[3F16] The Day the Violence Died
The Day the Violence Died Written by John Swartzwelder
Directed by Wesley Archer
=======================================================================
Production Code: 3F16 Original Airdate in N.A.: 17-Mar-96
Capsule revision B, 7-May-96
"TV Guide" Synopsis {sp}
Bart wants justice done after learning that the animator (voice of
Kirk Douglas) who created Itchy was ripped off. The bumbling
Lionel Hutz takes the case. Suzanne Somers has a cameo.
Opening Sequence
COUCH SCENE
Gray blobs resembling the Simpsons run to the couch and are
colored in by spray guns and eyeball shooters.
(Recycled from 3F03.)
Did you notice...
... Chester Lampwick calls Bart "Brad"?
... Roger Myers mentions Chief Wiggum as one of the plaigarized
cartoon characters?
... on mention of the above Wiggum turns his head?
... Lester and Eliza look like Bart and Lisa in their Tracey Ullman
days?
Ricardo A. Lafaurie Jr.:
... the music in the final I&S is exactly like the "Burns releases
his hounds"(tm) music?
Haynes Lee:
... Charlie Chaplin in Bumtown?
... the piano music in the film is "Daisy"?
... Hutz' next door neighbor is "Yogurt Nook"?
... the check is dated March 7?
Benjamin Robinson:
... the bra hanging out of the car window in the bootleg I&S
cartoon?
... the bootleg cartoon's music was a '70s "soul" version of the
usual I&S theme?
... the figurines from the short-lived "Itchy & Scratchy & Friends
Hour" in the display case?
... someone cheers Bart as he marches in the parade?
... we never see the last four digits of Hutz's phone number?
... Marge spoon-feeds Maggie, rather than letting the baby fend for
herself?
... Lampwick still panhandles even though he's loaded?
Damian Penny:
... Bart and Lisa's I&S anniversary hats, complete with bloody
axes?
... the Android's Dungeon is open after 11 P.M.?
... the 4-H club in Bumtown?
... the Olmec Head is still in the basement?
... the real I&S creator really does build a solid gold house?
... Homer carried $750 to the trial?
... Myers was staying at a "Worst Western" hotel?
... Apu was busted for nudity?
... Krusty was once married?
Veronica Marquez:
... the pun on "eyes/ice" in the Itchy and Scratchy carton?
... the chicken in the Fritz crossover is bare breasted?
... the comic book guy apparently holds the creators of "Hi and
Lois" in high esteem?
... you can see the Mary Worth phone in the basement?
... Bart, and the judge, take all of the evidence at face value?
... the boy in "Just an Amendment" talks really slowly and
deliberately?
... Bart's question "What the hell is this?" isn't rhetorical?
(i.e., he was actually asking Lisa)
... we never hear Bart and Lisa's "perfect plan"?
... both Itchy and Scratchy episodes deals with Scratchy's death
and afterlife?
... Alex Rocco reprises his role as Roger Myers from 7F09?
Mark Richey:
... a decapitated Scratchy chasing Itchy in the 75th Anniversary
logo?
... Scratchy actually died of natural causes?
... Otto watching "I & S Meet Fritz"?
... the Krusty and Happy Little Elves lunchboxes in the same
display case?
... Milhouse recognizes Teddy Roosevelt?
... Principal Skinner at the trial?
... Roger's lawyer slaps his forehead when Roger starts his tirade?
... the "couple of bucks" were actually $100 bills?
... Chester whistles "We're In the Money"?
... the cartoon bump on the flag burner's head?
... Kent doesn't acknowledge his new neighbor (who actually has
about $600 billion more than he does)?
... Itchy knows Latin?
Rick Senger:
... Itchy has a button on his vacuum cleaner that reverses the flow
direction to expel air rather than suck it up?
... Suzanne Somers' cartoon likeness appears to be wearing a wig
or hair extensions (as she does in real life)?
... Springfield Elementary has a 90-year-old movie projector?
... Milhouse rather gleefully encourages Itchy to "kill that guy"?
... Milhouse doesn't know how to pronounce the word "mischief"?
... after Itchy has chopped off Teddy Roosevelt's head, he is coated
with Roosevelt's blood as he smiles and winks to the audience?
... Itchy and Scratchy animators don't work on Mondays because they
attend A.A. meetings?
... Bart knows about radon?
... Homer wears a stainless steel kitchen collander on his head when
he descends into the basement?
... Grampa had a chicken coop in 1947?
... Roger Myers had the insight to foresee disgruntled postal
workers with his "Manic Mailman" character?
... Marge's idea for a cartoon is called "Ghost Mutt"?
Jason Hancock:
... "Steamboat Itchy" is copyrighted in Roman numerals during the
ending credits, but is also copyrighted in Arabic numbers at
the end of the picture?
... John Swartzwelder is dressed like Barney?
... we don't see the whole check when Myers hands it over (he covers
the first few numbers with his thumb), so we don't know if the
check is actually for $800 billion?
... the flag-burning radical in the "Schoolhouse Rock" spoof is
dressed as a hippie?
... Lester wears a blue shirt, like Bart in early Simpsons
merchandise?
... Scratchy wears Acme (tm) rocket shoes in the ending cartoon?
Don Del Grande:
... Suzanne Somers has two lines?
... when Bart joins the parade, people in the crowd recognize him,
but not as the "I Didn't Do It" kid?
... "Manhattan Madness" was done by Lampwick Studios?
... when the cartoon finished, the film only appears to be halfway
completed in the projector?
... when Bart calls Chester "the father of cartoon violence",
Snowball II runs off in a cloud of dust?
... somebody did their homework, as Lisa's plate at dinner appears
to be the only one without meat (depending on what Maggie was
eating)?
... Lisa doesn't wear her bicycle helmet?
... the God Mouse has four fingers per hand?
... Lester riding his skateboard at the end is reminiscent of when
the one-eyebrow baby makes an appearance?
Daniel McCoy:
... Itchy is apparently Catholic?
John Murray:
... the ghost of Scratchy froze in the freezer, with no liquid?
Matthew Kurth:
... the watertower on the Itchy & Scratchy Intl. lot, similar to the
now-famous watertower on the Warner Bros. lot?
Cast
Starring
- Dan Castellaneta (Homer, Dave, Grampa, defense lawyer, Krusty)
- Julie Kavner (Marge)
- Nancy Cartwright (Bart, Itchy, Lester)
- Yeardley Smith (Lisa)
- Hank Azaria (man who took seats, comic book guy)
- Harry Shearer (Kent Brockman, Scratchy, judge, big fat guy)
Special Guest Voice
- Kirk Douglas (Chester J. Lampwick)
- Phil Hartman (Lionel Hutz)
- Alex Rocco (Roger Myers, Jr.)
- Jack Sheldon (the Amendment)
- Suzanne Somers (herself)
Also Starring
- Pamela Hayden (Milhouse, boy in "Amendment to Be")
- Tress MacNeille ("Hey, Bart!")
