Love, Springfieldian Style
Encyclopedia
"Love, Springfieldian Style" is the twelfth episode of The Simpsons
' nineteenth season
(s19e12) and was first broadcast on the Fox Network on February 17, 2008, three days after Valentine's Day
. It includes three self contained stories about romance. The three tales are parodies of Bonnie and Clyde
, Lady and the Tramp
and Sid and Nancy
.
afternoon. As a Valentine's Day treat, Homer
takes Marge
to a carnival, where they lose the kids in order to spend the day with one another in the Tunnel of Love. Inside, the two enjoy each other's company; however, Bart
attempts to spoil his parents' happiness by filling the water with Jell-O
, causing Homer and Marge's boat to stop. Trapped, Homer decides to pass time by telling Marge the story of Bonnie and Clyde.
Bonnie and Clyde
In 1933, during the Great Depression
, Bonnie Parker
(Marge) rejects a man trying to get her attention (Cletus
), saying she is looking for someone exciting. Clyde Barrow
(Homer) then arrives, and after robbing a store (which he ironically co-owns with his father), the two run off. Clyde discovers Bonnie's passion is violence, and the two go on a crime spree by robbing banks. After tricking a citizen (Flanders
) into helping them, the two garner intense popularity across the country. The citizen they tricked soon realizes what had happened, and snitches to the police after learning they are an unmarried couple. The Texas officers soon arrive, and the cops gun Bonnie and Clyde down. While being shot, Bonnie tells Clyde that she is looking for a man with more excitement, and that they would never have been together.
Back at the Tunnel of love, Bart and Lisa
arrive at Homer and Marge's boat, and want them to tell a child-friendly story. Marge tells the story of Shady and the Vamp.
Shady and the Vamp
Vamp (Marge) is a royal and luxurious female dog. Shady (Homer) is in love with Vamp and eyes her from a distance, vowing that he will win her. After he is trampled by a mob of children, Shady comforts Vamp, and he asks her out for dinner. The two go to Luigi's, where, after a romantic pasta dinner (Except for the part were Shady nearly swallows Vamp over a string of spaghetti), the two run off onto a hill when the health inspector comes. In the morning, Vamp wakes up with nauseous feelings
, and Shady leaves her, claiming that a fox hunter is near. In a musical number entitled "Any Minute Now" (featuring canine versions of Lenny, Carl and Barney
backing up for Shady), the two dogs await for one another's return, though the cats living with a now-pregnant
Vamp (Patty and Selma) convince her that Shady would never come back, whilst the dog who is friends with Shady (Moe
) convinces him that he should stay with them rather than be "stuck" with Vamp and their puppies. Her puppies (Bart and Lisa) decide to go look for their father, and after being kidnapped by the dog catcher (Groundskeeper Willie
), Shady arrives to save his children. Shady returns them home and reunites with Vamp, choosing to stay with her, though Vamp informs him that they have not two, but eleven puppies in the house (Five each resembling Bart and Lisa and one resembling Maggie).
When Homer eventually gets bored with Marge's story, Bart tells the story of Sid and Nancy.
Sid and Nancy
Nancy Spungen
(Lisa
), a young model student, walks into a rock concert by the Sex Pistols
with her friend Milhouse
, where she is enamored by the eccentric bassist, Sid Vicious
(Nelson
). After viewing him throw his bass at a fan at his concert, she decides to go after him. A chocolate dealer (Otto
) sells her a chocolate bar which she gives to Sid, who soon begins dating her. As shown in a montage, the two begin having their lives spiraled out of control while gaining a chocolate addiction. Sid soon begins ditching the Sex Pistols, angering lead singer Johnny Rotten
(Bart
) and guitarist Steve Jones
(Jimbo). Sid arrives in the middle of a performance after a major chocolate spree, and knocks into an amplifier which topples over and crushes their drummer, Paul Cook
(Dolph). Nancy arrives to defend Sid, and informs the Pistols that Sid does not need them, and the two go off trying to sing a soft type of music, performing at CBGB
(Comic Book Guy
's Bar). When they are kicked out for playing music against everything that punk rock
represents (which, according to the Comic Book Guy, is nothing), the two decide to go back to their addiction and kiss in the alley as garbage (emptied by Homer) rains down on them. Homer wishes everyone a Happy Valentine's Day and to "...shut their gobs!"
