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Difference between revisions of "A Tale of Two Springfields"

Wikisimpsons - The Simpsons Wiki
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|blackboardText="I will not plant sublimin<span style="color: green;">'''al'''</span> messa'''[[Al Gore|<span style="color: green;">gore</span>]]'''s"
 
|blackboardText="I will not plant sublimin<span style="color: green;">'''al'''</span> messa'''[[Al Gore|<span style="color: green;">gore</span>]]'''s"
 
|couchGag=Bart reaches the couch first and slips a whoopee cushion underneath Homer’s side. When the family runs in, Homer predictably sets off the whoopee cushion’s farting sound, causing him to grin sheepishly at a frowning Marge and Lisa while Bart laughs uproariously.
 
|couchGag=Bart reaches the couch first and slips a whoopee cushion underneath Homer’s side. When the family runs in, Homer predictably sets off the whoopee cushion’s farting sound, causing him to grin sheepishly at a frowning Marge and Lisa while Bart laughs uproariously.
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|specialGuestVoices=[[w:The Who|The Who]] as themselves, except for [[w:Pete Townshend|Pete Townshend]] (see ''Trivia'' below)
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|specialGuestVoices=[[w:The Who|The Who]] as themselves, except for [[w:Pete Townshend|Pete Townshend]] (see ''[[A_Tale_of_Two_Springfields/References|Trivia]]'' below)
 
|Written By=[[John Swartzwelder]]
 
|Written By=[[John Swartzwelder]]
 
|Directed By=[[Shaun Cashman]]
 
|Directed By=[[Shaun Cashman]]
 
}}
 
}}
−
"'''A Tale of Two Springfields'''" is the second episode from [[List of The Simpsons episodes#Season 12 (2000-2001)|season twelve]] of the animated TV series ''[[The Simpsons]]''. The title is a spoof of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Dickens Charles Dickens]' classic book, ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Tale_of_Two_Cities A Tale of Two Cities]''.
+
 
 +
"'''A Tale of Two Springfields'''" is the second episode from [[List of The Simpsons episodes#Season 12 (2000-2001)|season twelve]] of the animated TV series ''[[The Simpsons]]''. The title is a spoof of [[w:Charles_Dickens|Charles Dickens]]' classic book, ''[[w:A_Tale_of_Two_Cities|A Tale of Two Cities]]''.
  
 
== Plot ==
 
== Plot ==
−
While feeding Santa's Little Helper, Bart finds a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Badger badger] in his doghouse. Bart and Lisa try to get rid of it themselves, but are unsuccessful. After Homer suggests they blow up the doghouse with [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynamite dynamite], Lisa tells them to call [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal_control animal control]. When Homer calls them, he gets a tri-tone and a recording indicating that he did not enter the correct [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_code area code]. Marge informs him that the phone company ran out of numbers, so they had to split [[Springfield (The Simpsons)|Springfield]] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Split_plan into two area codes]. One half keeps the old 636 and the Simpsons' half get the new 939. He is outraged that they changed the code so suddenly (even though Lenny and Carl say that they had weeks of advance warnings, including two weeks at area code camp). While at a town meeting, with Homer wearing a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Explosive_belt suicide belt], [[Lindsey Naegle]] shows a film (starring talking telephone Phony McRing-Ring) that attempts to convince the audience two area codes are better. The whole town agrees with it. However, Homer stands up, reminding them how terrible it was and points out that the original 636 code was kept by the rich side of town. When Homer fails to blow himself up, he leads a rebellion of the poor and goes off to form a new town.
+
While feeding [[Santa's Little Helper]], [[Bart]] finds a [[w:Badger|badger]] in his doghouse. Bart and [[Lisa]] try to get rid of it themselves, but are unsuccessful. After [[Homer]] suggests they blow up the doghouse with [[w:Dynamite|dynamite]], Lisa tells him to call [[w:Animal_control|animal control]] instead. When Homer calls them, he gets a tri-tone and a recording indicating that he did not enter the correct [[w:Area_code|area code]]. Marge informs him that the phone company ran out of numbers, so they had to split [[Springfield]] [[w:Split_plan|into two area codes]]. One half keeps the old 636 and the Simpsons' half get the new 939. He is outraged that they changed the code so suddenly (even though [[Lenny]] and [[Carl]] say that they had weeks of advance warnings, including two weeks at area code camp). While at a town meeting, with Homer wearing a [[w:Explosive_belt|suicide belt]], [[Lindsey Naegle]] shows a film (starring talking telephone Phony McRing-Ring) that attempts to convince the audience two area codes are better. The whole town agrees with it. However, Homer stands up, reminding them how terrible it was and points out that the original 636 code was kept by the rich side of town. When Homer fails to blow himself up, he leads a rebellion of the poor and goes off to form a new town.
  