Movie, Music, and other References
+ "American Pie" (The Day the Music Died) {kab}
- Episode title
+ Shakespeare's Sonnet #30 {dp}, {vm}
- sonnet contains famous line "remembrance of things past" which
is referenced in the title of the I&S cartoon
- Marcel Proust wrote a novel called "A La Recherche Du Temps
Perdu", or in English, "Remembrance of Things Past" {dh2}
+ "Ghostbusters" {hl}
- Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd used fire extinguishers to freeze
ghosts and a liquid nitrogen freezer to detain them
"Casper" {mk}
- sucking up ghosts with vacuum cleaners
+ "Superman" {dp}
- creators later poverty-stricken and forgotten (see below)
+ "Looney Tunes" (the Road Runner cartoons) {hl}
- Wile E. Coyote attempts to defend himself from falling anvils
by holding up an umbrella
- chase scene in final I&S shown is straight out of the Road
Runner
- Acme(tm) products are used {jh}
+ "Felix the Cat" {mk}
- 1919 (the year "Manhattan Madness" was released) is the same
year that Felix's first cartoon, "Feline Follies", was released
- the Irish villian looks like the hackneyed villian of Felix
cartoons
- much of the plot (see below)
+ "Steamboat Willie" {mk}
- "Steamboat Itchy" was released in 1928 like "Steamboat Willie"
+ Warner Bros. character Foxy {mk}
- "Flatulent Fox" similar
+ Disney short "The Skeleton Dance" {mk}
- "Rich Uncle Skeleton" similar
+ Disney character Dippy Dawg, later renamed Goofy {mk}
- "Dinner Dog" similar
+ "We're In the Money"
- Lampwick whistles this song after leaving the Simpsons home
+ "Schoolhouse Rock"
- "Amendment-to-be" a parody of "Just a Bill"
- similarities: {bjr}
- same music
- same opening shot
- same characters (the amendment [a bill in the original
cartoon], the little boy, the signed laws that walk down the
Capitol building stairs, and the congressmen at the end)
- the amendment is voiced by Jack Sheldon like in SR
- same ending: man announces "Good news, you've been approved"
and hoists the bill and the kid on his shoulder
+ "The Three Stooges"
- the bill with the bomb whoops like Curly
+ "The Tracey Ullman Show"
- Lester and Eliza bear an uncanny resemblance to proto-Bart and
Lisa, in the TU Simpsons shorts
Freeze Frame Fun
Couch Scene, frame by frame {th}
[Note: This FFF comes from the 3F03 capsule; since shortened intros
have speeded-up or shortened couch scenes, the frame timings will
probably be off]
1-26 OFF appears, runs to couch
27 Sprayers descend
32-52 OFF sprayed yellow
53 Yellow sprayers begin retreat
57 Other colors start spraying, forming Homer's beard and Bart's
eyes
58 Marge's shoes, Homer's pants, Bart's socks
61 Maggie's right eye (oculus dextrorsus)
62 Maggie's left eye (oculus sinister)
63 Lisa's eyes and pearls
65 A cloud of blue and green begins to form Bart's pants,
Marge's dress, and Maggie's clothes
67 Lisa's dress, Marge's pearls
68 Marge's eyes, Homer's shirt
70 Lisa's shoes, Homer's eyes
71 Marge's hair
75 Bart's shirt
85-92 Definition lines are sprayed
96 The cloud of spray dissipates
99 First eyeball fired
101 Homer OD
102 Homer OS
104 Marge OD
105 Marge OS
106 Lisa OD
107 Lisa OS
109 Maggie OD
110 Maggie OS
111 Bart OD
112 Bart OS
115 Eyeballer gone
116 Family blinks
119 Last frame
Lampwick's credits during "Manhattan Madness" {bjr}
Creator
Director
Cellu-lamino Artist
Electricity Engineer
Ethnographer
Hutz' card {hl}
------------------------------
| LIONEL HUTZ |
|--------------------------- |
| ESQ. |
| |
| WORKS ON |
| CONTINGENCY? |
| |
| NO, MONEY DOWN! |
| |
| / |
| / -|- |
| / | |
| -|-| |
| ----- |
| PHONE 555- /----------
-----------------/
Newspaper {vm}
B U M S U E S
C A R T O O N S T U D I O
==============================
Legal Fees Paid by Some Family
Selected People in Courtroom {jh}
Behind the plaintiff's bench (l. to r.)
- front row: Bart, Lisa, Marge, Homer
Behind the defendant's bench
- front row, l-r: Chief Wiggum, rusty
- second row: Ned Flanders
- further back: Principal Skinner
The Surprise Witnesses {vm}
Man with a dummy
Santa Claus with a broken leg on crutches
John Swartzwelder
Ralph Wiggum
the McCrary twins, on their motorcycles
Lampwick's inscription on the drawing {bjr}
To Roger Myers keep drawing --
your moxie more than makes up
for your lack of talent
your pal
Chester J. Lampwick
Sept 3, 1919
Technical Credits (if you Care) {vm}
Overseas Animation: Akom {ddg}
Assistant Director: Nancy Kruse
Animation Timer: David Bastien
Storyboard: Ted Mathot, Martin Archer, Celia Kendrick, Christian
Roman
Character Design Supervisor: Dale Hendrickson
Character Design: Scott Alberts, Joseph Wack, Mark Howard, Matt
Groening, Sam Simon
Background Design Supervisor: Lance Wilder
Background Design: John Krause, Maria Marrioti-Wilder, Edgar
Duncan
Previous Episode References
- [7G12], [8F20], [9F22], [2F02], [3F08] Sideshow Bob, "the evil
genius", is foiled by Bart and Lisa {hl}
- [7F07] The wrong side of the tracks shown {mar}
- [7F09] Myers asking sarcastically about getting cartoon ideas from
Marge {hl}
- [7F09] Itchy and Scratchy are replaced by an educational cartoon {jh}
- [8F05] Krusty is reunited with his father thanks to Bart and Lisa
- [8F08] Hutz looks up copyright laws {hl}
- [8F11] Itchy torments the ghost of Scratchy {vm}
- [8F17] Bart asks a rich person for money (cf. Kent Brockman in 8F17)
{jh}
- [8F17], [3F11] Kent Brockman represented as a snooty rich fellow {vm}
- [8F23] OFF helps a poor person become rich again {jh}
- [9F02], [1F21] Pastey-faced lawyer serves copyright infringement
missives {hl}
- [9F03] Hitler's head chopped off (cf. Teddy Roosevelt's) {hl}
- [9F03] "Steamboat Itchy" is seen
- [9F05], [9F06] "I Can't Believe It's A Law Firm!" {hl}
- [9F06] Santa Claus in the courtroom {js}
- [9F09] Taught Dr. Nick Riviera open-heart surgery thanks to Lisa
- [9F12] Animals other than cats and mice appear on I&S {vm}
- [9F14] Hutz's use of "surprise witnesses" {hl}
- [9F15] Amendment does a Curly-whoop (cf. Homer) {vm}
- [9F16], [3F01], [3F12] John Swartzwelder appears {vm}
- [9F20] A film is shown during a courtroom scene {jh}
- [1F18] Skinner gets his job back thanks to Bart and Lisa
- [1F19] The rundown 4-H club is shown {mar}
- [2F01] Roger Myers Sr. is mentioned {jh}
- [2F01] Big mice costumes with eyes visible from mouth {hl}
- [2F01] Characters from "Itchy & Scratchy & Friends Hour" appear {bjr}
- [2F21] Bumtown appears {jl}
- [3F02] The comic stoe owner refers to Hi and Lois {bjr}
- [3F03] Lisa inappropriately realizes cartoon violence {jl}
- [3F05] Benny and Billy McCrary, the world's heaviest twins, appear
{bjr}
- [3F09] Lester skateboards by menacingly (cf. Bart rolling past the
Bush's house) {bjr}
- [3F12] Bank of Springfield checks are used {jh}
- [3F12] Bart accidentally ruins someone {vm}
- [SI#8] Bart and Lisa watch an I&S marathon {jh}
Animation, Continuity, and other Goofs
= In the first shot of Itchy's table, there wasn't a knife on it.
