(long) A review of "The Lastest Gun in the West (DABF07)"

[The long of it]

At first glance, the most striking thing about "The Lastest Gun in the West" is the time is divvied up among the three acts. The first act, as usual, opened with an introductory plot and when it came time to segue from that to the "main" plot we got ... a commercial. I wasn't obsessive enough to time it with a stopwatch, but I'd say the second act stretched for more than ten minutes. A couple of minutes before the second intermission, I sensed the plot was about to reach an act break, but no, it just rolled on. Mind you, I wasn't getting restless. "Lastest Gun" didn't drag at all; it's just that I was fooled by the story's unorthodox structure. The third act was as short as the first. Taken as a whole, this was about as close to a commercial-free episode as you are likely to get without resorting to the DVDs.

It turns out that there's a good reason that the second act is so long. "Lastest Gun" is a rarity for "The Simpsons" (and for sitcom TV as a whole) in that it's a character study that focuses on getting to know a new character, rather than a story that dreams up some new situation for the existing characters to deal with. Tonight, the newcomer is Buck McCoy, a former star of movie and TV Westerns. In the "Simpsons" universe, when we meet a former entertainment star, he or she is almost universally a bitter, resentful person (in an amusing way, we hope) reliving past glories. McCoy does his share of living in the past -- he assumes that 10-year-old Bart knows who David O. Selznick is -- but appears well-adjusted otherwise. He certainly seems to have done well for himself financially, at least. McCoy lives in a spacious house in an upper-crust part of town, along with his wonder horse whom he has trained to do light vacuuming. It's filled with memorabilia from his Western career, and when Bart sees it he says admiringly, "It's like living in a steakhouse!" ("Thanks," the cowboy star replies, "most people just mutter that.") In short order, McCoy comes across as a man who has come to accept the fact that his glory days of entertaining people are over. He's wistful about the olden days, when wholesome family entertainment consisted of, "drinking, fighting, and tripping horses with wires," but he's not bitter. It's easy to see how this man befriends young Bart.

Dennis Weaver, who voices McCoy, gets a lot of the credit. He lends McCoy a warm voice with just the right amount of twang. Casting Weaver is also a cute inside joke, since he's a Western star in his own right thanks to his long-running part on "Gunsmoke." For people concerned that the show has been recruiting guest stars simply because they might appeal to the teen crowd, Weaver's presence is good news.

The abbreviated first act gets the show off to a good start, with Bart menaced by a white dog. I liked some of the sibling animosity in this part of the show. In one scene, Bart's about to play a prank on his sister and her friend Janey, when he's rudely interrupted by the dog. As he's getting chased around the bushes, Lisa suggests simply, "Let's go someplace where it's quiet." The third act is almost as good, with McCoy confronting some of his demons. The act and resolution are perhaps a bit contrived for some tastes, but the writers didn't leave themselves much time to wrap things up.

Indeed, plotting as a whole is de-emphasized in this show. I wouldn't call it plotless, but the writers did have to make some trade-offs. Fortunately, most of them work. Bart, for instance, starts a Western fad among the elementary school kids just by announcing it. A false note, perhaps, but it leads in to a great quote by Kent Brockman, who is sent to cover the fad. "I guess you could say this barely qualifies as news," he summarizes, accurately. Another possible subplot, Homer's jealousy of Bart's new hero, isn't explored much. It was an intriguing idea, but it would probably have turned "Lasted Gun" into another Homer show. And besides, I think it's been done before.

Characters studies may also have been done before on the show, but each one is as varied as the new character. I doubt we'll see much of Buck McCoy again -- the writers even imply this with McCoy's final line -- but it was interesting to have him around for one more show before he rode off into the sunset.

[The short of it]

Over the course of its uncommonly long second act, "Lastest Gun in the West" presents an interesting portrait of former Western star Buck McCoy. Thanks in part to Dennis Weaver's excellent voice acting, McCoy becomes a sympathetic person whom we can believe would befriend Bart. The set-up is also terrific, although the resolution and some of the plot points are a little contrived. It's a trade-off I can live with in this case, though. This show rides into the sunset with an (A-)

[DYNs]

...	the geeky-voiced teen is actually making out with a (by cartoon
	standards) attractive lady?
...	Buck McCoy's penchant for walking around with his hands hitched
	in his belt?
...	Bart's cowboy hat flattens his ears a little?
...	even after McCoy warns her not to, Lisa successfully uses
	reverse psychology on him?
...	the bank building was built in 1929, the same year as America's
	Great Depression?
...	Bart's "America's firefighters" line was the show's first
	specific acknowledgement of the Sept. 11 attacks?  (Unless they
	did something in the blackboard gag.  I tuned in a few seconds
	late and missed it.)

