I was out of town this weekend, so this week's review is a couple of days late.
[The long of it]
Looking back on it, "Fat Man and Little Boy" probably shouldn't have quite as good as it is. Usually, it's best when an episode picks one theme and sticks with it for the duration of a show. "Fat Man" violates this "rule". It starts with Bart making a rite of passage from boyhood to young adulthood, then moves to him being a minor business sensation (introducing a supporting character along the way), then he and Homer compete to see who's the "alpha male" of the house. Oh, and there's some Homer-Lisa bonding, as well. Sound like a mess? "Fat Man" doesn't look like one; it does so many things well that I can easily forgive this minor problem.
The first act was my favorite by a slim margin, perhaps because it plowed some new ground. After losing his final baby tooth, Bart gets a "grown up" present from the tooth fairy: A donation in his name to some worthy charity. It sparks a sort of midlife crisis in the boy. When he tries to fantasize about the adventures of one his action figures, another figure crowds in and tries to sell life insurance. Eventually, Bart puts away childish things and gives a Viking funeral to a box of his toys. There are a number of humorous touches here, like Bart's attempts to knock out the baby tooth early to hasten the tooth fairy's journey. Later on, Bart's toys have names that parody those of famous toys in this universe. The new names -- Sketch-and- Etch and Humor Putty among them -- aren't so hilarious in and of themselves, but they sound like something a knock-off toy manufacturer might give to a copy of a more "brand-name" plaything. I thought it was a subtle and interesting idea.
In the second act, Bart needs something to fill the void in his life, so Lisa suggests writing. Writing novels or plays would be "too gay," and I guess writing 300-line reviews of "Itchy & Scratchy" episodes is out of the question, so Bart settles on a form better-suited for his talents: T-shirt slogans. The writers did an excellent job on the slogans; most of them are not only funny, but funny in a punchy, low- brow way that you'd expect from slogans. Some of my favorites include "My other T-shirt is also a joke T-shirt," "Pobody's Sherfect, Nithead!" and "Weapon of Ass Destruction." (Hey, what were you expecting -- Oscar Wilde quotes?) The slogans also attract the attention of Goose the novelty store man, an interesting character modeled after Willie Wonka. He shares Wonka's penchant for punning, attention-getting exits. Saying it's time to leave, he makes a bunch of leaves pop out of nowhere, and then exits the scene on roller skates. The writers also get some fun showing his more fallible side. He has an impressive three-dimensional business card with rainbow colors, sound effects -- and his old phone number. Lacking one with the current number, Goose gives up and tells Bart that he'll call him. In the third act, one of Goose's dramatic exits goes humorously wrong. Goose's character will probably never have a significant role in any future episode, but as a one-shot he's pretty good.
Bart makes so much money in the second act that that he eventually becomes the man of the family, especially after Homer loses his job at the plant for the umpteenth time. The writers (Joel Cohen was the lead this time) don't make a big deal of this theme, though. Mostly, it's limited to one scene where Bart must pay for a fancy dinner, and another funny scene where Homer draws a parallel between a pride of lions he sees on TV, and his own family. (If Chad Lehman were still around, though, he'd give an unnecessary exposition prize to Homer, for *saying* there was a parallel between TV and his life.)
The episode shifts directions again in the third act, where Homer tries to be more of a father to his less-grown-up child, Lisa. Yup, it turns into another Homer-Lisa bonding story, but this one is more touching and funnier that some full-length Homer-Lisa stories. There's a sweet scene where Homer "flies" Lisa and her Malibu Stacy doll around the neighborhood. (The animation was pretty good here; come to think of it, the whole episode was nicely done.) To keep things from getting too heavy, Homer also dispenses some of his patented bad advice. When Lisa says she can't get any parental help on her science fair project, Homer scoffs, "That's orphan talk!" Homer helps her anyway, and when he's done, Lisa has the best line of the night. (I won't spoil it here, but you'll know what I'm talking about once you hear it.) Eventually, this storyline converges with the Bart-Goose plot to create a satisfying ending.
"Fat Man" could probably have made a good episode out of any one of its themes: Bart steps toward adulthood, Homer and Bart vie for man of the household, or Bart's T-shirt business venture. They would have been hard-pressed to top this story, though. The writers (Joel Cohen was the lead this time out) presented us with the best nuggets of each plot, without making me feel like one or more of them had been under- used. It's an excellent balancing act. Maybe "Fat Man and Little Boy" couldn't decide what it wanted to be when it grew up, but it made something of itself nonetheless.
