• New article from the Springfield Shopper: The Simpsons are trapped on a flight from Hell this December!
  • New article from the Springfield Shopper: A Sneak Peek for “Treehouse of Horror Presents: Simpsons Wicked This Way Comes” has been released!
  • New article from the Springfield Shopper: Season 36 News: Even more Preview Images for “O C’mon All Ye Faithful” have been released!
  • Wikisimpsons needs more Featured Article, Picture, Quote, Episode and Comprehensive article nominations!
  • Wikisimpsons has a Discord server! Click here for your invite! Join to talk about the wiki, Simpsons and Tapped Out news, or just to talk to other users.
  • Make an account! It's easy, free, and your work on the wiki can be attributed to you.
TwitterFacebookDiscord

Difference between revisions of "Midnight Towboy"

Wikisimpsons - The Simpsons Wiki
(New page: {{Infobox Simpsons episode | episode_name = Midnight Towboy | image = 250px | image_caption = Homer and Louie (Matt Dillon) | episode_no = 40...)
 
m (top: replaced: |showrunner=Al Jean → |showrunner1= Al Jean)
 
(57 intermediate revisions by 30 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Infobox Simpsons episode
+
{{Tab}}
| episode_name = Midnight Towboy
+
{{EpisodePrevNext|The Homer of Seville|I Don't Wanna Know Why the Caged Bird Sings}}
| image        = [[Image:Homer-and-matt-dilon.jpg|250px]]
+
{{Episode
| image_caption = Homer and Louie ([[Matt Dillon]])
+
|image=Midnight Towboy.png
| episode_no = 403
+
|number= 403
| prod_code = JABF21
+
|season=19
| airdate = [[October 7]], [[2007]]
+
|snumber=3
| writer = Stephanie Gillis
+
|prodcode=JABF21
| director = [[Matthew Nastuk]]
+
|airdate=October 7, [[2007]]
| guest_star = [[Matt Dillon]] as Louie
+
|couchgag=The Simpsons are Legos and Homer is accidentally given a full head of hair which is removed making Homer say [[D'oh]].
| blackboard =  
+
|guests={{ap|Matt Dillon|guest star}} as {{ap|Louie|Midnight Towboy}}
| couch_gag = The family is built out of [[Lego]] bricks, in a Lego living room. Homer is accidently built with hair, but it is then removed.
+
|showrunner1= Al Jean
| season =  
+
|writer=[[Stephanie Gillis]]
 +
|director=[[Matthew Nastuk]]
 
}}
 
}}
  
"'''Midnight Towboy'''" is the third episode of ''[[The Simpsons]]''<nowiki>'</nowiki> [[The Simpsons (season 19)|nineteenth season]]. Guest starring [[Matt Dillon]] as Louie.
+
"'''Midnight Towboy'''" is the third episode of [[season 19]] of ''[[The Simpsons]]'' and the four-hundred and third episode overall. It originally aired on October 7, [[2007]]. The episode was written by [[Stephanie Gillis]] and directed by [[Matthew Nastuk]]. It guest stars {{ap|Matt Dillon|guest star}} as {{ap|Louie|Midnight Towboy}}.
  
==Plot==
+
== Synopsis ==
The episode begins with [[Marge Simpson|Marge]] putting [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]] to bed, however Maggie refuses to leave Marge's arms. After Maggie's attachment towards Marge causes a jar of milk to be spilled, Marge (with difficulty) attempts to email "C.R.I.E" (Creative Responses for Independent Edu-loving), a group which enables attached children to be more independent.  
+
{{Desc|[[Homer]] gets a job as a tow truck driver, but when he starts towing almost every car in [[Springfield]], his friends try to make {{ap|Louie|Midnight Towboy}}, his boss, trap Homer towing a car in Louie's territory.}}
  
Meanwhile, Homer finds out the [[Kwik-E-Mart]] does not have any more milk, so he takes a trip past [[Shelbyville (The Simpsons)|Shelbyville]] and [[List of fictional places on The Simpsons#Brockway and Ogdenville|Ogdenville]] to Guidopolis, a sleazy-looking town where everyone speaks with a [[New Jersey]] accent. He goes to the "Mook-E-Mart", and purchases milk and ends up having his car towed by a man named Louie. Louie shows Homer the joy of towing cars for a living, and will agree to help Homer become a successful [[tow truck]] driver if, and only if Homer would "stay off [his] turf". Homer then becomes [[Springfield (the Simpsons)|Springfield]]'s tow truck driver.  
+
== Plot ==
 +
The episode begins with [[Marge]] putting [[Maggie]] to bed, however Maggie refuses to leave Marge's arms. After Maggie's attachment towards Marge causes a jar of milk to be spilled, Marge (with difficulty) attempts to email "C.R.I.E" (Creative Responses for Independent Edu-loving), a group which enables attached children to be more independent.
  
