Question: How do I access commentaries on the Season 1 DVDs? I've been trying for months and can't seem to find them, but the DVD wrapper promises "commentary on every episode."
Answer: There are two ways to do this. On the main menus, you can find them in the Language Selection section of every episode. Or, upon playing the episode, press your audio button on your remote a few times and you should start hearing the commentary.
The Springfield Files - S8-E10
Question: Who is Urkle?
Answer: Jaleel White played very nerdy, squeeky voiced Steve Urkle on a TV show Family Matters. He was a constant pain to neighbor Carl Winslow, a cop, and had a crush on Carl's daughter Laura. Because Steve Urkle was so clumsy, he always asked, "Did I do thaaat?"
Question: What religion are the Simpsons? I know they're Christians, but what branch (e.g. Catholic? Protestant?).
Answer: Since Reverend Lovejoy is both married and referred to as 'Reverend', they must be Protestants. They never name the exact protestant denomination.
The Western Branch of American Reform Presbylutheranism First Church of Springfield.
Question: The Flanders live on one side of the Simpsons, who lives on the other side? Note: Not Gerald Ford, he lives across the street from them.
Question: In the scene where Bart was about to get kicked by the Australian Prime Minister Bart jumps forward. After that he says "...and this is for the United States of America." He shows his butt with the words "Don't tread on me" and hums the American national anthem. Does this imply that America can get away with anything or was there a different message being implied?
Answer: During the American Revolution one of the early flags used, known as the Gadsden Flag, was a coiled rattle snake on a field of yellow, with the words, "Don't Tread on Me", written below. This a good site for a more in depth story into the origins. http://www.gadsden.info/history.html.
Question: There is a "scratch" in the upper right corner in a few of the outdoor motion shots throughout the show, a falling black line, maybe going a twelfth of the way through the picture. I have seen this on more then one TV so its not a problem with reception, broadcast, or anything like that. I'm guessing this is something to do with the animation process or something. Does anybody know what this is?
Chosen answer: I can tell you that the Simpsons, even after 15 years, is still hand drawn and it takes 6 months to make each episode. So its highly unlikely something slipped by them. Its probably the way you are watching it.
Burns Verkaufen der Kraftwerk - S3-E11
Question: I don't know anything about the stock market, so how could Homer spend $5,200 on beer when he paid only $25?
Sunday, Cruddy Sunday - S10-E12
Question: When Homer, Moe and Walter are talking about which football teams they like Moe says the Atlanta Falcons, Homer says the Denver Broncos and Walter says that president Clinton will be watching with his wife Hilary, but every time one of them says a name they hold a beer mug in front of their mouth, why?
Chosen answer: It's a gag based on the fact that this episode was presumably recorded well in advance of the actual match. Not sure whether the teams are accurate, but it's just so they could dub in the appropriate team and president's name (for a joke/reality/both)because they cant afford to change it . The fact that the president's wife's name is dubbed as well is either because if the president changed so would his wife, or else a dig at Clinton's then-current infidelity issues.
Question: Why did Sideshow Bob want to kill Selma? I don't ever recall her doing anything to upset him.
Homer's Triple Bypass - S4-E11
Question: Bart and Lisa say they don't feel highs and lows because their generation watches MTV. Can someone explain more?
Answer: I think Lisa and Bart are actually referring to Generation X and early Millennials. People of these ages are also known as "the MTV Generation." They dealt with the political, social, and economic issues that were happening in the '80s and '90s. Many were also "latchkey kids" who had to be independent from an early age. They are known for being apathetic or even cynical, after growing up the way they did.
Answer: They probably mean that MTV has little to do with real life, and viewers became numbed and emotionally detached from reality by watching the contrived idealized images almost non-stop. It prevents them developing empathetic feelings toward others in their lives.
This episode aired Dec 1992, and given that it took 6-9 months to produce an episode, the writing took place early or mid 1992. MTV's first reality show, "The Real World", didn't air until May 1992. "Road Rules", MTV's 2nd reality TV show didn't air until 1995.
But that's all equally applicable to watching endless music videos, shortening attention spans. The fear is/was that constant "input" like that would slightly numb people to the real world, with exciting music/images being the only thing that generates an emotional response, in comparison to the more "boring" real world.
Question: What does Reverend Lovejoy mean when he says that he stopped caring, but nobody noticed because "it was the '80s"?
Answer: The 80s was known as the, "Me Generation," meaning people were so greedy, ambitious, and self-involved with only themselves, money, and material possession, that they were oblivious to or unconcerned about anyone else. A popular mantra of the time was "greed is good." Lovejoy is saying that no-one noticed how he felt because they were indifferent and uncaring.
Question: Is Shauna's dad Superintendent Chalmers?
Answer: Yes, he is.
Question: After Smithers rejects the job offer from Globex, the associates speak to the "next most senior" employee at the plant - Homer. If I remember correctly, isn't Carl a supervisor over Homer?
Answer: "Next most senior" means Homer has worked at the plant longer than Carl, despite Carl's position as supervisor. Carl was simply promoted over employees that had been there longer (which isn't uncommon in the workplace).
It often happens because a more senior employee is not ideal, but they do just enough acceptable work that management will keep them around. Management doesn't want the hassle of the hiring process, and they might want to avoid unemployment pay or a possible lawsuit.
Question: Marge mentions a guy named Anthony Michael Hall, like the actor, who stole Homer's car stereo. She is pointing out how the names are a coincidence. Why does Bart say "Riiight, coincidence", as if he doesn't believe this?
Answer: Bart's implying it really was the actor, who hadn't been in movies for years and had apparently turned to a life of crime.
Oh, Brother, Where Are Thou? - S2-E15
Question: How exactly did the production of Homer's car bankrupt Herb? If Herb, as a highly successful car manufacturer, was spending so much money spoiling Marge and the kids that an $82,000 price tag for making a car was enough of a straw to break the camel's back, wouldn't he have gone bankrupt sooner than later anyway?
Answer: It wasn't the cost of one car, but that they'd produced thousands of Homer's ridiculous vehicles, which they'd marketed as a family car, but cost five times as much as a new car at the time. No one would buy them and the company went under.
Wasn't the car just a demo though? How would they have been able to produce thousands of cars in such a short amount of time?
Big difference between a "demo" or prototype car compared to a launch car. The dealers must have stock available of the launch car so people can actually buy them straight away.
Lisa on Ice - S6-E8
Question: How did Herman lose his arm?
Answer: He stuck it out of a school bus window, and an oncoming truck subsequently ripped it off.
I've heard about that but in one episode there was a flashback and it got knocked off by a car so which is correct?
Answer: In the episode To Cur with Love it was revealed that he lost his arm while trying to hail down a car. His arm was ripped off by a dog catcher van.
Answer: Marge's mother, Jacqueline Bouvier, has appeared in several episodes, notably "Lady Bouvier's Lover" where she dated both Abe Simpson and Mr Burns. Her father appeared in the episode "Fear of Flying" where Marge revealed that her Fear of Flying was due to the shame of her father being a flight attendant. It was mentioned in "Bart the Lover" that after leaving the Navy, his swearing almost cost him his job as a baby photographer. Both Marge's parents appear in the flashback episode "The Way We Was" when both Homer and Artie Ziff arrive to take Marge to the prom.
Sierra1 ★