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Difference between revisions of "Million-Dollar Abie"

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[[Million Dollar Abie]] is an episode from the [[List of The Simpsons episodes#Season 17 (2005-2006)|seventeenth season]] of ''[[The Simpsons]]''. It originally aired on [[April 2]], [[2006]].
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{{Tab}}
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{{EpisodePrevNext|Homer Simpson, This Is Your Wife|Kiss Kiss Bang Bangalore}}
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{{Episode
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|Box title = Million-Dollar Abie
 +
|image= Million Dollar Abie.png
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|number= 372
 +
|season=17
 +
|snumber=16
 +
|prodcode= HABF09
 +
|airdate= April 2, [[2006]]
 +
|blackboard= I will not flip the classroom upside down. (during this sequence, the classroom is upside down)
 +
|couchgag= The Simpsons sit down on the couch as normal. A TiVo menu pops up, asking the viewer if he'd like to save the recording or delete it. "Delete This Recording" is chosen and the screen goes black.
 +
|guests= [[Rob Reiner]] as {{Ch|Rob Reiner|himself}}
 +
|showrunner1= Al Jean
 +
|writer= [[Tim Long]]
 +
|director= [[Steven Dean Moore]]
 +
}}
  
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==Synopsis==
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"'''Million-Dollar Abie'''" the sixteenth episode of [[season 17]] of ''[[The Simpsons]]'' and the three-hundred and seventy-second episode overall. It originally aired on April 2, [[2006]]. The episode was written by [[Tim Long]] and directed by [[Steven Dean Moore]]. It guest stars [[Rob Reiner]] as {{Ch|Rob Reiner|himself}}.
  
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{{spoiler}}
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== Synopsis ==
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When it is announced that the commissioner of Pro [[Football]] (Bud Armstrong) wants to expand the league, Homer leads the charge to get the new franchise in Springfield. At first his family doesn't think he could do it, but Homer manages to put forth a surprisingly strong package for the Springfield Meltdowns and the new Duff Beer Krusty Burger Buzz Cola Costington's Department Store Kwik-E-Mart Stupid Flanders Park.
+
{{Desc|After blowing [[Springfield]]'s chances for an NFL franchise, [[Grampa]] goes to an assisted-suicide center, then becomes a bullfighter.}}
  
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The commissioner narrows down the choice of the two cities to either Springfield or [[Los Angeles]]. L.A. puts forth an anti-Springfield video hosted by [[Rob Reiner]] and features a song sung by celebrity impersonators that ends with them singing "Springfield Blows". All the owners decide that Springfield is the lesser of two evils, and the Commissioner awards the new team to Springfield. The town gets "Meltmania" and "[[Down syndrome]]" and quickly builds Homer's new park and paints the town in the team colours (orange and purple) and changes all of street names to football related names.
+
== Plot ==
 +
When it is announced that the commissioner of Pro [[Football]] (Bud Armstrong) wants to expand the league, Homer leads the charge to get the new franchise in Springfield. At first his family doesn't think he could do it, but Homer manages to put forth a surprisingly strong package for the [[Springfield Meltdowns]] and the new [[Duff Beer Krusty Burger Buzz Cola Costington's Department Store Kwik-E-Mart Stupid Flanders Park]].
  
−
On the day when Springfield is officially announced as the new team, the Commissioner gets confused by all of the new street names and gets lost. He stops for directions at the Simpsons' house and is greeted by [[Grampa Simpson]], who welcomes him in. However, Grampa starts to fear that the commissioner is a burgler and attacks him and ties him up. The rest of the family arrives home disappointed that the commissioner didn't show and is shocked to find him tied up in their living room. The commissioner is so angry that he declares that the Meltdowns will never be and leaves, never to return.
+
The commissioner narrows down the choice of the two cities to either Springfield or Los Angeles. L.A. puts forth an anti-Springfield video hosted by Rob Reiner and features a song sung by celebrity impersonators that ends with them singing "Springfield Blows". All the owners decide that Springfield is the lesser of two evils, plus they're sick of L.A getting everything, and the Commissioner awards the new team to Springfield. The town gets "Meltmania" and "Down syndrome" and quickly builds Homer's new park and paints the town in the team colors (orange and purple) and changes all of street names to football related names.
  
