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Difference between revisions of "The Fight Before Christmas"

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{{Quote|This tree reminds me of your father. Round in the middle, thinning up top and your hands get sticky when you touch him.|[[Marge Simpson]]}}
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{{Episode
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|Episode Number=472
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|image= The Fight Before Christmas promo 4.png
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|productionCode=MABF22
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|number=472
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|originalAirdate=December 5, 2010
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|season=22
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|blackboardText=None
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|snumber=8
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|airdate=December 5, [[2010]]
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|guests=[[Martha Stewart]] as {{Ch|Martha Stewart|herself}}<br>[[Katy Perry]] as {{Ch|Katy Perry|herself}}
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|showrunner1= Al Jean
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|specialGuestVoices=[[Martha Stewart]] as [[Martha Stewart (character)|Herself]]<br>[[Katy Perry]] as [[Katy Perry (character)|Herself]]
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|writer=[[Dan Castellaneta]]<br>[[Deb Lacusta]]
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|Written By=[[Dan Castellaneta]]<br>[[Deb Lacusta]]
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|director=[[Bob Anderson]]<br>[[Matthew Schofield]]
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|Show Runner=[[Al Jean]]
 
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|Directed By=[[Bob Anderson]]<br>[[Matthew Schofield]]
 
 
}}
 
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"'''The Fight Before Christmas'''" is the eighth episode of [[Season 22]]. It originally aired on December 5, 2010. The episode guest stars [[Martha Stewart]] and [[Katy Perry]] as themselves, and features Perry in a live-action sequence where the Simpsons appear as puppets. The episode is an [[anthology episodes|anthology episode]], consisting of four mini-stories.
+
"'''The Fight Before Christmas'''" is the eighth episode of [[season 22]] of ''[[The Simpsons]]'' and the four-hundred and seventy-second episode overall. It originally aired on December 5, [[2010]]. The episode was written by [[Dan Castellaneta]] and [[Deb Lacusta]] and directed by [[Bob Anderson]] and [[Matthew Schofield]]. It guest stars [[Martha Stewart]] as {{Ch|Martha Stewart|herself}} and [[Katy Perry]] as {{Ch|Katy Perry|herself}}.
  
 
== Synopsis ==
 
== Synopsis ==
−
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas in Springfield, but while Marge gets in the holiday spirit, it's bah humbug for the rest of the family. Disappointed that she is alone spreading the holiday cheer, Marge sends a letter to [[Martha Stewart (character)|Martha Stewart]] (guest voice Stewart) to help her save the family Christmas. Martha comes to the rescue and transforms the house into the [[North Pole]] chalet Marge has always dreamed of, but when the family is noticeably absent from the perfectly trimmed holiday home, she realizes that it's Homer and the kids who make the holidays special. Meanwhile, the Simpsons get ready to sneak away for a tropical holiday vacation in Hawaii, but surprise visitors [[Mr. Burns]] and Moe's new girlfriend, [[Katy Perry (character)|Katy Perry]] (guest-starring as herself in a special live-action sequence) delay their getaway.
+
{{desc|It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas in [[Springfield]], but while [[Marge]] gets in the holiday spirit, it's bah humbug for the rest of the family. Disappointed that she is alone spreading the holiday cheer, Marge sends a letter to {{Ch|Martha Stewart}} to help her save the family Christmas. Martha comes to the rescue and transforms the house into the [[North Pole]] chalet Marge has always dreamed of, but when the family is noticeably absent from the perfectly trimmed holiday home, she realizes that it's Homer and the kids who make the holidays special. Meanwhile, the Simpsons get ready to sneak away for a tropical holiday vacation in Hawaii, but surprise visitors [[Mr. Burns]] and Moe's new girlfriend, {{Ch|Katy Perry}} delay their getaway.}}
  
 
== Plot ==
 
== Plot ==
−
It's Christmas Eve and [[Bart]] has his BB gun out to hurt [[Santa Claus]] as he hasn't given him a dirt bike. As everyone goes to sleep, they have different dreams.
+
=== Opening sequence ===
 +
It's Christmas Eve and [[Bart]] has his BB gun out to hurt [[Santa Claus]] as he hasn't given him a dirt bike. He falls asleep thinking about this...
  
