Goo Goo Gai Pan (GABF06)
... Burns has blue eyes, and weighs 85 lbs? ... Homer actually tries to conceal his laugh at Selma? ... Marge calls her older sister sweetie? ... how happy Maggie is to see Selma holding the baby from Springfield Orphanage (Cletus's)? ... Patty and Maggie don't go to China? ... an audience member at the acrobat show has a Homer-esque muzzle? ... judging by their facial expressions, Bart is even less worried than Selma about Homer's acrobatic exploits? ... Ling can talk (Chinese babies really are smarter)?
moo goo gai pan (Chinese food) - title
Death of a Salesman - Chinese version performed
Selma yearns to start a family...
[7F15] ...with Principal Skinner/Barney [8F20] ...with Sideshow Bob [9F11] ...with Hans Moleman/in vitro fertilization [3F15] ...with Troy McClure [FABF08] ...with Artie Ziff [GABF04] ...with Disco Stu [GABF06] ...through adoption
[9F11], [9F14], [3F15], [GABF04] Jub Jub appears [9F12], [CABF05] Homer injures his back [1F16] a midget foreigner poses as one of the Simpson children [2F13] Homer mistakes someone for a Buckingham Palace guard [2F14] Homer is nice to Selma for Marge's sake [3F17], [AABF20] OFF travels to Asia [5F04] a member of OFF poses as someone's spouse [BABF03] Homer rescues a baby from its captor [CABF04] Homer is assaulted by a panda [EABF14] Homer strangles an animal [FABF07] moo goo gai pan referenced
People at OFF's surprise party:
Back Row - Kent Brockman - Groundskeeper Willie - Waylon Smithers - Agnes Skinner - Ned Flanders - Julius Hibbert - Carl Carlson - Jeff Albertson (Comic Book Guy)
Middle Row (left of couch) - Moe Syzslak - Clancy Wiggum
Middle Row (right of couch) - Charles Montgomery Burns - Nick Riviera - Herschel Krustofsky (Krusty)
Front Row (left of couch) - Hans Moleman - Nelson Muntz - Edna Krabappel
Front Row (on couch) - Barney Gumble - Melvin Van Horne (Sideshow Mel) - Ralph Wiggum - John Frink - Rainier Wolfcastle
Front Row (right of couch) - Apu Nahasapeemapetilon - Bumblebee Man
Tonight's episode succeeded in meeting my high expectations, and avoided falling victim to the same problems that most vacation episodes do. Putting some slight retreading of Selma's Choice aside, Selma's yearning for a child was well done, and fully empathetic, and Act I did an incredible job of getting right to the point. Once in China, the episode managed to stay on track and remain plot focused, allowing the time allotted for the (inevitable) tangential tour of the country to be entertaining, beyond the "Haha, look, they do things differently in backwards land!" humor that other recent world travel outings have showcased. Ling is a welcome addition to the cast, if for no other reason than it'll provide more opportunities to use Selma (and perhaps Maggie). And the Homer/Selma interaction was classic. However, this episode did have its fair share of failed jokes (Burns' lungs, the dragons and the multiple "Homer gets hurt" gags stand out), which drag it down quite a bit. Still, it was a good episode, and stellar by vacation episode standards, earning itself an 8.5/10. (B+)
Moo goo gai pan is a popular Chinese food dish. 'Moo goo' refers to the button mushrooms, 'gai' means chicken, and pan means, you guessed it...slices! Also, traditionally in the dish are bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, some garlic and ginger, and a dash of sherry.
Announcer: FOX Sunday, the Simpsons hit China! (Homer is seen in a ninja dojo, as two men begin to flip towards him. He ends up being kicked in the face simultaneously by both men. Cut to Selma, holding her baby, and Madam Wu.) Madam Wu: Drop the panda! (The camera pans to reveal Homer with a panda cub in his arms, preparing to put it into his diaper bag.) Homer: But he loves me. (The panda bites Homer's finger, causing him to scream, and then strangle the animal like it was one of his own.) Homer: I'll...endanger...you! (Madam Wu is shown at her desk.) Announcer: Lucy Liu guest stars, on The Simpsons! All-new at 8/7c, FOX Sunday!