and the candle burnt itself out, melting all over the cake.

How many remember "I feel like chicken tonight." I feel like that's one that has drifted out of the collective consciousness of humanity.

I kind of wish I had my own cake to ruin.
 

Octopus Prime

Mysterious Contraption
(He/Him)
Not to sidetrack from Johnny’s write-ups but my own rewatch has reached the Danger Zone, ‘twixt Panda and Musk.

For one thing, there’s a lot more puerile humour that was never the shows strong suit to begin with and especially not here (Matt’s always been pretty firmly against that kind of thing) and also the Itchy & Scratchy cartoons have dialogue. Lots of it in some cases. That’s not a problem in and of itself, but it’s something I noticed and hate.
 

Johnny Unusual

(He/Him)
Not to sidetrack from Johnny’s write-ups
Don't worry about it. I post a lot but I certainly don't lay claim to the thread/its direction.

As for the puerile humour, yeah but its also a lot more meanspirited a lot of the time, which is how we get Jerkass Homer. I also feel that in the latter episodes, with the exception of some surprisingly strong ones (there are buried in there), the show is like a show where the episodes were probably written with strong thesis statements but become a disjointed mess after being put through the apparatus that gets each episode made.
 

Büge

Arm Candy
(she/her)
The B-plot from Lady Bouvier's Lover is pretty good too.

Bart: I'm going to keep the Mary Worth phone right here. Her stern but sensible face will remind me never to do anything so stupid again.
(it rings and Bart answers it)
Milhouse: Hey Bart, you want to go play with that X-ray machine in the abandoned hospital?
Bart: Sure!
 

Johnny Unusual

(He/Him)
I feel like if it wasn't in the writing, the storyboard artist knew what he was saying when he had the "arm drawn by nobody worth nothing" over comic book guy's arm...
 

Johnny Unusual

(He/Him)
The Secrets of a Successful Marriage

One of the things I like about teaching is that it tends to stroke my ego. Sure, it has its humbling moments but it means a lot that people trust me to help them grow and people are generally satisfied and sometimes ecstatic with the results. Its nice to be seen as being intelligent and someone who can be trusted. When I was in China, my employers noted that the parents and the kids were pretty enamored with me. There are times, though, when I hit a wall and I don't know how to teach something or properly answer a question that makes me feel foolish. I had several experiences in Korea where I had a lesson planned and didn't find a weakness until the class went into motion. Then you need to think fast.

In this episode, Homer feels a bit dumb so he decides to take an adult education course. After seeing people in his life also teaching, he decides to be a teacher himself in the only class he's qualified: How to Build a Successful Marriage. But once the course has begun, Homer realizes he doesn't know what to say. Instead, he ends up telling a personal anecdote that's less truly educational and more full of juicy personal details. The class loves it but when Marge finds out Homer's been sharing personal details, she tells him in no uncertain terms to stop. Homer tries to but is afraid of losing his class so he shares more. When Marge finds out, she kicks Homer out of the house. With Homer finding his marriage in the most dire straights its ever been in, Homer must rediscover what made his own marriage successful.

That secret turns out to be less inspiring and more damning. Its that Homer is completely dependent on his wife to live. Marge rightly points out that's actually pretty bad but Homer won't relent, feeling that this dynamic brings them together. The show decides to let this be a happy ending and that Marge is kind of OK with this as long as Homer can respect Marge's desire for privacy. The irony is the secret to a "successful" marriage might not be the same as the secret to a healthy relationship. That's not to say their marriage is completely toxic or anything. Marge and Homer do love each other and Homer is capable of making grand gestures which tend to come from genuine places. If the rubric of a successful marriage is simply that it doesn't end, they are doing fine. But there are problems at the core that are sadly never going to get resolved. I wouldn't call the episode "dark" but it is telling that when Homer is to do soul searching and really learn the very lesson he's supposed to be teaching, what he comes away with is somehow accurate but deeply worrying.

The classroom half of the plot is also pretty strong. Homer is a man who is only reflective when pushed to the edge, so in the classroom, it becomes clear how little introspection he's put into his own marriage. Starved for respect, Homer begins spilling some beans to keep people in the class. The students are pretty happy sidelining their own education for things they can gossip about and Homer gets to feel smart. Everyone gets a good feeling but no one gets anything of any important value. The students seem to know this but at this point, its like "well, we aren't getting an education but we might as well get something." I can relate to that good feeling of people really into what you are saying but Homer never considered the lesson of his own marriage so he has nothing to teach, as demonstrated by the first awkward minutes of the class.

Its clear the writers love Homer, Marge and their marriage but they also want to be critical of them. Obviously, the episode invents a problem for them but much like The War of the Simpsons (the catfish episode), its clear the writers know that the event they created is just a way to bring their marital issues to the forefront. In that episode, its about Homer's thoughtless selfishness (he can be selfless but only when someone bothers to bring it to his attention). In this episode, that's a part to be sure but Homer's inability to function without Marge is damning not only in his limitations but also in the way their relationship is structured. Homer recognizing that is actually a pretty good thing but the problem is that he seems interested in getting things back to the status quo, where the problem lies, and treats it as a happy ending. Still, I am happy for them but it makes for kind of a weird ending.

Jokes I Missed Before:

The title having "of" instead of "to".

Other great jokes:

"Every time I learn something new it pushes some old stuff out of my brain. Remember that time I took that home wine making course and I forgot how to drive?"
"That's because you were drunk."
"And how."


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I love that the Adult Education guy is quick to come to the defense of I Can't Believe It's Not Butter.

"I didn't know we could do that."


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(Apparently Scott Aukerman was a writer on an awards show and wanted every presenter who comes up to use a "Webster's defines" line. I approve)

"I can't believe I paid $10,000 for this course. What the heck was that lab fee for?"

"Is any of this gonna be on the test because I wasn't paying attention."

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"Oh, your flesh mother used to bring me pudding."

Other notes:

Why are all the single people in town taking a course on marriage. It feels like EVERYONE is skipping at least one step here. Its not secrets of a successful relationship and it doesn't seem like that's what Homer is expected to teach.

Kind of down with pro-divorce/anti-bible Reverend Lovejoy.
 
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