−
The entire town starts to hate Grampa, and the expensive stadium has to be used for farmers' markets. Grampa is so depressed that he decides to seek out a doctor who will help him commit suicide. The doctor tells Grampa to reconsider, and Grampa decides that if anyone calls him in the next 24 hours, he won't go through with his plan. The call never comes and Grampa goes back to the clinic the next day. Grampa comes very close to being killed but the police show up just in time to stop it.
+
On the day when Springfield is officially announced as the new team, the Commissioner gets confused by all of the new street names and gets lost. He stops for directions at the Simpsons' house and is greeted by [[Grampa]], who welcomes him in. However, Grampa starts to fear that the commissioner is a burglar after watching the TV show ''[[48 Minutes]]'', and attacks him and ties him up. The rest of the family arrives home disappointed that the commissioner didn't show and is shocked to find him tied up in their living room. The commissioner is so angry that he declares that the Meltdowns will never be and leaves, never to return.
  
−
Grampa thinks he's dead and runs through the town, seeing "Hamburger Heaven" and a [[Charlie Chaplin]] impersonator. He soon learns that he isn't dead, gets a new lease of life and decides to live it up. Meanwhile, the city decides to turn the unused football stadium into an arena for [[bull fighting]]. Despite Lisa's protests, Grampa decides to become a matador. Grampa wins his first fight with a bull, but he decides that killing bulls isn't his forte and talks to Lisa about giving up. Grampa isn't sure, but in the next fight he sees the bull that he's about to kill and decides to spare its life. He releases all the bulls, which immediately start [[Encierro|running through the streets]] of Springfield, causing a great deal of destruction. Lisa is proud of Grampa and the two reconcile.
+
The entire town starts to hate Grampa, and the expensive stadium has to be used for farmers' markets. Grampa is so depressed that he decides to seek out a doctor called Dr. Egoyan who will help him commit suicide. The doctor tells Grampa to reconsider, and Grampa decides that if anyone calls him in the next 24 hours, he won't go through with his plan. The call never comes and Grampa goes back to the clinic the next day. Grampa comes very close to being killed but the police show up just in time to stop it.
  
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==Trivia==
+
Grampa thinks he's dead and runs through the town, seeing "Hamburger Heaven" and a Charlie Chaplin impersonator. He soon learns that he isn't dead, gets a new lease of life and decides to live it up. Meanwhile, the city decides to turn the unused football stadium into an arena for bull fighting. Despite Lisa's protests, Grampa decides to become a matador. Grampa wins his first fight with a bull, but he decides that killing bulls isn't his forte and talks to Lisa about giving up. Grampa isn't sure, but in the next fight he sees the bull that he's about to kill and decides to spare its life. He releases all the bulls, which immediately start running through the streets of Springfield, causing a great deal of destruction. Lisa is proud of Grampa and the two reconcile, floating in the air by balloons attached to lawn chairs. However, two bulls start to fly up with balloons on their tails and horns, worrying Grampa and Lisa.
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*The teaser for the upcoming ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]'', which had previously only appeared during the previews for ''[[Ice Age: The Meltdown]]'', made its TV debut during this episode. Homer's dialogue is different: in the movie he expressed uncertainty; in the TV airing, he says "I forgot what I'm supposed to say!" Both versions end with him saying "Uh oh, we better get started" when the movie's release date of [[July 27]], [[2007]] is given.
 
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*When Abe is waiting for someone to call him, the simulated time lapse effect and music parody the movie ''[[Koyaanisqatsi]]'', a movie parodied seven years earlier in the episode "[[Hello Gutter, Hello Fadder]]".
 
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*The bodies of the [[Blue Man Group]] can be seen in the [[Las Vegas]] [[garbage barge]].
 
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*During the scene where the citizens of Springfield are running from the bulls, you can see a bearded man with a hat in the corner. He is modelled after long time Simpsons writer [[George Meyer]] and has appeared in several episodes, notably as one of the writers in "[[The Itchy & Scratchy & Poochie Show]]" and one of the bachelors in "[[Special Edna]]".
 
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*An outtake shown during the closing credits shows a young Abe "naming names" to the [[House Un-American Activities Committee]].
 
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*The sounds that can be heard in the basement when Homer was in there are:<br /> 1. Power tool whirling<br /> 2. Hammering<br /> 3. Typewriter key clanking, return carriage dings<br /> 4. Pinball machine jingling<br /> 5. Bowling pins falling<br /> 6. European siren wails<br /> 7. Children in a ghostly voice saying "Ring around the rosy."
 
