Simpson Tide
Encyclopedia
"Simpson Tide" is the nineteenth episode of The Simpsons
' ninth season
and originally aired on the Fox
network on March 29, 1998. After being fired from the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant, Homer decides to join the United States Navy Reserve
. The episode was the second and last to be written by Joshua Sternin
and Jeffrey Ventimilia
and was also the final episode directed by Milton Gray.
It guest starred Rod Steiger
as Captain Tenille and Bob Denver
as himself, with one-time Simpsons writer Michael Carrington making an appearance as the Drill Sergeant. This was the last episode Al Jean
and Mike Reiss
executive produced together, although Jean would become show runner again in season 13
.
, Lenny and Carl all want a doughnut
, but only one is left. Homer thinks up a solution: he places the donut in the reactor core in an attempt to make it huge. Within ten minutes, the power plant is on fire and Homer is fired (after pretending it was his first day which Mr. Burns initially fell for until Smithers pointed out who he actually was). While lying on the couch at home, Homer sees a recruitment ad on TV for the Naval Reserve
and decides to make a difference and enlist. Moe
, Barney
, and Apu
also decide to join him. Meanwhile, Bart
is impressed when Milhouse
gets an earring
, and all the students (including the bullies) find it very cool. Bart then buys himself an earring as well, much to Homer's outrage. He then hopes to woo everyone with it, but later finds out that every student has bought himself/herself an earring, except for Lisa (who is forbidden by Homer to get her ears pierced earlier).
Homer and the others attend boot camp and soon graduate. They are later forced to participate in the annual war games
and are placed on board a Nuclear submarine the SSBN U.S.S. Jebediah which is under the command of Captain Tenille. Homer says goodbye to his family, and Bart and Homer argue about the earring. Bart bitterly removes the earring and gives it to Homer, who then boards the submarine. Captain Tenille takes a shine to Homer and when the Captain goes to check on a problem in the torpedo
hatch, Homer is left in charge. At this point, an enemy submarine
approaches Homer's, and Homer immediately responds by giving the order to fire a torpedo. However, Captain Tenille is in the torpedo hatch and is fired at the other submarine. The other sub fires back at them, and Homer gives the order to retreat. The submarine ends up in Russian waters and is interpreted by the United States government as an attempt to defect. This event creates a political schism between the USA and Russia, leading to the revelation that the Soviet Union
in fact never truly dissolved. Nuclear war
is anticipated until the US Navy drops depth charge
s on Homer's sub, aiming either to destroy it or force it to surface. The consequent explosion causes a pinhole leak in the submarine's wall. The crew all believe their situation is fatal until Homer remembers the earring he took from Bart. He uses it to plug the leak and saves the submarine.
The vessel surfaces and Homer is taken to be court-martialed; however, he is let off the hook partially because of it being his first day, but mostly because most of the officers at his hearing are under indictment
for various offenses. Homer receives a dishonorable discharge
and forgives Bart, as the earring saved his life.
and Mike Reiss
, who together were the showrunners for the third
and fourth
seasons. Although Jean would later return to run the show, it was the last episode that Reiss received an executive producer credit for. Joshua Sternin
and Jeffrey Ventimilia
, the episode writers, were working on Jean and Reiss's show The Critic
at the time, and pitched an episode where Homer joins the Naval Reserve. Although the episode is partly based on the film Crimson Tide
, the original episode pitch was made before the film was released. After the release of the film, the writers decided to start incorporating things from the movie in the script. In the original draft, Bart snuck onboard the submarine with Homer. They were trying to do it "for the comedy of it", but could not get the draft to work, so it was cut. It was difficult for them to figure out how to get the captain off of the sub and they eventually decided to have him shot out of the torpedo tube, which in the DVD commentary, Al Jean says that Steiger claimed that he really did get stuck in a torpedo tube once.
The Navy drill instructor, along with the announcer to "Exploitation Theater," was voiced by Michael Carrington, who had written the season four episode "Homer's Triple Bypass
" and previously voiced Sideshow Raheem. Bob Denver
voices himself in the episode and was directed by Mike Reiss. Rod Steiger
guest stars as Captain Tenille and was directed by Al Jean.
