The capsule for "The Computer Wore Menace Shoes (CABF02)" is now available at The Simpsons Archive, at "http://www.snpp.com/episodes.html". You may access it by following the link for episode CABF02.
We plan to have "The Great Money Caper (CABF03)" up next. (This is subject to change due to schedule and resource demands, however.)
Not among the world's web-enabled? That's okay -- a copy the CABF02 capsule follows immediately. Enjoy!
The Computer Wore Menace Shoes Written by John Swartzwelder
Directed by Mark Kirkland
==============================================================================
Production code: CABF02 Original Airdate on FOX: 3-Dec-2000
Capsule revision A (4-Aug-2002)
============================================================================================================================================================
[TV Guide] Homer buys a computer and builds a Web site where he anonymously
spreads local rumor and innuendo, and makes things up when his sources run
dry. Dan Castellaneta, Hank Azaria, Harry Shearer. {sb} [TV Guide ad] Pages 96 and 97 have a generic Fox advertisement for
"Futurama," "The Simpsons," "King of the Hill" and "Malcolm in the Middle"
with quotes from general reviews for each show. For our favorite family:
"The best TV show of the 20th century! -- Time Magazine." {bg}==============================================================================
============================================================================== Blackboard: I WILL ONLY PROVIDE A URINE / SAMPLE WHEN ASKED
I WIL ONLY PROVI at cutoff
Couch: Santa's Little Helper dances in front of the couch, just like
Snoopy does on the "Peanuts" TV cartoons, to music that's
similar to that played on the Christmas special. The Simpsons
run in and stare at him incredulously. The sudden attention
makes SLH self-conscious, and he stops.==============================================================================
============================================================================== ... the frog in the lava lamp on the island master's desk? ... Homer's un-obscured face briefly appears as the Mr. X web page loads?
Steve Alpert:
... Carl and Lenny have a new car and appear quite wealthy compared to
Homer on presumably the same salary?
... Homer has learned Mr. Burns's first (middle) name?
... Apu's mustache isn't ripped off by the tape?
... the police dog CLEARLY has Homer's voice?
... the lava lamp contains a dead frog?Don Del Grande:
... "Honest John's Computers" uses a recycled tire-company logo?
... Lisa doesn't let anybody else use her E-mail account? (Otherwise, why
didn't Burns send Homer a message there?)
... Homer and the Comic Book Guy apparently bought Mac clones? (Besides the
window images, Lisa turned off Homer's computer by pressing a keyboard
key)
... Homer types with his index fingers?
... there's a Channel 10 news van at the Mayor's office in addition to a
Channel 6 van?
... "pothole cement" was being used at the pool?
... Mr. Burns uses the same bathroom as "the common employee"?
... when Homer first arrived at The Island, nobody was wearing numbers?
... either Patrick McGoohan didn't voice Number 6, or his voice has
seriously changed since 1968 (when the original was filmed)?
... at The Island, they play croquet American style (rounded wickets,
hitting the ball like a golf ball rather than between the legs)?Ahmet Deligonul:
... this is the 4th episode which had Homer using a computer ending up into
trouble? (Think about the others ...)
... Lisa knows how to set up a computer at her grade level? (In 4th grade
I could barely type.)
... Homer has access to a scanner, digital camera or some way of getting
his face on the computer?
... Bart doesn't care about Homer spilling Springfield gossip, or show an
interest, even though he ran that pirate radio station with the same
type of info?
... the German Homer knew enough about Homer to carry the charade on for 4
months? [Actually 3.5 months. Homer #2 mentioned being absent for two
weeks -- Ed.]Ben Fonter:
... while in his car, Carl says "Anything goes today"? (Maybe this is
foreshadowing of the following episode.)
... Bart is able to tackle Homer? Twice?
... Bart is in serious need of therapy? (Where's Dr. Marvin Monroe when
you need him? Dead. That's where. Hehehe)
... Marge does not come downstairs to investigate the loud crashing sound
of the tire through the front window?
... Apu makes no reaction to Krusty's startling confession?
... that the bloodhound's barks bubble out and then die?Joe Green: ... the person Moe keeps in the basement sounds like Hans Moleman?
Darrel Jones:
... the guy in charge of "the island" mentions flu shots are always
delivered shortly before Christmastime, which is also when this episode
first aired?Joe Klemm:
... Homer's computer, with the boot-up sound, is a Macintosh?
... when Mr. X is named the winner of the Pulitzer Prize, Nelson doesn't
cheer?
... the dunking bird in the Island head's office?Ryan Mead: ... SLH tries to eat the Pulitzer once Homer gives it to him?
Perri Mongan:
... the CPU of Homer's computer strongly resembles a G3 (blue and white) or
G4? Note the curved handles. Um, but it shouldn't be lain on its
side.
... that's a Mac startup sound, as heard on the Quadra series?
... the web browser has a Mac interface (note the window bar and placement
of the close and expand boxes)?
... the sound file on Homer's copyright-violating home page is a Mac beep
called "Sosumi" ("so sue me", allegedly a reaction to Apple Records'
lawsuit against Apple Computers)?Mike Reed: ... Homer knows how stupid he is? ... Lenny can afford the internet?
Benjamin Robinson:
... "Honest John's" crudely modified sign?
... since Homer presses "Send" to reveal the news about Burns and the
uranium, he must be e-mailing it to someone, in addition to putting it
on his site?
... the aquarium-couch, with live fish, in the prisoners' gathering room?
... Marge apparently (without knowing it) made love to someone other than
her husband for three and a half months?Hari M. Wierny: ... Homer looks at the keyboard as he types? ... Mayor Quimby's bodyguard cowers away from the reporters? ... Bart leaves his skateboard outside the Kwik-E-Mart?
==============================================================================
==============================================================================
- Starring
- Dan Castellaneta (Homer, Quimby, Reporter #2, Reporter #3, Krusty,
Moleman, Man 1, Man 2, Officer Scraps)
- Julie Kavner (Marge)
- Nancy Cartwright (Bart, Todd, Nelson)
- Yeardley Smith (Lisa)
- Hank Azaria (Carl, Salesman, Wiggum, CBG, Apu, Moe, Terrorist, Number 15
[?], Lou, Number 2)
- Harry Shearer (Lenny, Flanders, Principal Skinner, Kent, Burns, Smithers,
Lovejoy, Hibbert, Homer #2)- Special Guest Voice - Patrick McGoohan (Number 6) - Marcia Wallace (Edna Krabappel)
- Also Starring - Pamela Hayden (Rod) - Tress MacNeille (Agnes, Woman, Scientist 1) - Karl Wiedergott (Reporter #1 [?])
