The capsule for "The Blunder Years" is now available at The Simpsons Archive, at "http://www.snpp.com/episodes.html". You may access this episode, which closes out the Mike Scully era, by following the link for episode CABF21.
We plan to have "She of Little Faith (DABF01)" up next. (This is subject to change due to schedule and resource demands, however.)
For your convenience, a copy the CABF21 capsule follows immediately. Enjoy!
The Blunder Years Written by Ian Maxtone-Graham
Directed by Steven Dean Moore
==============================================================================
Production code: CABF21 Original Airdate on FOX: 9-Dec-2001
Capsule revision A (1-May-2004)
============================================================================================================================================================ [SNPP.com] A restaurant hypnotist causes Homer to relive a traumatic childhood experience where, upon swimming in a quarry, he found a dead body. That dead body turned out to be Waylon Smithers' father, Waylon Sr., who had disappeared twenty-five years earlier under suspicious circumstances. Meanwhile, Marge fancies Chad Sexington, the man who appears on the packaging of Burly paper towels. Guest stars Paul Newman, Judith Owen, and Joe Mantegna.
==============================================================================
============================================================================== Blackboard: I AM NOT CHARLIE BROWN ON ACID
Couch: The family runs in and jumps toward the couch. Suddenly, the
picture freezes with them in mid-leap, then spins around on an
invisible axis, showing them from a different perspective.
When the picture un-freezes, the Simpsons fall into their
usual places on the couch. [Recycled from BABF17]==============================================================================
============================================================================== ... Maggie dozing at the Pimento grove?
Jeff Cross: ... the photos of *NSYNC on the walls of the Pimento Grove?
Don Del Grande:
... the Simpson typewriter had a one-color ribbon?
... Barney sort of looked like a drunk again?
... when Mesmerino told Homer to become Emily Dickinson, he became Angie
Dickinson instead?Alex Foley: ... Moe at the Pimento Grove with Sam (one of the barflies)? ... Homer actually went to work for a change? ... OFF Did not bring Maggie along when they went to the gorge?
John Jensen:
... Homer's age is now 42? (He remembers something from age 12, and later
mentions it was a memory from "thirty years ago.")Chad Lehman:
... the Senator Mendoza-looking guy sitting behind the Simpsons at Pimento
Grove?
... Smithers looks particularly impressed when Homer becomes Angie
Dickinson?
... young Fat Tony legitimizes the episode's title when he says the phrase
"blundered into"?
... after Lisa says "stop saying that", we see a stop sign?
... Wiggum pulls and cocks his pistol when going to see the skeleton?
... Marge daintily raises her dress while walking up the pipe?
... the corpse hatch is directly under the taxidermed polar bear?
... Wiggum looks repulsed when Burns says he shoved the corpse down the
sewer pipe?
... Homer eats popcorn during the "play"?
... the clever joke when Homer's light shriek, and loud shriek are put over
the credits in a new context? (light shriek -- Gracie Films; loud
shriek -- 20th Century Fox)Alee Molino:
... Maggie drops an apple on the floor?
... Marge has, allegedly, frequently asked Homer for an autographed photo?
... Homer's childhood hair color is the lightest in this episode that it's
ever been? Maybe the flashback takes place in the summer.Benjamin Robinson: ... Homer puts Smithers' skull in a box labeled, "Memories"?
Ted Schuerzinger:
... while Lisa has had her own typewriter [AABF18], and her own computer
[BABF04], Homer has had a computer [CABF02], and the Simpsons have had
a typewriter with a broken "E" key [AABF21], Marge seems to be using
yet another typewriter this time?==============================================================================
==============================================================================
- Starring
- Dan Castellaneta (Homer, Barney)
- Julie Kavner (Marge)
- Nancy Cartwright (Bart)
- Yeardley Smith (Lisa)
- Hank Azaria (Burly, Mesmerino, Frink, Carl, Moe, Wiggum)
- Harry Shearer (Pimento Grove Emcee, Lenny, Louie, Burns, Smithers Senior,
Smithers)- Special Guest Voice - Joe Mantegna (Tony) - Paul Newman (Himself) - Judith Owen (Herself (song vocals))
- Also Starring - Pamela Hayden (Mama) - Tress MacNeille (Waitress) - Karl Wiedergott (Sexy-voiced Frink [?])
==============================================================================
==============================================================================
+ "The Wonder Years" (TV series)
- title a spoof + "Peanuts" (comic strip) {jk}
- blackboard Gag + "The Matrix" (movie) {am}
- during the couch gag, the family jumps and floats in mid-air + "Brawny" (brand of paper towel)
- "Burly" towels have similar name and lumberjack logo + Benihana (restaurant) {cl}
- popular (? not by Bart & Lisa's standards) Japanese restaurant where
the chefs cook the meal right at the table + Pat Carroll, "the hip hypnotist" {ddg}
- Mesmerino's title + "The Nutty Professor" (movie) {jk}
- Frink turning into a hunk, then back into a geek [See "Comments"
section for more -- Ed.] + "He-Man and the Masters of the Universe" (TV series)
- Skeletor was the name of one of the villains, who had a bare skull for
a head [See "Comments" section for more -- Ed.] + "Stand by Me" (movie)
- Homer's flashback with four young boys in an American "everytown" and
the finding of a dead corpse {am}
- kids walk along railroad tracks, singing 50s pop songs
- other older bully kids come along and get in their way {jj} + "Benny and the Jets" (song) {bjr}
- Lenny thinks the gang is called, "Lenny and the Jets" (This could also
qualify as a "West Side Story" reference) ~ Jimi Hendrix Experience (band) {jc}
- young Moe calling the group the Moe Szyslak Experience + "Breaking Away" (movie) {ah2}
- quarry swimming scene a reference ~ "The Black Echo" by Michael Connolly (novel) {jc}
- finding a corpse stuffed in a drainage pipe - "M*A*S*H" (TV series) {es}
- Hawkeye had "recovered memory" of when a friend nearly drowned him as
a kid (cf. Homer's trauma from a recovered memory) - "Murder Most Foul" (movie) {ddg}
- Lisa says this ~ "Hamlet" {bb}
- Lisa's "murder most foul," echoes the ghost's, "Avenge his foul and
most unnatural murder!" + "The Tonight Show" (TV series)
- Mesmerino does Carson's "Karnak the Magnificent" bit while reading the
mail
- when Moe drinks the Yaqui tea, he uses the same "wacky" voice that
Johnny Carson sometimes used [See "Comments" section for more -- Ed.]
