Day of the Jackanapes Written by Al Jean Directed by Michael Marcantel ============================================================================== Production code: CABF10 Original Airdate on FOX: 18-Feb-2001 Capsule revision B (30-Dec-2003) ============================================================================== > "TV Guide" Synopsis ============================================================================== [TV Guide ad] Double page advertisement for episode CABF10 "Day of the Jackanapes". "Sideshow Bob Returns to Springfield for Revenge!" "Guest Star: Kelsey Grammer". The head (and hair) of Sideshow Bob appears spread across two pages, with Bart in the background, arms crossed, saying "It's not every kid my age who has an archenemy." Fox is pulling out all the stops for the February sweeps. Small boxes for three other shows appear on the same pages. {bg} [TV Guide Close-Up] Inside the Criminal Mind -- Kelsey Grammer returns as Sideshow Bob, who surfaces with yet another murderous scheme. Krusty the Clown decides to retire (again) because he's sick of creative input from network executives. In an interview leading up to his last show, Krusty reveals that his early episodes with Bob were lost (Krusty taped over them). That news makes Bob see red, so he talks his way out of prison and into a job at Springfield Elementary. There, he captures Bart, who declares he has no fear as Bob's always been the loser in their entanglements. But hypnosis turns Bart into a zombie-like accomplice for Bob's plan to send Krusty on a fond-and-explosive-farewell. {bg} ============================================================================== > Title sequence ============================================================================== Blackboard: THE HAMSTER DID NOT HAVE "A FULL LIFE" THE HAMSTER DID NOT HAVE " at cutoff Couch: Sigmund Freud is sitting on a chair next to the couch. The family runs toward the couch, and Homer is the first one there. He lies down, and as the rest of the family watches, complains that he's gone crazy. [Recycled from BABF06] ============================================================================== > Did You Notice... ============================================================================== ... it is Pyro who takes Luanne and Milhouse to the show? Don Del Grande: ... unlike WWTBAM, there was no 30-second clock when Moe phoned Homer? ... in "Me Wantee!", Moe had to decide whether or not to continue before hearing the question (like on "The $64,000 Question", but unlike WWTBAM)? ... the archery targets only have red and white rings? ... the school's shed only has wooden bats? (Do they still even make those for non-professionals?) ... Krusty was in show business for 17 years before his first TV appearance? ... the crowd didn't go quiet when Gary Coleman walked by? Joe Green: ... Bob reads "Prison Bride" magazine? Darrel Jones: ... Bob is on the top bunk of his prison bed, like in his previous appearance in [4F14]? ... we don't see if Cecil Terwilliger is in the bunk under Bob? Joe Klemm: ... one of the college nerds watching Bart destroying the Krusty statue? ... Krusty has retired at least four times? Haynes Lee: ... the game show hostess wears a green Marge-type dress? ... Homer obviously learned nothing from Physics 101 in "Homer Goes to College"? ... Principal Skinner doesn't mind Sideshow Bob's "Bart killing policy"? ... Wiggum's bat remark that "everything is aluminum this and George W. that" is the first reference to Dubya since he was sworn in? Troy J. Mathews: ... at the Pimento Grove there were pictures of Al Bundy and Birch Barlow? David Plotkin: ... Bob has a TV in his jail cell? ... someone besides Willy wore/brought a kilt to school? ... Springfield Elementary has an archery team (The dartboards in the sports equipment shed)? Benyamin Powers: ... Ringo Starr had a picture at the Pimento Grove? Benjamin Robinson: ... the old slice of pizza Bob left on one of his boxes? ... Krusty actually hauls his checkbook around in his formal tux? Tad Winslow: ... there's a curling stone in the equipment shed? ============================================================================== > Voice Credits ============================================================================== - Starring - Dan Castellaneta (Homer, Krusty, Gil, Mel) - Julie Kavner (Marge) - Nancy Cartwright (Bart) - Yeardley Smith (Lisa) - Hank Azaria ("Me Wantee" announcer, Exec {jlm}, Moe, Wiggum, Raphael, Cletus, Lou, Leo {jlm}) - Harry Shearer (Virgil, Director, Smithers, Kent, Guard, Judge Snyder, Skinner, Eddie, Rainier Wolfcastle, Announcer [?], Hibbert) - Special Guest Voice - Gary Coleman (His own self) - Kelsey Grammer (Bob) - Also Starring - Pamela Hayden (Lady) - Tress MacNeille (Lindsey) - Karl Wiedergott (Extra Guy) ============================================================================== > Movie (and other) references ============================================================================== + "The Day of the Jackal" (novel and movie) - title a parody of this Frederick Forsythe novel, which is about an assassination attempt + "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" (TV series) - "Me Wantee!" based on this game show - has prizes of $500,000 and $1,000,000 {dj} - has multiple-choice questions {dj} - host similar in looks to "Millionaire's" Regis Philbin {bjr} - graphics used for question and answers almost identical {bjr} - phone-a-friend is a lifeline {dj} - host asks if contestant has given "ultimate response" (cf. "Final answer?") {bjr} - rival networks predicted WWTBAM would be just a passing fad, as Krusty's execs do {bjr} - [See "Comments" section for more -- Ed.] - "Gettin' Jiggy Wit' It" (song) {jg2} - "Could you get jiggy with something?" - Fridays (TV series) {jk} - Krusty refusing to take part in a restaurant sketch - "The Bear and the Dragon" (novel) {jc} - the inmates have been pummeling Sideshow Bob with this 1028-page Tom Clancy hardcover techno-thriller + "Cape Fear" (movie) {bjr} - camera composition as Bob leaves jail and walks toward our point of view ~ "Frasier" (TV series) {jk} - Sideshow Bob doing the morning announcements at school a spoof of Frasier being a radio therapist + "The Manchurian Candidate" (movie) - soldier is brainwashed into carrying out an assassination plot, like in the 1962 film + "The Naked Gun" (movie) {sh} - in the movie, Ricardo Montalban hypnotizes Priscilla Presley into assassinating the Queen of England at the baseball game - "Foul Play" (movie) {hl} - assassination attempt in theatre ending