==============================================================================
==============================================================================
+ "The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes" (movie)
- episode title a spoof, naturally + Charlie Brown TV specials
- in the couch scene, SLH dances like Snoopy
- Vince Guaraldi-esque music plays {jg2} - "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home" (movie)
- Homer (cf. Scotty) tries to command a computer by using a mouse as a
microphone + Dancing Baby graphic {rm}
- Dancing Jesus [See "Comments" section for more -- Ed.] + jesusdance.com (Web site) {sa}
- this may have been where Homer got Dancing Jesus + After Dark (screen saver) {rm}
- Flying Toasters seen among useless things on Homer's original site
- [Daniel L. Dreibelbis adds, "Berkeley also marketed an official
Simpsons screensaver based around After Dark" -- Ed.] + Fox vs. Simpsons websites
- Lisa admonishes Homer not to steal copyrighted material for his web
page [{bjr} asks, "Does this mean she's on Fox's side? Yikes!" --
Ed.] [See "Comments" section for more -- Ed.] ~ "Star Trek V: The Final Frontier" (movie) {hmw}
- Comic Book Guy crosses the final frontier + "The New York Times" (newspaper) {al}
- "All The Muck That's Fit To Rake" is a parody of the New York Times'
motto, "All The News That's Fit To Print" ~ "Boston Public" (TV series) {jc}
- claiming a gossip Internet site is legitimate journalism + Matt Drudge (Internet muckraker) {tr2}
- Homer's site akin to Drudge's
- Kent Brockman alleging that Homer isn't a *real* news reporter
parallels criticism of Matt Drudge by the major news outlets ~ "Pulp Fiction" (movie) {jg2}
- Burns opens a briefcase containing something glowing ~ "The Critic" (TV series) {ddg}
- Homer, like Jay Sherman, wins a Pulitzer - "Conspiracy Theory" (movie)
- Homer, by sheer luck, unearths an actual conspiracy; the plot of this
movie (starring Mel Gibson, Julia Roberts, and Patrick Stewart) is
similar + "The Prisoner" (TV series)
- The Island modeled on this surreal show [See "Comments" section for
more -- Ed.]
- Number 6 (Patrick McGoohan) from the show guest stars {jk}
- 60's "mod" d�cor, fashion, and music {bjr} + "The Blair Witch Project" (movie)
- sign declaring Springfield Forest free of witches==============================================================================
============================================================================== - [9F10] road problems {hmw} - [1F02] Homer runs out and is seen through the window doing something child- like moments later {hmw} - [1F04] Santa's Little Helper dances like Snoopy {jg2} - [1F13], [3F06], [4F19] Homer mentions being an astronaut {jg2} - [1F16], [3F19] People disguised as members of the Simpson family {bjr} - [1F20] Homer tells gossip about Marge {sb} - [2F31] A "my ears are burning" joke {mm} - [3F24] Homer needs a computer {dj} - [4F22] Homer bumps his head in the car {hmw} - [5F07] fumes in the power plant {hmw} - [5F11] Homer decides to take advantage of the Internet {jg2} - [5F11] CBG downloads porno {mr2} - [5F23] Anti-escape orb seen (chasing Marge in this episode) - [5F23] "The Prisoner" is referenced {jg2}
==============================================================================
==============================================================================
- Burns's bug deterrent {hmw} BUG
[mushroom cloud]
BOMB(note: the mushroom cloud has a bunch of bugs in it)
- Mr. X's web page {bjr}
Mr. All The Muck
X That's Fit To Rake [ Pic ] +------------+
[ of ] | Quimby's |
[Homer] | Dirty Pool |
+------------+"Quimby's Dirty Pool" underlined, indicating that it's a link
- Newspaper {hmw}
WEB SNOOP EXPOSES POOL HUSTLE
=== [Mr. X] =================
=============================
=============================
======= MR. X MAKES HEADLINES
======= =====================
======= =====================- Homer's next web expos� {bjr}
Mr. All The Muck
X That's Fit To Rake +---------+
[ Pic ] | Bagels | [ Pic ]
[ of ] | Are Old | [ of ]
[Homer] | Donuts! | [ Apu ]
+---------+This time, "Bagels Are Old Donuts!" is underlined
- Forest sign {bjr}
SPRINGFIELD
FORESTWITCH-FREE SINCE 1998
==============================================================================
==============================================================================
+ Lenny was poor in 5F06, he shouldn't be able to have a computer. {mr2}* It sounds like they sent the plant closure e-mail to everyone's home,
rather than work address. (And if they did send it to their work
addresses, how come Homer hasn't been assigned one?) {bjr}+ OFF has at least two computers at home -- the one in Lisa's room (unless it
got destroyed in "Lisa The Treehugger" when Homer used the firecrackers in
the VCR) and the laptop in "A Tale Of Two Springfields." {dld}+ ... and they also already have the Internet. {dld}
* Why didn't Homer use Lisa's computer to get his e-mail? [Jessie Cook
answers, "Because Lisa probably has her computer password protected with
the highest level encryption possible to prevent that. Would you want
Homer touching your computer?" -- Ed.] {jk}- The store has a big metal door on the outside but not on the corresponding wall inside. {mm}
+ Homer brought home a different computer than he bought. {ds}
- Lisa manages to carry a CPU case, monitor, and keyboard all at once and without any help. {ad}
- Homer's computer starts up and is on-line in a matter of seconds. {mm}
- How are these pages coming to Homer's attention? They seem to be coming *to* him rather than him having to find them. {mm}
= When Homer enters his URL to show the family his page, all the keys he
types are function keys, control keys, and numeric keypad keys; no letters.