on Sky1 on December 21, 2008 at 9.30pm. It was the second episode of The Simpsons to be broadcast after the watershed
hour (after Weekend at Burnsie's
) because the adult content was deemed too strong to be shown before then (particularly in the Sid and Nancy story, where several scenes depict Nelson and Lisa ingesting chocolate as if it were an illegal substance and one scene where Bart repeatedly sings the word "bollocks", and the end of the Bonnie and Clyde story where Homer and Marge are shot countless times and do not bleed or die).
Richard Keller of TV Squad enjoyed the episode and said that it was overall pretty decent. He said that, "This time around they seemed to focus on the stories themselves rather than overload them with gags as they tend to do. The result were some pretty nice stories." His favorite was the second story. Robert Canning of IGN said the episode "left out the fun and funny". Canning said the Bonnie and Clyde segment "Jokes, were far from fast and furious" and that the segment "had no punch". The "Shady and the Vamp" story, "Was what you'd expect, and the lack of surprise made the whole thing quite boring." Canning thought, "The best was saved for last" on Bart's retelling of the Sex Pistols and Sid Vicious. He went on to say, "This segment really did contain the best throwaway gags...But overall, the segment wasn't funny enough to redeem the two bland installments that came before it." Canning gave the episode a 5.5 out of 10.
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...
The Simpsons (season 19)
The Simpsons nineteenth season originally aired on the Fox network between September 23, 2007 and May 18, 2008.-Production:The nineteenth season of The Simpsons is the first one produced after the movie and contained seven hold-over episodes from season 18's JABF production line...
(s19e12) and was first broadcast on the Fox Network on February 17, 2008, three days after Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day
Saint Valentine's Day, commonly shortened to Valentine's Day, is an annual commemoration held on February 14 celebrating love and affection between intimate companions. The day is named after one or more early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine, and was established by Pope Gelasius I in 496...
. It includes three self contained stories about romance. The three tales are parodies of Bonnie and Clyde
Bonnie and Clyde (film)
The film was originally offered to François Truffaut, the best-known director of the New Wave movement, who made contributions to the script. He passed on the project to make Fahrenheit 451. The producers approached Jean-Luc Godard next...
, Lady and the Tramp
Lady and the Tramp
Lady and the Tramp is a 1955 American animated film produced by Walt Disney and released to theaters on June 22, 1955, by Buena Vista Distribution. The fifteenth animated feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series, it was the first animated feature filmed in the CinemaScope widescreen...
and Sid and Nancy
Sid and Nancy
Sid and Nancy is a 1986 British biopic directed by Alex Cox. The film portrays the life of Sid Vicious , bassist of the seminal punk rock band the Sex Pistols, and his relationship with girlfriend Nancy Spungen .-Plot:The film opens with several police officers dragging Sid Vicious out of the Hotel...
.
Plot
The episode begins on a Valentine's DayValentine's Day
Saint Valentine's Day, commonly shortened to Valentine's Day, is an annual commemoration held on February 14 celebrating love and affection between intimate companions. The day is named after one or more early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine, and was established by Pope Gelasius I in 496...
afternoon. As a Valentine's Day treat, 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...
takes 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...
to a carnival, where they lose the kids in order to spend the day with one another in the Tunnel of Love. Inside, the two enjoy each other's company; however, 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...
attempts to spoil his parents' happiness by filling the water with Jell-O
Jell-O
Jell-O is a brand name belonging to U.S.-based Kraft Foods for a number of gelatin desserts, including fruit gels, puddings and no-bake cream pies. The brand's popularity has led to it being used as a generic term for gelatin dessert across the U.S. and Canada....
, causing Homer and Marge's boat to stop. Trapped, Homer decides to pass time by telling Marge the story of Bonnie and Clyde.
