The Simpsons: 22 Short Films About Springfield

« prev episode next » episode

Small slices of life in Springfield are shown, such as: Bart carves sugar; Apu in "The Jolly Bengali"; Lisa with gum in her hair; Smithers and the bee sting; Dr. Nick saves the day; Moe gets robbed; "Skinner and the Superintendent"; Homer, Maggie and the newspaper; McDonald's Quarter Pounders vs. Krusty burgers; the Bee Man at home; Chief Wiggum, the hood and the storekeeper; Reverend Lovejoy and his dog; Lisa and the gum (part 2); Cletus the Slack-Jawed Yokel; Milhouse has to use the bathroom; Chief Wiggum, the hood and the storekeeper (part 2); Lisa and the gum (part 3); Nelson gets his comeuppance; Bart and Milhouse find the truth; The Tomfoolery of Professor John Frink is almost seen. Add a recap »

YOUR SCORE

RESET

N/A n/a

Writers:: Richard Appel, David X. Cohen, Jonathan Collier, Jennifer Crittenden, Brent Forrester, Rachel Pulido, Steve Tompkins, Bill Oakley, Greg Daniels, Matt Groening, Josh Weinstein

Director:: Jim Reardon

Stars:: Dan Castellaneta (Homer Simpson, Grampa Simpson, Barney Gumble, Krusty the Clown, Groundskeeper Willie, and others); Hank Azaria (Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, Moe Szyslak, Chief Wiggum, Comic Book Guy, Lou, and others); Yeardley Smith (Lisa Simpson); Nancy Cartwright (Bart Simpson, Nelson Muntz, Ralph Wiggum, Todd Flanders, and others); Julie Kavner (Marge Simpson, Patty Bouvier, and Selma Bouvier); Harry Shearer (Mr. Burns, Ned Flanders, Principal Skinner, Waylon Smithers, Kent Brockman, and others)

Recurring Role:: Pamela Hayden (Milhouse Van Houten, Rod Flanders, Jimbo Jones, and others); Phil Hartman (Lionel Hutz, Troy McClure and Additional Voices); Russi Taylor (Martin Prince, Sherri, Terri and others); Maggie Roswell (Maude Flanders, Helen Lovejoy, Miss Hoover, and others); Tress MacNeille (Agnes Skinner, Brandine Del Roy, Dolph and others)

According to this episode, Smithers is allergic to bees. edit »
The very tall man also appeared in "The City of New York vs. Homer Simpson." edit »
The very tall man at the end of the episode is modeled after writer Ian Maxtone-Graham. edit »

This episode won the 1998 WAC Winner Award for Best Animation Produced for Primetime. edit »
This is the fourth episode to have its title appear on the screen. The other three episodes were: "The Telltale Head" (Season One), "Bart Gets Hit by a Car" (Season Two) and "The Simpsons 138th Episode Spectacular" (Season Seven). edit »
This is the first Film Roman-produced Simpsons episode to use the original end credits theme, which was last used on "A Streetcar Named Marge." edit »
Blackboard Joke: None.
Couch Gag: The family are sea monkeys inside a fish bowl. edit »
When creator Matt Groening started work on a spin-off called "Springfield" in 2001, this was rumoured to be used as a pilot episode, but it seems as though all hopes for "Springfield" to become a reality have been lost. edit »

(At the Medical Review Board)
Dr. Nick: Hi, everybody.
Review Board: (deadpan) Hi, Dr. Nick.
Head Review Board Member: Dr. Nick, this malpractice committee has receive a few complains against you. Among the 160 grievous charges, the troubling are: Performing major operations with a knife and fork from a seafood restaurant.
Dr. Nick: But I clean them with my napkin.
Head Review Board Member: Misuse of the cadavers.
Dr. Nick: I get here earlier when I drive in the car-pool lane. edit »
Lisa: (with mayonnaise and peanut butter in her hair) Ew, I smell like a sandwich. edit »
Professor Frink: Ah, ah, uh, sorry I'm late, there was trouble at the lab with the running and the exploding and the crying. One of the monkeys stole the glasses off my head (ending music starts) uh, no wait, please no, please I have a funny story to tell! Oh, that monkey is gonna pay. edit »
Lisa: Aaah!
Barber: You keep squirming and there's going to be a little bald girl with no lollipop. edit »
Kirk: Uuuh, can my son use your bathroom?
Milhouse: You've gotta say yeeeesss!
Herman: Okay, but be quick. And come back.
Kirk: Uuuh, so uh, n-nice store. Uuuh. When I was a kid this used to be a pet store. Ahah. Yeah. Right over there against that wall was the cutest little..
Herman: (loads gun) Get in the corner!
Milhouse: (walks in twirling a mace, hits Herman) Hey dad, can we get this? Please? edit »