{mm}- The title on Homer's page [...] gets retyped in real-time rather than Homer having to edit the source code and then reload it. {mm}
- The fact that Homer visited his site after the counter was installed should guarantee one hit, yet it is on 0000. {hmw}
+ Near the new pool, there is a guy with the words "City Worker" on the back
of his blue shirt putting finishing touches on a statue. He is using
cement from a bag labeled POTHOLE CEMENT. Later, when we see people
repairing the pothole, they are wearing orange jump suits, and the stuff
they are filling the hole with is most definitely tar. {bf}- Cement is not used in potholes. {bf}
+ Agnes Skinner either wants her son to be ogling naked women, or is surprised he isn't, either of which would be uncharacteristic of her? {dj}
- Burns and Smithers don't use the executive washroom. {bjr}
= Burns wipes the underside of his fingers on his trousers, but the soap comes off the unwiped side. {hmw}
- The terrorist carelessly handles the *Radioactive* uranium? {bf}
- They never mention in what category Homer won the Pulitzer Prize. {ddg}
- Mrs. Krabappel's voice was way, WAY off. {mr2}
- Real web counters don't go down -- they're a count of how many people have visited the site, not how many are on at one time. {ddg}
- Hit counters don't update in real time. {bjr}
+ Moe can't keep a secret, yet he has many disturbing ones. {sa}
- One of the Squishee machines behind Apu in at least the fake Kwik-E-Mart is labeled "green" and is distinctly yellow. {jm}
* "Please send lots of rescue 'copters to ..." ... where? Even assuming he
had someone who could help him on the other end of the line, how would he
described the location? {mm}* When fake Homer is shaving his head why aren't the Homer parts of the hair
being shaved? Is he carefully shaving around them? Wouldn't that mean
that the stubble underneath them isn't getting shaved? {mm}= Also why isn't the stubble that is being shaved going away? {mm}
- Obvious goof here: the guy can't see through the computer. ["Maybe the other Homer installed a small camera somewhere," rebuts Jessie Cook] {sa}
==============================================================================
============================================================================== Steve Alpert: If I hadn't learned of this ["Prisoner"] reference, I would have thought the show returned to its past antics. Now I see it as possibly a cop out, but the episode remains strong in my mind. Several laughers toward the end (a bit too much time spent on plot development though), and I'm getting tired of all these Homer-centric episodes. At least he's returned to the same stupid Homer he's always been (although the remark "I'm stupid" was definitely pointless.) (B+)
Stephen Burks: This episode really felt like something out of season 9. Well, I thought that until about the last 5 or so minutes when the episode turned into the bizarre farce that the Simpsons have become over the last season. But, there were several nice laughs (I think I laughed out loud more times than the entire other episodes of this season combined) and a plot that, while strange, was still developed up to my liking ... An all around decent episode to watch. Anyhow, I will give this one a (B+)
Don Del Grande: B-plus if you're a computer geek and a fan of "The Prisoner" like I am (seriously, I've been to Portmerion, in Wales, where the show was filmed -- the "green dome" was turning brown, and it was in the middle of a train strike, but that's a different story); B if you're one but not the other; B-minus if, like most people watching, you're neither. The show had its moments, but there were far too many "inside information" jokes (the emoticon one and pretty much the entire Prisoner bit), and even if you knew what they were talking about, the ending joke was a bit weak (even if having everybody end up on The Island was a nice twist). (B+)
Ahmet Deligonul: This episode was good all the way up till the part where Homer revealed that he was Mr. X ... Then it wasn't as funny anymore. Ending up on the island made it seem confusing ... When will they start writing episodes that make sense for 21 minutes again? (D)
Ryan Glanzer: It was a pretty good episode, all in all. I would give it a B. While the whole Internet part was funny, I think they could have done without that whole island part. It was like 2 entirely different stories in one episode both involving Homer--his gabbing about Springfieldians and also trying to escape from an island. And what is it with animals all of a sudden--the koalas in this episode, the pandas twice before, the badgers ... (B)
Joe Green: My favorite Season 12 episode to date, due to both the timely subject matter and the fact that it was more consistently funny than most OFF shows these days. As was the case with "Brother's Little Helper", I can't decide if the ending was a stroke of absurdist genius or just stupid. (A)
Darrel Jones: This is the second week in a row in which "Futurama" had a much better episode than OFF's. Actually, this one got off to a hilarious start. (Dancing Jesus? ROFL!), but went downhill after Homer was kidnapped. The whole "island" thing was too surreal for me; I didn't have the slightest idea what was going on. Homer's escape was nice, actually, but the ending ruined it for me. I give this a measly "seven thumbs up" or 7/10 (C+)
Kevin Lilley: I found the first two segments of this episode to be very funny, especially with how Homer got his secrets from all the townspeople. The scene where Homer drops the notepad and then Mr. Burns put it back caught me by surprise, and made me chuckle. Though it had its moments, this episode never really did make me laugh out loud. All in all, the parody of "The Prisoner" was nice, but the episode lacked in certain areas and did not completely deliver. (C+)
Michael Nusair: This was an okay episode, with a very bizarre third act. What the hell was *that* all about? The German replacement Homer was pretty funny, though. While this episode had its share of laughs, it just doesn't stick out in my mind as a very good episode. The strange third act probably didn't help. It was nowhere near as bad as something like the Jockey Trolls, but I still could have done without it. And what was with that ending? Note to the writers: At the end of the episode, everything should be wrapped up in a nice, neat little package. (C+)
Mike Reed: After three consecutive bad efforts, John Swartzwelder had seemed to bring himself up, this episode was very funny and had lots of good jokes. (Homer realizing his own stupidity, his first website, and the Spanish/Italian bit come to mind.) But, after Homer was kidnapped the episode took a huge enough dive to make it one of the worst episodes ever, IMHO. In the past three seasons, Swartzwelder has only produced one decent episode. (BABF05) Episodes like these make me maintain my belief that we need more new writers. (C-)
Hari M. Wierny: This episode started off well -- <really> well, and I believe it could have became a <very> memorable episode. But instead, John Swartzwelder decided to ruin the great first two acts by making the third act so hebetudinous I couldn't even watch it again. It wasn't funny -- it was ridiculous. I don't see why he did that. Making the Simpsons isn't a game of annoying the Internet fans while still appealing to little kids by being wacky -- but that's the game the writers seem to be playing. I also found Todd saying "mom-my?" very tasteless. (D)
Todd Willis: I thought this episode was pretty good. The first couple acts were about average, but the third act with the parody of The Prisoner was just plain awesome. I thought the way they handled the rumors and Homer's website was nicely done. They luckily didn't take this episode to the crazy degree that they could have. I guess the main problem with this episode was a weak and unoriginal story plot. All in all, this was a decent episode with some nice moments. (B)
Yours Truly: It's two, two, two episodes in one! The first one was better. Homer's initial forays into the Internet rang true and were funny, to boot. The concept of Homer the muckraker is a promising one, and there's a good fable here on how Internet to grants authority to people who don't entirely deserve it. Alas, we don't get to see it because the third act diverges wildly into a parody of "The Prisoner." The conclusion wasn't as satisfying as the first two acts, mainly because I felt as though I'd been drugged and taken to some surreal new place myself. It wasn't unfunny, but it was *too* much of a surprise for the show's own good. (B)
AVERAGE GRADE: B- (2.82) Std Dev.: 0.8501 (20 reviews computed)
==============================================================================
==============================================================================
Benjamin Robinson: Among his other sins, "Honest John" is probably guilty of price inflation. Thanks to the relentless downward march in the prices of electronic components, even high-end machinery is more affordable than it was just three years ago. For instance, Circuit City is advertising a 1.4 GHz Pentium IV-based Hewlett-Packard for US$2200. CompUSA is offering a 1 GHz Athlon-based HP for US$1100. Both machines need a monitor to make them useful, but a good monitor is a sub-$500 proposition nowadays. Well, unless you buy one of those 21" monsters, which Homer clearly did not. If you *had* to spend US$5000 for a computer system, you'd be better off trying to buy a multi-user server.
