Eight Misbehavin' Written by Matt Selman Directed by Steven Dean Moore ============================================================================== Production code: BABF03 Original Airdate on FOX: 21-Nov-1999 Capsule revision A (7-Feb-2000) ============================================================================== > "TV Guide" Synopsis ============================================================================== Apu learns he will have to sell much more squishees because he's about to become a dad eight times over. However, he and Manjula (Jan Hooks) find that caring for octuplets is a trying task until a zoo owner (Garry Marshall) offers a lending hand. Butch Patrick ("The Munsters") guest-stars as himself. {hl} ============================================================================== > Title sequence ============================================================================== Blackboard: INDIAN BURNS ARE NOT / OUR CULTURAL HERITAGE Couch: The Simpsons run in and fall into place on the couch, as usual. Suddenly, the wall behind the couch spins around. It whisks away the family and reveals Ned Flanders, bolted upside-down to the other side of the wall. Vincent Price stands next to him, laughing evilly. ============================================================================== > Did You Notice... ============================================================================== ... Pepsi B is for export markets only? Don Del Grande: ... in some scenes (examples: the ice cream scene, the barbecue scene), the animation is exceptionally "jumpy"? ... the Swedish "STOR" (with a slash through the O) is now "SHOP"? ... Maggie reaching for the penguin lamp? ... Maggie didn't get any bigger in the nine months Manjula was pregnant? ... from Bart's two quotes, we know the babies were not born between Columbus Day and the start of winter? ("The true meaning of winter" doesn't mean winter has finished yet) Yuri Dieujuste: ... Manjula finished giving birth at 3:00 AM? ... the Springfield Shopper is US$.50? ... Larry Kidkill drives a Canyonero? Joe Green: ... Marge says "made of Lego" instead of "Legos"? [Nate Case writes, "'made of Lego' is actually CORRECT, but since most people do say 'made of legos', I thought it was strange too when I heard it."] ... the Taj Mahal picture above Apu and Manjula's bed? ... the "E-Z Money" ATM at the Kwik-E-Mart? Richard Green: ... Gavin and his mother appeared in the Shøp store? ... Apu leaves Homer in the Kwik-e-Mart by himself? ... the Pee-n-see test resemble the lottery tickets that Apu sells ... Manjula drinks Squishees for breakfast? ... this is a LONGSHOT, but didn't the mother of 9 children seem to resemble an adult Allison Taylor ... just slightly? ... Apu lets some of his children fall off his chest ... wouldn't that hurt them or something? ... Homer really didn't want any of his children? Darrel Jones: ... for the first time, Krusty has a female "Sideshow" assistant? ... Lisa is the only Simpson not to slip Manjula fertility drugs? ... Manjula loses her baby fat rather quickly? Joe Klemm: ... Homer mistakes Apu as an American Indian? ... the octuplets are born at 3:00 AM? Andrew Levine: ... "Candy Milk" behind the counter at the Kwik-E-Mart? ... the Babar picture in Apu and Manjula's room? ... the Iron Cross on "The Baron"'s plane? Benjamin Robinson: ... Marge apparently bet *against* Apu and Manjula remaining married? ... Homer's sure-fire pregnancy plan actually worked? ... Gheet (the eighth baby) looks like Apu's brother Sanjay? ... the disposable diaper hanging from the ceiling light? ============================================================================== > Voice Credits ============================================================================== - Starring - Dan Castellaneta (Homer, Stage Manager) - Julie Kavner (Marge) - Nancy Cartwright (Bart) - Yeardley Smith (Lisa) - Hank Azaria (Apu, Christopher, Wiggum) - Harry Shearer (Captain McAllister, Allen, Gil, Hibbert, Reporter 1, Brockman, Husband, Forklift Op., Worker?, Ned, Man) - Special Guest Voice - Jan Hooks (Manjula) - Garry Marshall (Kidkill) - Butch Patrick (Himself) - Marcia Wallace (Edna Krabappel) - Also Starring - Tress MacNeille (Reporter 2 (for Channel 3), Wife) ============================================================================== > Movie (and other) references ============================================================================== + "Ain't Misbehavin'" (song) - "Eight Misbehavin'" a parody of this song - "Eight is Enough" (TV series) {hl} - Dick Van Patten TV series about a widowed dad with eight kids + Chukwu-Udobi octuplets + McCaughey septuplets - recent multiple births in media feeding frenzy {ah} - Manjula's octuplets brought on by the use of fertility drugs {al} - the Shelbyville couple who had nonuplets looked like the McCaughey parents {al} - parents received a lot of gifts after birth {jh} [See "Comments" section for more -- Ed.] + Vincent Price (actor) {jk} - evil guy in couch gag patterned after him + Ikea (furniture store) {jk} - Swedish shop at the beginning + "Oh! Calcutta" (play) - Apu shouts the name of this stage play, noted for nudity and explicit sexual content - [John Daniels writes, "This is funnier when you know where the musical got its name -- it's a rude pun in French: 'Oh, quelle c--- tu as!' Which makes sense in the context Apu employs it."] + "Brady Bunch" (TV series) {bjr} - Lisa mentions becoming wildly popular, then wildly unpopular (due to conceit) at her school; this same thing happened to Jan on the show + Pepsi One (soda) - Pepsi B sounds similar - Pepsico baby formula scandal {jj} - Pepsico who was for a long time exporting bad baby formula to third world countries -- note that Pepsi B is also "for export only" - "Welcome to My Nightmare" by Alice Cooper (song) {jg2} - Apu: "Welcome to my nightmare!" + Dionne quintuplets - exploitative display of babies [See "Comments" section for more -- Ed.] + Quintland (tourist attraction) {ah} - Octopia a spoof of this place, where the Dionnes were displayed - Ota Benga (African Pygmy) {eg} - man kept as a zoo exhibit. [A web page at has more about him] + "The Munsters" (TV series) {jg2} - Butch Patrick still dresses like Eddie + Judaism (major religion) {bjr} - Apu notes that at Kidkill's zoo, the children will have a "Zoo-ish" upbringing - "King Kong" (movie) {tr} - "the eight wonders of the third world" recalls King Kong being "The Eighth Wonder of the World" + "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown" by Jim Croce (song) {jg2} - "The baddest baby (cf. man) in the whole damn town!" - "Gilligan's Island" (TV series) {jg2} - "And the rest!" + Alpo (dog food) {bjr} - Kidkill mis-calls Apu "Alpo" ============================================================================== > Previous episode references ============================================================================== - [SC40] Marge does stint as Sideshow Marge (but wasn't happy with the role) {jl} - [7F12], [8F10], [2F10] Surprise-package nature of Homer's children alluded to {bjr} - [8F04] Homer mentions being sterile due to radiation {jg2} - [8F16] someone blowing into Maggie's stomach {ddg} - [8F18] Homer plays with a child's toy in bed as Marge tries to talk to