Grift of the Magi
Encyclopedia
"Grift of the Magi" is the ninth episode of the eleventh season
of the American animated sitcom The Simpsons
. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on December 19, 1999. In the episode, Principal Skinner hires Fat Tony
's construction company to build wheelchair ramps for the school. These ramps promptly break down, forcing Skinner to close down Springfield Elementary. However, a toy company led by Jim Hope takes over the school; in school, the children are only taught to provide marketing schemes and suggestions. Soon, a new toy called Funzo that mysteriously resembles the children's ideas is invented. The episode features several guest appearances and has received mixed reception from critics.
, Bart
and Milhouse
remain inside the house. The duo dress up as ladies
and jump on the bed, singing "Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves
". When Homer
comes in, Bart falls off of the bed and lands on one of Homer's bowling balls and breaks his coccyx
. Dr. Hibbert
informs Homer and Marge
that Bart will have to use a wheelchair until the bone has healed. When Bart arrives at school the following day, he finds that he cannot enter, as it lacks ramps for the disabled. As Principal Skinner
considers ramps for the school, Fat Tony
emerges and suggests that his construction company would be a good choice of company to build it. The new ramp system almost immediately collapses and Fat Tony informs Skinner that he will have to pay $200,000 in damages. In response, Principal Skinner decides to close Springfield Elementary due to lack of funds. All pleas for financial help are in vain, until Jim Hope, the president of a company named Kid First Industries, buys the school and privatizes
it.
The school's staff is replaced, and classes now focus on toys and marketing. Lisa
discovers the company that bought the school is a toy company, using students for research to make a toy. Lisa tries to show Marge, Homer and Chief Wiggum the hidden room adjacent to the classroom, but instead discovers it has been reconverted back into a janitor's closet. When Bart and Lisa are back at home, watching television, they see an advertisement for a new toy named Funzo). The toy has many features suggested during a brainstorming session at the school. They visit Jim Hope's office to complain, and he apologetically gives them a free Funzo toy. Bart and Lisa later discover Funzo is programmed to destroy other toys.
On Christmas Eve, with Homer's help, they steal all the Funzo toys from underneath every Christmas tree in Springfield with the intention of burning them in the town's long-running tire fire. However, Gary Coleman
(who is a Security Guard at KFI) comes to stop them. The two parties begin an argument, which settles down into civilized discussion about the commercialization of Christmas. Afterwards, Homer invites Coleman to a Christmas dinner at the Simpson house (with Mr. Burns deciding to donate money to Springfield Elementary after having an A Christmas Carol
-style epiphany).
and directed by Matthew Nastuk
as part of the eleventh season of The Simpsons (1999–2000). According to DVD Talk
reviewer Adam Tyner, it is a satire of the commercialization of Christmas. A writer for Newsday
commented that episode skewers "the annual craze for that one 'hot' toy." Guest starring in the episode were Tim Robbins
as Jim Hope, Gary Coleman
as himself, Joe Mantegna
as Fat Tony
, and Clarence Clemons
as the narrator. Shortly after Coleman's death in 2010, an article appeared in the Peruvian newspaper El Comercio that noted that "the nod to the harsh reality of Gary Coleman in [the episode] is given: in real life a few years ago Gary had to make a living as a caretaker of shops."
episode "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire
", the season four
episode "Mr. Plow
", the season nine
episode "Miracle on Evergreen Terrace
", and the season thirteen
episode "She of Little Faith
". On October 7, 2008, the episode was released on DVD again as part of the box set The Simpsons – The Complete Eleventh Season. Staff members Matt Groening, Mike Scully, George Meyer, Ian Maxtone-Graham, Tom Martin, Matt Selman, Tim Long, and Lance Kramer participated in the DVD audio commentary
for the episode. Deleted scenes from the episode were also included on the box set.
Since airing, "Grift of the Magi" has received mixed reception from critics. While reviewing the eleventh season of The Simpsons, DVD Movie Guide's Colin Jacobson commented that the episode "feels like an amalgamation of elements from prior holiday programs and never really elicits much humor. Christmas is commercialized and corporations use and abuse their customers? Those aren’t exactly rich insights, so ['Grift of the Magi'] comes across as a below average episode." In his review of the DVD Christmas With the Simpsons, Digitally Obsessed critic Joel Cunningham wrote that "Grift of the Magi" "comes from Season 11, well past the point when the series had sacrificed character for absurdist humor. Unless you don't think evil toy marketers, sentient Furbys, and Gary Coleman qualify. Anyway, after the school nearly goes bankrupt, Principal Skinner signs a contract with corporate backers who use the kids to conduct market research. There are some good gags, but the story doesn't hang together very well." Adam Tyner of DVD Talk
wrote that the episode "has a couple of good gags (Gary Coleman chatting on the phone being my favorite) but is quickly forgettable". Brian James of PopMatters
described Coleman's cameo as "hysterical" in 2004, and Meghan Lewit of the same website listed "Grift of the Magi" at number eight on her 2009 list of the "10 best holiday themed TV episodes."