As you probably guessed by watching the show, most of the processing power of even the $1100 machine would go to waste on the mundane chore of handling e-mail. While the extra power is nice for photo editing, games, and heavy computational work, even a more modest processor can handle e- mail and text editing. This review, for example, was produced on a three- year-old 133MHz Pentium laptop (for which the author paid US$3,500!).
Ahmet Deligonul: Dancing Jesus is a parody of that "Dancing Hampster", "Dancing Bricks", "Dancing Fish" and so on websites ... anyone who's ever signed onto the internet has unfortunately stumbled onto that crap, and putting a parody of that on tonight's episode really fit Homer's net surfing.
Benjamin Robinson adds: The dancing baby is one of the quirkier "celebrities" in the short history of the mass internet. It started off life as a dancing alien used to demonstrate some company's 3D animation software. The creators couldn't get the alien done to their satisfaction, so the demo idea was dropped. As a joke, one of their employees changed it to a dancing baby, had a laugh, dumped it onto a CD somewhere, and then forgot about it. Eventually, the users poked around the software distribution and found the baby dancing the night away. Word spread among the software's users, and then on the internet in general. Eventually, the baby made an appearance on Fox's popular "Ally McBeal," and became a minor pop phenomenon. Various dancing knock- offs were created to spoof the original baby, and it wouldn't surprise me if there was an actual Dancing Jesus out there, somewhere. [And of course, several people have pointed this out: <http://www.jesusdance.com> -- Ed.]
As an aside: Before "McBeal," one of my coworkers downloaded the Dancing Baby to his machine. We discovered his movements synced up nicely to a remix of The Cure's "Spiderman."
Hari M. Wierny: Fox actually made Homer's website and uploaded it to <http://www.thesimpsons.com/mrx/> shortly before the episode first aired. They also did a damn good job making it resemble to the pages shown on the episode (even including the animated GIF of Homer's face quickly being covered by a question mark, and the counter going up drastically, and then DOWN). The only differences I noticed were that the picture of Apu on the site in the episode was more distorted (to give that cartoony computer look) and he was holding a donut, the tumbleweed bouncing across Homer's site, and the counter was on a lower number. (Note that the pages on the site all had the ".htm" extension instead of ".html" -- I can see Homer doing this.)
Benjamin Robinson writes: One of the most revolutionary things about the mass internet (so far) is its ability to put the power of the press into the hands of everyone with a basic microcomputer, an internet account, and something (or even nothing) to say. Fans of TV series, movie actors, and musicians are no longer limited to just reading the official press releases from the artists' PR firms. Now, they can tap into any number of amateur sites dedicated to their favorite personalities or groups, downloading sound bites, pictures, and even movie clips or entire TV episodes. Not everyone is happy about this trend. Major media corporations see this as a thieves' free-for-all, siphoning away money from their copyrighted work.
Fox has been particularly aggressive in protecting its trademarked properties, demanding that sites either remove material they deem objectionable, or shut down altogether. Fans of "The Simpsons" have not escaped Fox's wrath, and numerous popular sites have disappeared thanks to the efforts of Fox's legal representatives. The network does have the right to protect its material, but that probably doesn't help the feelings of dedicated fans who watch hours of work disappear into the ether. Fox's ham-fisted and arbitrary approach to the shutdowns hasn't been winning them friends either. While Lisa probably *would* be sympathetic to Fox's intellectual property rights, it is still a little frightening to see her being used almost as a mouthpiece for their position. Et tu, Lisa?
Don Del Grande helps get us up to speed: Patrick McGoohan played a secret agent (similar to, but not necessarily intended to be, John Drake, his character in "Danger Man"/"Secret Agent") who abruptly resigned, only to be gassed while packing for a vacation; he wakes up in what he thinks is his own house, only to discover he's really in a place called "The Village" where nobody has names, just numbers (his is 6). Initially, the show concentrated on his attempts to escape, but eventually he "fought the system from within".
Daniel L. Dreibelbis: Definitely one of television's most classic series -- and one of its weirdest. It's the story of a secret agent, known only as "Number 6" (played by the series' creator, Patrick McGoohan), who was kidnapped and taken to a remote island by his government after he abruptly resigned his position from its covert spy agency. There, all attempts were made to break him (they want to know why he resigned) through chemicals, electronics and hellish hospital equipment - and all in some of the most surreal sets, props and supporting cast ever concocted. It ran for approximately 13 episodes, and its final episode raises questions about whether the entire series was a dream on Number 6's part. Elements from the series appeared in tonight's episode, including the anti-escape bubble (AKA Happy Fun Ball) and the genteel costuming worn by the other inhabitants on the island.
James Allen adds: It's the ultimate in paranoid science fiction; there is absolutely _no one_ you can trust.
A short time after that, 16 of the 17 episodes were first aired on US TV on CBS.
Since then, it has developed a very devoted cult following, airing on various local stations around the country (mostly PBS stations). Video release first came in 1984, and more recently it has been put out on DVD.
It's intricate, intriguing, and downright baffling at times. Definitely not everyone's cup of tea. It doesn't have the simple good guys/bad guys mass market appeal of stuff like Star Trek, that's for sure.