 
=== Bart's dream ===
 
=== Bart's dream ===
 
[[File:North Pole.png|thumb|left|The [[North Pole]]]]
 
[[File:North Pole.png|thumb|left|The [[North Pole]]]]
−
At midnight, a train pulls up outside of the house driven by [[Otto Man]]. It is called the [[Polar Express]]. It takes Bart to the [[North Pole]] where he works his way up through the ranks of the elves to reach Santa to ask why he hasn't gotten a dirt bike. After taking out two snowman guards (by turning up the thermostat), he enters the office of Santa to find that it is a run down dump. Santa tells Bart that he is poor due to handing out presents every year. When Bart leaves, Santa presses a button to reveal a disco like room and loads of girls come out.
+
At midnight, the [[Polar Express]], driven by [[Otto Mann]], pulls up outside of the house and flies Bart to the [[North Pole]] where he works his way up through the ranks of the elves to reach Santa to ask why he hasn't gotten a dirt bike. After taking out two snowman guards (by turning up the thermostat), he enters the office of Santa to find that it is a run down dump. Santa tells Bart that he is poor due to handing out presents every year. When Bart leaves, Santa presses a button to reveal a disco like room and loads of girls come out.
  
 
=== Lisa's dream ===
 
=== Lisa's dream ===
−
It is [[World War II]] and Marge is fighting on the front line while Homer is working in the [[Springfield Bomber Factory]]. Homer returns home with a Christmas tree and Lisa tells him to take it away as the last time she saw one, Marge got conscripted into the army. Homer then receives a telegram telling him that Marge is Missing in Action. Lisa blames the tree again and runs off. She ends up in the place she last saw Marge and [[Wiseguy]] reveals that Marge bought a tree last year but never took it. It looks like Marge. Lisa takes it home and Bart and Homer are taking it in turns to be sad. When they see the tree, they become happier and they decorate the tree.
+
It is [[World War II]] and Marge is fighting on the front line while Homer is working in the [[Springfield Bomber Factory]]. Homer returns home with a Christmas tree and Lisa tells him to take it away as the last time she saw one, Marge got conscripted into the army. Homer then receives a telegram telling him that Marge is Missing in Action. Lisa blames the tree again and runs off. She ends up in the place she last saw Marge and [[Raphael]] reveals that Marge bought a tree last year but never took it. It looks like Marge. Lisa takes it home and Bart and Homer are taking it in turns to be sad. When they see the tree, they become happier and they decorate the tree.
  
−
Meanwhile, Marge is in Nazi-occupated [[France]]. She heads into a cinema where Nazis are watching a film of a flying elephant destroying [[London]]. Marge blows up the cinema, killing [[Hitler]].
+
Meanwhile, Marge is in Nazi-occupied [[France]]. She heads into a cinema where Nazis are watching a film of a flying elephant destroying [[London]]. Marge blows up the cinema, killing [[Hitler]].
  
 
=== Marge's dream ===
 
=== Marge's dream ===
−
Marge is upset that Christmas will be bad. She writes a letter to Martha Stewart and she comes to help out, transforming the bed into a four poster. She then uses [[Maggie]]'s head as a stencil to spray paint snowflakes on the window. When Marge asks about shampooing the paint out of Maggie's hair, Martha asks why. She turns Bart and [[Milhouse]] into nutcracker soldiers and tells them to march for a hour. She also turns Homer into a Christmas display, putting him to sleep with a chemical. Marge, upset with how the family is now, asks Martha to put everything back the way it was and she does so with her magic wand.
+
Marge is upset that Christmas will be bad. She writes a letter to Martha Stewart and she comes to help out, transforming the bed into a four poster. She then uses [[Maggie]]'s head as a stencil to spray paint snowflakes on the window. When Marge asks about shampooing the paint out of Maggie's hair, Martha asks why. She turns Bart and [[Milhouse]] into nutcracker soldiers and tells them to march for an hour. She also turns Homer into a Christmas display, putting him to sleep with a chemical. Marge, upset with how the family is now, asks Martha to put everything back the way it was and she does so with her magic wand.
  