{mar}
* The street behind Kent Brockman should not have been visible as it
was on television at 11:00 at night. {ddg}
= During the night before the parade, the sidewalk in front of the
chais grew. {ddg}
= The piano Chester plays was in the back of the room in the first
shot, but in the front in the second shot. {mar}
* The print of the early Itchy cartoon that burned on the projector
is cellulose nitrate stock, which degrades rapidly with time.
It's unlikely that a print as old as this would survive at all, much
less being carried around outdoors by a bum. {pk}
* A copyright case would be heard in a federal court, not the local
Springfield town court. {pk}
* Copyrights do expire. The rules have changed several times this
century, but it's possible that the original copyright on Itchy and
Scratchy have expired by now, and, depending on the statue of
limitations, I&S Enterprises would not have to pay ongoing royalties
to use the characters. {pk}
* If Itchy & Scratchy is celebrating their 75th anniversary (and if
Itchy & Scratchy Enterprises was established in 1921), explain how
`Steamboat Itchy' was created and copyrighted in 1928.
+ In 2F01, Bart said Disgruntled Goat was created in the 1980's as
part of the Itchy & Scratchy Friends Hour. Here he is presented as
one of Roger Myers Sr's original creations. {mar}
+ How did Homer get $750 for the drawing Bart wants? {jh}
* Why didn't Krusty have any I&S cartoons? They had 75 years worth of
backlogs to draw on, and Channel 6 could surely pay the royalties.
{mar}
+ What about Marge's stand against cartoon violence in Season Two's
"Itchy & Scratchy & Marge" (7F09)? Why would she call I&S "cute
little cartoon friends" now? {mk}
+ Since when was Krusty married? {jh}
Comments and other observations
Guest Voices in this episode (aka Who is Jack Sheldon?)
Kirk Douglas is an acclaimed actor of the screen, who made films
throughout the '50s, '60s, and early '70s. He was `Spartacus'
(I love you Spartacus!) The most recent role I've seen him in is
the TV movie "Queenie", starring Mia Sara, as her producer,
director, and lover (*shudder*). Oh yeah, and he's Michael
Douglas' father.
Phil Hartman is a regular guest voice. Somehow ads for this episode
felt the need to hype him, since he's making quite a career for
himself in commercials for McDonalds and Cheetos and in cheesy
films such as "Houseguest" and "Sgt. Bilko".
Alex Rocco "is your regular grumpy old man next door type of actor.
He did `The George Carlin Show', for which Sam Simon produced.
Rocco also voiced Roger Myers in `Itchy & Scratchy & Marge'."
{vm}
Jack Sheldon "did the voice of the Amendment. He also played the Bill
in the parodied Schoolhouse Rock cartoon and was somewhat of a
singer." {vm} He also starred in a number of failed sitcoms during
the '70s.
Suzanne Somers was, um, the blonde one in "Three's Company" and acted
in the failed sitcom "Step by Step". She's made famous today for
her work in pitching Thighmaster and Buttmaster. (That's an
embarassing name to see in a department store!) She did good work
in "Serial Mom" when Kathleen Turner told her off. Maybe she's
trying to get rid of her bimbo image by self-depreciating herself.
Mmmm... blintze.
Haynes Lee says a blintze is a Yiddish dish, a cheese-filled pancake
served with jam. (Yuk.) Jason Hancock researches, "According
to the Houghton Mifflin College Dictionary, a blintz is `a thin
rolled pancake usually stuffed with cottage cheese and often
served with sour cream.' [Still yuk --ed] It came from the
Yiddish word for `pancake'."
The Reluctant Founding Fathers of Itchy
Benjamin Robinson says, "Working with Myers on `Steamboat Itchy' were
two people destined to be famous. George Gershwin was a noted
American composer. Joseph P. Kennedy was the father of _those_
Kennedys -- John, Robert, and Ted. Surprisingly, neither man
mentioned their early work with `Steamboat Itchy'. I guess they
thought it was beneath their dignity."
The Fastest Thing on Wheels
Chester Lampwick keeps a rocket car that looks remarkably like the Blue
Flame in his driveway (unprotected too!) Benjamin Robinson gives
us more information on this, er, car: "In 1970, Gary Gabelich
drove the Blue Flame into the record books. (Driving may not be
the right word. Gabelich was strapped into what amounted to a
sub-orbital missile on wheels.) Officials at the Bonneville Salt
Flats clocked him at 622.407 miles per hour -- good enough for the
world land speed record. The Blue Flame was powered, and
sponsored, by natural gas, which burns with -- you guessed it --
blue flame. The record stood until 1983, when the Thrust II
managed in excess of 634 miles per hour."
Ted Kennedy Gay? Surely you jest.
Matthew Kurth says, "You'd be hard-pressed to find anyone who will
believe that Ted Kennedy is gay, as he has the reputation of being
one of the biggest womanizers in the Senate."
Lester and Eliza: What the Hell is Going On?
Quoting a note written by law59@unlclass1.unl.edu on alt.tv.simpsons:
"Lester and Eliza are obviously analogous to the major point of the
episode that many cartoon concepts, or concepts in fiction, for
that matter, are really rehashes of past characters. It was very
interesting the way Lester and Eliza were the original Bart and
Lisa concepts (drawn the way they were originally on the Tracey
Ullman show)."
Roger's Tirade
Mark Richey noticed that all of the characters and shows Roger Myers,
Jr. mentioned are from Hanna-Barbera, who created Tom and Jerry,
who Itchy and Scratchy is a parody of.
Wiggum the Cartoon Character
Mark Richey rambles, "Does this mean that everyone in the show realizes
that they are cartoon characters? Or does this mean... I have a
headache now."
Lyrics for "Amendment-to-Be" (with Jack Sheldon, Pamela Hayden, and
Harry Shearer)
Boy: [spoken] Hey, who left all this garbage lying on the
steps of Congress?
Amendment: [spoken] I'm not garbage.
I'm an amendment to be
Yes, an amendment to be
And I'm hoping that they'll ratify me
There's a lot of flag burners
Who have got too much freedom
I wanna make it legal
For policemen
To beat 'em
'Cause there's limits to our liberties
'Least I hope and pray that there are
'Cause those liberal freaks go too far.
Boy: [spoken] But why can't we just make a law against
flag burning?
Amendment: [spoken] Because that law would be unconstitutional.
But if we _changed_ the Constitution...
Boy: [spoken] Then we could make all sorts of crazy laws!
