The Front (The Simpsons)
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"The Front" is the 19th episode of The Simpsons
Synopsis
Bart and Lisa watch a terrible episode of The Itchy & Scratchy Show and decide they can write a better one themselves. Inspired by the sight of Homer accidentally cutting Marge's hair with hedge shears, they write "Little Barbershop of Horrors", but the episode is rejected by Roger Meyers, President of Itchy & Scratchy International. They resubmit the manuscript under the name of Abraham Simpson. As a result, Grampa is given a job as staff writer.
Later, at a ceremony called the "Annual Cartoon Awards", Grampa is recognised for outstanding writing in a cartoon series. After watching the clip shown to introduce the award – apparently the first time he has seen the show – Grampa is appalled, and directs his acceptance speech as an assault against the cartoon and against the audience attending the ceremony.
Meanwhile, Homer and Marge are invited to their "Class of 1974" High School reunion, prompting Homer to admit that he never graduated. At the reunion, Homer receives numerous awards (almost all of them of a dubious or negative nature), including Most Improved Odor, but when Principal Dondelinger reveals that Homer never graduated these awards are revoked. Homer takes an evening class in Remedial Science 1A (the class he failed) in determination to win them back.
The episode ends with an apparently unrelated segment entitled The Adventures of Ned Flanders, with its own memorable theme tune: "Hens love roosters and geese love ganders, everyone else loves Ned Flanders".
Trivia
- Bill Oakley and Josh Weinstein have said that the Ned Flanders short in this episode inspired them to come up with the idea for Season 7's 22 Short Films About Springfield.
- The writers and animators for Itchy and Scratchy (particularly the Harvard graduate who got fired) are all based on real Simpsons writers and animators. The Harvard graduate who got fired is Jon Vitti.
- The "Everyone Loves Ned Flanders" piece was done to fill up time when it was revealed that the episode was running short.
- The credits include for Itchy and Scratchy episode: "Little Barbershop of Horrors":
- *Assistant to Mr. Itchy: DEE CAPPELLI
- *Assistant to Mr. Scratchy: JACQUELINE AKTINS
- *Scratchy's Wardrobe Provided by: BOTANY 500
- *for a transcript of this episode, send $25 to this station.
- *The closing logo for Itchy & Scratchy Productions parodied the Stephen J. Cannell Productions logo.
- Strong-Dar: Master of Akom (one of the nominees) was a spoof of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe. Also, "Master of Akom" was a reference to the Korean animation studio AKOM (who did the animation for this episode).
- According to the DVD commentary for this episode, the "CLIP NOT READY" shown for Ren and Stimpy: Season Premiere was made as a knock on John Kricfalusi. Ironically, the show had a guest appearance on the episode Brother from the Same Planet.
- At the end of the episode Bart says he'll never watch an award show again unless Billy Crystal is on. Billy Crystal has hosted 8 Academy Awards, including 4 since this episode aired.
Quotes
- Bobby Mindix (the former class clown): "First, the award for the alumnus who's gained the most weight: Homer Simpson."
Homer: "Oh my God!"
Mindix: "How'd you do it Homer?"
Homer: "I discovered a meal between breakfast and brunch."
- Homer: "All right brain, you don't like me, and I don't like you. But let's just get me through this, and I can get back to killing you with beer."
Homer's brain: "It's a deal!"
- Lisa: Look, there's only one reasonable way to settle this. Rock-paper-scissors.
Lisa's brain: Poor predictable Bart. Always takes 'rock'.
Bart's brain: Good ol' 'rock'. Nothin' beats that!
Bart: Rock!
Lisa: Paper.
Bart: D'oh!
- Grandpa Simpson (typing a letter on the typewriter): "Dear Mr. President, there are too many states nowadays. Please eliminate three. P.S. I am not a crackpot."
- Homer's brain: This is it, Homer. It's time to tell her the terrible secret from your past.
Homer: Marge I ate those fancy soaps you bought for the bathroom.
Marge: Oh, my God!
Homer's brain: No, the other secret!
Homer: Marge, I never graduated from High School.
Marge: Well that still doesn't explain why you ate my soap. Wait, maybe it does.
- Dondelinger: Now i'm going to burn this donut to show you how many calories it has.
Homer: NOOOOOOOOOOO!
Dondelinger: The bright blue flame indicates this was a particularly sweet donut.
Homer: This is not happening!
- Dondelinger: Alright here are your exams, fifty questions true or false.
Homer: True.
Dondelinger: Homer I was just describing the test.
Homer: True.
Dondelinger: Look Homer just take the test and you'll do fine.
Homer: False.
- Song: Hens love roosters and geese love ganders, everyone else loves Ned Flanders!
Homer: Not me!
Song: Everyone who counts loves Ned Flanders!
(We then see a title card that says "Love That God".)
Ned: Knock that off you two it's time for church!
Rod: We're not going to church today!
Ned: What? You give me one good reason!
Todd: It's Saturday.
Ned: Oakily doakily-doo!
Song: Hens love roosters and geese love ganders, everyone else loves Ned Flanders!
- Lisa: It's so sad that Krusty is ashamed of his roots.
Homer walks in the living room with a plunger on his head
Homer: Marge, it happened again!
Bart: What are you going to change your name to when you grow up?
Lisa: Lois Sandborne.
Bart: Steve Bennett.
External links
- ["The Front"] episode capsule at The Simpsons Archive
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