 
=== Maggie's dream ===
 
=== Maggie's dream ===
−
Maggie has received a video called ''[[A Fluppet Christmas Special]]'' and in her dream the Simpson family and friends appear as puppet versions of themselves. The Simpsons are about to go to Hawaii and have arranged for [[Moe]] to house-sit. Moe takes advantage of the situation and passes [[742 Evergreen Terrace]] off as his own bachelor pad in order to make a date with his hot new girlfriend, [[Katy Perry (character)|Katy Perry]]. Things are complicated by the arrival of [[Mr. Burns]], to whom [[Homer]] had lied about being injured in order to take time off to go to Hawaii, and Katy Perry (appearing as her real-life self), who finds a family home instead of the bachelor pad Moe had led her to expect. Burns is initially angry about Homer's going to Hawaii under false pretences, but settles down and forgives Homer after Katy gives him a hug and kiss. Moe, for his part, decides to give Katy a kiss on the belly button, since that's as high as he can reach. Katy tells him that he's not kissing her belly button. Moe breaks off the kiss, but Katy says she didn't say for him to stop. They finally sing a song "[[The Thirty-Nine Days of Christmas]]".
+
Maggie has received a video called ''[[A Fluppet Christmas Special]]'' and in her dream the Simpson family and friends appear as puppet versions of themselves. The Simpsons are about to go to Hawaii and have arranged for [[Moe]] to house-sit. Moe takes advantage of the situation and passes [[742 Evergreen Terrace]] off as his own bachelor pad in order to make a date with his hot new girlfriend, {{Ch|Katy Perry}}. Things are complicated by the arrival of [[Mr. Burns]], to whom [[Homer]] had lied about being injured in order to take time off to go to Hawaii, and Katy Perry (appearing as her real-life self), who finds a family home instead of the bachelor pad Moe had led her to expect. Burns is initially angry about Homer's going to Hawaii under false pretences, but settles down and forgives Homer after Katy gives him a hug and kiss.
 +
=== Closing Sequence ===
 +
They finally sing a song "[[The Thirty-Nine Days of Christmas]]". Moe tries to reach up and kiss Katy but can't so he decides to kiss her bellybutton but Katy tells him that what he is kissing is not her bellybutton. Moe breaks off the kiss but Katy says she did not ask him to stop.
  
−
==Production==
+
== Production ==
−
Katy Perry was originally set to appear in an episode of ''Sesame Street'', but when complaints surfaced about her "raunchy" outfit, her appearance was cut out of the episode. Al Jean invited her to guest star on ''The Simpsons'' instead. The segment of the episode that she appears in is a clear parody of ''The Muppet Show'' and ''Sesame Street''.
+
In April 2010, [[Al Jean]] announced that the episode was written by [[Dan Castellaneta]] and his wife [[Deb Lacusta]] and would guest-star [[Martha Stewart]].<ref>[http://popwatch.ew.com/2010/04/08/martha-stewart-simpsons/ Entertainment Weekly - PopWatch - By Dan Snierson on Apr 8, 2010 - "'The Simpsons' exclusive: Martha Stewart to guest as...Martha Stewart"]</ref>
  
−
==Reception==
+
In September, it was revealed that pop-star [[Katy Perry]] would also guest-star as herself in a live-action puppet styled segment.<ref>[http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1648733/katy-perry-appear-on-simpsons-december.jhtml MTV.com - By Gil Kaufman - Sep 27 2010 - "Katy Perry To Appear On 'The Simpsons' In December: After 'Sesame Street' canned her skit last week, Perry will perform with 'Simpsons' puppets for Christmas episode."]</ref>
−
TV Squad gave the episode a positive review saying "This episode started good and got progressively better. It showed a level of imagination that the recent Halloween episodes have been lacking." The last segment was praised by several critics due to the Jim Henson references like "Moe stuffing down cookies like the Cookie Monster and Abe "Grampa" Simpson and Jasper Beardly playing Statler and Waldorf." However, the A.V. Club gave the episode a mixed review saying "Tonight's episode wasn't awful, and it did have some solid laughs, but the quality of the segments was decidedly hit and miss.". He mostly criticized the last two segments calling Marge's dream with Martha Stewart "one joke streched too far"
+
 