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*The full name for the new Springfield Stadium is (as shown on Homer's model):<br /> DUFF BEER<br /> KRUSTYBURGER<br /> BUZZ COLA<br /> COSTINGTON'S DEPARTMENT STORE<br /> KWIK-E-MART<br /> STUPID FLANDERS<br /> PARK
 
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*The names [[Rob Reiner]] covered up with his first and last name  in the video are [[Carl Reiner]], his father, and [[Rob Lowe]].
 
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*The euthanasia machine Abe is hooked up to is called the diePod, an obvious spoof of the ever popular [[iPod]] series of MP3 players created by [[Apple Computer|Apple]].
 
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*This was the fourth episode of ''The Simpsons'' to be classified M in Australia. It received an advisory notice for "Adult themes". The episode premiered on [[Network Ten]] at 8.30pm, Tuesday 8th August, followed by a re-run of [[Treehouse of Horror XV]].
 
  
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==Cultural References==
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== Production ==
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*The title of this episode is a play on the 2004 movie, [[Million Dollar Baby]]
+
<gallery>
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*The celebrities who appear in the "Springfield Blows" video include [[Michael Jackson]], [[Jack Nicholson]], [[Steven Spielberg]], Jim Jam Bonks (The Simpsons' parody of [[Jar Jar Binks]]), [[The Who]], [[Bono]], [[Sting]], [[Barbra Streisand]], [[Sylvester Stallone]], [[Freddy Krueger]] and [[El Kabong]].
+
File:HABF09 Script.jpg
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*The [[euthanasia]] center is a spoof of the one in ''[[Soylent Green]]''.
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</gallery>
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*One of the options on the diePod's menu is "Megadeath", an allusion to the thrash metal band [[Megadeth]].
 
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*The Doctor that helps Grampa try to kill himself an obvious reference to [[Dr. Jack Kevorkian]].
 
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*The name of the [[Glenn Miller Orchestra]] song that Grampa requested may be pennyslvania 6-5000.
 
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*The song that plays when Abe 'lives it up' is ''[[Superman (R.E.M. song)|'Superman']]'' by [[R.E.M. (band)|R.E.M.]] from their 1986 album, ''[[Lifes Rich Pageant]]''.
 
  
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==Goofs==
+
== Reception ==
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*When Marge makes her comments about the bull taunter and bull stabber, she points to them conversely. When she mentions the bull taunter, the picador who lances the bull is shown.
+
As of April 2018, the episode has a 6.4 rating on {{W|IMDb}}<ref>[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0787753/ IMDb - "Million Dollar Abie"]</ref> and a 7.9 rating on {{W|TV.com}}.<ref>[http://www.tv.com/shows/the-simpsons/million-dollar-abie-594891/ TV.com - "Million Dollar Abie"]</ref>
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*After the diePod is hauled away, there is junk on the floor. In the next shot of the floor, it is clean.
 
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*When Maggie's words are translated it is revealed that she thinks Homer is her "bald mommy." However in [[Lisa's First Word]] she clearly knows who Homer is, as her first words were "Daddy."
 
  
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==Quotes==
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== International airdates ==
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*'''Grandpa:''' I thought he was gonna rob the house and steal all them pictures of Bert and Lucy!
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{{Airdates
 +
|UKdate=April 30, 2006
 +
|UKchannel=[[Channel 4]]
 +
|UKnote=
 +
|AUdate=August 8, 2006
 +
|AUchannel=
 +
|AUnote=
 +
}}
  
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*'''Dr. Egoyan:''' As you surrender your body, what musical and visual orientations would you like to experience?<br>'''Abe:''' I want to hear the [[Glenn Miller Orchestra]] and see cops beating up [[hippie]]s!
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== References ==
 +
{{Reflist}}
  
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*'''NFL Commissioner:''' ''(looking at street signs)'' The names on this map say Main Street and Evergreen Terrace, but all I can see are Two Point Conversion Avenue and Off-Season Knee Surgery Boulevard.
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{{Images|ep=yes}}
 +
{{season 17}}
 +
[[sv:Million Dollar Abie]]
  
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*'''Homer:''' You're a useless old man. Name one thing you do for this family! <br/> '''Grandpa:''' I watch the baby. <br/> '''Marge:''' Where is the baby? <br/> '''Grandpa:''' You left me with a baby?!
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[[Category:2006]]
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[[Category:Grampa episodes]]
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*'''Maggie (in baby talk with subtitles):''' Bald mommy is sure to fail!
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[[Category:Environment-themed episodes]]
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[[Category:Sport-themed episodes]]
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*'''Grampa:''' If I knock him out, I'll be a hero. And people will listen to my loose-brained nonsense.
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[[Category:Genesis Award winning episodes]]
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[[Category:Episodes written by Tim Long]]
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*'''Lyrics to "Springfield Blows":'''<br /> ''L.A. makes great movies<br /> And awesome TV shows<br /> Springfield don't make nothin'<br /> 'Cause Springfield blows<br /> Springfield blows ''(3 times)''<br />  Yes, Springfield blows<br />''
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[[Category:Episodes directed by Steven Dean Moore]]
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*'''Lisa:''' No wait, wait! Bullfighting is a cruel, pseudo-sport!<br /> '''Homer:''' Lisa's right! It is a cool, super sport!
 