Bonnie and ClydeBonnie and Clyde (film)The film was originally offered to François Truffaut, the best-known director of the New Wave movement, who made contributions to the script. He passed on the project to make Fahrenheit 451. The producers approached Jean-Luc Godard next...
In 1933, during the Great DepressionGreat Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, Bonnie Parker
Bonnie and Clyde
Bonnie Elizabeth Parker and Clyde Chestnut Barrow were well-known outlaws, robbers, and criminals who traveled the Central United States with their gang during the Great Depression. Their exploits captured the attention of the American public during the "public enemy era" between 1931 and 1934...
(Marge) rejects a man trying to get her attention (Cletus
Cletus Spuckler
Cletus Delroy Spuckler is a recurring character in the Fox animated series, The Simpsons, and is voiced by Hank Azaria. Cletus is Springfield's resident hillbilly stereotype. He is very messy and is usually portrayed wearing a white sleeveless shirt and pair of blue jeans.- Biography :Cletus was...
), saying she is looking for someone exciting. Clyde Barrow
Bonnie and Clyde
Bonnie Elizabeth Parker and Clyde Chestnut Barrow were well-known outlaws, robbers, and criminals who traveled the Central United States with their gang during the Great Depression. Their exploits captured the attention of the American public during the "public enemy era" between 1931 and 1934...
(Homer) then arrives, and after robbing a store (which he ironically co-owns with his father), the two run off. Clyde discovers Bonnie's passion is violence, and the two go on a crime spree by robbing banks. After tricking a citizen (Flanders
Ned Flanders
Nedward "Ned" Flanders, Jr. is a recurring fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons. He is voiced by Harry Shearer, and first appeared in the series premiere episode "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire". He is the next door neighbor to the Simpson family and is generally...
) into helping them, the two garner intense popularity across the country. The citizen they tricked soon realizes what had happened, and snitches to the police after learning they are an unmarried couple. The Texas officers soon arrive, and the cops gun Bonnie and Clyde down. While being shot, Bonnie tells Clyde that she is looking for a man with more excitement, and that they would never have been together.
Back at the Tunnel of love, Bart and 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...
arrive at Homer and Marge's boat, and want them to tell a child-friendly story. Marge tells the story of Shady and the Vamp.
Shady and the VampLady and the TrampLady and the Tramp is a 1955 American animated film produced by Walt Disney and released to theaters on June 22, 1955, by Buena Vista Distribution. The fifteenth animated feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series, it was the first animated feature filmed in the CinemaScope widescreen...
Vamp (Marge) is a royal and luxurious female dog. Shady (Homer) is in love with Vamp and eyes her from a distance, vowing that he will win her. After he is trampled by a mob of children, Shady comforts Vamp, and he asks her out for dinner. The two go to Luigi's, where, after a romantic pasta dinner (Except for the part were Shady nearly swallows Vamp over a string of spaghetti), the two run off onto a hill when the health inspector comes. In the morning, Vamp wakes up with nauseous feelingsMorning sickness
Morning sickness, also called nausea gravidarum, nausea, vomiting of pregnancy , or pregnancy sickness is a condition that affects more than half of all pregnant women. Related to increased oestrogen levels, a similar form of nausea is also seen in some women who use hormonal contraception or...
, and Shady leaves her, claiming that a fox hunter is near. In a musical number entitled "Any Minute Now" (featuring canine versions of Lenny, Carl and 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...
backing up for Shady), the two dogs await for one another's return, though the cats living with a now-pregnant
Pregnancy
Pregnancy refers to the fertilization and development of one or more offspring, known as a fetus or embryo, in a woman's uterus. In a pregnancy, there can be multiple gestations, as in the case of twins or triplets...
Vamp (Patty and Selma) convince her that Shady would never come back, whilst the dog who is friends with Shady (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"...
) convinces him that he should stay with them rather than be "stuck" with Vamp and their puppies. Her puppies (Bart and Lisa) decide to go look for their father, and after being kidnapped by the dog catcher (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...
), Shady arrives to save his children. Shady returns them home and reunites with Vamp, choosing to stay with her, though Vamp informs him that they have not two, but eleven puppies in the house (Five each resembling Bart and Lisa and one resembling Maggie).
