[The long of it]
Browsing through a book store one time, I happened upon a book about "The Beverly Hillbillies." Like "The Simpsons," "The Beverly Hillbillies" was a long-running sitcom, on the air for nearly a decade. The author of the "Hillbillies" book mentioned that, towards the end of the show's run, the writers were starting to run out of story ideas. As evidence, he cited their tendency to send the Clampetts on extended trips to other countries, like England.
Uh-oh. In the last couple of seasons, various members of the Simpson clan have been to Japan, "Microasia," Tanzania, Canada, and now Brazil. Yes, they've been to other places earlier in the show's run, but lately they've become better-traveled than Marco Polo. Is this a sign?
Actually, "Blame it on Lisa" gives us a mixed bag of evidence. A lot of funny little scenes pop up regularly throughout the show. Take the opening scenes, when the family gets what they think is a bogus charge for a phone call to Brazil, for example. They don't know whom to complain to, because their telephone provider keeps changing its name, always to one of those futuristic but meaningless ones in vogue today. (As they arrive at the billing office, it's "Zovuvazz.") Or how about when Lisa confesses to making the call -- I guess we *can* blame it on Lisa, after all -- trying to locate an orphan she's sponsoring through charity? The family's shock when "the good one" confesses is amusing. I also liked a scene where Lisa explains to Homer that the seasons are reversed in Brazil. "It's Oppositeland!" Homer declares, figuring that crooks must also chase the cops, and that snow is hot. (By the way, pay attention to her advice. It sounds like a throwaway to set up the "Oppositeland" joke, but it becomes important later.) Perhaps my favorite part was the jab at Brazilian television. Even the children's programming features scantily-clad women striking sexy poses. Eventually, Marge turns the TV off, muttering that Bert and Ernie at least left things to the imagination.
And yet, the show never made that much of an impression on me. There's a curious lack of emotional gravity. I never felt that much of a connection with Lisa's missing orphan. Perhaps this was because it's hard to introduce a character, have us develop some sympathy for him, and then have him disappear in the time allotted. When they're finally reunited, the scene doesn't feel as important as it should. During the search, Homer is kidnapped by two men and held hostage in the Amazonian rain forest. That's pretty serious business, yet we never feel too concerned for Homer. I don't think "The Simpsons" needs to be a taut, gripping drama, but a little sense of anxiousness might have made the story more interesting. Consider Bart's miserable experience on a French farm in "The Crepes of Wrath (7G13)" -- even though the show had plenty of lighthearted jokes, it treated Bart's predicament seriously enough that I sympathized strongly with him. It helped make "Crepes" more special than a light adventure.
So, in final analysis, "Blame it on Lisa" lacks emotional wallop but has enough funny moments to make it a good episode. It's lightweight but enjoyable like, well, a vacation to the sunny beaches of Rio.
[Aside to whoever draws the extras in the crowd scenes: Nearly an entire show set in Rio de Janeiro, and the only person we see in a thong is Homer? What the heck is wrong with you?]
[The short of it]
The wandering Simpson family heads to Brazil, looking for a lost orphan boy. There's a lot of funny moments here -- I liked the Brazilian "children's" TV, for instance -- but there's a curious lack the emotional gravity that makes a good episode great. As it is, it's a generally enjoyable if lightweight show. (B-)
[DYNs]
... Marge was right about which phone company the family uses? ... Bart looks disappointed when Homer calls Lisa, "the one we both like?" ... Maggie puts her baggie on backward, and with the tag hanging out? [Still, it's an impressive achievement.]
[References]
"Blame it on Rio" (movie) - title of episode a spoof
"Who Wants to be a Millionaire?" (TV series) - Lisa's travel guide entitled, "Who Wants to be a Brazillioniare?"
"... for Dummies" series of how-to books - Bumblebee Man appears on the cover of "Espa�ol Para Dummies"
Rio de Janeiro (city) Days Inn (hotel chain) - the family stays in a hotel that plays on both these names, the Rio Days-Inn-Ero
Xuxa (children's TV show host) - Brazilian TV host based on her [See "Personal Comments & Observations" for more]
Chiquita (brand of bananas) - Homer makes up new lyrics for their theme song
"Teletubbies" (children's TV show) - Brazilian kiddie show called, "Teleboobies"
[Previous Episode References]
[3F24] "So I says to ____, I says" [2F15] Lisa could pin her own diapers, according to Homer [3F07] Xuxa-like TV host appears [AABF05], [CABF04], [DABF07] Unctuous waiter appears
Bart Simpson, International Traveler
[7G13] Bart visits France (Europe) [2F13] Bart, with the rest of the family, visits Australia [3F17] Bart briefly sees Hong Kong (Asia) [AABF20] Bart, with the rest of the family, visits Japan (Asia) [CABF13] Bart, again with his family, goes to Tanzania (Africa)
Springfield, wherever it is, is obviously in North America. So, Bart really has been on every continent, excepting Antarctica!