him {al} - [8F23] Homer is made sterile by the Nuclear Power Plant ["There goes Jake's spin-off," says {bjr}] {dj} - [9F02] SHØP (or maybe STØR) appears - [9F21] Pencil holders {jg2} - [1F03] "Welcome to the Jungle" is played {jg2} - [1F14] The Simpson family talks about their "wacky adventures" {dj} - [1F15] A large bag of peanuts is seen {dj} - [3F06] "Ride of the Valkyrie" is played {jg2} - [3F07], [AABF03] Gavin the bratty boy shows up in the background {bjr} - [3F09] Apu's car from "Two bad neighbors" is back (it's about time it was put to good use) {nb} - [3F24] Homer's pupils grow huge {dj} - [3G01] An alien appears on a non-THOH episode {jg2} - [5F04] The "I can't believe you don't shut up!" conversation between Ned and Apu mirrors the ONE between Homer and Apu - [5F04] Apu marries Manjula {dj} - [5F12] Homer wears his burglar outfit {yd} - [AABF08] Vincent Price is seen {dj} - [AABF19] Q-tip cotton swabs mentioned {bjr} ============================================================================== > Freeze frame fun ============================================================================== - FUD mêñü {bjr} |EATBALLS $4.99 HAGENPLOPEN $6.99 JUICE %1.50 MEATBALLS $4.99 FRENCH FRIES $2.59 COFFEE $1.00 SANDWICH $3.99 YAM $1.99 WATER $0.00 |NDWICH POLPENLÜGEN $6.99 SO| $1.50 |ÜGEN DOODLEMUNCH $6.99 M| $1.50 SNICKERDOODLES $6.99 $1.99 POODLEMUNCH $4.99 $2.00 - Pregnancy test box {bjr} PEE 'N' SEE HOME PREGNANCY TEST 1 TEST ACCURATE - EASY TO USE - Newspaper headline {bjr} NAHASAPEEMAPETILAN-TASTIC! - Soda bottle {bjr} P "Pepsi" is actually rotated E [logo] ninety degrees, but this can't P be done in standard ASCII characters S I B FOR EXPORT ONLY - Sign at zoo {bjr} THE PRAIRIE DOG EXPERIENCE CLOSED - Sign above Apu's exhibit {bjr} OCTO SAPIENS From the collection of Apu and Manjula - Among those watching the baby show {rg} - Mr. Largo, Crazy Old Man, Ruth Powers, the Dean from 1F02, Mrs. Glick, Mr. Prince, Hibbert & Wife, Frink, Barney, Lenny, Carl, Kirk - Wiggum's peanut sack {bjr} ELEPHANT GRADE PEANUTS - Sign on baby room door {bjr} DANGER NEWBORNS ============================================================================== > Animation, continuity, and other goofs ============================================================================== + Marge mentions "Swedish furniture designers", but SHØP is supposed to be Danish. {jg2} * Apu and Manjula are Bengali, so why does she speak in Hindi to Maggie? [Ted Mills: "Obviously, because Maggie doesn't understand Bengali. :-)"] {tr} = When Manjula blows into Maggie's stomach, the bottom of Maggie's baggie is removed, but in 8F16, Marge manages to do it without removing the baggie bottom. {ddg} = When Homer says, "Whoa, thanks for the mental picture" Homer's arms immediately move from being down to in the air {rg} - The "E-Z Money" ATM at the Kwik-E-Mart isn't colored in. {jg2} c When Apu talks to Flanders, he says "Suitcase", but the captioning says "turkey pan." {rk} * Uh, not sure if this was a goof, but WHY was OFF hanging around the hospital, and Marge in scrubs? Don't they have a life of their own? {rg} * It is mentioned that Butch had a Frankenstein for a dad -- the dad on that show resembled the monster/creature that Frankenstein (no, he WASN'T a doctor) created, not the man himself. {rg} = Mr. and Mrs. Prince are in the front row at the show, but they're not shown when the front row is seen from behind. {ddg} = The trap door outlines did not appear on stage until they needed to be. = The Baron's zeppelin went from (screen) right to left when he was introduced. Immediately afterward, when all the other babies were on stage, he went from right to left again. There was no time for him to go around the back of the stage. {cg} = In part of the scene after the babies are rescued, Maggie is without her hair ribbon. {ddg} ============================================================================== > Reviews ============================================================================== Wilson Banswell: Wow! This episode really surprised me. There were some good sight gags, for the first time in a while. And the way the episode went surprised me also. I thought the episode would focus on Homer, rather than Apu and co. but it didn't. But of course there were some downsides. The ending was okay, yet dumb. And Apu's sarcasm to Marge was out of character. Other than those and other small little bad things, this episode has a (B) Nathan DeHoff: I'm not quite sure what to say about this episode. It had its funny moments, and didn't leave a bad taste, as I feared it might. Nothing much really happened, though, and the main conflict was never actually resolved. Because Homer is willing to be attacked by snakes in order to help Apu and Manjula, they can suddenly handle eight babies? Whatever. (C) Alex Flandonwittsy: A pretty strong OFF outing. Although the plot can be summed up in one sentence, and it has a reasonably far-out premise, the way each act is written is what counts. Some big laughs are scored in the first few scenes("Pee & See", "baby, baby ... lemon!"), and for once an episode is based squarely on a secondary character. No wacky Homer crusades to speak of; Heck, Manjula even had a bigger part than him. If there are some negatives worth pointing out, they would have to be Homer's endless, not-funny-after-the-second-time quotes from the 90's("Don't go there!", etc..), and the forced celebrity cameo by TV's Eddie Munster. All in all, though, another wins for Matt Selman, and season eleven. (B) Curtis Gibby: There were some great jokes ("Avec plaisir!"), and the plot was a lot less bizarre than last week's "Hello Gutter, Hello Fadder." I especially liked the gags with the TV news reporters' suggestions for sound bites (Huzzah! That's the business I'm training myself for!) and Apu's repetition of "I can't believe you don't shut up!" I enjoyed the Simpsons' adventures during the nine months of Manjula's pregnancy, but I wondered why we never saw the Kwik-E-Mart after the middle of Act II, and never saw Sanjay at all. Wouldn't Apu want his brother's help and advice over idiot Homer's? I wasn't sure how I felt after one viewing, but watching it again was a joy. I liked the previous "Apu and Manjula" episode better, but I'll give this episode an (A-) Joe Green: Not exactly an instant classic, but still enjoyable. (And for once, non-Homer-centric!) The best jokes tended to be concentrated in the first act, like Allen Wrench and the Lego utensils. (B+) Richard Green: This episode was just ... weird. There were a couple of funny parts (I LOVED the part when OFF was in the car and talking about experiences that happened to them, based on ideas that could've been entire episodes), but it was just weird -- all of the Sh0p things, the America-India comparisons, all the ovulating stuff, the whole ZOO thing (especially the turtle and the gorillas), the final scene .... They were obviously making fun of all those octuplet stories that Dateline constantly tries to turn into "parents are heroes for keeping them alive and taking care of them (even though this is what is EXPECTED of American parents)" stories. (B) Darrel Jones: At first, I thought this episode would suck. But I was pleasantly surprised by what I