Lost Verizon
Encyclopedia
"Lost Verizon" is the second episode of The Simpsons
' twentieth season, and first aired October 5, 2008. Bart becomes jealous of his friends and their cell phones. Working at a golf course, Bart takes the cell phone of Denis Leary
(which looks like a "Verizon Wireless LG Chocolate Phone") after the star comedian throws it away in anger. Marge, per Leary's advice, activates the GPS system on the phone to track down Bart's every move; catching on, Bart attaches the GPS chip to a bird that migrates to Machu Picchu
, Peru
. Denis Leary
and Brian Grazer
(who also appeared in "When You Dish Upon a Star
" as himself) both guest star as themselves. It was directed by Raymond S. Persi
and written by John Frink
.
makes a fool of himself on a freeway, Milhouse
manages to catch the whole hilarious scene on his phone
. He calls most of his friends to see Skinner getting beaten up by a drunken-(as-always) Barney
, but cannot call Bart
. When Nelson
asks why, Milhouse explains it is simply because Bart does not have a cell phone. Later on, Bart is taunted for missing out on laughing at Skinner. Bart asks Marge
for a phone; Marge explains she, because Mr.Burns has cut Homer's pay, cannot afford to get a phone for Bart — but then, she is also too short on money to fund a dream trip for Lisa
to Machu Picchu
. A depressed Bart takes a walk past the Springfield Glen Country Club, and is promptly hit by a golf ball. Angrily, he enters the golf course to hit the golf ball against the person who threw it at him; upon entering, it turns out Julius Hibbert
had accidentally hit him. Hibbert immediately pays Bart a dollar
for retrieving the ball. Surprised, Bart takes the money
and gets an inspiration: retrieving golf balls for money, in order to buy a cell phone.
A gleeful Bart is only $20 short, but his glee is cut short when Groundskeeper Willie
(or more appropriately, Greenskeeper Willie) discovers Bart is cutting in on his job. Willie confiscates all the golf balls and presumably returns them himself, prompting Bart to return to his miserable mood. However, nearby, a celebrity golf tournament is underway. Celebrity Denis Leary
(guest starring as himself) prepares to swing, but misses brutally when his cell phone rings at the same time. Angrily, Leary throws away his phone, which lands beside Bart. Freshly pleased, Bart quits his job and takes Leary's phone. While going to inform Milhouse of his new cell, Bart receives a call from producer Brian Grazer
(also guest starring as himself), who asks Leary to star in the film adaption of Everyone Poops
. Bart, realizing the phone belongs to Leary, pretends to be him.
A mischievous Bart makes prank calls to bartenders all over the world (using names having to do with sex and the body, i.e. Maya Normusbutt — a replication of what in the earlier seasons of the program, he tormented Moe
with), has all of Boston
native Leary's money spent on New York Yankees
hats and uniforms, among other pranks towards Skinner. Marge overhears Bart and Milhouse's mischievousness, and when Milhouse confesses that it belongs to Leary, confiscates Bart's phone. Leary calls his cell, and Marge answers, apologizing for her son's behaviour. Leary, still angry with Bart's tricks, suggests Marge activate the Global Positioning System
on the phone and return it to Bart, meaning she could track down Bart's every move
. He says that this is how he tracked rival actors who "stole" film roles he wanted.
Somewhat guiltily, Marge activates the GPS and returns the phone to Bart. Marge, with the help of the GPS system, is able to prevent Bart from watching an R-rated movie, gambling at a horse race, and skating down steps and hurting himself. Bart now knows that as long as Marge and Homer have him under constant surveillance, he cannot have any fun. Lisa is shocked by Marge's injustice and confronts her for it. However, when she refuses to stop or acknowledge that she was abusing Bart's privacy, Lisa decides to tell Bart what's going on. Predictably, Bart grows angry and decides to get revenge. He ties the GPS chip to the leg of a scarlet tanager
, which flies away. Marge, thinking the bird is Bart, though unsure why he would circle the Shelbyville bird sanctuary, assumes that Bart is running away from home. While Homer
, Lisa, Marge, and Maggie
are going through a nation-wide search for Bart, Lisa realizes that the bird is the one they had been chasing the whole time. After checking research on her laptop, she discovers the bird is migrating to Machu Picchu
, her dream trip they could not afford. Knowing this, Lisa deliberately lets the bird go free so the family can chase it to Machu Picchu.
