Notes for Bart-Mangled Banner (FABF17)

This week's episode got off to a bit of a rocky start - that whole Hibbert/shot thing was just ridiculous - and while the rest of it was a little bizarre and unlikely, misunderstandings and strange circumstances have not exactly been uncommon for our favorite family, so on the whole it was a pretty good episode. I have little else to say besides the bits below since I just watched the episode after a long weekend of moving and am pretty beat, but I look forward to next week's season finale. B+

DYN: ...Willie can read lips, which must be quite a feat for a cartoon character? ...the prison was never specifically named as Alcatraz (good thing, as it's been closed for quite some time)? ...part of the Simpsons' choreography involves waving their hands during the part about "amber waves of grain"?

Previous episode references DABF20: "Bart-Mangled Banner" was said in this episode, though several other puns appeared in this episode itself instead CABF04: Apparently they didn't get all the shots they'd ever need 5F21: After some unpleasantness in the library, someone can never go back 1F12: The Simpson women are pretty handy with an Etch-a-Sketch 9F05, 1F18: Willie fights an animal BABF07: Bart legitimately in a wheelchair 5F07: Simpsons as pariahs (and Lisa even uses the same word) 2F06: Appearing on TV to straighten an issue out...sort of 1F11: Bart actually didn't have to say something on a talk show once 8F08: Naming a day (We Hate Springfield Day, Flaming Moe Day) on a holiday 3F20: Apu very patriotic to avoid a problem (but isn't he a citizen now?) 4F23: "Uncle Sam-balls" reminded me of "Americaballs" EABF20: Michael Moore reappears, though silently BABF11: Elmo pops up as well 4F20, BABF19: The Simpsons singing as an act 3F11: Marge gets a Chanel suit identical to the one from this episode, also cheap

Other references Family Guy ("Brian Does Hollywood," 2ACX20): adult movie awards were known as "Woodies" there, "Bonies" here; any others elsewhere (or a real name)? 1984: Talk of "reeducation"

Fun with slightly related promotions Looks like Fox is up to its old tricks again - the episode of "That 70s Show" which aired right after "Bart-Mangled Banner" was billed as the 150th, when any fool who can add can globviously see it's the 151st. Oh well...at least it is the 150th in production order, but given the issues Fox has had with The Simpsons' so-called 150th, 300th, and 301st, as well as Malcolm in the Middle's 100th and several others I'm sure have occurred (do I see a made-for-capsule thread in the works?), they may as well just say "roughly Xth since it's February or May" and get it over with. (Besides, 151 isn't so bad of a number, tee hee.) Call me a nerd if you like, but at least as of yesterday I'm a nerd with a BS in math.

Matt Garvey wrote:

Add CABF04 to that.

In article , Matt Garvey wrote:

Alas, I missed this part, but it seems to tie in with the "lockstep" theme, in that there is a growing idea that mandatory vaccinations required by the government aren't necessarily in every individual's best interests, c.f. <http://www.vaccinationnews.com/>. Besides, it sounds like it resembled reluctant dogs going to the vet, and "everyone knows that's funny!" - paraphrasing J. Crespi.

But does that help in today's climate?

from <http://www.cnn.com/2004/LAW/04/27/detainees/>

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday will hear the cases of two U.S. citizens with suspected ties to terrorism and who have been held without being charged.

Perhaps this episode was a little heavy handed, but I imagine readers of _Life in Hell_ would expect no less every so often. Still, it's just a primetime cartoon television show, much like the Flintstones. I'm a little surprised at the backlash towards this episode.

• Mark