up in the catwalk above the stage + Happy Meals (McDonalds promotional item) {bjr} - the KrustyBurger equivalent is "Laffy Meals" + "I Love Lucy" (TV series) {hl} - Lucy could not say the word "pregnant" (cf. "pants") on television [See "Comments" section for more -- Ed.] + "Chippendale's" (male strip clubs) {bjr} - Krusty introduces Teeny the Chimp's as "Chimpendales" + "The Full Monty" (movie) {jg2} - Krusty says, "Our Chimpendale's dancer's gonna give you the full monkey!" ~ "War and Peace" (novel) {pm} - right after Sideshow Bob says "Napoleon Blown-aparte", and the stage hand critics the remark, Bob refers to him as Leo. Could this be a reference to the author, Leo Tolstoy? [Well, I *did* mark it as a tentative reference -- Ed.] - "Bookends" (album) {bs} - the giant portrait of Bob and Krusty is a parody of the Simon and Garfunkel album cover + "Mandy" (song) - Krusty riffs on this Barry Manilow song during his tribute to Sideshow Bob + "Terminator 2" (movie) - when Bart walks through the empty playground bares a strong resemblance to the scene in the T2 movie at the playground just before the hypothetical nuclear strike {tjm} - network executives apparently made of liquid metal, like the T-1000 robot in the movie - ~"Les Miserables" (novel) {dld} - maybe a stretch, but the fact that Chief Wiggum brought a guillotine with him seems to emphasize the Inspector Javert/Jean Valjean relationship he has with SSB ... ============================================================================== > Previous episode references ============================================================================== - Sideshow Bob's six previous losses {dj} - [7G12] Unsuccessfully frames Krusty for Kwik-E-Mart robbery - [8F21] Unsuccessfully murders Bart's Aunt Selma on their honeymoon - [9F22] Unsuccessfully murders Bart on a houseboat - [2F03] Unsuccessfully gets revenge on Bart after rigging a mayoral election - [3F08] Unsuccessfully murders Krusty after eliminating all TV in Springfield - [4F14] Unsuccessfully clears himself of embezzlement committed by Cecil - [7G12] Krusty mentions Sideshow Bob framing him for robbery {ddg} - [7G12], [9F19], [3F12], [5F10] Krusty's four previous "retirements" {dj} - [9F13] Lisa gets a ticket to the taping of a Krusty special {jg2} - [9F22] Rakes, Sideshow Bob's enemy {dj} - [9F22] Sideshow Bob faces a parole board {bjr} - [9F22] Camera angle Bob leaves jail {bjr} - [1F07] Homer mangles "Mandy" (cf. Krusty doing it in this episode) {bjr} - [2F02] Bats in the public library {hl} - [2F20] Maggie shoots Mr. Burns ... again! {jg2} - [2F20] "Maggie shot Mr. Burns again!" {ddg} - [3F08] Someone plots revenge with an atom bomb {bjr} - [3G04], [CABF06], [CABF10] Another one of Homer's goofy pennants {bjr} - [4F12] The word "dyad" is used {jg2} - [4F15] Chief Wiggum subjects someone to an outdated form of punishment {jg2} - [5F10] Krusty retires {jg2} - [5F13] Ralph Wiggum complaining to Bart that he can't walk as fast as because his legs are shorter {hl} - [5F19], [BABF02] Ron Howard appears {bjr} - [BABF07] Gary Coleman -- and his karate moves -- appear {bjr} - [CABF05] Springfield Elementary hires a convicted criminal {jg2} ============================================================================== > Freeze frame fun ============================================================================== - Moe's "Me Wantee!" question {bjr} WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING IS NOT A SUBATOMIC PARTICLE? A. PROTON B. NEUTRON C. BONBON D. ELECTRON - Sideshow Bob's accommodations {bjr} BROKEN DREAMS STORAGE LOCKERS THE MOST DEPRESSING [this part is in cheerful] PLACE ON EARTH [multi-color letters ] - Sign on stage door {bjr} NETWORK EXECUTIVES ONLY ============================================================================== > Animation, continuity, and other goofs ============================================================================== + Krusty's claim that he was in show business for 61 years seems to inconsistent with what we know about him. [See "Comments" section for more -- Ed.] {dld} = Smithers comes in to announce that Maggie has just shot Burns, and yet Maggie is sitting there at the table in her high chair! (Perhaps it's the little sister of Lester and Eliza that did the evil deed, and she's trying to frame Maggie?) {dld} * How come Cecil wasn't sharing a cell with Bob? [Anthony Scrima theorizes, "Maybe they got separated?" -- Ed.] + Why did Bob turn evil again after [4F14]? [Eric Sansoni counters, "I think it's obvious by the end of the Cecil episode that just being arrested again was enough to frustrate Sideshow Bob back into a criminal career."] {jg2} + If Sideshow Bob is ashamed of his work as Krusty's sidekick as in previous episodes, why would he be so angry that they've been taped over? [Eric Sansoni answers, "Because whether or not I'm proud of my work, it's a huge insult for someone to destroy it without even consulting me." -- Ed.] {el} * Either he [Krusty] only taped over the Sideshow Bob tapes or he records a lot of Judge Judy because he did the show for over 30 years. {jk} * Why in the world would Principal Skinner hire Sideshow Bob to do work at the school, given his long criminal record (and especially after the events in "Pokey Mom" earlier this season)? {dld} - The curling stone in the sports shed was far too big. {ddg} * Sideshow Bob was spinning a target with concentric circles, so it shouldn't have appeared as a hypnotic spiral. + Flanders was not only at the Krusty Farewell Show, he had also brought Rod and Todd with him? (This IS the guy who had locked out almost all his satellite dish channels on the TV, and nearly had a conniption fit when he and his family witnessed their first Itchy And Scratchy cartoon, which of course is carried on Krusty's show). {dld} + Krusty's early TV history contradicts what we saw in "Bart of Darkness (1F22)" and "I Love Lisa (9F13)." + If Krusty really was sorry about laying off Bob and wanted to make amends, why did he tape over all Bob's episodes and publicly decry him to Kent? Mucho plot hole ... {al} = When Mr. Teeny grabbed the plastic explosive belt, the detonators were no longer attached to it ... {ddg} * ... yet it managed to explode when he threw it into the room with the executives. {ddg} * Bob got the death penalty for attempted assassination? Wow, the police in Springfield are tough on crime. {bjr} ============================================================================== > Reviews ============================================================================== Steve