Amendment: [spoken] Now you're catching on!
brief intermission as Bart and Lisa share comments
Boy: [spoken] But what if they say you're not good enough
to be in the Constitution?
Amendment: Then I'll destroy all opposition to me
And I'll make Ted Kennedy pay
If he fights back
I'll say that he's gay
Big Fat Guy: [running up] Good news, Amendment! They ratified
'ya. You're in the U.S. Constitution!
Amendment: Oh, yeah! Door's open, boys!
[many bills and amendments run in, guns a-shooting
and bombs a-flying]
Your Guide to Itchy and Scratchy, ep. 3F16 {fb}
[WARNING: If you haven't seen the episode, I strongly suggest you do not
read what follows. --ed]
"Remembrance of Things Slashed"
Itchy is moaning in sadness while reading about the death of
Scratchy in the newspaper. [apparently since he didn't get to do
it --ed] When the ghost of Scratchy appears before him, he tries
to stab him with a knife, but to no avail. For once, it is
Scratchy who is laughing, but Itchy has an idea. He sucks his
beloved foe in the vacuum cleaner, and blows him into the
freezer. After waiting for a moment, he stabs the frozen block in
which Scratchy has turned into with an ice pick, dislodging the
eyeballs which he uses as ice cubes for his drink. As Itchy
drinks from it, Scratchy's eyes blink.
"Itchy and Scratchy Meet Fritz the Cat"
Scratchy is walking in some sort of "Bumtown", where he runs
across a female chicken, obviously practicing the oldest job of
all. "Hey, sister. Just give me a chance to get next to you." he
declares, just before he sees Itchy driving by. After getting out
of the car, Itchy grabs it and pours the gasoline on Scratchy,
then takes a puff of his cigarette and throws it on him. Leaving
Scratchy burning in flames, he drives away with Mrs. Chicken.
"Hey, my threads, baby!" Scratchy wails.
"Scratchy the Heretic"*
A la Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner, Itchy, carrying a large drill
chases Scratchy (in rocket ACME shoes) across a desert landscape.
Losing Scratchy, Itchy stops at a church and prays in Latin.
Scratchy is smashed by a giant foot and thrown in the depths of
hell. Up above, Itchy and a God-mouse shake hands, and wink at
the camera. They then wink at the viewer.
Cartoon Biz References (or, Iwerks the Iconoclast)
"Fritz the Cat"... Mark Richey: "`Fritz the Cat' was created by
underground cartoonist Robert Crumb. It was turned into the first
X-rated animated feature by Ralph Bakshi in 1972. [Some may
remember him also as the director of pervert-fantasy "Cool World"
--ed] According to the excellent documentary `Crumb', Crumb hated
the movie version."
Damian Penny ponders, "I think the actual creator of I&S was based
somewhat on the creators of `Superman', Jerry Siegel and Joe
Shuster. After they created the charcter, they sold the rights to
DC for a piddling sum and later hit the skids. They lost a court
battle to regain control, but when the "Superman" movie was made in
1978 attention was drawn to their plight, and DC started paying
them royalties."
"Itchy the Lucky Mouse"... Matthew Kurth says this is a reference to
"`Oswald the Lucky Rabbit', created by Ub Iwerks, who was
responsible for inspiring Walt Disney to pursue work in animation.
Ub also worked with such influential people as Tex Avery, Walter
Lantz, and Isadore (Friz) Freleng.
Matthew Kurth says, "Note the use of the `Manhattan Madness' and
Lampwick Studios logo on every card. This was pioneered by
American Biograph just after the turn of the century as a technique
to discourage other studios from `borrowing' portions of their
films, or worse, taking their films and releasing them in their
entirety under their name."
From Matthew Kurth (again!): "Chester J. Lampwick's assertion that
Roger Meyers Sr. was a poor artist is a tie-in reference to Felix
the Cat. Felix was created by Otto Messmer, and marketed by Pat
Sullivan. Sullivan took all the credit for the work, though
Messmer did most of the early work entirely by himself on his
behalf. This is bolstered by Lampwick's written message to Meyers
describing him as being more ambitious than talented, because
although Sullivan himself was an aspiring animator, his work was
never above mediocrity. Furthermore, Sullivan died well before
Messmer just as Meyers did before Lampwick, and both Messmer and
Lampwick survived in almost complete obsurity for decades following
the deaths of Sullivan and Meyers. The scenerio is also, however,
another reference to `Steamboat Willie'. Ub Iwerks did most of the
work on the cartoon himself, because the other employees working
for Disney at the time thought that Mickey's hijinks were too
violent. Go figure." (Whoa :)
"Schoolhouse Rock"... Jason Hancock provides us with information on
this show: "a series of Saturday morning 3-minute cartoons seen on
ABC in the 1970s and early '80s. They were usually seen during
long commercial breaks and were intended to teach children using
some pretty memorable songs, like `I'm Just a Bill' (the sketch
in which Krusty's `Amendment' cartoon is based on). There were
four different subjects: `Grammar Rock', `Science Rock', `America
Rock', and (my personal favorite) `Multiplication Rock'. (Yes,
folks, THAT was how I learned my times tables! I remember seeing
them in the spring and summer of 1984, just before I entered
third grade.) Ah, memories..." Veronica Marquez also notes that
Jack Sheldon voiced as the bill in "Just a Bill", and played the
Amendment here. (Not the first time OFF has recruited the original
actor to parody himself; recall Colonel Klink in 1F07)
Benjamin Robinson stated it first, but Matthew Kurth expounds: "Roger
Meyers Sr.'s head being cryogenically frozen is a ref to the long-
standing urban legend that Walt Disney was cryogenically frozen
upon his death." This legend has been made fun of many a time,
including on the late ToonMUSH II.
Lester and Eliza... they were drawn like the sketchy, very early
versions of Bart and Lisa on "The Tracey Ullman Show". Note that
Eliza has space around the pearls, the dress is a darker shade of
red, and not strapless. Veronica Marquez says: "I think the
writers were trying to poke fun at the people who dislike detective
episodes by making someone else solve them, and that someone else
to still be, in a way, Bart and Lisa." Matthew Kurth (again with
the Kurth) notes: "If you carry that a bit, it is also a weak
reference to an episode of `The Chipmunks' in which the 1990s
Alvin, Simon, and Theodore meet their 1960s counterparts." (You
_watched_ that show? Just kidding...)
Matthew Kurth (cartoon wiz, evidently) notes there is a relevance in
the years used in this episode:
1919 - Felix the Cat premieres in "Feline Follies", possibly on
Sept. 3
1921 - Walt Disney begins animating early forms of what would
become known as the "Neuman Laugh-O-Grams"; Pat Sullivan
lands a deal to produce "Felix the Cat" cartoons on a
regular basis.
1928 - Mickey Mouse premieres in "Steamboat Willie"
Reviews
Richard Cole - I don't know what I missed, but I didn't think last
night's episode was particularly good. I thought the story was
weak. What the hell was the purpose of Lester and Eliza --
couldn't the writers come up with a way for Bart and Lisa to save
I&S? I couldn't really find any continuity in the story. There
were a few great lines and gags but I think the plot was really
disjointed. ... I try not to be too critical of "The Simpsons"
because I enjoy them as escapism, but, if I were grading that
episode, I would give it a C+.
