[The long and short of it]
Ever get the feeling the writers are trying to send you a message? No, I don't think the writers are sending me secret coded transmissions through the television. I do think the writers pay at least some attention to their critics (both here, and the "real" critics who get paid for their thoughts), and sometimes, they take the opportunity to fire back. "The Itchy & Scratchy & Poochie Show (4F12)," with its welter of focus group references and Bart's infamous "we owe the writers" speech, is the most obvious example. Many people thought "Saddlesore Galactica (BABF09)" was a parody saying, "See? If the show were as bad as you say, it would be like this." Likewise, after watching "Jaws Wired Shut," I got the feeling the writers were trying to tell me something ...
After death and taxes, the next-surest thing is that people on a.t.s. will complain that Homer has become too wacky, too mean-spirited, or both. I'd say there's plenty of justification for this -- during some shows, you just want to tell Homer to shut up. Well, you got your wish with "Jaws Wired Shut." After a freak accident, Dr. Hibbert wires Homer's jaw shut until it can heal. Poor Homer isn't able to eat solid foods or say a single word. Some of what happens next isn't hard to guess. Bart, for instance, takes advantage of the situation, saying that if Homer has a problem with something he's about to do, he should just say "No" in a clear voice. What I didn't expect is that his problem made Homer a genuinely nicer person. Forced to listen to their concerns, Homer becomes closer to his family. Even his father's long, rambling stories take on a new fascination. Later, he can even take Marge to a fancy dress ball without embarrassing her or making a fool of himself. Yet, there's a downside to Homer's newfound politeness. The "new" Homer is too quiet, and the ensuing boredom eats at Marge, finally driving her to try a wacky, Homer-style stunt.
Okay, okay: If Homer were better-behaved, as most people suggest, he would not be as interesting a character. I get the point. However, I think the writers may not have gotten mine. The key to Homer isn't making him into a secular Ned Flanders. It's in finding a balance -- making him goofy and irresponsible enough to be interesting, but nice enough to be a likable guy. When Homer's jaw was wired shut, the writers found that balance. There's one fine scene where Homer comforts Lisa, who's suffered an everyday childhood trauma. He hugs her, and just when the scene threatens to get to treacly, he thinks to himself, "This should cork her cry-hole." It's a line the brings things into balance. At the ball, Homer behaves himself, but he also tries to tell Marge how horny he's feeling. Balance. Bart tells him he hates being thought of as the class clown. Homer sympathizes, but he can still laugh (mentally, anyway) at his son's teacher's name. Balance. Come to think of it, maybe the writers *did* get my point.
Perhaps more importantly "Jaws Wired Shut" is solidly funny, from start to finish. The show opens with a hilarious (if unrelated to the rest of the show) gay pride parade. From there, it moves to a dead-on parody of the modern movie experience -- right down to the super-easy "puzzles" they show to the audience before the movie begins, and the endless parade of coming attractions. (Although, unlike Homer, I *like* watching previews.) The end isn't bad, either. Marge's wig- out could have gotten out of control, but the writers tread that tightrope well.
A new executive producer brings with him (or her) the promise that the next season's shows will be even better than the one before. Since Al Jean took over for the DABF__ series of shows, I've been waiting for that one really good episode that every season seems to have. It took awhile, but "Jaws Wired Shut" is that episode. If the writers acknowledge that it is possible for Homer to be too nutty, then we can look forward to more terrific episodes to come.
[The short of it]
Watching this episode, it's hard to avoid thinking that the writers are saying a too-nice Homer is as bad as a too-mean one. True, but this episode is actually a good argument for a just-right Homer: One who is wacky enough to hold interest, and nice enough to gain the viewers' sympathy. It's also funny throughout, with the gay parade and endless movie preview sequences the highlights. It took a while, but Jaws Wired Shut" is this season's first really good episode. (A)
[DYNs]
... the patches on Maggie's "baggie" in the couch gag? ... the moustaches painted on the haz-mat suits for the "safe sex" float? ... the voices for the "Stayin' in the closet" float sound like Smithers (no big surprise) and Patty? ... any question about the spelling of "D'oh" has been put to rest? ... Homer says "I'm horny" while dancing with Marge?
