Sweet, merciful crap, people. Don’t you realise that “The Simpsons Movie” opens next week?

Can you see that I am serious?

(No, don’t get too excited– this isn’t the fishbulb episode…that didn’t make the cut for the Cromulent 20).

Instead, this episode is really one of the bigs, especially the third act. It’s got great (albeit short) songs, has character development (of sorts) and has some great laughs, too.

Anyway, quick post today, so let’s get right to the pirates, drunks and whores.

#4 “A Streetcar Named Marge” Written by Jeff Martin Directed by Rich Moore Season 4, Episode 2 Originally aired October 1, 1992

20. Homer At The Bat 19. Hurricane Neddy 18. Homer Goes to College 17. Homer’s Enemy 16. The Cartridge Family 15. 22 Short Films About Springfield 14. Treehouse of Horror II 13. El Viaje Misterioso de Nuestro Jomer 12. Mr. Plow 11. Kamp Krusty

10. Burns Verkaufen der Kraftwerk 9. Bart Sells His Soul 8. Homer the Heretic 7. Mr. Lisa Goes To Washington 6. The New Kid on the Block 5. Lisa the Greek 4. A Streetcar Named Marge 3. 2. 1.

Episode Synopsis

Marge gets a role in the Springfield production of “Oh! Streetcar!”, to Homer’s apparent chagrin.

Why This Episode Is Particularly Cromulent

Wonderful homages to The Birds (including the shot-for-shot attic scene and the Hitch cameo) and a fabulous Great Escape setpiece…oh, and a lil’ Homer-as-Joseph-Cotton in Citizen Kane thrown in there for good measure.

The third act in particular has all the big set pieces and is an absolutely outstanding example of pencil mileage, including…

The Great Escape

The Birds

Notes and Observations

• Troy doesn’t announce his previous film & TV work when he introduces himself. Total screwjob.
• After the episode aired, the producers issued a formal apology to the city of New Orleans.
• The show took two years from idea to air, which is long, even for the show
• There was a lot of copyright harranguing, and the writers could only use a couple of lines from the play; they had to make up the rest in song to get around it
• First mention of Apu’s last name in this episode (Nahasapeemapetilan)
• On the DVD commentary, the boys discuss that this is another transition episode for Homer’s voice going from Walter Matthau to more of the Homer we know today

Memorable Quotes

Troy: Live from beautiful Laughlin, Nevada, it’s the Miss American Girl Pageant! Brought to you my Meryl Streep’s Versatility: Smell like Streep for Cheap!

Troy: If you ask me, they’re all winners! We’ll be cutting our first 40 contestants right after this.

Blackwell: Memo to Goldie Hawn: Cheerleading tryouts were 30 years ago. Let’s grow up, shall we?
.
Bart: Oh, he’s such a *bitch*!
.
.

Marge: I haven’t been in a play since high school, and I thought it would be a good chance to meet some other adults.
Homer: Sounds interesting.
Marge: You know, I spend all day alone with Maggie. Sometimes it’s like I don’t even exist.
Homer: Sounds interesting.

Mary Jo: Tonight, my reign as Miss American Girl comes to an end, and I’d like to apologize one last time for my unfortunate remarks at the United Nations.

Llewellyn: I have directed three plays in my career, and I have had three heart attacks. That’s how much I care, I’m planning for a fourth.

Marge: Maybe I should’ve taken a nice calligraphy class.
Wiggum: Oh, forget about it. That Mr. Takahashi’s a lunatic!

Llewellyn: I am not an easy man to work for. While directing “Hats off to Channukah”, I reduced more than one cast member to tears. Did I expect too much from fourth-graders? The review “Play enjoyed by *all*” speaks for itself.

Lisa: Wow! My mother the actress. I feel like Lucy Arnaz-Luckinbill.
Bart: Are there any jive-talking robots in this play?
Marge: Mmmm, I don’t think so.
Homer: Bart, don’t ask stupid questions…Is there any frontal nudity?

Otto: My name is Otto. I’m playin’ Pablo.
Hutz: Lionel Hutz, Attorney at Law. I’m filing a class-action suit against the director on behalf of everyone who was cut from the play. I also play Mitch…
Marge: I’m Marge Simpson, I’ll be playing Blanche. I also made some peanut butter brownies for everyone.
Llewellyn (samples): Well, would anyone else like a bite of banality?

Ms. Sinclair: Mrs. Simpson, I don’t like to toot my own horn, but we’re the only day-care in town that is not currently under investigation by the state.

Flanders: I hate to be an armchair Blanche, but I always gave it one of these…heh heh…there’s the ol’ face shredder.

Llewellyn: I’m gonna crawl into bed with a bottle of Amaretto. Good day.

Marge: I just don’t see why Blanche should shove a broken bottle in Stanley’s face. Couldn’t she just take his abuse with gentle good humor?

Llewellyn: Marge, I’m asking for white-hot rage, and you’re giving me…a hissy fit.

Llewellyn: Ned, you’re supposed to overpower her.
Flanders: I’m trying, I’m trying!’

Homer: Salt me.

Homer: I’m living in a cuckoo clock!

Homer: But Marge, what about dessert?
Marge: For God’s sakes, you can pull the lid off your own can of pudding!
Homer: Fine! I will!…Oh no, my pudding is trapped forever. So I can open my own can of pudding, can I? Shows what you know, Marge. Mmmaaaaarge!!!!!

Marge: I’m sure you won’t enjoy it. There’s nothing about bowling in the play. Oh wait, there is.
Homer: Probably not much of it.

Marge: Why can’t you be a little more supportive?
Homer: Because I don’t care, okay? And I can’t fake an interest in this, and I’m an expert at faking an interest in your kooky projects.
Marge: What kooky projects?
Homer: You know, the painting class, the first aid course, the whole Lamaze thing…

Llewellyn: Perhaps we’re all a little mad, we who don cap and bells, and tread beneath the proscenium arch…but tonight, you will all be transformed from dead-eyed suburbanites into white hot grease fires of pure entertainment!…except you, you’re not working out, I’ll be playing your part.
Otto: Drag.

Streetcar: Long before the Superdome,
Where the Saints of football play,
There’s a city where the damned call home,
Hear their hellish rondelet…

New Orleans!
Home of pirates, drunks, and whores…
New Orleans!
Tacky, overpriced souvenir stores…

If you want to go to hell, you should take a trip
To the Sodom and Gomorrah of the Mississip’:

New Orleans!
Stinking, rotten, vomiting, vile…
New Orleans!
Putrid, brackish, maggotty, foul…

New Orleans!
Crummy, lousy, rancid and rank…
New Orleans!

Steve (Apu): I am just a simple paperboy, no romance do I seek.
I just wanted forty cents, for my deliveries last week.
Will this bewitching floozy
Seduce this humble newsie?
Oh, what’s a paperboy to… doooooo?

Stanley (Ned): Stella!
STELLLAAAA!
Can’t you hear me YELLA!
You’re puttin’ me through HELLA!
Stella…
STELLLAAAA!

Bart: Hey, look at me! I’m Blanche DuBois!

Summary

Now here’s a tip from Blanche you won’t regret:
A stranger’s just a friend you haven’t met.
You ha-ven’t met!
Streetcar!