When Homer eventually gets bored with Marge's story, Bart tells the story of Sid and Nancy.
Sid and NancySid and NancySid and Nancy is a 1986 British biopic directed by Alex Cox. The film portrays the life of Sid Vicious , bassist of the seminal punk rock band the Sex Pistols, and his relationship with girlfriend Nancy Spungen .-Plot:The film opens with several police officers dragging Sid Vicious out of the Hotel...
Nancy SpungenNancy Spungen
Nancy Laura Spungen was the American girlfriend of Sex Pistols bassist Sid Vicious. Spungen has been the subject of controversy among music historians and fans of the Sex Pistols.-Early life:...
(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...
), a young model student, walks into a rock concert by the Sex Pistols
Sex Pistols
The Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band that formed in London in 1975. They were responsible for initiating the punk movement in the United Kingdom and inspiring many later punk and alternative rock musicians...
with her friend 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....
, where she is enamored by the eccentric bassist, Sid Vicious
Sid Vicious
Sid Vicious was an English musician best known as the bassist of the influential punk rock group Sex Pistols...
(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...
). After viewing him throw his bass at a fan at his concert, she decides to go after him. A chocolate dealer (Otto
Otto Mann
Otto Mann is a fictional character on the animated TV series The Simpsons, voiced by Harry Shearer. He is the school bus driver for Springfield Elementary School...
) sells her a chocolate bar which she gives to Sid, who soon begins dating her. As shown in a montage, the two begin having their lives spiraled out of control while gaining a chocolate addiction. Sid soon begins ditching the Sex Pistols, angering lead singer Johnny Rotten
John Lydon
John Joseph Lydon , also known by the former stage name Johnny Rotten, is a singer-songwriter and television presenter, best known as the lead singer of punk rock band the Sex Pistols from 1975 until 1978, and again for various revivals during the 1990s and 2000s...
(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 guitarist Steve Jones
Steve Jones (musician)
Stephen Philip "Steve" Jones is an English rock guitarist, singer and actor, best known as guitarist and founding member of the punk rock band the Sex Pistols.-Childhood:...
(Jimbo). Sid arrives in the middle of a performance after a major chocolate spree, and knocks into an amplifier which topples over and crushes their drummer, Paul Cook
Paul Cook
Paul Thomas Cook is an English drummer and member of the punk rock band Sex Pistols.-Early life and career:...
(Dolph). Nancy arrives to defend Sid, and informs the Pistols that Sid does not need them, and the two go off trying to sing a soft type of music, performing at CBGB
CBGB
CBGB was a music club at 315 Bowery at Bleecker Street in the borough of Manhattan in New York City.Founded by Hilly Kristal in 1973, it was originally intended to feature its namesake musical styles, but became a forum for American punk and New Wave bands like Ramones, Misfits, Television, the...
(Comic Book Guy
Comic Book Guy
Comic Book Guy is a recurring fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons. He is voiced by Hank Azaria, and first appeared in the second-season episode "Three Men and a Comic Book", which originally aired on May 9, 1991. He is the proprietor of a comic book store, The...
's Bar). When they are kicked out for playing music against everything that punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
represents (which, according to the Comic Book Guy, is nothing), the two decide to go back to their addiction and kiss in the alley as garbage (emptied by Homer) rains down on them. Homer wishes everyone a Happy Valentine's Day and to "...shut their gobs!"
Cultural references
- The title of the episode is a take-off of Love, American StyleLove, American StyleLove, American Style is an hour-long TV anthology produced by Paramount Television and originally aired between September 1969 and January 1974...
. - The song played at the beginning of the episode is L-O-V-EL-O-V-E"L-O-V-E" is a jazz song written by Bert Kaempfert and Milt Gabler for American singer-pianist Nat King Cole's 1965 album L-O-V-E...
by Nat King ColeNat King ColeNathaniel Adams Coles , known professionally as Nat King Cole, was an American musician who first came to prominence as a leading jazz pianist. Although an accomplished pianist, he owes most of his popular musical fame to his soft baritone voice, which he used to perform in big band and jazz genres...
