• New article from the Springfield Shopper: Krusty’s aunt helps repair Homer’s relationship with Patty and Selma this December!
  • 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 "White Christmas Blues"

Wikisimpsons - The Simpsons Wiki
m (Reception)
 
(29 intermediate revisions by 8 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
 +
{{Icons||FE}}
 
{{Tab}}
 
{{Tab}}
 
{{EpisodePrevNext|Yellow Subterfuge|Steal This Episode}}
 
{{EpisodePrevNext|Yellow Subterfuge|Steal This Episode}}
 
{{Episode
 
{{Episode
|image= White Christmas Blues promo.jpg
+
|image= White Christmas Blues promo 1.png
|productionCode= SABF01<ref>[https://twitter.com/mxedtr/status/403958109296545793 Chris Ledesma Twitter]</ref>
+
|number= 538
|originalAirdate= December 15, [[2013]]<ref name="SpoilerTV Fox Holiday Themed Episodes 2013"/>
+
|season=25
|blackboardText= I will not call my teacher "Prancer" and "Vixen"
+
|snumber=8
|couchGag=
+
|prodcode= SABF01
|titlescreen=
+
|airdate= December 15, [[2013]]
|billboard=
+
|titlescreen=[[Barney]] and his reindeer fly towards the screen.
|specialGuestVoices=
+
|blackboard= I will not call my teacher "Prancer" and "Vixen"
|Show Runner= [[Al Jean]]
+
|couchgag= The family, dressed as elves, stand in front of the couch. They then get Victorian clothes and an old time filter with the text "'Twas the Couch Gag Before Christmas" over the top.
|Written By=[[Don Payne]]
+
|billboard= [[Krusty]]'s Kristmas Karol - With [[Sideshow Bob]] Hatchet
|Directed By=[[Steven Dean Moore]]
+
|showrunner1= Al Jean
|Episode Number= 538
+
|writer= [[Don Payne]]
 +
|director= [[Steven Dean Moore]]
 
}}
 
}}
  
'''"White Christmas Blues"''' is a Christmas-themed episode and the 8th episode of [[season 25]], that was aired in December 15, 2013<ref name="SpoilerTV Fox Holiday Themed Episodes 2013"/>. It was written by the late [[Don Payne]].<ref name="DonPayne">[http://tv.yahoo.com/news/r-p-don-payne-152031803.html Yahoo! News - R.I.P. Don Payne]</ref> It was the first Christmas episode since "[[Holidays of Future Passed]]" and the sixteenth Christmas episode of the show.
+
'''"White Christmas Blues"''' is the eighth episode of [[season 25]] of ''[[The Simpsons]]'' and the five-hundred and thirty-eighth episode overall. It originally aired on December 15, [[2013]]. The episode was written by [[Don Payne]] and directed by [[Steven Dean Moore]].
  
 
== Synopsis ==
 
== Synopsis ==
Springfield is inundated with holiday revelers after the nuclear power plant springs a radiation leak, causing snow to fall all over town. When the tourists drive up Christmas shopping prices, Marge opens up the Simpsons’ house to boarders.<ref name="SpoilerTV Fox Holiday Themed Episodes 2013">[http://www.spoilertv.com/2013/11/fox-holiday-themed-episodes-various.html#ixzz2l8bULiyl SpoilerTV Fox Holiday Themed Episodes 2013]</ref> The venture quickly becomes disastrous and destroys the holiday for the Simpsons. To try to entertain their guests, the Simpsons watch many dreadful TV holiday specials, including "the snow king who ate his children".<ref name="Ho-Ho-Ho-mer in another holiday special">[http://www.thestarphoenix.com/life/another+holiday+special/9232022/story.html Ho-Ho-Ho-mer in another holiday special]</ref>
+
{{Desc|[[Springfield]] is inundated with holiday revelers after the [[nuclear power plant]] springs a radiation leak, causing snow to fall all over town. When the tourists drive up Christmas shopping prices, [[Marge]] opens up [[742 Evergreen Terrace|the Simpsons' house]] to boarders.}}
During one fantasy sequence, the baby Jesus attends the Cornell School of Hotel Management.<ref name="Ho-Ho-Ho-mer in another holiday special"/>
+
 