saw. The whole first act was LOL hilarious (as it has been all season). A few more classic Homerisms like "See, you've got that look on your face right now!" make it funny. I also liked the way the "Shelbyville Nine" distracted attention from the Apu's eight kids. The only part I didn't like was Apu wearing eight baby bottles, and seeing the top was drain was sickening. A Season Eleven classic! (A+) Andrew Levine: It's a sad time for The Simpsons as a franchise when it can be noted to a new episode's credit that it contains no talking animals, radioactive snacks, or fantasy creatures. That said, BABF03 was nearly as good an episode as we are likely to get from the much-prematurely-lauded BABF series. Although many of the staples of the season 9-11 playbook are present (what is the current writing staff's fascination with the zoo?), there was some refreshingly sharp material; the scene concerning the conveniently-tossed-aside nine months was an instant classic, and there is some nice satire (I liked Wiggum's "A lot of people are doing that these days.") Still, as hard as this episode tries, it can't escape the archetypes (Pee-and-See? Whose 4-year-old made that up?) that have kept the show down for the last 3 seasons. Although my grade is a solid B, it would have been a C- anywhere in the first 7 seasons. (B) Adam Long: Pretty good episode, the upside to the ever-apparent lack of plots is that there are some real sparks of creativity to come up with something new. Great first act, I was laughing pretty much non-stop, but unfortunately the last two weren't as entertaining, IMHO. One thing I liked about this one is that the episode didn't turn out as outrageous at it sounded. The plot of "Manjula has octuplets and when her and Apu cannot support them they sell them to a zoo," as silly as it sounds, was actually made somewhat believable. (B+) Ben Marlin: Not an instant classic, but for the first time in a while, a solid episode whose plot I'll actually remember in a week or two. There was actual caring between the two families, not forced sentimentality shoved in our face like with Homer and Maggie last week; Jerkass Homer was replaced (if only temporarily) by his old bumbling but well-intentioned self. Plus, most of the jokes and sight gags worked, and the plot stayed in one place the whole time. I doubt the writers will keep up this standard of creativity, but it was nice to thoroughly enjoy an episode again. (B+) Abhi Rey: A great episode. Matt Selman takes an interesting social topic, such as the birth of octuplets through fertility drugs, incorporates it into the epic story of Apu's starting a life in America, and treats it with wit and charm. Some great scenes include the revealing of the babies to Apu, Homer's disastrous cobra stunt, Homer's trying to get Apu and Manjula to conceive, and many others. (B+) Tom Rinschler: Not bad altogether, although the first act rises above the later two. Some things in the episode tended to get a bit silly, but overall a great improvement over last week's cartoonishness. The zoo scenes were a great satire of the media circus and exploitation that surrounds multiple births. Not the best, but having enough laughs to make rise above average. (B) Eric Sansoni: Season 11 continues with a roar, of laughter that is, with the second best episode of the Scully era after "Natural Born Kissers." We couldn't entirely escape a tacked-on intro full of awkward jokes, but it is one of the shortest in recent memory. Even the obligatory celebrity cameo sets itself apart by parodying the big-name guest star gimmick. Matt Selman shows yet again that he alone among the newer writers fully under- stands the show. Exaggeration of our modern-day idiosyncrasies replaces all-out zaniness, thorough character interaction stands in for formulaic subplots, and laughs are enhanced by a story that brings out meaningful emotion, not aimed at ripping our care for the characters to shreds. (A) Yours Truly: Apu, who started out as a one-note background character, has grown into such an interesting character that he can support one of the longest-running story arcs in the "Simpsons" universe. "Eight Misbehavin'" adroitly blends the show's "heavy" elements -- Apu and Manjula's exhaustion, and their handing the kids over to the zoo -- with humorous scenes like the Shøp sequence, or the couple's reaction to Marge's offering of banana bread. The guest roles (for Garry Marshall and Butch Patrick) added something to the story, rather than just being window dressing. Our favorite family should watch out. Now that Apu has a wife and kids of his own, can "The Nahasapeemapetilons" be far behind on Fox's schedule? (B+) AVERAGE GRADE: B (3.14) Std Dev.: 0.5293 (18 reviews computed) ============================================================================== > Comments and other observations ============================================================================== >> Musical References Contributed by Joe Green: "Welcome to the Jungle" by Guns 'N' Roses -- played during "Octopia" "Ride of the Valkyrie" by Richard Wagner -- played during "Octopia" "R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A." by John Cougar Mellencamp -- played during "Octopia" [Dan Bateman says he was known as just John Cougar when he recorded the song.] "Danger Zone" by Kenny Loggins -- played while Homer and Butch do their act >> Guest Star Patrol - Garry Marshall Brian Charles Kohn: [Larry Kidkill] was Garry Marshall, who played Stan on Murphy Brown. I associate him with his work as a producer and director, more than with his acting work. At times, I believe he ran the "Odd Couple," "Happy Days," "Laverne & Shirley," and "Mork & Mindy." He's also directed a bunch of feature films, including "The Flamingo Kid" (in which a friend of mine had a small role), "Beaches," "Pretty Woman," and "Runaway Bride." Dan Tropea: Don't forget the really, really horrible movie "Exit To Eden." But since he did Beaches I think we can forgive his one screw-up -- "Exit To Eden." But his TV shows were by and large good plus he did more then anyone else to make Robin Williams a household name. BTW have they ever worked together beyond "Mork and Mindy?" I believe they never have. A falling out perhaps? Or just a coincidence? Mike Smith: His sister, Penny, was Miss Botz in "Some Enchanted Evening". - Butch Patrick Joe Klemm: Butch Patrick is a typical example of a television child actor. Many people only recognize him as the kid who played Eddie Munster on the 1960's sitcom "The Munsters." However, he has done other projects, including the Sid and Marty Krofft show "Lidsville" and a couple of Little Caesar ads with Jimmie Walker and Evel Knievel. >> "Everyone at school picks on the Pöpli kids, even I do." Curtis Gibby shares his pain: When I was in sixth grade, it was the Trapper Keeper. If you didn't have one for your school papers, you were nothing. If you had a cheap knock-off of Trapper Keeper, it was even worse. With the Velcro and the storing and the metal teeth and the blood rain and the hey-hey it hurts me. Anyway, I thought Lisa and Marge's interchange was a good commentary on the commercialism of today's kids. >> Bet you can't have just one! Mike Smith: Multiple births in the news: A Houston