. - In the Bonnie and Clyde segment, the radio actors performing "The Bonnie and Clyde Hour" are drawn to resemble George BurnsGeorge BurnsGeorge Burns , born Nathan Birnbaum, was an American comedian, actor, and writer.He was one of the few entertainers whose career successfully spanned vaudeville, film, radio, television and movies, with and without his wife, Gracie Allen. His arched eyebrow and cigar smoke punctuation became...
and Gracie AllenGracie AllenGrace Ethel Cecile Rosalie Allen , known as Gracie Allen, was an American comedian who became internationally famous as the zany partner and comic foil of husband George Burns...
. The "Robby Robin" character is a parody of Woody WoodpeckerWoody WoodpeckerWoody Woodpecker is an animated cartoon character, an anthropomorphic acorn woodpecker who appeared in theatrical short films produced by the Walter Lantz animation studio and distributed by Universal Pictures...
. - The "Shady and the Vamp" segment refers to the 1955 movie, "Lady and the Tramp". The whole segment is uniquely animated in the painted art style that is reminiscent of DisneyThe Walt Disney CompanyThe Walt Disney Company is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into...
features. It should also be noted that during development, one possible name for the character "Tramp" was Homer. - The dog Groundskeeper Willie takes into the gas chamber is based on Disney's character, GoofyGoofyGoofy is a cartoon character created in 1932 at Walt Disney Productions. Goofy is a tall, anthropomorphic dog, and typically wears a turtle neck and vest, with pants, shoes, white gloves, and a tall hat originally designed as a rumpled fedora. Goofy is a close friend of Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck...
, who says the ordeal was better than working for Disney. The Goofy-esque character even has the signature "A-hyuck" laugh. - The final segment is a reference to the romance of Sid ViciousSid ViciousSid Vicious was an English musician best known as the bassist of the influential punk rock group Sex Pistols...
and Nancy SpungenNancy SpungenNancy Laura Spungen was the American girlfriend of Sex Pistols bassist Sid Vicious. Spungen has been the subject of controversy among music historians and fans of the Sex Pistols.-Early life:...
and the film Sid and NancySid and NancySid and Nancy is a 1986 British biopic directed by Alex Cox. The film portrays the life of Sid Vicious , bassist of the seminal punk rock band the Sex Pistols, and his relationship with girlfriend Nancy Spungen .-Plot:The film opens with several police officers dragging Sid Vicious out of the Hotel...
. CBGB was a real music bar that is now closed (though in the episode it stands for Comic Book GuyComic Book GuyComic Book Guy is a recurring fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons. He is voiced by Hank Azaria, and first appeared in the second-season episode "Three Men and a Comic Book", which originally aired on May 9, 1991. He is the proprietor of a comic book store, The...
's Bar). Several punk icons, (Captain SensibleCaptain SensibleCaptain Sensible is a singer, songwriter, guitarist who grew up in Croydon, England, and co-founded the punk rock band The Damned in 1976. After leaving the band, he reinvented himself as an alternative pop singer with a rebellious, self-conscious image...
and Dave Vanian of The Damned) are also seen in the bar. - In the Bonnie and Clyde segment, when rebuffing Cletus, Marge says, "This is Texas, the future home of Hakeem OlajuwonHakeem OlajuwonHakeem Abdul Olajuwon is a retired Nigerian-American professional basketball player. From 1984 to 2002, he played the center position in the National Basketball Association for the Houston Rockets and Toronto Raptors. He led the Rockets to back-to-back NBA championships in 1994 and 1995. In 2008,...
", who would be famous in the 1990s playing for Texas-based NBA team Houston RocketsHouston RocketsThe Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
. - In the Sid and Nancy segment, when at the bar, the song that the Sex Pistols (Bart, Nelson, Jimbo - playing guitarist Steve JonesSteve Jones (musician)Stephen Philip "Steve" Jones is an English rock guitarist, singer and actor, best known as guitarist and founding member of the punk rock band the Sex Pistols.-Childhood:...