Many parts of the episode, including the title, refer to the 1995 film Crimson Tide
. The character Captain Tenille is based on Captain Frank Ramsey, a character in the film who was portrayed by Gene Hackman
. Tenille's name is a reference to the musical duo Captain and Tennille. The opening couch gag is a recreation of the Rocky and Bullwinkle animated bumper seen at the end of each Bullwinkle short. The music accompanying it is also adapted from the original music in the bumper. Homer mentions that he and his friends joining the Navy is similar to The Deer Hunter
, and the Russian roulette
scene from the film is later parodied. Right before the submarine submerges, the song "In the Navy
" is played and the Village People
(along with Smithers
) can be seen dancing. Homer dreams of being on "the planet of the doughnuts", which is reminiscent of the film Planet of the Apes
, and when aboard the submarine, refers to one of the crew members as Mr. Sulu
, a reference to the character in Star Trek
. Bart sings a portion of the song "Do the Bartman
" and Ralph Wiggum
comments that it "is so 1991", which was when the song was released. Grampa Simpson claims that he attacked John F. Kennedy
on the PT-109
when Kennedy stated "Ich bin ein Berliner
," leading to Grampa mistaking him for a Nazi.
of 9.2, equivalent to approximately 9.0 million viewing households. It was the second highest-rated show on the Fox network that week, following The X-Files
.
Michael Schiffer, one of the writers of the film Crimson Tide
is said to have enjoyed this episode. Mike Reiss considers the sequence where Russia returns to being the Soviet Union
to be "the nuttiest the show has ever been". The authors of the book I Can't Believe It's a Bigger and Better Updated Unofficial Simpsons Guide, Warren Martyn and Adrian Wood, called it "a fairly straightforward episode where the biggest laugh comes from Homer being able to talk to penguins and Bart trying to impress his classmates by doing The Bartman."
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 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...
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 March 29, 1998. After being fired from the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant, Homer decides to join the United States Navy Reserve
United States Navy Reserve
The United States Navy Reserve, until 2005 known as the United States Naval Reserve, is the Reserve Component of the United States Navy...
. The episode was the second and last to be written by Joshua Sternin
Joshua Sternin
-Career:Among Sternin's producer credits include 23 episodes of Murphy Brown in 1996 through 1997 and as writer for 10 of them, as well as producer for 64 episodes of That 70's Show in 1998 through 2001 and as a writer for 8 of them. In 2002, he and Jeffrey Ventimilia created a show for Fox called...
and Jeffrey Ventimilia
Jeffrey Ventimilia
Jeffrey Ventimilia is an American television writer. Ventimilia wrote The Simpsons episode "Simpson Tide" and the teleplay of the episode "'Round Springfield", based on a story idea by Al Jean and Mike Reiss. Other credits include Murphy Brown, That '70s Show, and The Critic...
and was also the final episode directed by Milton Gray.
It guest starred Rod Steiger
Rod Steiger
Rodney Stephen "Rod" Steiger was an Academy Award-winning American actor known for his performances in such films as On the Waterfront, The Big Knife, Oklahoma!, The Harder They Fall, Across the Bridge, The Pawnbroker, Doctor Zhivago, In the Heat of the Night, and Waterloo as well as the...
as Captain Tenille and Bob Denver
Bob Denver
Robert Osbourne "Bob" Denver was an American comedic actor known for his roles as Gilligan on the television series Gilligan's Island and the beatnik Maynard G. Krebs on the 1959–1963 TV series The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis.-Early life:Denver was born in New Rochelle, New York, and raised in...
as himself, with one-time Simpsons writer Michael Carrington making an appearance as the Drill Sergeant. This was the last episode Al Jean
Al Jean
Al Jean is an award-winning American screenwriter and producer, best known for his work on The Simpsons. He was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan and graduated from Harvard University in 1981. Jean began his writing career in the 1980s with fellow Harvard alum Mike Reiss...
and Mike Reiss
Mike Reiss
Michael "Mike" Reiss is an American television comedy writer. He served as a show-runner, writer and producer for the animated series The Simpsons and co-created the animated series The Critic...
executive produced together, although Jean would become show runner again in season 13
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...
.
Plot
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...
, Lenny and Carl all want a doughnut
Doughnut
A doughnut or donut is a fried dough food and is popular in many countries and prepared in various forms as a sweet snack that can be homemade or purchased in bakeries, supermarkets, food stalls, and franchised specialty outlets...
, but only one is left. Homer thinks up a solution: he places the donut in the reactor core in an attempt to make it huge. Within ten minutes, the power plant is on fire and Homer is fired (after pretending it was his first day which Mr. Burns initially fell for until Smithers pointed out who he actually was). While lying on the couch at home, Homer sees a recruitment ad on TV for the Naval Reserve
United States Navy Reserve
The United States Navy Reserve, until 2005 known as the United States Naval Reserve, is the Reserve Component of the United States Navy...
and decides to make a difference and enlist. 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"...
, 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...
