Ah, well despite the low expectations suggested by the end of the episode, it wasn't bad. I'd feel worse that the overall ideas of the family being run out of town and so on weren't explored in GREAT depth if we hadn't seen stuff like it in the movie and other times, and anyway, it not only hit the various plot points easily and was fairly funny to boot. Actually, the themes overall reminded me greatly of both the movie and 3F23 (You Only Move Twice) - itself, I believe, one of the possible movie plots. Not a bad choice if you're going to choose a story for not only a (meaningless) milestone but such a longrunner.
DYN: ...Grampa seems to be (maybe) part of the exile, but not only are Patty and Selma (and Jackie) exempt, they don't even seem to appear? ..."spray some of my Jerk Off on you"? (surprising that didn't merit a TV-14) ...Homer uses a Braniff Airways jet engine? (I know it was a real airline, but part of an old commercial was the South Park vanity plate for a while; could be a reference, though I don't know why in particular) ...Lenny's last name is Lenford? I thought it was Leonard.
Previous episode stuff 4F07: Storm cellar scene reminiscent of this 2F11: Comet bunker also came to mind, and when Ned showed up to defend the Simpsons, I couldn't help but think of it either AABF07: Homer's drunken drive through SES shown as an example (never mind that the gang was with him) AABF22: Bart's flood-the-gym prank is his example MABF14: Lisa's quest to save the whale is hers 9F22, 4F07, GABF10: New take on the opening sequence (with re-sung words + clouds) (am I missing any?) LABF06: Maggie's treatment by the other babies Movie: Grand Theft Walrus seen at bowling alley (appropriate, given the plot) 9F21: Moe's Cavern LABF20: "Thanks" at end - one wonders if it'll change on repeats too
Meta (among other stuff) -Bart could go to the empty school and write whatever he wants on the chalkboard -An "ay caramba" is heard -Cookie Kwan points out that Maggie never cries (not entirely true, but interesting to realize) and other unbabylike behavior -Homer references his old voice -Wiggum says he's at least smarter than a cat, but Lou says some breeds are smarter than he is; seems to mirror the sliding scale of dogs that Homer is smarter than -The Gracie sound seemed to recall older episodes (around seasons 10-12) that used random joke callbacks for them
Hmm Between casting and editor, there's a Thanks to Kathy Lette. I don't know why, but based on dates of some of her IMDb profile, maybe she had something to do with getting the show started or Tracey Ullman?
Couch-gag-o-rama
(Short version: no, it didn't include them all. Most, not all, and mostly in broadcast order.)
I did go through and check the whole montage methodically. Technically, I liked the way it was put together - pillarboxing, using a few full-length gags to start it off, and then the technique of using just a still from each one for a handful of frames (which was much better than one fan-made video I saw that ran at full length but super speed, making it harder to get a sense of each one and adding a lot of weight to the long ones of recent years - although several of them didn't do a great job at highlighting the actual joke).
They were presented in original broadcast order, something I suspected when the first one was 7G02's and not 7G01's (though as it turns out that wouldn't have helped). Basically, with the exceptions below, that means you can consult Don Del Grande's list at snpp.com/guides/ couch.openings.html and read it straight through.
MISSING: Yes, a few were missing for some reason! I wonder if this will be corrected for repeats. 7G09/7G01: the one where nothing happens (meant, of course, to be the first, but when 7G01 got moved to be reanimated...) 9F21a/b (1F08/1F21, 1F11): the first two sections of the "take two/ three" gag where they shatter/turn into a blob (the third, where everyone explodes, is represented); while many later couch gags had multiple parts, the first two takes were used later in standalones, and should have been included 5F07: everyone's in a snow globe LABF13: subway station (close in spirit to BABF11 but obviously different)
Other notes:
7G04/7G13 (Homer squeezed off and lands, legs splayed, on the floor) is not shown in order, but rather between 7F01 and 7F05 for some reason
2F01/2F14 were variations on the same Star Trek beaming idea, and both versions were shown - in a row! Interesting that they'd be considered separate (I agree with this; others that vary only in length or sound would make less sense), but that 2F14's version would not then appear a little later on in keeping with the order!
3F31's montage is not included, but that makes sense, as it contained nothing new.
4F10/4F16's (Grampa asleep in a hide-a-bed) has a little TVPG icon in the corner.
HABF03's progression-of-years, 2006-2013, used 2013 for the still, not the perhaps more appropriate 2012.
HABF08's live action one is indeed represented (it's not put sequentially in Don's list).
All appropriate Treehouse of Horror couch gags are represented, as well as MABF12's "Tik Tok".