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"Rosebud"
The Simpsons episode
Episode no.	Season 5
Directed by	Wesley Archer
Written by	John Swartzwelder
Original air dates	October 21, 1993
Episode features
Couch gag	The family runs in and sees identical copies of themselves sitting on the couch.
Episode chronology
The Simpsons season 5
List of episodes

"Rosebud" is the fourth episode of The Simpsons' fifth season.

Synopsis

Template:Spoiler

As a child, Burns lived with his family and cherished his teddy bear Bobo, but abandoned Bobo when he left to live with a "twisted, loveless billionaire". Bobo lies in the snow until the spring, when a thaw washes him downriver to New York. There, he is picked up by Charles Lindbergh and flown across the Atlantic Ocean.

Upon arrival in Paris, Lindbergh tosses the bear out the window, where it is caught by a young Adolf Hitler. In his Führerbunker in Berlin, Germany, Hitler blames Bobo for losing the war and tosses him away. In the next scene, Bobo lies onboard the submarine Nautilus headed for the North Pole. He becomes encased in a block of ice until packed up by an ice-gathering expedition. The bag of ice with him in it is sent to Apu's Kwik-E-Mart in Springfield. Bart Simpson buys the bag of ice, finds Bobo, and gives it to Maggie to play with.

Burns discovers that Maggie has the bear and goes through incredible feats to get it back, including interrupting all TV shows, and cutting off the beer supply to Springfield, in order to get Homer to give it up. Maggie, however, loves the bear, and Homer's conscience prevents him from taking Bobo away from her. Burns becomes deeply depressed and asks Maggie to look after his teddy. Maggie, in an act of pity, lets the desperate Burns have the bear. Burns is overjoyed, but his loving mood does not last. Template:Endspoiler

Trivia

• This was the first episode executive produced by David Mirkin, though it was the second that aired.
• Bobo was also the name of a police dog that briefly appears in "There's No Disgrace Like Home" (Season 1)
• A repaired Bobo makes a brief cameo in the end of "Homer the Smithers"
• Canada's Global Channel has a warning about offensive language before airing this episode (because of the scene with the Ramones).
• According to DVD commentary, there was a scene where Bobo was in the car during the JFK assassination. This was left out because the writers felt it was in bad taste.
• In this episode, it is revealed that Mr. Burns's Birthday is September 15.
• On a coincidental note, on September 15, 2004 (Mr. Burns' birthday), Johnny Ramone (who starred in this episode with The Ramones) died.
• Mr. Burns' brother is named George, a cigar smoking aspiring comedian who breaks the fourth wall by saying he would gain recognition if he is much older.

Goofs

• Homer's calendar incorrectly depicts September as having 31 days.
• Bobo wouldn't have been moldy and torn if it spent all of its time between 1957 and 1993 encased in ice.
• Charles Lindbergh actually landed in Paris at night in his famous trans-Atlantic flight in 1927.
• Smithers' reflection on the broken snowglobe isn't reversed the way it should be.

Censorship

• The Australian broadcast cuts out two violent scenes: 1) The scene where the guards beat up the audience members after Burns cancels his party because of Homer's tasteless comedy act, and 2) the scene where Barney threatens Homer with a gun (in an attempt to get Homer to return Bobo so Barney can have the beer supply back) and Homer slams the door in his face, causing the gun to go off, a woman to scream (presumably from being shot), and a police siren to be heard.

Cultural references

• The episode title is a reference to Charles Foster Kane's dying word in the 1941 Orson Welles film Citizen Kane. Rosebud itself is a sled that Kane had as a child; the teddy bear Bobo is a substitute for Rosebud in this episode.
• The jackboots that break up Burns' birthday bash are similar to Nazi Sturmabteilung who busted up groups who were antagonistic to the Party's political platform.
• In the beginning of the episode, the guards outside Mr. Burns's house parody the Wicked Witch of the West's guards from The Wizard of Oz, from their chanting and attire.
• Mr. Burns and Homer make references to The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo.
• In the last scene where Mr. Burns' robotic body runs off with Bobo is a spoof of Planet of the Apes in which herds of humans are enslaved by apes.
• Mr. Burns mistakenly tells Smithers to have "The Rolling Stones" killed, after The Ramones badmouthed him at his birthday party.

Quotes

• Homer: I'm Mr. Burns. (Shakes his butt) Blah, blah, blah. Do this, do that. Blah blah blah. I think I'm so big. Blah, blah, blah.
• The Ramones greet the crowd...
  Joey Ramone: I'd just like to say this gig sucks!
  Johnny Ramone: Hey, up yours, Springfield!
  They play a punk-rock version of "Happy Birthday." When it's over...
  C.J. Ramone: Go to hell, you old bastard!
  The curtain closes.
  Marky Ramone: Hey! I think they liked us!
  Mr. Burns: (to Smithers) Have the Rolling Stones killed.
  Smithers: Sir, those aren't...
  Mr. Burns: Do as I say.
• Homer: Aw, big deal. Who needs his money? We're gettin' by OK. (Abe drives through the wall into the living room)
  Abe: Son! You gotta help me. I hit three people on the way over here and I don't have any insurance! (congenially) So how's by you?
• Nelson Muntz: My old man can't get a beer cos his old man won't give a bear to another old man! Let's get him!
  Jimbo Jones: Wait, why are we gettin' him?
• Mr. Smithers Mr Burns, I've had the people of Australia to spell out your name with candles, here is the satelite hook up if you'll just turn your head this way.

External link

• "Rosebud" episode capsule at The Simpsons Archive

• The Simpsons episodes, season 5