[The long of it]
The best thing about "Rome-Old and Juli-Eh?" It might be the basement. In a surprise home-improvement project, Homer had the basement done in a glorious homage to just about every 70s rec-room clich�. It's fitted out with tacky wood paneling, bean-bag chairs, a jukebox, and lighted beer signs. (Okay, maybe that last item is perpetually "in.") Underfoot are yards and yards of lush shag carpeting, in that avocado color that seemed to come and go with the Nixon administration. If animated shows had set decorators, this would have been a good example of their art.
The very ending of this show, where Homer and Marge try for some romantic role-playing, and fail, is also one of its funniest moments.
What comes in between these two moments isn't so exemplary. The basement re-do pushes the Simpson family into bankruptcy, and to cut back on expenses, Homer yanks Abe out of the retirement home. Abe comes to live in the Simpson home, where he meets Selma. They fall in love because ... because ... well, because they're both available, I guess. The lack of chemistry -- or even a good cynical reason like Troy's image rehab from "A Fish Called Selma (3F15)" -- prevents this storyline from being compelling. The writers (led by Daniel Chun this time) explore the idea that Patty and Homer would team to break up Selma and Abe, but too briefly; I think focusing on this conflict would have been interesting. As it is, this is a generally mediocre story with a few high points. I liked Abe's bumbling in the kitchen, even if it is an extension of the well-worn theme of Abe's technical incompetence. There's also this enjoyable dialogue when Homer discovers Abe and Selma in mid-kiss:
Homer: A bear is eating my father!
Selma: I'm Selma, you idiot.
Homer: Selma is eating my father!Now that I think about it, most Abe-centered aren't that great: "Raging Abe Simpson ... (3F19)," "The Old Man & The Key (DABF09)," and "Homer Simpson in: Kidney Trouble (AABF04)" were all lackluster episodes. It's odd, because Abe can be a funny character, but he probably works best in a supporting role.
"Rome-Old and Juli-Eh" also has a side plot where Lisa and Bart build a massive fort from free boxes that they more or less conned out of a shipping company. Sometimes a subplot can rescue the main story, but not this time. It's one of those stories that can only exist in TV land, where the adults go out of their way to be outmaneuvered by mischievous children. (Consider that the company has an 800 number where you can order boxes without any sort of identity verification, that the delivery guy has no objection to taking the boxes to what's obviously a suburban residence, that they never cut off the supply of boxes after reaching a certain limit, and that they don't just present the Simpsons with a bill for excessive box usage.) There's a battle royale at the end that's clever in the sense that they can take one culture (medieval armies) and couch it in the icons of another unrelated culture (office-supply companies). Overall, it's a little too silly to work for me, even though it was nice to see Lisa and Bart working together.
A final note to the writers: When Troy McClure mentioned "wedding after wedding after wedding" in "The Simpsons Spin-Off Showcase (4F20)," it *wasn't meant to be taken for a serious suggestion.*
[The short of it]
The basement re-do at the beginning was good. Marge and Homer's role- playing at the end was good. The rest wasn't exemplary. Abe and Selma not only don't have much chemistry, they don't even have much reason for being together, so their segment isn't very involving. Neither is a subplot where Lisa and Bart defend a box fort from an angry shipping company; it's one of those contrived plots that can only exist on television. Despite some funny moments, I have to think that "Eh" is a fitting reaction to this episode. (C-)
[DYNs]
... in the aftermath of Abe's breakfast attempt, there's a fire burning in the freezer?
