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| {{Good article}} | |||
| ⚫ | {{Infobox Simpsons episode |
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| {{Use mdy dates|date=September 2023}} | |||
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| ⚫ | {{Infobox Simpsons episode | ||
| episode_no = 201 | | |||
| | image = | |||
| prod_code = 5F16 | | |||
| | caption = | |||
| airdate = ], ] | | |||
| ⚫ | | season = 9 | ||
| ⚫ | |||
| director = ] |
| episode = 23 | ||
| | director = ] | |||
| ⚫ | | writer = ] | ||
| blackboard = None | | |||
| | production = 5F16 | |||
| couch_gag = The family appears in a ] | | |||
| | airdate = {{Start date|1998|05|03}} | |||
| guest_star = ] as Brad and ] as Neil | | |||
| | guests = * ] as Brad | |||
| image = ]| | |||
| * ] as Neil | |||
| ⚫ | |||
| | couch_gag = The Simpsons sit on the couch as normal and the camera zooms out to reveal that they are inside a snow globe. Two hands then shake the globe.<ref name="bbc">{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/simpsons/episodeguide/season9/page23.shtml |title=This Little Wiggy |access-date=2007-11-01 |author1=Martyn, Warren |author2=Wood, Adrian |year=2000 |work=]}}</ref> | |||
| | commentary = Mike Scully<br>]<br>Steven Dean Moore | |||
| | prev = ] | |||
| | next = ] | |||
| }} | }} | ||
| "'''King of the Hill'''" is the twenty-third episode of the ] of the American animated television series '']''. It originally aired on ] in the United States on May 3, 1998.<ref name="book"/> It was written by ] and directed by ], and ] ] and ].<ref name="book"/> The episode sees ] trying to climb a large ] to impress ] after he humiliates him at a church picnic with his lack of fitness. | |||
| ==Plot== | |||
| "'''King of the Hill'''" (not to be confused with the ]), is the 23rd episode of '']''<nowiki>'</nowiki> ]. The episode first aired on ], ]. | |||
| After his ] embarrasses ] at a church picnic, ] attempts to lose weight by going on midnight jogs around town. He soon discovers "Power Sauce", an energy bar made with apples which he starts to eat regularly. | |||
| At a ], Homer meets ], who becomes his fitness coach. In two months, Homer is healthier and more muscular, and reveals his new exercise habits to his family. At the gym, two Power Sauce representatives, Brad and Neil, ask Wolfcastle to climb to the top of ]'s tallest mountain, "The Murderhorn", as a publicity stunt. When Wolfcastle refuses, saying that climbing the mountain is suicide, Bart insists Homer volunteer to do it. | |||
| ==Synopsis== | |||
| {{spoiler}} | |||
| ] begs Homer not to climb the mountain, telling him how he "died" when he was betrayed by a friend, C. W. McAllister, during their climb on the Murderhorn in 1928, also as a corporate publicity stunt. Despite this, he accepts the challenge and is aided by two ], whom he fires after waking up one night to find them secretly dragging him up. Homer radios this to Brad and Neil, who fail to convince him to abandon the climb, even informing him that Power Sauce bars are actually junk food. After Homer continues the climb regardless, Brad and Neil falsely report that he had switched to a competing brand. | |||
| The family goes to the church picnic, but when ] plays ], he fails to make it. Feeling terrible about being unfit, he decides to exercise, running and doing his exercises in a gym late at night. He has trouble at first in the gym, but thanks to a visit from ], Homer becomes a strong man. This prompts two men—Brad and Neil—from a health bar company, Powersauce, to enlist Homer to do a publicity stunt for Powersauce by climbing ]'s tallest mountain, the Murderhorn, because, according to ], Homer "eats $50 worth of Powersauce bars a day". Although ] suggests that Homer not do the stunt, he manages to do it anyway, with two ]s chosen to be Homer's guides. | |||
| The mountain proves too treacherous and high for Homer, who takes shelter in a cave. In it, he finds McAllister's frozen body and evidence proving it was Grampa who betrayed him. Too tired and ashamed to continue, Homer sticks his flagpole on the plateau. An ensuing crack collapses the rest of the mountain, making the plateau he is on the peak. Proud, Homer uses McAllister's body to sled down the mountainside, where he is greeted by the crowd.<ref name="book">{{cite book |last=Gimple |first=Scott |title=] |year=1999 |publisher=Harper Collins Publishers |isbn=0-06-098763-4 |page= }}</ref> | |||
| When Homer climbs the mountain, he has trouble climbing, and can only reach the mountain's halfway point. He sleeps in his sleeping bag, and is surprised to find out that the sherpas have dragged him in his sleeping bag up the mountain while Homer sleeps. In response, he fires the sherpas and goes up the mountain alone, until Brad and Neil inform Homer that Powersauce is just junk, and are actually made of old apple cores and Chinese newspapers, and that he should not depend upon the bars. He still continues up the mountain, and almost makes it to the top. Feeling like he wants to give up and impress Bart, he plants a flag saying "Simpson" (the same one Homer used when he played Capture the Flag) at a point on the mountain. The peak collapses, and he slides back down to the ground (using the body of the late C.W. McAllister, Grampa's partner when he climbed the Murderhorn in 1928), with Bart telling Homer that he is the "coolest dad ever". | |||