Homer certainly thinks 'Christmas isn't commercial enough' when Lisa gives him radish seeds for her present.<ref name="Ho-Ho-Ho-mer in another holiday special"/>
+
== Plot ==
 +
After watching ''[[The Itchy & Scratchy Show]]'' episode "{{ap|It's a Wonderful Knife|White Christmas Blues}}", a news broadcast comes on saying that there will be no snow at [[Christmas]] due to global warming. As the Simpsons get ready for a year without snow, Homer goes outside to his hammock. However, he realizes that it was snowing, which made him and the kids happy. At a town meeting in the [[Town Square]], [[Professor Frink]] points out that the snow is only in [[Springfield]] due to the radiation from the [[Springfield Nuclear Power Plant]] and the particles from the [[Springfield Tire Fire]]. This leads to an influx of tourists coming to Springfield to have Christmas in the snow.
 +
 
 +
Due to the amount of tourists flooding into town, prices rise and supplies dwindle. This leads to Marge struggling to provide a decent Christmas for her family. As Marge was going into the house after shopping, a family approached her in their car and asked if they could rent a room for $300 a night from her as everywhere in town was booked up. Marge reluctantly agrees because she needs the money and lets them stay in the rec room. When Homer gets back home, he's shocked to find that Marge is having them share the house with strangers. However, he accepts it after he imagines what [[Baby Jesus]] would do in his place.
 +
 
 +
Whilst Homer and Marge look after the adults, [[Bart]] looks after the kids, letting them play video games and quarantining the girls because they have cooties. At the [[First Church of Springfield]], [[Reverend Lovejoy]] prepares for his big Christmas sermon and manages to write a sermon that he thinks is good. When he goes to read the sermon, he wins over the attendees and they leave with a positive message. Back at the Simpson house, as Homer and Marge struggle to look after their boarders, they become more weary of them all and start to lose their patience.
 +
 
 +
Lisa goes shopping at [[Towne Centre at Springfielde Glenne]] to find thoughtful presents for her family. Whilst there, Lisa learns that the [[Leftorium]] has shut down and been replaced with the [[Leftorium Express]]. Lisa finds everyone's presents and eventually finds a gift for Bart. Back at home, the boarders sing carols with [[Grampa]] playing the piano. Marge begins to lose her temper with the boarders and starts snapping at them all. Christmas Day arrives and Lisa shares her presents with everyone, but her gifts disappoint everyone. Bart was most disappointed as he got a copy of ''[[Treasure Island]]'', a book which he didn't care about. That night, a page from the book flies through Lisa's window and she finds that Bart is burning it, which upsets her. Bart tells Lisa that she only got everyone those gifts to make herself feel better, not make anyone else happy.
 +
 
 +
Lisa realizes that Bart was right and gets him a tablet to use instead of the book. As the boarders get ready to leave, Marge feels bad about the way she acted towards them. As Marge apologizes to the boarders, they sing "{{ap|We Wish You a Merry Christmas|White Christmas Blues}}" to her and the family, thanking them for taking them in. They then sing "{{ap|Good King Wenceslas|White Christmas Blues}}", which Marge doesn't like so she leaves and uses the blender to drown it out.
  
 
== Production ==
 
== Production ==
 +
This episode had a Christmas-version of the opening sequence.
 