, and Apu
Apu Nahasapeemapetilon
Apu Nahasapeemapetilon is a character in the animated television series The Simpsons. He is voiced by Hank Azaria and first appeared in the episode "The Telltale Head". Apu is the proprietor of the Kwik-E-Mart, a popular convenience store in Springfield, and a friend of Homer Simpson. He is also...
also decide to join him. Meanwhile, 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...
is impressed when 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....
gets an earring
Earring
Common locations for piercings, other than the earlobe, include the rook, tragus, and across the helix . The simple term "ear piercing" usually refers to an earlobe piercing, whereas piercings in the upper part of the external ear are often referred to as "cartilage piercings"...
, and all the students (including the bullies) find it very cool. Bart then buys himself an earring as well, much to Homer's outrage. He then hopes to woo everyone with it, but later finds out that every student has bought himself/herself an earring, except for Lisa (who is forbidden by Homer to get her ears pierced earlier).
Homer and the others attend boot camp and soon graduate. They are later forced to participate in the annual war games
Military simulation
Military simulations, also known informally as war games, are simulations in which theories of warfare can be tested and refined without the need for actual hostilities. Many professional contemporary analysts object to the term wargames as this is generally taken to be referring to the civilian...
and are placed on board a Nuclear submarine the SSBN U.S.S. Jebediah which is under the command of Captain Tenille. Homer says goodbye to his family, and Bart and Homer argue about the earring. Bart bitterly removes the earring and gives it to Homer, who then boards the submarine. Captain Tenille takes a shine to Homer and when the Captain goes to check on a problem in the torpedo
Torpedo
The modern torpedo is a self-propelled missile weapon with an explosive warhead, launched above or below the water surface, propelled underwater towards a target, and designed to detonate either on contact with it or in proximity to it.The term torpedo was originally employed for...
hatch, Homer is left in charge. At this point, an enemy submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
approaches Homer's, and Homer immediately responds by giving the order to fire a torpedo. However, Captain Tenille is in the torpedo hatch and is fired at the other submarine. The other sub fires back at them, and Homer gives the order to retreat. The submarine ends up in Russian waters and is interpreted by the United States government as an attempt to defect. This event creates a political schism between the USA and Russia, leading to the revelation that the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
in fact never truly dissolved. Nuclear war
Nuclear warfare
Nuclear warfare, or atomic warfare, is a military conflict or political strategy in which nuclear weaponry is detonated on an opponent. Compared to conventional warfare, nuclear warfare can be vastly more destructive in range and extent of damage...
is anticipated until the US Navy drops depth charge
Depth charge
A depth charge is an anti-submarine warfare weapon intended to destroy or cripple a target submarine by the shock of exploding near it. Most use explosives and a fuze set to go off at a preselected depth in the ocean. Depth charges can be dropped by either surface ships, patrol aircraft, or from...
s on Homer's sub, aiming either to destroy it or force it to surface. The consequent explosion causes a pinhole leak in the submarine's wall. The crew all believe their situation is fatal until Homer remembers the earring he took from Bart. He uses it to plug the leak and saves the submarine.
The vessel surfaces and Homer is taken to be court-martialed; however, he is let off the hook partially because of it being his first day, but mostly because most of the officers at his hearing are under indictment
Indictment
An indictment , in the common-law legal system, is a formal accusation that a person has committed a crime. In jurisdictions that maintain the concept of felonies, the serious criminal offence is a felony; jurisdictions that lack the concept of felonies often use that of an indictable offence—an...
for various offenses. Homer receives a dishonorable discharge
Military discharge
A military discharge is given when a member of the armed forces is released from their obligation to serve.-United States:Discharge or separation should not be confused with retirement; career U.S...
and forgives Bart, as the earring saved his life.
Production
"Simpson Tide" was one of two season nine episodes that was executive produced by Al JeanAl Jean
Al Jean is an award-winning American screenwriter and producer, best known for his work on The Simpsons. He was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan and graduated from Harvard University in 1981. Jean began his writing career in the 1980s with fellow Harvard alum Mike Reiss...
and Mike Reiss
Mike Reiss
Michael "Mike" Reiss is an American television comedy writer. He served as a show-runner, writer and producer for the animated series The Simpsons and co-created the animated series The Critic...
