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| {{Use mdy dates|date=September 2023}} | |||
| {{Infobox Simpsons episode| | |||
| {{Infobox Simpsons episode | |||
| episode_name = Simple Simpson| | |||
| | image = Simple Simpson.jpg | |||
| episode_no = 332| | |||
| | image_size = 250 | |||
| prod_code = FABF15| | |||
| | caption = Marge kisses an upside-down Homer, dressed up as "Pie-Man" in a parody of a scene from the 2002 film '']''. | |||
| airdate = ], ] | | |||
| | season = 15 | |||
| writer = ]| | |||
| | episode = 19 | |||
| director = ]| | |||
| | director = ] | |||
| blackboard = None| | |||
| | writer = ] | |||
| couch_gag = ] is ], ] is Robin, and ], ], and ] are all Batgirl, as they slide from a pole to a couch, a la the original ''Batman'' series.| | |||
| | production = FABF15 | |||
| guest_star = ] as herself| | |||
| | airdate = {{Start date|2004|05|02}} | |||
| season = 15 | | |||
| | guests = ] as herself | |||
| color = #EFEFEF | |||
| | couch_gag = The Simpsons slide down a pole into the Batcave, dressed as characters from the '']'' franchise. | |||
| | commentary = ]<br />Jon Vitti<br />]<br />]<br />]<br />]<br />]<br />] | |||
| | prev = ] | |||
| | next = ] | |||
| }} | }} | ||
| "'''Simple Simpson'''" is the nineteenth episode of the ] of the American animated television series '']''. It originally aired on the ] in the United States on May 2, 2004. The episode was written by ] and was the final episode to be directed by ]. | |||
| In this episode, Homer becomes a vigilante known as Pie Man, who throws pies at people's faces as a form of justice, until he is blackmailed by Mr. Burns to do his bidding. Actress ] appeared as herself. The episode received positive reviews. | |||
| "'''Simple Simpson'''" is the nineteenth episode of '']''<nowiki>'</nowiki> ]. The episode aired on ], ]. The concept is mainly inspired by (and parodies) the 2002 '']'' movie; though it contains elements of other ]es as well. | |||
| == |
==Plot== | ||
| After seeing a commercial where he could win a free tour of "Farmer Billy's Bacon" factory, ] goes on a pursuit to find the golden ticket. He, however, only wins a silver ticket, which allows him to be the judge of the pig competition at the Springfield County Fair. At the fair, ]'s entry in the place setting competition is wrecked by the ], who then mocks her, which causes Homer to want to retaliate. Recalling a warning from ] that he will be arrested if he commits another assault felony, Homer disguises himself as a masked superhero, the "Pie Man", and ] straight into the Rich Texan's face, leaving him humiliated and the crowd laughing. The next day, after Homer hears that the ] has ripped off Bart, he arrives as the Pie Man (with a newer look) and throws a pie in his face, humiliating him in front of ], whom the Comic Book Guy invited for tea and some chit chat, and then promptly leaves as soon as she sees his face with pie (saying she would not date ] for the same reason). | |||
| {{spoiler}} | |||
| As the days go by, the Pie Man becomes big news, pieing many of "Springfield's scoundrels". Springfield's citizens anticipate that the Pie Man will come to the opening ceremony for the new cosmetic surgery clinic, which Mayor Quimby has built in place of the previous occupant, the Springfield Children's Hospital. Chief Wiggum also has a trap planned for the Pie Man, who has been skipping "bike safety lectures". As expected, Pie Man arrives, but as the trap is sprung on him, Pie Man escapes, though not before being shot in the arm. He also saves Marge from being trampled by the panicking crowd and steals a kiss from her, which causes Marge to become infatuated with Pie Man. Returning home and after prying the bullet out of his arm, Homer is exposed as the Pie Man by Lisa, who had suspected him to be the Pie Man after repeatedly getting his mail. Homer reveals his secret life in the "Pie Cave", which is just the basement, where Lisa pleads with Homer to stop his Pie Man persona before he gets more seriously hurt. Homer promises to stop. | |||