Alpert: The Sideshow Bob episodes have traditionally been excellent compared to others of their season, and this was no exception. Finally, plot development within the first few minutes. Typical Simpsons logical leaps (Bob getting the school announcement, no one caring when Bart goes to the abandoned toolshed, Simpsons getting free passes to Krusty's final show), and the endings continue to get slightly and slightly more normal. Overall, it's hovering on the brink of an A, and given the show's continued recovery, I'll give in just this once. (A) Joe Green: The first act was almost pure gold, but the main body of this episode didn't live up to my expectations. In the final act it started to pick up again, but the ending was too silly for its own good. I have mixed feelings about Sideshow Bob's role- he made a great recurring villain, but this episode seemed to be based on the idea that [4F14] never happened. (B+) Darrel Jones: What a way to end a run! Definitely Bob's best episode since "Sideshow Bob Roberts". More deserving for an ending than "Brother from Another Series". True, not all of it worked, but Bob's scheme was good, and Chief Wiggum and the network execs were supoib. ("Sure, they're a fad, but they'll be around forever" is bound to become one of OFF's all-time classic lines.) I give it 9 thumbs up, or 9/10 (A+) Troy J. Mathews: My premise on the three acts of tonight's episode were as follow: 1. ok 2. great 3. ok -- with a let down. The let down of course was Sideshow Bob and Krusty getting along with each other at the end of the show. Otherwise a decent episode. (A-) Michael Nusair: Sideshow Bob episodes are always good, and this one was no exception. While this wasn't one of the best in the Bob series, it was still a good episode. There were lots of laughs, but the plot didn't quite seem right to me. And apparently, the sarcastic guy's name is Raphael, which is a little strange. Good to know, I guess. Anyway, this was a good episode, but for a Sideshow Bob episode, not a great one. (B+) Alex Parrish: After the absolutely appalling "Tennis the Menace", this was a delightful return to some more involved humour. Although the plot was still formed around the jokes instead of the other way round, "Day of the Jackanapes" had some great scenes, although you still get the baffling sense that the characters are waiting for your laughter to subside after making a joke; something that is indeed very strange to witness on an animated show, as we all know that live cartoons put a terrible strain on the animator's wrist. This wasn't even as good as "Homer vs. Dignity" or "The Great Money Caper", but compared with everything else from this ungodly season, it was a welcome breath of fresh air from the other crap. (B-) Mike Reed: Maybe Sideshow Bob just makes an episode good. All of them have been above-average and CABF10 was no exception. I liked the way it started out with a good parody of "Millionaire" and it only went up from there. The "Maggie shoots Burns" bit had me in stitches, and Krusty unveiling the tribute to Bob is my biggest laugh this season. (So far.) Not to mention the rake reprisal, the quarter, the cops in the restaurant, etc, etc, etc. My one complaint could be the ending, which plays on shock-value for a laugh, but, I'll let it slide by this time. Best of season? Yep. (A-) Robin Steinmann: Although far from being a classic Sideshow Bob-episode a pretty decent showing for the last seasons. Hardly any flaws, apart from a massive under-usage of Lisa, who was always one of the main characters in Bob show. I excuse the [...] exaggerated use of meta-jokes and references on TV-politics in the first few minutes, because otherwise we saw a rather coherent plotline with stable characterisations, great references to older SB-appearances, and quite amusing moments. The ending was a bit alienating though, not only the liquid TV-execs, but also the foreshadowed death of Robert Underdunk Terwilliger. I would really like to see him back, as he made me giving this episode a solid (S12 standard) (A) Yours Truly: Sideshow Bob's back, and back to his (mostly) malevolent form. As usual, his scenes are the best ones in the show. His plot for revenge on both is mortal enemies, and his efforts to brainwash Bart, are great. The pacing of the rest of the show was off, though. In particular, the scene at the restaurant felt overlong, even though it didn't use much "clock time." The network exec kibitzing seemed accurate enough, but felt like something I had seen on the show before. This episode would have been funnier, or at least more dramatic, if the people who knew Bart confronted him more about his odd behavior. It was nice to see Bob again, though. Let's hope that it isn't another three years before he and Bart cross swords again. (B-) AVERAGE GRADE: B+ (3.18) Std Dev.: 0.7873 (13 reviews computed) ============================================================================== > Comments and other observations ============================================================================== >> Words about writers From "Attmay": Anyone notice that a guy named Bob Bendetson is now one of the producers? Well, having seen the majority of episodes of Facts of Life, ALF, and Newhart (1980s one), this guy worked as producer for all those shows shortly before they went off the air. >> Musical References Joe Green: "You Sexy Thing" by Hot Chocolate played during Mr. Teeny's strip- tease. >> Meta-humor corner Daniel L. Dreibelbis: In what was an obvious dig at a.t.s. and a number of TV critics , Marge opines that perhaps it's good that TV shows go off the air before their plots become "stale and predictable" - and then Smithers rushes in to tell OFF that Maggie has shot Mr. Burns again! >> Me Wantee! Benjamin Robinson: Variations on "Who Wants to be a Millionaire," the game show on which "Me Wantee!" is obviously based, air around the world, so viewers would be immediately familiar with the opening scenes. It's interesting to note a few subtle discrepancies between WWTBAM and it's cartoon version. As far as I know, "Millionaire" contestants aren't directed to stall ["but they are encouraged to deliberate over the hard questions," writes Zan Hect], but the show does give them an unlimited time to deliberate (a rarity in the game show universe). The record so far is fifty minutes; this was edited down to a more reasonable time for the broadcast. Unlike "Me Wantee," "Millionaire" doesn't air live, so phone-a-friends can't be watching the show when they are called. (In fact, someone from the production