Pygmoelian

Season 11, Episode 16, Aired
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Episode Summary

After winning the chance for his photo to appear on a Duff beer calendar, but losing out when the calendar appears with stickers covering his face, Moe gets a face lift. The resulting surgery makes him handsome and then Moe takes revenge on those who wronged him because of his looks in the past, including the producer of a soap opera. Of course his new looks get him the part, until he and Homer become privy to some plot lines that threaten to write him out of the show. In anticipation, they decide to go out "in a blaze of sour grapes".moreless
8.3
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Cast & Crew

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  • Julie Kavner

    Marge Simpson, Patty Bouvier, and Selma Bouvier

  •

    Harry Shearer

    Mr. Burns, Ned Flanders, Principal Skinner, Waylon Smithers, Kent Brockman, and others

  •

    Dan Castellaneta

    Homer Simpson, Grampa Simpson, Barney Gumble, Krusty the Clown, Groundskeeper Willie, and others

Fan Episode Reviews (6)

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  • Am I really THAT Ugly?

    10
    "Perfect"
    By futuramarama, Nov 14, 2009 Report Abuse
    Moe gets plastic surgery after realizing how hideous he is. He becomes the star of a soap drama, titled "It Never Ends." He becomes popular. But, he learns that the writers plot to kill him off. So he and Homer reveal a whole season of upcoming plots to get back at the writers. They are furious, and then they reveal to Moe that him dying in the show was part of a dream. Moe leaves promptly, but an accident transforms Moe back to his ugly self. He returns to the life of a lonely bartender.

    Another lazy ending but a funny episode.moreless

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  • After Moe is deemed to ugly to be put on the Duff Calender, he gets plastic surgery; he starts a new career as the star of a soap opera.

    9.0
    "Superb"
    By Hornets3, Aug 03, 2009 Report Abuse
    This was an episode that had some great moments, but it was slighty odd. However, I do feel that Moe would do something as wild as this to increases his attractiveness. There were some pricless moments like when Homer is spilling all that will happen in the show and he keeps saying there will be "sexy results." Also, when Homer is going to let the set on fire, or the whole duff carnival scene. Maybe this episode is a little to weird for some people's liking but I found this to be a wacky yet very very entertaining ploy. Give it a watch.moreless

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  • A creepy episode, but a good one at that.

    9.0
    "Superb"
    By Iverson82094, Jan 30, 2008 Report Abuse
    Moe competes for top honors at a Duff Beer festival and wins a chance to appear in a Duff calendar. When the calendar finally comes out, Moe's face is covered with a giant sticker due to his hideous ugliness. Despondent, Moe goes in for some much-needed plastic surgery and emerges from the operation with a smooth, handsome face. After settling some old scores with people who've wronged him, Moe heads over to the TV studio, where he confronts the producer of It Never Ends, a soap opera he once tried out for. Because of his new face, Moe is hired on the spot and made a regular on the series. But when Moe and Homer discover that Moe's character is about to be written off, they sabotage the entire show by revealing top secret plot points for the next year. The producers fire Moe and then, in a freak accident, a set piece falls on Moe's face, destroying all of his doctor's hard work. After that, it's back to Moe's Tavern for Springfield's least comely bartende.moreless

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  • 6.9
    "Fair"
    By orallukeaplacia, Jan 10, 2007 Report Abuse
    Moe is revealed has the hideous person he is, and gets plastic surgery. Then, in classic Moe fashion (and exactly why I love this guy).. he uses his new found blessings to get revenge. But, because revenge is wrong (stupid morality), Moe gets him comeuppance and instead of turning into a 3rd face, his pretty face, when crushed turns back into old Moe's face. All's well that ends weird. This episode also flushes out a little bit of Moe's past. As a 20-something, he was an aspiring actor, but his looks kept him from being able to get any kind of roles.moreless

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  • Go Moe....Boo everyone else

    9.5
    "Superb"
    By rayan36, Nov 23, 2006 Report Abuse
    Laughter all the way describes Pygmoelian as a whole. This is one of the few episodes in Season 11 that make me laugh out loud and one of the best ones too. The way Homer drags his whole family to Duff's beer festival is gibberish making Marge taking her vacuum cleaner with her and Lisa taking her attendance trophy over her music ones, but when they get there the fun starts. Great storytelling in this episode reminds me of the good ol' Simpsons. The Duff competition, for starters which revealed Duff mans real name, Larry. The whole scene was great. Revealing Moe's face on the Duff calendar describes the main plot and we know now why Carl doesn't talk much. The sub plot where Bart and Lisa run after for the elephant balloon was funny but cut short. The gag in the operation theater was superb with great lines; 'we got some leakage here'. Soap opera scenes was ok saved by funny moments; Homer turned on by Moe's acting..HAH . This kind of episode makes The Simpsons never ends.moreless

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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  • Trivia

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    • In the Mexican version of the Simpsons, the Doctor that Moe replaced in the soap opera said 'They can't replace me! I played the role of Doctor (??) and the voice of Ranma for the last (?) years!'. This was a play on the fact that the guy playing the voice of the Doctor in this episode was the same guy that made the voice of Ranma Saotome, lead character of an anime named Ranma 1/2 which played in Mexico for a while before this episode was made. -Coola Edit
    • At the contest, Duffman introduces Duff's "vice president of calendars and fake IDs" as Phil Angelides. Coincidentally (?), that is also the name of the treasurer of the state of California (1998-present (2003)). Edit
    • When the facelift doctor was writing on moe's face, he only wrote on the left side and then put the pen away. When they showed the same view of moe getting written on, he had writing all over his face. Edit

  • Notes

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    • Blackboard Joke: Dodgeball stops at the gym door. Couch Gag: Marge wipes off Matt Groening's signature off the living room floor and Matt comes in and writes it back in. Edit
    • Carl's last name is revealed in this episode. It's Carlson. Edit

  • Quotes

    ADD QUOTES
    • Homer: Moe! The new Duff calendars are out! The ones with your picture. Moe: Oh, boy! Move over, liquor license. (takes a framed license down from the wall) Lenny: (reading license) Hey Moe, this license expired in 1973, and it's only good in Rhode Island … and it's signed by you. Moe: Yeah, yeah, I've been meaning to get that updated, uh, for this state and, real. Edit
    • Duff Man: And the winner… Moe Szyslak! Moe: Aw, that's great; thank you, thanks a lot. Uh, I just want to say that it was an honor for me to compete against the Mick and the, uh, the chick with the rack there. Edit
    • Duff Man: Duff beer is brewed from hops, barley, and sparkling clear mountain … what? Titania: (rings bell) Goat. Edit

  • Allusions

    ADD ALLUSIONS
    • Cocktail The song played during the pouring contest is "Hippy Hippy Shake" by Chan Romeroa; a reference to the 1988 film Cocktail. Edit
    • The title is a play on the name of George Bernard Shaw's 1913 play Pygmalion, upon which the 1956 Lerner/Loewe stage musical My Fair Lady is based. Edit
    • Announcer: Like the cleaning of a house, it never ends. The opening of the soap opera It Never Ends is similar to the epigram on the opening of the NBC soap opera Days of Our Lives, "Like sands through the hourglass, so are the days of our lives." Likewise, the drawings of cast members against a white background are a parody of the opening of CBS's The Young and the Restless. Edit

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