| Homer watches a commercial about a contest that will allow the winner, the finder of a ], a trip to "Farmer Billy's Bacon Factory", and is intrigued by the commercial. Although Homer buys a surplus of bacon from the ], he only manages to find a silver ticket, which allows him to judge the pig competition at the county fair. However, at the fair, ]'s entry in the place setting competition is wrecked by the Rich Texan, which angers Homer, who decides to teach the Rich Texan a lesson. Recalling a warning from ] that he will be arrested if he commits another felony assault, Homer disguises himself as a masked superhero, "The ] Man", and ] in the Rich Texan's face. After he leaves as quickly as he came, ] wonders if they will ever see the "Pie Man" again. | |||
| Yet the next day at the ], Homer cannot cope with ]'s bullying of him and his co-workers. After imagining a conversation with pies, Homer decides to be Pie Man one last time to get back at Burns. After pieing him, Homer tries to run off, but falls asleep on a couch right behind Burns and ], who capture and expose him. Burns promptly blackmails Homer to be his "personal hitman", to pie those that Burns hates, or else be ratted out to the police and forced to do ]. | |||
| After the ] rips off Bart and ], the Pie Man arrives to throw a pie in the his face. ] of ], whom the Comic Book Guy invited on a date, suddenly shows up and is turned off by the pie on his face. This humiliates him in front of the kids and he runs away in tears. | |||
| After pieing himself and later a Girl Scout selling cookies, Homer is tasked by Burns to pie ] spiritual teacher, the ] (as according to Burns "all his talk of peace and love is honking off my ] masters"<ref>{{cite book |last1=Pinsky |first1=Mark |title=The Gospel According to The Simpsons |year=2007 |url=https://archive.org/details/gospelaccordingt0000pins |url-access=registration |quote=peace love dalai lama red chinese masters simpsons. |accessdate=1 March 2009 |edition=2nd |publisher=] |location=] |isbn=978-0-664-23160-6 |page= |chapter=Buddhism: Lisa Changes Teams, Sort Of}}</ref>). Appearing at the Lama's gathering, Homer sees Lisa is present and is stuck between breaking his promise to her and Burns' threat. Just as he prepares to pie the Lama, Homer stops and decides to reveal himself as the Pie Man. However, no one believes Homer is the Pie Man, even at his own insistence, due to their own stupidity, believing that Pie Man had other powers including the power to talk to animals and spit acid. Lisa then tells Homer that he had created a hero that he himself could not live up to. Agreeing, Homer takes Lisa home, relieved that he is finally free from Burns' control. | |||
| Chief Wiggum believes that the Pie Man must be stopped, and the police set a trap for him at the hospital, where sick children are being evicted. Pie Man shows up, pie at the ready. The cops start shooting at him, wounding him in the arm. He manages to escape rather flamboyantly, but takes time out to save Marge from a stampede and kiss her while hanging upside down (à la ]), though she tells him she is a married woman. Later, at home, while Pie Man uses a knife to remove the bullet in his arm, Lisa enters and sees him. He tries to act like Pie man, but she figures out that he's actually Homer, partly because they've been getting Pie Man's mail for a week. He promises Lisa (who doesn't want him to get hurt again) that he will stop his pie avenging. | |||
| That night, Marge admits that she also knew Homer was the Pie Man, saying it was clearly ''him'' in that suit. Homer then stands on the roof, declaring that the Pie Man will return to help people who get mistreated, along with his new sidekick, The Cupcake Kid (Bart). Marge then asks them to clean out the gutters since they are already up on the roof, much to their irritation. | |||