staff calls them ahead of time, to make sure that they can be reached if needed.) Of course, this means that Lisa wouldn't have been able to jump in and save Moe's hide. Moe elects to play it safe and take home US$500,000. Contestants on "Millionaire" can do the same thing, but usually Regis reveal the trivia question before the contestant decides to stay or go. The spoof was due payback, since "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?" has asked "Simpsons"-related questions on about twelve occasions. Jessy Scholl: Another thing, the question that that Moe faced this week is the same as a US $100 question on Millionaire. >> Fast Fortune Matt H objects to Moe's US$500,000 windfall: This wouldn't happen in the old days of Simpsons, cause nowadays they aren't accountable for anything the characters did in any other episode. They might as well have a character that gets killed every episode. "You bastards!" ["What about Hans Moleman," asks Michael Nusair -- Ed.] Stephen Houchen responds: I suspect that Moe's always been rich. He seems like the penny-pincher, miserly type who could be rich and you'd never know it. Plus, he was a soap opera star for awhile ... Steve Alpert: Wait till he gets a girl ... Shi No Bai agrees: I don't think the $500K will be around very long. Moe's always involved in some sort of illegal activity that gets shut down before he can make a profit -- smuggling pandas and killer whales, games of Russian Roulette, etc. And how much does it cost to pay off the cops? Not to mention the cost of treating his various forms of VD ... Ughghhghggh >> "I've been in show biz for 61 years ..." This is longer than Krusty has been on TV, of course. David Brunt explains: Remember that he would have had vaudeville, films and radio to work in. And children's parties ... Sid Ceasar, Jackie Gleason, Phil Silvers and Steve Allen all worked for a decade or more, honing their acts, before they first appeared on TV in the 1950s. TV was rather looked down on as the unwelcome cousin until the mid- late 1950s by many variety performers. Haynes Lee: Much like how the current entertainment industry views the internet. Anthony Regina agrees: Actually, the way I took it was that Krusty has been in the entertainment business for 50 years. The Krusty special was celebrating his 29th year of "The Krusty the Klown Show". If you notice in "Day of the Jackanapes" Krusty shows clips of his early career on other TV shows. And the question of Krusty's age has always been the source of humor and mystery on the show. Personally I think he could very well be in his late 50's to early 60's and just be covering it up with clown makeup and plastic surgery. I always thought of Krusty as a template for the comedian George Carlin, who is in his late mid 60's (I think), and still looks pretty good for his age. Just my two cents though ... :) >> Krusty's Age - and you thought Flanders and Burns' age changes were weird? Daniel L. Dreibelbis: When he announces his retirement, Krusty also mentions that "I've been in show business for 61 years". If we take into consideration that Herschel Krustovsky started being a comedian when he was a little kid and would include his formative years before he went pro (as seen in "Like Father, Like Clown"), my guess is that Krusty is, at the very least, 66-69 years old. Which of course also begs the question, how old is his dad Rabbi Krustovsky? And has there ever been a previous mention of Krusty's age prior to this? >> The Banana Splits Joe Klemm: The Banana Splits are a quartet of costumed characters from a Hanna-Barbera program that aired from 1968-1970 on ABC [{dld} says it's NBC -- Ed.], and then on syndication. With the costumes done by Sid and Marty Krofft, the Splits consisted of Flebble, a dog, Bingo, a monkey, Drooper, a lion, and Snorky (Snork for short), an elephant. >> Well, it was either that or part with the $3.99 Erasing historic tapes has a real-life precedent, according to Joe Klemm: In the 1970's, the three major television networks were facing a problem: the vaults where they kept their programs has so many tapes that they were running out of space to store them in. To solve this problem, the networks decided to do something that by today standards could be considered dumb depending on the object: they simply erased some of their programs to make room for other programs. The programs that were erased ranged from episodes of TV shows (usually daytime fare, like game shows) to important event (the only color footage of John F. Kennedy's inauguration and the first Super Bowl). However despite these erasings, that doesn't mean a show is lost forever. An example of this took place last year, when someone discovered tapes containing the CBS run of the Jack Barry game show, The Joker's Wild, which, with the exception of the last season, was thought to have been lost due to erasure. These episodes, upon being cleaned up, are now being aired for the first time in almost thirty years on Game Show Network. Charles Lieberman writes: In yesterday's (4/29/2001) New York Times, there was a piece on tapes the Museum of TV & Radio wishes it had, including Super Bowl I, lost when both NBC and CBS taped over it. >> Seven Words You Can't Say On TV -- 1950's Edition Jeff Cross: Back in the 1930s Hollywood issued the Motion Picture Production Code (available at http://www.artsreformation.com/a001/hays-code.html) to govern what could and could not be filmed. There also existed a forbidden word list: you couldn't say things like "alley cat," "bat," "nuts" when you weren't discussing insanity, "nerts," or the inexplicable "in your hat." Krusty's being censored for saying "pants" back in his first TV spot seems to jell with this. >> "Those lousy shutters set me back another 22 years." Daniel L. Dreibelbis explains where the balky shutter wall came from: ["Laugh-In" was] an NBC network comedy show that ran between 1968 and 1969, hosted by comedians Dan Rowan and Dick Martin. Noted for rapid-fire gags and non-sequitirs, some of the gags involved the players popping out of doors in the wall and asking a riddle that would be answered by another player popping out another door. A number of comedians got national recognition on the show, including Goldie Hawn, Ruth Buzzi, Lily Tomlin, and Arte Johnson (who Krusty was complaining to), and some other famous people appeared in cameos (among them Richard M. Nixon). (It would've been funnier, though to have had Krusty appear on its infamous sister show TURN-ON, which was yanked after one episode by ABC for being too raw, lewd and outright weird for 1969) >> Coming Attractions Mike Reed transcribes this episode's preview: Voice-Over: Springfield's most diabolical villain is back! Bob: This time I cannot fail! (walks into rake) Voice-Over: Kelsey Grammer guest stars as Sideshow Bob. Bob: Have Bart kill Krusty. Voice-Over: Can nothing stop him? Lisa: Bart's a brainwashed killing machine! Homer: Eh, so was I at his age. Voice-Over: An all new Simpsons! [The killing-machine joke was not in the actual episode. See the next item -- Ed.] >> The cutting room floor As it turns out, lots of other things were cut from this episode. Jouni Paakkinen reports: Thanks to Jonah's fantastic Springfield Shopper site, cuts which were made to the final "Day of the Jackanapes" script have been revealed. Scroll down below to see them all. Unfortunately, it seems as if The Simpsons' producers left out a bunch of hilarious moments. