The Simpsons Countdown

My good friend Natalia Castro makes her podcast debut. Literally: as in this is the first podcast she's ever participated in. And it is an honor to have here here, discussing, "The Crepes of Wrath," which originally aired on April 15, 1990.

The episode, on the surface, is about Bart participating in an exchange program and being sent to France, where he is forced into slave labor. Meanwhile, his counterpart back home turns out to be an Albanian spy. Now, all of that - in and of itself - is the rich sort of plotting you'd normally expect a feature-length film to have. But, beyond that, this thing has layers, man! 

It also bears mentioning that Natalia herself participated in a student exchange program while in high school. 

So there's A LOT to discuss.

We discuss the episode in all its rich details, we uncover some of its sociopolitical layers... And we even make time to discuss the particulars of Colombia's robust TV industry.

It's all that, and a bag of corn chips.

Dig in!

Arianny Pilarte is on the line this week...bringing a valuable perspective to the episode "Homer's Night Out," which originally aired on March 25, 1990.  

The optics are a little weird here, let's be honest. I mean... Is a belly dancer the same thing as a stripper? And, for that matter, is a stripper the same thing as a prostitute? Furthermore... Is sex work inherently a bad thing? Does having innocent fun at a stag party count as cheating? Is Homer an asshole or is Marge overreacting? 

So many questions.  

We try to answer them in a focused and spirited discussion.  

Join us, won't you?

Please welcome Chris Prentice to the podcast. 

Veterans of Chud.com might remember him as Moltisanti. And it's great to have him here.

We are discussing "Life on the Fast Lane," which originally aired on March 18, 1990. 

In this episode, Marge comes very close to having an affair with a French bowling champion named Jacques. And so we discuss the show's realistic portrayal of marital strife, the concept of infidelity and how these things can affect a family as a whole, particularly the children. 

We also talk about the genius of Albert Brooks, who gives his voice to Jacques and provides some of the episode's best and most memorable moments.

As is customary, we go off on tangents and somehow end up discussing Martin Scorsese's masterpiece The Irishman. 

There's a lot going on here.  Dig in.

Jason Pollock returns to the podcast to discuss the momentous episode "The Telltale Head," which originally aired on February 25, 1990.

The episode is a classically structured fable in which Bart decapitates the statue of the town hero and learns that becoming popular isn't all it's cracked up to be when coupled with the infamy of committing a crime against humanity. But, is it though? Do statues of historical figures really matter all that much? We ponder this.

We also talk about Apu, because this is the episode that introduces him to the world. But, as that is not the main focus of the episode, we don't spend too much time on the topic. Apu's time will come. Of that there can be no question. But this is not yet the time.

As expected, we go a bit all over the place in these fast-paced 45 minutes. We even discuss sexy children's variety shows from Latin America.

It's fun. 

Jump in and check it out!

Petrus returns to the podcast, to discuss  - "The Call of the Simpsons," which originally aired on February 18, 1990. 

This is an episode he really cares about. Because, to be fair, when he sat down to talk "Homer's Odyssey," he was just doing Erix a favor. 

But this episode has a special place in Petrus' heart. It's the first one he remembers watching...way back when he was just a little tyke. And that's rather appropriate as the episode - a wilderness adventure starring The Simpsons - is actually very kid friendly. Arguably the most kid friendly of the season, if not the entire series. In any case, it's easy to see why this episode spawned a Burger King Kids Meal playset that probably costs a small fortune on eBay today. 

Erix and Petrus talk about that. They also talk about the genius of Albert Brooks and how his hilarious performance as sleazy car salesman Cowboy Bob is easily the best feature of the episode.

It's a fast-paced, focused discussion that will surely provide quite a bit of enjoyment. 

Please join us.

Also... Check out Petrus' music. 

Oz's Facebook Page

https://www.facebook.com/paginaoz/

Oz's Spotify Page

https://open.spotify.com/artist/2ZQdHCcJNVYddE05HrM85k

Erix is once again joined by Josh Fein, and they discuss “Moaning Lisa,” which originally aired on February 11, 1990.

Well… There are a few tangents, let’s be fair. 

Maybe the episode doesn’t inspire quite the same level of enthusiasm of other episodes. So they need to talk about stuff like video games - specifically Konami’s classic Simpsons Arcade Game. And there is also a brief discussion about The Simpsons Sing the Blues - a novelty record that has maybe been wisely forgotten after thirty years. An album so bad, in fact, that maybe it merits a future bonus episode all on its own… We’ll see.

In any case, this is still a fun, peppy discussion and - despite the above doomsaying - “Moaning Lisa” IS discussed: Its relative value in fleshing out Lisa as a character, its incisive approach to the platitudinal way people deal with depression in others… And its appropriate use of wailing sax on the soundtrack.

Enjoy.

Erix is joined by Dan Lebofsky, a Canadian expat - also living in La Paz, Bolivia. He's a good musician and a good friend...making his podcast debut.

They discuss "Bart the General," which originally aired on February 4, 1990. They discuss that for a few minutes, until they go off on tangents involving retirement homes, treatment of the elderly, and so on...before doubling back again and discussing The Simpsons in general; and its cultural impact both in the US and abroad.

Yes, Metallica is mentioned. They talk about a lot of things. It's all in fun. That's kind of how it goes with these things.

Enjoy.

Erix is joined by Josh Fein, and they discuss “There’s No Disgrace Like Home,” which originally aired on January 28, 1990.

There’s a lot to unpack in this episode, it seems… with its unusual portrayal of family therapy - climaxing in a scene so classic, it was featured as a prominent button in the summer blockbuster Die Hard 2.

No, they don’t talk about Die Hard 2. But they do discuss the general development of The Simpsons, as well as its cultural impact.

Far as bonus personal details? You will find out how Erix and Fein had dinner while they were growing up, and other equally fascinating things.

It’s a fun discussion. Check it out.

Erix is joined by Petrus (Pedro Pablo) Silón - lead singer of the Bolivian rock band Oz. 

They discuss the rather forgotten episode "Homer's Odyssey," in which Homer goes into a funk after being humiliatingly fired in front of his son. But, after briefly contemplating suicide, he finds a new purpose in life - becoming a crusader for safety. It's an odd episode with a surprisingly dark and heavy emotional core for a sitcom, more so for a cartoon.

It may not be a "classic," but it certainly provides for ample discussion. And much of it is centered around political correctness and the importance of context when looking at touchy subjects in humor. But also just in approaching the critical analysis of works created in a different age and under different circumstances.

If you're interested in Petrus' work, check out his band Oz. They're very good. 

This is their Facebook page.

This is their Spotify page.  

TRIGGER WARNING: Although the topic of suicide is not explicitly discussed, it is briefly touched upon, as is the idea of fictionalized suicide triggering emotions in people. And the word "suicide" is uttered several times throughout the episode.

The first "official" episode of the podcast! In which Erix and Mike Drew Flynn discuss "Bart the Genius", the first "official" episode of The Simpsons. 

They also relate their own experiences in the American public school system, which are exactly the same as Bart Simpson's! And yet, completely different!  

As a bonus, there is some tangential stuff of possibly archival interest regarding the history of New York's Channel 5!   

Good times.