| At the power plant, ] comes particularly antagonistic to his employees. He whips ] and ], so that they will eat faster and return to work, and docks Homer a day's pay for being late... and fat. Even though he remembers his promise to Lisa, Pie Man makes another appearance and splats Burns in the face. However, after watching the ] cameras, Burns sees that Pie Man has tired from his escape and fallen asleep on a couch. Turning around, he sees Pie Man sleeping on the couch in the next room. Burns and ] lock him in the employee detention centre, and unmask him. When he learns of Pie Man's identity, Burns makes Homer his personal "hit man", and threatens to reveal his identity if he doesn't comply. | |||
| ==Production== | |||
| His first task is to pie himself, then a girl-scout who comes to Burns' mansion to sell cookies. His next assignment is throw a pie in the face of the ] supreme head, the ]. However, at the Dalai Lama's show, Homer can't go through with it. He admits his identity to the public, but no one believes he could possibly be Pie Man, as he's not the kind of person who would throw away any form of ]. This negates Burns' control over him, and leaves only his own family who believes in him. | |||
| Actress ] appeared as herself.<ref>{{cite web|first=Nick|last=Venable|date=February 27, 2024|title=Every Futurama Guest Star Who Also Appeared On The Simpsons, From Patrick Stewart To Seth MacFarlane|url=https://www.cinemablend.com/television/every-futurama-guest-star-also-appeared-the-simpsons|website=]|access-date=November 15, 2024}}</ref> | |||
| ==Cultural references== | |||
| In the end, Pie Man and the ] stand on the roof, declaring war against injustice. But they fall victim to an even greater, inescapable injustice perpetrated by arch-nemesis Marge - to clean the leaves from the gutter in the roof. | |||
| The scene of Homer making his Pie Man costume and his upside-down kiss with Marge in the alley are both parodies of the 2002 film '']''.<ref name="ult">{{cite book |title=] |publisher=] |year=2010 |editor=Bates, James W. |editor2=Gimple, Scott M. |editor3=McCann, Jesse L. |editor4=Richmond, Ray |editor5=Seghers, Christine |isbn=978-0-00-738815-8 |edition=1st |pages=754–755}}</ref> Farmer Billy's "Golden Ticket" contest is a reference to the contest in '']'' by ]; like ] he wears a top hat.<ref name="ult"/> The show ''Promiscuous Idiot's Island'' is a parody of the reality shows '']'', '']'' and '']''.<ref name="ult"/> Lisa's placemat features the quote "If music be the food of love, play on," from Act 1, Scene 1 of '']'' by ]. In the commercial of "Farmer Billy's Bacon" factory the ] in blue overalls and a hat looks similar to ].<ref name="ult"/> The country singer at the fair resembles real-life country star ], while the song "America (I Love this Country)" is a parody of ]'s song "]" and the Dalai Lama's entrance music is "]", just like ].<ref name="ult"/> | |||
| The episode's couch gag sees the Simpsons slide down to the ] dressed as characters from the '']'' franchise, specifically their 1960s '']'' incarnations: Homer is ], Marge is ], Lisa and Maggie are ] and Bart is ].<ref>Bates et al., p. 1021</ref> | |||
| ==Trivia== | |||
| * When this episode was first broadcast in Asia on the ] channel on November 6, 2005, all scenes mentioning or showing the Dalai Lama were cut. This pseudo-act of censorship was to appease the predominantly Buddhist viewers of East, South, and Southeast Asia with regards to any view of mocking the Dalai Lama. {{fact}} | |||
| ==Other media== | |||
| * During the Farmer Billy's Bacon Factory commercial, Ralph Wiggum is seen on the "Five-Story Pig Shredder." | |||
| The character of Pie Man has been included in the comic series '']''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bongocomics.com/catalog/simpsons/comic/simpsons-super-spectacular/11 |title=Simpsons Super Spectacular #11 |publisher=] |accessdate=2012-07-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100801205600/http://www.bongocomics.com/catalog/simpsons/comic/simpsons-super-spectacular/11|archive-date=August 1, 2010}}</ref> In 2007, ] released a 6-inch figurine of Homer and Bart as Pie Man and Cupcake Kid.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.spawn.com/toys/product.aspx?product=3179 |title=Homer And Bart: "Simple Simpson" The Simpsons Series 1 |access-date=2012-07-25 |publisher=Spawn |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121027150650/http://spawn.com/toys/product.aspx?product=3179 |archive-date=2012-10-27 }}</ref> | |||
