Pretty fun again. I'm liking this trend - the plots, the writing - they just seem to be on a better streak. I'm having a silly day and have a headache and that usually means I'm more annoyed and testy about the new episode, so that's a relieving exception. Also nice to have the focus more or less completely off the family (none of them was the focus of a plot, and only Bart could be said to play a vital role in one - in fact, I'm not even sure the house was seen outside of the opening). The end was a little goofy, though it had to be, of course, for status quo - odd that Moe had to prove his gayness by kissing Smithers, which it looked like would be called out (who would want to "prove" straightness by kissing any nearby person of the opposite sex? alternatively, it's just a kiss, and as Moe indicated, it proves nothing). Anyway, onward:
DYN: ...Miss Juniper's green top is colored suspiciously like Mrs. Krabappel's? (I noticed this shortly before he fell in love with her, actually. Also, Skinner's courtship with Edna isn't awkwardly referenced, and in fact she isn't even seen, which I found interesting.) ...CBG has a cousin, "Comic Book Gay"? (har har.) (see also MABF19 and "Fit Tony") ...after the trans customers call out Marge's voice (for needing work), Patty shows up and starts talking? ...Bart's trying to convince a very Buzz Lightyear-esque Neil Armstrong (helpfully labeled) to come to life (as opposed to, say, Buzz Aldrin)? ...the hippie music teacher named her daughter Melody (and is herself, apparently, named Calliope)?
Previous episode stuff: (8F08: title play) GABF01, CABF20, 3F02: As Moe points out, he's remodeled/re-envisioned the bar a few times KABF20: Early iPod style Mypod silhouette ad campaign spoof seen again 2F16: Burns heads floating around repeating stuff (and saying new stuff) EABF12 (etc): Grady (voiced by Scott Thompson again) and Julio are back MABF21: Band badly playing "My Country, 'tis of Thee" again to open a scene where it's called off (funny that that episode reran earlier tonight, additionally considering the sorta new-music-teacher angle) JABF09: Chalmers called Gary again 4F11, 8F18: John and Llewelyn Sinclair seen in rally crowd (unvoiced) + The way Marge is mistaken for a transvestite reminds me a bit of Peggy in the King of the Hill episode "The Rocky Horror Peggy Show" (BABE02). Though in this case, she is not complimented on her "wig" or voice.
Goof? Skinner pronounces the "nacho-cano" (a volcano full of nacho cheese) "nacho canno". Is it an intentional mispronunciation, as in Skinner didn't get the joke, or is it something Harry Shearer said (possibly without the benefit of an illustration, to give him the benefit of the doubt) and was left in - and even then, intentional or not?
Other stuff
-This has almost nothing to do with the episode but I was amused anyway. You know how sometimes you're writing something, and another phrase enters your hearing and you write that instead? I was making a note about Homer/Lenny/Carl's late shift counterparts, but just then the stolen candy bars came up, and I wrote late shift candy bars instead. I mention this mostly because they sound similar. Well, shut up, it was amusing to me.
-Moe includes a previously unseen hippie/flower version of his bar (presumably of its time and also before the others in chronological order), which is a fun enough gag. But I do like the way those things add a bit of un-commented-on history, as in old Krusty episodes. It wouldn't be as funny if they went super meta and someone remarked having never seen that one before, or whatever.