Well, I was quite impressed at tonight's episode. After the emotional aspect of "Mother Simpson (3F06)," I had my sights set high, and I don't feel disappointed - a coherent plot, no stupid stuff, realistic characters...not to mention it was funny and emotional at the same time (even the recap of Homer's reflection in 3F06...), and the end actually had me guessing. (They've killed people off in more abrupt ways before!) Season 15 is looking like a winner so far...A
DYN: ...Homer knows when to use the objective case ("Whom? Whom?")? ...if Homer was 5 in the 60s, that's roughly consistent with his 1974 high school senior year? ...the plot actually began in the first act? ...Hollis Hurlbut appears to be in the jury? (Has he appeared since 3F13?)
Previous episode references: 3F06: Duhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh (one particular note: the slogan at Burns' germ warfare lab is the same) 7G09: Pacifier in mouth of animal with Maggie 3G03: The B&W musical animal in Homer's brain is similar CABF22: The waitress is named Cora (but worked at Lard Lad in The Parent Rap) CABF16: Homer accidentally driving to police station (cf jail) 4F02: Burns' "end communication" reminded me of "end transmission" in Citizen Kang DABF18: Marge's reenactment of Bart's birth recalls Homer's in this ep EABF16: Lenny's last name was revealed as Leonard in this episode and seems to have stuck 7F18: Burns is now strong enough to pull the rope at the unveiling CABF17: A photo of someone "flashing" the ride camera (but not technically in either case)
The ever-growing Frank Grimes list: 4F19: Most of it 5F18: Program from his funeral in Homer's jacket BABF10: Gravestone seen EABF18: and again
Other references: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Homer's clippings are on a black piece of cardboard like this (and probably other shows too) (This one is perhaps a stretch...Futurama (Episode "Leela's Homeworld," 4ACV02): an encoded message from parent(s) - here "Your mother loves you" embedded vertically, there "Your parents love you very much" in AL1)
Comments:
For the last few years, Fox hasn't acknowledged the Treehouse of Horror as the season premiere...I could understand this if it was on a different day or time, or somehow actually ran before the ratings season started (perhaps that's changed for some shows anyway?), but last year and this, the TOH was on the regular day and time, the same day as other shows' official premieres. This leads me to believe that the motivation is purely financial/ratingtial (hey, it's cromulent enough): Why advertise extensively for just one season premiere when you can get away with doing it twice? (Same goes for the "bonus" episodes at the end of seasons, like DABF17.) I guess that's about all I have to say there... and that's the end of that chapter.