| ==Reception== | |||
| ==Cultural references== | |||
| ===Viewing figures=== | |||
| *The title is based on the nursery rhyme ] | |||
| The episode earned a 3.5 rating and was watched by 9.51 million viewers, which was the 37th most-watched show that week.<ref>{{cite web|work=]|date=May 4, 2004|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081221204000/http://abcmedianet.com/web/dnr/dispDNR.aspx?id=050404_06|title=Weekly Program Rankings (Apr. 26-May 2)|access-date=June 10, 2023|url=http://abcmedianet.com/web/dnr/dispDNR.aspx?id=050404_06|archive-date=December 21, 2008}}</ref> | |||
| *Several scenes are directly based on the Spider-Man movie, including the montage of Homer creating his costume, and Pie Man's upside down kiss with Marge. There is also a scene when Mr. Burns remove Pie Man's mask and realises it is Homer. This scene is similar to the scene in ] when Harry Osbourne removes Spiderman's mask and realises it is Peter Parker. | |||
| * The police attempting to arrest/kill Pieman is remininscent of the Gotham City police often attempting to do the same to Batman in his mythos. | |||
| ===Critical response=== | |||
| *Burns' quote, "It's cobblering time!" is a parody of ]'s catch phrase, "It's clobbering time!" | |||
| Colin Jacobson of ''DVD Movie Guide'' liked the premise of a superhero parody and its related cultural references. He said, “hile I won’t call this a great show, it’s pretty good.”<ref name=Jacobson>{{cite web|last=Jacobson|first=Colin|title=The Simpsons: The Complete Fifteenth Season Blu-Ray (2003)|url=http://www.dvdmg.com/simpsonsseasonfifteen.shtml|website=DVD Movie Guide|accessdate=November 15, 2024|date=2011-12-16|archive-date=August 6, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170806152020/http://www.dvdmg.com/simpsonsseasonfifteen.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
| *The golden ticket plot is an obvious parody of ]. | |||
| * One of the comics that Bart tried to sell to Comic Book Guy was "Richie Rich Incorporates in Delaware." In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a large number of corporations incorporated in Delaware because of tax advantages. | |||
| On ''Four Finger Discount'', Guy Davis and Brendan Dando also liked the superhero premise but thought the episode only works if the story is not expected to be part of the continuity of the series.<ref>{{cite podcast|first1=Guy|last1=Davis|first2=Brendan|last2=Dando|title=Simple Simpson (S15E19)|work=Four Finger Discount (Simpsons Podcast)|date=June 30, 2022|url=https://fourfingerdiscount.podbean.com/e/simple-simpson-simpsons-podcast-review/|time=1:05|access-date=November 15, 2024|archive-date=September 6, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240906050512/https://fourfingerdiscount.podbean.com/e/simple-simpson-simpsons-podcast-review/|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
| ==References== | |||
| {{Reflist}} | |||
| == External links == | |||
| {{Wikiquote|The_Simpsons/Season_15#Episode_19.Simple_Simpson|"Simple Simpson"}} | |||
| * {{IMDb episode|0701209}} | |||
| {{Portal|The Simpsons}} | |||
| {{The Simpsons episodes|15}} | |||
| {{Authority control}} | |||
| ==Quotes== | |||
| *''']:''' What did those women expect? When you sign a contract with ], you know you're gonna be betrayed and humiliated! | |||
| *''']:''' But I'm no super genius! ... Or are I .... | |||
| *''']:''' Pie—], ], and now ] of ]! | |||
| *'''Homer:''' ''(finding a ] lodged in his arm)'' Let's see, ], cartilage...]...]!! ]...bullet! | |||
| *'''Homer:''' ''(attempting to pie Mr. Burns)'' I've run out of pie-related puns! | |||