Bart relishes his newfound freedom during the daytime, but quickly becomes frightened of being alone at night
. When the Simpsons arrive in Machu Picchu, they continue the search for Bart. Marge, despite being exhausted, will not give up, and swears to be more over-parented with Bart, but Lisa convinces her to rest on an ancient sculpture, below the statue of the ancient Peru
vian God of the Sky. Marge quickly falls asleep, and is instantaneously pulled into a dream world where the God of the Sky shows her Ancient Peru
. He teaches her how throughout history, parents who over-parented their children could never set them free, which was how they were conquered by the Conquistador
s and Inca renegades
(although historically Machu Pichu was never actually discovered or conquered by the Conquistadors). Upon waking, Marge learns that she cannot over-mother Bart, and must let him take steps for himself. Homer discovers that the family has been following a bird the whole time, assuring Marge she knows exactly where Bart is. Upon returning to Springfield, Marge asks Bart if he missed her. Bart says he did not notice they were gone (for two weeks), so Marge, depressed, goes upstairs. However, upon reaching the stairs, she is stopped by Bart, who quickly begs her to never leave again. The episode ends with Lisa asking Homer, "Where's Maggie?" As it turns out, the family had left her in Machu Picchu, where she is being worshipped.
was included, but he did not appear in the final version of the episode. The episode is dedicated to Paul Newman
, who guest starred in "The Blunder Years
" and died nine days before the episode aired.
said, "This wasn't a terrible episode, but it just wasn't funny enough for such a serpentine storyline. Throw in a wasted Denis Leary, and you really start to think that 'Lost Verizon' could have been so much more". He gave the episode a final rating of 6.7/10. Erich Asperschlager of TV Verdict said, "it is a mostly solid episode, it feels like a missed opportunity for a show that garners more grumbles than acclaim these days".
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...
Denis Leary
Denis Colin Leary is an Irish-American actor, comedian, writer and director. Leary is known for his biting, fast paced comedic style and chain smoking...
(which looks like a "Verizon Wireless LG Chocolate Phone") after the star comedian throws it away in anger. Marge, per Leary's advice, activates the GPS system on the phone to track down Bart's every move; catching on, Bart attaches the GPS chip to a bird that migrates to Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu is a pre-Columbian 15th-century Inca site located above sea level. It is situated on a mountain ridge above the Urubamba Valley in Peru, which is northwest of Cusco and through which the Urubamba River flows. Most archaeologists believe that Machu Picchu was built as an estate for...
, Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
. Denis Leary
Denis Leary
Denis Colin Leary is an Irish-American actor, comedian, writer and director. Leary is known for his biting, fast paced comedic style and chain smoking...
and Brian Grazer
Brian Grazer
Brian Thomas Grazer is an Academy Award-winning American film and television producer who co-founded Imagine Entertainment in 1986 with Ron Howard. Together they have produced many acclaimed films, including Apollo 13 and A Beautiful Mind .- Career :Brian Grazer began his career as a producer...
(who also appeared in "When You Dish Upon a Star
When You Dish upon a Star
"When You Dish Upon a Star" is the fifth episode of The Simpsons tenth season, which was originally broadcast on November 8, 1998. When the family spend the day at Lake Springfield, Homer meets Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger, who are hiding from the media in their secluded summer home...
" as himself) both guest star as themselves. It was directed by Raymond S. Persi
Raymond S. Persi
Raymond S. Persi is a director for episodes of The Simpsons. His directing credits include season sixteen's "Mobile Homer", several episodes from season seventeen including "The Girl Who Slept Too Little", the Emmy-award winning "The Seemingly Never-Ending Story", and "The Monkey Suit", the season...
and written by John Frink
John Frink
John Frink is an American television writer and producer. He has written several episodes of the American animated sitcom The Simpsons, many of which he co-wrote with his former writing partner Don Payne. Frink and Payne started their career in television writing for the short-lived sitcom Hope...