{ts} ~ Pierre Elliot Trudeau (Canadian Prime Minister) {dd}
- Burns' hair and clothing style in the plant flashback similar to
[Trudeau's], who was equally foppish around in the same time frame
(early 1970s) [{dd} goes on to ask, "And ever notice how much Mr.
Burns resembles Trudeau?" -- Ed.] + "Star Trek 2: The Wrath of Khan" (movie) {kk}
- elder Smithers' death here is remarkably similar to Mr. Spock's death
in this film -- severe radiation overdose in a confined chamber by
sacrificing himself to save others==============================================================================
==============================================================================
- [7F06] Homer's abortive jump of Springfield Gorge
- [7F18] Marge writes a fan letter, expressing a crush {cl}
- [7F18], [AABF15] Marge paints {cl}
- [7F22] Homer, while pretending to be someone else, says "I don't know" when
asked a personal question that whoever he's pretending to be should
obviously know the answer to {am}
- [7F22] Mr. Burns uses his letter opener at his desk {cl}
- [8F02], [9F21] Parody of Johnny Carson's Karnak sketch {am}
- [8F06], [2F13] Bart talks while holding his nose {cl}
- [9F01] Barney carries an axe {cl}
- [9F17], [2F10] Someone takes over telling a story during a scene {cl}
- [9F17], [BABF19] Flashbacks to Homer jumping Springfield Gorge {ah}
- [9F22] When naming a musical group, someone likes even the bad suggestions
{nl}
- [1F01] Someone "roasts" Mr. Burns {cl}
- [1F02] SNPP's "nap time" mentioned {cl}
- [1F08] "Sears" department store mentioned {cl}
- [1F17] Marge fantasizes about a fictional character in a sexual way {am}
- [2F07] Frink/Nutty Professor Parody {dt}
- [2F07] Professor Frink is turned from a "nerd" into a Casanova, and in
response to a "sexified" Professor Frink's advances, a woman says,
"Whatever you say, professor!" {am}
- [2F22] Object mistaken for a rock shaped like that object (skull/lemon)
{cl}
- [3F02] Brainstorming for names (of a restaurant in this episode) {cl}
- [4F11] Homer uses the phrase "shall we say" to schedule something at his
house {cl}
- [5F21], [AABF16] A film projector is used someplace *other than* Springfield
Elementary (Springfield Retirement Castle in [AABF16], Simpsons' home
in [5F21]) {ts}
- [AABF07] Wiggum scared by bright lights shining in eyes (although in that
episode, the light was actually reflecting off other people's eyes)
{ts}
- [AABF09], [BABF12], [CABF08] Pelvic thrusts {cl}
- [AABF17] Someone zings Burns by calling him, "Skeletor" {bjr}
- [BABF14] Coupon for free guitar (cf. helicopter flying) lessons {cl}
- [BABF19] Marge wears a similar outfit (red in this episode, green in "Behind
the Laughter" [BABF19] -- a dress with separate, off-the-shoulder
sleeves) {am}
- [CABF10] "Wacky" voice used to say, "Boy, that's good _____!" {bb}
- [CABF12] "Matrix" camera angles used {ts}==============================================================================
==============================================================================
- Household products {bjr} B u r l y Mama Celeste [Paul Newman]
PAPER TOWELS [Mama]
NEWMAN'S OWN
[lumberjack] Sausage Pizza Salad Dressing- Celebrities on the wall of the Pimiento Grove (no particular order) {am}
Barry White
Bette Midler
Big Bird
Bumblebee Man
Birch Barlow
Stephen Hawking Hmm. I only noticed one person without a "B" in their name. (Don't
worry, Homer, the bees are all gone now.)- Movie title card {bjr}
PLANT SECURITY
FOOTAGE [Bohr]
[type]
[atom]==============================================================================
==============================================================================
* Where was Barney in Homer's flashback? {jk}= Moe's face is really ... messed up (animation wise) like it was smashed or something ... pretty much throughout. {cl}
+ Isn't Fat Tony much older than Homer and the other guys? He should've been in at least his twenties in that flashback. {dd}
= As a pre-teen child, Moe's hair is black. But in [2F21], we find out that Moe's "roots" are "chestnut". {cl}
= When Moe shoots at Fat Tony, we see Moe's acne. Cut to Fat Tony running away. Cut back to Moe, and he's got smooth skin w/ no acne. {gb}
+ The nuclear power plant is seen operating when Homer was 12. Yet, five years *later*, in "The Way We Was (7F12)," construction had just finished. [Perhaps Burns finished up a newer plant when Homer graduated high school? -- Ed.]
= When Homer picks up the corpse of Smithers, Sr., We see the back of the
head first. It shows glasses on the head. Yet when we're shown the front
of the head in the next couple of frames, the glasses are gone. {gb}+ That may be picking at straws, but a corpse won't look that fresh after
three years, especially with water pressure building up against it. [See
"Comments" section for more -- Ed.] {am}* The Simpsons talk about the "murder" as if it is a new case that has to be
solved, and go on a hunt as if there is evidence readily available for
collection, when the incident had to have happened over twenty years ago.