[References]

"The Fastest Gun in the West" (movie? Or just a cowboy clich�?) - title a spoof

"America's Best Short Stories" (collection of you-know-what) - those stories not making the cut must go in this version

"The Lottery" (short story) - the story on the shred of paper that fell to the ground looks like it was inspired by this famous work

"Gunfight at the O. K. Corral" (movie) - one of McCoy's movies is, "Gunfight at the Museum of Natural History"

"Abbot and Costello Meet the Mummy" (movie) - another movie is, "Wyatt Earp Meets the Mummy" [That mummy gets around!]

"Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" (TV series) - yet another McCoy film is, "Six Brides for Seven Brothers"

"McCloud" (TV series) - cowboy-detective combination inspires "McTrigger"

"Kiss the Sky" - "McTrigger" episode entitled "Excuse Me While I Kill the Sky"

tobacco industry advertising
-	the industry claims their ads are targeted at those who already
	smoke, like the alcohol ads aimed at kids "who are already heavy
	drinkers"

"Room 222" (TV series) - "McTrigger" supposedly morphed into this show after McCoy left

"Don't Fence Me In" (song) - Apu and Homer play with the lyrics when the latter needs to use the bathroom

2000 Presidential election
-	Krusty wants a "hanging chad" sketch, referring to the
	improperly marked punch cards that threw the election into
	dispute

O. J. Simpson trial - the Judge Ito ref in the skit

"The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson" (TV series)
-	a guest once threw a tomahawk at a cardboard cutout of a man,
	hitting "him" squarely in the crotch; something similar happens
	with McCoy's bullets

John Ford (movie director)
Betty Ford Clinic (rehab center)
-	John Ford was a famous director who specialized in Westerns.
	Betty Ford was a former First Lady who founded the rehab center.
	The two names come together in the cowboy rehab center

[Previous Episode References]

[AABF05], [CABF04] Unctuous clerk guy appears [3F08] The "Hang in there, baby!" poster can be seen in the rehab center

[FFF]

Bart's schoolbook:

      AMERICA'S
      2ND BEST
    SHORT STORIES

Scrap of paper from the book:

       the\           /de\            /oct ang\
    pages g\   /ying on of\          /read.
    All in all, it had been a weird, weird lottery.

                                The End ... ?

Dog's sash:

MOST VICIOUS

Movie poster seen before McCoy rides to the laundry room:

BUCK McCOY * BOB "TEX" ALGO[?]

    TEXAS
     RANGERS

RIDE AGAIN

Grampa's fan club card:

       JUNIOR BUCKAROO
          2ND CLASS

         [sheriff's]
         [  star   ]

    Little Grampa Simpson
    ---------------------

Other movie posters:

    WYATT  EARP        Six Brides
     * MEETS *            FOR
     THE MUMMY       Seven Brothers

Egg box:

FARM FRESH EGGS

Lunchbox:

BUCK McCOY IN

    SIX-GUN
    LULLABY

70s TV series logo:

            McTRIGGER
    A QUINN MARTIN PRODUCTION

Sign by emergency costume:

    IN CASE OF
    COMEBACK,
      BREAK
      GLASS

Rehab center sign:

      JOHN FORD
       CENTER
    FOR ALCOHOLIC
       COWBOYS

[Personal Comments & Observations]

Marge tells Homer, (paraphrase alert) "Well, it looks like you're not going to have an adventure this week," presumably a comment on Homer's penchant for falling into weird situations. (True enough, but these meta-references are funnier when they're less obvious.)

"Riverdance" is an exhibition of Irish jig dancing, along with a smattering of other styles. It's characterized by a large troupe of dancers stomping rapidly and whirring around. The show reached wide popularity after PBS aired a performance, and now there are touring groups performing it around the country. It's not exactly Bart's idea of a good time, but he'd probably like it better than, say, ballet.

*	Dennis Weaver -- A fitting choice for the role of Buck McCoy,
	Weaver appeared for what seems like thirty or forty years on
	"Gunsmoke," the longest-running Western of them all.  If you're
	like me, you know him better as the beleaguered businessman
	menaced by a truck driver in the movie "Duel."

*	David O. Selznick -- Big-time Hollywood producer, during the
	producers' heyday of the 30s and 40s.  His crowning production
	is probably "Gone with the Wind," and he almost certainly can
	take credit for some Western flicks.

• Howard Hawks -- Director. I don't know much about him, but I think he directed "The Thing."

*	Billy Joel -- Rock musician and keyboardist who recently retired
	from the rock/pop scene to branch out into other forms of music,
	such as classical piano concertos.

