[The long of it]
I think we've all been there. We've been reunited with an old friend we haven't seen since college or high school, who we've lost touch with over the years. You update each other on what's been going on in your life when you realize something. This person turned out completely different than the way you expected him to. The party animal is the head librarian now. The class bully is a guidance counselor. The irresponsible class clown is now a high-level politician. (Okay, maybe that one isn't so far-fetched.) The Simpsons have roughly the same experience in "The Italian Bob," and it makes for a good episode.
"The Italian Bob" is another travel episode, this time to Italy. Mr. Burns has recently purchased a new exotic sports car, and dispatches Homer (and the rest of the Simpson family) to bring it to the states, apparently because he has done such a superb job protecting Mr. Burns's possessions so far. A freak accident strands the Simpsons in a small Tuscan town. Needing to talk to someone who speaks English, the Simpsons are directed to the mayor who turns out to be Sideshow Bob. He explains that, to break free of his self-destructive cycle of imprisonment and attempted murder, he ran off to Italy for a fresh start. This premise, of a man with a checkered past rising up to make something of himself, is generally a good one, and "Italian Bob" does a pretty good job with it. There's an excellent scene when Bob makes his decision and tries to pick a "random" spot by spinning a globe. The uncooperative fates mock him by plotting to send him to places like Orlando and North Korea before Bob gives up and settles in Tuscany. Bob single-handedly, or single-footedly in this case, saves the town's Chianti harvest in another scene that's a bit unlikely but still fun to watch. The biggest surprise might be that Bob is now a family man, with a pretty wife (played by Maria Grazia Cucinotta) and a son.
Bob desperately needs to keep his former life of crime a secret, so naturally the Simpsons manage to quickly blow it for him. It's nice that the writers put the blame for this on someone other than the usual suspects, even if the move is telegraphed. After his cover is blown, though, the show devolves into a cartoony chase sequence that ends rather abruptly. It's a pity that an otherwise creative episode should have a lazy ending. I don't know whether the gondola ride that played under the closing credits was an "outtake" or deliberately planned as the closer, put putting it there was a wise move. It ends the show on a strong joke.
There's other good material, as well. I liked Burns' car troubles, partly because of the automobile angle, and partly because it provides fertile ground for "anachronistic Burns" jokes. The Lamborgotti Fasterossa itself is a good parody of Italian exoticars. You can't have a travel episode without some sightseeing, and I enjoyed the Simpsons' visit to Pisa where Homer is fascinated by the world-famous McDonalds that sells wine. Italy itself is attractively drawn. The animators also did well with a PBS multicultural cartoon. (It reminded of some DVD commentary from the first season, where one of the animators spoke about the difficulty of conveying the feel of limited animation in a show that is itself a limited-animation work.)
In spite of the so-so ending, this visit from Bob is a good one. From the start, he was more than the usual "flat" villain type, and the writers continue to find new sides to his personality. It's been a while since we last saw him, in "The Great Louse Detective (EABF01)," and it's been good catching up.
Now, I wonder what Cecil's been up to ...
[The short of it]
I've generally liked the premise of a man rising above, and later being confronted by, his past, and the writers do a good job with it here. Bob's family is an unexpected twist, and they make a cute trio. I also liked that the writers had someone other than the "obvious suspects" blow Bob's cover. It's a shame they couldn't come up with a stronger ending than the chase scene. At least the gondola ride ends things on a strong point. There are plenty of other good jokes, like Bob's globe-spinning attempts to find a place to start over, and the animated Italy is picturesque. It's been a while since we've seen Bob, and this episode is about worth the wait. (B+)
[DYNs]
... the "meltdown" sign flashing in the background as Homer plays with his workstation controls? ... nobody asks Lisa (who recently learned Italian) to translate anything, and she doesn't volunteer? ... Maggie dances with Bob's son? ... this episode continues the tradition of using the production code as Bob's prisoner ID?
[References]
"The Italian Job" (movie) - title a spoof
"Tales From the Crypt" (TV series) - Burns likened to the Cryptkeeper
Dodge Caravan (minivan) - Nelson sarcastically asks if Burns's car is a, "Dodge Scare- avan"
Lamborghini (carmaker) - Burns buys a new Lamborgotti - the Fasterossa resembles Lamborghini's Gallardo model - the hood badge has a horse in the same pose as Lamborghini's charging bull
John Gotti (Mafia boss) - possibly another inspiration for the "Lamborgotti" name
Ferrari (carmaker) - "Fasterossa" a play on "Testarossa" - their symbol is a rearing horse, so the Lamborgotti badge combines the insignia of both Ferrari and Lamborghini
"You Want It When?" (office poster) - Sideshow Bob has a variation that reads, "You Want Bart Murdered when?"