- and Dolph) are listening to is "Neat Neat NeatNeat Neat Neat"Neat Neat Neat" was the second single by The Damned, released simultaneously with their debut album Damned Damned Damned.The single was reissued in Stiff's mail order Damned 4 Pack mail-order set...
" by The Damned, until MartinMartin PrinceMartin Prince, Jr. is a recurring character in the Fox animated series, The Simpsons, and is voiced by Russi Taylor. Martin is Bart Simpson's classmate, and is Lisa Simpson's rival in intelligence, as well as Nelson Muntz's favorite target for bullying...
changes the jukebox song to "Saturday NightSaturday Night (Bay City Rollers song)"Saturday Night" is the title of a song recorded by the Scottish band Bay City Rollers. It was written and produced by Bill Martin and Phil Coulter. The tune is an upbeat pop-rock number with a memorable hook: the word "Saturday" spelled out in a rhythmic chant.An early version of the song was...
" by the Bay City RollersBay City RollersThe Bay City Rollers were a Scottish pop band who were most popular in the 1970s. The British Hit Singles & Albums noted that they were "tartan teen sensations from Edinburgh", and were "the first of many acts heralded as the 'Biggest Group since The Beatles' and one of the most screamed-at...
(prompting punishment by the bullies). - The song played during the drug/chocolate montage is "Ever Fallen in Love?Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn't've)"Ever Fallen in Love " is a 1978 song written by Pete Shelley and performed by his group, Buzzcocks. It was a number twelve hit on the UK Singles Chart.-Background and writing:...
" by The Buzzcocks. - When one of the punks in the CBGB crowd comments that Sid and Nancy's song doesn't make him feel angry, but instead makes him feel his anger ebb; his mohawk goes down in an emoEmoEmo is a style of rock music and its associated subcultureEmo may also refer to:- Businesses :* Emo , an Irish oil company and filling station chain* Emo Speedway, a racetrack in Emo, Ontario...
-style fringe. - The song played at the end (transition to the credits) is a new recording of "Taxi to Heaven" from the movie Sid and Nancy, originally performed by Pray for RainPray for Rain (Band)Pray for Rain is a San Francisco, California-based music production company and recording group specialising in film soundtracks, led by St. Louis, Missouri musician Dan Wool...
.
UK broadcast
This episode was first broadcast in the UK and IrelandIreland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
on Sky1 on December 21, 2008 at 9.30pm. It was the second episode of The Simpsons to be broadcast after the watershed
Watershed (television)
In television, the term watershed denotes the time period in a television schedule during which programs with adult content can air....
hour (after Weekend at Burnsie's
Weekend at Burnsie's
"Weekend at Burnsie's" is the sixteenth episode of The Simpsons thirteenth season. It first aired in the United States on the Fox network on April 7, 2002. In the episode, Homer Simpson is prescribed medicinal marijuana after getting pecked in the eyes by a murder of crows. While his...
) because the adult content was deemed too strong to be shown before then (particularly in the Sid and Nancy story, where several scenes depict Nelson and Lisa ingesting chocolate as if it were an illegal substance and one scene where Bart repeatedly sings the word "bollocks", and the end of the Bonnie and Clyde story where Homer and Marge are shot countless times and do not bleed or die).
Reception
7.81 million viewers watched this episode.Richard Keller of TV Squad enjoyed the episode and said that it was overall pretty decent. He said that, "This time around they seemed to focus on the stories themselves rather than overload them with gags as they tend to do. The result were some pretty nice stories." His favorite was the second story. Robert Canning of IGN said the episode "left out the fun and funny". Canning said the Bonnie and Clyde segment "Jokes, were far from fast and furious" and that the segment "had no punch". The "Shady and the Vamp" story, "Was what you'd expect, and the lack of surprise made the whole thing quite boring." Canning thought, "The best was saved for last" on Bart's retelling of the Sex Pistols and Sid Vicious. He went on to say, "This segment really did contain the best throwaway gags...But overall, the segment wasn't funny enough to redeem the two bland installments that came before it." Canning gave the episode a 5.5 out of 10.