Miracle on Evergreen Terrace
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| The Simpsons episode | |
| "Miracle on Evergreen Terrace" | |
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| Episode no. | 188 |
| Prod. code | 5F07 |
| Orig. Airdate | December 21, 1997 |
| Writer(s) | Ron Hauge |
| Director | Bob Anderson |
| Chalkboard | "Rudolph's red nose is not alcohol-related" |
| Couch gag | Somebody shakes up a snow globe, which contains the Simpsons sitting on a couch |
| Guest star(s) | Alex Trebek |
| SNPP capsule | |
| Season 9 September 21, 1997 – May 17, 1998 |
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| List of all Simpsons episodes... | |
"Miracle on Evergreen Terrace" is the 10th episode of The Simpsons' ninth season. This episode is the third Christmas-related story in the series' history.
Contents |
[edit] Synopsis
Homer and Marge go Christmas shopping at the Try-N-Save, where frenzied shoppers are quickly snatching the holiday season's most popular toys. Homer, posing as a store cashier, announces the opening of a new check-out lane, where he manages to sneak away with several toys for his children.
At home, the family makes its last-minute Christmas preparations. At bedtime on Christmas eve, Marge tells everyone no one may open presents until 7 a.m. ... and just to make sure there's no cheating or unfair advantage, she's confiscated all of the alarm clocks.
However, Bart has drunk 12 glasses of water, hoping he'll have to wake up to use the bathroom and thus get an early look at his presents. Sure enough, he awakes at 5:04 a.m. and - after a quick visit to the bathroom - unwraps his gifts. One of those presents is the coveted Inferno Buster 3000, a remote-controlled fire truck. Bart has fun playing with the truck, until an accident causes it to catch on fire. The flames immediately engulf the plastic Christmas tree and all of the presents beneath it. Bart manages to extinguish the fire before it spreads, and hides the burned evidence outside beneath some snow.
When the family comes downstairs at the appointed 7 a.m., Bart lies to them. He makes up a story about how he caught a burglary in process, and the suspect made off with the tree and all of the family's presents. The police investigate, and Kent Brockman decides to do a human interest story on what he believes is the Simpsons' yuletide misfortune.
As a result of Brockman's report, everyone in Springfield shows their community spirit by giving them a new Christmas tree ... and $15,000. With the donations, Homer buys a new car, which he promptly drives into a lake, causing the car to blow up.
The next morning, Bart's conscience finally gets to him. He admits the truth ... there was no burglar. He caused an accident that resulted in a fire that destroyed his tree and all of the presents. The rest of the family is outraged and begin choking Bart, until Brockman and the Channel 6 news crew conveniently arrive to do a follow-up story. Homer slaps on a plastic smile and tells the "burglar" that he will be caught, but the story quickly unravels when a cameraman finds the burned remains of the Christmas tree. The family is forced to explain, but it's too little, too late for irate viewers, who feel they have been scammed.
It isn't long before the Simpsons are treated like outcasts, with huge sacks of hate mail arriving each day and people throwing rotten food at their home.
Marge decides the only alternative is to pay the people back in full, so she becomes a contestant on Jeopardy!; however, Marge does very poorly, to say the least. Eventually, everyone in Springfield decides to forgive the Simpsons' lies... in return for the pleasure of looting the Simpsons' house out of everything - and that means everything ... save for a tattered washcloth, which the family playfully fights over.
[edit] Cultural References
- Miracle on 34th Street – The episode title is a play on the Christmas film.
- "Jeopardy!" – Alex Trebek's comment that Marge owed the show $5,200 (based on her negative $5,200 score, which cannot happen in real life on the show) is a spoof of criticism concerning Trebek's sometimes stern rules enforcement of shows he hosted, particularly during the early years of "Jeopardy!" Marge's poor performance is akin to "Weird Al" Yankovic's ineptitude in the music video, "I Lost on Jeopardy!"
- It's a Wonderful Life - the scene where everyone rallies around to support the Simpsons is reminiscent of the last scene of the classic holiday movie.
[edit] Bart's dream
The tap drips, and Bart - riding a raft down a stream - sees the following things in his dream:
- Several waterfalls.
- An elephant spouting water.
- An oscillating sprinkler.
- Thunder and lightning.
- Firemen with hoses, sprinkling.
- Voices of cheerleaders shouting: "Go! Go! Go! We're number one! Give me a P! P!" This causes Bart to awaken with a full bladder.
[edit] Trivia
- Chief Wiggum has a Life in Hell doll.
[edit] Quotes
- Homer (as Lisa strangles Bart): Lisa! No! Your hands are too weak! (puts all his strength around Bart's neck)
- Homer: Well, they've taken everything from us...except this washcloth.
Bart: Hey! That's my washcloth!
Homer: The hell it is!
(Homer, Bart, and Lisa begin arguing over the washcloth)
Marge: People, please! It's just a washcloth! Besides, it's mine. Yoink! - Alex Trebek: Aren't we forgetting something, Marge? You were down fifty-two hundred dollars.
Marge: But Mr. Trebek...
Trebek: I asked before the show if you knew the rules and you said you did. (snaps his fingers) Judges? (two hitmen appear)
Lisa: Run Mom! - Moe: You know what I blame this on the breakdown of? Society.