[References]
"Eyes Wide Open" (movie) - title a spoof of this Kubrick film
Charlie Chaplin's "Little Tramp" movies - couch gag an rip-off, er, homage
"High Times" (magazine) - Homer reads "Pie Times"
Pirates of the Caribbean (Disney World ride) - "Lesbians of the Caribbean" borrows the theme, and the theme song
"Absolutely Fabulous" (TV series) - commonly abbreviated "Ab Fab," which is similar to "Fab Abs"
"Air Bud" "C.H.U.D" (movies) - "Air C.H.U.D." some sort of mutant combination
"Chocolate" (movie) - spawns a sequel "Chocolate 2: The Vanilla-ing"
"Dude, Where's My Car?" (movie) - "Dude, Where's My Pepsi?" a spoof
"To Kill a Mockingbird" (book) - "To Kill a Talking Bird" spoofs the title
"The View" (TV series) - hosts and format of "Afternoon Yak" similar to this light, woman's-oriented talk show - lead woman tends to pronounce 'R's as 'W's, as Barbara Walters sometimes does
"Dilbert" (comic strip) - Homer promises to be as dull as the lead character in the strip
"Popeye" (comic strip (and later, cartoon short) hero) - Homer gets his strength from beer, the way Popeye does from spinach - Homer pops open the beer can the way Popeye opens the spinach can - when strong, Homer mutters amusingly under his breath, as Popeye does - when she calls for help, Marge is animated to resemble Olive Oyl
[Previous Episode References]
[4F11] Steel industry outed
[4F22] Fate cruelly conspires to keep someone from taking part in a
Duff promotion
[3F23] Someone wears culottes (There's another episode where Bart
does this, but I forget which one it was)
[9F03] Same camera angle seen as someone gets twirled around by the
mouth
[5F15] Milhouse's bedwetting implied
[2F01] Someone says, "Smashy, smashy"[FFF]
[Someone must have had a fire sale on FFF tonight ...]
Homer's magazine:
PIE TIMES
Parade banner:
GAY PRIDE PARADE
FORMERLY SPRINGFIELD HERITAGE DAYParade floats:
GAY STEEL WORKERS
OF AMERICA The Velvet MafiaA SALUTE TO SAFE SEX STAYIN' IN THE CLOSET
A SALUTE TO BRUNCH FAB ABS
GAY DOG ALLIANCE
Theater marquee:
SPRINGFIELD
GOOGOLPLEX
THEATERS WEDGIE: THE MOVIE CHOCOLATE 2: THE VANILLA-ING
SHENANI-GOATS FINAL CHAPTER 4: A NEW BEGINNING
AIR C.H.U.D. EDITOR-IN-CHIMPBox-office marquee:
FINAL CHAPTER - A NEW BEGINNING
TOO MANY PREMISES! Crouching Tiger, [obscured]
EDITOR-IN-CHIMP AIR C.H.U.D.
WEDGIE: the movie clone me an angel
SHENANI-GOATS! "DUDE, WHere'S My PePSI?"Movie puzzle:
MOVIE STAR SCRAMBLE
MOT [mystery] answer-> OTM [Maharaja]
HANKS [ man ] SHANK [ man ]Movie crowd control:
Kit Kat
MOVIE SIZEDMedical pamphlet:
SO
YOUR
LIFE
IS
RUINEDUnderneath this is a smiley face with his jaw wired shut
Duff label:
BREWED SINCE
ANCIENT TIMES CONTAINS
HOPS & GRAINS!Homer's blackboard "dialogue":
SO, HOW WHAT'S
WAS YOUR D'OH! WRONG?
DAY? YES THEN WHAT SO
[twice] HAPPENED? HUNGRYSociety page headline:
LOCAL MAN
RUINS
EVERYTHINGTalk show title:
Afternoon <-in cursive
YAKPlay title:
I'M GONNA
KILL YOU by
EDWARD ALLBEECivic center marquee:
CIVIC CENTER
DEMOLITION DERBY
AS SEEN IN
FACES OF DEATH IIIOtto's bus:
SCHOOL BUS <- "School" crossed out
SKULL
[Oops!]
In most of the demolition derbies I've seen on TV, the drivers back into one another to preserve their cars' engines.
[Personal Comments & Observations]
Mozart's "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik" plays while the socialite compliments Marge on her henpecking, I think.
Homer and Marge dance to "The Beautiful Blue Danube Waltz" by Strauss.
[Obviously, I made this point in my review, but I'm restating it here for the capsule record]
One persistent theme of complaint in a.t.s. is that Homer has gotten too wacky and mean lately, and should calm down and be nicer. This episodes comes off like a rebuttal, arguing that Homer would be too boring that way.
"Jackass" is one of the latest in a long line of controversial shows for the MTV cable channel. Basically, its host does outrageous, dangerous, or disgusting (or, preferably, all three at once) stunts while the camera rolls. Kids watching the show have tried to imitate them an injured themselves seriously in the attempt. MTV points out that the show does have disclaimers, and they can't predict the reaction of all the people in the audience. Critics charge that the results aren't so much predictable as inevitable.
In "Pygmoelian (BABF12)," Duff Man's real name was Larry. By "Hungry, Hungry Homer (CABF09)," it had changed to Sid. Most of the people watching, including myself, thought this was a goof. Now, the writers have provided an explanation -- Duff Man has been portrayed by different actors over the years, with Sid taking over for Larry. It makes perfect sense!
Now, if they can only reconcile Homer's drifting age ...
As Homer escapes from the theater, we can see the rear end of a white VW Old Beetle convertible.
- So, how long until the "Patty is gay?!" and "SLH is gay?!" threads?
* Didn't Don Del Grande once suggest a "quiet please" pre-movie cartoon featuring "The Simpsons?" Well, that's a rhetorical question -- I know for a fact that he did. Anyway, that's what the I&S short brought to mind.