Bart's Comet/References

Trivia

 * Homer is the first to kick Ned out of the bomb shelter, but he also leaves first to die with him, leading everyone to safety.
 * Homer states early in the episode that the comet will probably burn up and become smaller than a Chihuahua's head. At the end of the episode he is proven right, and both he and the kids are spooked by Homer being right for once.
 * Although flightless birds, the penguins at Springfield Zoo are able to fly away when the comet approaches, in an intentionally ridiculous joke.
 * Arnie Pie claims the citizens have a "Never give up, never think things through spirit" while being oblivious to the fact that he's in a helicopter.

Continuity

 * The congressman who proposes using $30 million to fund the perverted arts is Bob Arnold from "Mr. Lisa Goes to Washington".

Cultural references

 * Everyone getting angry and wanting to come into Flander's shelter is a reference to "" episode, "The Shelter".
 * For a couple of seconds when Homer tries to get the shelter door shut when everyone gets in, Waldo from "" appears rather obtrusively on the left half of the screen. In other shots inside the shelter, Leonard Nimoy can be seen instead of Waldo.
 * Skinner curses for having discovered helium.
 * Principal Skinner says he missed the chance to name a comet after himself once, but that he "got back" at Principal Kohoutek... "him and that little boy of his!" is a reference to the.
 * Kent Brockman says "And like, the rocket foolishly soared too high and lost control of its servo-guidance mechanism...".

Goofs

 * When the crowd joins Flanders on the hill during the "Que Sera Sera" song, Apu appears yellow.
 * The writers seem to have confused comets with