 +
[http://www.chiodobros.com/ Chiodo Bros. Productions] were responsible for the live action/puppet work. They had previously created stop-motion segments in "[[HOMЯ]]", "[[The Girl Who Slept Too Little]]" and "[['Tis the Fifteenth Season]]".<ref>[http://www.imdb.com/company/co0062275/ IMDb.com - Company and employee details: Chiodo Brothers Productions &#91;us&#93;]</ref>
 +
 
 +
<gallery>
 +
File:MABF22 Script.jpg
 +
</gallery>
 +
 
 +
== Reception ==
 +
The episode gathered approximately 9.56 million viewers and a 4.2 18-49 rating/share.<ref>[http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2010/12/06/tv-ratings-sunday-football-lifts-nbc-amazing-race-and-desperate-housewives-brothers-sisters-hit-season-lows/74360/ TVbytheNumbers - TV Ratings - Bill Gorman - December 6th, 2010 - "TV Ratings Sunday: Football Lifts NBC & Fox; 'Amazing Race' & 'Undercover Boss' Down; And 'Desperate Housewives,' 'Brothers & Sisters' Hit Lows; 'The Simpsons' Hits Season High"]</ref>
 +
 
 +
The episode received positive reviews from TV critics. [http://www.avclub.com/ A.V Club] gave the episode a B- rating and compared the episode's format to that of the show's annual [[Treehouse of Horror series]]. Although criticizing Marge's visit from Martha Stewart as "one joke stretched too far", they gave praise to Bart's {{W|The Polar Express|Polar Express}} riff deeming it "inspired" and "mostly funny," as well as calling Lisa's World War II flashback "genuinely sweet."<ref>[http://www.avclub.com/review/the-fight-before-christmasmurray-christmasbeer-wal-48590 A.V Club - Todd VanDerWerff - Dec 6, 2010 - "The Fight Before Christmas"/"Murray Christmas"/"Beer Walk!"/"The People Vs. Martin Sugar"]</ref> [http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tv/ Huffington Post TV] offered similar opinion. They highlighted the Muppet and Katy Perry segment as their favorite and concluded, "This episode started good and got progressively better, saving the best sketch for last. It showed a level of imagination that the recent Halloween episodes have been lacking."<ref>[http://www.aoltv.com/2010/12/06/the-simpsons-season-22-episode-8-recap/ HuffingtonPostTV - Brad Trechak - Dec 6th 2010 - "'The Simpsons' Season 22, Episode 8 Recap"]</ref> [http://www.tvfanatic.com/ TV Fanatic] declared the episode's stories as "unique, creative and entertaining." They lauded Katy Perry's guest-appearance and appreciated the show's writers "trying to push the envelope for once." They awarded the episode a 3.5/5 star rating.<ref>[http://www.tvfanatic.com/2010/12/the-simpsons-review-the-fight-before-christmas/ TVFanatic.com - Eric Hochberger - December 6, 2010 - "The Simpsons Review: "The Fight Before Christmas"]</ref> [http://firefox.org/news/ Firefox] enjoyed the episode and called it "cute, superfluous and bubbly" and liked that it "packed a little bit of heart into the humor." They awarded the episode an averaged B- rating.<ref>[http://firefox.org/news/articles/3455/1/Review----The-Simpsons-quotThe-Fight-Before-Christmasquot/Page1.html Firefox.org - By Ariel Ponywether - Published 12/7/2010 - Animation: "Review -- The Simpsons: "The Fight Before Christmas"]</ref>
 +
 
 +
Fan reaction was also positive. On [http://www.nohomers.net/forum.php?s=423602d7d311be97bb21ca60584a534e No Homers], the episode has a majority 4/5 rating on the episode's fan poll. Fans used adjectives such as "fresh", "ballsy" and "creative" to describe the episode, with many deeming it "the best Christmas episode seen in years." However, some were less enthusiastic and criticized Katy Perry's segment, with one naming it "the biggest WTF scene in the show in quite a while," while others dismissed it as "forgettable."<ref>[http://www.nohomers.net/showthread.php?94105-Rate-and-Review-quot-The-Fight-Before-Christmas-quot-%28MABF22%29 NoHomers.net|'The Web's Source for Simpsons discussion' - Forum - Episode Discussion: "Rate and Review: "The Fight Before Christmas" (MABF22)"]</ref>
  