<gallery>
 
<gallery>
 
File:White Christmas Blues script.png|Script for the Episode
 
File:White Christmas Blues script.png|Script for the Episode
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>
 +
 +
== Reception ==
 +
In its initial airing, the episode received a 3.5 rating and was watched by a total of 8.48 million people. This made it the highest watched show on Animation Domination that night.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20131217223916/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2013/12/17/sunday-final-ratings-60-minutes-adjusted-down-no-adjustment-for-revenge-or-survivor/222961/ TV by the Numbers - "Sunday Final Ratings: '60 Minutes' Adjusted Down, No Adjustment for 'Revenge' or 'Survivor'"] (archived on {{W|Wayback Machine}})</ref>
 +
 +
Dennis Perkins of {{W|The A.V. Club}} gave the episode a C rating. He complained about the episode being padded out with an extended opening sequence and multiple sight gags that made the episode "thinner". He also talked about how the episode took too long to reach its main plot after multiple fake-outs.<ref>[https://www.avclub.com/the-simpsons-white-christmas-blues-1798179005 The A.V. Club - "The Simpsons: "White Christmas Blues""]</ref>
 +
 +
As of November [[2024]], "White Christmas Blues" has a 6.4 rating on {{W|IMDb}}.<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2930952/ IMDb - "White Christmas Blues"]</ref>
  
 
== International premieres ==
 
== International premieres ==
 
{{Airdates
 
{{Airdates
|esLAdate= June 22, 2014; 8:30PM (Argentina Time)
+
|esLAdate= June 22, [[2014]]; 8:30PM (Argentina Time)
 
|esLAchannel= {{W|Fox Latin America|Fox Latin America}}
 
|esLAchannel= {{W|Fox Latin America|Fox Latin America}}
 
|esLAnote=
 
|esLAnote=
Line 36: Line 55:
  
 
== Gallery ==
 
== Gallery ==
{{Images|White Christmas Blues}}
 
 
<gallery>
 
<gallery>
File:White Christmas Blues promo1.jpg
+
File:White Christmas Blues promo 2.png
File:White Christmas Blues promo2.jpg
+
File:White Christmas Blues promo 3.png
File:White Christmas Blues promo3.jpg
+
File:White Christmas Blues promo 4.png
File:White Christmas Blues promo4.jpg
+
File:White Christmas Blues promo 5.png
File:White Christmas Blues promo5.jpg
+
File:White Christmas Blues promo 6.png
File:White Christmas Blues promo6.jpg
+
File:White Christmas Blues promo 7.png
File:White Christmas Blues promo7.jpg
+
File:White Christmas Blues promo 8.png
File:White Christmas Blues promo8.jpg
+
File:White Christmas Blues promo 9.png
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>
 
== External links ==
 
*{{Youtube|1Een6omgk74|Couch gag for the episode}}
 
*{{Youtube|cALik8CoUy4|"Romantic Wagon Ride" clip}}
 
  
 
== References ==
 
== References ==
 
{{Reflist}}
 
{{Reflist}}
  
 +
{{Images|ep=yes}}
 
{{Season 25}}
 
{{Season 25}}
  
 +
[[Category:2013]]
 +
[[Category:Simpson family episodes]]
 
[[Category:Christmas episodes]]
 
[[Category:Christmas episodes]]
[[Category:2013]]
+
[[Category:Episodes written by Don Payne]]
 +
[[Category:Episodes directed by Steven Dean Moore]]
  
 
[[sv:White Christmas Blues]]
 
[[sv:White Christmas Blues]]

Latest revision as of 09:39, November 26, 2024

Season 25 Episode
537 "Yellow Subterfuge"
538
"White Christmas Blues"
"Steal This Episode" 539
"White Christmas Blues"
White Christmas Blues promo 1.png
Episode Information
Episode number: 538
Season number: S25 E8
Production code: SABF01
Original airdate: December 15, 2013
Title screen: Barney and his reindeer fly towards the screen.
Billboard gag: Krusty's Kristmas Karol - With Sideshow Bob Hatchet
Chalkboard gag: I will not call my teacher "Prancer" and "Vixen"
Couch gag: The family, dressed as elves, stand in front of the couch. They then get Victorian clothes and an old time filter with the text "'Twas the Couch Gag Before Christmas" over the top.
Showrunner: Al Jean
Written by: Don Payne
Directed by: Steven Dean Moore


"White Christmas Blues" is the eighth episode of season 25 of The Simpsons and the five-hundred and thirty-eighth episode overall. It originally aired on December 15, 2013. The episode was written by Don Payne and directed by Steven Dean Moore.

