[The long of it]
When I was a youngster, my family would sometimes go to a little collection of beach cottages on the shores of Lake Oneida called Sylvan Beach. I remember there was an amusement park that had the kinds of rides you see at church carnivals, including a miniature roller coaster called the Li'l Dipper. Riding it was pretty neat for me, but the main attraction for my parents was a restaurant called Eddie's. It was also one of the few restaurants where I, a really picky eater, looked forward to going to.
We moved away, and it was many years before we returned on another family trip to see some old friends. In the meantime, I learned there was little difference between a charmingly ramshackle cottage and one that was flat-out run-down. Carnival rides didn't hold the same sway on me as they did a decade earlier. At least Eddie's was still there, and about as good as I remembered.
Poor Marge doesn't even get a decent restaurant when she visits her childhood vacation spot. Thirty years have passed since her last visit to Barnacle Bay, and they haven't been kind to the place. At least Marge's disappointment yields a funny episode.
I'll admit "The Wife Aquatic" doesn't have many of those classic moments that make you watch an episode repeatedly. Fortunately, it remains amusing most of the time, and there are some standout moments. Barnacle Bay's decline is pinned on the local fishermen's excessive catches, inspiring a debate between Lisa and a boat captain. "May you over-fished them," she accuses. The captain is quick to reply, "Maybe they were under-spawning." Later, there's a fun bit where Moe and the gang dash to Homer's rescue, only to be thwarted by a rainstorm at the bar. Homer's prayer to the sea god, said as he floats in the ocean during a raging storm, is a highly quote-worthy. "The Greeks call you Poseidon," he says, "the Romans call you ... Aquaman." Also notable is the way the writers break the sitcom rule of ending the episode on an upbeat note. (Admittedly, it isn't that funny, but I respect the intent. And hey, wasn't someone here praising "Lisa the Skeptic (5F05)" for doing almost exactly the same thing?)
The supporting cast also helps the show. After accidentally destroying the town's pier, Homer is sentenced to service on one of the local fishing boats. The captain of the boat has some excellent bits in addition to his debate with Lisa -- like his "opposite day" argument with Homer. One of the crewmen, a foreigner named Fausto, almost steals the show. His "thing" is flipping his knife, until he accidentally heaves it overboard. "Oh man, now I've got to find a new 'thing,'" he complains.
The artists do an impressive job of translating "The Perfect Storm's" monster waves to the world of 2D animation. Even if you don't care for the dialogue, you might be able to distract yourself admiring their efforts.
"The Wife Aquatic" has a good enough supply of clever lines, and clever characters to speak them. Unlike Marge's Barnacle Bay, that's not too shabby.
[The short of it]
A consistently amusing episode, with enough standout moments to make it memorable. The supporting cast is another positive for this show; I liked the essentially reasonable boat captain who kept getting into eccentric debates, and his enigmatic sidekick Fausto. The ending isn't that funny, but it was still a gutsy move on the writers' part not to end on an "up" joke. The animators do a commendable job with the monster waves in the second half of the show. Unlike Marge's Barnacle Bay, this episode's not too shabby. (B)
[DYNs]
... it sounds like Patty and Selma had the haunting music dubbed over their movie? (It seemed as though the characters could hear it, as well as the audience)
[References]
"The Life Aquatic" [movie] - episode title a spoof
Quiet Riot [rock band] - Flanders likens the silent comedy movie to a "quiet riot"
"Safety Last" [movie] - man hangs from the clock hands in the silent film before it breaks; Harold Lloyd does the same thing in this movie
"Meet Me in St. Louis" [movie] - pr0n film in Barnacle Bay called, "Meet Me in Some Floozy"
"The Perfect Storm" [movie] - Homer lives the premise of the movie -- a fishing boat caught in a harrowing storm - the image of the boat about to be swamped by a giant wave is taken from this film
Quality Inn [hotel chain] - while at Barnacle Bay, the Simpsons stay at Low Quality Inn
Castle Rock [movie and TV production company] - shot of lighthouse, with the beam sweeping across the screen, is similar to their logo
[Previous Episode References]
[GABF06] Ling-Ling appears [9F11] First appearance of P&S's other "offspring," Jub-Jub [DABF10] The Simpsons visit Brazil [AABF18] Larry Flynt mentioned [EABF04] "At Last" heard [5F11] Character rescued by Asian fishing boat
[FFF]
Flanders' religious pamphlets:
YOU
WILL
DIE
IN
SIN [dancing]
[couple ]Movie title card:
DUNDERHEAD
DEPUTIES
In
FARMYARD
FOLLIESMovie dialogue cards:
"My! What juicy chickens"
"Good day to you officer."
"And to you.""TWA -- HOOOOOOOT!"
"Pastafazool --
I am a fool!"Wanted signs:
WANTED WANTED
ITALIAN PETE OFFICER JOE
Maggie's T-shirt:
Barnacle
Bay
or bustTheater marquee:
X X X +-------------+----------+
+-------------+----------+
Uninspiring boat names:
THE WASTED THE THE ROTTING PELICAN
BAIT EMPTY NETSign at the institute:
BARNACLE BAY
OCEANOGRAPHIC
INSTITUTE YES, WE MAKE CHANGE
FOR PARKINGExhibits at the institute:
THE SCIENCE OF SPONGEBOB
TIDES:
NATURE'S LEAST
ACCURATE CLOCKSWATER ACIDITY IS ... pH-ASCINATING!
Hand-held barometer:
WET
[1] AND
WAINY FAIR PLAY
[2] TO BALL [3]
MIDDLIN' [1] Picture of a duck in rainy weather gear
[2] Happy sun behind a cloud
[3] Happy sun with a baseball bat[Personal Comments & References]
"At Last," by Etta James, plays as Homer clubs the yum-yum fish
Comic Book Guy chastises Marge for "talking to us all as if we just tuned in," which, of course, we just did.
After he falls, he complains that this is an unoriginal gag in his life. Some of the audience is probably thinking just the same thing.
Lisa's dismissal of Brazil might also qualify. When "Blame It On Lisa (DABF10)" first aired, the Brazilian government took offense at show's portrayal of if its country, and demanded an apology. (The producers gave one, grudgingly.) Perhaps the writers decided to get in the last word tonight.