 
== Gallery ==
 
== Gallery ==
−
Promotional pictures for this episode
 
 
<gallery>
 
<gallery>
−
File:425.perry.simpsons.lc.092710.jpg|Katy Perry With Moe. Grandpa, Mr. Burns, Homer, Marge and Maggie
+
File:The Fight Before Christmas promo.jpg
−
File:The Fight Before Christmas promo.jpg|Katy Perry with Mr. Burns
+
File:The Fight Before Christmas promo 2.jpg
−
File:The Fight Before Christmas promo 2.jpg|Katy Perry with Moe
+
File:The Fight Before Christmas promo 3.jpg
−
File:The Fight Before Christmas promo 3.jpg|Katy Perry with Mr. Burns, Moe, Grampa and Homer
+
File:The Fight Before Christmas promo 5.png
−
File:The Fight Before Christmas promo 4.jpg|Martha Stewart and Marge
+
File:The Fight Before Christmas promo 6.jpg
−
File:The Fight Before Christmas promo 5.jpg|Milhouse and Bart
+
File:The Fight Before Christmas promo 7.jpg
−
File:The Fight Before Christmas promo puppets.jpg|Katy Perry and The Simpsons characters as puppets
+
File:The Fight Before Christmas promo 8.png
 +
File:The Fight Before Christmas promo 9.png
 +
File:The Fight Before Christmas promo 10.png
 +
File:The Fight Before Christmas promo 11.png
 +
File:Katy Perry promo.jpg
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>
  
−
{{Season 22}}
+
== References ==
−
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fight Before Christmas}}
+
{{Reflist}}
 +
 
 +
{{Images|ep=yes}}
 +
{{season 22}}
 +
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fight Before Christmas, The}}
  
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[[Category:Episodes]]
 
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[[Category:Season 22]]
 
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[[Category:Christmas]]
 
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[[Category:Anthology]]
 
 
[[Category:2010]]
 
[[Category:2010]]
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[[Category:Anthology episodes]]
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[[Category:Christmas episodes]]
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[[Category:Episodes written by Dan Castellaneta]]
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[[Category:Episodes written by Deb Lacusta]]
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[[Category:Episodes directed by Bob Anderson]]
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[[Category:Episodes directed by Matthew Schofield]]
 +
 +
[[sv:The Fight Before Christmas]]

Latest revision as of 09:57, August 31, 2024

Season 22 Episode
← 471 "How Munched Is That Birdie in the Window?"
472
"The Fight Before Christmas"
"Donnie Fatso" 473 →
"This tree reminds me of your father. Round in the middle, thinning up top and your hands get sticky when you touch him."
―Marge Simpson
"The Fight Before Christmas"
The Fight Before Christmas promo 4.png
Episode Information
Episode number: 472
Season number: S22 E8
Production code: MABF22
Original airdate: December 5, 2010
Guest star(s): Martha Stewart as herself
Katy Perry as herself
Showrunner: Al Jean
Written by: Dan Castellaneta
Deb Lacusta
Directed by: Bob Anderson
Matthew Schofield


"The Fight Before Christmas" is the eighth episode of season 22 of The Simpsons and the four-hundred and seventy-second episode overall. It originally aired on December 5, 2010. The episode was written by Dan Castellaneta and Deb Lacusta and directed by Bob Anderson and Matthew Schofield. It guest stars Martha Stewart as herself and Katy Perry as herself.

Synopsis[edit]

"It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas in Springfield, but while Marge gets in the holiday spirit, it's bah humbug for the rest of the family. Disappointed that she is alone spreading the holiday cheer, Marge sends a letter to Martha Stewart to help her save the family Christmas. Martha comes to the rescue and transforms the house into the North Pole chalet Marge has always dreamed of, but when the family is noticeably absent from the perfectly trimmed holiday home, she realizes that it's Homer and the kids who make the holidays special. Meanwhile, the Simpsons get ready to sneak away for a tropical holiday vacation in Hawaii, but surprise visitors Mr. Burns and Moe's new girlfriend, Katy Perry delay their getaway."