couple, Nkem Chukwu and Iyke Louis Udobi, had octuplets in late 1998, seven of which survived. The McCaughey septuplets, born in late 1997. This was the first birth to have seven surviving children. Benjamin Robinson: In just about every human culture, the inability to have children is seen as one of the saddest fates that can befall a couple. Would-be parents faced either years of waiting for a child to become available through the adoption process, or resigned themselves to childlessness. When they first appeared, fertility drugs seemed like a gift from the heavens, but over time they began to be more like Pandora's box. The problem was that the drugs worked too well -- instead of one or perhaps two children, couples would suddenly have four, five, or even more at once. Recently, the McCaughey family made the headlines for having seven children. The media initially played it like a feel-good modern miracle. Gradually, more cynical columnists expressed their doubts. Their skepticism may be well- founded. Doctors are convinced that any pregnancy involving more than, say, twins is medically risky. There's only so much room in the womb, and the children are often born prematurely, and small even for preemies. Often, they'll have other health problems, as well. Even today, two years after their birth, two of the McCaughey children cannot sit up properly. Apu and Manjula are doubly lucky in that nobody in their brood seems to suffer from any illnesses (which would have been a huge downer, anyway). Medical technology has tested ethics in other ways. Some doctors use a method called "selective termination" to abort the less-viable fetuses, giving the others a better chance of surviving birth. Others recoil at the idea, considering it no better than murder. A few people have even questioned the idea of fertility drugs themselves, feeling that it defies the will of God. "Rilchiam" adds: The doctors for the Houston woman wanted to abort some of the fetuses to give the others a better chance at survival. She refused, on the grounds that "it wasn't God's will". I guess it was God's will for her to get all those fertility treatments. Jason Hancock: Like Apu and Manjula, the McCaugheys got tons of gifts from businesses in and around their hometown of Carlisle, Iowa (just outside of Des Moines). Among many things, they got a new van, furniture, diapers, free cable TV, and even college scholarships for the children. (Yet unlike the Nahasapeemapetilons, they weren't taken away from them after the next big multiple birth occurred.) Someone known as "Dutchdummy": I just read a follow up article in the local paper [which] had an interview with Mr. McCaughey. He made a comment that the fact that they had a house and a number of lifetime supplies of baby products donated to them "proved" that God was "providing" for them. That must come as a surprise to the many individuals and companies that donated their time and money. >> When five of a kind is also a full house Haynes Lee: Born May 28, 1934 to rural parents near North Bay, Ontario, Canada, the five identical quintuplets were considered a medical miracle. Under advisement of the doctor who delivered them they were made wards of the Province of Ontario and placed in a specially built hospital. They rarely saw their parents or siblings. Three million people went to "Quintland" to see the quints and generated 500 million dollars in tourism. Despite this the children were miserable and saw little of the money. It was only recently the three remaining living sisters finally got some compensation and an apology from the Ontario government. Brent McKee adds: The five girls (Emilie, Annette, Marie, Cecile, and Yvonne) were born in May 1934 in Corbeil Ontario. Their father Oliva Dionne received an offer to exhibit them at the 1934 Chicago World's Fair which he accepted. This was when the Ontario government stepped in and took over their guardianship. The government built "Quintland" at Callander to exhibit them. They also supervised the endorsement contracts that the quints got. They also made sure that the only way their parents _ever_ got to see them was if they took the tour. Custody was not restored to the Dionne family until 1943, but the relations between the five girls and their parents and siblings was never good. Of the five, only three are still alive. Emilie entered a convent, but died of an epileptic seizure in 1954. Her sister Marie died, alone in her apartment, apparently of a blood clot on her brain (the body, when found, was so decomposed that no cause of death could be accurately determined). The other three sisters successfully reached a settlement with the Ontario government recently over financial irregularities in the trust fund that had been set up for them as children and their role as Canada's biggest tourist draw in the 1930's. An excellent book about the quints is Pierre Berton's "The Dionne Years". Alan Hamilton: The girls were shown several times a day, with over 3 million visitors seeing the girls in their habitat, er, nursery. The girls never got any of the estimated C$22 million (in 1998 Canadian dollars) that was supposed to be in a trust fund. The three survivors settled a lawsuit with the Canadian government for C$4 million (US$2.8 million) in 1998. See http://cnn.com/US/9711/19/dionne.quints/index.html for more information, including a picture of a "Next Showing" clock. Mike Smith: [The Dionnes' doctor] even made a movie about them in 1936 by, off all people, a then-newly-formed company called 20th Century Fox, called "The Country Doctor", with Jean Hersolt (Who humanitarian Oscar is named for him). A wonderful miniseries on their exploitation, called "Million Dollar Babies", was aired on CBS a few years back. Sarah Culp comments on "Octopia": And I still feel that even if the baby show WAS real, it would still be more humane than any Anne Geddes picture. >> Only *you* can prevent underpopulation Benjamin Robinson: Apu mentions that America is "dangerously underpopulated." From his standpoint, that might be true. India, a nation that has less land than the United States, claims a population four times larger at one billion. (Having eight kids at a clip will certainly take care of that problem!) >> Name That Child Cletus may have had to name more children, but Manjula had more exotic names. J. C. Ice provides them for us: With the help of the close captioning, here are the names of Apu and Manjula's octuplets: Poonam, Sashi, Pria, Uma, Anoop, Sandeep, Nabendu, and Gheet. As far as I can tell, there were 6 boys and 2 girls (Sashi and Pria). >> Raising children the vegan way Nathan DeHoff wonders: I hadn't really thought of this before, but, in "Eight Misbehavin'", Apu was feeding his children milk (presumably from a cow), despite his strict veganism. I suppose that necessity outweighed morality in that case (after all, would Manjula have been able to nurse all eight of those babies?), but it does make me wonder if Apu will raise his children to be vegetarians. John Jensen: One word: Formula Wilson Defarge: Another word: SOY "Quinten": Do you know that it was milk from another animal? They do have breast pumps, which mothers can use to "store up" milk for their babies, so that they have it when it's