| *'''Homer/Pie Man:''' No trap can hold Homer Simpson! Uh, but I'm not Homer Simpson...I'm the Pie Man! Homer Simpson away! I mean, the Pie Man. | |||
| *'''Lisa:''' Dad, please. It's obvious you're the Pie Man. We've been getting his mail for weeks. | |||
| *'''Mr. Burns:''' It's ] time! | |||
| *'''Apu:''' Let's see—Farmer Billy's smoke-fed bacon, Farmer Billy's bacon-fed bacon, Farmer Billy's travel bacon...Mr. Simpson, if you really want to kill yourself, I also sell ]s! | |||
| *'''Disclaimer:''' Warning—bacon factory may explode. | |||
| *''(Homer sees Burns whipping Lenny and Carl, telling them to eat faster)'' <br/> '''Pie 1:''' Hey Homer, throw me at Mr. Burns. <br/> '''Pie 2 (] voice):''' No, throw me! I'm old and stale. I might just kill him! ''(laughs)'' <br/> '''Cake:''' ''(]'s voice)'' Don't do it Homer. You made a promise to Lisa. <br/> '''Homer:''' Since when do I listen to cakes! <br/> '''Pie 3:''' ''(smoking a ])'' Tell ya what Homer. Ya make one last hit, den yer out of the business forever. Lisa'll understand. <br/> '''Homer:''' Oh, you're all so wise. I wish I could eat each and every one of you! <br/> ''(the pies make affectionate sounds)'' | |||
| *'''Mr. Burns''' Grow a spine on your own time, fatso. Now pie that Brownie, Fruitcake! | |||
| *'''Rich Texan:''' ''(after seeing Lisa's place setting contest entry)'' Lordy, girl! Your entry stinks like the south end of a northbound mule. | |||
| *''(Homer is on the roof)'' <br/> '''Homer/Pie Man:''' Wherever danger appears, the Pie Man will strike! <br/> ''(Bart (as "Cupcake Kid") climbs up)'' <br/> '''Bart/Cupcake Kid:''' And wherever the Pie Man goes, the Cupcake Kid will not be far away! <br/> '''Marge:''' While you two are up there, why don't you clean the leaves out of the gutter? <br/> ''(they both groan and they go clean out the gutter)'' | |||
| *'''Host of Paradise Idiot's Island:''' Now, ladies, when you agreed to do this show, you were told you would be living with a millionaire on his private island. Well, I'm afraid we've misled you. ''(the women gasp)'' <br/> '''Marge (watching show):''' Get ready, skanks! Here comes the Truth Train! <br/> '''Host:''' This isn't an island at all. It's a peninsula! <br/> '''Woman 1:''' ''(walking away)'' This was supposed to be about trust! <br/> '''Woman 2 (crying):''' I just want to get on that boat and go home! <br/> '''Host:''' Well, you don't need a boat, because you can walk. ''(Woman 2 continues crying)'' ''(coldly)'' Yeah. | |||
| *'''<i> on the news: </i> Wiggum (after the ] destroys a large pile of pies):''' God, those poor, innocent pies, some days you just don't want to be a cop. I think I'll turn the siren on. that always cheers me up. ''(turns his car's siren on and laughs) | |||
| <b> Kent Brockman:</b> that'll be good footage'' | |||
| *''']/Pie Man (to ]):''' Don't do the crime if you can't do the Key Lime!''' | |||
| ] | ] | ||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
Latest revision as of 03:46, 19 November 2024
19th episode of the 15th season of The Simpsons
| "Simple Simpson" | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| The Simpsons episode | |||
 Marge kisses an upside-down Homer, dressed up as "Pie-Man" in a parody of a scene from the 2002 film Spider-Man. | |||
| Episode no. | Season 15 Episode 19 | ||
| Directed by | Jim Reardon | ||
| Written by | Jon Vitti | ||
| Production code | FABF15 | ||
| Original air date | May 2, 2004 (2004-05-02) | ||
| Guest appearance | |||
| Nichelle Nichols as herself | |||
| Episode features | |||
| Couch gag | The Simpsons slide down a pole into the Batcave, dressed as characters from the Batman franchise. | ||
| Commentary | Al Jean Jon Vitti Matt Selman Tim Long Don Payne J. Stewart Burns Tom Gammill Max Pross | ||
| Episode chronology | |||
| |||
| The Simpsons season 15 | |||
| List of episodes | |||
"Simple Simpson" is the nineteenth episode of the fifteenth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on May 2, 2004. The episode was written by Jon Vitti and was the final episode to be directed by Jim Reardon.