Jasper: Gimme a Van Heflin.
A reference to Van Heflin, the Academy Award-winning American film and theatre actor. edit »
Apu: I'm gonna party like it's on sale for $19.99!
This is a variation of Prince's hit song "1999"; the chorus goes, "Tonight I'm gonna party like it's 1999." edit »
Thirty-Two Short Films About Glenn Gould
The title of the episode is based on the 1993 film biography Thirty-Two Short Films About Glenn Gould, a Canadian piano virtuoso. edit »
Pulp Fiction
There are many references to the 1994 film, Pulp Fiction, in this episode.
- Sanjay says "you will be there or be square", then makes a square shape with his fingers. This is similiar to what Mia Wallace does outside Jack Rabbit Slims.
- Chief Wiggum and Lou have a discussion about the differences of McDonald's food, like Jules and Vincent disussing the differences of Paris and Amsterdam food.
- Snake stops right in front of Chief Wiggum, who's is carrying donuts, then runs him over with his car. In Pulp Fiction, Butch stops right in front of Marsellus Wallace, who is also carrying donuts, then runs him over. Marsellus Wallace is a fat crime-involved boss, much like Chief Wiggum, and Butch and Snake are both 30-40 something year old rebellious men who disobeyed the man they ran over.
- A seemingly psychopathic man, named Herman, ties up Chief Wiggum and Snake to wooden chairs with ball gags over their mouths, in a small, dark store. This is exactly like Maynard, a psychopathic hillbilly, tying up Butch and Marsellus with ball gags in a small, dark store.
- Herman says they will wait until Ed gets there, like Maynard saying they will wait 'till Zed gets there to start the rape.
- When Milhouse comes out of the bathroom he knocks out Herman with a mace ball and chain sort of thing, like Butch knocking out Maynard with a samurai sword.
- The episode begins and ends with Bart and Milhouse on the overpass. Pulp Fiction begins and ends with Ringo and Yolanda in the coffee shop.
- There is a close-up to the cheeseburger that Cheif Wiggum is eating, similar to the close-up of the cheeseburger that Jules was eating in the movie.
- Bumblebee Man's neighborhood looks similar to Butch's neighorhood.
- The song, "La Cucaracha", is used in both this episode and in the movie.
- There is a Pulp Fiction-style title card to announce the title of this episode. edit »

9.6
10
WBadger42
member since: Apr 6, 2008
22 Short Films About Springfield
The Bottom Line: "Exactly why I watch this series"
Meet everybody in Springfield. ...Continue »
All I can say is what a great idea for A Simpsons episode. It shows almost everybody in Springfield, and a short film, as the title suggests, about them.It is nice to see an epiosde not solely based on The Simpsons and just one other character.The episode also has a short film about characters who are not well known like Cletus, Herman, and Kirk Van Houten. Not only was the idea of the episode great, but the stories were brilliant. My favorite ones having to be Superintendent Chalmers coming over Skinners for lunch, and Snake robbing Moe.

This will be one of the best Simpsons episodes of all time. I think it is the best in Season 7. Great!

Enjoy!
05/31/08 08:27am | report abuse
9
00
twilightboy
member since: Nov 24, 2006
22 Short Films About Springfield
The Bottom Line: "Fine example"
The Simpsons get an indie touch. ...Continue »
This is really a beautiful episode of the Simpsons. It is actually one of my favorite storylines (ala Babel). The way the short stories are interconnected help with the reality factor (something that previous episodes lack) and to look at the lives of other less known characters makes our untangible Springfield really feel like the small town next to yours.

My favorite little story is the one in which principal Skinner tries to hide the fire in his kitchen from the superintendent. Heh, it is just hilarious.

A great episode with great laughs and once again a fresh take on the series.
04/12/08 07:32am | report abuse
9.6
00
Iverson82094
member since: Aug 23, 2007
22 Short Films About Springfield
The Bottom Line: "Exactly why I watch this series"
I LOVE TRILOGY EPISODES, and this episode was no different ...Continue »
In this breakneck tour through a day in the life of Springfield, we learn that a lot goes on in a little town in some state, somewhere in America. Apu takes the day off from the Kwik-E-Mart and has a kwik-e-romance. Barney finally pays Moe his bar tab only to witness Snake steal it. Principal Skinner nearly burns down his house while making lunch for Superintendent Chalmers, and Homer gets Maggie stuck in a newspaper vending machine. Lisa gets gum--and mayonnaise, and peanut butter--stuck in her hair, and Smithers almost dies from a bee sting. In a nod to Pulp Fiction, Snake and Chief Wiggum are taken hostage by Herman, the one-armed pawnshop owner, who wants to do god-knows-what. The two men are saved by Milhouse, who had to go to the bathroom really, really badly.
01/27/08 05:43pm | report abuse
9.5
00
meatboys
member since: Oct 27, 2006
22 Short Films About Springfield
The Bottom Line: "Fine example"
Part of the Golden era definatley ...Continue »
It's the golden era because of the fantastic plotline. The little previews of life in springfield were classic and i loved them. the movies were apu's party and skinners troublesome lunch with superintendent chalmers and milhouse having to use the bathroom and hitting herman with a mace, Wiggum hunting snake, and way way more. springfield sure had alot to offer. Homer only appeared like once in the entire episode. this is by far my favorite episode of the simpsons and will probably always be.............. .... ..... .... .... ..... ...... ...... .... ..... .... .... ...... ....... ...... ....... ..... ...... .
11/19/07 03:48pm | report abuse
10
00
LemmyKoopa
member since: Sep 10, 2004
22 Short Films About Springfield
The Bottom Line: "Series classic"
One of the best episodes ever! ...Continue »
What can I say? This episode was just plain awesome. We got a chance to see various shorts featuring most of the characters, including some of the minor ones. And it was filled with hilarity, such as Chalmers and Skinner, Apu leaving his store to go to a party, Chief Wiggum and the other officers at Krusty Burger, discussing McDonalds, etc. The plot with Lisa having gum stuck in her hair was pretty good, too. The appearances by Herman and Snake were also nice. Overall, an awesome episode, and all of the shorts were great. This episode is easily in my top 5.
11/10/07 09:29pm | report abuse