{am}+ Smithers seems to have gotten much younger -- in "The 138th Episode
Spectacular" Troy McClure mentioned that Smithers was 38 years old, yet
here he's at the most 31 years old. [See "Comments" section for more --
Ed.] {dd}+ It was intimated in "Bart After Dark" that Smithers' dad was very much
alive: when Burns was aghast that he went to Maisson Derriere, Waylon
explains that his "parents told me to ... give it a try!" (Smithers's mom
could have remarried after Burns told her the cock and bull story about how
Dad died). {dd}= Whoops. Near the end, we see the box o' memories with the skull in it on the coffee table. Next scene, no box. {md}
= Moe starts presenting the evidence in a long shot with Homer, Marge and Moe
visible. It cuts to a close shot, then a long shot again. In the second
long shot, the coffee table disappears. ["The universe is deconstructing!"
says {md} -- Ed.] {am}==============================================================================
============================================================================== Don Del Grande: I think I singled out the problem with this episode: not enough go, too much Moe. Every time Moe got involved, it seemed like another "rake scene". To make it worse, he droned on over the ending ... (B)
Daniel Dreibelbis: It's neat to see the friendship that Homer has with Lenny, Carl and Moe and how they came to their current camaraderie. It's just a shame, though, when Homer casually throws away that camaraderie for most of the rest of the episode (apart from Moe's little explanation of "what really happened" right at the end, which is amusing if not gut-busting funny). There are also some problems with continuity regarding characters' ages. The short B-plot of Marge's obsession with the mascot of Burly Towels, not to mention the product itself (great product, BTW!) is pretty good, and it even re-appears to solve a particular problem at the end. [...] All in all, a good little episode that could've been better (B)
Alex Foley: The Mike Scully-era comes to an end with a rather average outing here that was not memorable nor horrible. Which might be a good way to sum up the Mike Scully era to some. At least we finally know why Smithers is gay. (C)
Melamud Hagai: Woo hoo! A return to form! Much better than last week's
episode (though I liked it too..). Homer was acting most of the time like
his old loveable self, Bart and Lisa had meaningful roles, and Marge had a
subplot (well, sort of) of her own, which actually connected at the end
with the main plot! [...] I've always been biased when it comes to
flashback episodes and especially young Homer, and this one was no
exception. It was packed with meta-humour ("this sounds like a job only
for the Simpson family members"), good jokes and good characterization.
Sort of a rushed ending (though for some reason, I didn't seem to care).
Put all of them together and you get, IMHO, a well deserved (A)Alee Molino: Once again, we rush through parts of the story that I think could have been a major plot point -- in this case, Waylon Smithers, Sr. and his death, and Homer's boyhood, which on their own could have been expanded into another episode or another half of an episode. "The Blunder Years" wasn't really a poor episode, but I didn't find it particularly funny or moving or ... well, it was a valiant effort, and tying the end of the story to the beginning of the story with the Burly paper towels was absolute genius. Just that point helps bump this grade up to: (B)
Mike Nuss: Wow, a decent episode! I actually enjoyed this one: the plot was consistent and made sense, and there wasn't anything overly offensive. Homer's jerk-assness was kept to a minimum for the most part. My only complaint would have to be that Homer and Bart's prank was rather cruel, but at least Homer realized he had hurt her feelings and made up for it. There were few laugh-out-loud moments, but the ones that were there were pretty good: Wiggum saying "I'm a crime buff" was great, and Baby Smithers calling Burns "sir" was a cute touch. Although the paper towels' absorbency was completely unrealistic, I was pleased to see them re-using something from the beginning of the episode for a purpose (namely, finding the body). (B)
Todd Willis: Meh, this episode was decent. The story didn't give me to much to complain about, but on the downside this episode wasn't very funny. I think an overall problem with this episode is that it seemed too rushed. The rushed feel of the episode also made the conclusion seem pretty weak. Overall, it's not that bad, but not memorable at all. (B-)
Stephen X: There were some cute references and a nice story, but I really don't know what it takes to make me happy with this show anymore. While I did like the reference to "Stand By Me", as I would references to any movie that has one of the Corey's in it (Lisa would like that too), the rest of the story seemed to come out of nowhere. Who was this guy again and why were we supposed to care? Oh, Smithers said so earlier in the episode, I guess. Maybe Homer is a little TOO controlled by his id sometimes. He gets a feeling and off he goes. Another adventure. Another story going all over the place. One more thing. Does anyone else not like the re-using of jokes such as the professor as Professor Julius Kelp in the Nutty Professor? Now if they made him like the Klumps that would be a different story. :-) (B-)
Yours Truly: "The Blunder Years" is filled with unlikely situations, but it seems more like a spoof of "Simpsons" storytelling conventions than like bad writing. The much-touted Paul Newman cameo is brief, but good. However, the best scenes revolve around Moe and his reaction to some of the family's decisions. Some of the humor is nothing to write home about, but overall this show is a decent send-off for Mike Scully. (B)
AVERAGE GRADE: B- (2.78) Std Dev.: 0.6841 (12 reviews computed)
==============================================================================
==============================================================================
Blake Ross: Am I the only one who noticed that it says Executive Producer Al Jean at the beginning of the episode and Executive Producer Mike Scully at the end? Same with last week's. Why is this?
Alex Foley: That's because all the new episodes shown so far this year are hold-overs from last year when Mike Scully was still the guy running the show. Starting with the next episode, Al Jean will be the Executive Producer at the end (since he is now the show runner)
Daniel Dreibelbis: "Mr. Sandman" [was] a popular 1940s pop tune, the most famous version being done by The Andrews Sisters in perfect three-part harmony. (Emmylou Harris would also have a hit with this in the late seventies/early eighties). This was definitely the coolest part of the episode, with Lenny, Carl and Homer singing this in harmony -- without changing gender ....
Benjamin Robinson: Oh, and according to a press release, the singer/pianist at the Pimento Grove is Judith Owen, an independent artist in the LA scene. You heard a clip from "To Hell and Back."
Benjamin Robinson: For his blackboard punishment, Bart must renounce a claim to being "Charlie Brown on acid." I'm not sure who said this, but I'm pretty sure that's how one critic referred to "The Simpsons."
Don Del Grande: Bart has multiple copies of his red shirt and blue shorts.
- Is Smithers Gay?
Benjamin Robinson: To cover up Smithers's father's death, Burns told him that he was killed in the Amazon by a tribe of savage women. Everyone present sort of concludes that this probably had no lasting ill effect on him. But wait! Could this story have given Smithers a resentment of women, possibly leading to his homosexuality? Nahhh ...
Dr. Steve wonders: How old is Smithers? By the looks of that body, Smithers' father was deceased what ... a year, two max before homer found it. BUT ... Smithers was a newborn at this time ... then again, Smithers was hired at the plant before Homer. This means that if Homer was 12 years old and found the body, Smithers was at the most about 3. That means that in seven years, Smithers was hired, then Homer. So Smithers was not even hitting puberty when he was hired on at the plant, I suppose.