.
Plot
When Principal SkinnerSeymour 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...
makes a fool of himself on a freeway, 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....
manages to catch the whole hilarious scene on his phone
Mobile phone
A mobile phone is a device which can make and receive telephone calls over a radio link whilst moving around a wide geographic area. It does so by connecting to a cellular network provided by a mobile network operator...
. He calls most of his friends to see Skinner getting beaten up by a drunken-(as-always) Barney
Barney Gumble
Barnard "Barney" Gumble is a fictional character on the American animated sitcom The Simpsons. The character is voiced by Dan Castellaneta and first appeared in the series premiere episode "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire". He is the town drunk and Homer Simpson's best friend. His capacity for...
, but cannot call 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...
. When Nelson
Nelson Muntz
Nelson Mandela Muntz is a fictional character and bully from the animated TV series The Simpsons. He is voiced by Nancy Cartwright. Nelson was introduced in Season 1's "Bart the General" as a bully but later turned into a friend of Bart Simpson, who is best identified by his signature laugh .-Role...
asks why, Milhouse explains it is simply because Bart does not have a cell phone. Later on, Bart is taunted for missing out on laughing at Skinner. Bart asks 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...
for a phone; Marge explains she, because Mr.Burns has cut Homer's pay, cannot afford to get a phone for Bart — but then, she is also too short on money to fund a dream trip for 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...
to Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu is a pre-Columbian 15th-century Inca site located above sea level. It is situated on a mountain ridge above the Urubamba Valley in Peru, which is northwest of Cusco and through which the Urubamba River flows. Most archaeologists believe that Machu Picchu was built as an estate for...
. A depressed Bart takes a walk past the Springfield Glen Country Club, and is promptly hit by a golf ball. Angrily, he enters the golf course to hit the golf ball against the person who threw it at him; upon entering, it turns out Julius 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...
had accidentally hit him. Hibbert immediately pays Bart a dollar
Dollar
The dollar is the name of the official currency of many countries, including Australia, Belize, Canada, Ecuador, El Salvador, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Singapore, Taiwan, and the United States.-Etymology:...
for retrieving the ball. Surprised, Bart takes the money
Money
Money is any object or record that is generally accepted as payment for goods and services and repayment of debts in a given country or socio-economic context. The main functions of money are distinguished as: a medium of exchange; a unit of account; a store of value; and, occasionally in the past,...
and gets an inspiration: retrieving golf balls for money, in order to buy a cell phone.
A gleeful Bart is only $20 short, but his glee is cut short when Groundskeeper Willie
Groundskeeper Willie
William McDougal, usually referred to as Groundskeeper Willie, is a recurring character on The Simpsons, voiced by Dan Castellaneta. He is head groundskeeper at Springfield Elementary School. Willie is a Scottish immigrant, almost feral in nature and immensely proud of his homeland...
(or more appropriately, Greenskeeper Willie) discovers Bart is cutting in on his job. Willie confiscates all the golf balls and presumably returns them himself, prompting Bart to return to his miserable mood. However, nearby, a celebrity golf tournament is underway. Celebrity Denis Leary
Denis Leary
Denis Colin Leary is an Irish-American actor, comedian, writer and director. Leary is known for his biting, fast paced comedic style and chain smoking...
(guest starring as himself) prepares to swing, but misses brutally when his cell phone rings at the same time. Angrily, Leary throws away his phone, which lands beside Bart. Freshly pleased, Bart quits his job and takes Leary's phone. While going to inform Milhouse of his new cell, Bart receives a call from producer Brian Grazer
Brian Grazer
Brian Thomas Grazer is an Academy Award-winning American film and television producer who co-founded Imagine Entertainment in 1986 with Ron Howard. Together they have produced many acclaimed films, including Apollo 13 and A Beautiful Mind .- Career :Brian Grazer began his career as a producer...
