Difference between revisions of "D'oh Canada/References"

Revision as of 17:04, June 27, 2025

Cultural references

• The title of the episode is a wordplay on Canada's national anthem "O Canada" which was played over the end credits.
• The couch gag parodies the sets of various sitcoms through the decades: The Honeymooners, The Dick Van Dyke Show, The Brady Bunch and Cheers. It's also a repeat of "How the Test Was Won"'s.
• The appearance of Sideshow Bob (voiced by Kelsey Grammar) in the Cheers bar is likely a nod to Kelsey Grammar's connection with sitcom Cheers where he played the character Frasier Crane.
• The Simpsons pass by older retail chains like:
  • a Toys R Us store, with the mascot Geoffrey the Giraffe attempting to hang himself but failing because his neck is too long for him to "hang."
  • a bankrupt Sears and Roebuck.
  • Circuit City overrun by wild dogs.
• Homer holds a pendant for the Buffalo Bills.
• The Simpsons drive by a Kodak plant that is demolished. Kodak is based out of Rochester NY.
• In Homer's song, a parody of "New York, New York" from the musical On the Town, he mentions that Benedict Arnold fought in Upstate New York. Arnold's most famous battle fought in upstate New York was the capture of Fort Ticonderoga in 1775 (mentioned in "Whacking Day") and he also led the command in the Battle of Valcour Island in 1776 and the Battles of Stanwix and Saratoga in 1777. Arnold's plot to surrender West Point to the British Army was discovered in 1780 (mentioned in "Homie the Clown") and West Point is part of upstate New York.
• Second Best Western is a reference to Best Western hotels.
• Lisa's foster family mention the following Canadian restaurant chains: Harvey's, Swiss Chalet, Mr. Sub, Earls and Humpty's.
• The Alanis Morissette Elementary School is named after singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette who was born and raised in Ottawa.
• Students at the school can Skype with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
  • Trudeau also does his viral trick where he can elevate himself with his hands.
• Lisa asked Justin Trudeau about the SNC-Lavalin affair, which allegations started almost three months before broadcast of this episode.
• When Lisa's teacher says that they're doing a play based on a Canadian novel, Oliver asks if it's The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz by Mordecai Richler.
  • The play is actually The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood.
  • Lisa asks if she can try out for the lead role of Offred.
• Marge crosses the Detroit River on Ambassador Bridge.
• The sign outside Lisa's foster home says "Give us your Alec Baldwins and Lena Dunhams." is a play of the opening line of the poem "The New Colossus" which was cast into the plaque of the Statue of Liberty.
• The Newfie sings "Islander Forever", written by Arthur O'Brien of The Navigators.
• The American Consulate says "Coming Soon - Julian Assange."
• Marge said that the last vote Homer cast was for Quisp, referring to the 1970s contest asking voters to choose whether Quisp or sister brand Quake would remain on shelves (Quisp won). Homer then held up a box of the cereal.
• The drink Molson's Jr. is a reference to Molson's, a Canadian brand of beer.
• The news title of Channel 6 News, "Abestos We Can" is a reference to the term "yes we can".
• When Lisa imagines famous Americans, "Battle Hymn of the Republic" by Julia Ward Howe plays.
• Lisa imagines Abraham Lincoln, Dumbo, Aretha Franklin, Eleanor Roosevelt, Seabiscuit, Watson (the computer that won Jeopardy!), Judy Blume and Louis Armstrong.
• When is Lisa is looking at the Detroit skyline from Canada, the skyscraper which turned in Abraham Lincoln is the Detroit Marriott at the GM Renaissance Center, the tallest building in Michigan.
• The Canadians getting Marge and Lisa across the river said that for every Martin Short there's no shortage of William Shatners.
• When Lisa returns to Springfield, "America the Beautiful" by Samuel A. Ward plays.
• Lisa's Canadian class watches an episode of The Beachcombers.

Trivia

• Mr. Largo mentions that the Springfield Elementary School Band have been working on the same song for 30 years, a reference to the opening sequence.
• The vehicles on Ambassador Bridge all have license plates of production codes:
  • DABF11 - "Weekend at Burnsie's".
  • PABF1? - a season 23 or season 24 episode.
  • JABF02 - "The Haw-Hawed Couple".
  • YABF14 - "D'oh Canada".
• Ned Flanders' passport number starts off with "YABF14", the production code for the episode.
• During the montage of the "Upstate New York" song Homer shook hands with the Headless Horseman with a bridge in the background in reference to "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" by Washington Irving. While the Headless Horseman does not exist, many do not know the bridge also does not exist.

Continuity

• The Simpsons go to Mt. Splashmore. ("Brush with Greatness")
• The newfie destroys a Robopet. ("Replaceable You")
• Lisa said she missed Princess, the pony she only had for a week. ("Lisa's Pony")
• A portrait of Gordie Howe is seen in the classroom, in Alanis Morissette Elementary School ("Bart the Lover")
• The Simpsons end up at the U.S. Embassy ("Bart vs. Australia", "Thirty Minutes Over Tokyo", "Havana Wild Weekend")

Goofs

• At the end of the episode Nelson was shown in the same classroom as second grader Lisa, even though Nelson is actually in the Fourth grade with Bart.
• Marge and Lisa travel to the American Consulate despite it being in the capital which would not have a consulate, but the embassy. The Superior Court of Justice is shown not far from the American Consulate. The court is located in Ottawa and indeed not very far from the American Embassy.