needed. It also could have been imitation milk too. Pete Klassen: Well, actually, Apu may be a vegan. Manjula & the kids might be none. [I guess Mr. DeHoff can consider his question answered now! -- Ed.] >> Not for use as a knockout drug Benjamin Robinson: Colorforms were (and possibly still are) a popular children's toy. A Colorforms set was organized around a theme, like a cartoon or the Wild West. You got a bunch of vinyl cutouts, and a laminated backdrop. The idea was to while away the hours creating your own tableaux by sticking the cutouts to the backdrop as imagination dictates. Colorforms cutouts also stuck great to furniture, TV screens, major appliances, and the like, and as a result parents would find cutouts scattered all around the house. Great fun! Chris Palm reminisces: Hehe ... am I the only one young enough around here to have remembered playing with a Simpsons Colorform set as a child? >> Whither Apu? There is no continuity in "The Simpsons." Or is there? R. David Francis writes: It's interesting to me that Apu seems like the only character on the Simpsons who has undergone permanent visible changes. Many characters change for the course of an episode. A few have changed permanently, but not visibly (Ned's being 60 or learning to let his anger go; Selma's two marriages, Skinner's not being Skinner (which referred to the fact that this permanent change would never be referred to again in the episode itself)). However, Apu has gotten married and remained married, with his wife having showed up not only in Apu-centric episodes (5F04, AABF11), but also in bit parts in other episodes (at least 5F14, where Apu and Manjula pop into a photo booth). Now, he has eight children, who were not eliminated at the end of the show (there are ways that this could have been dealt with; perhaps sending the tykes off to live with the family in India). So presumably, there will be future references to the kids. Speaking of future references to the children, Justin Cass wondered: In future episodes, what will happen the 8 kids? Will they still be young and not age like everyone else, or will they be older making for some more interesting plots? Don Del Grande responds: Well, as Sanjay's two kids have not aged, I assume Apu's won't age either. Otherwise, they would be out of place. (It wouldn't be the first time if some characters aged faster than others; Charles Schulz did it with Sally and Rerun on "Peanuts". However, if you do age Apu's kids, you run into a potential problem: how do you explain that Manjula wanted a kid after seeing Maggie if her kids end up being older than Maggie is?) My guess as to "what happens next": you'll start seeing Manjula pushing a "eight-person baby carriage" (or Apu and Manjula each pushing a four-baby carriage) in the background in upcoming episodes. Or, they can always just keep saying "the kids are with Manjula" over and over again ... >> Do they give a volume discount for bulk enrollment? Paul Manion describes the link between this episode, and the University of Pennsylvania: There were a few DYN's that probably only appeal to people who attend the University of Pennsylvania, but whatever. I was reading a newsletter at our campus paper that had a "Catching up with alumni" section on Matt Selman, who graduated from Penn and used to be an editor of the paper I now write for, so when I saw he wrote last night's episode, my interest was piqued. Here's what I caught ... ... The giant baby blocks in the zoo spelled out "Y-U-O-P." Phonetically, that's close enough to U of P, a name by which Penn is sometimes referred. Apu's reference in Homer's scripted skit to "Ivy League State" has to be a play on the public misconception that the University of Pennsylvania, or Penn, is the same school as Penn State. Anyone who's ever told someone they go to Penn knows the pain of having to instantly correct the other person and say, "No, not Penn State." [Sounds like a bit of a stretch to me ... -- Ed.] >> Miscellaneous, Etc. The Haynes Lee alterna-title for this show is: Eight Babies Out Nancy Martin: I've enlisted the help of the Pregnancy Guide and the Parenting for Multiples Guide. They give Apu and Manjula advice on dealing with the birth of octuplets. The URL is . ============================================================================== > Quotes and Scene Summary {bjr} ============================================================================== % The Simpsons make a shopping excursion to Shøp, the place to go for % modern Swedish furniture and accessories. A green end table catches % Marge's eye, and she's impressed that those crazy Swedish furniture % designers could invent such a far-out concept. Homer tests a bean- % bag chair -- and it immediately swallows him up. He joins Captain % McAllister, who fell victim to the same chair. % % Luckily, Homer rejoins his family in time to look at assemble-it- % yourself wall units. A costumed character that looks like an Allen % wrench with arms and legs walks up. Allen: You put it together yourself. All you need is me -- Allen Wrench. Homer: [giggles] He's named after what he is. Bart: [knocking on the wrench] Cool costume. Allen: [turns away from the rest of the family to face Bart, and begins talking in a robotic tone] It's not a costume. They found me inside a meteor. Marge: Excuse me, where are your hamper lids? Allen: [friendly] Hamper lids? Uh, third floor. [turns to Bart again] [robotic] Help, I need tungsten to live. [raises arms] Tungsten! [Bart flees] -- "Eight Misbehavin'" % Marge and Lisa look at a less-threatening display of pencil holders. Lisa: [picks up a pencil holder] Ooh, I want to get the krünk. Marge: Mmmm, you don't want something that overshadows the pencils. [holds up another pencil caddy] How about this pöpli? Lisa: Mom, no! Everyone at school picks on the pöpli kids -- even I do. [under breath] Just hate them so much. -- The advantages of designer pencil holders, "Eight Misbehavin'" % At the store's food court, the Simpsons enjoy a meal of food with % improbably long names. Marge admires the silverware, which is made % out of Lego™ brand building blocks. Homer immediately sees the % potential, using the Legos to create a superfork that can spear % meatballs on four plates at once. Apu and his wife Manjula stroll % by. Apu: Hello, Simpsons! Homer: Hey Apu, Manjula. You guys are still married? Apu: Oh yes sir, quite happily. Homer: Pay up, Marge. Marge: [smiles uneasily] Say, what you got there? Apu: [holding up a bag with a penguin statue in it] I don't know, exactly. It's from the room of lamps that do not look like lamps. [turns it on, and the penguin's eyes blink. Maggie, entranced, reaches for it] Manjula: Oh, Maggie, aren't you cute with your little bow. [picks her up, and does a little baby-talk] Marge: Maggie loves baby talk. Manjula: That was Hindi. Marge: Oh, [laughs sheepishly] sorry. So, have you two thought about kids? Apu: Well, sure we have but the decision to have a child is not to be made lightly. [Manjula does that "blowing-onto-the-stomach" routine with Maggie] On the other hand, monkey see, monkey do. Homer: [chuckles] Kids are the best, Apu. You can teach them to hate the things you hate. And they practically raise themselves, what with the internet