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Wiggum: "Hey Kent, are you guys still having that contest where we guess what city the weather girl's in? Kent: "That was eight years ago." Wiggum: "Is it Pittsburgh?" CUT OUT We see Wiggum's police cruiser drive behind him. Nelson Muntz is at the wheel. Nelson: (Siren-like) Haw Haw!" Wiggum: "I should probably go." ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Sideshow Bob: (Aghast) "The first ten years? Those are MY shows! My classic clips, lost forever!" CUT OUT Krusty: (on TV) "Frankly Kent, it was no big loss. Most shows don't really hit their stride till the twelfth season." --------------------------------------------------------------------- CUT OUT Bart: "You'll never get away with this, Bob. When Skinner finds out I'm missing, he'll ... (realizing) ... What're you gonna do to me?" --------------------------------------------------------------------- Marge: "Look! Krusty invited us to the taping of his last episode." CUT OUT Lisa: "Well, I would hope so. Bart & I got him out of jail." Homer: "And I helped him win his daughter back." Marge: "And don't forget I was Sideshow Marge." Marge's FLASHBACK Marge is dressed like Sideshow Mel, with a bone in her hair, standing on Krusty's stage. She examines a pie as Krusty stands nearby. Marge: "This is such a lovely pie. It would go great with a glass of milk." Krusty: "Just throw the damn thing!" BACK TO PRESENT Marge: "Oh, I let him have it. Carefully sliced on a paper plate." ---------------------------------------------------------------------- CUT OUT Kent: "And here comes Krusty's favorite cut-ups: Itchy and Scratchy. Itchy and Scratchy walk up, in tuxedos. Kent: "So what are you fellas gonna do, now that the show's over?" Scratchy: "We can finally reveal our deep, dark secret." Itchy: "We're lovers!" Kent GASPS. Itchy: "Of collectable plates." ---------------------------------------------------------------------- CUT OUT Krusty: "Well, old pal ..." Sideshow Mel: "You're not my 'pal' ...!" Krusty: (confused noise) Mel: "In eight-and-a-half years, have you ever had me over to your house, even once?" Krusty: "Eh ... I was gonna call you next week." Mel: "Do you even know my last name?" Krusty: "Well I--(to Audience) Sideshow Mel, everyone! Great bit!" Audience APPLAUDS. --------------------------------------------------------------------- And there was still more deleted material! Fox Wolf writes: Wow, I counted two whole scenes that were advertised that never made it Lisa: Oh no! He's turned into a killing machine! Homer: Eh, so was I at his age. Really, Lisa? Good thing they took that one out. Then there's this one that was on the radio Sideshow Bob: [something] Bart: [hypnotic] Say it, don't spray it. [Rumor has it that some of this material was dropped to make way for Mr. Teeny's scenes. Or maybe the producers were thinking ahead, and cooked up some "deleted scene" material for a future DVD! -- Ed.] >> Prophecy Joe Klemm was bold enough to predict: The ending of the episode, where the cops plan to behead Bob, is a likely sign that this is meant to be the last Sideshow Bob episode on the show, which is a sign that "The Simpsons" is running on its last legs. [Bob evidently got a last-minute reprieve, for he returned two years later in "The Great Louse Detective (EABF01)." -- Ed.] >> Miscellaneous, Etc. The Haynes Lee alterna-title for this episode is: Where the Jackelopes Play Joe Green suggests: Bart and Sideshow Bob Strike Back Robin Steinmann: [In Germany, this was called] "Hello, you little hypnosis- murderer." According to Fox (by way of Bill LaRue), this episode scored a Nielsen rating of 8.8 (14 share). This works out to 15.4 million viewers. Among adults aged 18 to 49, the rating was 8.0 (20 share). "The Simpsons" was the highest rated prime program on television Sunday night among Adults 18-34, Men 18-34 and Women 18-34. Chris Palm: Oddly enough, I believe there was a question VERY similar to Moe's on WWTBAM a week or two ago. David Plotkin: Sideshow bob says the sarcastic middle-aged man's name is Rafael. Is that going to be consistent with future episodes? Benjamin Robinson: Webster's dictionary defines a "mukluk" as being a boot worn by Alaskan Eskimos (or Inuit). It's typically made of sealskin, with the fur side facing inward. ============================================================================== > Quotes and Scene Summary {bjr} ============================================================================== % It's time for "Me Wantee!" a show that, while it looks like "Who % Wants to be a Millionaire?", is actually an original creation, like % Rickey Rouse, or Monald Muck. In the hot seat tonight is Moe % Szyslak. Virgil: All right, Moe Szyslak! Moe: Yes, Virgil? Virgil: Yesterday, we asked if you wanted to risk it all for 500,000 dollars, and you stalled for twenty minutes. Moe: Yes, yes, I did. I was told to. Virgil: Hey, that's great. But now, we must have your answer in the next ten or fifteen minutes. [a pretty model brings in a wheelbarrow full of cash] You want some of this? [grabs some cash, and rubs it against himself] Well, do ya? Moe: [calmly] I can honestly say I do. Virgil: All right, then. For half a million dollars, which of the following is not a subatomic particle? Moe: Oy. Virgil: [the answers appear on the screen as Virgil reads them] A) Proton B) Neutron C) Bonbon, or D) Electron Moe: Oh, boy. All right, let's see here, uh ... well, I was born in Indiana, so that ain't it. And, uh, hmmm ... I'd better call my lifeline. -- "Day of the Jackanapes" % Cut to the Simpsons' living room. The phone rings, and Homer picks % it up. Homer: Hello? ... Hey, Moe! We're