(also guest starring as himself), who asks Leary to star in the film adaption of Everyone Poops
Everyone Poops
Everyone Poops is the title of US editions of the English translation of , a Japanese children's book written and illustrated by the prolific children's author Tarō Gomi and 1st published in Japan by Fukuinkan Shoten in 1977 within the series Kagaku no Tomo Kessaku-shū Everyone Poops is the title...
. Bart, realizing the phone belongs to Leary, pretends to be him.
A mischievous Bart makes prank calls to bartenders all over the world (using names having to do with sex and the body, i.e. Maya Normusbutt — a replication of what in the earlier seasons of the program, he tormented Moe
Moe Szyslak
Momar / Morris "Moe" Szyslak is a fictional character in the American animated television series, The Simpsons. He is voiced by Hank Azaria and first appeared in the series premiere episode "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire"...
with), has all of Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
native Leary's money spent on New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
hats and uniforms, among other pranks towards Skinner. Marge overhears Bart and Milhouse's mischievousness, and when Milhouse confesses that it belongs to Leary, confiscates Bart's phone. Leary calls his cell, and Marge answers, apologizing for her son's behaviour. Leary, still angry with Bart's tricks, suggests Marge activate the Global Positioning System
Global Positioning System
The Global Positioning System is a space-based global navigation satellite system that provides location and time information in all weather, anywhere on or near the Earth, where there is an unobstructed line of sight to four or more GPS satellites...
on the phone and return it to Bart, meaning she could track down Bart's every move
Helicopter parent
Helicopter parent is a colloquial, early 21st-century term for a parent who pays extremely close attention to his or her child's or children's experiences and problems, particularly at educational institutions. The term was originally coined by Foster W. Cline, M.D. and Jim Fay in their 1990 book...
. He says that this is how he tracked rival actors who "stole" film roles he wanted.
Somewhat guiltily, Marge activates the GPS and returns the phone to Bart. Marge, with the help of the GPS system, is able to prevent Bart from watching an R-rated movie, gambling at a horse race, and skating down steps and hurting himself. Bart now knows that as long as Marge and Homer have him under constant surveillance, he cannot have any fun. Lisa is shocked by Marge's injustice and confronts her for it. However, when she refuses to stop or acknowledge that she was abusing Bart's privacy, Lisa decides to tell Bart what's going on. Predictably, Bart grows angry and decides to get revenge. He ties the GPS chip to the leg of a scarlet tanager
Scarlet Tanager
The Scarlet Tanager is a medium-sized American songbird. Formerly placed in the tanager family , it and other members of its genus are now classified in the cardinal family . The species's plumage and vocalizations are similar to other members of the cardinal family.-Description:Adults have pale...
, which flies away. Marge, thinking the bird is Bart, though unsure why he would circle the Shelbyville bird sanctuary, assumes that Bart is running away from home. While 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...
, Lisa, Marge, and Maggie
Maggie Simpson
Margaret "Maggie" Simpson is a fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons. She first appeared on television in the Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987. Maggie was created and designed by cartoonist Matt Groening while he was waiting in the lobby of James...
are going through a nation-wide search for Bart, Lisa realizes that the bird is the one they had been chasing the whole time. After checking research on her laptop, she discovers the bird is migrating to Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu is a pre-Columbian 15th-century Inca site located above sea level. It is situated on a mountain ridge above the Urubamba Valley in Peru, which is northwest of Cusco and through which the Urubamba River flows. Most archaeologists believe that Machu Picchu was built as an estate for...
, her dream trip they could not afford. Knowing this, Lisa deliberately lets the bird go free so the family can chase it to Machu Picchu.
Bart relishes his newfound freedom during the daytime, but quickly becomes frightened of being alone at night
Person In Need of Supervision
Persons in need of supervision is a term frequently used by social services agencies in the United States to describe a juvenile who is not currently in the household of a parent or legal guardian, or is currently not under their control as evidenced by the person's status offense, who is not an...
