Notes for NABF22 (The Book Job)

Another well done outing. I'm happy with how episodes are trending recently. Fun, funny, subversive, interesting (both the main group and Lisa's attempts to write)... the only parts that didn't make too much sense were the actual logistics of book printing (storing the final versions - in an accessible format - on flash drives), and isn't the "advance copy" usually part of the actual print run (or else it's a proof)? But the heist-movie twists made up for that.

DYN: ...Homer mentions "the perfect crime" (a bit of a running gag back to the Ullman shorts)? ...(or "did you predict") Patty before the reveal? (I could tell somehow it would be one of the twins) ...Bart seems pretty on the ball in noting Shakespeare as a counterexample to Lisa's ideals? ...Lisa's big printer sounds like a dot matrix? ...the official check from the publisher is to "the crew" for "a cool million and 0/100"? ...Andy Garcia (who was ripped off in the 2001 Ocean's 11) guest voiced? (was he the publisher? the only specific O11 homage I saw was the Clair de Lune fountain shot)

Previous episode stuff JABF02: Angelica Button books established CABF21: The way Moe gets in on the deal is reminiscent of his enthusiasm to solve the mystery in this episode AABF12: If The Little Mermaid is still Lisa's favorite movie, it seems fitting that she'd have a poster on her wall BABF17: Stephen King (see below)

Meta -the episode title is the first themed intertitle shown -the second commercial break is also announced by intertitle -a Rock Bottom Remainders sign is present at the book convention - if I recall correctly, two of its members are Matt Groening and Stephen King (the latter of which was declared not to be real in this episode)

Other shows -The Cleveland Show episode that aired just before this (Skip Day, 3APS03) also had an unexpected taser gag (and I might note that a local news teaser later that night on Fox 8 Cleveland also was taser- themed). -Lisa expresses disbelief that a dog wrote a bestseller, and I can't help but think of a Family Guy episode that aired 52 weeks ago, Brian Writes a Bestseller (8ACX07), where Brian finally writes a successful book - and I know what "Sit Stay Love" is a parody of, but I'm still reminded of Brian's title ("Wish It, Want It, Do It").

Boo Another clouds-only opening!

Finally Matt Selman precedes Al Jean once again as Executive Producer (see my notes on NABF20 last week). This episode he didn't have writing credit on, so I'm going to bet he's taking over soon.

On Mon, 21 Nov 2011, Matthew Garvey wrote:

Yes, and no.

In the old days, there was no real sense in printing more than once, so advance copies were I think usually from the same run.

Of course, "advanced copy" doesn't mean proof copy, somewhere they have to print something in an almost finished point to make last minute corrections, obviously made easy now with laser printers.

I've found "advanced copies" at used book sales. They often lack something, like photos or I can't remember what was wrong with that Bill Graham biography. But those are to get them to the reviewers ahead of time, so they can read and write reviews to coincide with the proper release of the book.

Watching the episode, I thought of those print on demand machines. I've never seen one, but they are real, one library here has one. The idea being that one could print on demand a book, no shipping required. It's at least a decade old concept, I'm not sure where they are going with the rise of ebooks. They concept was good at one point, but now why go to all the trouble when ebooks are accepted?

The way they portrayed the printing, it made me think of those machines. Provide a source, and out comes the book, just like you'd go to the drugstore to print your digital photos. And maybe it was, a small publisher with an unknown book or author, just print as demand requires, rather than being stuck with a large run that nobody wants.

The concept of group writing is interesting. They name some authors, but while The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew and Tom Swift and the like tended to use some made up name for the author, often it was a consistent author who wrote all or most of the books. The "fixed" author was probably to ensure continuity if the actual author died or didn't work out. Such books often were by rote (even someone like Clive Cussler or Tom Clancy tend to write by rote, even though the books are much deeper than a Tom Swift, they all tend to fit a certain formula), but at least the same author tended to write them.

The group write does require figuring out what works and creating a formula for the series, but they take it a step further by writing as a group. That reminds me of Wikipedia, and much of the internet today, where once the masses arrived things changed from people taking initiative to a collective experience, the 1% that was creative (or whatever the percentage) drowned by the masses that can't be too creative.

Michael

In article ,

...

During the chase backstage, they run past a door where you can see some dinosaurs relaxing by smoking, in a pose and setting and style recreating the classic "Far Side" cartoon "The Real Reason the Dinosaurs Went Extinct".

On Mon, 21 Nov 2011 14:06:47 -0800,

I noticed that too, but couldn't quite place where I had seen the gag before--thanks for identifying it!

Yeah, good eye. I "re-wound" the DVR back to that, and pointed it out to my wife (who said "whatev").

-- R Flowers

Same here, I was thinking "where on earth have I seen that gag before?" and I just remembered while rewatching it this morning.

Once Upon A Time, Armillaria caligata wrote:

It was great to see that. I'm so glad the producers are finally hiring some good writers like Gary Larson.

** Captain Infinity

Captain Infinity wrote in news:[email]:

@o13g2000vbo.googlegroups.com>

Does it take time to think up a stupid remark or do they come naturally?

Once Upon A Time, Wiseguy wrote:

I'll let you know in a day or two.

** Captain Infinity

The whole think was an O11 sendup. Bart's clothes at the Book Fair. Bart - Brad Pitt Moe - Carl Reiner Both based on their clothing at the book fair.

Mr. Museum