I wonder if I should have interpreted the goofy "principal crossing freeway" sign as an omen. I liked the first two acts of the show, but once the family left in pursuit of Bart('s chip), there wasn't really anywhere for the story to go. As a result, the family went on another absurd trip (didn't they even return to the house to pack for their trip?) and Bart got a half-assed story about being scared to be home alone, which I might have liked if it were developed more. Maggie=god as the capper wasn't great... and though the actual Marge/Bart resolution was nice, it seemed to be from the ending to a better story (where we cared that Bart was afraid, for example) - or maybe from season 19 (Maggie learning to be self-sufficient in JABF21). Well... 2 out of 3, anyway... till next week...
DYN: ...yet another new sax solo? (That makes 31 now - I appreciate it but I'm starting to get tired of naming them!) ...another catch phrase added needlessly to a couch gag? ("Ay caramba") ...Dr. Nick is caddying for Dr. Hibbert? I think this is also his first appearance since he DIED in the movie... ...the "prank calls around the world" music is a lot like the "evolution" couch gag? ...the tree TV antenna seems a little more conspicuous these days, almost as if to highlight the upcoming digital switch? ...Bart knows now that he was conceived on a golf course? (He knows that he was an accident, e.g. in 2F07.)
Previous episode references 3F18: Episode essentially starts with Milhouse on an overpass 1F17, JABF14?, others?: Bart's had a cell phone before 5F20: Willie makes money in a similar way (lost golf balls/used grease) and doesn't want Simpsons horning in 5F19: Brian Grazer guest voice 2F13: Bart essentially makes a prank call to Australia 3F02: Milhouse snitches on Bart under pressure and is told he did the right thing 2F01: Bird sanctuary 3F24: Marge's revelation for dealing with Bart a little like vision in this episode (GABF20: And a little like this)
Goofs The tracking chip shouldn't work out of the phone, right?
Meta-reference corner Bart says that he can watch commercials on the cell phone, then holds it to the screen, to end the first act, joining such other commercial- break meta remarks as in 2F10 and KABF04. The prank calls, of course, but right afterward, Denis Leary makes a Moe-like threat to Bart for taking his phone, even including "you little puke" (7F22).
Other junk
Anyone care to explain the extended/stylized Pop-Tarts bit?
On the Fox promos for this episode earlier tonight, Marge's off-screen shout to Bart is missing during the forklift scene, so he appears to react to nothing (or perhaps to something he was approaching, like the building frame). I was wondering why...
Well, it seems *this* episode was dedicated to Paul Newman (with the standard freeze-frame, his appearance in CABF21). Why not last week, I wonder - perhaps it was too short notice then. I notice though that once again the credits are regular yet presented in full on Fox; even though the dedication was *before* them, I wonder if that's the reason, and last week's full credits were earmarked for the same reason. (Time will tell if it appears on repeats, syndication, and DVD. Next week might tell if we're just getting full credits as a matter of course this season.)
Agnes's bingo strategy guide reminds me of a weird DVD I once came across in a dollar store (and bought). It presented itself as a strategy guide or something, on the cover anyway, but mostly it seemed to be someone's video-production-class project that somehow got put on DVD. It contained no strategy, of course, but spent a large hunk of time just detailing the various special shapes you can make instead of going for the usual 5-in-a-row. The best part was during a bit on bingo history, where the host stood next to a tower. I'm paraphrasing, but he said something like "Blank McBlank spent years of his life printing combinations for bingo cards in a tower not unlike this one. Later, he went insane and died there." If anyone wants, I'll find the DVD and type up the exact quote.
Season 11 finally comes out Tuesday on DVD. If I were getting the head box, I'd sure be looking forward to all those memorable season 11 Sideshow Bob moments. But I notice something odd: both packages say "the eleventh season" and not "the complete eleventh season". Do they know something we don't?