watching you on TV. Moe: Yeah, I know, Homer. Homer: So, how's that bowel obstruction doing? Moe: Homer, please, heh-heh ... I got a nuclear-type question here. Homer: Well, it all starts when a nulicule comes out of its nest. Lisa: [taking the phone] The answer is "bonbon!" Moe: Uh, I'm going to say, "bonbon." Virgil: Bonbon, eh, Moe? Is that your ultimate response? Moe: Yuh-huh. Virgil: Oh, you are ... correct! -- Moe the half-millionaire, "Day of the Jackanapes" % Virgil asks if Moe wants to try for the big million-dollar prize, or % take the $500,000 he now has. A second wheelbarrow of cash descends % slowly from the ceiling, and rests next to the original $500,000. % Somewhat uncharacteristically, Moe decides to play it safe and take % the money. The model lights the second wheelbarrow on fire to % symbolize Moe's decision. The audience cheers. % % There's no cheering at Krusty's studio, however. He's meeting with % some network executives about ways to spice up his show. Krusty: Eh, this quiz show crap is just a fad. Executive: Well, fad or not, it's here to stay. Lindsey: And it's killing your show in the ratings. Krusty: Hey, what do you want from me? I do a kids' show. Lindsey: And it's a classic. We just want you to open it up. Executive: Run wild. Shatter the boundaries. Slash and burn! Lindsey: Without alienating anyone. -- Want robots and magic powers, too? "Day of the Jackanapes" % Krusty can't believe what he's hearing. Even Mr. Teeny, the trained % monkey, is disgusted. Krusty runs screaming from the room, and exit % that doesn't impress the executives very much. % % Krusty recovers his composure well enough to do his show. After % Mme. Mimi and her cheese-seeking poodles finish their act, Krusty % announces that next sketch is set in the "craziest" place -- a % restaurant. Even on the set, the network execs continue to harangue % Krusty. They suggest that instead of a restaurant, the skit be set % in Seinfeld's diner. With only five seconds to air, Krusty quickly % rejects the idea and takes his place on the set. % % The sketch begins, in a set built to resemble a small Italian % restaurant. Krusty: Ah, nothing like a meal in a fine restaurant. Ah, here comes the waitress. [a waitress walks to Krusty's table. But this "waitress" is really Lindsey Neagle] Lindsey: [aside to Krusty] We're losing male teens. Can you get jiggy with something? Krusty: You're giving me notes while I'm on the air? That tears it! [to audience] Folks, I've been in show biz for 61 years, but now these jerks have sucked all the fun out. I don't need twelve suits telling me which way to pee. Exec: Uh, for "pee," could you substitute, "whiz?" Lindsey: Ah, I don't know; that could upset the Cheez Whiz(tm) people. Exec: I was just thinking that. Krusty: I can't take it any more! Folks, don't miss this Friday's show -- it'll be my last. [audience gasps] Exec: Quitting show biz. Uh, yeah, I like the area, but where does it go? Krusty: Get away from me! [runs off the set] Exec: Wait! [chases him] Lindsey: We have more notes! -- Just trying to help, "Day of the Jackanapes" % Krusty drives away in a golf cart, but the executive hangs on to the % back edge of the vehicle. As the cart drags him along, Krusty bangs % on the executive's hands with one of his clown shoes, hoping to % loosen the exec's grip. Eventually, he succeeds in dislodging him. You can kill me, but two more will take my place! -- Network Executive, "Day of the Jackanapes" % That night, the family ponders a world without Krusty. Lisa, % perhaps forgetting the meaning of the word, calls it "tragic." % Homer imagines himself, Bart, and Lisa watching the new "Nutsy the % Clown" show. Marge: Well, I think it's a good thing for a show to go off the air before it becomes stale and repetitive. [Smithers opens the front door] Smithers: Maggie shot Mr. Burns again! [no reaction from the family. Crickets chirp. Homer coughs] -- "Day of the Jackanapes" % The local news covers Krusty's exit from show biz. A circle of % children has gathered in front of Krustylu Studios, crying. Chief % Wiggum disperses them with "timeout gas." He also tries to play % that contest where viewers guess what city the weather lady's in % ("Pittsburgh?"), but he's eight years too late. % % Kent switches to his interview of Krusty. Kent: I spoke to Krusty about his legacy of laughter. [cut to the interview. Krusty and Kent sit in lounge chairs by a fireplace] Krusty: Kent, the young people today, they think comedy is dirty words. It's not -- it's words that *sound* dirty, like "mukluk." [Kent and Krusty share a laugh] Mukluk. [cut to Bob's cell in Springfield Penitentiary. A small TV shows the interview, while Bob reads a magazine] You like that? No charge. Mukluk. [laughs] Mukluk ... Bob: Oh, can it, you tiresome tot-sitter. I was the risible one in our dyad. Kent: Ever watch the old episodes? Krusty: Oh, Kent, that's a sad story. I taped over all my old episodes. Ah, you know, I had a thing for Judge Judy, and blank tape was 3.99. What would you do? Bob: [gasps] Those are my shows. Krusty: Frankly, Kent, those episodes were no big loss. The show didn't really get funny until we fired Sideshow Bob and hired whose-its. Bob: You've erased my past! Now, I'll erase your future. [a guard bangs on Bob's cell with a nightstick] Guard: Hey, hey! Lights out. Bob: Oh, honestly! At Chino, they get to stay up 'til nine. Guard: Now, Bob, I've talked to the warden at Chino and that's just not true. Bob: [grumbles] -- "Day of the Jackanapes" % Fortunately for Bob, it's time for his parole hearing. He complains % about the inhumane conditions at the prison, such as the too-small % shower sandals, and the book club that takes its name too literally. % (He doesn't mention the early curfew, though.) Judge Snyder takes % pity on him, and orders Bob's release. % % Bob, now in civilian clothes, leaves the prison. Wiggum: Now don't try anything funny this time, Bob. I'm going to be on you like red beans on ... [Bob speeds up his walking, leaving Wiggum behind] Hey, hey! Hey, don't walk so fast. Hey, no fair! You got long legs, I've got these little bitty hooves. Bob! -- The short legs of the law, "Day of the Jackanapes" % Bob settles in at the Broken Dreams Storage Locker facility. Raphael: Okay, here's your storage locker, just the way you left it. Bob: Thank you, Raphael. Now, this is a ticklish question, but ... Raphael: You want to live in the box? Cost you two bucks a day. Bob: Oh thank you, kind innkeeper. [hands Raphael some money] Raphael: You gonna wanna wake-up