| ==Production== | |||
| ==Cultural references== | |||
| The episode was pitched and written by ]. The writing staff had to find a new angle for Homer's weight problems, as the idea had been used several times before. This was emphasized in this episode when ] does not seem to care that Homer is going to try to lose weight again.<ref name="scully">{{cite video |people=Scully, Mike |date=2006 |title=The Simpsons season 9 DVD commentary for the episode "King of the Hill" |medium=DVD |publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> | |||
| * The PowerSauce bar is similar to the real-life ]. | |||
| * Homer getting egged is like a scene in ]'s '']''. | |||
| * The episode has the same name as the television show '']'', a show co-created by ] a former producer and writer for ''The Simpsons''. | |||
| * The Murderhorn is a play on the ], a mountain in the ]. | |||
| In the scenes where the ] were speaking, the show staff went to great lengths to find translations. Originally, the producers of the film adaption of the book '']'' were contacted to help. The film producers were shocked at the trouble the ''Simpsons'' staff were going to, and replied that they had simply made up translations in the film. The staff then had to consult various experts by telephone.<ref name="scully"/> | |||
| ==Quotes== | |||
| *''']:''' ''(he taps ] through the sunroof of his car)'' You're it!<br/>'''Mr. Burns:''' We'll see about that. After him, Smithers! ''(he uses his car to go after Ralph)''<br/>'''Ralph:''' ''(cries)'' You're not it! | |||
| The idea of the upper part of the mountain collapsing so Homer would be at the peak came from Mike Scully's brother ], after the staff "desperately needed a way out".<ref name="scully"/> | |||
| *'''Comic Book Guy (after Homer knocks away the walls and ceiling of the portable toilet he's using):''' It appears I will have to find a new ]. | |||
| ==Reception== | |||
| *''']:''' ''(after ] calls Marge's food "filth")'' Homer, stop insulting us and eat your filth—food—I mean, food. | |||
| In its original broadcast, "King of the Hill" finished 23rd in ratings for the week of April 27–May 4, 1998, with a ] of 9.4, equivalent to approximately 9.2 million viewing households. It was the fourth highest-rated show on the Fox network that week, following '']'', '']'', and '']''.<ref>{{cite news |title='Merlin' magic works again for NBC |work=] |agency=Associated Press |page=4E |date=May 7, 1998}}</ref> | |||
| The authors of the book ''I Can't Believe It's a Bigger and Better Updated Unofficial Simpsons Guide'', Warren Martyn and Adrian Wood, thought well of the episode, stating: "A quite charming little adventure in which, in an effort to impress Bart, Homer undertakes a dangerous adventure and comes through successfully. It's nice because just for once, to all intents and purposes, Homer actually succeeds in something."<ref name="bbc"/> | |||
| *'''Grampa:''' Son, don't go up that mountain-you'll die up there, just like I did! | |||
| ==References== | |||
| *'''Bart:''' Dad, wait. You're not risking your life just to impress me, are you?<br/> '''Homer:''' Well, yeah.<br/> '''Bart:''' Oh, cool! Now get going, chop, chop! | |||
| {{reflist}} | |||
| ⚫ | ==External links== | ||
| *'''Neil:''' Wake up, Homer! These bars are just junk! They're made of apple cores and Chinese newspapers!<br/>'''Homer:''' '''(reading the bar, as if he was reading a newspaper)''' Hey, ] died! | |||
| {{wikiquote|The_Simpsons#King_of_the_Hill_.5B9.23.5D|"King of the Hill"}} | |||
| {{portal|The Simpsons}} | |||
| ⚫ | * {{snpp capsule|5F16|King of the Hill}} | ||
| * {{IMDb episode|0701145|King of the Hill}} | |||
| {{The Simpsons episodes|9}} | |||
| *'''Lisa:''' Family to Dad. Family to Dad. Come in Dad. <br/> '''Brad:''' Oh, I'm sure he's dead, little girl. Here, have a Powersauce bar. It's on the house. | |||
| {{DEFAULTSORT:King Of The Hill (The Simpsons)}} | |||
| ⚫ | ==External links== |
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| ] | |||
| {{wikiquote}} | |||
| ] | |||
| *{{snpp capsule|5F16}} | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | ] | ||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
Latest revision as of 00:19, 25 December 2024
23rd episode of the 9th season of The Simpsons
| "King of the Hill" | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| The Simpsons episode | |||
| Episode no. | Season 9 Episode 23 | ||
| Directed by | Steven Dean Moore | ||
| Written by | John Swartzwelder | ||
| Production code | 5F16 | ||
| Original air date | May 3, 1998 (1998-05-03) | ||
| Guest appearances | |||
| |||
| Episode features | |||
| Couch gag | The Simpsons sit on the couch as normal and the camera zooms out to reveal that they are inside a snow globe. Two hands then shake the globe. | ||
| Commentary | Mike Scully Richard Appel Steven Dean Moore | ||
| Episode chronology | |||
| |||
| The Simpsons season 9 | |||
| List of episodes | |||
"King of the Hill" is the twenty-third episode of the ninth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on May 3, 1998. It was written by John Swartzwelder and directed by Steven Dean Moore, and guest stars Brendan Fraser and Steven Weber. The episode sees Homer trying to climb a large mountain to impress Bart after he humiliates him at a church picnic with his lack of fitness.