Don Del Grande notes some specific parallels between the series and this episode: "See you tomorrow" was a reference to "Be seeing you", which is how everybody greets everybody else in "The Village" (a thinly-veiled reminder that every move in The Village is watched).
The "bubble" gag was a reference to "Rover", which looked like a giant white bubble, but it couldn't be popped; in fact, it could (and was its job to) absorb escaping "villagers". There was also a fascination with lava lamps, for some unexplained reason.
By the way, Number 6 did eventually escape (as did everybody else; The Village was evacuated in the last episode), and in a DC Comics book sequel a few years ago, returned to the ruins?
Andrew Levine disputes this final point: That's not entirely certain. The final episode, "Fall Out", ends with the same footage as the first one began: 6 drives his car into the distance. So maybe it's implied that he ends up right where he started and didn't really go anywhere. At least, that's some people's opinion.
Don Del Grande responds: He escaped from The Village, but the ending (with that butler character at Number 6's front door, which opens automatically) was probably meant to show that he had just traded one Village for another.
On the subject of "Rover", Bill Polaski writes: Rover was played by a big weather balloon, but was supposedly something a bit more durable in substance. The use of a weather balloon was a last minute move by the producers after a complex remote-controlled mechanical device - Rover's original design - went renegade and plunged into the sea on its first testing.
Mike Reed transcribes this week's trailer:
Announcer: Homer hooks up to the internet! (Homer dragging the computer down the road) Lisa: You shouldn't drag that around, Dad! Homer: That's right, honey, top of the line! Announcer: But what will he do during long downloads? Homer: (singing) I'm a sittin' on the toilet, all the live long day ...
(Note: Another trailer was seen, with only the toilet bit seen)
The Andrew Levine alterna-title for this episode is: The Low Spark of High- Tech Boys
According to Fox (by way of Bill LaRue), this episode scored a Nielsen rating of 9.0 (13 share). This works out to 15.6 million viewers. Among adults aged 18 to 49, the rating was 7.7 (18 share).
Joe Klemm: Homer's fake story of Spanish and Italian being the same language can have a little bit of credit to it, as both languages were based on the Latin language.
Ryan Mead: thesimpsons.com ruins the title joke by listing it as "The Computer Wore Menace Sneakers."
Dwayne Conyers: Where was Gilligan when you needed him?
==============================================================================
============================================================================== % Our show opens with Homer reporting to work at the power plant -- or % trying to anyway. As he rattles the locked gate, Lenny and Carl % drive up, and tell Homer the plant is closed for fumigation.
Homer: No one told me the plant was closed. Carl: Didn't you get the email? Homer: What's an email? Lenny: It's a computer thing, like an electric letter ... Carl: ... or a quiet phone call. Homer: I don't have a computer. Lenny: Heh, heh, too bad, that's why you're at work, and we're living it up on our day off! Lenny: Hey Carl, turn up the car radio! Carl: Why not! Anything goes today. [they drive off] Homer: That does it, I'm getting a computer. As soon as somebody let's me out of here. [rattles gate again, realizes he's outside] Oh, I'm sooo stupid. -- A potential Microsoft user, then, "The Computer Wore Menace Shoes"
% The scene switches to Honest John's Computers, Homer is talking to % consumer-compatible liveware.
Homer: Umm ... I guess I'll take that one. Salesman: Well, do you need a paperweight? 'Cause if you buy that machine, that's all you're going to have, an expensive paperweight. Homer: Well, a paperweight would be nice, but what I really need is a computer. How about that one? [points to a second machine] Salesman: That technology is three months old. Only suckers buy out-of-date machines. You're not a sucker, are you sir? Homer: Heavens no! Salesman: Oh good, because if you were, I'd have to ask you to leave the store. Homer: I just need something to receive email. Salesman: [whistles] You'll need a top-of-the-line machine for that. [shows Homer a top-of-the-budget machine] That's the same computer astronauts use to do their taxes. Homer: I was an astronaut. Salesman: Of course you were. -- "The Computer Wore Menace Shoes"
% Homer looks at the price tag -- $5,000 -- and does a spit-take % (first drinking a cup of coffee so he'll have something to spit). % Assured by the sales man that this machine "is the best computer in % the world and always will be," Homer agrees to the deal, running his % deed through a scanner to take out his fifth mortgage. % % Homer drags his new toy home behind the car.
Homer: Hey Lisa! Check out my new computer! Lisa: Dad! You shouldn't drag that around! Homer: [laughs] That's right, top-of-the-line. [the car hits large pothole, Homer bangs his head on the roof of the car] Stupid pothole. Don't worry, head. The computer will do our thinking now. -- Well, something needs to, "The Computer Wore Menace Shoes"
% Homer sets up his new computer, adjusting a can holder and mirror he % has attached to the monitor.
Homer: Oh, yeah, perfect. Now, then. [talking into mouse] Computer, kill Flanders. Flanders: Did I hear my name? My ears are burning. Homer: [Whispering to computer] Good start. Now finish the job. Flanders: Oh, you're busy. Catch you later, computator. Homer: Oh, five thousand dollars for a computer and it can't handle a simple assignment. [pushes computer into trash can] [Lisa and Bart walk in] Lisa: Dad, I'll set up your computer. Why don't you and Bart go play in the backyard. Homer: [tagging Bart] You're it! [Bart and Homer run off to play, while Lisa gets to work] -- "The Computer Wore Menace Shoes"
% Lisa eventually gets the computer running, and has even written down % the basic commands so Homer can better understand them. No use -- % the computer once again winds up in the trash. Marge insists that % Homer bring it back inside. % % With a little persistence, though, Homer does catch on. Soon, he's % browsing the Web like a pro. Or at least like a newbie.
Homer: Ooooh! Dancing Jesus! Dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee. [we hear tune "Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me"] If there's a better use for the Internet, I haven't found it. [Homer types and brings up the Springfield Police Department Web site] Wiggum: [digitized image on a Web page] If you've committed a crime, and want to confess, click "Yes". Otherwise, click "No". [Homer clicks on "No"] You have chosen "No", meaning you've committed a crime, but don't want to confess. A paddy wagon is now speeding to your home. Homer: Hey!! Wiggum: While you wait, why not buy a police cap or T-shirt. [T- shirts and baseball caps with the SPD logo circle Wiggum's head] You have the right to remain fabulous! [the screen flashes "NOW 80% OFF"] -- "The Computer Wore Menace Shoes"
% Soon Homer isn't just browsing Web pages, he's creating them, as % well. He calls in the rest of the family to show them his new pride % and joy.