, who together were the showrunners for the third
The Simpsons (season 3)
The Simpsons third season originally aired on the Fox network between September 19, 1991 and May 7, 1992. The show runners for the third production season were Al Jean and Mike Reiss who executive produced 22 episodes the season, while two other episodes were produced by James L. Brooks, Matt...
and fourth
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...
seasons. Although Jean would later return to run the show, it was the last episode that Reiss received an executive producer credit for. Joshua Sternin
Joshua Sternin
-Career:Among Sternin's producer credits include 23 episodes of Murphy Brown in 1996 through 1997 and as writer for 10 of them, as well as producer for 64 episodes of That 70's Show in 1998 through 2001 and as a writer for 8 of them. In 2002, he and Jeffrey Ventimilia created a show for Fox called...
and Jeffrey Ventimilia
Jeffrey Ventimilia
Jeffrey Ventimilia is an American television writer. Ventimilia wrote The Simpsons episode "Simpson Tide" and the teleplay of the episode "'Round Springfield", based on a story idea by Al Jean and Mike Reiss. Other credits include Murphy Brown, That '70s Show, and The Critic...
, the episode writers, were working on Jean and Reiss's show The Critic
The Critic
The Critic is an American prime time animated series revolving around the life of film critic Jay Sherman, voiced by actor Jon Lovitz. It was created by Al Jean and Mike Reiss, both of whom had worked as writers on The Simpsons. The Critic had 23 episodes produced, first broadcast on ABC in 1994,...
at the time, and pitched an episode where Homer joins the Naval Reserve. Although the episode is partly based on the film Crimson Tide
Crimson Tide (film)
The film has uncredited additional writing by Quentin Tarantino, much of it being the pop-culture reference-laden dialogue.The U.S. Navy objected to many of the elements in the script — particularly the aspect of mutiny on board a U.S. naval vessel — and as such, the film was produced...
, the original episode pitch was made before the film was released. After the release of the film, the writers decided to start incorporating things from the movie in the script. In the original draft, Bart snuck onboard the submarine with Homer. They were trying to do it "for the comedy of it", but could not get the draft to work, so it was cut. It was difficult for them to figure out how to get the captain off of the sub and they eventually decided to have him shot out of the torpedo tube, which in the DVD commentary, Al Jean says that Steiger claimed that he really did get stuck in a torpedo tube once.
The Navy drill instructor, along with the announcer to "Exploitation Theater," was voiced by Michael Carrington, who had written the season four episode "Homer's Triple Bypass
Homer's Triple Bypass
"Homer's Triple Bypass" is the eleventh episode of the fourth season of The Simpsons. It originally aired in the United States on December 17, 1992. In the episode, Homer Simpson suffers a heart attack when Mr. Burns shouts at him at work. Dr...
" and previously voiced Sideshow Raheem. Bob Denver
Bob Denver
Robert Osbourne "Bob" Denver was an American comedic actor known for his roles as Gilligan on the television series Gilligan's Island and the beatnik Maynard G. Krebs on the 1959–1963 TV series The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis.-Early life:Denver was born in New Rochelle, New York, and raised in...
voices himself in the episode and was directed by Mike Reiss. Rod Steiger
Rod Steiger
Rodney Stephen "Rod" Steiger was an Academy Award-winning American actor known for his performances in such films as On the Waterfront, The Big Knife, Oklahoma!, The Harder They Fall, Across the Bridge, The Pawnbroker, Doctor Zhivago, In the Heat of the Night, and Waterloo as well as the...
guest stars as Captain Tenille and was directed by Al Jean.
Cultural references
Crimson Tide (film)
The film has uncredited additional writing by Quentin Tarantino, much of it being the pop-culture reference-laden dialogue.The U.S. Navy objected to many of the elements in the script — particularly the aspect of mutiny on board a U.S. naval vessel — and as such, the film was produced...
. The character Captain Tenille is based on Captain Frank Ramsey, a character in the film who was portrayed by Gene Hackman
Gene Hackman
Eugene Allen "Gene" Hackman is an American actor and novelist.Nominated for five Academy Awards, winning two, Hackman has also won three Golden Globes and two BAFTAs in a career that spanned five decades. He first came to fame in 1967 with his performance as Buck Barrow in Bonnie and Clyde...
. Tenille's name is a reference to the musical duo Captain and Tennille. The opening couch gag is a recreation of the Rocky and Bullwinkle animated bumper seen at the end of each Bullwinkle short. The music accompanying it is also adapted from the original music in the bumper. Homer mentions that he and his friends joining the Navy is similar to The Deer Hunter
The Deer Hunter
The Deer Hunter is a 1978 drama film co-written and directed by Michael Cimino about a trio of Russian American steel worker friends and their infantry service in the Vietnam War. The film stars Robert De Niro, Christopher Walken, Meryl Streep, John Savage, John Cazale, and George Dzundza...