Buck McCoy mentions that one of his TV series lasted a year, producing 360 episodes. Today, 22 to 24 shows a season is the norm, but back in the 50s a season comprised of many more episodes, although one a day would be pushing it. Consider this: "The Simpsons" broke "The Flintstones'" longevity record for an animated show with 168 episodes (and climbing). Yet, "The Flintstones" was on the air for six years, while "The Simpsons" 168th episode didn't air until that show's eighth season.

In the background of bank robbery scenes we can see a green VW New Beetle parked nearby. Yeah, you read that right: A VW *New* Beetle. After dozens of VW Old Beetles, we see our first New Beetle. Someone in Springfield must finally have caved in and bought one.

"Benjamin Robinson" wrote in message news:[email]...

Good call, except the name of the song is actually "Purple Haze".

Also, the new open for Krusty's show is a direct takeoff of the Carson open (at least the one used toward the end of Johnny's run.)

I could be wrong, since it's been some time since I read the Shirley Jackson story, but I don't think it actually ends with this line. :)

Actually, I remember him the most as "McCloud", from A&E reruns. Also, from a commercial he did in the 80's for a chain of restaurants called "Mother's".

Dr Music P.S. Parking was ample.

In article , [email] (Benjamin Robinson) wrote:

Cultural Reference - in the 1970s, it wasn't hard to find a TV series produced by Quinn Martin, who specialized in doing cop and crime shows. Included among his productions were _The FBI_ with Efram Zimbalist Jr., _Cannon_ starring William Conrad, and ( I think) _Barnaby Jones_ with Buddy Ebsen.

Hawks directed a number of movies, some of them Westerns and war pictures. His movies were typified by a rapid-fire interlocking dialogue between the actors. Among his films were the following (courtesy of IMDB):

Rio Lobo (1970)
... aka San Timoteo (1970)
2. El Dorado (1967)
3. Red Line 7000 (1965)
4. Man's Favorite Sport? (1964)
5. Hatari! (1962)
6. Rio Bravo (1959)
7. Land of the Pharaohs (1955)
8. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953)
9. O. Henry's Full House (1952) (segment "Ransom of Red Chief, The")
... aka Full House (1952/I) (UK)
10.   Monkey Business (1952)
... aka Be Your Age (1952)
11.   Big Sky, The (1952)
12.   Thing From Another World, The (1951) (uncredited)
... aka Thing, The (1951)
13.   I Was a Male War Bride (1949)
... aka You Can't Sleep Here (1949) (UK)
14.   Song Is Born, A (1948)
15.   Red River (1948)
16.   Big Sleep, The (1946)
17.   To Have and Have Not (1944)
18.   Outlaw, The (1943) (uncredited)
19.   Air Force (1943)
20.   Ball of Fire (1941)
... aka Professor and the Burlesque Queen, The (1941)
21.   Sergeant York (1941)
22.   His Girl Friday (1940)
23.   Only Angels Have Wings (1939)
24.   Bringing Up Baby (1938)
25.   Come and Get It (1936)
... aka Roaring Timbers (1936) (USA: reissue title)
26.   Road to Glory, The (1936)
27.   Sutter's Gold (1936) (uncredited)
28.   Ceiling Zero (1935)
29.   Barbary Coast (1935)
30.   Twentieth Century (1934)
... aka 20th Century (1934) (USA: poster title)
31.   Viva Villa! (1934) (uncredited)
32.   Prizefighter and the Lady, The (1933) (uncredited)
... aka Every Woman's Man (1933)
33.   Today We Live (1933)
34.   Foule hurle, La (1932)
35.   Tiger Shark (1932)
36.   Crowd Roars, The (1932)
37.   Scarface (1932)
... aka Scarface, the Shame of the Nation (1932)
... aka Shame of a Nation, The (1932)
38.   Criminal Code, The (1931)
39.   Dawn Patrol, The (1930)
... aka Flight Commander (1930) (USA: TV title)
40.   Hell's Angels (1930) (uncredited)
41.   Trent's Last Case (1929)
42.   Air Circus, The (1928)
43.   Fazil (1928)
44.   Girl in Every Port, A (1928)
45.   Paid to Love (1927)
46.   Cradle Snatchers, The (1927)
47.   Fig Leaves (1926)
48.   Road to Glory, The (1926)

Oh, yes, one other thing that might prove interesting - some people may wonder "what was up with Bart and that dog?" Well, someone on the alt.horror newsgroup noticed something familiar about that plotline - it may be based on a Stephen King novella called "The Sunn Dog", about a boy secretly menaced by a dog that appears docile to the boy's family and friends.

"Benjamin Robinson" wrote in message news:[email]...

"Making Milhouse cry is not a science project."