Selma's Choice
Encyclopedia
"Selma's Choice" is the thirteenth episode of The Simpsons
' fourth season
and originally aired on the Fox
network on January 21, 1993. In the episode, Selma decides to have a baby, inspired by her late aunt's wish that she would not spend her life alone. She experiences a life with children by taking Bart
and Lisa
to Duff Gardens, which does not go as planned. It was written by David M. Stern
and directed by Carlos Baeza
.
, Bart
and Lisa
decide to go. As they prepare to leave, Marge
tells them that Great Aunt Gladys died and they will be going to her funeral instead. The Simpsons, along with Patty and Selma, drive to Littleneck Falls to attend her funeral and the reading of her will
. On the video will, Great Aunt Gladys tells Patty and Selma not to die alone, as she did. Selma hears the ticking of her biological clock
, and decides she wants a child. Selma tries video dating, but gets rejected by Groundskeeper Willie
. She goes to a psychic
who tries to sell her a love potion. The psychic ingests it, blurts out the innocuous ingredients and discovers that she accidentally drank a truth serum. Selma dates Hans Moleman
after revoking his license at the DMV
, and all goes well until the goodnight kiss; Selma envisions being the mother of several ugly, blind children, prompting her to throw him out of her car and drive away. Lisa then suggests to Selma that she go through artificial insemination
, which Homer thinks is when a human has sex with a robot. After seeing Barney
sell his sperm
(as well as several babies that look and belch like Barney), she leaves with a sperm sample and a magazine about other sperm donors which she never uses.
When the day comes for Homer to take Bart and Lisa to Duff Gardens, he falls ill from food poisoning after eating a tainted hoagie which Homer vaguely remembers earlier when he first saw at a company picnic. Selma is chosen to take the kids to Duff Gardens while Homer stays home with Marge; as Homer recuperates, they watch Yentl
and the cheesy pseudo-porn
The Erotic Adventures of Hercules starring Troy McClure
as Hercules
and Norman Fell
as Zeus
. Selma soon grows weary of caring for Bart and Lisa, especially when they go on the Little Land of Duff ride and Bart dares Lisa to drink the toxic "water". Lisa refuses, but is forced to by Selma after Bart mocks her. The water causes Lisa to hallucinate, become berserk, and wander away from the ride. While Selma is looking for Lisa, Bart sneaks on a roller coaster called The Barrel Roll and ends up having to be rescued after the car stops directly in the center of one of the loops. Lisa is soon found swimming nude in the park's Fermentarium, returned to Selma and given pills by an unlicensed doctor, after proclaiming "I am the lizard queen!" After her rough day with Bart and Lisa, Selma decides she can live without children for now and adopts Jub-Jub, Gladys' pet iguana
.
". He thought it was important to "Keep these characters (Patty and Selma) alive." The animators had trouble with the size of the characters' pupils during the season
. In this episode, they are noticeably larger. When the family watches the video will, Julie Kavner did five voices in the scene. When Gladys shows off her collection of potato chips, the scene was inspired by an actual guest on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
, who was showing off her collection of chips that looked like famous people. Jub-Jub made his debut appearance in this episode; The name of the iguana Jub-Jub came from Conan O'Brien
.
Though research is usually done when real languages are used on the show, the language heard on Selma's ham radio is fictional.
Marge's flashback of her and her sisters swimming in a lake is based on The Prince of Tides
. The singers at Duff Gardens (which is a parody of Busch Gardens
), Hooray for Everything, are a tribute to Up with People
. The group is seen performing a kid-friendly version of the Lou Reed
song "Walk on the Wild Side". Homer and Bart start to sing "Ding Dong! The Witch is dead" from The Wizard of Oz
. The poem that Great Aunt Gladys reads at the start of her video will is "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost
. The song and ride that Bart, Lisa, and Selma go on, with animatronic kids from all over the world singing is a parody of the song "It's a Small World". The Duff Garden's parade is a parody of Disneyland's Main Street Electrical Parade
. When Lisa says "I am the Lizard Queen!", it is a tribute to Jim Morrison
's poem "Celebration of the Lizard
".