In this episode, Homer becomes a vigilante known as Pie Man, who throws pies at people's faces as a form of justice, until he is blackmailed by Mr. Burns to do his bidding. Actress Nichelle Nichols appeared as herself. The episode received positive reviews.
Plot
After seeing a commercial where he could win a free tour of "Farmer Billy's Bacon" factory, Homer goes on a pursuit to find the golden ticket. He, however, only wins a silver ticket, which allows him to be the judge of the pig competition at the Springfield County Fair. At the fair, Lisa's entry in the place setting competition is wrecked by the Rich Texan, who then mocks her, which causes Homer to want to retaliate. Recalling a warning from Chief Wiggum that he will be arrested if he commits another assault felony, Homer disguises himself as a masked superhero, the "Pie Man", and throws a pie straight into the Rich Texan's face, leaving him humiliated and the crowd laughing. The next day, after Homer hears that the Comic Book Guy has ripped off Bart, he arrives as the Pie Man (with a newer look) and throws a pie in his face, humiliating him in front of Nichelle Nichols, whom the Comic Book Guy invited for tea and some chit chat, and then promptly leaves as soon as she sees his face with pie (saying she would not date William Shatner for the same reason).
As the days go by, the Pie Man becomes big news, pieing many of "Springfield's scoundrels". Springfield's citizens anticipate that the Pie Man will come to the opening ceremony for the new cosmetic surgery clinic, which Mayor Quimby has built in place of the previous occupant, the Springfield Children's Hospital. Chief Wiggum also has a trap planned for the Pie Man, who has been skipping "bike safety lectures". As expected, Pie Man arrives, but as the trap is sprung on him, Pie Man escapes, though not before being shot in the arm. He also saves Marge from being trampled by the panicking crowd and steals a kiss from her, which causes Marge to become infatuated with Pie Man. Returning home and after prying the bullet out of his arm, Homer is exposed as the Pie Man by Lisa, who had suspected him to be the Pie Man after repeatedly getting his mail. Homer reveals his secret life in the "Pie Cave", which is just the basement, where Lisa pleads with Homer to stop his Pie Man persona before he gets more seriously hurt. Homer promises to stop.
Yet the next day at the power plant, Homer cannot cope with Mr. Burns's bullying of him and his co-workers. After imagining a conversation with pies, Homer decides to be Pie Man one last time to get back at Burns. After pieing him, Homer tries to run off, but falls asleep on a couch right behind Burns and Smithers, who capture and expose him. Burns promptly blackmails Homer to be his "personal hitman", to pie those that Burns hates, or else be ratted out to the police and forced to do community service.
After pieing himself and later a Girl Scout selling cookies, Homer is tasked by Burns to pie Tibetan Buddhism spiritual teacher, the Dalai Lama (as according to Burns "all his talk of peace and love is honking off my Red Chinese masters"). Appearing at the Lama's gathering, Homer sees Lisa is present and is stuck between breaking his promise to her and Burns' threat. Just as he prepares to pie the Lama, Homer stops and decides to reveal himself as the Pie Man. However, no one believes Homer is the Pie Man, even at his own insistence, due to their own stupidity, believing that Pie Man had other powers including the power to talk to animals and spit acid. Lisa then tells Homer that he had created a hero that he himself could not live up to. Agreeing, Homer takes Lisa home, relieved that he is finally free from Burns' control.
