[The long of it]
I've always liked the three-story episode format, and I guess the writers are warming up to it, too. It used to be that only the "Treehouse of Horror" series was in this form. Now, "The Wettest Stories Ever Told" is the *third* three-story episode this season.
The framing story is almost inconsequential (the family, while waiting for dinner at the Frying Dutchman, tell stories about famous sea voyages), so we can get right to the sea tales. Lisa leads off with a retelling of the Mayflower's journey to America in 1620. Part of the fun of multi-story shows getting to see the family in situations that can't happen in "normal" families. The Mayflower story arguably does the best job of translating the characters' personalities into the context of Pilgrims settling in America. Ned Flanders is perfectly cast as a Miles Flandish, who's such a religious zealot that he flagellates himself for thinking of Marge "as a woman." Later, when he names America "New England," Willie disdains his lack of creativity. "What do you call your foot? New hand?" he asks. The other characters are given fitting roles, with Homer as a "knave" on the run from the English, Marge as the widower he falls in love with, and Moe as Homer's romantic rival.
Bart tells the second story ("usually the weakest," according to Marge), based on a comic-book adaptation of "Mutiny on the Bounty." Despite Marge's slighting assessment, this is a pretty good segment. I liked the subtle touch of making Skinner the harsh Captain Bligh, and the SES children as his rebellious crew. The story also has a nice interlude in Tahiti, with a nice joke about the origin of Easter Island's famous stone heads. Willie's brief attempt at a one-man round is amusing. This tale wraps up nicely when Bart proves the Peter Principle by rising to his level of incompetence as a ship's captain.
Finally, Homer gives us a spoofy take on "The Poseidon Adventure." (Presumably, this is to catch some buzz from the upcoming remake. I find that a bit odd, given that the new movie comes from a competing studio. You get your promotional boost where you can, I guess.) You know the plot: The Simpsons and a few others survive the ship's capsizing and make the dangerous climb to the hull. The focus here is a bit more on the action than on humor. (Indeed, the funniest gag is a callback to the second story.) Lisa's song was terrific, and I enjoyed some of the 70s fashions, like Ned Flanders' handlebar moustache.
Like I said, I'm a fan of the three-story episode form, and episode like this demonstrate why. The last such episode, "Simpsons Christmas Stories (HABF01)," wasn't much to write home about. This one boasts funny (re-)characterizations and strong writing throughout. It's nice to see that things are back on course again.
[The short if it]
I like these multi-story episodes, and this one demonstrates why. The retelling of the Mayflower's voyage had some of the best "recasting" of the lot, with Ned Flanders as a zealous Puritan, and Homer as an English ne'er-do-well. The Mutiny on the Bounty spoof was pretty good, too, and there was an excellent call-back to it in the final act. Lastly, the "Poseidon Adventure" spoof was longer on action than humor, and I liked Lisa's song. On the whole, this is a solid episode. No wonder the writers are warming up to this episode format. (A-)
[DYNs]
... in the "Bounty" story, Richard (Bart's seldom-seen friend with the gray hair) is missing an arm? ... Wendell, whose signature characteristic is his motion sickness, is a part of the Bounty's crew? ... Marge is topless when she first meets the Bounty's crew? ... Homer's zigzag sideburns in the third story? ... aside from the framing story, Maggie isn't seen in this episode?
[Reference]
"Mutiny on the Bounty" (novel) - second story based on this book
Miles Standish (historical figure) - Ned is "Miles Flandish" in the first story
"Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World" (movie) - I'm not certain, but I think the shot of Bart on top of the mast is taken from this film
Admiral Nelson (British Naval hero) - played, fittingly, by Nelson Muntz
"What Happens in Vegas Stays in Vegas" (ad slogan) - successful tourist slogan adapted for Tahiti
Easter Island - a Tahitian sculptor carves giant stone heads similar to the ones seen on this island
"The Poseidon Adventure" (movie) - story of survivors trying to escape from a capsized ocean liner - the ship is called the "Neptune" (Neptune was the Roman equivalent of Poseidon)
"Earthquake" "Towering Inferno" "The China Syndrome" "The Apple Dumpling Gang" (movies) - Burns alludes to the subjects of these three disaster films and one children's movie (try to guess which is which!)