and all. Apu: Well, perhaps it is time. I have noticed that this country is dangerously underpopulated. -- "Eight Misbehavin'" % That night, Manjula asks Apu if he's really serious about having % children. He is, and they start the fun part of the baby-making % process. % % The next morning, Apu chills out in the ice cream cooler. Homer: Hey, Apu! Sitting in the ice cream cooler, eh? Apu: By chilling my loins, I increase the chances of impregnating my wife. Homer: Who-o-a! Too much information! Thanks for the mental picture. Why don't you tell us what you *really* think? Apu: Just stop spouting those hackneyed quips. Homer: Could you be any more ... hello? [laughs] Look, just give me some ice cream. [Apu pulls out one of the containers he's been sitting upon] Um, how about one not touching your ass? [Apu gives Homer an ass-free container] [Apu's beeper goes off] Apu: Oh! Manjula has begun to ovulate. [gets up and leaves quickly] Homer: Ew, thanks for sharing. [Apu drives home; we see his car pass in front of the Kwik-E-Mart] [yelling after Apu] More than I wanted to know! -- DMY, Homer, "Eight Misbehavin'" % Apu and Manjula await the results of their in-home pregnancy test. Apu: Here goes nothing. Apu + Manjula: [as symbols appear on the tester] Baby ... baby ... oh, lemon. Manjula: All that sex for nothing. Apu: Well, that is a pretty grim assessment. -- "Eight Misbehavin'" % Now, Apu is so desperate he asks Homer for advice, as Homer cooks % two (unopened) cans of beans on the barbecue. Apu: You know, Homer, you might want to open those cans before they explode. Homer: But the cans seal in the flavor. Apu: Okay. [grabs a garbage can lid, and uses it to shield himself] Homer: So, how's the tribe coming along? Any papooses? Apu: No, still no luck. Tell me, Homer, did you have to take any special steps when you decided to have children? Homer: Decided? [laughs] That's classic! Decided ... Babies just happen. Apu: Well, not to us, they don't. Oh, Homer we have tried everything. Gravity boots, Sanjay's bed, every possible position. Homer: Really? On top *and* underneath? Apu: Eh, yes. Homer: Well, don't worry, I can help you. I'm all about ideas. [cans finally explode, spattering the two with beans] Kids! Come and get it! -- The power of ideas, "Eight Misbehavin'" % Homer's brilliant plan is to take Apu and Manjula to a make-out % point, and set the scene for romance. Apu's Firebird has been % crudely converted into a convertible, and he and Manjula sit in the % back seat, dressed in high school jackets. Homer stands just % outside the car. Homer: Now, this situation is guaranteed to end in pregnancy. Apu: I'm willing to play the high school jock but did you have to cut the roof off my car? Homer: Bup-bup-bup-bup. That's an Apu question, you're Greg. Apu: [reading from a script] Gee, Betsy, it's such a nice night. Why don't we go all the way? Manjula: [also reading] But Greg, my Dad will kill me! And, you have that scholarship to Ivy League State. Apu: Loosen up, baby. Tomorrow, I'm shipping off to Vietnam. [looks up] I, I thought I was going to Ivy League State. Homer: My mistake, stay in the moment. Manjula: Just don't forget me on your dinosaur bone-digging- up trip. [they kiss] Homer: And that's my cue to exit. [backs away] [Apu and Manjula keep kissing, as Homer's head peers over the side of the car] Apu: Homer! Homer: I just wanted to invite you to the wrap party. And that's my cue to exit. [backs away again; Apu and Manjula pick up where they left off] -- A good exit is essential, "Eight Misbehavin'" % Time once again to check the pregnancy tester. Apu + Manjula: Baby ... baby ... pirate? Manjula: [dejected] Oh ... Apu: No, wait a minute. Pirates are wild. Manjula: We are pregnant! [Apu and Manjula share whoops and laughs. Homer's head peers over the window] Apu: [to Homer] Oh, get lost! -- Knowing when to quit is essential, too, "Eight Misbehavin'" % Nine months pass. Homer: Man, the last nine months sure were crazy. Bart: I'll say. I learned the true meaning of Columbus Day. Marge: I enjoyed a brief but memorable stint as Sideshow Marge. [adjusts hair bone] Lisa: I became the most popular girl in school, but blew it by being conceited. Bart: And then I learned the true meaning of winter. -- "Eight Misbehavin'" % Meanwhile, Manjula is feeling ugly. Apu tries to flatter her, but % has a hard time coming up with something good on short notice. % Lucky for him, Manjula's water breaks at that moment -- their baby % is on the way. They drive to the hospital, leaving the hapless Gil % to clean up the mess. % % The big moment arrives. Marge calls Apu into the delivery room. Manjula: [holding a newborn] Oh, my sweet husband. Say hello to your first-born child. Apu: Oh, you shall be the jewel of our lives. Hibbert: Aww. Now say hello to your other seven children. [opens his lab coat, revealing seven pockets, with a baby in each one] Apu: My ... wha-a-a-at? Hibbert: [chuckles] We had quite a discussion about the funniest way to reveal them to you. Marge: You have octuplets. It rolls off of your tongue, and into your heart. [dreamily] Octuplets. Homer: [laughs] Apu, you should have seen your face when they showed you those babies. [camera pans to reveal Apu's face, frozen in horror] Yeah, it looked just like that. -- "Eight Misbehavin'" % [End of Act One. Time: 7:09] % % Manjula introduces Apu to his children by name. He still can't % believe what has just happened. Apu: How did we get eight? Manjula: Apu, I must confess. When we were having trouble conceiving, I took fertility drugs. Apu: Ooh, I too am afraid I'm guilty of monkeying with nature. I slipped fertility drugs into your breakfast Squishee. Hibbert: [totals figures on a calculator] Mmm-hmm. Well, that would only account for quintuplets. Did anyone else slip this woman fertility drugs? [Homer, Marge, and Bart raise their hands] Homer: [holds up a pill] Mine tasted like strawberries. [eats it] Mmmm, ovulicious. -- "Eight Misbehavin'" % The media soon gets wind of the media event, and Apu and Manjula % convene a press conference. The reporters contrive a good sound % bite ("We have a 'love eight' relationship"), and Apu and Manjula % duly repeat it. Then they go on the defensive when Kent Brockman % notes that some pundits and wags feel this sort of multiple birth is % unnatural. Natural or not, corporations have been quick to shower % the couple with gifts like baby powder and Pepsi B, normally an % export-only product. % % Homer and the kids watch the conference at home. Homer: Free baby cola? Apu hits the jackpot, and I'm stuck with these juiceless one-tuplets. Bart: Gee, sorry for being born. Homer: I've been waiting so long to hear that. [hugs Bart, who shrugs and hugs back] -- A proud moment in a parent's life, "Eight Misbehavin'" % Brockman interviews the Nahasapeemapetilons at their apartment. In % the background are piles of baby supplies and furniture. Brockman: How do you feel about this avalanche of free merchandise? Manjula: Oh, the companies are so generous. Except the Q-tip people. They only gave us three crates. They can rot in hell. Apu: But the good folks at Sony, [blows a kiss]. Their giant TV will really help us love our babies. [turns on the Channel 3 news, where a reporter is giving