[MG02] Watching Television

Watching Television                                    Written by Matt Groening
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[$Id: mg02 1.1 92/06/06 12:59:16 raymond Exp Locker: raymond $]
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> Didja notice...
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    Voice credits:
        YEARDLEY SMITH as Lisa
        NANCY CARTWRIGHT as Bart
        DAN CASTELLANETA as Dad

    Maggie falls:
        2 - Walking towards the TV set.
        1 - After changing the channel back. (*)

    (*) This is a particularly funny fall since she very carefully extends
        her foot, only to fall when it misses the floor.


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> Freeze-Frame Fun
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> Animation goofs
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> Assorted comments and observations
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Brian Howard {bh} gives the timing for this short as 1:21, whereas the
syndication package contains only 1:16 of animation.

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> Quotes and scene summary
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% H = Homer, B = Bart, L = Lisa, T = TV set
%
% Bart and Lisa sit at opposite ends of the couch, watching TV.

T: [weird music]  We'll be right back, after this word.

% Bart and Lisa immediately start fighting, cartoon style.  (All you see
% is a cloud of dust out of which assorted body parts briefly appear,
% accompanied by yells of ``Take that!'' and ``Auugh!'')

T: And now...

% Bart and Lisa immediately stop fighting and return to their places.

T: ... back to our show.
   [sounds of gunfire, cars tires screeching, and a tremendous crash]

% [End of Act One.  Time: 0:14]
%
% Bart and Lisa are fighting, and Maggie walks in.  She wanders up to
% the television set and changes the channel.  Bart and Lisa freeze
% in mid-fight.

B: Hey!
L: Don't change the channel.
B: We're watchin' that show.

% Maggie turns the TV back to its original station, and Bart and Lisa
% resume their fighting.  Maggie watches them for a brief while, then
% leaves.
%
% [End of Act Two.  Time: 0:29]
%
% Maggie sits between Bart and Lisa on the couch.  They seem to be watching
% something like the Lawrence Welk Show.  Bart has the remote control on his
% lap.

L: This is a dorky show, Bart.  Change the channel.
B: No.
L: Change the channel.
B: No.

% During this argument, Maggie hops off the couch and heads for the TV set.
% Meanwhile, the argument gets more heated.

L: Change the channel!
B: No.
L: Change the channel!!
B: No.

% Maggie changes the channel.  We hear the Tracey Ullman Show theme.

B+L: Hey!  Turn that back on!

% Maggie changes the channel back.  Bart and Lisa continue where they left
% off.

L: Change the channel.
B: No.
L: Change the channel.
B: No.
L: Change the channel!
B: No.
L: Change the channel!
B: No.
L: Change the channel!
B: No.
L: Change the channel!
B: No!
L: Change the channel!!
B: No!
L: Change the channel!!
B: No!
L: Change the channel!!
B: No!
L: Change the channel!!
B: No!
L: Change the channel!!!
B: No!
L: Change the channel!!!!
B: No!!

% [End of Act Three.  Time: 0:52]
%
% Homer, Lisa, Maggie, Marge, and Bart sit on the couch, in that order.
% Marge knits.  They're all watching TV.

H: Well, here we are.  The whole family.  All together, sharing, getting
   to know each other, exchanging ideas, stories and laughs, snuggling up,
   bonding together as only a tightly-knit family can.  Why, we're more
   than a...
B: Dad, you can stop now.  The commercial's over.  The show's back on.
H: Oh.  Oh, yeah.

% [End of Act Four.  Time: 1:16]
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Shorts summaries Copyright 1992 by Raymond Chen.  Not to be redistributed
in a public forum without permission.  (The quotes themselves, of course,
remain the property of The Tracey Ullman Show, and the reproduced articles
remain the property of the original authors.  I'm just taking credit for the
compilation.)