The Simpsons (season 11)
The Simpsons 11th season originally aired between September 1999 and May 2000, beginning on Sunday, September 26, 1999, with "Beyond Blunderdome". The show runner for the 11th production season was Mike Scully...
of the American animated sitcom The Simpsons
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on December 19, 1999. In the episode, Principal Skinner hires Fat Tony
Fat Tony
Marion Anthony "Fat Tony" D'Amico is a recurring character in the animated sitcom The Simpsons. He is voiced by Joe Mantegna and first appeared in the third season episode "Bart the Murderer"...
's construction company to build wheelchair ramps for the school. These ramps promptly break down, forcing Skinner to close down Springfield Elementary. However, a toy company led by Jim Hope takes over the school; in school, the children are only taught to provide marketing schemes and suggestions. Soon, a new toy called Funzo that mysteriously resembles the children's ideas is invented. The episode features several guest appearances and has received mixed reception from critics.
Plot
After an ozone hole moves over SpringfieldSpringfield (The Simpsons)
Springfield is the fictional town in which the American animated sitcom The Simpsons is set. A mid-sized town in an undetermined state of the United States, Springfield acts as a complete universe in which characters can explore the issues faced by modern society. The geography of the town and its...
, Bart
Bart Simpson
Bartholomew JoJo "Bart" Simpson is a fictional main character in the animated television series The Simpsons and part of the Simpson family. He is voiced by actress Nancy Cartwright and first appeared on television in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987...
and Milhouse
Milhouse Van Houten
Milhouse Mussolini Van Houten is a fictional character featured in the animated television series The Simpsons, voiced by Pamela Hayden. He is Bart Simpson's best friend in Mrs. Krabappel's fourth grade class at Springfield Elementary School....
remain inside the house. The duo dress up as ladies
Cross-dressing
Cross-dressing is the wearing of clothing and other accoutrement commonly associated with a gender within a particular society that is seen as different than the one usually presented by the dresser...
and jump on the bed, singing "Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves
Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves
"Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves" is a hit duet recorded between British pop duo Eurythmics and American soul/R&B musician Aretha Franklin, released as a single by RCA Records in October 1985...
". When Homer
Homer Simpson
Homer Jay Simpson is a fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons and the patriarch of the eponymous family. He is voiced by Dan Castellaneta and first appeared on television, along with the rest of his family, in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987...
comes in, Bart falls off of the bed and lands on one of Homer's bowling balls and breaks his coccyx
Coccyx
The coccyx , commonly referred to as the tailbone, is the final segment of the vertebral column. Comprising three to five separate or fused vertebrae below the sacrum, it is attached to the sacrum by a fibrocartilaginous joint, the sacrococcygeal symphysis, which permits limited movement between...
. Dr. Hibbert
Julius Hibbert
Dr. Julius M. Hibbert, usually referred to as Dr. Hibbert, is a recurring character on the animated series The Simpsons. His speaking voice is provided by Harry Shearer and his singing voice was by Thurl Ravenscroft, and he first appeared in the episode "Bart the Daredevil". Dr...
informs Homer and Marge
Marge Simpson
Marjorie "Marge" Simpson is a fictional main character in the animated television series The Simpsons and part of the eponymous family. She is voiced by actress Julie Kavner and first appeared on television in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987...
that Bart will have to use a wheelchair until the bone has healed. When Bart arrives at school the following day, he finds that he cannot enter, as it lacks ramps for the disabled. As Principal Skinner
Seymour Skinner
Principal W. Seymour Skinner is a fictional character in the American animated sitcom The Simpsons. He is voiced by Harry Shearer. Born in Capitol City, he is the principal of Springfield Elementary School...
considers ramps for the school, Fat Tony
Fat Tony
Marion Anthony "Fat Tony" D'Amico is a recurring character in the animated sitcom The Simpsons. He is voiced by Joe Mantegna and first appeared in the third season episode "Bart the Murderer"...
emerges and suggests that his construction company would be a good choice of company to build it. The new ramp system almost immediately collapses and Fat Tony informs Skinner that he will have to pay $200,000 in damages. In response, Principal Skinner decides to close Springfield Elementary due to lack of funds. All pleas for financial help are in vain, until Jim Hope, the president of a company named Kid First Industries, buys the school and privatizes
Privatization
Privatization is the incidence or process of transferring ownership of a business, enterprise, agency or public service from the public sector to the private sector or to private non-profit organizations...
it.