"These Boots Were Made for Walking" (song) - while stomping grapes, Bob makes up new lyrics to this Nancy Sinatra song
The Olive Garden (chain of Italian-cuisine restaurants) - Bart advises Marge not to be "so Olive Garden" (i.e., not so mainstream and square)
"Pagliacci" (opera) - Krusty makes up new lyrics to the signature aria
"That's Amore" (song) - gondolier makes up new lyrics for this song
[FFF]
Italian airport:
DA VINCI
AIRPORT[The oddball aircraft are Da Vinci designs, by the way]
Lamborgotti factory:
LAMBORGOTTI
FOR PEOPLE WHO REALLY
HAVE NOTHING INSIDELamborgotti assembly line:
LINEO MONTAGGIO
NO. 1
LAMBORGOTTIPoster in Sideshow Bob's study:
[hysterically laughing men]
YOU WANT BART MURDERED WHEN?Places Bob might flee to:
- Orlando
- North Korea
- Shelbyville
- Bartovia
- TuscanyWine label:
CHIANTI
DI SALSICCIA [Bob kissing]
[ his foot ]ITALIA
Bob's prison uniform:
SPRINGFIELD
PRISON
INMATE #HABF02Italian book of wanted men:
I CRIMINALI
AMERICANI [Snake]
INVASIONE DI CASA [Quimby]
DRINKO DRIVE-O [Peter Griffin]
PLAGIARISMO [Stan Smith]
PLAGIARISMO DI PLAGIARISMO [Sideshow Bob]
OMICIDIO ATTENTATO MULTIPLOHomer's technical difficulties sign:
Don't
Go Away![Homer in the buff]
Sign advertising Krusty's opera:
KRUSTY E PAGLIACCI
AL COLOSSEO
[Previous Episode References]
[GABF22] Lisa's Italian lessons come in handy [9F11], [3F07] Lisa easily gets "buzzed"
[Oops!]
In the establishing shot in the plane, Lisa sits to Homer's left. When Homer pries the wires out of his armrest, Maggie is sitting next to him.
Brandine has previously identified herself as Cletus's sister, rather than his mother. (Okay, maybe she's both.)
Despite what he said, Homer did go to college --in an episode called "Homer Goes to College (1F03)," no less. True, he wasn't a traditional four-year student, but he did consider himself an alumnus in "Faith Off (BABF06)."
Nitpick time: Burns calls the Fasterossa a roadster, but a roadster has a convertible top. The Fasterossa's more of a coupe.
[Personal Comments & Observations]
Some critics think "Family Guy" is a knock-off of "The Simpsons," which may explain why "FG" patriarch Peter Griffin is wanted for plagiarism, according to Italy's catalog of American criminals. The next picture is of Stan Smith from "American Dad," a show a lot of people think resembles "Family Guy." Seth MacFarlane is responsible for creating both shows, making him one of the few people accused of stealing ideas from himself.
Lisa will no doubt annoy some people by trying to pass herself (or her luggage, at least) off as Canadian. In reality, that piece of advice has been circulating for more than five years. (I can attest to seeing it on the Internet long before Operation Iraqi Freedom.) The theory is that there's enough anti-American resentment out there that you'll get better treatment -- or at least avoid being insulted -- if people think you're from Canada. Same goes for your luggage. Baggage handlers might be less inclined to "misplace" it if they don't realize it belongs to an Ugly American. Lisa can probably pull off this deception, but it's harder if you have, say, a Texas accent -- or Homer Simpson for a father.
Federico [?] Fellini -- Famed Italian film director. Many of his films had surreal images, like the one Homer saw on the car's in-dash entertainment system. Incidentally, Nancy "Voice of Bart" Cartwright is a huge Fellini fan. She even traveled to Italy, trying to meet the director and secure the stage rights to one of his films. That didn't work out, but the trip wasn't wasted. She wrote (with Peter Kjenaas) a one-woman play, "In Search of Fellini," about the experience.
Tim Allen -- Lisa cited him as an example of a man who rose above a shady past. Allen isn't a bad choice. He briefly served time on some minor charge (drugs, I think), and later went on to become a popular actor in television and film.
Donald Trump -- Real-estate developer and host of his own reality contest show, "The Apprentice." He sometimes strikes a chin-up, purse-lipped pose that Homer tries to imitate.
When Francesca meets Bob in Rome, there's a Volvo in the background.
I'm not that into motorcycles, but it would make sense if Bob's mount was a blue Ducati.
This seems like as good as place as any to mention that Burns would have a tough time following Martin's suggestion to buy an Oldsmobile, since GM stopped Olds production a few years ago. Not that this would stop Burns from trying; after all he seems to think that Packard is still in production.