At home, a woman dressed in attire similar to those of a hippie arrives to help Marge with Maggie's independence. After the woman orders Marge to leave Maggie alone in the room, Maggie's cry makes Marge desperate to hug Maggie; however the woman explains that "hugs are drugs, and [Maggie] is addicted". After rushing to the living room, she finds Maggie is happily building her own blocks, which spells "I'm OK". Later, a more independent Maggie climbs on a table leg in the kitchen, picks up a book and banana and seats herself in her high-chair, much to Marge's sad disappointment that she's no longer needed.  
+
Meanwhile, Homer finds out the [[Kwik-E-Mart]] does not have any more milk, so he takes a trip past [[Shelbyville]] and [[Ogdenville]] to [[Guidopolis]], a sleazy-looking town where everyone speaks with a New Jersey accent. He goes to the "Mook-E-Mart", and purchases milk and ends up having his car towed by a man named Louie. Louie shows Homer the joy of towing cars for a living, and will agree to help Homer become a successful tow truck driver if, and only if Homer would "stay off [his] turf". Homer then becomes [[Springfield]]'s tow truck driver.
  
Homer then becomes a successful tow truck driver, going even as far as to tow down [[List of celebrities in The Simpsons#Arnie Pie|Arnie Pie]]'s helicopter. After a brief celebration at Moe's, he then tows [[Lenny Leonard|Lenny]]'s car, [[Seymour Skinner|Principal Skinner]]'s car, as well as the Sunday School bus, causing [[Ned Flanders|Ned]] to sardonically call Homer, "Towmer". The residents of Springfield begin getting frustrated with Homer's continuing tow-antics, so they plan a revenge upon him. They put a car in Guidopolis (however, they cover the city limits sign with one saying "You're still in Springfield") beside a fire hydrant. They then spray on a handicap parking only logo near the car's parking spot and stuff multiple tickets under the windshield wipers, with the intention of luring Homer to Guidopolis.  
+
At home, a woman dressed in attire similar to those of a hippie arrives to help Marge with Maggie's independence. After the woman orders Marge to leave Maggie alone in the room, Maggie's cry makes Marge desperate to hug Maggie; however the woman explains that "hugs are drugs, and (Maggie) is addicted". After rushing to the living room, she finds Maggie is happily building her own blocks, which spells "IMOK". Later, a more independent Maggie climbs on a table leg in the kitchen, picks up a book and banana and seats herself in her high-chair, much to Marge's sad disappointment that she's no longer needed.
  
At home, Maggie clips her own toenails with a pair of [[scissors]], clips a wad of her hair out, and makes her very own "baby book". After seeing her more independent, Marge begins to miss her, so she bonds with a sack of [[potatoe]]s. At Guidopolis, Homer becomes abducted by Louie who keeps him in a traphole in his basement with other tow truck drivers who trespassed his area, where he bonds with them.  
+
Homer then becomes a successful tow truck driver, going even as far as to tow down [[Arnie Pye]]'s helicopter. After a brief celebration at Moe's, he then tows [[Lenny]]'s car, [[Principal Skinner]]'s car, as well as the Sunday School bus, causing [[Ned]] to sardonically call Homer, "Towmer". The residents of Springfield begin getting frustrated with Homer's continuing tow-antics, so they plan a revenge upon him. They put a car in Guidopolis (however, they cover the city limits sign with one saying "You're still in Springfield") beside a fire hydrant. They then spray on a handicap parking only logo near the car's parking spot and stuff multiple tickets under the windshield wipers, with the intention of luring Homer to Guidopolis.
  
Homer's absence causes parking pandemonium. Lenny and [[Carl Carlson|Carl]] park in the handicap area, [[Agnes Skinner]] parks sideways, [[Rainier Wolfcastle]] parks his truck on top of her, [[List of celebrities in The Simpsons#Duffman|Duffman]] lowered his blimp down, the [[List of recurring characters from The Simpsons#Sea Captain|Sea Captain]] brings his ship on the sidewalk, and a train truck driver crashes through it all. Marge worries about Homer, who had not returned home for four days. Maggie, worried for her father and mother's happiness uses her newfound independent abilities to save Homer by riding on [[Santa's Little Helper]] through the night to Guidopolis. A humble Maggie rescues Homer from the cellar, and returns home with Homer. After giving the sack of potatoes a punch, Maggie gives Marge her pacifier and hugs Marge, reuniting with her.
+
At home, Maggie clips her own toenails with a pair of scissors, clips a wad of her hair out, and makes her very own "baby book". After seeing her more independent, Marge begins to miss her, so she bonds with a sack of potatoes, just to fill the void of losing her formerly clingy daughter, Maggie who is now independent. At Guidopolis, Homer becomes abducted by Louie who keeps him in a trap hole in his basement with other tow truck drivers who trespassed his area, where he bonds with them.
  