[References]
"Romeo and Juliet" (play) - title (and, perhaps, the theme of star-crossed lovers) a spoof
"The Flintstones" (TV series) - Homer tries propelling his car by putting his feet through the floor, the same way characters on the show did
United Parcel Service (UPS) (shipping company) - A.S.S. has a vaguely similar name - both companies have brown trucks and uniforms
fascist governments - either the Italians or the Germans -- I forget whom -- had a goon squad nicknamed the Brownshirts
Buckingham Palace - Lisa christens their box fort, "Boxingham Palace"
"All You Need is Love" - Selma disappointed to learn that the philosophy of this song isn't always true
[Previous Episode References]
[1F08], [BABF13], [3F12], [BABF09], [EABF20], [DABF09] Marge's struggles with gambling [HABF20] Triangle Wars machine seen [AABF04] Abe's mentions not having two kidneys
[FFF]
Pinball machine:
Chevy Chase
Foul Play[Nice to see that I'm not the only one who remembers this movie]
Things in Homer's basement:
Triangle Wars arcade machine, lighted Duff beer sign, vintage
gas pump, jukebox, Ping-Pong table, model train (running near
the ceiling), dartboard, lamp made out of a football helmet,
bean-bag chairs, football poster [?], bar set with barstools,
and plush shag carpetingAbe's posters:
KEEP COOL LILLIAN GISH
WITH
IN
COOLIDGE "BROKEN
BLOSSOMS"Shipping truck:
A. S. S.
AMERICAN
SHIPPING
SERVICESNOT AFFILIATED WITH THE HUMAN ASS
A.S.S.' contact number:
1 - 800
ASS - SHIPLabels on Marge's salad components:
LETTUCE DRESSING TOMATOES CARROTS CROUTONS
Label on bottom of garbage can:
GENERAL
INDUSTRIESOther stores in the mall:
[Not counting places with generic names ...]
SHOELACES BEAUTY BARN EYE CARAMBA
PLUSCongratulatory banner:
CONGRATULATIONS
SELMA AND BOB LIONEL
TROY STU BOB ABE [All names but Selma and Abe crossed out]Sign on Selma's door:
SELMA
BOUVIER BRANCH
MANAGERAbe's tape:
THE SANDS OF IWO JIMA
[Personal Comments & Observations]
As they say, it's all in the timing. Homer had a pretty good idea of personal bankruptcy laws -- as they existed a year or two ago. Back then, people hopelessly in debt could file for bankruptcy and have most of their debts cancelled. Furthermore, most personal assets would be protected. True, it would be almost impossible to get new loans for years to come (the bankruptcy judgement stayed on your credit report for quite a while), but on the surface it looked like there was little downside. Unless, that is, you were a creditor losing whatever money remained on the loan.
Starting in the 80s or 90s, there was an uptick in the number of people filing for bankruptcy. Perhaps they were abusing the system, as creditors claimed. Perhaps, argued consumer advocates, the credit industry was getting what it deserved for spraying credit offers to everyone, regardless of ability to repay. Despite any counter- arguments, the credit industry successfully lobbied Congress for a tightening of personal bankruptcy laws. Now, people filing for bankruptcy now must work with a repayment specialist, as the Simpsons did. Typically, the filers would have to go on a strict budget as they slowly paid off the money they owed. It's still possible to have your loans forgiven, but you'd have to be truly destitute for that to happen.
Calvin Coolidge -- U. S. President from 1923 to 1929. Coolidge was elevated to the presidency when Warren Harding died. "Keep Cool with Coolidge" was an actual campaign slogan from 1924, when Coolidge ran for office on his own.
Lillian Gish -- Notable film actress from the silent era (i.e., before 1927 or so).
You know, film and political posters from the 20s, in good condition like Abe's, are probably valuable nowadays.
For years, well-wishers at weddings would throw uncooked rice on newlyweds as they left the ceremony. (I heard it had its roots in an ancient fertility ritual.) Then, word got around that this practice harmed local birds. Apparently, the grains of rice would absorb liquid in the birds' digestive systems and swell up, with ghastly results. They didn't explode like the pigeons at Selma's wedding, but rupturing was definitely involved. People quickly stopped the practice. Then, word got around that the exploding-bird warning was just an urban myth. Even so, many couples have opted to replace the rice with things like confetti or flower petals, which are considered less lethal than Uncle Ben's.