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*'''Homer:''' I've come up with our team — the Springfield Meltdowns! And here is our stadium, sponsored by corporate naming. It's the ''[[Duff Beer]] [[Krusty Burger|Krustyburger]] [[List of products in The Simpsons#Buzz Cola|Buzz Cola]] Costington's Department Store [[Apu Nahasapeemapetilon|Kwik-E-Mart]] Stupid [[Ned Flanders|Flanders]] Park''! So, Homer do good? <br/> '''Marge:''' Homer do great! ''(they kiss)'' Uh, maybe Homer brush teeth first.
 
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*'''Young Abe:''' ''(at an [[House Un-American Activities Committee|HUAC]] meeting)'' I would like to name the following friends of mine as members of the [[Communist Party USA|Communist party]].<br /> '''Speaker:''' You're just here to test the microphone.<br /> '''Young Abe:''' Fred Wilson, my brother Bill, [[Dom DiMaggio]], the [[Paperboy|paper boy]], [[Howdy Doody]], [[Joseph Stalin|Josef Stalin]]... ''(gets removed by security guards)''
 
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*'''Sideshow Mel:''' "Touchdown Avenue"? Delightful!<br /> '''Jimbo:''' Who ya talkin' to? Your imaginary girlfriend?<br /> '''Sideshow Mel:''' Oh! Isn't your mother a well-known [[Prostitution|whore]]?<br /> '''Jimbo:''' ''(gasp)'' You win this round, Mel.
 
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*'''Dr. Egoyan (waiting for Grandpa to die):''' One more minute. <br/> ''([[Chief Wiggum]], Eddie, and Lou burst in)'' <br/> '''Wiggum:''' Freeze! The voters just overturned the assisted suicide law! <br/> '''Dr. Egoyan (getting handcuffed):''' I'll kill you all!...when the law is reversed. <br/> '''Wiggum:''' I'd like to see you try!...when the law is reversed.
 
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*'''Souvenir Jacket Guy:''' We should make the stadium a bull fighting ring. If the bull dies, the crowd goes wild. If Grandpa dies, the crowd goes wild. Either way, we make a fortune.
 
−
 
 
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*'''Lenny (after Grandpa opens the outer gate):''' I don't know what he's doing and I'm smart. Not [[book smart]] or [[street smart]] or brain smart, but something.
 
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==Broadcasting Information==
 
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'''[[United States|USA]]/[[Canada]]'''
 
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*'''1st Airdate:''' Sunday, [[April 2]], [[2006]]
 
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*'''2nd Airdate:''' Sunday, [[June 4]], [[2006]]
 
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'''[[United Kingdom|UK]]'''
 
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*'''1st Airdate:''' Sunday, [[April 30]], [[2006]]
 
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*'''2nd Airdate:''' Friday, [[May 5]], [[2006]] (Encore Screening)
 
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*'''3rd Airdate:''' Monday, [[August 7]], [[2006]]
 
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*'''4th Airdate:''' Tuesday, [[August 29]], [[2006]]
 
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'''[[Australia]]'''
 
−
*'''1st Airdate:''' Tuesday, [[August 8]], [[2006]]
 

Latest revision as of 13:16, March 28, 2024

Season 17 Episode
← 371 "Homer Simpson, This Is Your Wife"
372
"Million-Dollar Abie"
"Kiss Kiss Bang Bangalore" 373 →
"Million-Dollar Abie"
Million Dollar Abie.png
Episode Information
Episode number: 372
Season number: S17 E16
Production code: HABF09
Original airdate: April 2, 2006
Chalkboard gag: I will not flip the classroom upside down. (during this sequence, the classroom is upside down)
Couch gag: The Simpsons sit down on the couch as normal. A TiVo menu pops up, asking the viewer if he'd like to save the recording or delete it. "Delete This Recording" is chosen and the screen goes black.
Guest star(s): Rob Reiner as himself
Showrunner: Al Jean
Written by: Tim Long
Directed by: Steven Dean Moore


"Million-Dollar Abie" the sixteenth episode of season 17 of The Simpsons and the three-hundred and seventy-second episode overall. It originally aired on April 2, 2006. The episode was written by Tim Long and directed by Steven Dean Moore. It guest stars Rob Reiner as himself.

