Notes for GABF12 (Future-Drama)

There is a wide spectrum of episode quality between "Lisa's Wedding" and "Bart to the Future." I figured (correctly, I think) that "Future-Drama" would lie between them, but I'm pleased to see that it was a pretty good episode (and not merely not bad). The sentimental aspect was kept somewhat low, and not forced, and I think that was for the better; it's interesting to note, though, that future episodes always have Lisa as part of the primary plot, and so far only the kids have been getting the visions (if the writers revisit this device, maybe Homer and Marge could be in this position?). I had a hard time feeling for Bart, though, as we never really got to know his girlfriend (as opposed to Hugh). The main objective of humor was accomplished in familiar Springfield-centric style, and I had fun with most of the episode and its as-usual-unique view of the future world, although a mere 7 years does seem too soon for many of the inventions in use (OTOH, Frink's inventions do not always function perfectly), and a small amount of the gags were a little overdone. Important to both aspects was that there was little time wasted in getting to the point, and the sharp writing for the minds of teenage Bart and Lisa. No grade at the moment, still ruminating a bit.

DYN: ...Ralph is at the prom? (Presumably a senior asked him to go?) ...Skinner and Willie now work at the high school? (What is this, Boy Meets World? Saved by the Bell?) ...Lisa's regular red dress has straps in the future? (Marge gets along fine without 'em...) ...the fridge is no longer avocado, despite the familiar look of the rest of the place? ...despite Lisa's inclusion in the future viewing, it was mainly for the benefit of Bart? ...no talking from future Maggie yet, but the Nahasapeemapetilons are still pretty chatty (cf. DABF14)?

Previous episode references 2F15, BABF13: Duhhhh 4F24: Another brief look at Lisa's romantic future 2F06: Homer finally gets to live under the sea (and I appreciate that they didn't call attention to his life-long dream/solution to everything)

Other reference/quasi-meta-reference: Futurama, of course: Bender pops up in the quantum tunnel (which itself reminds me a bit of Douglas Adams' Heart of Gold), and is voiced by John DiMaggio (a first, despite the occasional Bender appearance here); his "new best friends" line reminds me of a quote from Futurama, but I can't quite place it - maybe "Fry, you're my friend" in 1ACV09?

Goofs Christmas apparently isn't back; I have to wonder just how Burns did away with it to achieve that end... According to FABF19, Nelson's dad actually didn't run out on the family when he went to get some smokes. (Besides, frankly, it would have been funnier if Nelson stopped at his first line, to see who got it...)

Too bad they didn't wait one more year: I happened to look up the original airdates of both 2F15 and BABF13; turns out their first two airings were both 3/19 and 8/13 (95 and 2000)! (BABF13 had a third run on 9/25, for those keeping score.)

I believe there's a quote in one of the early episodes of Futurama (possibly the first) where Bender says, "Of all my friends, you're [Fry] the first."

Probably not. Lots of stories you can do with Teen or Adult Bart/Lisa that you can't do with Kid Bart/Lisa. Not too many stories that you can do with Older Marge/Homer that you can't do with Regular Age Marge/Homer.

That's true. There's a bigger change between eight and 16, or even 16 and 24, than between 40 and 48. The older you get, the more you stabilize, while when you're young there is rapid growth and cahnge.

Michael

Michael Black wrote:

Well, I suppose it could be Old Age Homer and Marge or something... But I think the idea is to explore other ideas in general; it needn't be a learning experience, if the writers just want to play around in the future (and it would be pretty hard to top 2F15 anyway). It also needn't be their own future, necessarily; in fact, on the topic of BTTF tie-ins, they could learn something about their kids' future (Maggie's even - if Liz Taylor is willing) as a precautionary tale about their parenting skills. This is just a bit of brainstorming; if season 21 comes along and it's time for another future episode, they could certainly play with it a while.

In alt.tv.simpsons, on the "Re: Notes for GABF12 (Future-Drama)" thread, Matt Garvey wrote:

They can show Maggie's future even if Ms. Tayor isn't willing. I doubt people would object if Some Other Actress does her voice. After all, you'd expect someone's voice to change from the time that they were one year old.

Springfield-centric

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I think the fact that Frink expected Maggie to show up with Bart and Lisa was a hint that we should take the whole prediction thing with a grain of salt.

I guess it's not THAT improbable that Skinner could become the high school principal, since Dondelinger is getting on in years. I think it really would have made more sense to make him Acting Superintendent, since Chalmers had become a vegetable, and that would give him an excuse to be at any school in the district.

Nathan

Matt Garvey wrote:

Wasn't the quantum tunnel also a reference to "The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension"? In that movie the protagonist builds an oscilation overthruster that lets him travel through solid matter. When testing it, he drives through a mountain and comes out at the other side with part of an alien or possibly an alien spaceship stuck to the chassis of his car, much like Homer has Bender in his car when he exits the tunnel.

On Wed, 20 Apr 2005 11:51:40 +0200, �ystein V�geskar wrote:

It's a reference to "quantum tunneling". Loosely speaking, the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle says that you can't know the exact location of a particle. So what happens if the region it's in is bisected by a barrier? You still can't know where the particle is, so it can be observed on both sides of the barrier. This phenomena is called tunneling (as it seems the particle has tunneled through the barrier).

OK, that's a third reference. Still, both Buckaroo and Homer drive through solid matter (a mountain) in a car, and exits at the other side with an alien. I'm sure that happens all the time in movies.