[FFF]
Telephone service provider signs:
COMQUAAQ [replaced with] ZOVUVAZZ
Homer's magazine:
BLUE PANTS
WEEKLYVideotaped message from Ronaldo:
[heart] L'il Writeoffs [heart]
Travel guide book:
WHO WANTS
TO BE A
BRAZILLIONAIRE?Spanish-language tapes:
ESPA�OL
PARA
DUMMIESBrazilian airport:
AEROPORTO
INTERNATIONAL
DE GALE�OWELCOME TO BRAZIL <- banner
Conga line sign:
DOWNTOWN
------->Hotel:
RIO DAYS-IN-ERO
How-to book:
HOW TO
LOOT
BRAZILOrphanage address:
123 Papaya St.
Orphanage sign:
ORFANTO DO ANJOS
IMUDOS(FILTHY ANGELS ORPHANAGE)
Restaurant sign:
CHURRASCARIAS
Homer's T-shirt:
[Uncle Sam ]
[eating the]
[ world ]
TRY AND STOP USSamba school sign:
SAMBA
SCHOOLFruit stand sign:
GUARANA * JAMBO * PAWPAW
Taxicab door:
UNLICENSED
TAXISign on top of cab:
HOSTAGE
Police station sign:
POSTO POLICIAL
Homer's scrapbook:
Pages 1 and 2:
[ picture of Homer ] | MY TEETH HURT [ blood ]
[ and his kidnappers ] | A POEM BY H. S. [spatter]
|
| [text block]
REMEMBER ... |
TOILET | [ picture of Homer, with ]
[block of] PAPER | [ one eye swollen shut ]
[ text ] / |
V |
[leaf] |Pages 3 and 4:
MY NOSE KNOWS [ close-up of ] | [picture of Homer chased
A POEM [ Homer, his ] | [by flock of bats
[face beaten up] |
| A [something] [cigarette]
[ picture of Homer strapped to ] | TO TORTURE [ butt ]
[a table. One of the kidnappers] | ^
[ approaches him with a pair ] | [text block] \
[ of pliers ] | THIS END
| [drawing of ] [something]!
| [ kidnapper ]
| [holding two] <- KIDNAPPER
| [cigarettes ][Goofs]
When Marge consults the travel guide, the map of Brazil on the cover is colored blue, making it look like it is part of the ocean.
[Personal Comments & Observations]
Marge, like a lot of people in the audience, wonders just how Lindsey Neagle seems to have so many jobs. Now we have an answer.
Lisa says the state Springfield's in is "a bit of mystery," but promises you can find it by examining the clues. (Ha!)
Portuguese is indeed the national language of Brazil. (The country was a Portuguese colony at one point, before winning its independence.) However, they are surrounded by Spanish-speaking countries, so its probable that at least some of the people there are fluent in that Spanish, as well. An episode or two of "The Amazing Race" took place in Brazil, and I noticed that some of the contestants spoke Spanish (as far as I could tell) to the natives, who didn't have trouble understanding. Perhaps Bart's tapes would have come in handy, after all.
An undercurrent of sexuality flows through much of Brazilian culture (or at least that's the way it appears from an American vantage point). Still, you've got to figure the children's shows aren't as "hot" as the one Bart saw, right? Well, maybe not. It turns out that the host of a popular Brazilian show for children, Xuxa (that's pronounced "SHOO-sha," by the way), has a checkered past. Before her current gig, she was the star of several adult films. Xuxa tried to make the leap to American TV, but I don't think much ever came of it. Perhaps the scandal put the kibosh on her efforts. I presume she cleaned up her act considerably for the children's TV market, but then again I never did see her program, so I could be wrong ...
- The Car Watch from Ipanema: A Rolls-Royce limousine rolls up to the Rio Days-Inn-Ero.
- If "Futurama" is cancelled, at least the robots could go work at Comquaaq (or Zovuvazz, or whatever they're calling it now).