Synopsis[edit]

"After blowing Springfield's chances for an NFL franchise, Grampa goes to an assisted-suicide center, then becomes a bullfighter."


Plot[edit]

When it is announced that the commissioner of Pro Football (Bud Armstrong) wants to expand the league, Homer leads the charge to get the new franchise in Springfield. At first his family doesn't think he could do it, but Homer manages to put forth a surprisingly strong package for the Springfield Meltdowns and the new Duff Beer Krusty Burger Buzz Cola Costington's Department Store Kwik-E-Mart Stupid Flanders Park.

The commissioner narrows down the choice of the two cities to either Springfield or Los Angeles. L.A. puts forth an anti-Springfield video hosted by Rob Reiner and features a song sung by celebrity impersonators that ends with them singing "Springfield Blows". All the owners decide that Springfield is the lesser of two evils, plus they're sick of L.A getting everything, and the Commissioner awards the new team to Springfield. The town gets "Meltmania" and "Down syndrome" and quickly builds Homer's new park and paints the town in the team colors (orange and purple) and changes all of street names to football related names.

On the day when Springfield is officially announced as the new team, the Commissioner gets confused by all of the new street names and gets lost. He stops for directions at the Simpsons' house and is greeted by Grampa, who welcomes him in. However, Grampa starts to fear that the commissioner is a burglar after watching the TV show 48 Minutes, and attacks him and ties him up. The rest of the family arrives home disappointed that the commissioner didn't show and is shocked to find him tied up in their living room. The commissioner is so angry that he declares that the Meltdowns will never be and leaves, never to return.

The entire town starts to hate Grampa, and the expensive stadium has to be used for farmers' markets. Grampa is so depressed that he decides to seek out a doctor called Dr. Egoyan who will help him commit suicide. The doctor tells Grampa to reconsider, and Grampa decides that if anyone calls him in the next 24 hours, he won't go through with his plan. The call never comes and Grampa goes back to the clinic the next day. Grampa comes very close to being killed but the police show up just in time to stop it.

Grampa thinks he's dead and runs through the town, seeing "Hamburger Heaven" and a Charlie Chaplin impersonator. He soon learns that he isn't dead, gets a new lease of life and decides to live it up. Meanwhile, the city decides to turn the unused football stadium into an arena for bull fighting. Despite Lisa's protests, Grampa decides to become a matador. Grampa wins his first fight with a bull, but he decides that killing bulls isn't his forte and talks to Lisa about giving up. Grampa isn't sure, but in the next fight he sees the bull that he's about to kill and decides to spare its life. He releases all the bulls, which immediately start running through the streets of Springfield, causing a great deal of destruction. Lisa is proud of Grampa and the two reconcile, floating in the air by balloons attached to lawn chairs. However, two bulls start to fly up with balloons on their tails and horns, worrying Grampa and Lisa.

Production[edit]

  • HABF09 Script.jpg

Reception[edit]

As of April 2018, the episode has a 6.4 rating on IMDb[1] and a 7.9 rating on TV.com.[2]

International airdates[edit]

Country Date Channel Note
Flag of Australia.png Australia August 8, 2006
800px-Flag of the United Kingdom.svg.png United Kingdom April 30, 2006 Channel 4

References[edit]

  1. ↑ IMDb - "Million Dollar Abie"
  2. ↑ TV.com - "Million Dollar Abie"


The Saga of Carl - title screen.png Wikisimpsons has a collection of images related to "Million-Dollar Abie".
Season 17 Episodes
The Bonfire of the Manatees • The Girl Who Slept Too Little • Milhouse of Sand and Fog • Treehouse of Horror XVI • Marge's Son Poisoning • See Homer Run • The Last of the Red Hat Mamas • The Italian Bob • Simpsons Christmas Stories • Homer's Paternity Coot • We're on the Road to D'ohwhere • My Fair Laddy • The Seemingly Never-Ending Story • Bart Has Two Mommies • Homer Simpson, This Is Your Wife • Million-Dollar Abie • Kiss Kiss Bang Bangalore • The Wettest Stories Ever Told • Girls Just Want to Have Sums • Regarding Margie • The Monkey Suit • Marge and Homer Turn a Couple Play
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