Synopsis[edit]

"Springfield is inundated with holiday revelers after the nuclear power plant springs a radiation leak, causing snow to fall all over town. When the tourists drive up Christmas shopping prices, Marge opens up the Simpsons' house to boarders."


Plot[edit]

After watching The Itchy & Scratchy Show episode "It's a Wonderful Knife", a news broadcast comes on saying that there will be no snow at Christmas due to global warming. As the Simpsons get ready for a year without snow, Homer goes outside to his hammock. However, he realizes that it was snowing, which made him and the kids happy. At a town meeting in the Town Square, Professor Frink points out that the snow is only in Springfield due to the radiation from the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant and the particles from the Springfield Tire Fire. This leads to an influx of tourists coming to Springfield to have Christmas in the snow.

Due to the amount of tourists flooding into town, prices rise and supplies dwindle. This leads to Marge struggling to provide a decent Christmas for her family. As Marge was going into the house after shopping, a family approached her in their car and asked if they could rent a room for $300 a night from her as everywhere in town was booked up. Marge reluctantly agrees because she needs the money and lets them stay in the rec room. When Homer gets back home, he's shocked to find that Marge is having them share the house with strangers. However, he accepts it after he imagines what Baby Jesus would do in his place.

Whilst Homer and Marge look after the adults, Bart looks after the kids, letting them play video games and quarantining the girls because they have cooties. At the First Church of Springfield, Reverend Lovejoy prepares for his big Christmas sermon and manages to write a sermon that he thinks is good. When he goes to read the sermon, he wins over the attendees and they leave with a positive message. Back at the Simpson house, as Homer and Marge struggle to look after their boarders, they become more weary of them all and start to lose their patience.

Lisa goes shopping at Towne Centre at Springfielde Glenne to find thoughtful presents for her family. Whilst there, Lisa learns that the Leftorium has shut down and been replaced with the Leftorium Express. Lisa finds everyone's presents and eventually finds a gift for Bart. Back at home, the boarders sing carols with Grampa playing the piano. Marge begins to lose her temper with the boarders and starts snapping at them all. Christmas Day arrives and Lisa shares her presents with everyone, but her gifts disappoint everyone. Bart was most disappointed as he got a copy of Treasure Island, a book which he didn't care about. That night, a page from the book flies through Lisa's window and she finds that Bart is burning it, which upsets her. Bart tells Lisa that she only got everyone those gifts to make herself feel better, not make anyone else happy.

Lisa realizes that Bart was right and gets him a tablet to use instead of the book. As the boarders get ready to leave, Marge feels bad about the way she acted towards them. As Marge apologizes to the boarders, they sing "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" to her and the family, thanking them for taking them in. They then sing "Good King Wenceslas", which Marge doesn't like so she leaves and uses the blender to drown it out.

Production[edit]

This episode had a Christmas-version of the opening sequence.

Reception[edit]

In its initial airing, the episode received a 3.5 rating and was watched by a total of 8.48 million people. This made it the highest watched show on Animation Domination that night.[1]

Dennis Perkins of The A.V. Club gave the episode a C rating. He complained about the episode being padded out with an extended opening sequence and multiple sight gags that made the episode "thinner". He also talked about how the episode took too long to reach its main plot after multiple fake-outs.[2]

As of November 2024, "White Christmas Blues" has a 6.4 rating on IMDb.[3]

International premieres[edit]

Country Date Channel Note
Hispanic America.gif Latin America June 22, 2014; 8:30PM (Argentina Time) Fox Latin America

Gallery[edit]

References[edit]


The Saga of Carl - title screen.png Wikisimpsons has a collection of images related to "White Christmas Blues".
Season 25 Episodes
Homerland Treehouse of Horror XXIV Four Regrettings and a Funeral YOLO Labor Pains The Kid Is All Right Yellow Subterfuge White Christmas Blues Steal This Episode Married to the Blob Specs and the City Diggs The Man Who Grew Too Much The Winter of His Content The War of Art You Don't Have to Live Like a Referee Luca$ Days of Future Future What to Expect When Bart's Expecting Brick Like Me Pay Pal The Yellow Badge of Cowardge