Amir Vardi: Since the ages of the characters always remains constant, time cannot make sense. For example, if Bart is 10, then his birth date in 1991 was 1981, and now is 1991. So everything changes from episodes in one year to episodes in another. It may still show that there are some mistakes. We all know however that in these circumstances, a wizard did it. Or Scully. Scull did it. It's all Scully's fault.
Chad Lehman: IOW, he was born in a different year in other episodes. There's no inconsistency; there's just no linear timeline in The Simpsons. The Simpsons is a slice-of-life, where the past and future change according to the dictates of _our_ present. It's the only way you can keep characters from aging. The characters were never supposed to age, lending credence to the idea that "The Simpsons" is supposed to be a slice-of-life commentary on American society. IOW, it's not a serialized drama about particular characters.
Charlie Brown, and many other cartoon characters are classic examples of the non-aging, slice of life ideal.
Dan Dreibelbis writes: PAUL NEWMAN: legendary American actor, his film debut was the starring role in a sword and sandals Biblical movie called "The Silver Chalice" in the 1950s that was a real stinker. However, Paul soon bounced back from that turkey and made a name for himself in such classics as "Hud", "Cool Hand Luke," "The Hustler," "The Life and Times Of Judge Roy Bean," "Slap Shot" and many other films. Nominated many times by the Academy for his excellent performances, he finally got a Best Actor Oscar for his performance in the sequel to "The Hustler", "The Color Of Money" .
Among his many films were two classics he made with Robert Redford, "Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid" and "The Sting," both of which benefited from the two stars' chemistry between them in witty repartee and acting off each other.
These days, Paul has another concern going -- his Newman's Own food products, which he developed himself (he has a reputation for being an excellent gourmet cook). He started with popcorn and salad dressing, and has now expanded to other foodstuffs, he's even started a sister line based around his daughter's food creations. It's also a sideline with a generous benefit: Newman donates all his profits from his food business to charity.
Speaking of Paul Newman, Benjamin Robinson wrote: Even after what seems like an eternity in Hollywood time, Paul Newman's name still has is a box-office draw. As you might expect, Fox played up Paul's guest role on tonight's show in the USA promotion campaign. What's more surprising is that, when the announcer mentioned Newman's name, they showed the Burly lumberjack, implying that Newman voiced that character. Problem is, I don't think that he did; instead, he voiced himself on the dressing bottle. This was just one line, so it would have been hard to use a clip in the commercial -- some viewers might have complained when they found out that what they saw in the ad was Newman's *entire* role.
What's the name Homer gave the model who plays the Burly Towel Man? That's a surprisingly hard question to answer.
"Taveren" writes: I believe it was first Ted, then changed to Chad. Could also be a terrible memory on my part. Anyone back it up?
Scott Higdon: I'm with you here, but to me it sounded like "Tad" at first.
Greg Bair: I watched it again, and I say it started as Ted, and then changed. [...] On the phone, Homer definitely says Tad, then Chad when he's at the door.
Now, thanks to this argument, my damn VCR ate the tape. Damn cheapo VCR.
Chad Lehman: Interesting that the CC says "Chad Sexington". Of course I'm biased ... not that my *ahem* name has anything to do with it ... (Ted S. would probably argue).
Alex Cain: It was always Chad.
Kevin Madden: I heard Chad every time by the way. The name Tad never entered my head while watching that ep.
Dave H: I heard "Chas."
Jym Dyer: ObGratuitousChadJoke: Demand a hand recount.
[I can see how people would come up with either name, as "Ch" and "T" are almost the same sound when they appear at the start of a word. To pronounce either one, you have to put the tip of your tongue at the base of your two front teeth, and then "push off" with your tongue as you exhale. I've decided to transcribe it as "Chad," in the Quote and Scene Summary. The closed captioning has it that way. Also, less than a minute passes between the time Homer says "Chad" on the phone and when he repeats it at the front door. The producers sometimes get sloppy with continuity, but they aren't so sloppy that they can't keep names straight from one minute to the next -- Ed.]
Daniel Dreibelbis writes: "THE NUTTY PROFESSOR" -- Frink's transmogrification into a swinging super-stud a reference to the classic original Jerry Lewis comedy from 1960 (which was remade with spotty results with Eddie Murphy in the 1990s). Appropriate, as Frink is based on Lewis' character Professor Julius F. Kelp from this movie, right down to the hair, glasses and buck teeth.
Daniel Dreibelbis: This isn't the first time Mr. Burns' appearance has been compared to that of the enemy of He-Man, an evil megalomaniac with a skull- face bent on world domination. The two characters were on the "Masters Of The Universe" half-hour toy commercial popular with young kids in the 1980s (and was later done as a live action movie with Frank Langella as Skeletor battling with Dolph Lundgren's He-Man).
Who inspired the voice Moe used to say, "That's good Yaqui?" Alan Hamilton notes: The closed captioning said it was ala Jackie Gleason. It did sound like Carson, though.
Alee Molino: To me, Moe sounded kind of like Professor Frink when saying "Boy, that's good Yaqui (or yekki, or ... whatever)"
Amir Vardi: OMG. That's exactly what I thought. I was going to post this when I read that and then Alee Molino beat me to it. If you taped it, go back to that; he sounds just like Professor Frink flaven! BTW, Hank Azaria does to both voices.
Someone known as "megafrim": It was originally a bit of Jackie Gleason "schtick". Johnny Carson later stole ... um, I mean appropriated ... no, um, I mean "paid homage" to Gleason by doing the bit himself. Yeah, that's it. Homage. And no trace of Frink/Lewis there at all.
Alee Molino notes: Mr. Burns says the death of Waylon Smithers, Sr. happened thirty years ago, but if Homer was 12 in the flashback and is 39 (perhaps 38?) now, the death happened 27 years ago. That may be picking at straws, but a corpse won't look that fresh after three years, especially with water pressure building up against it.
Tim Scott answers: Having watched a lot of shows on the Discovery channel I will say this: A body left in the open environment will decompose fairly quickly. With the right conditions a full body can be skeletonized within a week. Homer could have found Smithers Sr's body within a few weeks or months of the accident. Also we never saw Smithers Sr's body right after the accident. It could have been badly damaged and Homer could found it shortly afterwards.
Reo Becks: in Smithers Senior's case, his corpse was left in a place where it couldn't possibly decompose any faster. It's difficult to accept that it still hadn't rotted away in the 12+ years before Homer discovered it.
