The Front (The Simpsons episode)
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"The Front" is the 19th episode of The Simpsons ' fourth season. The title references the Front, the Woody Allen movie of the same name.
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[edit] 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 recognized 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 because he failed a science class. 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, geese love ganders, everyone else loves Ned Flanders".
[edit] Deleted Scenes
The following scenes were cut and can be viewed on the DVD as a bonus feature:
- Roger Myers types a rejection letter for Bart and Lisa, saying they are too young to be writers. Lisa is then seen reading the letter, saying, "I know what that word is, but what's Shinola?" (a reference to the insulting putdown, "you don't know shit from Shinola.")
- An alternate scene of Homer vowing to retake his science course. He relates his problem to a movie about a skier that falls off the mountain. Marge tells him to get to the point. Homer vows to ski, and then changes it.
- After telling Grandpa about the source of the cheques, Grandpa says, "So that's why they were so nice at Richy and Cathy's." Bart corrects him.
- There was originally a longer version of the tour Roger Meyers gives to Bart and Lisa. It contained a stop at the art department, where they see a dozen sketchers observing a cat and trying to design it. One of them puts a stick of dynamite into his mouth and lights it. As Meyers, Lisa, and Bart walk out of the room, a large explosion can be heard. According to the audio commentary, it was cut out to please the censors, before the episode aired.
- A brief scene of Bart and Lisa at work at the next Itchy and Scratchy episode, while Grandpa tries to direct them into what he wants for the episode. They eventually tell him to shut up and he does.
- After confessing that he didn't like the episode, he goes back stage to find Roger Meyers waiting for him there to fire him. Grampa exclaims, "I DON'T NEED YOUR MONEY!" After a beat, he comes back to him asking for a nickel for a trolley ride.
[edit] Trivia
- Homer's Trophies:
- Most weight gained
- Most improved odor
- Lowest paying job
- Most hair lost
- Oldest car
- Person who traveled the least distance to come to the reunion
- 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 based on Jon Vitti.
- The "Everyone Loves Ned Flanders" piece was done to fill up time when it was discovered 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.
- According to the DVD commentary for this episode, the "CLIP NOT DONE YET" shown for Ren and Stimpy: Season Premiere was made as a knock on John Kricfalusi's notorious habit of procrastination, who also took shots at the animation and writing of The Simpsons. The show did have a guest appearance on the episode Brother from the Same Planet.
- During the "Everyone Loves Ned Flanders" segment, you can hear a crew member talk in the background, straight after Todd Flanders says "We're not going to church today".
- Impressions by class clown Bobby Mindix include Flo (Polly Holliday) saying her catchphrase "Kiss my grits!" from the sitcom Alice, Richard Nixon, Ed Sullivan, Howard Cosell, and Jimmie "JJ" Walker (shouting his catchphrase, "Dyn-O-Mite!!")
- Artie Ziff makes his second of four appearances, but is not voiced by Jon Lovitz, as in his previous one and later two. This episode also establishes that he has become extremely wealthy but still pines for Marge.
- Lisa reads a book entitled "How To Get Rich Writing Cartoons" By John Swartzwelder. John Swartzwelder is a writer for The Simpsons.
[edit] Cultural references
- The title "Little Barbershop of Horrors" is a reference to the movie Little Shop of Horrors, as well as the stage musical which inspired it, and the 1960 movie which inspired that.
- Strong-Dar: Master of Akom (one of the nominees) is a spoof of the 1980s cartoon He-Man and the Masters of the Universe. Strong-Dar is clearly based upon Filmation's model of He-Man, the lack of the cross on his chest armour being the only notable difference. Also, "Master of Akom" is a reference to the Korean animation studio AKOM (who did the animation for this episode).
- The writer deciding to write a sitcom about a "sassy robot" is a reference to British sitcom Metal Mickey, which was created by former Monkee Micky Dolenz. Simpsons creator Matt Groening would go on to create Futurama, featuring Bender, who is also a sassy robot.
- At the end of the episode Bart says he'll never watch an award show again unless Billy Crystal is hosting. Billy Crystal has hosted 8 Academy Awards, including 4 since this episode aired.
- One of the 'Itchy & Scratchy' episodes finishes with Scratchy, with Itchy sitting on his shoulder, typing at a typewriter. Scratchy pulls the paper out and throws it into the air, forming a Itchy & Scratchy Productions logo. This is a spoof of the close of many series created / produced by Stephen J. Cannell, which had an almost identical sequence.
- The Episode "Little Barbershop of Horrors" features Elvis on the apartment above the barbershop, who shoots the TV when Scratchy bursts through it.
[edit] External links
- "The Front" episode capsule at The Simpsons Archive