==Cultural references==
+
Homer's absence causes parking pandemonium. Lenny and [[Carl]] park in the handicap area, [[Agnes Skinner]] parks sideways, [[Rainier Wolfcastle]] parks his truck on top of her, [[Duffman]] lowered his blimp down, the [[Captain Horatio McCallister|Sea Captain]] brings his ship on the sidewalk, and a train truck driver crashes through it all. Marge worries about Homer, who had not returned home for four days. Maggie, worried for her father and mother's happiness uses her new found independent abilities to save Homer by riding on [[Santa's Little Helper]] through the night to Guidopolis. On her way their, we see how powerful the traffic is; the traffic is so bad that it's ridiculous, barely anyone goes out without getting in a crash, and it keeps getting worse. A humble Maggie rescues Homer from the cellar, and returns home with Homer. After giving the sack of potatoes a punch, Maggie gives Marge her pacifier and hugs Marge, reuniting with her.
*The episode title is a reference to the 1969 film ''[[Midnight Cowboy]]''.
 
*When Homer is seen singing [[Shout!]] while dressed in a toga, riding a motorbike down the stairs, it is a reference to [[Animal House]], possibly extending to repeat useage of "[[Under the Boardwalk]]", by [[The Drifters]].
 
*When Homer cries, it is a reference to the phrase, ''don't cry over spilled milk''.
 
*Guidopolis is a referece to an [[Italian American]] life style called [[Guido]]
 
  
===Soundtrack===
+
== Production ==
*The song played when Homer drives into Guidopolis is "On the Dark Side" by [[John Cafferty]] and the [[Beaver Brown Band]], which was featured on the soundtrack of the 1983 movie ''[[Eddie and the Cruisers]]''.
+
<gallery>
*The song played when Homer is being driven by Louie is "[[Cochise (song)|Cochise]]" by [[Audioslave]].
+
File:JABF21 Script.jpg
*The song played when Homer is trapped in Louie's basement with the other captives is "[[Under the Boardwalk]]", by [[The Drifters]].
+
</gallery>
  
==Reception==
+
== Reception ==
Robert Canning of ''[[IGN]]'' gave the episode 7.4/10, calling it a "solid, funny episode". He felt that "The odd scene involving the Duff blimp, the Sea Captain's pirate ship and a train engine driving through the streets was simply too ridiculous not to be funny."<ref>{{cite news | author = Robert Canning | title = The Simpsons: "Midnight Towboy" Review | publisher = [[IGN]] | date = [[2007-10-08]] | url = http://tv.ign.com/articles/825/825523p1.html | accessdate=2007-10-09}}</ref>
+
The episode had 7.8 million viewers in its original broadcast. Robert Canning of ''IGN'' gave the episode 7.4/10, calling it a "solid, funny episode". He felt that "The odd scene involving the Duff blimp, the Sea Captain's pirate ship and a train engine driving through the streets was simply too ridiculous not to be funny."
  
==References==
+
{{Images|ep=yes}}
{{Reflist}}
+
{{season 19}}
  
==External links==
+
[[Category:2007]]
*[http://www.thesimpsons.com/episode_guide/1903.htm "Midnight Towboy"] at The Simpsons.com
+
[[Category:Homer episodes]]
 +
[[Category:Maggie episodes]]
 +
[[Category:Episodes written by Stephanie Gillis]]
 +
[[Category:Episodes directed by Matthew Nastuk]]
  
[[Category:Episodes]]
+
[[sv:Midnight Towboy]]

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

Season 19 Episode
402 "The Homer of Seville"
403
"Midnight Towboy"
"I Don't Wanna Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" 404
"Midnight Towboy"
Midnight Towboy.png
Episode Information
Episode number: 403
Season number: S19 E3
Production code: JABF21
Original airdate: October 7, 2007
Couch gag: The Simpsons are Legos and Homer is accidentally given a full head of hair which is removed making Homer say D'oh.
Guest star(s): Matt Dillon as Louie
Showrunner: Al Jean
Written by: Stephanie Gillis
Directed by: Matthew Nastuk


"Midnight Towboy" is the third episode of season 19 of The Simpsons and the four-hundred and third episode overall. It originally aired on October 7, 2007. The episode was written by Stephanie Gillis and directed by Matthew Nastuk. It guest stars Matt Dillon as Louie.