Benjamin Robinson: When the Simpsons (and Chief Wiggum) need to quickly get rid of the water at the quarry, it's Marge to the rescue. She tosses in a few rolls of Burly brand paper towels, which absorb all the water. Of course, this can only happen in cartoons, but it's surprisingly close to reality (if the story I heard is true). Absorbent diapers work because they contain some sort of crystalline substance that can "grab" liquid and lock it into a gel, keeping it away from baby's fanny. During the development phase for these crystals, some jokers in R&D grabbed a small amount -- no more than a pail full -- and sneak into a coworker's back yard. They dumped the crystals into the pool and -- slurp! -- the water in the *entire pool* is promptly absorbed into a gel. I assume the gel occupies about the same volume that the water did, so Marge couldn't use this technique to clear out the quarry, but it's impressive all the same.
Brian Beck: This is true -- but they're never used in paper towels.
Alee Molino invents a new category: none
"The Groceries"
Fruit Roll-Ups Beer Roll-Ups Burly Paper Towels Mama Celeste Pizza Newman's Own Salad Dressing
"Long-Term effects on Homer of finding a corpse"
Occasional overeating Fear of corpses
"Moe's evidence"
A used Band-Aid
A 6 or a 9 from someone's address
Gravel
A shell ("looks like a helmet for a mouse")Maybe Fox's promo department should have been listening carefully, as Alex Foley points out: In all Fox promos and in the TV Guide Synopsis, Waylon Smithers, Sr. was called Ernest K. Smithers.
Don Del Grande: I think somebody sent me a Fox press release listing this episode to air in November and that name was mentioned as the body, but presumably that was from an earlier script.
Alex Foley: I am sick and tired of FOX squeezing out the credits just to promote next week's episode of the Simpsons and any other FOX programming; especially when something is going on. In this case, Moe explaining his evidence. It's bad enough on a normal week since you're taking credit away from the many people who work behind the scenes of the show (it's hard enough to have read them before considering how fast they went, but now it's near impossible unless you got a big TV), but it's even more annoying when it happens during a "bit". I doubt very much that the "punch line" to the joke was Moe saying "This sounds crazy right?". You would think FOX would have a little more respect for a show that has made the network millions of dollars ... but then again this is FOX we are talking about. Unfortunately this credit squeezing crap has infected all the networks, and looks like something that is here to stay.
==============================================================================
============================================================================== % Having just come home from the supermarket, Marge enthusiastically % puts away the groceries. There's fruit roll-ups for Bart, beer % roll-ups for Homer, and Burly paper towels for Marge. But wait -- % that's not her usual brand. Marge is about to take them back to the % store when she notices Burly's rugged lumberjack mascot. The towels % are pretty good, too, capable of absorbing many times their weight % in liquid. Marge just has to spread the word. She picks up the % phone and dials.
Lisa: [runs into the kitchen] I came home as quick as I could. What's going on? Marge: Watch what happens when I spill this blue liquid. [pours some liquid on the kitchen table, tears a towel off the roll] Lisa: You pulled me out of school for this? Marge: Absolutely. You're about to get a lesson -- in value. -- Marge the home-schooler, "The Blunder Years"
% Marge tears a small piece off the towel and lays it on the spill. % It absorbs all the liquid. She insists that Lisa spill something % else so she can further demonstrate the towel's soaking power. Lisa % reluctantly spills some milk, which the towel absorbs.
Ooh, Burly, you're insatiable! -- Marge Simpson, "The Blunder Years"
% Later, Marge has collected several more rolls of Burly paper towels. % She stares at the Burly lumberjack, longing for someone as manly, as % opposed to her own husband, who comes unglued when a bee whizzes % past his ear. Even when she's hugging Homer, Marge thinks about % Burly.
Burly: Fantasize, Marge. Fantasize about Burly. [does a few pelvic thrusts] Homer: Hey, you're looking at that spokesjack. Well, I can fantasize, too. [looks at some of the other groceries] Ooh, Mama Celeste. [lustful growl] Mama: [brandishing a pizza cutter] You touch-a me, and I cut you. Homer: [casts his gaze on a bottle of Newman's Own dressing] Hmm ... Newman: Homer, I'll tell you what I told Redford: It ain't gonna happen. -- "The Blunder Years"
% Marge types a fan letter for the Burly man, asking for a signed % photograph. After she leaves, Homer examines the typewriter ribbon % and finds out what Marge was writing. Feeling betrayed, he vows to % get back at her. % % Later, Marge answers the phone.
Marge: Hello? [cut to Homer and Bart, who are on the other end of the line. They're in another house with a window overlooking the Simpson home] Bart: [pinching his nose shut to disguise his voice] We have a person-to-person call for Marge Simpson. Marge: [impressed] Person-to-person? Homer: [takes phone, disguises voice] Hello, this is Chad Sexington, the model for Burly towels. Marge: [gasps] How did you get my number? Homer: I don't know, but I was quite moved by your letter. I'd love to meet you and your family; shall we say, dinner? Marge: Oh, my goodness-- Homer: Perfect. I'll be there at seven. [hangs up] [he and Bart high-five] Marge: Oh, my God. Dinner with Burly. [cut to Homer and Bart, laughing. The camera pulls back to reveal that Homer is in Ned's house. Also, Ned is there, entertaining guests] Ned: Playing a prank-er-oo, eh? Homer: I was having a private conversation with my wife, in the guise of Chad Sexington. Do you mind? -- Nosy Ned butts in again, "The Blunder Years"
% Homer continues to prime Marge for the big prank.
Homer: So, how was your day? Did anything unbelievable happen? Phone calls, things of that nature? Marge: You're not going to believe it. That paper towel lumberjack is coming here. For dinner! Tonight! Homer: Tonight? Well, you'd better get your hopes up! Marge: I will. [walks away] [Homer and Bart laugh and exchange another high-five] -- "The Blunder Years"
% So, Marge gets ready for the big dinner party with Chad. She's % artfully arranged stacks of Burly paper towels throughout the house. % Candles are lit for that romantic and sophisticated mood. Everyone % is dressed up. Marge has even painted a portrait of Chad in his % lumberjack outfit. For a crowning touch, when the doorbell rings, % Bart unfurls a roll of paper towels in the hallway, for that "white % carpet" treatment.