Plot
After his obesity embarrasses Bart at a church picnic, Homer attempts to lose weight by going on midnight jogs around town. He soon discovers "Power Sauce", an energy bar made with apples which he starts to eat regularly.
At a gym, Homer meets Rainier Wolfcastle, who becomes his fitness coach. In two months, Homer is healthier and more muscular, and reveals his new exercise habits to his family. At the gym, two Power Sauce representatives, Brad and Neil, ask Wolfcastle to climb to the top of Springfield's tallest mountain, "The Murderhorn", as a publicity stunt. When Wolfcastle refuses, saying that climbing the mountain is suicide, Bart insists Homer volunteer to do it.
Grampa begs Homer not to climb the mountain, telling him how he "died" when he was betrayed by a friend, C. W. McAllister, during their climb on the Murderhorn in 1928, also as a corporate publicity stunt. Despite this, he accepts the challenge and is aided by two Sherpas, whom he fires after waking up one night to find them secretly dragging him up. Homer radios this to Brad and Neil, who fail to convince him to abandon the climb, even informing him that Power Sauce bars are actually junk food. After Homer continues the climb regardless, Brad and Neil falsely report that he had switched to a competing brand.
The mountain proves too treacherous and high for Homer, who takes shelter in a cave. In it, he finds McAllister's frozen body and evidence proving it was Grampa who betrayed him. Too tired and ashamed to continue, Homer sticks his flagpole on the plateau. An ensuing crack collapses the rest of the mountain, making the plateau he is on the peak. Proud, Homer uses McAllister's body to sled down the mountainside, where he is greeted by the crowd.
Production
The episode was pitched and written by John Swartzwelder. The writing staff had to find a new angle for Homer's weight problems, as the idea had been used several times before. This was emphasized in this episode when Marge does not seem to care that Homer is going to try to lose weight again.
In the scenes where the Sherpas were speaking, the show staff went to great lengths to find translations. Originally, the producers of the film adaption of the book Into Thin Air were contacted to help. The film producers were shocked at the trouble the Simpsons staff were going to, and replied that they had simply made up translations in the film. The staff then had to consult various experts by telephone.
The idea of the upper part of the mountain collapsing so Homer would be at the peak came from Mike Scully's brother Brian, after the staff "desperately needed a way out".
Reception
In its original broadcast, "King of the Hill" finished 23rd in ratings for the week of April 27–May 4, 1998, with a Nielsen rating of 9.4, equivalent to approximately 9.2 million viewing households. It was the fourth highest-rated show on the Fox network that week, following The X-Files, King of the Hill, and Ally McBeal.
The authors of the book I Can't Believe It's a Bigger and Better Updated Unofficial Simpsons Guide, Warren Martyn and Adrian Wood, thought well of the episode, stating: "A quite charming little adventure in which, in an effort to impress Bart, Homer undertakes a dangerous adventure and comes through successfully. It's nice because just for once, to all intents and purposes, Homer actually succeeds in something."
References
- ^ Martyn, Warren; Wood, Adrian (2000). "This Little Wiggy". BBC.co.uk. Retrieved November 1, 2007.
- ^ Gimple, Scott (1999). The Simpsons Forever!: A Complete Guide to Our Favorite Family ...Continued. Harper Collins Publishers. p. 40. ISBN 0-06-098763-4.
- ^ Scully, Mike (2006). The Simpsons season 9 DVD commentary for the episode "King of the Hill" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
- "'Merlin' magic works again for NBC". Sun-Sentinel. Associated Press. May 7, 1998. p. 4E.