The authors of the book I Can't Believe It's a Bigger and Better Updated Unofficial Simpsons Guide, Warren Martyn and Adrian Wood said, "A nice episode for Selma and good for Marge and Homer as well. But it's the kids who provide the highlights in this one, with their antics at Duff Gardens." The author of Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation, Chris Turner said it "Fills in with the usual grab bag of great gags" and "The episode had some crowd-pleasing moments."
He went on to say, "The last few minutes of the show played out to continuous laughter (in the pub he was watching it in)".
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 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...
and originally aired on the Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
network on January 21, 1993. In the episode, Selma decides to have a baby, inspired by her late aunt's wish that she would not spend her life alone. She experiences a life with children by taking 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 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 Duff Gardens, which does not go as planned. It was written by David M. Stern
David M. Stern
David M. Stern is an American television screenwriter. Among his first work in television was writing episodes of The Wonder Years in the late 1980s. He then proceeded to write several episodes of The Simpsons in the 1990s. In 2010, he developed the animated television series Ugly Americans...
and directed by Carlos Baeza
Carlos Baeza
Carlos Baeza is an animation director. He has worked for The Simpsons and Futurama.- The Simpsons episodes :He is credited with directing the following episodes:*"Lisa's Pony"*"Radio Bart"*"Bart the Lover"*"Treehouse of Horror III"...
.
Plot
After watching an ad on TV for Duff Gardens, HomerHomer 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...
, 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 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...
decide to go. As they prepare to leave, 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...
tells them that Great Aunt Gladys died and they will be going to her funeral instead. The Simpsons, along with Patty and Selma, drive to Littleneck Falls to attend her funeral and the reading of her will
Will (law)
A will or testament is a legal declaration by which a person, the testator, names one or more persons to manage his/her estate and provides for the transfer of his/her property at death...
. On the video will, Great Aunt Gladys tells Patty and Selma not to die alone, as she did. Selma hears the ticking of her biological clock
Chronobiology
Chronobiology is a field of biology that examines periodic phenomena in living organisms and their adaptation to solar- and lunar-related rhythms. These cycles are known as biological rhythms. Chronobiology comes from the ancient Greek χρόνος , and biology, which pertains to the study, or science,...
, and decides she wants a child. Selma tries video dating, but gets rejected by 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...
. She goes to a psychic
Psychic
A psychic is a person who professes an ability to perceive information hidden from the normal senses through extrasensory perception , or is said by others to have such abilities. It is also used to describe theatrical performers who use techniques such as prestidigitation, cold reading, and hot...
who tries to sell her a love potion. The psychic ingests it, blurts out the innocuous ingredients and discovers that she accidentally drank a truth serum. Selma dates Hans Moleman
Hans Moleman
Hans Moleman is a recurring character in the animated television series The Simpsons. He is voiced by Dan Castellaneta, and first appeared in the episode "Principal Charming". He normally appears in a running gag, where he usually suffers unfortunate, nearly fatal, events...
after revoking his license at the DMV
Department of Motor Vehicles
In the United States of America, a Department of Motor Vehicles is a state-level government agency that administers vehicle registration and driver licensing. Similar departments exist in Canada...
, and all goes well until the goodnight kiss; Selma envisions being the mother of several ugly, blind children, prompting her to throw him out of her car and drive away. Lisa then suggests to Selma that she go through artificial insemination
Artificial insemination
Artificial insemination, or AI, is the process by which sperm is placed into the reproductive tract of a female for the purpose of impregnating the female by using means other than sexual intercourse or natural insemination...
, which Homer thinks is when a human has sex with a robot. After seeing 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...
sell his sperm
Sperm
The term sperm is derived from the Greek word sperma and refers to the male reproductive cells. In the types of sexual reproduction known as anisogamy and oogamy, there is a marked difference in the size of the gametes with the smaller one being termed the "male" or sperm cell...