Homer: Why look, it's Chad Sexington! [opens the door. Barney is standing there, in a lumberjack outfit] Barney: Hey, baby! I'm that guy you like. Marge: Barney? Wh -- where's Chad? [Homer and Bart laugh uproariously] Congratulations, I feel ridiculous. [sadly walks away] Barney: You mean, I was just a prop in some cruel joke? [groans and leaves] -- "The Blunder Years"
% Lisa worries that her father may have taken the prank too far. "It % was hard on me, too," Homer says, "I had to wear a suit!" He does % see the light, though, and to make it up to Marge, he takes her (and % the rest of the family) to the Pimento Grove for dinner and a show.
Marge: I guess it was a pretty funny prank. I like the ones where nothing catches on fire. Homer: Yeah, nothing is hurt except feelings. -- "The Blunder Years"
% Judith Owens, the night's musical entertainer, finishes up her set. % The emcee introduces the next act, Mesmerino the Hip Hypnotist who % has been seen on programs like "The Michael Douglas Show," and "Art % Linkletter's House Party." Mesmerino emerges from a pyramid that % has been brought onstage.
Mesmerino: Thank you, thank you very much, ladies and gentlemen. [scans the audience] Let's see, who do we have here ... [spots Prof. Frink] Well, what's the matter with you, champ? You couldn't find a date? Frink: I didn't come here to be heckled and spoofed and whatnot. Mesmerino: Well, why did you come here? [dangles a hypno-coin in front of Frink] Seriously, though, when I snap my fingers, my friend, you will be a ... make-out artist! [snaps fingers] Frink: [trying futilely to resist the change] Glaven! That's too powerful ... oh hey, whoa! ... hold it, cause it's different ... I, ooh! [suddenly, Frink is a changed man. His hair is slicked back, and he talks with a confident, Sinatra-like voice. A pretty waitress walks by] Hey, cupcake, listen good -- I want you to swallow that gum and meet me in the coat room in five, four, three, two ... now. Waitress: [swallows the gum she's been chewing] Whatever you say, Professor. [audience applauds] Mesmerino: And back you go! [snaps fingers] Frink: [tries to resist again] Ooh, hey! No, no, don't make me ... I don't wanna go back to the nothin' ... I don't ... n'hey ... [back to normal] Oh dear, I've re-dorkulated. [audience applauds again] -- That waitress is in for quite a surprise, then, "The Blunder Years"
% Next, the Don Rickles of hypnotism turns his attention to Smithers % who (naturally) is sitting with Mr. Burns.
Mesmerino: Hey, smart move, four-eyes. Sittin' next to Skeletor here makes you look like Hercules. Homer: [laughs heartily] Zing! [aside to Lisa] What's a Skeletor? Mesmerino: No, no, I kid. But seriously, it's very nice to see a young man take his father out for a night of hypnotism -- before he dies! [laughter] Smithers: Uh, actually, my father died a long time ago. [collective "aw" from the audience] Mesmerino: Okay, is anyone here not a downer? Anyone? -- "The Blunder Years"
% Homer enthusiastically volunteers to be a hypnotism subject. % Mesmerino uses a hypno-coin to put him under.
Homer: [monotone] I am in your power. Boss me around. Mesmerino: When I snap my fingers, you will transform into a ... famous historian! [snaps fingers] Homer: Look at me! I'm a famous historian! Out of my way! [applause] Mesmerino: Thank you. Now you are ... Emily Dickenson! [snap] Homer: Look at me! I'm Angie Dickenson! [runs around in circles] -- Ooh, do e. e. cummings next! "The Blunder Years"
% For his next feat of hypnotic power, Mesmerino tells Homer he is % himself, when he was twelve years old. Homer immediately begins % reliving his childhood, spending his days with his friends at the % old swimming hole. Then, things suddenly go downhill. Homer begins % screaming uncontrollably. Worse yet, Mesmerino can't bring him out % of it, not even with repeated snaps of his finger. They hypnotist % scrambles into his pyramid and scuttles offstage. % % Homer continues screaming as he leaves the nightclub. And as he % tips the valet. And as he drives home. And as he brushes his % teeth. And while lying in bed that night. And as we go to % commercial ... % % [End of Act One. Time: 7:59] % % And as Marge finishes up ironing Bart's clothes. Lenny and Carl % wheel Homer up to the house on a dolly. They have brought him home % because Homer's screaming has disrupted his coworkers' naptime.
Bart: Oh, cool, he's still mental. Carl: Yeah. My hunch is he's struggling with some sort of repressed memory. Marge: Hmm. How do we un-repress it? Lisa: Well, the Yaqui Indians brew a special tea that unlocks memories. Marge: It would be a good excuse to use my Yaqui tea set. -- Any excuse is a good one, "The Blunder Years"
% So everyone sits down to a nice batch of Yaqui tea.
Marge: Well? Is anything coming back to you? Homer: Ah, heh-heh. There have been so many classic Simpson moments. I remember the time I tried to jump over Springfield Gorge. [dissolve to a clip from "Bart the Daredevil (7F06)"] I'm going to make it! Lisa: [voice-over] No, Dad, everyone's sick of that memory. -- "The Blunder Years"
% Lisa encourages her father to try to remember back when he was % twelve. Homer remembers going hiking, coincidentally enough with % Lenny and Carl. To kill the boredom of endless lazy summer days, % they'd sing 50s pop standards as they walked. % % Unfortunately for the tuneful trio, they stumble into young Fat % Tony's patch of wacky tobaccy. Tony and his goons are about to put % Homer and his friends into a world of hurt when a BB pellet shoots % past Tony ricocheting off of a rock. Everyone looks to see young % Moe standing on a rock, holding a BB rifle.
Louie: Uh-oh, he's got a Daisy! Tony: We'd better scram. Eighteen more pumps -- that could break the skin. [they run away] -- "The Blunder Years"
% "And that's how a troubled young Moe saved the day," says the % present-day version, who came to the Simpson house when he noticed % his bar was empty. Moe offers to help Homer uncover his hidden % memory. He sips some tea and begins reminiscing.