The school's staff is replaced, and classes now focus on toys and marketing. Lisa
Lisa Simpson
Lisa Marie Simpson is a fictional main character in the animated television series The Simpsons. She is the middle child of the Simpson family. Voiced by Yeardley Smith, Lisa first appeared on television in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987. Cartoonist Matt Groening...
discovers the company that bought the school is a toy company, using students for research to make a toy. Lisa tries to show Marge, Homer and Chief Wiggum the hidden room adjacent to the classroom, but instead discovers it has been reconverted back into a janitor's closet. When Bart and Lisa are back at home, watching television, they see an advertisement for a new toy named Funzo). The toy has many features suggested during a brainstorming session at the school. They visit Jim Hope's office to complain, and he apologetically gives them a free Funzo toy. Bart and Lisa later discover Funzo is programmed to destroy other toys.
On Christmas Eve, with Homer's help, they steal all the Funzo toys from underneath every Christmas tree in Springfield with the intention of burning them in the town's long-running tire fire. However, Gary Coleman
Gary Coleman
Gary Wayne Coleman was an American actor, known for his childhood role as Arnold Jackson in the American sitcom Diff'rent Strokes and for his small stature as an adult. He was described in the 1980s as "one of television's most promising stars". After a successful childhood acting career, Coleman...
(who is a Security Guard at KFI) comes to stop them. The two parties begin an argument, which settles down into civilized discussion about the commercialization of Christmas. Afterwards, Homer invites Coleman to a Christmas dinner at the Simpson house (with Mr. Burns deciding to donate money to Springfield Elementary after having an A Christmas Carol
A Christmas Carol
A Christmas Carol is a novella by English author Charles Dickens first published by Chapman & Hall on 17 December 1843. The story tells of sour and stingy Ebenezer Scrooge's ideological, ethical, and emotional transformation after the supernatural visits of Jacob Marley and the Ghosts of...
-style epiphany).
Production and themes
The episode was written by Tom MartinTom Martin (writer)
Tom Martin is an American television writer. He grew up in Southern California and attended Rolling Hills High School and Indio High School. He graduated from University of California, Irvine in 1987 with degrees in Economics and Political Science. While at UC Irvine he ran on the Track and Cross...
and directed by Matthew Nastuk
Matthew Nastuk
Matthew Nastuk is an animation director on The Simpsons. He started directing during the tenth season, and has since directed over a dozen episodes and continues to direct today.-Season Ten:...
as part of the eleventh season of The Simpsons (1999–2000). According to DVD Talk
DVD Talk
DVD Talk is a website for DVD enthusiasts founded in January 1999 by Geoffrey Kleinman when DVDs and DVD players were first beginning to hit the market.The site started as an online forum, an email newsletter, and a page of DVD news and reviews...
reviewer Adam Tyner, it is a satire of the commercialization of Christmas. A writer for Newsday
Newsday
Newsday is a daily American newspaper that primarily serves Nassau and Suffolk counties and the New York City borough of Queens on Long Island, although it is sold throughout the New York metropolitan area...
commented that episode skewers "the annual craze for that one 'hot' toy." Guest starring in the episode were Tim Robbins
Tim Robbins
Timothy Francis "Tim" Robbins is an American actor, screenwriter, director, producer, activist and musician. He is the former longtime partner of actress Susan Sarandon...
as Jim Hope, Gary Coleman
Gary Coleman
Gary Wayne Coleman was an American actor, known for his childhood role as Arnold Jackson in the American sitcom Diff'rent Strokes and for his small stature as an adult. He was described in the 1980s as "one of television's most promising stars". After a successful childhood acting career, Coleman...
as himself, Joe Mantegna
Joe Mantegna
Joseph Anthony "Joe" Mantegna, Jr. is an American actor, producer, writer,director, and voice actor. He is best known for his roles in box office hits such as Three Amigos , The Godfather Part III , Forget Paris , and Up Close & Personal...
as Fat Tony
Fat Tony
Marion Anthony "Fat Tony" D'Amico is a recurring character in the animated sitcom The Simpsons. He is voiced by Joe Mantegna and first appeared in the third season episode "Bart the Murderer"...
, and Clarence Clemons
Clarence Clemons
Clarence Anicholas Clemons, Jr. , also known as The Big Man, was an American musician and actor. From 1972 until his death, he was a prominent member of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, playing the tenor saxophone. He released several solo albums and in 1985, had a hit single with "You're a...
as the narrator. Shortly after Coleman's death in 2010, an article appeared in the Peruvian newspaper El Comercio that noted that "the nod to the harsh reality of Gary Coleman in [the episode] is given: in real life a few years ago Gary had to make a living as a caretaker of shops."
