Bart to the Future
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Bart to the Future is the 17th episode of The Simpsons' 11th season.
Synopsis
The Simpsons are going to a park, but when they arrive, they find that mosquitos have gone crazy and have taken over. While driving back, they find an Indian casino and stop by. Bart tries to sneak in, but is caught by the casino's manager. To teach Bart a lesson, he gives Bart a glimpse of himself in the year 2030. Due to the timeless nature of the Simpsons however, it should be noted that exact dates for the future (and past) episodes is not set in stone. Also...as this is a glimpse into the future...this depiction may or may not be held as canon. This is evidenced further by some gaping inconsistencies with other future depictions.
In the year 2030:
- Bart himself is apparently going through an awkward period of his life. With no stable job such as his demolition job, or his hinted ultimate profession of Chief Justice, he is very much adrift.
- Bart apparently becomes good (or possibly best) friends with Ralph Wiggum. Although Ralph appears to frequently get a little agitated by Bart's current (as of that time) flakey and unhelpful nature, he seems to show a lot of patience towards him...apparently sticking with him even after he swears the end to their friendship.
- Bart lives with Ralph and they have an unsuccessful band, the Tequila Mockingbirds (a play on To Kill a Mockingbird). Bart also dropped out of the DeVry University.
- Ralph is himself turning out to be a bit different than his child self. He ironically seems quite down to earth and a bit more focused, as he pretty much single handedly supports both himself and Bart as of the beginning of the episode...with little to no help from him in return. Ralph has also grown a full head of light brown hair (and sporting a rather nice haircut to boot). Despite this more mature Ralph, occasional hints of his childhood stupidity slip out from time to time. Ralph's profession is never mentioned so it is unknown if he pursues a career in entertainment as hinted at in Lisa's Wedding.
- Lisa Simpson is elected president of the United States and apparently remains unmarried.
- The United States has previously had at least one female president (see below); Lisa is only the first heterosexual female president.
- Milhouse, who now looks exactly like his father bar the voice, is a secretary for Lisa (and still in love with her). Interestingly, his reaction to Bart is nonexistent...hinting that perhaps the two have had a falling-out.
- Kearney works for the Secret Service, and is Lisa's bodyguard.
- Nelson owns a nightclub and has Willie as his technical supervisor. Nelson's look is an homage and reference to Biff Tannen from Back to the Future Part II
- Lenny and Carl still frequently go to Moe's Tavern, but Barney doesn't; he is instead a patron of Nelson's club.
- Donald Trump was president.
- Ned Flanders is blind from laser eye surgery.
- Maggie has a daughter, Maggie Junior, who looks just like her when she was a baby.
- Homer has a robotic prostate and now has only one hair.
- Soylent Green is on the market (and now has more girls!). [See Futurama]
- "Smell you later" replaced "good-bye" in all social situations.
- There was a nuclear war between India and Pakistan.
- Krusty the Klown is in a wheelchair (but is apparently still able to walk).
- The extra bedroom Homer built on the Simpsons' house in Lisa's Wedding is still there.
- Rod and Todd are gay.
- Alan Greenspan is in Lisa's cabinet.
- The United States is completely bankrupt and completely relies on foreign aid from Europe and China
- Helen Thomas is still in the presidential press corps.
- Chastity Bono ran for president against Lisa, presumably for a non-consecutive second term
- The ocean needs refilling.
- Kent Brockman is now an anchor for BrainVision News, a fictional news service projected directly into the minds of people. His catchphrase for the show is "From around the globe to your frontal lobe."
- Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington D.C. has liquor stores and adult bookstores right next to the White House.
- America is in the midst of a massive crime wave. A well-balanced breakfast program created a generation of ultra-strong super-criminals; midnight basketball taught them how to function without sleep.
- Maggie Simpson is an astronaut.
Quotes
- Ralph Wiggum: Smell ya later, Bart! Smell ya later forever!
- Bart: I can't believe "Smell ya later" replaced "Goodbye."
- (at Nelson's nightclub, Willie creates a force field to protect Bart and the Tequilla Mockingbirds. It begins to buckle.)
Willie (a'la Scotty): We need more power! The shield won't hold much longer! - Chinese Ambassador: You pay now! Now!
Bart: What happened to you, China? You used to be cool.
Ambassador: Hey, China still cool. You pay later. Later! - Marge: So, how was everyone's day?
President Simpson: Appointed a Supreme Court justice.
Bart: Bewitched marathon.
Homer: Searched for Lincoln's gold.
Lisa: Dad, that's just a myth. Lincoln didn't bury any gold in the White House.
Homer: If that's true, then what is his ghost protecting? - Homer: ... fourscore four, fourscore five, fourscore six, fourscore and seven paces. [swings the pickaxe into the floor]
Marge: Wait! How do you know this is where Lincoln buried the gold. You just started counting from an arbitrary place.
Homer: I just started what from a what?
Marge: Your plan makes no sense.
Homer: Gold bars discovered by Marge, zero. Gold bars discovered by Homer, well, let's just see. [swings axe again, and some of the floor gives way. Through the hole, we can see Lisa in her office, startled by the ceiling caving in near her] Whoops! Sorry, honey.
Marge: Gold bars discovered by Homer?
Homer: Shut up. - Homer (after discovering Lincoln really didn't bury any gold): THAT LYIN', RAIL SPLITTIN', THEATER GOIN' FREAK!!!
- Ralph (disembarking from Marine One): I fell out two times!
- Milhouse: Well, if you just want to out-and-out lie... okay, we could call it a "temporary refund adjustment."
Lisa: I love it.
Milhouse: Really? What else do you love, Lisa?
Lisa: Fiscal solvency.
Milhouse (heartbroken): Uh, me too. - Bart: Help me get this done, then I promise we can all look through Bill Clinton's porno stash. (Bart's friends then go over to Clinton's porn)
- Lisa: You're too much, Bart. That's why I'm appointing you Secretary of Keeping it Real.
- Homer: Oh, what a bleak and horrible future we live in!
Bart: Don't you mean "present?"
Homer: Right, right. Present. - Bart: What happened to you Lisa? You used to be cool.
Lisa: No I didn't. - Lisa (after Bart tells the delegates to go home for their money): Thanks, Bart. You bought us some time. How can I repay you?
Bart: Legalize it.
Lisa (confused): Legalize what? (Bart nods) Oh, right. Consider it done. - Bart: Why did a story about me involve a story with Homer and Lincoln's gold?
Chief: I guess the spirits thought the original story was a little flawed.
Trivia
- This is the second of (to date) three future-themed episodes. The first was "Lisa's Wedding" in the 6th season, and "Future-Drama" in the 16th.
- The February 7, 2003 issue of Entertainment Weekly listed this as the worst episode of all time.
- In the trailers for the episode, Maggie Simpson is shown as an astronaut on the moon with an air hose that she sucks on like a pacifier. However, there was no sign of this scene in the aired episode.
- Another scene where Bart plays with a frisbee outside the White House is often deleted from television broadcasts of the episode, although it has been known to occasionally be kept in certain broadcasts.
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