[The short of it]
Usually, it's best when an episode picks one theme and sticks with it for the duration of a show. "Fat Man" violates this "rule", and is actually better for it. The first act, where Bart lets go of his childhood, plows some interesting good ground. The second act features funny T-shirt slogans (� la Bart) and a good new character in Goose the novelty store owner. The final act showcases a good Homer- Lisa bonding ministory(!). The writers gave us the best parts of each story, and even covered each idea adequately. It's an excellent balancing act, and one worth an (A).
[DYNs]
... the animators remembered to draw Lisa's My Little Pony figurine in the background before it was needed for the spitball attack? ... Wiggum's T-shirt size is XXXXXXXL (or 7XL)? ... Lisa calls it an "all-school" science fair? [See "Personal Comments & Observations" for why that's notable]
[References]
Fat Man and Little Boy - the nicknames of the first two atomic bombs, and also the title of this episode
"Saving Private Ryan" (movie) - Bart's spitball attack on Lisa and Janey loosely resembles the assault on Normandy
Spirograph (drawing toy) - Spirogram the first of several knock-off toys Bart owns
Etch-A-Sketch (drawing toy) - Bart has a Sketch-N-Etch
Hungry Hungry Hippos (game) - Bart has a Ravenous Ravenous Rhinos game
Monopoly (board game) - Bart owns Duopoly
Parcheesi (board game) - spoofed as Parchoosey
Silly Putty (toy) - Bart has Humor Putty
Knock'em Sock'em Robots - spoofed as Sock'em Knock'em Cyborgs
"Born in the USA" (album) - one of Bart's shirts reads, "Bored in the USA"
"Calvin and Hobbes" (comic strip) - Moe [? I forget] asks for a shirt of Calvin peeing on Hobbes [See "Personal Comments & Observations" for more]
Jews for Jesus (religious group) - Bart sells a "Jews for Jebus" shirt
"Austin Powers" (movie) - Austin Itchy character available on Krusty T-shirts
"SpongeBob SquarePants" (TV series) - ScratchBob ItchPants also available
"Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" (book, movie) - Goose the novelty man resembles candy factory owner Willie Wonka
Michael Jackson (singer) - Goose describes himself as an eccentric single man who has taken interest in a young boy; the same is said of Jackson (although in his case the interest is much more sinister than Goose's)
[Previous Episode References]
[2F17] Spirograph mentioned [9F07] Homer wants to play Hungry Hungry Hippos [CABF09] Bart plays with Knock'em Sock'em Robots knockoff [EABF05?] Milhouse's stuffed dog toy appears [9F13] Chief Wiggum busts out Homer's taillight [BABF11] "Jebus" mentioned [FABF09] Ad for "Squat and Squirt" seen at Goose's store
[FFF]
Title page of Lisa's unfinished novel:
THEY PROMISED
ME PONIES BY
LISA SIMPSONBart's T-shirt parade:
ADULTS LIFE BORED THIS WAKE ME EVERYTHING SUCKING
SUCK, ENDS IN THE SHIRT WHEN IT'S SUCKS SUCKS
THEN YOU AT USA SUCKS RECESS
ARE ONE TENBart's first T-shirt stand:
(counter-clockwise, starting at upper left)
I'VE IMPEACH THINK WEAPON
PUKED EVERYBODY GLOBALLY OF
MORE BEER FART ASS
THAN LOCALLY DESTRUCTION
YOU'VE
DRUNK I [heart] MY OTHER POBODY'S
[heart] ATTACKS T-SHIRT SHERFECT,
IS ALSO NITHEAD!