(as well as several babies that look and belch like Barney), she leaves with a sperm sample and a magazine about other sperm donors which she never uses.
When the day comes for Homer to take Bart and Lisa to Duff Gardens, he falls ill from food poisoning after eating a tainted hoagie which Homer vaguely remembers earlier when he first saw at a company picnic. Selma is chosen to take the kids to Duff Gardens while Homer stays home with Marge; as Homer recuperates, they watch Yentl
Yentl (film)
Yentl is a 1983 romantic musical drama film from United Artists, and directed, co-written, co-produced, and starring Barbra Streisand based on the play of the same name by Leah Napolin and Isaac Bashevis Singer, itself based on Singer's short story, "Yentl the Yeshiva Boy".The dramatic story...
and the cheesy pseudo-porn
PORN
Porn is a common short form for pornography. It may also refer to:* Progressive outer retinal necrosis, a disease of the retina* PORN, a French industrial rock band...
The Erotic Adventures of Hercules starring Troy McClure
Troy McClure
Troy McClure is a fictional character in the American animated sitcom The Simpsons. He was voiced by Phil Hartman and first appears in the second season episode "Homer vs. Lisa and the 8th Commandment". McClure is a washed-up actor, usually shown doing low-level work, such as hosting infomercials...
as Hercules
Hercules
Hercules is the Roman name for Greek demigod Heracles, son of Zeus , and the mortal Alcmene...
and Norman Fell
Norman Fell
Norman Fell , born Norman Noah Feld, was an American actor of film and television, most famous for his role as landlord Mr. Roper on the sitcom Three's Company and its spin-off, The Ropers.-Early life:...
as Zeus
Zeus
In the ancient Greek religion, Zeus was the "Father of Gods and men" who ruled the Olympians of Mount Olympus as a father ruled the family. He was the god of sky and thunder in Greek mythology. His Roman counterpart is Jupiter and his Etruscan counterpart is Tinia.Zeus was the child of Cronus...
. Selma soon grows weary of caring for Bart and Lisa, especially when they go on the Little Land of Duff ride and Bart dares Lisa to drink the toxic "water". Lisa refuses, but is forced to by Selma after Bart mocks her. The water causes Lisa to hallucinate, become berserk, and wander away from the ride. While Selma is looking for Lisa, Bart sneaks on a roller coaster called The Barrel Roll and ends up having to be rescued after the car stops directly in the center of one of the loops. Lisa is soon found swimming nude in the park's Fermentarium, returned to Selma and given pills by an unlicensed doctor, after proclaiming "I am the lizard queen!" After her rough day with Bart and Lisa, Selma decides she can live without children for now and adopts Jub-Jub, Gladys' pet iguana
Iguana
Iguana is a herbivorous genus of lizard native to tropical areas of Central America and the Caribbean. The genus was first described in 1768 by Austrian naturalist Josephus Nicolaus Laurenti in his book Specimen Medicum, Exhibens Synopsin Reptilium Emendatam cum Experimentis circa Venena...
.
Production
Writer David Stern said he wanted to go back to a "Patty and Selma episode", because it was sustained so well when he wrote "Principal CharmingPrincipal Charming
"Principal Charming" is the fourteenth episode of The Simpsons second season. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on February 14, 1991. In the episode, Marge's sister Selma is looking for a husband, so Marge orders Homer to help her find one...
". He thought it was important to "Keep these characters (Patty and Selma) alive." The animators had trouble with the size of the characters' pupils during the season
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...
. In this episode, they are noticeably larger. When the family watches the video will, Julie Kavner did five voices in the scene. When Gladys shows off her collection of potato chips, the scene was inspired by an actual guest on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson is a talk show hosted by Johnny Carson under the Tonight Show franchise from 1962 to 1992. It originally aired during late-night....
, who was showing off her collection of chips that looked like famous people. Jub-Jub made his debut appearance in this episode; The name of the iguana Jub-Jub came from Conan O'Brien
Conan O'Brien
Conan Christopher O'Brien is an American television host, comedian, writer, producer and performer. Since November 2010 he has hosted Conan, a late-night talk show that airs on the American cable television station TBS....