. When the Simpsons arrive in Machu Picchu, they continue the search for Bart. Marge, despite being exhausted, will not give up, and swears to be more over-parented with Bart, but Lisa convinces her to rest on an ancient sculpture, below the statue of the ancient Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
vian God of the Sky. Marge quickly falls asleep, and is instantaneously pulled into a dream world where the God of the Sky shows her Ancient Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
. He teaches her how throughout history, parents who over-parented their children could never set them free, which was how they were conquered by the Conquistador
Conquistador
Conquistadors were Spanish soldiers, explorers, and adventurers who brought much of the Americas under the control of Spain in the 15th to 16th centuries, following Europe's discovery of the New World by Christopher Columbus in 1492...
s and Inca renegades
Indian auxiliaries
Auxiliary Indians or indios auxiliares is the term used in old Spanish chronicles and historical texts for the indigenous peoples who were integrated into the armies of the Spanish conquerors with the purpose of supporting their advance and combat operations during the Conquest of America...
(although historically Machu Pichu was never actually discovered or conquered by the Conquistadors). Upon waking, Marge learns that she cannot over-mother Bart, and must let him take steps for himself. Homer discovers that the family has been following a bird the whole time, assuring Marge she knows exactly where Bart is. Upon returning to Springfield, Marge asks Bart if he missed her. Bart says he did not notice they were gone (for two weeks), so Marge, depressed, goes upstairs. However, upon reaching the stairs, she is stopped by Bart, who quickly begs her to never leave again. The episode ends with Lisa asking Homer, "Where's Maggie?" As it turns out, the family had left her in Machu Picchu, where she is being worshipped.
Production
During the table read of the script, a role meant for Matt DamonMatt Damon
Matthew Paige "Matt" Damon is an American actor, screenwriter, and philanthropist whose career was launched following the success of the film Good Will Hunting , from a screenplay he co-wrote with friend Ben Affleck...
was included, but he did not appear in the final version of the episode. The episode is dedicated to Paul Newman
Paul Newman
Paul Leonard Newman was an American actor, film director, entrepreneur, humanitarian, professional racing driver and auto racing enthusiast...
, who guest starred in "The Blunder Years
The Blunder Years
"The Blunder Years" is the fifth episode of The Simpsons’ thirteenth season. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on December 9, 2001. The episode sees Homer, after being hypnotized by the hypnotist Mesmerino while having dinner at the restaurant Pimento Grove, reminded by a...
" and died nine days before the episode aired.
Cultural references
- The title of the episode is a reference to the book, Lost Horizon by James Hilton and to Frank Capra's film Lost Horizon and U.S. telephone company Verizon.
- The bar named Inga-Bar Beerman is a reference to filmmaker Ingmar BergmanIngmar BergmanErnst Ingmar Bergman was a Swedish director, writer and producer for film, stage and television. Described by Woody Allen as "probably the greatest film artist, all things considered, since the invention of the motion picture camera", he is recognized as one of the most accomplished and...
. The image of the barman in profile and another person in the background is a visual reference from Bergman's 1966 film PersonaPersona (film)Persona is a film by Swedish director Ingmar Bergman, released in 1966, and starring Bibi Andersson and Liv Ullmann. Bergman held this film to be one of his most important; in his book Images, he writes: "Today I feel that in Persona—and later in Cries and Whispers—I had gone as far as I could go...
. - The Australian barman resembles "Crocodile" Dundee, and his bar is called Crocodile Drunkee's. In his bar window, a partial sticker for the band INXSINXSINXS are an Australian rock band, formed as The Farriss Brothers in 1977 in Sydney, New South Wales. Mainstays are Garry Gary Beers on bass guitar, Andrew Farriss on guitar/keyboards, Jon Farriss on drums, Tim Farriss on lead guitar and Kirk Pengilly on guitar/sax...
is seen. - Skinner plays a human version of the arcade game FroggerFroggerFrogger is an arcade game introduced in 1981. It was developed by Konami, and licensed for worldwide distribution by Sega/Gremlin. The object of the game is to direct frogs to their homes one by one. To do this, each frog must avoid cars while crossing a busy road and navigate a river full of...
when trying to cross the interstate for gas. - Marge receives a collection notice from Allied Peas whose corporate mascot bears a striking resemblance to the Jolly Green Giant while paying for frozen peas on installment.