a special report] Reporter: [on TV] I'm here at Shelbyville Hospital, where a local woman has just given birth to nine -- that's right -- nine babies. [Apu and Manjula gasp] Husband: Some say eight babies is a blessing, but they don't know joy of nine. Reporter 2: Would you say you're on cloud nine? Husband + Wife: We're on cloud nine! [crowd of reporters say, "aw"] Apu: [back in the apartment] Oh, they even have a better sound bite than us. Manjula: Nine babies? That's barbaric! Forklift Op.: Nonuplets? Now that's something you don't see every day. Worker: Let's get this stuff to the real heroes -- the Shelbyville Nine! [workers quickly remove all the corporate gifts] Manjula: Wait! That's our ottoman. [grabs it from the worker. He quickly leaves, taking a stuffed bear with him on his way out] -- Your fifteen minutes are up. Thanks for coming, "Eight Misbehavin'" % Apu reassures his wife that they don't need help from corporations. % His optimism seems misplaced when he has to rock eight crying babies % to sleep all at once. % % Eventually, they (and Apu) fall fast asleep. Manjula: Apu, it's 4:00a.m. You're late for work. Apu: [waking up] Oh, I just had the most beautiful dream where I died. Manjula: Oh, no, you don't. Not 'till they're out of college. Apu: Listen, I'll die when I want to. -- The joy of parenting, "Eight Misbehavin'" % At work, Apu is too tired to stop shoplifters, or deal with % customers like Ned Flanders, who has just walked into the store. Ned: Well, morning Apu. How are the little blessings? Apu: Oh, they're a ravenous swarm of locusts. Just eating and screaming and grabbing and poking and pulling and drooling and two have cradle rash. How do you get cradle rash when you sleep in a suitcase? Ned: Yeah, they can be a handful -- of joy. Apu: Shut up! Ned: They'll fill your lives with-- Apu: Shut up! Ned: [quickly] Can't put a price on a miracle! Apu: I can't believe you don't shut up! -- "Eight Misbehavin'" % Homer and Marge turn in for the night. After getting Homer's % attention, Marge says that Apu seems kind of frazzled. Marge: Apu told me all eight babies have colic, although he things one or two might just be going along with the crowd. Homer: Eight babies ... I'm sterile, right, baby doll? Marge: Yes, dear. From the nuclear plant. Homer: Beautiful. -- Family planning the SNPP way, "Eight Misbehavin'" % Homer and Marge decide to visit Apu and Manjula, parent to parent. % When nobody answers Marge's knock, they carefully pick their way % through the messy apartment. Finally, they find Apu feeding his % children. He has attached eight baby bottles, in two rows of four, % to a harness he wears over his chest. The children suckle at the % bottles as Apu lies on the floor, like a farm animal. Apu: Welcome to my nightmare. Marge: I knew you had your hands full with the babies, so I baked you some banana bread. Apu: [sarcastic] Oh hallelujah, our problems are solved. We have banana bread. Marge: Well, you don't have to be sarcastic. [yes he does, it's in the script] Manjula: Oh, look who's here. The family with one baby. How do you manage? Homer: [sotto voce to Marge] Marge, they've turned into jerks. Apu: [stands up. The babies fall off, and some milk squirts out of the bottles] Excuse me, we've been rude. Can I offer you something to drink? Homer + Marge: [pause] No, thanks. Manjula: Apu, they're doing it again. [the babies begin to wrestle with one another] Apu: Okay, okay, break it up. [gently breaks up the fight by nudging the babies with his foot] Marge: Maybe you two should get a nanny. Apu: Yes, and what would I pay her with? Banana bread? Sorry, sorry, it's just that we haven't slept in days, and we're running out of money and ... banana bread? What the hell were you thinking? Banana bread. Apologize, apologize again. As a token of forgiveness, please take this baby. [offers a child] [Marge goes for it, but Homer holds her back] Homer: No, Marge, no! -- It's a trap! "Eight Misbehavin'" % The doorbell rings, and Apu answers it. A gray-haired gentleman % has come calling, and offers Apu some help with the children. Apu % eagerly accepts. % % They mystery man takes Apu for a ride. Kidkill: What if your babies could live with round the clock child care, all expenses paid, full medical, dental, tutors -- the works? Apu: I would say that there must be some sort of horrible catch. [Kidkill drives up to the zoo] -- "Eight Misbehavin'" % Apu is understandably reluctant to consign his children to a zoo. % Kidkill says that everybody loves the place, and dares Apu to look % at a kangaroo and not laugh. A mother and joey kangaroo stare % forlornly at Kidkill's Canyonero as it drives past. Apu and Kidkill % arrive at the spot where Kidkill hopes to raise the children. Apu: Look, I'm not going to put my babies in a zoo. Kidkill: Don't say no until you see the habitat. Apu: The habitat? Kidkill: I mean, the nursery. [opens the door to an elaborately decorated nursery] Apu: Oh, my goodness. Kidkill: Not too shabby, eh? They'll have the best of care, and all I ask is that you let the local folks share a little glimpse of your blessing. Apu: But is it right to put such young children on display? Patrick: Sure it is. [walks into view, wearing an adult- sized version of his "Munsters" costume] Apu: Huh? Butch Patrick? Patrick: That's right. I was TV's Eddie Munster, and being in the public eye didn't mess me up one bit. Apu: Mm-hm. Well, obviously. Hey, one question, Eddie. Patrick: Butch. Apu: Yeah, right, right. If your mother was a vampire and your father was a Frankenstein, how come you are a werewolf? Patrick: Huh, I never thought of that. Doesn't make sense, does it? But what does make sense is putting your children in the hands of Mr. Kidkill here. Kidkill: Please, please -- Larry, Larry Kidkill. -- "Eight Misbehavin'" % Like Apu, Manjula initially is reluctant to embrace the idea of % putting their children on display. Apu persuades her, saying the % kids will get a traditional "zooish" upbringing. Manjula agrees and % signs the contract. The ever-versatile Butch Patrick is on the spot % to notarize the agreement. % % [End of Act Two. Time: 14:38] % % Apu, Manjula, and the children have settled into a cozy domestic % routine. Kidkill drops by on the couple to see how they are doing. % Then, he announces that it's show time. A troop of choreographers, % costumers, and other theater people stream in, and hustle Apu and % Manjula out of the nursery, er, habitat. % % And now, on with the show! Bart: [in audience] I can't believe we're going to see the octuplets. Lisa: You already saw them. Bart: Yeah, but now they're umbilical cords have fallen off! [Kidkill stands onstage] Kidkill: Ladies and gentlemen, get ready for the eight wonders of the third world. Welcome to Octopia! [music plays, and the curtain rises, revealing the set. The audience applauds] He can't talk, but man, can he rock. Say hello to the baddest baby in the whole damn town -- Animal! ["Welcome to the Jungle" plays. A crib rises from the stage floor, tilted so the audience can get a view of little Animal. He's got a leather jacket and a tiny guitar, which he's drooling on. The audience says, "Aw"] Lisa: How can he rebel? He doesn't even know where he is. [jazzy nightclub