Chris Courtois - "The Day the Violence Died" was yet another wildly
uneven offering from Swartzwelder. Some parts, especially the
parodies, were as brilliant as anything from Swartzwelder's "Itchy
& Scratchy: The Movie". Other parts, particularly the ending, were
as tediously self-indulgent and overly self-referential as his
"Bart Gets Famous". Balance the two extremes out, factor in the
great guest voice work (3 guests, only one playing herself, and not
an embarassment in the bunch), add a bonus point for a Disney
reference (ok, so I'm biased, but hey, it's my list) and you get a
B-.
Don Del Grande - A-minus - one of the better episodes this season,
although it did slow down slightly at the beginning of the third
act, and the ending was sort of "hanging".
Jason Hancock - This was a pretty good episode; why wasn't this on
during sweeps month? Lionel Hutz was great, as always; Kirk
Douglas and Alex Rocco provided two good guest roles; and the
writers managed to stay away from the overused "Bart and Lisa save
the day" plot with an interesting twist. Nice "Schoolhouse Rock"
reference, too; it brought bac memories of the Saturday mornings
of my childhood. Grade: A.
Norman J. Landis - If no one else wants to say it, let me say it.
Brilliant! There have been complaints lately, including from this
corner, that OFF has gotten too predictable, too formulaic. This
ep bore no resemblance to any sitcom I've ever seen. ... Even the
Constitution was handled in a wonderful fashion; the cartoon being
a wonderful parody, and right wingers given the consolation of
Bart's misguided but wonderful remarks. ... I know this doesn't
count officially, but A+.
Haynes Lee - This would have been a good episode but Chester Lampwick
had no redeeming qualities and was of no use for the last segment
of the show. Grade: B+
Veronica Marquez - Bar none the most surreal episode I've ever seen.
I just sat there going "Eh?" after they brought in Lester and
Eliza. I feel like I'm watching "The Outer Limits". If I had to
give it a grade, it would get a B-.
Daniel McCoy - I really liked the first parts of this episode.
Although the bum character got on my nerves, I thought that it had
some of the funniest jokes I'd seen on the show in a long time.
However, the endingwith the look-alikes left me cold. The
deconstuctionist-type ending was handled less creatively than in
previous episodes when similar things happened. I really wanted
the kids to be the ones to save the studio. On the other hand,
the Schoolhouse rock parody almost singlehandedly redeemed it.
A-/B+
John Murray - Grade: F-. This episode was suckiest, bunch sucking
episodes, that ever sucked. Come on I didn't have a good laugh
once in the two times I watched this episode, I am beginning to
wish I hadn't bothered to watch it. There a few decent scenes,
like any of Hutz's but it's hard not to make Hutz not funny, and
the Schoolhouse Rock parody was well done but not really that
funny (it did give me a small laugh). Even the comic guy was not
funny and there was way too much of him, he only works in small
spread out.
Damian Penny - This episode had all the ingredients of a classic - a
good, satirical plot; Itchy and Scratchy featured prominently; more
meta-humour than I've ever seen in a single episode; and even an
appearance by the great Lionel Hutz! So what was wrong? In my
opinion, it was the same problem that marred "Bart the Fink" - the
whole Lisa-and-Bart-as-detectives plot was taken almost a bit
seriously, with the satire not as cutting as it could have been.
All in all, a B- episode, raised to a B by an absolutely brilliant
skewering of "Schoolhouse Rock" near the end.
Mark Richey - Usually, when the main story wraps up at the end of the
second act, that means trouble. However, the writers managed to
pull off the last act by filling it with meta-humor and self-refs
(something that the entire episode had a lot of). Kirk Douglas
did a good job as Chester, and it's great to see Alex Rocco back
as Roger Myers, Jr. Grade: B
Benjamin Robinson - A strange episode, to say the least. Although not
drop-dead funny, it has some good moments (the comic store guy's
appearance, and the Itchy film are the highlights.) The ending
with Lester and Eliza was a novel twist. The episode seemed too
self-conscious, though, as if it were trying to telegraph "WE ARE
GOING TO DEFY CONVENTION", rather than letting the viewer get the
message naturally. (B)
Rick Senger - A good story (possibly based on Simpsons Comics #1,
which had a similar premise), and an okay episode. Itchy and
Scratchy were funny as usual, and the "I'm Just an Amendment to
Be" HAD to be HILARIOUS to anyone familiar with 70s ABC School
House Rock series. However, this is Swartzwelder Lite again;
JS is incredibly prolific, but only every second or third 'sode of
late has had the balls of his older, more multi-layered outings.
Still, overall, I'll take this one over many of this season. B+
Yours Truly - Bart's words fit this episode best: "What the hell is
going on?" Many people are out searching to find the meaning
behind Lester and Eliza, but I think the truth is the writers just
threw it in. (The 7F16 capsule has an interesting take on this.)
As for the rest of the episode, it was kind of weak, especially
the fact that there wasn't very much of I&S in it. However, it
is lifted up by the great I&S that _was_ there, Roger Myers, Lionel
Hutz, and of course, "Amendment-to-Be". B-.
AVERAGE GRADE: B-/C+ (2.85)
Quotes and Scene Summary {fb}
It's late at night, and the kids, appropriately equipped with cans of
Buzz Cola and their Itchy & Scratchy anniversary caps, are watching
the 48-hour Itchy & Scratchy Diamond Jubilee Marathon: "celebrating
75 years of rib-tickling brutality and hilarious atrocities".
Another Itchy & Scratchy episode runs, called "Remembrance of Things
Slashed". The kids laugh heartily for a while, then get up and
stretch themselves.
Bart: Lisa, if I ever stop loving violence, I want you to shoot me.
Lisa: Will do.
-- Let someone who still loves it do it, "The Day the Violence Died"
Kent Brockman comes on the air.
Tonight, a stowaway bear is terrorizing space shuttle astronauts. But
first, a sneak peak at tomorrow's Itchy & Scratchy parade.
-- Important news first, "The Day the Violence Died"
Bart and Lisa sit and watch, as Kent continues: "I'm here live on
Main Street where dedicated fans are already staking out the best
seats for the big anniversary parade."
The kids gasp, then run for the door.
Bart & Lisa: Bye Mom! Bye Dad!
Homer: Bye Kids! On your way back, pick up a six-pack of beer.
-- Homer J. Simpson cares for his family, "The Day the Violence Died"
Marge: Bart, Lisa, it's 11:00 at night. Where do you think you're
going?
Bart: Downtown.
Lisa: We gotta get seats for the Itchy & Scratchy parade.
Marge: I won't have my children sitting alone on a cold, dangerous
street all night. Homer, you go too.
Homer: Ohh... Why can't they just take the gun?
-- Because they won't hire an assistant, "The Day the Violence Died"
Homer and the kids are sitting in garden chairs on Main Street's
sidewalk, and they are bored to death.
Lisa: Hey, the comic book store is still open.
Bart: Save our seats.
Homer: Will do.
[a couple takes their place]
Man: Hello.
Homer: [moans]
-- Better luck in 25 years, "The Day the Violence Died"
In the comic book store, the TV is showing an Itchy & Scratchy
version which is obviously not meant for kids.
Hey, my threads, baby!