Homer: Here it is everybody! The world's greatest web site! [a highly annoying newbie web page, complete with several clashing sounds, is seen] You'd think all the noises would be annoying, but they're not. Bart: I got suspended from school today. Homer: No kidding [obviously ignoring and then continuing to ignore Bart] What do you think of my page, Lisa? Be honest, it's great, isn't it? Go ahead, say it's great if you want to. Bart: They found a switchblade in my locker. Lisa: Well, a web page is supposed to be a personal thing. You've just stolen copyrighted material from everyone else. They could sue you for that. Bart: I took a swing at a cop. Homer: They can't sue me if they don't know who I am. I'll just call myself Mr. "X". Bart: I'm just mad all the time. Homer: Yep, you just can't go wrong with Mr. "X". -- "The Computer Wore Menace Shoes"
% Later that night, Homer's Web page hasn't gotten a single hit. Lisa % tells her father that a successful page has to offer people % something, like jokes or opinions. % % Just then, the screech of car tires is heard outside. The car hits % the pothole and the wheel comes off. It smashes through the front % window and lands in front of the fireplace.
Homer: That lousy pothole. Why don't they fix it? Bart: [walks in with a cookie and a glass of milk] I heard Mayor Quimby spent the street repair fund on a secret swimming pool for himself. Homer: Get out. Who told you that? Bart: Nelson. Homer: Hmmm. That's the kind of dirt that belongs on my web page. Lisa: You can't post that on the Internet. You don't even know if it's true! Homer: Nelson has never steered me wrong, honey. Nelson is gold. Bart: You know, it might have been Jimbo. Homer: Beautiful, we have confirmation. [Lisa sighs in exasperation] -- More Americans get their news from Nelson than from any other source, "The Computer Wore Menace Shoes"
% The scene shifts to CBG's living quarters typical bachelor pad, % where he munches on tacos and browses the Web. There's a poster of % a girl in a bikini on the wall, a stained desk and computer, % cardboard boxes to the rear, and an unemptied garbage pail. % % CBG's search for X-rated sites snares the URL for Homer's "Mr. X" % site. After a moment's contemplation, CBG decides to cross "the % final frontier." He reads Homer's pothole story and is outraged.
There's no emoticon for what I'm feeling! -- CBG, "The Computer Wore Menace Shoes"
% We switch to Principal Skinner at home. He is also reading Mr. X's % scoop.
Skinner: Our mayor is corrupt? Mr. "X" has done this town a great service, despite his poor grammar and spelling. Agnes: Seymour, are you looking at naked ladies? Skinner: No, Mother. Agnes: You sissy! -- "The Computer Wore Menace Shoes"
% At City Hall, Mayor Quimby tries to fend off the press. Some % reporters see one of the Mayor's aides trying to discreetly close a % door behind him and senses that something is up. They barge into % the secret room. We see a lavish pool, a roman bath with statues, % and girls in bikinis. A city worker is working with a spade from a % bag labeled "pothole cement".
Good Lord, we've discovered the ruins of an ancient city! OK, you do better. -- Mayor Quimby, "The Computer Wore Menace Shoes"
% The news hits the headlines. Homer basks in his accomplishment.
Homer: I did it! I've changed the world! Now I know exactly how God feels. Marge: You want turkey, sausage or ham? Homer: Bring me two of every animal! [Santa's Little Helper and Snowball II exit whimpering] -- "The Computer Wore Menace Shoes"
% [End of Act One. Time: 6:38] % % Homer the news reporter now is news himself.
Kent: A new Internet watchdog is creating a stir in Springfield. Mr. "X", if that is real name, has come up with a sensational scoop. Homer: [watching at home] Darn tooting! Kent: But we must never forget that the real news is on local TV, delivered by real officially licensed newsmen, like me, Kent Brockman. Coming up: how do they get those dogs to talk on the beer commercials? [a reporter in a big cowboy hat appears] Cowboy Steve will tell you! -- "The Computer Wore Menace Shoes"
% Looking through the living-room window, Bart and Lisa watch the road % crew fill the pothole in front of the house. Lisa suggests that % Homer quit while he's ahead. Homer agrees and the episode comes to % an abrupt end. % % Just kidding. Homer vows to keep digging up the dirt as Mr. X. % % At the Kwik-E-Mart ...
Krusty: Blah! A coconut bagel? Like poison it tastes. Apu: Alright, I'll tell you a secret. My bagels are nothing but week-old donuts. Krusty: Who am I to point the finger? I once ran over a guy in a parking lot and dumped the body on a golf course. Homer: What a bombshell! -- "The Computer Wore Menace Shoes"
% On his homepage, Homer breaks the story of ... the faux bagels. % Wiggum hold a news conference and announces that the police have % confiscated all the donuts in town. Going on to address another Mr. % X story, he says the police don't release the prisoners from their % cells to race them. (At least, not anymore.) Wiggum hurriedly % calls the conference over when a reporter asks about allegations the % police use the electric chair to cook chicken. % % Meanwhile, the usual gang meets at Moe's Tavern.
Lenny: According to my uncle, Miss Springfield isn't as beautiful as she seems. Word is she uses appearance-altering cosmetics. Moe: Oh my God, that's shocking. Carl: The public should be warned. I wish Mr. "X" was here. Homer: [slyly] Oh, I don't know, Carl, he might be closer than you think. Carl: Are you him? Are you Mr. "X"? Homer: No. Carl: But you talked in the real sly voice. Hey, hey, everybody! Homer's Mr. "X". Homer: I am not! ... [slyly] or am I? Lenny: Are you? Homer: No. -- Plausible denial, "The Computer Wore Menace Shoes"
% Moe says he'd give a beer to Mr. X, were he in the bar. Homer can't % claim it, though, because he can't reveal his secret identity to % Moe. % % The next day, Homer answers nature's call in the SNPP bathroom.