Plot[edit]

Opening sequence[edit]

It's Christmas Eve and Bart has his BB gun out to hurt Santa Claus as he hasn't given him a dirt bike. He falls asleep thinking about this...

Bart's dream[edit]

The North Pole

At midnight, the Polar Express, driven by Otto Mann, pulls up outside of the house and flies Bart to the North Pole where he works his way up through the ranks of the elves to reach Santa to ask why he hasn't gotten a dirt bike. After taking out two snowman guards (by turning up the thermostat), he enters the office of Santa to find that it is a run down dump. Santa tells Bart that he is poor due to handing out presents every year. When Bart leaves, Santa presses a button to reveal a disco like room and loads of girls come out.

Lisa's dream[edit]

It is World War II and Marge is fighting on the front line while Homer is working in the Springfield Bomber Factory. Homer returns home with a Christmas tree and Lisa tells him to take it away as the last time she saw one, Marge got conscripted into the army. Homer then receives a telegram telling him that Marge is Missing in Action. Lisa blames the tree again and runs off. She ends up in the place she last saw Marge and Raphael reveals that Marge bought a tree last year but never took it. It looks like Marge. Lisa takes it home and Bart and Homer are taking it in turns to be sad. When they see the tree, they become happier and they decorate the tree.

Meanwhile, Marge is in Nazi-occupied France. She heads into a cinema where Nazis are watching a film of a flying elephant destroying London. Marge blows up the cinema, killing Hitler.

Marge's dream[edit]

Marge is upset that Christmas will be bad. She writes a letter to Martha Stewart and she comes to help out, transforming the bed into a four poster. She then uses Maggie's head as a stencil to spray paint snowflakes on the window. When Marge asks about shampooing the paint out of Maggie's hair, Martha asks why. She turns Bart and Milhouse into nutcracker soldiers and tells them to march for an hour. She also turns Homer into a Christmas display, putting him to sleep with a chemical. Marge, upset with how the family is now, asks Martha to put everything back the way it was and she does so with her magic wand.

Maggie's dream[edit]

Maggie has received a video called A Fluppet Christmas Special and in her dream the Simpson family and friends appear as puppet versions of themselves. The Simpsons are about to go to Hawaii and have arranged for Moe to house-sit. Moe takes advantage of the situation and passes 742 Evergreen Terrace off as his own bachelor pad in order to make a date with his hot new girlfriend, Katy Perry. Things are complicated by the arrival of Mr. Burns, to whom Homer had lied about being injured in order to take time off to go to Hawaii, and Katy Perry (appearing as her real-life self), who finds a family home instead of the bachelor pad Moe had led her to expect. Burns is initially angry about Homer's going to Hawaii under false pretences, but settles down and forgives Homer after Katy gives him a hug and kiss.

Closing Sequence[edit]

They finally sing a song "The Thirty-Nine Days of Christmas". Moe tries to reach up and kiss Katy but can't so he decides to kiss her bellybutton but Katy tells him that what he is kissing is not her bellybutton. Moe breaks off the kiss but Katy says she did not ask him to stop.

Production[edit]

In April 2010, Al Jean announced that the episode was written by Dan Castellaneta and his wife Deb Lacusta and would guest-star Martha Stewart.[1]

In September, it was revealed that pop-star Katy Perry would also guest-star as herself in a live-action puppet styled segment.[2]

Chiodo Bros. Productions were responsible for the live action/puppet work. They had previously created stop-motion segments in "HOMЯ", "The Girl Who Slept Too Little" and "'Tis the Fifteenth Season".[3]

  • MABF22 Script.jpg

Reception[edit]

The episode gathered approximately 9.56 million viewers and a 4.2 18-49 rating/share.[4]