Moe: Okay, that night we camped out under the stars. [dissolve to the past. They boys are sitting around a campfire] Ah, look at all them stars. Bunch of lazy lights -- don't do nothing for nobody. Carl: Hey, you know what I'm looking forward to? The future. Have you heard about this internet thing? Lenny: Internet? Carl: Yeah, it's the internetting they invented to line swim trunks. [holds up a pair of trunks caresses his face lining] It provides a comforting snugness. [a whistle sounds in the distance] Moe: Hey, what was that? [pan to SNPP. Flames rise from one of the cooling towers] Lenny: That's that nuclear plant that just opened. Carl: Yeah, that's your future -- busting atoms. Can you imagine us working there, the whole Carl Crew? Lenny: Hey, I thought we're called Lenny and the Jets. Moe: Eh, you're both wrong. We're the Moe Szyslak Experience featuring Homer. Carl: Uh, I like the sound of that. Homer: Friends forever? All: Friends forever! [they join hands above the fire, which gives them a painful burn] Homer: Ouch! Lenny: Ow, that hurts! Carl: Man, we're stupid. Moe: Hate you guys. -- Friends for better or worse, "The Blunder Years"
% The next morning, the guys stand at the edge of the quarry. It's a lo-o-o-ng drop to the water.
Moe: [whistles] You guys really going to dive off of here? Lenny: Not me. I'm shaking like a French soldier. Moe: Yeah, I think I just logged onto my internet. -- That's one way to download, "The Blunder Years"
% Lenny figures only a moron would jump into the lake, which is % Homer's cue to take a flying leap off the cliff. Halfway down, % Homer realizes something is missing: The water at the bottom of the % quarry. He lands with a squish on the muddy quarry bottom and % begins to scream. % % We return to the Simpsons' living room.
Moe: And there's your what-chu-ma-call, repressed trauma. I mean, who likes getting muddy. It's terrible. Okay, let's go to Moe's now. Homer: Wait a minute. I remember falling in the mud, but I don't think that's why I've been screaming. Moe: Fine. Crap all over my theory. Homer: Something else happened in that quarry. Something ... else. -- "The Blunder Years"
% Homer's thoughts drift back to the past, and so do we. The young % Homer looks up from the muddy quarry floor, and wonders what % happened to the water. He looks up a big pipe, and discovers that % something's plugged it up. Grabbing a stick, he pokes at the % obstruction. From the top of the cliff, Moe yells that the gang is % going to Sears "to feel the bras," and leaves with Lenny and Carl. % Homer pays them no mind. He dislodges whatever the obstruction is, % releasing a torrent of water that knocks him off his feet. He sits % up. The object is on his lap. Homer lifts it up to see that it's % ... a decomposing corpse! Aieee! Homer begins screaming, just as % he did in the restaurant. % % [End of Act Two. Time: 12:54] % % We return to the Simpsons' living room, present day.
Marge: You found a corpse when you were twelve? No wonder you've been so traumatized. [hugs Homer] Homer: It's responsible for everything wrong in my life. My occasional overeating, my fear of corpses! [cries] -- "The Blunder Years"
% Uncovering Homer's memory answers one question, but asks another.
Moe: What I want to know is, what the heck was that body doing there? Marge: Maybe there's murder afoot. Lisa: Murder most foul? Marge: Maybe. Lisa: You know, if Dad never told anyone, that body must still be out there. Bart: This sounds like a case that only the Simpson family can solve! Moe: Oh ... okay. Uh, we'll just be going, then. [Moe, Lenny, and Carl head for the door] Homer: Hey, you guys can come with us. Moe: No, no, no, you said "Simpson family." I mean, you know, it sounded exciting, but, uh, you know, we don't wanna intrude. Marge: Thanks for understanding. Moe: Oh. [pause] Oh, okay. Well, I ... I'll see ya. [leaves, but forlornly looks through the living-room window. The family waves goodbye. Moe gives up and walks away from the house] Homer: [cheery] Bye, Moe! -- He knows when he's not wanted, "The Blunder Years"
% That night, the family returns to the scene of the crime.
Homer: [chuckles] Yup, the old quarry is just a stone's throw away. Lisa: Stop saying that, Dad. Homer: Never! -- Being repetitive is his job, "The Blunder Years"
% As the car stops at an intersection, Lisa spots Mesmerino picking up % his mail. The hip hypnotist does his Amazing Karnak impression for % no one in particular. % % Finally, the Simpsons arrive at the old quarry.
Homer: [shines a flashlight onto the water] This is it. This is the old quarry. Marge: Maybe we should come back in the daytime. Homer: Someone's yellow belly is showing. [pan over to Bart, whose T-shirt has ridden up, exposing his abdomen] Bart: Oh, sorry. [pulls his shirt down] -- "The Blunder Years"
% There's a rustling in the bushes, which turns out to be Chief % Wiggum. He saw the family's car at the quarry gate, and was hoping % for the opportunity to rescue lost hikers and look heroic. When % Lisa tells him the family is investigating a possible murder, Wiggum % asks to join in. "I'm kind of a crime buff," he explains. % % At the edge of the swimming hole, Wiggum tries using a grappling % hook to fish the body out of the water. All he snags is an old % decrepit shopping cart, the sight of which distresses Homer. With % all the water in the quarry, it looks like the Simpsons will never % find the body. Then, an idea comes to Marge. She rushes home, % returns with eight rolls of Burly paper towels, and throws them into % the water. The towels do their job, absorbing all the water in the % lake (and impressing Chief Wiggum in the bargain).
Lisa: Hey, what's that over there? [everyone runs over to a skeleton] Wiggum: Aw, don't get excited. It's just a skull-shaped rock and a bunch of white sticks. Bart: It's the body! Homer: And someone has eaten the flesh. [looks accusingly at Lisa, then Marge, then Lisa again] -- "The Blunder Years"
% Now we're getting closer to solving this mystery. The Simpsons and % Chief Wiggum walk inside the pipe, which is large enough to permit % everyone (even big-haired Marge) to stand upright. Aside from that, % it's a pretty uninviting place to be. A trickle of water flows % around everyone's ankles, and live rats scurry around. At least, % *some* of them are alive.