Synopsis[edit]

"Homer gets a job as a tow truck driver, but when he starts towing almost every car in Springfield, his friends try to make Louie, his boss, trap Homer towing a car in Louie's territory."


Plot[edit]

The episode begins with Marge putting Maggie to bed, however Maggie refuses to leave Marge's arms. After Maggie's attachment towards Marge causes a jar of milk to be spilled, Marge (with difficulty) attempts to email "C.R.I.E" (Creative Responses for Independent Edu-loving), a group which enables attached children to be more independent.

Meanwhile, Homer finds out the Kwik-E-Mart does not have any more milk, so he takes a trip past Shelbyville and Ogdenville to Guidopolis, a sleazy-looking town where everyone speaks with a New Jersey accent. He goes to the "Mook-E-Mart", and purchases milk and ends up having his car towed by a man named Louie. Louie shows Homer the joy of towing cars for a living, and will agree to help Homer become a successful tow truck driver if, and only if Homer would "stay off [his] turf". Homer then becomes Springfield's tow truck driver.

At home, a woman dressed in attire similar to those of a hippie arrives to help Marge with Maggie's independence. After the woman orders Marge to leave Maggie alone in the room, Maggie's cry makes Marge desperate to hug Maggie; however the woman explains that "hugs are drugs, and (Maggie) is addicted". After rushing to the living room, she finds Maggie is happily building her own blocks, which spells "IMOK". Later, a more independent Maggie climbs on a table leg in the kitchen, picks up a book and banana and seats herself in her high-chair, much to Marge's sad disappointment that she's no longer needed.

Homer then becomes a successful tow truck driver, going even as far as to tow down Arnie Pye's helicopter. After a brief celebration at Moe's, he then tows Lenny's car, Principal Skinner's car, as well as the Sunday School bus, causing Ned to sardonically call Homer, "Towmer". The residents of Springfield begin getting frustrated with Homer's continuing tow-antics, so they plan a revenge upon him. They put a car in Guidopolis (however, they cover the city limits sign with one saying "You're still in Springfield") beside a fire hydrant. They then spray on a handicap parking only logo near the car's parking spot and stuff multiple tickets under the windshield wipers, with the intention of luring Homer to Guidopolis.

At home, Maggie clips her own toenails with a pair of scissors, clips a wad of her hair out, and makes her very own "baby book". After seeing her more independent, Marge begins to miss her, so she bonds with a sack of potatoes, just to fill the void of losing her formerly clingy daughter, Maggie who is now independent. At Guidopolis, Homer becomes abducted by Louie who keeps him in a trap hole in his basement with other tow truck drivers who trespassed his area, where he bonds with them.

Homer's absence causes parking pandemonium. Lenny and Carl park in the handicap area, Agnes Skinner parks sideways, Rainier Wolfcastle parks his truck on top of her, Duffman lowered his blimp down, the Sea Captain brings his ship on the sidewalk, and a train truck driver crashes through it all. Marge worries about Homer, who had not returned home for four days. Maggie, worried for her father and mother's happiness uses her new found independent abilities to save Homer by riding on Santa's Little Helper through the night to Guidopolis. On her way their, we see how powerful the traffic is; the traffic is so bad that it's ridiculous, barely anyone goes out without getting in a crash, and it keeps getting worse. A humble Maggie rescues Homer from the cellar, and returns home with Homer. After giving the sack of potatoes a punch, Maggie gives Marge her pacifier and hugs Marge, reuniting with her.

Production[edit]

Reception[edit]

The episode had 7.8 million viewers in its original broadcast. Robert Canning of IGN gave the episode 7.4/10, calling it a "solid, funny episode". He felt that "The odd scene involving the Duff blimp, the Sea Captain's pirate ship and a train engine driving through the streets was simply too ridiculous not to be funny."


The Saga of Carl - title screen.png Wikisimpsons has a collection of images related to "Midnight Towboy".
Season 19 Episodes
He Loves to Fly and He D'ohs The Homer of Seville Midnight Towboy I Don't Wanna Know Why the Caged Bird Sings Treehouse of Horror XVIII Little Orphan Millie Husbands and Knives Funeral for a Fiend Eternal Moonshine of the Simpson Mind E Pluribus Wiggum That '90s Show Love, Springfieldian Style The Debarted Dial "N" for Nerder Smoke on the Daughter Papa Don't Leech Apocalypse Cow Any Given Sundance Mona Leaves-a All About Lisa