music plays] Kidkill: Uh, oh -- sounds like one of the babies has a fever! Marge: [gasps] Kidkill: Dance fever, that is. Marge: [relieved] Ohh. [laughs] Kidkill: Let's hear it for Dazzle! [another crib rises to show another baby dressed like a cabaret girl. The crib rocks a little to simulate dancing] Homer: She's no Liza, but it works. [bouncy piano music] Kidkill: And now the stand-up who can't even sit up. Give it up for Punchline! [crib with a brick wall backdrop lowers from the ceiling. Inside is a baby in front of a prop microphone. He sucks his knuckles, and the audience laughs wildly] Lenny: He's thinking what we're all saying. Kidkill: But all the laughs in the world won't protect you from the stern discipline of the Baron. ["Ride of the Valkyrie" plays, as a cradle decorated like a World War I German war zeppelin is suspended from the ceiling, and moved over the stage. Inside is a baby dressed in a monocle and goatee, carrying a riding whip. The audience boos] And, the rest! [the an American flag rises up, with four cribs suspended underneath it. "ROCK in the USA" plays, lasers shoot beams through the air, and (fully grown) dancing girls come out and do the twist. Finally, a man dressed like Uncle Sam's younger brother rides on ostrich onstage] Man: Good night, Springfield! We'll be back in an hour. -- That's entertainment! "Eight Misbehavin'" % Apu and Manjula seem to be the only people disturbed by Octopia. % Backstage, the choreographer takes time to compliment some of the % babies. (Not all of them, however. He tells his assistant to, % "work with Dazzle; she's a lox out there." Meanwhile, Manjula takes % Mr. Kidkill to task. Manjula: How could you do this to our children? Kidkill: I know, the lighting cues were a mess. Don't worry, the guy's been fired. Apu: Our babies are not circus freaks. We're taking them home now. Kidkill: [blocking his exit] Hold on, Alpo. [holds up contract] We got a contract. Apu: [taking contract] Not any more. [tries to tear it up, but he can't] Laminated -- you monster! -- "Eight Misbehavin'" % Kidkill sics his hired goons on Apu and Manjula. They turn to the % long arm of the law to help. Wiggum: I'm afraid there's nothing I can do. Apu: The zookeeper paid you off, didn't he? Wiggum: Paid me off? What are you, crazy? [reaches by desk for a big bag of "elephant grade" peanuts] Manjula: So we'll never see our children again? Wiggum: Well, they might give Dazzle back. The buzz is she's got one more show to turn it around. Apu: Well, if the police won't help us, we'll simply have to take the law into our own hands. Wiggum: Yeah, yeah! A lot of people are doing that these days. -- I wonder why, "Eight Misbehavin'" % Nobody knows homemade justice better than Homer Simpson, so Apu % recruits him to help rescue the children. The two sneak into % Kidkill's zoo after closing time. Apu remarks on how differently % the animals behave after dark. He isn't kidding -- turtles in their % pen jump athletically from one tree branch to the next. In the next % cage, three koala bears have brought down a gazelle. The fur around % their mouths soaked with blood, they briefly stop feeding on their % kill to look at Homer and Apu. % % Homer and Apu break into the nursery. The babies are sleeping % peacefully, as is the nanny assigned the night watch. She begins to % rouse. Apu: She's waking up. Homer: Don't worry. I brought some chloroform. [takes something and applies it to the nanny's face] Apu: You idiot -- those are Colorforms! [camera perspective shifts to reveal that Homer has stuck little Colorform shapes to the nanny's face] -- "Eight Misbehavin'" % With a scream, the nanny wakes up and sounds the alarm. Homer and % Apu hastily load the babies into their car. As Homer appears to % make their getaway, a gorilla mother appears at the zoo gate. She % holds her baby over her head, as if imploring Homer and Apu to take % it to freedom. Freaked, Homer takes off. % % Safe at home ... Manjula: Oh, my precious babies. We'll never let you go. Apu: [holding the baby formerly known as "Baron"] Oh, let's get this awful thing off. [removes the fake goatee, but the baby fusses and reaches after it. Apu lets him take it back] Okay, whatever. [the door opens, and Kidkill and his goons rush in] Christopher: Okay, hold it right there, scumbags! Manjula: [gasps] Homer: Please, Mr. Kidkill, look into your heart. I know these babies have a lifetime contract, but what if I put together an even better act for you? Something sensational! Kidkill: It's not just you prancing around in a monkey suit, is it? Homer: Not any more! Kidkill: You got yourself a deal. -- "Eight Misbehavin'" % The next thing we know, Homer is on the former Octopia stage, riding % a tricycle and carrying Butch Patrick on his back. As if that % wasn't difficult enough, Homer must share the stage with a bunch of % angry cobras. Appropriately, "Highway to the Danger Zone" plays % over the PA system. Homer struggles to keep the hissing snakes from % biting him. Patrick: Quiet! You're breaking character! Lisa: [in audience] Are those real cobras? Bart: [checks the program] Some are real, some are just robots filled with venom. Apu: Now that is a true friend. Manjula: You know, if he can handle that, maybe we can handle this bunch [indicates their children]. Apu: We'll do our best, chutney butt. [camera cuts back to stage] Homer: Okay, okay, don't panic, Butch. [to stagehand] Release the mongoose! [the stagehand does so. The terrified mongoose hesitates, then jumps on Homer's head and bites him. The audience applauds, as Homer screams in pain] [fade to black, as the closing theme music plays] Stupid mongoose! Get the snakes! The snakes! Do I look like a snake? Ow! Ow! Why isn't he listening to me? Ow! Ohhh. Show's over! Show's over! Next show at eight o'clock and ten! -- The show must go on, "Eight Misbehavin'" % [End of Act Three. Time (until end of Homer's dialog): 20:28] ============================================================================== > Contributors ============================================================================== {ah} Alan Hamilton {al} Andrew Levine {bjr} Benjamin Robinson {cg} Curtis Gibby {ddg} Don Del Grande {dj} Darrel Jones {eg} Ed Gein {hl} Haynes Lee {jg2} Joe Green {jh} Jason Hancock {jj} John Jensen {jk} Joe Klemm {nb} Nate Birch {rg} Richard Green {rk} Ray Kassinger {tr} Tom Rinschler {yd} Yuri Dieujuste ============================================================================== > Legal Mumbo Jumbo ============================================================================== This episode capsule is Copyright 2000 Benjamin Robinson. It is not to be redistributed in a public forum without consent from its author or current maintainer (capsules@snpp.com). All quoted material and episode summaries remain property of The Simpsons, Copyright of Twentieth Century Fox. All other contributions remain the properties of their respective authors. The transcript itself is Copyright 2000 Benjamin Robinson. This capsule has been brought to you by Shøp: Combining Scandinavian design with American values. This work is dedicated to Raymond Chen, James A. Cherry, Ricardo Lafaurie, Frederic Briere, and all of those who made episode capsules what they are today.