Editing Monty Burns' Fleeing Circus

{{Tab}}
{{EpisodePrevNext|Orange Is the New Yellow|Friends and Family}}
{{Episode
|image= Monty Burns' Fleeing Circus promo 1.jpg
|number= 597
|season=28
|snumber=1
|prodcode= VABF20
|airdate= September 25, [[2016]]
|blackboard=This arm needs {{W|Tommy John surgery}}
|couchgag= {{Youtube|E8gDvbsYd0Q|Simpsons Time Couch Gag}}
|titlescreen=[[Kodos]] flies on his UFO with a banner saying "Vote Kodos make the universe great again"
|billboard=Why are they hitting themselves? How to bully-proof your kid
|guests=[[Amy Schumer]] as [[Mrs. Burns]]<br>[[Pendleton Ward]] as "[[Simpsons Time]]" singer
|showrunner=[[Al Jean]]
|writer=[[Tom Gammill]]<br>[[Max Pross]]
|director=[[Matthew Nastuk]]
}}

"'''Monty Burns' Fleeing Circus'''" is the first episode of [[season 28]] of ''[[The Simpsons]]'' and the five-hundred and ninety-seventh episode overall. It originally aired on September 25, [[2016]]. The episode was written by [[Tom Gammill]] and [[Max Pross]] and directed by [[Matthew Nastuk]]. It guest stars [[Amy Schumer]] as [[Mrs. Burns]] and [[Pendleton Ward]] as the "[[Simpsons Time]]" singer.

== Synopsis ==
{{Desc|When [[Springfield]] is burned to the ground, the [[Simpsons Family|Simpsons]] beg [[Mr. Burns]] to fund its rebuilding. Burns agrees – with one condition: he gets to put on a variety show at the [[Springfield Bowl]].}}

== Plot ==
On a walk through the town, [[Simpsons family|the Simpsons]] find people looking at the sky terrorized, finding out that the statue of [[Lard Lad Donuts|Lard Lad]] had vanished. After a riot-non riot between the citizen of [[Springfield]] resulting in no damage, the Lard Lad company announces that they have decided to rebrand with a new metallic statue. [[Robert Chan]], inviting [[Laird Ladd]], the model for the original statue, at the ceremony, inaugurated the new statue.

The new statue is presented, however [[Professor Frink]] points out that it being metallic it'd present a huge problem: it'll reflect the light from the sun in a death beam all over the town. The town completely burns to the ground thanks to this.

[[Mayor Quimby]] announces that the citizens will rebuild Springfield, however six month passes and the town is still in ruins, with a billboard announcing how many minutes have passed since the broken promise.

The Simpsons go to [[Mr. Burns]] to ask him to fund the rebuilding of the town, however reclutant at first, he agrees at the condition that he can put a variety show at the [[Springfield Bowl]]. He starts the auditions, where he starts reminiscing of his past with [[Mrs. Burns|his mother]] at his performance there, at the 1913's Pwee-Wee Pageant.

Later, at [[Springfield Elementary]] he is searching kids to perform on stage, and hires [[Lisa]] as his assistant after she help him with opening the clipboard where he was taking notes. Back at the Bowl, Burns is having bad flashbacks of people laughing at him at his performance, and his mother not helping him deal with the situation. He proposes to have someone being shot into a cannon, and when even Lisa laughs at it, Burns decides to cancel the show.

Without much success, Lisa goes to [[Burns' Mansion]] to convince him to do the show. After wondering why he was upset at people laughing at his idea, [[Smithers]] shows her the recording in mute and black and white of what happened, when his suspenders snapped and his underwear fell, revealing his naked bottom, with everyone laughing. After seeing this Lisa manages to convince him to do the show.

Meanwhile at the [[Power Plant]], in Mr. Burns absence, the employees transformed the plant in a resort, with pool and games. Back at home, [[Homer]] is preparing a prank for [[Lenny]], however [[Marge]] remembers him that he's the safety inspector of the plant, and that he should stop what was happening. Back at the plant, he manages to bring the situation back to normal, however some popcorn caused a fire inside the core, making what looked like fireworks come out of the cooling towers.

At the Bowl, after Burns and Smithers' introduction, the show starts with [[Rod]], [[Todd]], [[Nelson]], the [[Nahasapeemapetilon octuplets|octuplets]], [[Sherri]] and [[Terri]] performing, however the show's ending was interrupted by the fireworks, but Mr. Burns wasn't done and he reenacted his presentation. During the act, the spotlight on him made him flinch back and hit some spotlights in the back that causes his pants to burn down, with the Bowl public laughing and leaving. Burns gets mad at Lisa for this, being she convinced him to do the show anyway, but ends up forgetting her and letting her play the sax for an empty Bowl.

At the end, back at home, Lisa asks Homer the reason why Simpsons always fail, and he answers that it's a curse, telling of the story of how their ancestors didn't let [[Joseph]] and [[Virgin Mary|Mary]] at their home at [[Jesus]]' birth, resulting in their home being burnt down by Mary. Lisa skeptically asks Homer if that's what really happened, and Homer tells her they looked like them...

The episode concludes with the statue being thrown in the [[Springfield Tire Yard]] but [[Ralph]] was on the statue and it closes with him saying "That's all folks!" while he's covered by the statue.

== Production ==
<gallery>
File:VABF20 script.png
</gallery>

== International airdates ==
{{Airdates
|ukrdate= November 13, 2016<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20161118211904/http://www.vsetv.com/schedule_package_uabase_day_2016-11-13.html Vsetv.com]</ref>
|ukrchannel= NLO TV
|ukrnote= Season 28 episodes have been airing alongside with USA original translation<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20180101080920/http://nlotv.com/ua/news/view/2785-simpsony-i-semyanin-novye-sezony-tolko-na-nlo-tv NLO TV announce]</ref>
|esLAdate= February 26, 2017
|esLAchannel= {{W|Fox Latin America|Fox Latin America}}
|esLAnote= 
|dedate= August 29, 2017
|dechannel= Prosieben
|denote=
}}

== Gallery ==
<gallery>
File:Monty Burns' Fleeing Circus promo 2.jpg
</gallery>

== Promo videos ==
*{{Youtube|E8gDvbsYd0Q|Simpsons Time Couch Gag}}
*{{Youtube|jx9GzRboDgQ|Homer Indulges At The Plant's Oasis}}
*{{Youtube|2OhXGlb_3uo|Mr. Burns Heckles A Surprising Audition}}

{{Images|ep=yes}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{Season 28}}

[[Category:Season premieres]]
[[Category:Mr. Burns episodes]]
[[Category:Episodes written by Tom Gammill]]
[[Category:Episodes written by Max Pross]]
[[Category:Episodes directed by Matthew Nastuk]]