The Burns and the Bees

Season 20, Episode 8, Aired
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Episode Summary

Mr. Burns wins a professional basketball team in a poker game at the annual billionaire's retreat. In an effort to lure fans he decides to build a state-of-the-art facility, but the stadium site is on the last remaining bee colony in Springfield and Lisa leads the charge to block Burns' building.moreless
7.9
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Fan Episode Reviews (4)

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  • Wasn't as fond of this episode as the other episodes from this season. It started out as a great epsiode but I think progressivly got worse. However, still a decent episode.moreless

    7.5
    "Good"
    By Iverson82094, Dec 31, 2010 Report Abuse
    During the annual billionaires' retreat, Mr. Burns wins the Boston Celtics in a casual game of poker. While hosting the season opener in Springfield, Mr. Burns witnesses the antics of Dallas Mavericks' owner Mark Cuban (guest voice as himself). Fascinated with his behavior, Mr. Burns decides to emulate Cuban's over-the-top crowd pleasing stunts in order to win over the hearts of Springfield's basketball fans. In the midst of his failing endeavor, Mr. Burns decides that the best way to win over the fans is to build a brand new, state-of-the-art sports arena. Unfortunately, the last remaining bee colony in Springfield is located on the proposed stadium site, and Lisa is single-handedly spearheading a movement to protect them. As Lisa fights for a safe haven for the bees, Homer attempts to help the quickly diminishing bee population by mating the Springfield bees with Africanized bees, creating a buzzworthy fiasco.moreless

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    0 1

  • Season 20, Episode 8.

    5.5
    "Mediocre"
    By Wanted23, Dec 31, 2010 Report Abuse
    I didn't really enjoy this episode too much. After 20 years, I think it is time to call it quits on this show. If there's going to be more episode like this one, then this show really should end. I did enjoy the opening sequence and Bart's pranks. Spray painting over the WO in WOMEN is a pretty smart idea. Hehe, Principal Skinner fell victim to it. The whole bee hive on the 2nd graders thing was outrageous, though. Still entertaining. I didn't like it from that point on, though. A bee beard? I'm all for animal survival, but that's stupid. I'm only 15 minutes into the episode, but it's not looking like a series classic to me.moreless

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    0 3

  • The Billionaires Club

    10
    "Perfect"
    By luiz4200, Jun 08, 2009 Report Abuse
    Hehehehehehehehehehehehehehe. So funny. The billionaires playing Quidditch. How much does magic cost? Remember that Wonder Bat episode where Monty Burns was a member of a millionaires club where each member was required to have at least one million dollars? Now he was being kicked out of the billionaires club because his net worth was just little more than nine hundred ninety-six million dollars. He would die rather than live at millionaire camp. And Rupert Murdock spray painted the number seven at his net worth so it's read seventy-something billion. And Burns's attempts of showing off with his team? So hilarious!moreless

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    0 0

  • At an annual billionaire's retreat, Mr. Burns wins a basketball team in a lucky hand of poker. Burns decides to build a new multi-billion dollar arena for the team over the last thriving bee colony in Springfield. Lisa tries to stop him.moreless

    9.0
    "Superb"
    By meathead704, Dec 08, 2008 Report Abuse
    After the terrible "Mypods and Boomsticks" it was a welcome relief to see one of the funniest and best written episodes of "The Simpsons" in quite a long time. Watching this episode reminded me why I have been a fan for the show's 20 year run. Multiple times during this episode I was laughing so hard I couldn't breathe. I almost fell off my chair when Mr. Burns shot the team mascot. I laughed even harder when the wrecking ball tore through the greenhouse. Lisa's reaction was rip roaring hysterical. I hope to see more episodes as good as this.moreless

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    11 4
 

Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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  • Trivia

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    • Music from this episode "Amazing Grace" (Groundskeeper Willie plays it on his bagpipes while mourning for the deceased bees) "Hip Hop Hooray" by Naughty By Nature (played during the gorilla mascot scene) "Sea of Love" by The Honeydrippers (when the queen bee is being introduced to the Africanized bees) Edit

  • Notes

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    • For the first 8 episodes of this season, the show won the 2009 People's Choice Award for Favorite Animated Comedy. Edit
    • Blackboard Joke: Jesus is not mad his birthday is on Christmas. Couch Gag: The opening sequence is winterized with snow and Christmas decorations. The Simpsons rush onto the couch and the camera pulls back to reveal that they are a reflection on an ornament from their Christmas tree. Edit

  • Quotes

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    • (After Homer shows Lisa the hive containing the new hybrid bees he and Moe had created) Lisa: They sound awfully mad. Are they dangerous? Homer: Hmm, I'm not sure. Let me check. (Lifts the lid of the hive) Are you guys dangerous? (The bees fly out of the hive and knock Homer down) A simple "Yes" would've sufficed! Edit
    • Lisa: Dad, we have to do something all the bees are dying! Homer: (sarcastically) Oh, no! No bees! Ooh, now who will sting me and walk all over my sandwiches? Lisa: But, Dad! Bees pollinate flowers. Homer: Pfft. Flowers, the painted whores of the plant world. Edit
    • (Killer bees attack the new stadium) Bumblebee Man: Stop, I am one of you! Africanized bee: (buzzing translated in subtitles) We hate you most of all, Uncle Tom. Edit

  • Allusions

    ADD ALLUSIONS
    • Bee Movie One of the tombstones of Willie's bees had Jerry Seinfeld on it, which is a reference to the 2007 CGI film Bee Movie, where Seinfeld wrote it and starred as the main character. Edit
    • The Godfather Mr. Burns asks Mark Cuban to let him off the hook for old times' sake when it is discovered that he is not a billionaire. This is an allusion to The Godfather when Sal asks Tom Hagen to let him off the hook before he is about to be killed for his treachery. Edit
    • Boston Celtics The Rich Texan's Austin Celtics basketball team's logo is based on the Boston Celtics logo, but with Austin in place of Boston in the logo. Edit

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