The episode received positive reviews from TV critics. A.V Club gave the episode a B- rating and compared the episode's format to that of the show's annual Treehouse of Horror series. Although criticizing Marge's visit from Martha Stewart as "one joke stretched too far", they gave praise to Bart's Polar Express riff deeming it "inspired" and "mostly funny," as well as calling Lisa's World War II flashback "genuinely sweet."[5] Huffington Post TV offered similar opinion. They highlighted the Muppet and Katy Perry segment as their favorite and concluded, "This episode started good and got progressively better, saving the best sketch for last. It showed a level of imagination that the recent Halloween episodes have been lacking."[6] TV Fanatic declared the episode's stories as "unique, creative and entertaining." They lauded Katy Perry's guest-appearance and appreciated the show's writers "trying to push the envelope for once." They awarded the episode a 3.5/5 star rating.[7] Firefox enjoyed the episode and called it "cute, superfluous and bubbly" and liked that it "packed a little bit of heart into the humor." They awarded the episode an averaged B- rating.[8]

Fan reaction was also positive. On No Homers, the episode has a majority 4/5 rating on the episode's fan poll. Fans used adjectives such as "fresh", "ballsy" and "creative" to describe the episode, with many deeming it "the best Christmas episode seen in years." However, some were less enthusiastic and criticized Katy Perry's segment, with one naming it "the biggest WTF scene in the show in quite a while," while others dismissed it as "forgettable."[9]

Gallery[edit]

  • The Fight Before Christmas promo.jpg
  • The Fight Before Christmas promo 2.jpg
  • The Fight Before Christmas promo 3.jpg
  • The Fight Before Christmas promo 5.png
  • The Fight Before Christmas promo 6.jpg
  • The Fight Before Christmas promo 7.jpg
  • The Fight Before Christmas promo 8.png
  • The Fight Before Christmas promo 9.png
  • The Fight Before Christmas promo 10.png
  • The Fight Before Christmas promo 11.png
  • Katy Perry promo.jpg

References[edit]

  1. ↑ Entertainment Weekly - PopWatch - By Dan Snierson on Apr 8, 2010 - "'The Simpsons' exclusive: Martha Stewart to guest as...Martha Stewart"
  2. ↑ MTV.com - By Gil Kaufman - Sep 27 2010 - "Katy Perry To Appear On 'The Simpsons' In December: After 'Sesame Street' canned her skit last week, Perry will perform with 'Simpsons' puppets for Christmas episode."
  3. ↑ IMDb.com - Company and employee details: Chiodo Brothers Productions [us]
  4. ↑ TVbytheNumbers - TV Ratings - Bill Gorman - December 6th, 2010 - "TV Ratings Sunday: Football Lifts NBC & Fox; 'Amazing Race' & 'Undercover Boss' Down; And 'Desperate Housewives,' 'Brothers & Sisters' Hit Lows; 'The Simpsons' Hits Season High"
  5. ↑ A.V Club - Todd VanDerWerff - Dec 6, 2010 - "The Fight Before Christmas"/"Murray Christmas"/"Beer Walk!"/"The People Vs. Martin Sugar"
  6. ↑ HuffingtonPostTV - Brad Trechak - Dec 6th 2010 - "'The Simpsons' Season 22, Episode 8 Recap"
  7. ↑ TVFanatic.com - Eric Hochberger - December 6, 2010 - "The Simpsons Review: "The Fight Before Christmas"
  8. ↑ Firefox.org - By Ariel Ponywether - Published 12/7/2010 - Animation: "Review -- The Simpsons: "The Fight Before Christmas"
  9. ↑ NoHomers.net|'The Web's Source for Simpsons discussion' - Forum - Episode Discussion: "Rate and Review: "The Fight Before Christmas" (MABF22)"


The Saga of Carl - title screen.png Wikisimpsons has a collection of images related to "The Fight Before Christmas".
Season 22 Episodes
Elementary School Musical • Loan-a Lisa • MoneyBart • Treehouse of Horror XXI • Lisa Simpson, This Isn't Your Life • The Fool Monty • How Munched Is That Birdie in the Window? • The Fight Before Christmas • Donnie Fatso • Moms I'd Like to Forget • Flaming Moe • Homer the Father • The Blue and the Gray • Angry Dad: The Movie • The Scorpion's Tale • A Midsummer's Nice Dreams • Love Is a Many-Strangled Thing • The Great Simpsina • The Real Housewives of Fat Tony • Homer Scissorhands • 500 Keys • The Ned-liest Catch
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