jab? [makes jabbing motion with a broom handle] Bob: Please. Raphael: No problemo. -- It's the Four Seasons of storage lockers, "Day of the Jackanapes" % Bob works on his scheme for revenge. Gil butts into Bob's locker, % and mentions that several of the other tenants are also plotting % vengeance. Bob insists his plan is better and brusquely shuts the % locker door. % % Later, Bob stands in front of Springfield Elementary. Phase one of % his plan is about to begin. He starts to count it down, but can't % contain himself, and just runs inside the school. % % He ends up in the principal's office, interviewing for a job. Skinner: Now Bob, your graduate degrees more than qualify you to be assistant janitor. Bob: Well, my [?] blushes. Skinner: But I am a bit troubled by your constant attempts to murder people. Bob: To be fair, most of those people were Bart Simpson. Skinner: [laughs] Good luck! That kid's like the Road Runner -- he won't go down. Bob: Tell me about it. [both laugh] Skinner: You know, Bob? Your voice would be perfect for the school's morning announcements. Bob: Attention: The French Club picnic has been cancelled. Quelle dommage. Skinner: Ha! You're hired! Bob: It begins. [laughs maniacally] I mean my ... announcing career. That's what's beginning. -- "Day of the Jackanapes" % [End of Act One. Time: 8:36] % % Bob reads the day's announcements. A Scottish clan kilt is in the % lost-and-found bin today. Willie, standing outside the school in % his underwear looks hopeful, and then disappointed when he finds out % its for the wrong clan. For his final announcement, Bob bids Bart % Simpson, unescorted, to the old sports equipment shed. Bart doesn't % detect anything suspicious in this, and happily makes the eerie walk % to the isolated shed. % % There, he comes face to face with ... Sideshow Bob. Bob: Hello, Bart. Bart: Oh, it's you, Bob. How you doin'? Bob: No screams? Not even an "eep"? Bart: Hey, I'm not afraid of you. Every time we tangle, you wind up in jail. I'm 6 and 0. Bob: I admit that the record is a little one-sided, but this time, I cannot fail. [takes a step, and a rake handle comes up to whack him in the face] Rakes -- my old arch- enemy. Bart: I thought I was your arch-enemy. Bob: I have a life outside of you, Bart. -- "Day of the Jackanapes" % Bob ties Bart to a chair. Bart: What are you going to do to me? Bob: Oh, believe me, I have a plan. [consults his written plans] Let's see, get job as school janitor, lure Bart to shed, secure same to chair with rope ... ah, here we are: Have Bart kill Krusty. Bart: Krusty! That's the one man I would never kill! Bob: Oh, you will kill Krusty, during his final show. And you won't even know you're doing it. [takes a quarter out of his pocket, and holds it in front of Bart's eyes] Watch the shiny quarter, Bart. That's it ... [drops the quarter] Oh dammit, where'd it go? [looks around on the floor] I needed that for laundry. Bart: Hey stupid! Bob: [looks at Bart] Bart: [laughs] You looked. Bob: [grumbles] -- That 6-0 record is starting to make sense, "Day of the Jackanapes" % Bob looks around and finds another way to hypnotize Bart. He takes % an archery target from the wall, and jabs an arrow into the back of % it. Using the arrow as a handle, he twirls the target to make a % hypnotic spiral pattern. Bob: [hypnotically] Watch the spiral, Bart. Let it entrance you with its twirliness ... twirliness ... you are in my power. Bart: I am at your command. Bob: I didn't say anything about command. If you are in my power, say so. Bart: I am in your power. Bob: Excellent. Actually, go back to command. No, power, power! -- "Day of the Jackanapes" % At home, Marge gets a message from Krusty. The family is invited to % the taping of Krusty's last show. Bart finally arrives home from % his brainwashing session, giving Marge the pre-programmed excuse % that he was at a flower shop. Homer uses this same excuse to cover % for a stop at the bar. Marge looks suspicious, but doesn't % challenge Bart's story. % % Bob decides to check his brainwashing handiwork with a test run. He % presents Bart with the big Krusty statue in front of a Krustyburger % outlet, and gives the boy a bat. Bart immediately runs to the % statue and pounds on it, concentrating on the groin area. Bob is % overjoyed. He asks Cletus to capture the moment with his camera. % % Inside, a trio of Springfield's policemen witnesses the scene. Eddie: Chief, you might want to take a look outside. Bob: [to Bart] That's it! Kill Krusty! Just like you'll kill him tomorrow night! Wiggum: Oh, it ... it's so great seeing a kid use a wooden bat. These days, it's all aluminum this, and George W. that. -- "Day of the Jackanapes" % Wiggum's remembrances are disrupted when Lou points out the mini- % pinball game he got with his meal. Bart finishes pounding the % statue to smithereens. % % [End of Act Two. Time: 12:33] % % Krusty takes the stage for his farewell performance. Krusty: Good evening, folks. Welcome to my final clown- cast. The word "legend" has many definitions ... [in the shadows, Bart trains a flamethrower on Krusty] Bart: [hypnotically] This is for Sideshow Bob. [fires, incinerating Krusty and reducing him to a pile of ash] Bob: [clapping slowly] Marvelous, marvelous! Funny to the end, moment of silence ... well, it's my show now. [audience cheers] Thank you, thank you. [Bob wakes up to find himself back in the storage locker] Oh, just a dream. But tonight, I will taste the sweet nectar of vengeance! [laughs] [someone knocks on the locker door] Raphael: [from outside] Bug spray! [the sweet perfume of bug spray clouds the air] Bob: Ohh ... -- "Day of the Jackanapes" % Celebrities gather at Krusty's *real* retirement show. Gary Coleman % wows the crowd with some karate moves. Ranier Wolfcastle also makes % the party, even though he is a little down on his luck. As Kent % interviews him, Wolfcastle says he'll do a nude scene or even play a % nerd, all for the bargain price of $8 million. % % Using some potted palms for cover, Sideshow Bob sneaks into the % auditorium. % % The lights go down, and the show begins. And now, retiring for the fifth and final time, Krusty the Clown! -- Announcer, "Day of the Jackanapes" % For the opening act, Krusty introduces his "Chimpendale" dancer, Mr. % Teeny, to give the audience the "full monkey." Mr. Teeny strips to % a pair of sequined gold briefs as "You Sexy Thing" plays. % % Bob calls to Bart through a conveniently-placed air vent. Bob: Ba-a-rt. Ba-a-a-rt. It's time, Bart. Time to blow up the clown. Bart: Time to blow up the clown. Homer: Go. Blow. [Bart leaves] -- "Day of the Jackanapes" % Krusty introduces a presentation of his early work. Krusty: And now, a special treat. My TV debut on "The Milk of Magnesia Summer Cavalcade." [a screen lowers] Let's watch. [the black-and-white debut of Krusty is shown on the screen. Krusty, suspended by a harness near his waist, "flies" above a stage] Look at me! I'm Kaputnick, the Russian satellite! [the harness cinches up around his private members] Agh! Oh, the bolshoi's doing the nutcracker in my pants! [audience in the clip gasps] Back then, you couldn't say "pants" on TV. I was banned for ten years. Finally, I got a second chance on "Laugh- In." [a clip from "Laugh-In" is seen, showing a wall with several shuttered doors on it. A lady emerges from behind one set of doors] Lady: Hey, Krusty, what do you get when you cross a chicken with a beagle? [camera focuses on another set of shutters, which don't open] Krusty: [banging on shutters] The fercockta doors are stuck! Don't just stare, Arte, help me! [back to present day] Those lousy shutters set me back another 22 years. [audience cheers] -- "Day of the Jackanapes" % Beneath the stage, Sideshow Bob finishes mixing the plastic % explosives. Satisfied with the mixture, he pours it into vials % which are strapped to a bandoleer on Bart's chest. Bob: And now, my little hypno-assassin, your cue to attack will be when Krusty says, "I've never had such a great audience." You will run up and hug him ... [camera cuts to two joy-buzzer-like devices on Bart's hands. Wires run back up his sleeve, presumably to the explosives] ... blowing each of you to smithereens. Bart: What-ever. -- "Day of the Jackanapes" % Krusty is about to show more clips when Dr. Hibbert and a small boy % walk onstage. Krusty: [laughing] Oh no, I wanted to keep this quiet. Hibbert: [laughing] Can I embarrass this guy for a moment? Three years ago, Krusty pledged over a million dollars to start Krusty's care center. [audience cheers] Krusty: Please, stop already. Hibbert: To this day, Krusty has not given us a dime, has he, Francis? Francis: I'm cold all the time. Krusty: Aw, look, it was all a bookkeeping snafu. Hibbert: Could I have the check now? Krusty: Now!? Eh ... aw, sure. Francis: God bwess you, Kwusty. [audience goes, "awww"] Krusty: [writes a check] And if my banker's watching, let nothing STOP you from PAYMENT of this check. -- "Day of the Jackanapes" % Above the stage, Bob sits down on the catwalk. Bob: Ah, the catwalk. The perfect vantage point -- for revenge. [opens a bag of potato chips] Ah, kettle chips. The perfect side dish -- for revenge. Krusty: What a special night. And you know something? I've never had such a great audience. [the code-phrase triggers Bart. He leaves his seat and walks, arms outstretched, towards the stage] Bob: Well, Krusty, this is your Waterloo. Soon, you'll be Napoleon Blown-apart. Leo: Ugh! Terrible. Bob: Oh, hush up, Leo. -- It was the perfect pun -- for revenge, "Day of the Jackanapes" % Krusty continues. Krusty: You know, I'd like to thank God for all my success, even though I never worshipped or believed in Him in any way. But before I sweep up my last spotlight, there's one thing I gotta say. Over the years, I've [pantomimes toking a joint] a lot of [stoned] "whoa." And I've [sexual thrusting] a lot of [pantomimes hourglass shape] a-ooga! But there's one thing I'm ashamed of. Bob: Ashamed? Krusty: There was a man who used to work for me. A man of grace and humor, and I mistreated him and drove him to a life of crime. So wherever you are, I just wanna say: Sideshow Bob, I'm sorry. [curtains behind Krusty part to reveal Sideshow Bob's portrait] [to the tune of "Mandy"] Oh, Bob, you repaid my abuse with raw hatred But I need you today, Oh, Bob, well you went to Apu's and you framed me So they locked me away ... Bob: Oh, that sweet, funny man. -- "Day of the Jackanapes" % With horror, Bob notices his boy-bomb is still advancing on Krusty. % He rushes down to the stage. Krusty has noticed the boy, but not % the bomb, and prepares to hug him. Mr. Teeny sees the situation % unfold, and takes action. Swinging down from the rafters, he grabs % the bandoleer of plastic explosives off Bart's body. The monkey % runs to a door to dispose of the bomb, but it's the door to the % network executive lounge. Mr. Teeny hesitates a moment, but throws % the explosives in anyway. There is a resounding bang from inside % the room. Krusty: What happened? Was anyone hurt? Mel: Just some network executives. [we see the inside of the lounge, which has pools of liquid metal scattered about. Some of the pools gather together to form one two-headed executive] Exec: [robotically] We have notes. Have you thought about Dave Chappelle? Destroy! -- "Day of the Jackanapes" % Everyone who isn't a network executive celebrates at UGLI. Marge % gets everyone ready for a picture by telling them to say, "funny." % As she snaps the photo, everyone's face is distorted by saying the % word. Bob: Krusty, I'm so sorry about the attempted murder. Krusty: Will you stop with the sorry? Every time you try to kill me, my ratings go through the roof, you nut! Bob: We are good together, Krusty. Krusty: It makes me sad that you're getting the death penalty. Bob: Ugh, don't remind me. [Wiggum, Eddie, and Lou wheel a guillotine up to the table] Wiggum: Okay, where do you want to do this thing? Bob: Isn't it customary to have a trial? Wiggum: Oh, a wise guy, eh? -- Final score: Bart 7, Bob 0, "Day of the Jackanapes" % [End of Act Three. Time: 20:17] % % Normal end-credit music. The Gracie Sound is Krusty saying, % "mukluk." ============================================================================== > Contributors ============================================================================== {al} Andrew Levine {bg} Bruce Gomes {bjr} Benjamin Robinson {bs} Brad Strassburger {ddg} Don Del Grande {dj} Darrel Jones {dld} Daniel L. Dreibelbis {el} Edward Lee {hl} Haynes Lee {jc} Jeff Cross {jg2} Joe Green {jk} Joe Klemm {jlm} Jesse L. McCann {pm} Paul Melnyk {sh} Stephen Houchen {tjm} Troy J. Mathews ============================================================================== > Legal Mumbo Jumbo ============================================================================== This episode capsule is Copyright 2003 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 Quote and Scene Summary itself is Copyright 2003 Benjamin Robinson. This capsule has been brought to you by Kettle Chips, the ideal snack ... for revenge! 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.