Homer: [singing] I've been sitting on the toilet, all the live-long day. [Burns and Smithers come in. They don't notice Homer, and walk over to the sinks] Burns: Is everything ready for the secret meeting Smithers? Smithers: Yes, Sir. Burns: I hope no one finds out about this. It's pure journalistic dynamite! Smithers: Uh, sir, this place could be bugged. [Turns on hand dryer] OK, now we can talk. [Burns can't handle the breeze generated by the dryer, and is literally almost blown away] Burns: Turn it off! [Smithers does so] Journalistic dynamite. -- "The Computer Wore Menace Shoes"
% Burns meets with some dangerous-looking men in his office. Homer % hides in the air vent, taking notes on the proceedings.
Burns: Then it's agreed. I'll supply you terrorists with deadly uranium. Terrorist: You are a credit to the great Satan. Burns: Oh, pshaw. Homer: Uh-huh. [scribbling on pad] I love spying. [Terrorist picks up a bar of uranium. Radioactive gas boils off the surface of the rod] Burns: Don't worry about those fumes. They'll be sucked into that air vent. Homer: [moans from fumes, drops pad out of vent and onto the floor]. Burns: This place is falling apart. [walks over, picks up pad and shoves it back into the vent] -- It was funnier a year ago ..., "The Computer Wore Menace Shoes"
% Homer recovers well enough to write up his story that night. Almost % as soon as he uploads his page, the FBI swoop in on Burns. Two % agents drag him past Homer's window. Homer matter-of-factly % observes that his boss is in a pickle. % % Even though he's anonymous, Homer's journalistic efforts do not go % unrewarded. A ceremony is held for Mr. X outside of Springfield % Town Hall.
Woman: We'd like to award this years Pulitzer prize to Mr. "X". Unfortunately, we don't know who he is, so his cash award will be used to feed starving children. Homer: Noooo! [runs down to podium] Homer: I'm Mr. "X"! Gimme, gimme! Woman: We'll need some proof. Homer: [Homer puts Mr. "X" hood on head] Ta-Da! Krabappel: He _is_ Mr. "X"! Hah! Homer: Thank you folks, and now I'm off to expose more secret conspiracies and ... [walks into a pole, since he has the hood on his head still] Oh, I bit by thongh. -- "The Computer Wore Menace Shoes"
% Back at home.
Marge: I'm proud that you won the Pulitzer ... Homer: Finally.. Marge: ... but I do feed bad about the starving children. Homer: They're with God now. Marge: Oh, well, that's good. [realizes] Hmmmm. -- "The Computer Wore Menace Shoes"
% Homer soon discovers that there was an advantage in keeping his Mr. % X alter-ego a secret. He's no longer welcome at Moe's bar, Mr. X % might blow his secrets (like the fact that he's keeping Moleman % trapped in his floorboards). Reverend Lovejoy stops conversing with % his wife when Homer gets within earshot. Even the website is % affected.
Homer: Oh, nobody's visiting my web page anymore. My counter is actually going down. [we see a tumbleweed bounce across his web site, as his counter rapidly decreases] Lisa: Well, you can't post news if you don't have any. Homer: That's a great idea! I'll make up some news! Lisa: At least take off your Pulitzer prize when you say that. -- "The Computer Wore Menace Shoes"
% Homer obligingly removes prize from around his neck, giving it to % SLH. His first "story" concerns a new race of beings found living % under Denver. Spanish and Italian are the same language, or so goes % another scoop. % % The scene shifts to the Flanders home.
Flanders: [reading a computer screen] They're controlling our minds with flu shots. I knew it. Well, kids, now aren't you glad that we don't believe in inoculations? Rod + Todd: [shivering from an apparent fever] Yay. Todd: Mommy? -- "The Computer Wore Menace Shoes"
% Outside the Kwik-E-Mart, Nelson approaches Homer.
Nelson: Hey, Mr. "X", I've got a tip for you. They're dissecting frozen hobos in Science class. And I've got the bindles to prove it. [holds up some empty bindles] Homer: Real news is great, son, But I'm getting a thousand hits an hour with Grade-A bullplop. -- "The Computer Wore Menace Shoes"
% Homer goes inside the Kwik-E-Mart and asks Apu for some tickets. % Apu seems unresponsive, perhaps because he is a cardboard cutout. % Frightened, Homer steps backwards into a refrigerator display unit % only to discover it's also a fake. We switch outside to see this % fake Kwik-E-Mart is nothing but a semi-truck. The fake front folds % up and the truck drives away, taking Homer with it. % % Bart rides on his skateboard unaware of what just transpired. He % rolls into the store, browses a magazine and then notices Apu behind % the counter tied up with his mouth taped. He climbs up on the % counter and pulls off the tape. The first thing Apu says is, "This % is not a library." % % The truck with Homer drives off to parts unknown.
Save me Mr. "X"! Wait, I'm Mr. "X". Ohhh ... -- Homer, "The Computer Wore Menace Shoes"
% [End of Act Two. Time: 13:19] % % Homer has apparently been deposited in the kidnappers' hideout, % which looks like a lush countryside estate stocked with exotic birds % ... and exotic people in Victorian dress.
Homer: Huh! Whuzza? [he groggily awakes to the sight of a pink flamingo wearing a hat] What the hell? How did I get here? What is this place? [a man in a bowler hat appears] Man 1: This is ... The Island. Homer: How do I get out of here? Man 2: Oh, no one leaves the island. Homer: So I'm a prisoner. How come? Man 1: Because you know something. Homer: But I don't know anything. At least I don't think I do. Man 1: See you tomorrow. Homer: No you won't! [Runs to a red British phone booth] Hello, operator. I'd like to report a really weird island. Please send lot's of rescue 'copters to ... [the phone gases him] [groggily] Oh, well, alright. Whatever. -- "The Computer Wore Menace Shoes"
% Home wakes up at a cocktail party. The room is decorated in what % was considered pop-modern thirty years ago, with lava lamps and % wallpaper in bright primary colors. Everyone is wearing their best % Carnaby Street togs.
Number 6: Welcome, friend. I'm Number 6. Number 15: I'm Number Fifteen. What number are you? Homer: I am not a number! I am a man! And don't you ever ... oh wait ... [notices a button on his lapel with a "5" on it] I'm Number Five. Ha-ha! In your face Number 6. Number 6: Yes. Well done. Homer: Who are all these oddballs? Number 6: Well, they keep us here because we know too much. Number 27 there knows how to turn water into gasoline. Number 12 knows the deadly secret behind Tic-Tacs. And I invented the bottomless peanut bag. Homer: Wow. So who brought us here? Number 6: I don't know. Homer: Did you bring us here? Number 6: No. -- "The Computer Wore Menace Shoes"
% Back in Springfield, Marge, Police Chief Quimby, and Lou are walking % through Springfield Forest ("Witch-Free Since 1998") with a % bloodhound.