- Bart, MilhouseMilhouse Van HoutenMilhouse 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....
, and NelsonNelson MuntzNelson Mandela Muntz is a fictional character and bully from the animated TV series The Simpsons. He is voiced by Nancy Cartwright. Nelson was introduced in Season 1's "Bart the General" as a bully but later turned into a friend of Bart Simpson, who is best identified by his signature laugh .-Role...
grill TwizzlersTwizzlersTwizzlers is a brand of red licorice candy in the United States and Canada. Twizzlers is the product of Y&S Candies, Inc., of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, now a subsidiary of The Hershey Company.-History:...
licorice. - Bart suggests to Leary's manager that he order New York YankeesNew York YankeesThe New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
hats and Derek JeterDerek JeterDerek Sanderson Jeter is an American baseball shortstop who has played 17 years in Major League Baseball for the New York Yankees. A twelve-time All-Star and five-time World Series champion, Jeter's clubhouse presence, on-field leadership, hitting ability, and baserunning have made him a central...
jerseys. Leary is a real life Boston Red SoxBoston Red SoxThe Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
fan, a large rivalYankees-Red Sox rivalryThe Yankees–Red Sox rivalry is one of the oldest, most famous and fiercest rivalries in professional sports. For more than 100 years, Major League Baseball's Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees of the American League have been intense rivals....
of the Yankees. Leary was born in MassachusettsMassachusettsThe Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
and went to college at Emerson CollegeEmerson CollegeEmerson College is a private coeducational university located in Boston, Massachusetts. Founded in 1880 by Charles Wesley Emerson as a "school of oratory," Emerson is "the only comprehensive college or university in America dedicated exclusively to communication and the arts in a liberal arts...
in Boston. - Towards the end of the episode when the Machu Picchu army flee from the conquistadors, one of them makes the same sound that Doctor Zoidberg of FuturamaFuturamaFuturama is an American animated science fiction sitcom created by Matt Groening and developed by Groening and David X. Cohen for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series follows the adventures of a late 20th-century New York City pizza delivery boy, Philip J...
, Matt Groening's other show, often makes. - During the montage of Homer and Marge tracking Bart the Elvis CostelloElvis CostelloElvis Costello , born Declan Patrick MacManus, is an English singer-songwriter. He came to prominence as an early participant in London's pub rock scene in the mid-1970s and later became associated with the punk/New Wave genre. Steeped in word play, the vocabulary of Costello's lyrics is broader...
song "Watch Your Step" is playing. - While Denis LearyDenis LearyDenis Colin Leary is an Irish-American actor, comedian, writer and director. Leary is known for his biting, fast paced comedic style and chain smoking...
is playing golf against Krusty the Klown, the latter references the film, Ice AgeIce Age (film)Ice Age is a 2002 American computer-animated film created by Blue Sky Studios and released by 20th Century Fox. It was directed by Carlos Saldanha and Chris Wedge from a story by Michael J. Wilson. The story follows three Paleolithical mammals attempting to return a lost human baby to its parents...
, in which the former starred in. Leary mentions his character, Diego the Sabre-tooth Tiger.
Reception
In its original airing, the episode garnered 7.43 million viewers, a 3.6 rating and a 10% share. Robert Canning of IGNIGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
said, "This wasn't a terrible episode, but it just wasn't funny enough for such a serpentine storyline. Throw in a wasted Denis Leary, and you really start to think that 'Lost Verizon' could have been so much more". He gave the episode a final rating of 6.7/10. Erich Asperschlager of TV Verdict said, "it is a mostly solid episode, it feels like a missed opportunity for a show that garners more grumbles than acclaim these days".