Notes for 35ABF10 (The Tell-Tale Pants)

[Matt Garvey]

Decent premise and overall storytelling style for a straightforward,
grounded family episode. The fluctuating feelings were a little
frustrating but understandable at least. A few things didn't quite land
(the subpar "Mr. Grinch" parody, which comes not too long after a rather
better one by American Dad, and the strangely self-aware dream sequence
at the start), but overall not bad.

Previous episode stuff
HABF05: Another (mostly compatible) angle on the history of Homer's blue
pants and their rarity

Meta in Marge's dream
-it's the 35th annual Springie awards, one for each season of the show
-Miss Hoover's never-changing outfit is noted (explained by her very low
salary)
-Ned's walk-on music is "Everyone Loves Ned Flanders"
-Gerald's rivalry with Maggie, and Marge's sailboat painting, are at
least reasonable for Marge's awareness and anxiety
-Homer asks "will this show never end" (referring to the awards but also
The Simpsons) and opens up a program with a 1990-era Fox promo for the show

Meta outside Marge's dream
-CBG has a cousin named CPD (Collectible Pants Dude)
-3510 (for 35ABF10, which really just does mean 10th episode of
production season 35, now that it's not as cryptic) is in the serial
number of the top bill offered by CPD

And Smithers preferred another huge blockbuster movie last summer over
Oppenheimer; we all know it as Barbie, but perhaps we can believe in the
Simpsons universe it was a Malibu Stacy movie since he never did name it.

[Bice]

Post by Matt Garvey
Decent premise and overall storytelling style for a straightforward,
grounded family episode. The fluctuating feelings were a little
frustrating but understandable at least. A few things didn't quite land
(the subpar "Mr. Grinch" parody, which comes not too long after a rather
better one by American Dad, and the strangely self-aware dream sequence
at the start), but overall not bad.

Eh, I thought it was a particularly weak episode. Seemed like they
weren't sure what they were trying to parody, so they just threw a
bunch of stuff at the wall to see if anything would stick...and
nothing did. Maybe I was just overly tired when I watched it.

Did I imagine it, or did they use soundtrack music from A Clockwork
Orange at one point, for no apparent reason?

-- Bob