Wiggum: Don't worry, if even half of your husband is out here, Officer Scraps will find him. Marge: Oh, that's a darling name for a dog. -- "The Computer Wore Menace Shoes"
% The dog, sniffing Homer's trail, runs into ocean. He gets perhaps % fifty years out before he realizes he's in over his head. As the % dog frantically tries to keep his head above water, Wiggum orders % Lou to go after him. Lou prepares by removing his shoes, but Wiggum % reminds him that the shoes are part of the uniform. So Lou wades % into the ocean, shoes and all.
% Back on the island, Homer awakens from another drug-induced stupor. % An empty teacup rests on his belly.
Homer: Oh, they drugged the tea. They knew my one weakness. [a man descends from ceiling] Number 2: Hello, Number Five. How is every little thing? Homer: Who are you and why are you holding me here? I want answers now or I want them eventually! Number 2: Fair enough. I'll level with you. [Homer throws a saucer at him] Ow. Please. Don't do that. Homer: Sorry. Number 2: I'll be blunt. Your web page has stumbled upon our secret plan. Homer: That's impossible. All my stories are bullplop. Bullplop! Number 2: Don't be cute. I'm referring to the flu shot expose. You see we're the ones loading them with mind-controlling additives. Homer: But why? [throws another saucer] Number 2: To drive people into a frenzy of shopping. That's why flu shots are given just before Christmas. Homer: Of course. It's so simple. [Reconsidering] Wait, no it's not. It's needlessly complicated. Number 2: Yes it is. And we can't have you out there mucking it up, now, can we? Homer: No, sir. Number 2: That's a good boy. Let's get you some ice cream. [a bowl of ice cream and hypodermic syringes rises from within the table] There we are. Homer: Look, you can drug me all you want, but my family won't rest until they find my drug-bloated corpse. Number 2: I wouldn't count on that Number Five. As far as your family knows, Homer Simpson is walking in the front door right about now. Homer: [his face covered in ice cream and drugs] I'm sorry? What? -- "The Computer Wore Menace Shoes"
% Indeed, back at Springfield an imposter Homer walks through the % front door. He looks exactly like our Homer, but has a thick German % accent.
Marge: Homey! Homer #2: Marge honey-fr�ulein, I'm home. Marge: You're not my husband. Homer #2: Ja, please forgive my unexplained two-week absence. To make it up to you, we will go out to dinner at a sensibly priced restaurant, then have a night of efficient German sex. Marge: Well, I sure don't feel like cooking. -- "The Computer Wore Menace Shoes"
% Back on the Island, the real Homer plays croquet. The ball gasses % him again. % % In Springfield Homer #2 and Bart watch TV. Homer #2 uses an % electric shaver to copy Homer's unique bi-strand hairdo. Bart % senses that there's something different about his father. Homer #2 % explains he's wearing a new tie, which satisfies Bart's curiosity. % % Meanwhile, back on the Island ...
Homer: I'm tired of being drugged and gassed. There's got to be a way to escape. Number 6: Psssst. Homer: Huh? Number 6: [shows Homer a raft hidden in foliage] I worked on this for 33 years. It's made out of toilet paper rolls, toothpicks, and plastic forks. And the sail is made of scabs and dynamite. It's small and it's smelly, but it should carry both of us to ... [Homer punches him, jumps into boat and sails off] Number 6: That's the third time that's happened! -- "The Computer Wore Menace Shoes"
% As Homer sails away, a large orb rises from the ocean and gives % chase.
Homer: Oh no, an anti-escape orb! [grabs one of the plastic forks from the boat and pops the orb] Huh. That was easy. [back in the kidnappers' headquarters] Number 2: Why did you think a big balloon would stop people? Scientist: Shut up! That's why! -- "The Computer Wore Menace Shoes"
% Homer makes it back home safely. He logs onto the computer and % tries to warn the world about the "crazy creeps" on the Island. % Suddenly the words he's typing melt away, and the mysterious Number % 2 appears on his screen. He informs Homer he's shutting down the % Mr. X site. Homer defiantly vows that only he can stop himself. % The impostor Homer takes this as his cue to attack.
Number 2: Yes, Fight and Struggle! Homer: If I know me, he won't like being kicked in the crotch! [Homer ... disables Homer #2] Homer #2: Gott in himmel! Homer: Oh Marge, it's me, the real Homer! Marge: Oh Homey! Number 2: [claps sarcastically] Bravo, Number Five. But you know what happens to bad little fishies who wriggle through the net. Lisa: Can I turn this off? Homer: Absolutely. [Lisa turns off the computer] Number 2: Hey! [the monitor goes dark] -- An unforeseen setback, "The Computer Wore Menace Shoes"
% The family welcomes the real Homer back, but the reunion doesn't % last long. The Islanders have rigged SLH with their trademark % sleeping gas. The next thing the Simpsons know, they are on the % Island, wearing mod-Victorian clothes and living the genteel country % life.
Marge: Once you get use to the druggin's, this isn't a bad place. Homer: Oh, it's wonderful. Truly God's country. -- Even better than the Hotel California, "The Computer Wore Menace Shoes"
% A koala bear wearing sunglasses walks by. He turns to the camera % and removes the glasses, revealing a pair of gas nozzles where his % eyes normally would be. He "gasses" the audience, and the scene % fades to black.
Homer: [hypnotically] See you on the island. Lisa: Yes ... the island. -- "The Computer Wore Menace Shoes"
% [End of Act Three. Time: 20:01] % % Normal end-credit music and Gracie sound effect.
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============================================================================== This episode capsule is Copyright 2002 Benjamin Robinson. It is not to be redistributed in a public forum without consent from its author or current maintainer ([email]). All quoted material and episode summaries remain property of The Simpsons, Copyright of Twentieth Century Fox. All other contributions remain the properties of their respective authors. The Quote and Scene Summary itself is Copyright 2002 Bruce Gomes. This capsule has been brought to you by Honest John's Computers.
This work is dedicated to Raymond Chen, James A. Cherry, Ricardo Lafaurie, Frederic Briere, and all of those who made episode capsules what they are today.
See you on the island.