The Ziff Who Came to Dinner
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"The Ziff Who Came to Dinner" is the fourteenth episode of The Simpsons' fifteenth season. The episode aired on March 14, 2004.
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[edit] Synopsis
Homer takes Bart and Lisa to a movie and he has to bring the Flanders family children with him, because Ned has taken the senior citizens for ice cream to celebrate the birthday of Jasper. However, at the theatre, every kid-friendly movie is sold out, and after listening to Lenny mention he had a small part in the horror movie The Redeadening (a Village of the Damned parody) as a gardener, Homer takes the kids to see the movie. The movie is very scary, causing it to scare Bart and Lisa at home, who think they hear noises from the attic. But when they look in the attic to see it, their fears scare them away. When Bart and Lisa arrange to have Homer and Marge look in the attic, they discover Artie Ziff living there.
Artie Ziff explains that he was living in the attic because he ran an unsuccessful Internet business, Ziffcorp (an Enron parody), and lost all his money after spending it on many extravagant items. He said he came to the family house because he thought Marge was the closest thing to him. Artie says he wants to stay in the Simpson house until he gets back on his feet, as long as he promises to be on his best behavior. Artie arranges to stay in the Simpson house and his first activity there is to read to Lisa from The Corrections. After Marge watches the news and hears that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is looking for Artie Ziff and Artie tries to commit suicide Homer takes him to Moe's Tavern. Artie is playing poker with Homer and his friends, Homer wins 98% of his company's outstanding stock. The SEC sweeps in to arrest Ziff, but Homer says he owns 230 million shares of Ziffcorp, making him the majority stockholder. To protect himself, he also blames Homer. Homer is taken into SEC custody, and placed on trial.
When Homer is on trial, Marge blames Artie for Homer being likely to go to prison. She also suggests that no one likes Artie for one reason: he only thinks of himself. Homer is eventually found guilty and sentenced to death by firing squad. Visiting Moe's Tavern, Artie encounters Patty and Selma, and Selma comes to take Artie to her apartment after he mentions putting Homer in prison. As they spend the night together, Artie makes a plan to turn over his corporate books in order to admit he is the real crook. Ziff turns himself in, and Homer is released from prison. The family takes one last look at their "Uncle Artie", who uses a squirt bottle to put out the prisoners' cigarettes, much to their anger.
[edit] Goofs
- Ziff explains that he lost all of his money in the late 90's. However, he was still rich when the Simpsons dealt with him in the episode Half-Decent Proposal, which was in 2002.
- When Homer takes the kids to the movie theatre, Rod and Todd Flanders are clearly sitting in the front row but in other shots, you can see chairs in front of them.
- Barney's hair is messy during the card game, butafter the SEC bursts into Moe's to arrest Artie, it's neatly combed and styled (his "I'm sober" look). Also, there's a beer near him, but he didn't start drinking again until later in the season.
- When the SEC barge in, one of the men loads his M16 by pulling back on a slide on the right side. However, there is no slide there, as the M16's loading slide is located in the rear of the weapon just behind the iron sight.
- After Homer Simpson lays his cards on the table, all the cards are put together without their pictures.
[edit] Cultural references
- The name of this episode is a reference to the classic comedy The Man Who Came to Dinner.
- The opening scene is a spoof of the famous short film Powers of Ten, going from 1026 to 10-18 to Homer's head.
- The movie The Redeadening is a Village of the Damned parody. Furthermore, the idea of a doll possessed by a murderer is the premise of the movie Child's Play. Village of the Damned is also parodied in Wild Barts Can't Be Broken as The Bloodening.
- The sounds Lisa hears from the attic are very similar to the "gollum" sound that Gollum makes.
- The scene where Lisa cries while talking into the video camera is taken from The Blair Witch Project.
- Initially, the children wanted to go see a movie "based on a cartoon family you can see for free on TV". This is a reference to the upcoming The Simpsons Movie.
- When the family visits him in prison, the song Homer sings is based on "Turn Around" by Malvina Reynolds.
- Homer takes Artie to Moe's, where he meets Aristotle Amadopolis, Llewelyn Sinclair, Jay Sherman, and Professor Lombardo. Like Ziff, all these characters are voiced by Jon Lovitz.
- Homer wants his friends to hide the fact he's going to jail from his family by pretending he joined the Blue Man Group (he's the fat one).
[edit] Quotes
- Homer (singing to Bart with sadness): Turn around, turn around, turn around and you're a young man... and you're... too... big... to... choke! (*cries*)
- Marge: Do you know why people hate you?
Artie: Anti-Semitism?
Marge: No, it's because you only think of yourself.
Artie Ziff: Marge, I think about a lot more than just moi. (he imagines seeing can-can dancers who all look like Artie singing, in a can-can tune, "Artie! Artie! Artie! Artie!", and sees mustached spectators who look like Artie clap saying "Ziff Ziff Ziff Ziff".)
Artie: Oh, my God. She's right. - (Homer takes Artie to Moe's, where he meets Aristotle Amadopolis, Llewelyn Sinclair, Jay Sherman, and Professor Lombardo—all characters Jon Lovitz voiced on the show—sitting in the bar.)
Homer: Guys, I'd like you to meet Artie Ziff.
Lovitz characters: Hello, handsome!
Artie Ziff: Hello. (to himself) Losers. - Artie: Doesn't your father ever read to you?
Lisa: He tried once, but he got confused and thought the book was real. He's still searching for that chocolate factory. It consumes him. - Moe: Hey, how can you arrest Homer? Ziff's the guy who done the thing what why you're here for!
- Homer: (while being dragged away by the SEC) Don't tell my family I'm going to jail! Tell them I joined the Blue Man Group! I'M THE FAT ONE!!
- Homer: Refuse to answer on the grounds that I what?!?
Lawyer: (whispers to Homer)
Homer: Inseminate myself? Dude, I think this guy's coming onto me.
Lawyer: You, sir, are a moron!
Homer: A Mormon? But I'm from earth! - Lisa: (talking into camera) Both of us heard strange noises coming from this very spot. Bart and I will explore the attic until we find their source. (creaking; laughs nervously) Hee, hee, must be the pipes. What do you think, Bart?
Bart: I think you're on your own, toots. (leaves)
Lisa: Okay, I'll just stay calm and approach this scientifically. (more creaking) Oh God, oh God, oh God. (crying) If I don't make it out alive, I love you, Mom and Dad. Maggie, you can have my books. And Bart, I'll see you in hell, you booger-eating wuss! That's right, we all know! (steps on something) Aah! Bones! (runs off, then comes back) Copyright, Pink Pony Productions! Visit us on the web at "Lisathemovie.com"! (screams and runs off)