.
Though research is usually done when real languages are used on the show, the language heard on Selma's ham radio is fictional.
Cultural references
The Prince of Tides
The Prince of Tides is a 1991 romantic drama film based on the 1986 novel of the same name by Pat Conroy; the film stars Barbra Streisand and Nick Nolte. It tells the story of the narrator's struggle to overcome the psychological damage inflicted by his dysfunctional childhood in South Carolina...
. The singers at Duff Gardens (which is a parody of Busch Gardens
Busch Gardens
Busch Gardens is the name of two amusement parks in the United States, owned and operated by SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, a division of Blackstone Group. One of the parks is in Williamsburg, Virginia, and the other is in Tampa, Florida...
), Hooray for Everything, are a tribute to Up with People
Up with People
Up with People is an international education organization founded in 1968 by J. Blanton Belk, building from roots in the similar "Sing-Out" program of 1965. Up With People is best known for their musical performances by international casts consisting of 70–100 students from, on average, 20...
. The group is seen performing a kid-friendly version of the Lou Reed
Lou Reed
Lewis Allan "Lou" Reed is an American rock musician, songwriter, and photographer. He is best known as guitarist, vocalist, and principal songwriter of The Velvet Underground, and for his successful solo career, which has spanned several decades...
song "Walk on the Wild Side". Homer and Bart start to sing "Ding Dong! The Witch is dead" from The Wizard of Oz
The Wizard of Oz (1939 film)
The Wizard of Oz is a 1939 American musical fantasy film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It was directed primarily by Victor Fleming. Noel Langley, Florence Ryerson and Edgar Allan Woolf received credit for the screenplay, but there were uncredited contributions by others. The lyrics for the songs...
. The poem that Great Aunt Gladys reads at the start of her video will is "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost
Robert Frost
Robert Lee Frost was an American poet. He is highly regarded for his realistic depictions of rural life and his command of American colloquial speech. His work frequently employed settings from rural life in New England in the early twentieth century, using them to examine complex social and...
. The song and ride that Bart, Lisa, and Selma go on, with animatronic kids from all over the world singing is a parody of the song "It's a Small World". The Duff Garden's parade is a parody of Disneyland's Main Street Electrical Parade
Main Street Electrical Parade
The Main Street Electrical Parade is a regularly scheduled parade, created by Bob Jani and project director Ron Miziker, famous for its long run at Disneyland at the Disneyland Resort most summers between 1972–1974, 1977–1982, and 1985-1996...
. When Lisa says "I am the Lizard Queen!", it is a tribute to Jim Morrison
Jim Morrison
James Douglas "Jim" Morrison was an American musician, singer, and poet, best known as the lead singer and lyricist of the rock band The Doors...
's poem "Celebration of the Lizard
Celebration of the Lizard
"Celebration of the Lizard" is an epic performance piece written by Jim Morrison, frontman of The Doors. Composed as a series of poems, they include musical sections, spoken verse, and passages of allegorical storytelling.-Poems:*Lions in the Street...
".
Reception
"Selma's Choice" finished 27th in the weekly ratings for the week of January 18–24, 1993 with a Nielsen rating of 14.2.The authors of the book I Can't Believe It's a Bigger and Better Updated Unofficial Simpsons Guide, Warren Martyn and Adrian Wood said, "A nice episode for Selma and good for Marge and Homer as well. But it's the kids who provide the highlights in this one, with their antics at Duff Gardens." The author of Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation, Chris Turner said it "Fills in with the usual grab bag of great gags" and "The episode had some crowd-pleasing moments."
He went on to say, "The last few minutes of the show played out to continuous laughter (in the pub he was watching it in)".
External links
- "Selma's Choice" at The Simpsons.com
- "Selma's Choice", at TV.comTV.comTV.com is a website owned by CBS Interactive. The site covers television and focuses on English-language shows made or broadcast in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and Japan...