, and the Russian roulette
Russian roulette
Russian roulette is a potentially lethal game of chance in which participants place a single round in a revolver, spin the cylinder, place the muzzle against their head and pull the trigger...
scene from the film is later parodied. Right before the submarine submerges, the song "In the Navy
In the Navy
"In the Navy" is a song recorded by American disco group Village People released in 1979. It was the last top 10 hit for the group in the United States.-Background and writing:...
" is played and the Village People
Village People
Village People is a concept disco group that formed in the United States in 1977, well known for their on-stage costumes depicting American cultural stereotypes, as well as their catchy tunes and suggestive lyrics....
(along with Smithers
Waylon Smithers
Waylon Smithers, Jr., usually referred to as Smithers, is a recurring fictional character in the animated series The Simpsons, who is voiced by Harry Shearer. Smithers first appeared in the episode "Homer's Odyssey", although he could be heard in the series premiere "Simpsons Roasting on an Open...
) can be seen dancing. Homer dreams of being on "the planet of the doughnuts", which is reminiscent of the film Planet of the Apes
Planet of the Apes (1968 film)
Planet of the Apes is a 1968 American science fiction film directed by Franklin J. Schaffner, based on the 1963 French novel La Planète des singes by Pierre Boulle. The film stars Charlton Heston, Roddy McDowall, Kim Hunter, Maurice Evans, James Whitmore, James Daly and Linda Harrison...
, and when aboard the submarine, refers to one of the crew members as Mr. Sulu
Hikaru Sulu
Hikaru Sulu is a character in the Star Trek media franchise. First portrayed by George Takei in the original Star Trek series, Sulu also appears in the animated Star Trek series, the first six Star Trek movies, one episode of Star Trek: Voyager, and in numerous books, comics, and video games...
, a reference to the character in Star Trek
Star Trek: The Original Series
Star Trek is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry, produced by Desilu Productions . Star Trek was telecast on NBC from September 8, 1966, through June 3, 1969...
. Bart sings a portion of the song "Do the Bartman
Do the Bartman
"Do the Bartman" is a pop rap song from the 1990 Simpsons album The Simpsons Sing the Blues. It was performed by The Simpsons cast member Nancy Cartwright and was released as a promotional single from the album on November 20, 1990. The song was written and produced by American recording artist...
" and Ralph Wiggum
Ralph Wiggum
Ralph Wiggum is a recurring fictional character on the animated series The Simpsons, voiced by Nancy Cartwright. The son of Police Chief Wiggum and a classmate of Lisa Simpson, Ralph is best known as the show's resident oddball, and is noted for his non sequiturs and erratic behavior...
comments that it "is so 1991", which was when the song was released. Grampa Simpson claims that he attacked John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
on the PT-109
Motor Torpedo Boat PT-109
PT-109 was a PT boat last commanded by Lieutenant, junior grade John F. Kennedy in the Pacific Theater during World War II...
when Kennedy stated "Ich bin ein Berliner
Ich bin ein Berliner
"Ich bin ein Berliner" is a quotation from a June 26, 1963, speech by U.S. President John F. Kennedy in West Berlin. He was underlining the support of the United States for West Germany 22 months after the Soviet-supported East Germany erected the Berlin Wall as a barrier to prevent movement...
," leading to Grampa mistaking him for a Nazi.
Reception
In its original broadcast, "Simpson Tide" finished 29th in ratings for the week of March 23-29, 1998, with a Nielsen ratingNielsen Ratings
Nielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
of 9.2, equivalent to approximately 9.0 million viewing households. It was the second highest-rated show on the Fox network that week, following The X-Files
The X-Files
The X-Files is an American science fiction television series and a part of The X-Files franchise, created by screenwriter Chris Carter. The program originally aired from to . The show was a hit for the Fox network, and its characters and slogans became popular culture touchstones in the 1990s...
.
Michael Schiffer, one of the writers of the film Crimson Tide
Crimson Tide (film)
The film has uncredited additional writing by Quentin Tarantino, much of it being the pop-culture reference-laden dialogue.The U.S. Navy objected to many of the elements in the script — particularly the aspect of mutiny on board a U.S. naval vessel — and as such, the film was produced...
is said to have enjoyed this episode. Mike Reiss considers the sequence where Russia returns to being the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
to be "the nuttiest the show has ever been". The authors of the book I Can't Believe It's a Bigger and Better Updated Unofficial Simpsons Guide, Warren Martyn and Adrian Wood, called it "a fairly straightforward episode where the biggest laugh comes from Homer being able to talk to penguins and Bart trying to impress his classmates by doing The Bartman."
External links
- "Simpson Tide" at The Simpsons.com