That night, Marge admits that she also knew Homer was the Pie Man, saying it was clearly him in that suit. Homer then stands on the roof, declaring that the Pie Man will return to help people who get mistreated, along with his new sidekick, The Cupcake Kid (Bart). Marge then asks them to clean out the gutters since they are already up on the roof, much to their irritation.
Production
Actress Nichelle Nichols appeared as herself.
Cultural references
The scene of Homer making his Pie Man costume and his upside-down kiss with Marge in the alley are both parodies of the 2002 film Spider-Man. Farmer Billy's "Golden Ticket" contest is a reference to the contest in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl; like Willy Wonka he wears a top hat. The show Promiscuous Idiot's Island is a parody of the reality shows Temptation Island, Joe Millionaire and The Bachelor. Lisa's placemat features the quote "If music be the food of love, play on," from Act 1, Scene 1 of Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare. In the commercial of "Farmer Billy's Bacon" factory the pig in blue overalls and a hat looks similar to Porky Pig. The country singer at the fair resembles real-life country star Alan Jackson, while the song "America (I Love this Country)" is a parody of Lee Greenwood's song "God Bless the USA" and the Dalai Lama's entrance music is "See See Rider", just like Elvis Presley.
The episode's couch gag sees the Simpsons slide down to the Batcave dressed as characters from the Batman franchise, specifically their 1960s Batman incarnations: Homer is Batman, Marge is Catwoman, Lisa and Maggie are Batgirl and Bart is Robin.
Other media
The character of Pie Man has been included in the comic series Simpsons Super Spectacular. In 2007, McFarlane Toys released a 6-inch figurine of Homer and Bart as Pie Man and Cupcake Kid.
Reception
Viewing figures
The episode earned a 3.5 rating and was watched by 9.51 million viewers, which was the 37th most-watched show that week.
Critical response
Colin Jacobson of DVD Movie Guide liked the premise of a superhero parody and its related cultural references. He said, “hile I won’t call this a great show, it’s pretty good.”
On Four Finger Discount, Guy Davis and Brendan Dando also liked the superhero premise but thought the episode only works if the story is not expected to be part of the continuity of the series.
References
- Pinsky, Mark (2007). "Buddhism: Lisa Changes Teams, Sort Of". The Gospel According to The Simpsons (2nd ed.). Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press. p. 177. ISBN 978-0-664-23160-6. Retrieved March 1, 2009.
peace love dalai lama red chinese masters simpsons.
- Venable, Nick (February 27, 2024). "Every Futurama Guest Star Who Also Appeared On The Simpsons, From Patrick Stewart To Seth MacFarlane". CinemaBlend. Retrieved November 15, 2024.
- ^ Bates, James W.; Gimple, Scott M.; McCann, Jesse L.; Richmond, Ray; Seghers, Christine, eds. (2010). Simpsons World The Ultimate Episode Guide: Seasons 1–20 (1st ed.). Harper Collins Publishers. pp. 754–755. ISBN 978-0-00-738815-8.
- Bates et al., p. 1021
- "Simpsons Super Spectacular #11". Bongo Comics. Archived from the original on August 1, 2010. Retrieved July 25, 2012.
- "Homer And Bart: "Simple Simpson" The Simpsons Series 1". Spawn. Archived from the original on October 27, 2012. Retrieved July 25, 2012.
- "Weekly Program Rankings (Apr. 26-May 2)". ABC Medianet. May 4, 2004. Archived from the original on December 21, 2008. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
- Jacobson, Colin (December 16, 2011). "The Simpsons: The Complete Fifteenth Season Blu-Ray (2003)". DVD Movie Guide. Archived from the original on August 6, 2017. Retrieved November 15, 2024.
- Davis, Guy; Dando, Brendan (June 30, 2022). "Simple Simpson (S15E19)". Four Finger Discount (Simpsons Podcast) (Podcast). Event occurs at 1:05. Archived from the original on September 6, 2024. Retrieved November 15, 2024.
