I liked both of them pretty well, though I favored the second one; and now Fox can stop all the lies, unless those subtitles under the clouds remain for syndication...also, whatever happened to Homer's investing the Baby Stinkbreath money in a star that supernovas? It would have made more sense, though I suppose if it didn't seem as selfish Judge Harm may not have emancipated Bart...
Barting Over (EABF05) DYN: ...this is (I think) the second episode with a regular opening where the blackboard gag's animation was altered? (The other was 5F09, I will not mess with the opening credits) (Also note that because of this they cut from Lisa's solo to Maggie driving, cf. DABF14, where they added in a blackboard gag and cut from Bart exiting to Homer shrieking instead of using a season 6-style opening) ...they made reference to the Michael Jackson baby balcony thing pretty quickly? (Maybe the digital coloring let them up the production schedule, but the captions were there too...) ...the pasty-faced lawyer is apparently named Luvum or Burnham? ...Homer has to pay half his income to Amber? (When did that happen, I wonder...) ...Milhouse has a Sideshow Mel poster in his room?
Some previous episode references: 7F10, 3F31: Episode's airing-order number is mentioned, both incorrectly and correctly (also cf. DABF01, the 276th ep, where they gave an estimate of 280) 3F12: "Garnish" misinterpreted (here by Homer, there by Krusty) DABF03: Dia-Betty appears at Cletus' house 7F02: Homer with a hair-growth drug (and if he used it for the commercial, apparently they didn't let him keep some or he didn't want it...) CABF04: Nelson as an old man laughs at Homer's grave
Other references: The Mary Tyler Moore Show: Music and hat in the air when Bart settles into his loft
Goofs: How come the Simpsons can only visit Bart on designated days? He was emancipated, so they should be able to meet whenever both parties want...right?
Meta-reference corner: In case anyone didn't get it: Bart is surprised that he was in a commercial, and then proceeds to eat a Butterfinger... And I'm glad they were able to mention that this is really the 302nd (though surprised that Fox didn't throw a fit).
Comments: I think Judge Harm is on her way to becoming the next Fat Tony. Lots of times a one-line character is used many times, but usually one voiced by a regular cast member; this is Constance's third appearance (CABF22, DABF01) with another one coming up later this year, so like Joe Mantegna they're going to have to call Jane Kaczmarek up whenever they need a line...
I'm Spelling as Fast as I Can (EABF07) DYN: ...Barney is relapsing? (Aww...) ...Homer says "don't Borgnine my sandwich" instead of Bogart?
Some previous episode references: 7F10, 3F31, EABF05 - see above - of course there was no real reason to correct it to 303 after the point was made 5 minutes earlier... 2F03: Willy's plan to knife Skinner in the back seems to be some sort of non-canonical revenge for the three axings he gets in this Treehouse DABF14: Talk of Barney relapsing, though apparently it's happening now DABF21: Scripted TV is somewhat favored (see below)
Other references: Chevrolet and McDonald's: The Ribwich commercial resembles the rather masculine Chevy ads and sounds like Bob Seger's "Like a Rock"; the name and concept is like McDonald's McRib sandwich "A Boy Named Charlie Brown": in that movie, Charlie Brown moves up the ranks in spelling bees and eventually loses in the final round when he misspells a word ("beagle") - this plot loosely resembles that, though one major difference is that Springfield's residents laud Lisa's achievements even after she loses...
Goofs: It's back to school time? In February? (Or, if you go by the rib tour shirt, October?)
Meta-reference corner: "Some of us still enjoy scripted comedy, sir!" This certainly reflects the state of TV today; I don't particularly find reality TV too gripping (there's reality all around me!), but good scripted shows seem to find their way into the can...