-- Scratchy in I&S Meets Fritz the Cat, "The Day the Violence Died"
Bart: How come I've never seen that Itchy & Scratchy before?
Comic Book Guy: Perhaps because you are prepubescent ignoramus. This is
a bootleg copy of "Itchy & Scratchy Meets Fritz the
Cat". Because of its frank depiction of sex and
narcotic consumption, it is not for infantile intellects
such as yours. Now toodle-oo.
-- Bart finally learns something about I&S, "The Day the Violence Died"
Walking away, Bart sees a lot of Itchy & Scratchy merchandise. Among
the usual crap like dolls and lunch boxes, there is what seems to be
an antique drawing of Itchy.
Bart: Cool! I'll give you ten bucks for that.
Comic Book Guy: Are you the creator of Hi and Lois, because you are
making me laugh. That drawing's worth exactly 750
dollars American.
Bart: It's valuable, huh?
Comic Book Guy: Ooh, your powers of deduction are exceptional. I simply
can't allow you to waste them here when there are so
many crimes going unsolved at this very moment. Go! go!
for the good of the city!
Bart: Loser.
-- Sarcasm 101, "The Day the Violence Died"
The next morning, Homer and the kids are waked by the sounds of the
parade. Little did they know, they chose to place their seats behind
what would be the emplacement for a 15' stand. "Aw, nertz!" comments
Homer.
Homer tries to see something from his position.
Homer: Which one's Itchy? The car?
Bart: The mouse.
Homer: Oh. I guess it's not him then.
-- If only they wore name tags, "The Day the Violence Died"
Of course, TV and radio have sent their commentators to this parade.
Dave: [in a wooden voice] Represented on this next float is Roger
Myers Sr., who founded his company in 1921, and struck it big
when he teamed up a mouse named Itchy with a cat named Scratchy.
Here we see him creating the two comical characters out of
thoughts he plucks from his head.
Susan: [excited] And that man waving from the front of the float is his
son, Roger Myers Jr! Oh, isn't this just the most fun you've
ever had in your life, Dave?
Dave: Yes Susan. It is.
-- I hear ya loud and clear, "The Day the Violence Died"
Homer tries to get the kids to see the parade by taking them on his
shoulders, but they end up on the floor. Bart has had enough of this,
and decides to join the parade.
Susan: Oh, now the parade has entered Bumtown! Oh, it's all just so
exciting Dave!
Dave: This certainly seems to be a poorly planned parade route.
-- Quimby probably worked on it, "The Day the Violence Died"
Effectively, there's a lot of alarm and glass-breaking noises in this
part of town. Itchys and Scratchys run back in the cars, and the
parade speeds up its walk, leaving Bart behind.
As they leave Bumtown, a bum runs after them, throwing tomatoes and
insulting Roger Myers.
Get out of Bumtown, you bum!
-- A bum, "The Day the Violence Died"
Bart asks him to show some respect to the man who created Itchy and
Scratchy.
Chester: He didn't create Itchy: I did.
Bart: Huh?
Chester: He stole the character from me in 1928. When I complained, his
thugs kicked me out of his office, and dropped an anvil on me.
Luckily, I was carrying an umbrella at the time.
-- Yipes!, "The Day the Violence Died"
Bart: You invented Itchy? The _Itchy & Scratchy_ Itchy?
Chester: Sure. In fact, I invented the whole concept of cartoon
violence. Before I came along, all cartoon animals did was
play the ukulele. I changed all that.
Bart: Well, I'm not calling you a liar but... but I can't think of a
way to finish that sentence.
-- Isn't that nice, "The Day the Violence Died"
To prove his point, Chester J. Lampwick hands him the reel of "Itchy
the Lucky Mouse in: Manhattan Madness", the first Itchy cartoon ever
made. All he needs a 90-year-old projector. And where else could you
find a 90-year-old projector than Springfield Elementary?
Later that day, Bart and Milhouse watch the silent movie as Chester
plays the piano. It features Itchy, walking peacefully in Manhattan.
Bart reads the first cue card: "Itchy runs afoul of an Irishman."
Milhouse warns Itchy, "Look out Itchy, he's Irish!" As Itchy is
about to shake hands with the Irishman, a lightbulb appears over his
head, as he has an idea. He grabs the lightbulb, and knocks down the
Irishman with it. Pulling him by his beard, he sticks it in an old-
fashioned wringer, and squeeze the poor man. ("But 'twas all in good
fun!") "Come on, Itchy! Kill that guy!" Milhouse screams. Milhouse
reads the next cue card, "A chance for more mischief". Bart laughs
at the "fat oaf", but Milhouse tells him that it's Teddy Roosevelt.
The cue card reads: "Ah, Manhattan Town. An agreeable sight for an
Old Knickerbocker such as myself." Never running out of ideas, Itchy
grabs an axe and chops Roosevelt's head off. Covered with blood, he
winks at the camera as the kids laugh themselves out. Follows a bunch
of credits (creator, director, cellu-lamino artist, electrocity [sic]
engineer, ethnographer), all bearing the name of Chester J. Lampwick.
The movie is copyrighted 1919.
Bart: I can't believe it. That was Itchy all right, you _did_ invent
him. When people see this you'll be rich and famous!
[turns over to the film, to see it burn in the projector]
D'oh.
-- The least I can say, "The Day the Violence Died"
[End of Act One. Time: 6'29"]
Chester: That was a nice film I had once. Last time I try to impress a
four-year-old.
-- You were... the age Bart was... several years ago,
"The Day the Violence Died"
Chester throws away the burned reel and walks away, but Bart doesn't
give up so easily.
Bart: You can't just go back to the gutter. You created Itchy, you
should be a millionaire.
Chester: Ah, Roger Myers wouldn't give me a cent in the '20s. Why would
he give me anything now?
Bart: You asked Roger Myers _Sr._ for money. Roget Myers Jr. is in
charge of the studio now. He's a good man; every Christmas he
goes down to the pound and rescues one cat and one mouse and
gives them to a hungry family.
-- The compassion of Roger Myers Jr., "The Day the Violence Died"
The studio's closed until Tuesday; animators have A.A. on Monday.
-- Chester's inside comment on cartoon animation,
"The Day the Violence Died"
Bart offers hospitality to Chester, as his parents won't mind since
they won't know about it.
Bart: There's a box you can sleep in.
Chester: Thanks.
Bart: Just move that cot out of the way.
Chester: Okay.
Bart: Do you know what radon is?
Chester: No.
Bart: Good night.
-- Pleasant dreams, "The Day the Violence Died"
As Homer walks by the basement door, a voice asks for spare change
from below. He throws some.
Lisa is a little more suspicious, though.
Mom, there's a weird smell and a lot of cursing coming from the
basement and Dad's upstairs!
-- Lisa warns her mother, "The Day the Violence Died"
Homer decides to check this through, so he takes his snake-chasing
equipment and puts on a stainless steel colander. Marge turns on the
basement lights, and all can see Bart and Chester eating sandwiches.
Homer: Oh, it's just Bart and a mysterious stranger.
-- No need to worry, "The Day the Violence Died"
Bart: He's not a regular bum, Mom; he's a genius bum. He created Itchy
_and_ he's the father of cartoon violence.