[the body of a dead rat floats by] Homer: Now do you believe dead rats float, Lisa? Lisa: [fearful] Yes! -- You learn something new every day, "The Blunder Years"
% The gang reaches the other end of the pipe. There's a hatch % overhead, and the murderer could be on the other side. Wiggum cocks % his pistol, and Homer slowly opens the hatch. Wiggum peeks through, % and sees a shadowy figure holding a knife. The chief takes a shot % which ricochets off a light switch. The lights come up, revealing % that the figure is Monty Burns, holding a letter opener. He's % understandably started by his visitors.
Burns: What are you doing in my corpse hatch? Wiggum: Montgomery Burns, you're under arrest for murder. Burns: Uh, did I say "corpse hatch"? I meant, "innocence tube." -- A corpse hatch by any other name, "The Blunder Years"
% Bart isn't falling for Burns's innocent-guy act. He produces the % skill and asks if Burns can explain it. Burns reacts with a mixture % of annoyance and relief that his secret is finally out.
Wiggum: All right, quit stalling, Burns. Who'd ya ice? Burns: I'm afraid that skull belongs to my dear friend, Waylon Smithers ... Senior. Lisa: [gasps] Mr. Smithers's father! -- "The Blunder Years"
% Burns insists that he did not murder the elder Smithers, and has % film to prove it. As he sets up the projector, Homer calls the % couch. Everyone settles in to view the evidence. % % The old film shows a control room at the power plant, more than % thirty years ago. A warning klaxon sounds. Mr. Burns, who still % had hair (or at least a wig), stares at the console with concern.
Burns: Why are these numbers so high? Why is that red light flashing? What's that alarming sound? Smithers, get in here! Smithers! [Smithers, Sr. runs in, carrying a baby boy] Senior: Sorry, Monty. I was feeding Waylon, Jr. Burns: Will you put that baby down! There's something wrong with the reactor core. [they look through a window in the reactor chamber door. Green bolts of electricity zigzag through the chamber. Smithers hands the baby to Burns] Senior: I'd better go in and have a look. [opens the door] Burns: No, Waylon Senior. I could be filled with atoms and stinging with other nuclear bric-a-brac. Senior: If this reactor blows, this whole town is doomed -- including my son. [goes in the chamber and closes the door] Burns: So, you're a baby, huh? How's that working out for you? [an "all-clear" chime sounds] He did it! [holds Waylon Junior up to the chamber window] Look at your heroic daddy in there, making funny faces, falling to the floor, shedding his hair, lying perfectly still ... [lowers Junior so he can't see what's going on] oh, dear. Smithers: [grabs Burns's nose] Sir! -- "The Blunder Years"
% The film ends there.
Burns: Smithers, Sr. gave his life to save the plant, and since cover-ups were all the rage back then, I shoved his heroic corpse down the sewer pipe. I never told Smithers the truth about his father. Smithers: Until, tonight sir. Burns: [gasps] Smithers, Junior! Bart: Hah, busted! Homer: [eating popcorn] Now the movie's turned into a play! Still good, though. Burns: I'm sorry I lied to you, Waylon, but I wanted to spare you the details of your father's gruesome death. Smithers: Well, I'm glad to know he died a hero, instead of that other way. Burns: [to Marge] Heh, I told him his father was killed in the Amazon by a tribe of savage women. [to Smithers] I hope it didn't affect you in any way. Smithers: We'll never know, sir. -- "The Blunder Years"
% Another mystery solved, the Simpson family relaxes at home.
Homer: [putting the skull in a box labeled, "Memories"] Well, Marge, we solved the case of the haunted quarry. Marge: Homer, shouldn't we give that skull to Mr. Smithers? Homer: Why? He'd just bury it. -- "The Blunder Years"
% Suddenly, Moe runs into the room, holding an envelope.
Moe: Hey! Hey! I found a clue that's going to bust your mystery wide open! Marge: Sorry, we already solved it. Moe: Oh. Well, um, you want to take a look at it anyways? Eh, just for ha-has? Homer: Seems kind of pointless now. Moe: Yeah, I guess you're right. It's just that I, I, went through a lot of trouble, you know, making the envelope and everything. Marge: [sympathetic] Let's see what you have, Moe. Moe: [clears throat] Okay. [sits on the couch and takes a bandage out of the envelope] Now this first thing is just going to look like a used Band-Aid and, uh, and it is, but the rest of the stuff don't make no sense without it so, uh, you know, bear with me. Marge: Wow, Moe, you've been doing a lot of sleuthing. Moe: Oh, yeah, oh, yeah. I sleuthed my ass off on this one. Uh, okay, [holds up a metal "6"] this is a number six from somebody's address, or [inverts it] is it a nine? You don't know. [the scene fades to black. Moe continues talking as the closing theme plays] Uh, this is gravel. Uh, okay? *Gravel.* This is, uh, that's more gravel. Okay. Oh -- this is a shell that, to me -- this is just me talking -- it looks like a helmet for a mouse. Now, that sounds crazy, right?
[the following dialogue wasn't heard in the United States broadcast, as Fox USA elected cut the audio here to promote upcoming episodes of the show. It aired as the writers intended in Canada, however]
But, if you ask the mice about it, they don't say nothing. I mean, they run the other way. At first, I was just fishing with the helmet thing, but then from the mouse's reaction I got, uh, I got a little more concerned. Homer: Did you really make that envelope? 'Cause it says "Hammermill" over here. Moe: Um ... no.
% [End of Act Three. % Time (up until "That sounds crazy, right?"): 20:37] % % The Gracie Noise is Homer screaming. When the Fox Productions logo % appears, Homer screams even louder. ==============================================================================
============================================================================== {ah} Alan Hamilton {ah2} Aaron Hirshberg {am} Alee Molino {bb} Brian Beck {bjr} Benjamin Robinson {cl} Chad Lehman {dd} Daniel Dreibelbis {ddg} Don Del Grande {dt} Dr Tetsui {es} Edward Stamm {gb} Greg Bair {jc} Jeff Cross {jj} John Jensen {jk} Joe Klemm {kk} Kevin Kress {md} Matt Drury {nl} Nathan Loeschman {ts} Ted Schuerzinger
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============================================================================== This episode capsule is Copyright 2004 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 2004 Benjamin Robinson. Special thanks to Brian Petersen for supplying the "missing" closing credits dialogue. This capsule has been brought to you by Burly (TM) Paper Towels -- the towels that really suck!
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.