Quote of the Day

♫”Theme from a Summer Place
From a Summer Place
The Theme
From a Summer Place
It’s the Theme…”♫

“Next!” – Homer Simpson, Principal Skinner, Apu de Beaumarchais

Quote of the Day

“A lot of people know about the grotto and the game room.” – Hugh Hefner
“Of course.” – Bart Simpson
“But few know about the laboratory, the biosphere, the alternative energy research center.” – Hugh Hefner
“Fascinating.” – Bart Simpson

So long, Hugh Hefner.

Quote of the Day

 

“Superintendent Chalmers, can I offer a cup of coffee flavored Beverine?” – Mrs. Krabappel
“I take it grey, with creamium.” – Superintendent Chalmers

Quote of the Day

“Eggs, precious eggs. If they’re to survive, they require the gentle warmth and tender love that only a mother can provide. Or, better yet, a seventy-five watt bulb.” – Troy McClure

Quote of the Day

“Homey, put down your magazine for a minute.” – Marge Simpson
“Huh?” – Homer Simpson
“I thought you might want to snuggle.” – Marge Simpson
“That reminds me . . . Seven Ways to Spice Up Your Marriage . . . Marge, you have a nice body. And if you’d like to see me in a costume, you have only to ask.” – Homer Simpson

Quote of the Day

“So if you kind of mentally snip out the part where I already had a husband, that’s my idea of romance.” – Marge Simpson

Bonus Quote of the Day

“Hello, I’m Troy McClure. You may remember me from such movies as ‘Cry Yuma!’ and ‘Here Comes the Coast Guard!’ But today I’d like to talk to you about a pleasant tasting candy that actually cleans and straightens your teeth.” – Troy McClure

Phil Hartman would’ve been sixty-nine today. (Nice.) Happy birthday. 

Quote of the Day

“At last the world is safe, eh, Fallout Boy?” – Lunchlady Doris
“What’s for lunch tomorrow?” – Ralph Wiggum
“Next.” – Big Shot Hollywood Director

Happy birthday, Brad Bird! 

Saturday Morning Cartoons

“Mr. Speaker, if I could call your attention to the retroactive subsidy appropriations override bill, I refer you to page four thousand five hundred and…” – Cable

I’ve often said that it’s the little things that are what makes The Simpsons endlessly rewatchable. Case in point is the houseplant above, which I did not notice for years and years. The first time we see it is when Marge carries it into the house right before Homer announces to his family that they’ve now got cable. From there it gets set next to the couch as an unobtrusive background gag that also demonstrates just how in love with cable Homer truly is.

The plant isn’t asked to eat any time or advance the plot. The show never calls any attention to it. The whole time it’s there growing and withering, we’re getting all the cable parodies about Mexican wrestling, the World Series of Cockfighting,* and movies that receive two stars or less and are repeated ad nauseam. By the time Homer literally peels himself off the couch to go to church, it’s crumpled and dead.

(*Incidentally, this is another example of how exquisitely tuned the show’s cultural antennae were. The World Series of Cockfighting is “live from New Orleans” where they’re gonna have “big fun on the bayou tonight”. Louisiana was, indeed, the last state to ban cockfighting . . . in 2008.)

In the grand scheme of this episode, it’s as minor as minor touches get. “Homer vs. Lisa and the Eighth Commandment” is chockablock with parodies and/or gag titles about a dozen different movies, the then new format of infomercials, kids wanting to watch porn, the ridiculousness of boxing, and about a hundred other things. In another running background joke, Jimbo manages to shoplift his way through a satirical morality tale about theft. Like him, the plant is never going to be anyone’s favorite part of this one, but it’s there waiting for people to find it on the Nth time they view it.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got some things to do before I spent much of my afternoon streaming college football on someone else’s cable log-in.

Quote of the Day

“Alright you balls of pan drippings, I want to see Crisco coming out of those pores! We’re not leaving until this Christmas ham gives me a pull-up!” – Imagine Enhancement Camp Counselor

Quote of the Day

“I don’t see why all this is necessary.” – Patty Bouvier
“C’mon, Patty, you don’t want to show up for your big date looking like Yosemite Sam.” – Marge Simpson

Quote of the Day

“How do you find the defendant?” – Kickin’ It Judge
“He’s guilty of mayhem, exposure indecent!” – First Juror
“Freak out behavior, both chronic and recent!” – Second Juror
“Drinking and driving, narcotics possession!” – Jury
“And that’s just page one of his ten page confession.” – Third Juror
“I should put you away where you can’t kill or maim us, but this is L.A., and you’re rich and famous!” – Kickin’ It Judge

Happy 20th Anniversary to “The City of New York vs. Homer Simpson”

Quote of the Day

“Now, behind that door is Edison’s actual preserved brain. Ordinarily, folks, tour groups are not allowed to see it. And, of course, today will be no exception.” – Edison Museum Tour Guide

Quote of the Day

“Your father really needs your help. You don’t want him to get a lobotomy, do you?” – Leon Kompowsky
“Hmm, lobotomy…” – Bart’s Brain
“That’s alright, son.” – Lobotomy Homer
“Well, there’s probably a downside I don’t see.” – Bart Simpson

Quote of the Day

“Forty-eight, forty-nine, fifty. Flag’s up to date, very good, Seymour.” – Superintendent Chalmers

Happy birthday David Mirkin!

Quote of the Day

“Slow down! Sidewalk’s for regular walkin’. Not for fancy walkin’.” – Jasper

Quote of the Day

“Aw, we shoulda just stayed at the bar and shot some rats.” – Barney Gumble
“Hey! Those ain’t your rats, Barn.” – Moe

Quote of the Day

“Now let’s take a look at a young Charles Bronson’s brief stint replacing Andy Griffith on The Andy Griffith Show.” – Before They Were Famous Host
“Where’s Otis? He’s not in his cell.” – Not Don Knotts
“I shot him.” – Charles Bronson
“Well, that’s-what!?” – Not Don Knotts
“Now I’m going down to Emmett’s Fix It Shop to fix Emmett.” – Charles Bronson

Happy birthday, Mike Reiss! 

Quote of the Day

“Here, honey, you can have the junk mail.” – Marge Simpson
“Gas your termites, freeze your termites, zap your termites, save the termites.” – Bart Simpson

Quote of the Day

“I must’ve spent our last ten dollars on this Al Gore doll.” – Martin Prince
“You are hearing me talk.” – Al Gore Doll