[Snowball II runs away in fear]
-- "The Day the Violence Died"
Marge accepts to house him for one night.
The next day, at Itchy & Scratchy studios (est. 1921)...
Myers: So let's review. You two screwballs have just strolled in here
fresh from the sewer and given me a bunch of bulldink about
creating Itchy with no proof at all, and you expect me to give
you... how much?
Chester: 800 billion dollars.
-- A fair answer, "The Day the Violence Died"
Next thing they know, Bart and Chester are thrown out of I&S Studios.
"That brought back a lot of memories" philosophizes Chester.
Then they try their luck at "I can't believe it's a law firm!"
Hutz: All right, gentlemen, I'll take your case. But I'm going to have
to ask for a thousand-dollar retainer.
Bart: A thousand dollars? But your ad says "No money down".
[shows his paper ad: "Works on contingency basis. No money
down."]
Hutz: Oh! They got this all screwed up...
[makes a few corrections: "Works on contingency basis? No, money
down!"]
Bart: So you _don't_ work on a contingency basis?
Hutz: No, money down! Oops, it shouldn't have this Bar Association logo
here either.
-- Rewriting the laws by himself, "The Day the Violence Died"
Bart and Chester come home depressed. There's only one solution left.
Bart: Hey Dad, can I have a thousand dollars?
Homer: All right... [gets his wallet] Wait a minute! For what?
Bart: To pay for a lawyer, for my bum.
Homer: Forget it!
-- "The Day the Violence Died"
That night, OFF is eating supper with Abe and Chester, who keep
staring at each other.
Grampa: I thought I recognized you. I gave you a plate of corn muffins
back in 1947 to paint my chicken coop. And you never did it.
Chester: Those corn muffins were lousy.
Grampa: Paint my chicken coop!
Chester: Make me!
[Abe jumps on him, and they fight on the floor]
-- "The Day the Violence Died"
Marge: That does it! One of them has to go.
Homer: Okay, Grampa.
Marge: No, the B-U-M.
Homer: [moans]
-- The love of Homer for his father shows up yet again,
"The Day the Violence Died"
Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. There's an easy way to get rid of Chester
without the guilt of sending him back to the gutter. And all it'll cost
you is a thousand dollars.
-- Bart pledges for Chester, "The Day the Violence Died"
Next day, the Springfield Shopper reads: "Bum Sues Cartoon King --
Got Legal Fee From Some Family".
Roger Myers Jr. is building his defense with the help of Burns'
lawyer. The first exhibit is "Steamboat Itchy", dated 1928, and
clearly produced by Roger Myers.
You will also notice Mr. Myers' name and copyright notice on the
original drawings of the other members of the Itchy & Scratchy family:
Brown-Nose Bear, Disgruntled Goat, Flatulent Fox, Rich Uncle Skeleton
and Dinner Dog.
-- The Itchy & Scratchy family as it was born,
"The Day the Violence Died"
Hutz: My client's film predates all of those things your Honor.
Lawyer: Oh _yes_! I've forgotten! Your famous film, the one you
destroyed before the trial and haven't been able to find
another copy of! Oh yes, _that_ film.
Hutz: Yes. You don't have a copy, do you?
-- The first lesson of Law 101: Bring your _own_ evidence,
"The Day the Violence Died"
Krusty is the first witness called to the bar by the defense.
Lawyer: Krusty, have you _ever_ seen this so-called animation genius
before?
Krusty: Yes I have.
Lawyer: [surprised] You have?
Krusty: I gave him a couple of blintzes to paint my fence, but he
never did it!
Chester: Those blintzes were terrible.
Krusty: Paint my fence!
Chester: Make me!
Krusty: [jumping on him] You give me back those blintzes!
Judge: Order, order. We don't care about your blintzes.
-- "The Day the Violence Died"
It is now turn for the prosecutor to call Chester to the bar.
Hutz: Now, Mr. Lampwick, when Mr. Myers stole your character...
Lawyer: Objection.
Judge: Sustained.
Hutz: Urgh! If I hear "objection" and "sustained" one more time
today, I think I'm going to scream!
Lawyer: Objection.
Judge: Sustained.
Hutz: [screams]
-- He gave his word, "The Day the Violence Died"
Chester claims that Myers stole all of his characters.
The only characters Myers could ever come up with were pathetic stick
figures with the words "Sarcastic Horse" and "Manic Mailman" printed on
them. And they stank.
-- Chester comments on Myers' talent, "The Day the Violence Died"
But Myers Jr. calls this a lie.
Hutz: Are you saying, _under oath_ Mr. Myers, that your father didn't
steal any of the characters associated with your studio?
Myers: Well, I don't think I _am_ under oath, but... yes, my father
created them all. Except for Flatulent Fox, that was based on a
true story.
-- The inspiration of a cartoonist, "The Day the Violence Died"
Judge: Mr. Hutz, we've been in here for four hours. Do you have any
evidence at all?
Hutz: Well, your Honor, we've got plenty of hearsay and conjecture,
those are _kinds_ of evidence.
-- The eternal question: where did he get his diploma?,
"The Day the Violence Died"
Myers' lawyer moves for dismissal, but Bart --guess what-- has an
idea, and borrow $750 from Homer.
Bart: Keep the trial going, I'll be right back.
Hutz: Your Honor, I'd like to call all of my surprise witnesses
again.
Audience: [moans]
-- The usual, proven good ol' methods, "The Day the Violence Died"
Bart goes to the comic store, and we hear the sound of a cash
register.
Back to the trial, Bart exhibits --surprise!-- the $750-worth drawing
of Itchy he saw in the comic book store, which happens to be
identical to the Itchy in "Manhattan Madness". However, the lawyer
refutes this as being proof, since it isn't signed or dated.
Chester helps him: "Look under the frame, Brad." After breaking the
glass and tearing the painting a little, he finds something.
To Roger Myers, keep drawing, your moxie more than makes up for your
lack of talent. Your pal, Chester J. Lampwick, September 3, 1919
-- Chester's word of encouragement to Myers,
"The Day the Violence Died"
The audience is stunned.
Myers: Okay, maybe my dad did steal Itchy, but so what? Animation is
built on plagiarism!
[lawyer slaps his forehead]
If it weren't for someone plagiarizing the Honeymooners, we
wouldn't have the Flintstones. If someone hadn't ripped off Sgt.
Bilko, they'd be no Top Cat. Huckleberry Hound, Chief Wiggum,
Yogi Bear? Hah! Andy Griffith, Edward G. Robinson, Art Carney.
-- Er, don't forget Yogi Berra, "The Day the Violence Died"
Myers: Your honor, you take away our right to steal ideas, where are
they gonna come from? Her? [points at Marge]
Marge: Uh... Hmm... How about... Ghostmutt?
-- I see your point, "The Day the Violence Died"
The court rules in favor of Mr. Lampwick. Itchy & Scratchy Studios will
pay a restitution of 800 billion dollars... though that amount will
probably come down a bit on appeal.
-- The judge delivers the verdict, "The Day the Violence Died"
In front of Itchy & Scratchy Studios, Myers hands Chester his $800
billion check, and lets it go after stuggling a bit.
Myers: I hope you're happy, kid; the studio's bankrupt. You just
killed Itchy & Scratchy.