Release
"Grift of the Magi" originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on December 19, 1999. On October 14, 2003, it was released in the United States on a DVD collection titled Christmas With the Simpsons, along with the season oneThe Simpsons (season 1)
The Simpsons first season originally aired between December 17, 1989 and May 13, 1990, beginning with the Christmas special "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire". The show runners for the first production season were Matt Groening, James L...
episode "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire
Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire
"Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire", also known as "The Simpsons Christmas Special", is the first full-length episode of The Simpsons to air despite originally being the eighth episode produced for season one. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on December 17, 1989...
", the season four
The Simpsons (season 4)
The Simpsons fourth season originally aired on the Fox network between September 24, 1992 and May 13, 1993, beginning with "Kamp Krusty." The show runners for the fourth production season were Al Jean and Mike Reiss. The aired season contained two episodes which were hold-over episodes from season...
episode "Mr. Plow
Mr. Plow
"Mr. Plow" is the ninth episode of The Simpsons fourth season, which originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on November 19, 1992. In the episode, Homer buys a snow plow and starts a business plowing driveways. It is a huge success, and inspired by this, Barney Gumble starts a...
", the season nine
The Simpsons (season 9)
The Simpsons ninth season originally aired between September 1997 and May 1998, beginning on Sunday, September 21, 1997 with "The City of New York vs. Homer Simpson". The show runner for the ninth production season was Mike Scully...
episode "Miracle on Evergreen Terrace
Miracle on Evergreen Terrace
"Miracle on Evergreen Terrace" is the tenth episode of The Simpsons ninth season and originally aired on the Fox network on December 21, 1997. Bart ruins Christmas for the Simpson family by burning down the tree and all their presents. It was written by Ron Hauge, directed by Bob Anderson and guest...
", and the season thirteen
The Simpsons (season 13)
The Simpsons thirteenth season originally aired on the Fox network between November 6, 2001 and May 22, 2002 and consists of 22 episodes. The show runner for the thirteenth production season was Al Jean who executive-produced 17 episodes...
episode "She of Little Faith
She of Little Faith
"She of Little Faith" is the sixth episode of The Simpsons thirteenth season. It first aired in the United States on the Fox network on December 16, 2001...
". On October 7, 2008, the episode was released on DVD again as part of the box set The Simpsons – The Complete Eleventh Season. Staff members Matt Groening, Mike Scully, George Meyer, Ian Maxtone-Graham, Tom Martin, Matt Selman, Tim Long, and Lance Kramer participated in the DVD audio commentary
Audio commentary
On disc-based video formats, an audio commentary is an additional audio track consisting of a lecture or comments by one or more speakers, that plays in real time with video...
for the episode. Deleted scenes from the episode were also included on the box set.
Since airing, "Grift of the Magi" has received mixed reception from critics. While reviewing the eleventh season of The Simpsons, DVD Movie Guide's Colin Jacobson commented that the episode "feels like an amalgamation of elements from prior holiday programs and never really elicits much humor. Christmas is commercialized and corporations use and abuse their customers? Those aren’t exactly rich insights, so ['Grift of the Magi'] comes across as a below average episode." In his review of the DVD Christmas With the Simpsons, Digitally Obsessed critic Joel Cunningham wrote that "Grift of the Magi" "comes from Season 11, well past the point when the series had sacrificed character for absurdist humor. Unless you don't think evil toy marketers, sentient Furbys, and Gary Coleman qualify. Anyway, after the school nearly goes bankrupt, Principal Skinner signs a contract with corporate backers who use the kids to conduct market research. There are some good gags, but the story doesn't hang together very well." Adam Tyner of DVD Talk
DVD Talk
DVD Talk is a website for DVD enthusiasts founded in January 1999 by Geoffrey Kleinman when DVDs and DVD players were first beginning to hit the market.The site started as an online forum, an email newsletter, and a page of DVD news and reviews...
wrote that the episode "has a couple of good gags (Gary Coleman chatting on the phone being my favorite) but is quickly forgettable". Brian James of PopMatters
PopMatters
PopMatters is an international webzine of cultural criticism that covers many aspects of popular culture. PopMatters publishes reviews, interviews, and detailed essays on most cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, films, books, video games, comics, sports, theater,...
described Coleman's cameo as "hysterical" in 2004, and Meghan Lewit of the same website listed "Grift of the Magi" at number eight on her 2009 list of the "10 best holiday themed TV episodes."
External links
- "Grift of the Magi" at The Simpsons.com