A JOKE
T-SHIRTT-shirts that patrons pick up:
GET DO NOT
BENT RESUSCITATEWiggum's T-shirt:
PROUD
NUBIAN
PRINCESSNovelty vendor exhibits:
(left to right, as Apu walks past)
EROTIC HAIRY EXPLODING BUZZZ UNTOASTABLE
ASHTRAYS GOLF HEARING AIDS BAGELS
BALLS TRICKY POISON MOOD LOLLIPOPS
CARDS ICE CUBES FREE
SAMPLESBart second T-shirt stand:
BORED JEWS BODY DON'T IF YOU
IN THE FOR BY BLAME ME CAN READ
USA JEBUS OREO I VOTED FOR THIS THE
SCOOBY-DOO BACKPACK
FELL OFF BORED STOP JEWS
IN THE STARING FOR
USA AT MY JEBUS
MAN BOOBST-shirt Goose holds up:
I'M NOT
GETTING
OLDER, I'M
GETTING
BITTERGoose's calling card:
GOOSE'S
GAGS AND GIFTS
TELEPHONE:
KL5-0743T-shirts on the printing press:
WISH YOU AMERICA'S TOP OF
WERE LEAST THE
BEER WANTED DUDE CHAINT-shirt magazine:
CHESTWEAR
MONTHLY [ Bart ]
[holding]
PUBLIC [T-shirt]
COTTONS TO STOP
SIMPSON'S WORLD
SHIRTS HUNGER,
EAT MY
POCKET-T'S SHORTS
AT A
CROSSROADSHomer's T-shirts:
DON'T RICH
WAKE ME BITCH
I'M WORKINGSlides on Lisa's science project:
MARIE CURIE XRAYS EINSTEIN
1898 DISCOVERS 1895 R�ENTGEN 1905 DISCOVERS MASS
RADIUM & POLONIUM DISCOVERS XRAYS ENERGY RELATIONSHIPT-shirt signing:
GOOSE'S
GAGS AND GIFTS MEET T-SHIRT AUTHOR
BART SIMPSON MR. SIMPSON
WILL NOT
SAY
"COWABUNGA"CBG's T-shirt:
I'M NOT
FAT, I'M
ENORMOUSSettings on Homer's nuclear reactor:
OFF LOW
NUCLEAR
HOLOCAUSTHIGH
[Personal Comments & Observations]
"Dust in the Wind," by Kansas, plays as Bart gives his toys a "Viking funeral."
Right Said Fred's "I'm Too Sexy" is heard in the background as Bart models his T-shirts.
In previous episodes where Lisa and Martin compete head-to-head in science fairs, someone always points out that these two are in different grades and thus wouldn't be competing directly with one another. This time around, Lisa sidesteps the objections by mentioning she's participating in an "all-school" science fair.
Just as Homer dismisses the quality of Korean animation, the "five o'clock shadow" part of his face is drawn a foot away from the rest of his head. Like most American series, a good portion of the animation on "The Simpsons" is done in South Korea.
At the T-shirt signing, a sign states that Bart won't say "cowabunga." For years, the producers have patiently pointed out that while everyone thinks Bart has said this word on the show, he really hasn't. (They repeat this claim on the DVD commentary -- only to have Bart say "cowabunga" a few episodes later! Matt and the guys seemed genuinely shocked by this.)
Superintendent Chalmers drives a Toyota Camry, just like he said. His was made within the last two or three years, since it has the current- generation body. Not a bad step up from the '79 Accord he had in "Lisa's Date with Density (4F01)."
After the bus accident, Principal Skinner offers Chalmers his Merkur. Conceived in the mid-80s, Merkur was an attempt by Ford USA to break into the upscale Eurocar niche owned by Mercedes and BMW. It was, in fact, a German Ford rebadged for the United States market and sold through Mercury dealers. ("Merkur" is German for "Mercury," or so I'm told.) Two models were offered, the XR4Ti and Scorpio. The XR4Ti sold better, so it's probably the one Skinner drives. The Merkur fizzled quickly, and its status as an "orphan" make (along with the fact that the newest ones are about 15 years old) probably made it an attractive used-car buy for Skinner.
Bill Watterson's "Calvin and Hobbes" is one of the most popular comic strips of modern times and, paradoxically, one of the least-licensed. Years ago, Watterson wrestled the merchandising rights from his syndicate -- and then promptly refused to license out his creations. He felt that plastering images of his characters on T-shirts, coffee mugs, stickers, and the like would cheapen them. Aside from a few collections of strips (and some calendars from the days when his syndicate held the exploitation rights), there is no official "C&H" merchandise.
What happened next had to confirm his worst nightmares about licensing. Pirates rushed in to make counterfeit merchandise. The most popular items turned out to be window decals showing Calvin peeing on automobile logos, university symbols, NASCAR numbers or whatever else it is that annoyed the sticker owner. Ironically, in the strip Calvin was never shown peeing on anything -- he was ill- behaved but not vulgar. At the other end of the spectrum, there exist stickers of Calvin worshipping at a cross. Arguably, this is even more out-of-character for him.
For what it's worth, I've never seen a drawing of Calvin peeing on his co-star Hobbes, so that might explain why Bart didn't have such a T- shirt.
This is the second episode with an "outtake" shown at the start of the closing credits. I don't know if this is a way of giving us deleted scenes before the DVDs come out, or if this is a reference to some other series, but it's a trend I like. Ditto to full-screen credits Fox has been showing of late.