[closes the studio's gate, bearing a "Out of business" sign]
Bart: We killed Itchy & Scratchy?
Chester: Good riddance. Wanna go celebrate? I feel like liver and
onions. [smacks his lips]
-- Can liver and onions be as funny as Itchy & Scratchy?,
"The Day the Violence Died"
As Chester walks away, every light and machine in Itchy & Scratchy
Studios is shut down.
[End of Act Two. Time: 14'43"]
Back in OFF house, Chester repays Homer for all his troubles, and
goes on the road, whistling "We're in the Money", to find himself the
solid gold house he's always dreamed of.
Meanwhile, others try to cope with the loss of Itchy & Scratchy, like
Krusty...
Well, Itchy & Scratchy are gone, but here's a cartoon that tries to
make learning fun!
[tries to laugh, then moans]
Sorry about this kids, but stay tuned; we've got some real good toy
commercials coming right up, I swear.
-- Krusty (At least he's not showing Worker & Parasite),
"The Day the Violence Died"
Until then, they have nothing else to air but an old Schoolhouse
Rock.
Bart: What the hell is this?
Lisa: It's one of those campy '70s throwbacks that appeals to
Generation Xers.
Bart: We need another Vietnam to thin out their ranks a little.
-- "The Day the Violence Died"
They continue watching the atrocity until the end.
Lisa: So it's true: some cartoons _do_ encourage violence.
[punches Bart]
Bart: Ow! We gotta get Itchy & Scratchy back.
Lisa: And soon!
[punches Bart]
Bart: Ow!
Lisa: [chuckles]
-- And how, "The Day the Violence Died"
Bart & Lisa go see Myers, who is now living at Worst Western, using
some TV boxes as a desk.
Bart: You've got to make more Itchy & Scratchy cartoons.
Lisa: The judge says it's okay as long as you pay Mr. Lampwick
royalties.
Myers: Royalties! Hah! I don't have the money to _produce_ the
cartoons. I lost everything. I can't even keep my dad's head in
the freakin' cryogenics center anymore.
[shot of a thawing icebox, which starts shaking]
[sarcasticly] You're comfortable in there, daddy?
-- So where's the rest of his body?, "The Day the Violence Died"
Since they need money, Bart figures he could ask someone who has lots
of it.
Chester: [as Kent Brockman walks in front of his gold house]
Shoeshine, sir? Comb your hair for ya? Sir?
[Kents walks away in contempt]
Sir? Sir? Sir? Okay, catch you on the way back.
-- After all, he only won $130 million, "The Day the Violence Died"
The kids try to get Chester into financing other Itchy & Scratchy
cartoons, but he doesn't want to hear about it.
I don't need any more money, I'm not greedy. As long as I've got my
health, and my millions of dollars and my gold house and my rocket car,
I don't need anything else.
-- Chester, a simple man, "The Day the Violence Died"
Ultimately, Bart turns to his father.
Bart: Dad, can we have $183,000?
Homer: [Gets his wallet] What for?
Bart: Lisa and I want to finance a series of animated cartoons.
Homer: Oh. Forget it!
-- "The Day the Violence Died"
As a last resort, Bart reads through "Animation Legal Precedents", as
Lisa investigates "Copyright Law: 1918-1923".
Lisa: [moans] I give up, there's nothing we can do.
Bart: Yeah, I agree. You wanna start on trying to get Apu out of jail?
Lisa: Okay.
[they pull out "Public Nudity: Codes and Statutes"]
-- A side of him we didn't know, "The Day the Violence Died"
But Marge knows them better. "Wait, kids, you can't give up on Itchy
& Scratchy, you're so good at these things." Marge names several
situations in which Bart and Lisa lend an, ahem, helping hand.
Lisa agrees, and takes a look at Bart's book; it doesn't take long
that she spots something. They both race their bicycles to Itchy &
Scratchy Studios.
Bart: What a perfect plan. Now, Roger Myers will tell as just...
Myers: [announcing the studio's re-opening]
And so when no one could think of a plan to resurect Itchy &
Scratchy, a young boy, a wonderful irrepressible young boy,
took it on his own to solve the problem. He discovered that the
postal service's Mr. Zip. was just a rip-off of my father's
stick figure character Manic Mailman.
[crowd murmors]
So the government gave me a _huge_ cash settlement, and Itchy &
Scratchy Studios is back in business.
[engines start up again]
Thanks to you, Lester.
[a Tracey-Ullman-era Bart comes on stage]
Bart: What the hell is going on?
Lisa: I don't know, but it looks like you might have a little
competition all of a sudden.
Lester: Thanks everybody, but I couldn't have done all this without the
help of my brainy sister Eliza.
[a Tracey-Ullman-era Lisa joins him]
Lisa: [gasps]
-- Bart and Lisa meet their alter egos, "The Day the Violence Died"
Apu comes on stage:
I do owe many thanks to Lester and Eliza. This is a great vindication
for anybody who has ever taken a bath, went to get the paper, fell
down, and the door slam behind them and the doorknow break off.
-- A day in the life of Apu, "The Day the Violence Died"
Krusty: And I'd like to thank Lester for reuniting me with my estranged
wife.
[applause]
Bart: I never even heard about that.
-- They probably lost the script, "The Day the Violence Died"
Effectively, Lisa is confused too.
Bart: I guess you don't need it now, but, we had a plan too.
Myers: Hey, great, listen, write it down and mail it to last week, when
I might've cared. I've got cartoons to make, kids.
-- That's his way of saying "Thank you", "The Day the Violence Died"
It seems that everything has returned to normal, and Itchy & Scratchy
is back on the air. The episode shown is dedicated to Lester and
Eliza, "for making all this possible". Marge suggests that Bart and
Lisa must be happy to see their "cute little friends" back on the
air. Lisa says that "technically everything worked out all right",
but as Bart explains: "I wasn't the one who solved the problem, and
neither was Lisa. There's something unsettling about that."
At that moment, Lester rides on his skateboard in front of the house,
and him and Bart stare at each other, while some dramatic music is
heard.
[End of Act Three. Time: 21'30"]
Contributions
{kab} - Kevin Bowman
{fb} - Frederic Briere
{ddg} - Don Del Grande
{dh2} - Dominik Halas
{jh} - Jason Hancock
{th} - Tony Hill
{pk} - Phil Karn
{mk} - Matthew Kurth
{jl} - Jose Lafaurie
{hl} - Haynes Lee
{vm} - Veronica Marquez
{dp} - Damian Penny
{sp} - Serge Polishchuk
{mar} - Mark Richey
{bjr} - Benjamin Robinson
{js} - James Smith
Legal crud
The above compilation of observations, quote summaries, statistics, and
other miscellaneous information copyright 1996 Chips-Fey Productions.
Not to be used in a public forum without explicit permission from the
author (Ricardo A. Lafaurie Jr.) or his brother Jose Lafaurie.
Any quoted material above remains property of the original authors;
mainly, quoted material and episode summaries remain property of The
Simpsons, and copyright to Twentieth Century Fox. The compilation is
copyrighted to Frederic Briere. So don't sue.
Here's a nice extra for you: a Marge Simpson smiley. @@@@@@@:-)