Upcoming Episodes plus STUFF for "Future-Drama" (GABF12)

4/24 - SPECIAL TIME: 7:00 - Fat Man and Little Boy (FABF21) When Bart loses his last baby tooth, he takes to his "middle-age crisis" by writing slogans on T-shirts, which soon make him a successful businessman - and Homer wondering what his purpose is in the family now that they don't need him to bring home the money ("America's Top 40 Live" airs at 8:00)

5/1 - DOUBLE FEATURE - TWO NEW EPISODES --------------------------------------- 8:00 - Don't Fear the Roofer (GABF10) Ray Romano guest voices as a roof repairman Homer meets at a bar after he leaves the house when the roof starts leaking, but when Marge and Dr. Hibbert never see this mysterious new friend of Homer's, they think Homer has gone crazy 8:30 - The Heartbroke Kid (GABF11) In the show's 350th episode to air - no, wait, that was "Future-Drama" In the show's 350th episode produced after the Christmas Special (the rationale Fox used to claim "Barting Over" was #300), Bart - hold on, that's "Don't Fear the Roofer" In the 50th episode to air since the one Fox claimed was #300, so that makes it the 350th, doesn't it, Bart gets sent to a "forced starvation center" after he gets too fat on the junk food in the new Springfield Elementary vending machines, and in order to pay for it, Homer and Marge rent out his room to German travelers

STUFF for "Future-Drama" (GABF12)
---------------------------------
Written by Matt Selman
Directed by Mike B. Anderson
Blackboard: none
Couch: Five miniature vehicles enter, only to "Transform" into the
       Simpsons
Special Guest Voice: John DiMaggio, Amy Poehler, Marcia Wallace
Also Starring: Pamela Hayden, Tress MacNeille, Russi Taylor,
               Karl Wiedergott
Overseas Animation: Akom
TV rating: TV-PG-DV

REVIEW: C-plus - yes, this is the same grade I originally gave "Lisa's
        Wedding", but this time, I am sticking to it.  I think this is
        one case where the longevity of the show has worked against
        it; "future" episodes are perfect opportunities to make fun of
        the future as a whole, rather than just how characters appear
        in it, but it was almost entirely a combination of "How did
        (some character) turn out" and yet another "somebody does
        something out of love for the family" ending (and the "ending
        after the ending" went out with a whimper as well).  (And
        what was with the "Maggie in Alaska" bit?  Did somebody forget
        she would only be nine years old?)

REFERENCES "Futurama" (title; Bender) "The Incredible Hulk" (Milhouse acts like him after the break-up with Lisa) "Back to the Future" (Bart refers to "Doc Frink") 2F15, BABF13 (look into the future)

DYNs
...this was the 350th different episode to air?
...they don't reference a specific year this time?
...future Homer only has one hair?
...Marge was so happy Bart was graduating, she didn't point out that
   he was graduating "on time"?
...despite the fact that she's only nine years old, Maggie appears to
   be by herself in Alaska?  (Then again, who recorded the postcard?)
...future Marge looks like she has the mumps?
...future Maggie is fat?
...Maggie's postcard is addressed to "Simpsons, 742 Evergreen Terrace,
   Springfield, USA"?
...SNPP has three towers in the future?
...Frink's machine makes noises like a TiVo (and even has a "peanut"
   remote control)?
...future Bart called Professor Frink "Doc Frink"?
...Snake's cellphone plays "The Entertainer"?
...at the prom, Wendell is dancing with Janey (although he slow dances
   with someone else), Richard with Allison, and Uter with what
   appears to be an Asian girl?
...Frink's alternative futures are:
   * Kang & Kodos Invasion
   * Vice President Cletus
   * Moe Gets E-mail
   * Flanders' Revenge
   * Maggie's DUI (she's thin in this one)
   * Lenny's Super Pet
...using the current TiVo symbols, all of Professor Frink's futures
   are "Keep Until I Delete" except for Vice-President Cletus, which
   is "Can Be Deleted to Free Space at Any Time"?
...Kirk van Houten is not at the graduation, and Luann is with someone
   else?
...Martin's parents don't look much older than they do in the present?
...Homer's sign says "CONJRADULATIONS HI SKOOL GRAJUATES"?
...there's no more Christmas?

GOOFS / FREEZE FRAME / WHATNOT Normally, the "Now Playing" screen of a TiVo is green; the Frink version is orange.

If Frink's machine sees into the future, why didn't either future Bart or Lisa mention that they had already seen what would happen? Bart knew about the machine, as he went back to see how things would turn out with Lisa and Milhouse.

-- Don S1.1 MAG+++ LIS++ BAR+ SKI+ MrsK+ MissH+ P&S# FLA- (heresy!) f+++ n+++ Ilps(w) $+++ M43 I'm slightly surprised they didn't go with Maggie's DUI, and have Maggie "speak" entirely unintellighe gibberish - "did she say burlap?"

No, the "TiVo Central" screen is green, the "Now Playing" screen is orange. Frink's was correct.

"Steve Brown" wrote:

That's not how my TiVo is - the only orange screens are in the Setup/Preferences section. TiVo Central is blue on mine, and Now Playing is green.

(Perhaps DirecTiVo is different from standalone?)

-- Dib

Don Del Grande wrote:

Maybe it's like Bart's red/blue shirts. Have you received a bootleg TiVo?

O,S, Wgi us Duvm abd wgat gas ge dibe wutg Dib>

They didn't reference one for the last flashback episode ("The Way We Weren't"), either; indeed, Homer couldn't even remember which decade it took place in. What with the show having run for so long, I think they've pretty much just given up on having events in the past and the future take place in specific years. Besides, if they DID make this one take place in 2013, wouldn't that be AFTER the year they specified for "Lisa's Wedding"?

To my mind, the important thing with flashbacks and flash-forwards is that the characters stay the same ages relative to each other. And I think "The Blunder Years" screwed up in this respect, by implying that Homer was OLDER than Smithers.

Nathan

[email] wrote:

Due to the fact that no one ages on the Simpsons saying what year events happen becomes quiet impossible since they would forever be changing, no doubt if they're still making the simpsons in 2010 that lisa will still be 8.