Dial "N" for Nerder/References

Cultural references

 * The episode title is a pun on the film .
 * The episode's closing sequence duplicates the opening sequence of the , with Nelson Muntz as Columbo, Dr. Hibbert as Quincy, Rich Texan as McCloud and Mr. Burns and Smithers as McMillan & Wife.
 * Nelson's method for investigating the murder of Martin is very similar to Columbo's.
 * Sneakers, the TV show Marge asks to catch Homer cheating on his diet, is a parody of the reality TV show .
 * The "Taj-Mah-All-You-Can-Eat" restaurant takes its name from the.
 * Songs heard at Martin's funeral:
 * The first song is "", the theme from .
 * The second song (played during the slideshow) is "" by.
 * The scene where Bart and Lisa meet at the Kwik-E-Mart resembles a famous scene from .
 * References to :
 * Lisa urges Bart to keep quiet about their involvement in Martin's death, similar to Lady Macbeth convincing Macbeth to calm down and lie about Duncan's murder.
 * Lisa also states that she has a dark side, like Lady Macbeth.
 * The restaurant which Homer goes to, "Pudding on the Ritz", is a pun on the song "" written by.
 * The scene where Marge chases Bart and Lisa out of the house with a broom references a recurring gag in the comedy series .
 * The announcer mentions his dad as the reverend Billy Graham Junior referencing one of the Simpsons writers.

Continuity

 * Some of the scenes with Martin at his funeral are from previous episodes: "Girls Just Want to Have Sums", "Bye, Bye, Nerdie", "Treehouse of Horror III", "Fat Man and Little Boy", "Three Men and a Comic Book."

Trivia

 * After Bart steals Sideshow Mel's bone, we see his true hair.
 * Some of Martin's nicknames are Martin Prince, Martin Princess, Martin Priss, Fartin' Prince, Martin the Brown-Noised Reindeer. The nickname references Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and the term "brown nose". The first two names were used by a frustrated Bart in Lisa's Substitute.
 * Nelson is playing a when he steps from behind the butterfly tree.