"Jaws" (movie) - pose of the shark as he's eating the dance instructor similar to a famous still shot from this movie
"Pirates of the Caribbean" (movie) - skeletal ghostly crew doomed to sail around the ocean for eternity, like Bart and the kids on the Bounty - the way they're revealed to be skeletons similar to the movie
[Previous Episode References]
[9F06], [AABF21] The Frying Dutchman appears [7F12] Homer pines away for Marge's love as she dances with a rival [CABF06] Students "mutiny" against Skinner's authority
[FFF]
Naval recruiting poster:
THE
BRITISH NAVY [Sailor and]
[two women ] Less Scurvy,
More CurvyRecognizable faces in the Neptune crowd scenes:
Table in foreground of establishing shot:
Principal Skinner, Agnes Skinner, Kent Brockman, and Edna
Krabappel (Also, Dewey Largo [the music instructor] is at
one of the back tables) On the dance floor:
Barney, Apu, Miss Hoover, Lenny, Krabappel again When Disco Stu has "troubling news":
Mrs. Glick, Largo, Jasper, Sideshow Mel, Dr. Hibbert, and
Bernice Hibbert While Lenny writes down Stu's sage advice:
Kirk Van Houten, Lenny, Sarah Wiggum Applauding Mr. Burns:
Quimby, Selma, and Patty On the dance floor, again:
Largo, Jasper, Mrs. Lovejoy, Lisa, Kirk, Luann Van Houten,
Apu, Rev. Lovejoy, Kent, Krabappel, Barney, Sarah, and Agnes In the pile Bart lands upon:
Krabappel, Willie, Moe, Tex, Apu, Jasper, Marge, Lisa, and
Bernice When Marge tells Homer about the "hundreds dead":
Krabappel, Otto, Apu, Mrs. Glick, Barney, and Moe[Personal Comments & Observations]
Billy Ocean's "Rock the Boat" is heard during the opening scenes of the "Poseidon" spoof.
Looking for inspiration, Comic Book Guy tunes into "Alone Again, Naturally," by Gilbert O'Sullivan.
The passengers on the Neptune boogie to "Get Down Tonight," by (I believe) KC and the Sunshine Band.
Marge has Bart tell his story second, saying the second story is "usually the weakest." That's supposedly the case with many recent three-story episodes of "The Simpsons," as well. (It might be interesting to go over the three-episode stories and see if that's *really* the case. I remember a few "Treehouse of Horror" shows where I thought the second story was the best one. For instance, the second tale in "TOH V" was "Time and Punishment," one of the best TOH stories ever.)
To answer Homer's outlawed question: The period where King James I ruled England is called the Jacobean era because the Latin form of "James" is "Jacobus." Evidently, someone felt using the Latin version would class things up a little. James I, of course, reigned when the Pilgrims set sail in 1620.
Lisa's retelling of the Pilgrims' crossing has a couple of popular misconceptions in it. It turns out the Pilgrims who settled in Massachusetts didn't mind having a drink now and again. According to Tom Burnham in "The Dictionary of Misinformation," excavations in Salem, Mass. turned up fragments of wine bottles. (The archeologists also found smoking pipes, so there's another Pilgrim vice for you.)
In particular, passengers on the Mayflower, even the youngsters, drank beer. Before water purification was widespread, it was actually safer to drink beer and whiskey, since the alcohol slowed the growth of germs. One of the reasons the Mayflower landed in Massachusetts is because their beer supplies were running low. Joel Achenbach quotes the Mayflower log as saying, "Victuals [al]most spent, especially our beer." (Incidentally, when the Mayflower wasn't ferrying people to the New World, she was often hired to deliver casks of wine.)
The Pilgrims didn't always dress in black, either. Burnham notes they liked to wear bright colors and rich dress on occasion. Speaking of fashion, Lisa also mentions making construction-paper hats. This is a rite of passage in most American elementary schools; every Thanksgiving, students would make the hats and other Pilgrim paraphernalia in art class.
In the story, when Homer asks for Marge's name, she responds with a lengthy recitation of first names (including "Prudence," a Puritan favorite). J. N. Hook, in "All Those Wonderful Names," writes that Puritans of that era sometimes gave their children long compound names that reflected some Scriptural principle. Most weren't *too* cumbersome: God-Reward, Be-Thankful, The-Work-of-God. Even with her long name, Marge was comparatively lucky. One girl of the time was saddled with, "Through-Much-Tribulation-We-Enter-into-the-Kingdom-of- Heaven Crabb." (Her friends just called her "Tribby" for short.) One fellow was called, "If-Christ-Had-Not-Died-for-Thee-Thou-Hadst-Been- Damned Barebone." For short, he was called "Damned Barebone."
Leroy Neimann: Artist most famous for his colorful paintings. They look a bit like the work of the Impressionists, only more abstract. Most Neimann paintings I've seen have a sports theme (and I think a lot of those were commissioned by the sports leagues themselves).
Willie Stargell: "Super Stargell" was a baseball player with the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 70s.
- Hey! I thought I was the only one who tried to figure out where wallpaper patterns repeat!
- For those of you not in North America: Red Lobster is a chain of moderately-priced seafood restaurants.