−
Homer names the town with the new 939 code "New Springfield", while the half of the town with 636 is now called "Olde Springfield". Homer is appointed mayor of New Springfield but shows disrespect for the office by using his [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sash sash] as a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napkin napkin]. Rivalry quickly ensues between the two towns. When Olde Springfield insults the inefficiency of his half of town, Homer cuts power to Olde Springfield. Olde Springfield retaliates by hijacking a beer truck and dumping its contents in the river. Homer and New Springfield strike back by cutting off the river into Olde Springfield; however this causes its inhabitants to find [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gold gold] in the river and buy the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evian Evian] bottled water factory. Homer decides to build a giant wall right through town, just like [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berlin_wall Berlin]. When he tells his citizens they do not have enough supplies to get past tomorrow and that a wave of disease will kill the weak (afterwards, they'll be forced to eat certain breeds of dogs), everyone except the Simpsons leave.
+
Homer names the town with the new 939 code "New Springfield", while the half of the town with 636 is now called "Olde Springfield". Homer is appointed mayor of New Springfield, but shows disrespect for the office by using his [[w:Sash|sash]] as a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napkin napkin]. Rivalry quickly ensues between the two towns. When Olde Springfield insults the inefficiency of his half of town, Homer cuts power to Olde Springfield. Olde Springfield retaliates by hijacking a beer truck and dumping its contents in the river. Homer and New Springfield strike back by cutting off the river into Olde Springfield; however this causes its inhabitants to find [[w:Gold|gold]] in the riverbed and buy the [[w:Evian|Evian]] bottled water factory. Homer decides to build a giant wall right through town, just like [[w:Berlin_wall|the one Berlin had]]. When he tells his citizens they do not have enough supplies to get past tomorrow, and that a wave of disease will kill the weak (afterwards, they'll be forced to eat certain breeds of dogs), everyone except the Simpsons leave.
  
−
Now the mayor of a empty town, Homer boasts to himself that [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Who The Who] is coming to their town, when they are actually performing in Olde Springfield. Together, he and Bart are able to get them to perform in New Springfield. When Olde Springfield is waiting for the band, they find them in New Springfield and prepare to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riot riot]. Just before a major conflict, The Who suggests they get speed-dial to solve their rivalry. They also agree to play if Springfield tears down the wall, which Pete Townshend (voiced by his brother, Paul Townshend) ends up destroying by playing the famous outro to "[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Won%27t_Get_Fooled_Again Won't Get Fooled Again]".
+
Now the mayor of a empty town, Homer boasts to himself that [[w:The_Who|The Who]] is coming to their town, when they are actually performing in Olde Springfield. Together, he and Bart get them to perform in New Springfield. When Olde Springfield is waiting for the band, they find them in New Springfield and prepare to [[w:Riot|riot]]. Just before a major conflict, The Who suggests they get speed-dial to solve their rivalry. They also agree to play if Springfield tears down the wall, which [[w:Pete_Townshend|Pete Townshend]] (voiced by his brother, [[w:Paul_Townshend|Paul Townshend]]) ends up destroying by playing the famous outro to "[[w:Won%27t_Get_Fooled_Again|Won't Get Fooled Again]]".
  
−
== Trivia ==
 
−
* After Homer hears about the change of area code, the badger shows up and Homer goes "Go away!  We got bigger problems now." This is a reference to the recurring sudden plot changes in most Simpson episodes.
 
−
* In [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Television_syndication syndication], all of the badger scenes (with the exception of the first) are cut, and in other parts of the world, there is a scene right after the guard throws Homer and Bart into The Who's room, where Homer smashes a lamp to the ground, and Bart starts to kick the drum set. In fact, the entire episode was heavily cut for syndication. Originally 22 minutes and 11 seconds long, two minutes and 10 seconds were cut, and the episode was expanded 46 seconds to a length of 20:47. This is still about a half-minute shorter than most syndicated versions.
 
−
*This is the 250th episode of the show.
 
−
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_code_636 Area code 636] is actually assigned to suburbs of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Louis,_Missouri St. Louis, Missouri] <sup>[http://www.whitepages.com/maps/MO]</sup>; although this seems to reveal [[Springfield's State (The Simpsons)|Springfield’s state]], the real [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Springfield,_Missouri Springfield, Missouri] is in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_code_417 a different area code]. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_code_939 Area code 939] is one of two codes used in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puerto_Rico Puerto Rico].
 
−
*This is the only episode of the Simpsons directed by Shaun Cashman.
 
−
*When Lisa is trying to find out what badgers eat she goes on [http://www.whatbadgerseat.com whatbadgerseat.com]. A real version of the site (whose logo is reminiscent of [http://www.ask.com ask.com]) was made by the producers of the show.
 
−
*At the moment when Homer is introduced to the Who, the band is heard playing the closing chords of what appears to be "[[The Seeker (song)|The Seeker]]".
 
−
*The song played right before the end credits is "[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Won%27t_Get_Fooled_Again Won't Get Fooled Again]" and not Homer's request of "[[Pinball Wizard]]".
 
−
*The Simpsons' telephone number is given as 939-555-0113. The old area coded number of 636-555-0113 appears to connect to [[Mr. Burns]]; however, in "[[Lisa's Date with Density]]", his phone number was 555-0001.
 
−
*The "angel skeleton" from "[[Lisa the Skeptic]]" can be seen in the wall dividing the cities.
 
−
*One of the ''Simpsons'' comic books published by Bongo featured a similar plotline in which Springfield is divided over the issue of use and access to a lake.
 
−
* The phone number for the exterminators is 983-7668 (X-TERM-N-8).
 
−
* The drummer who plays with [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Who The Who] in this episode is clearly a cartoon version of [[Keith Moon]].
 
−
* This is the first time Homer has his body opened and his organs still working shown. The second time was in "[[Treehouse of Horror XII]]" where his head was opened and his brain shown.
 
−
 
−
== Cultural references ==
 
−
* Homer imagines himself as a mayor, walking down the street in a Western town, wearing a cowboy hat and firing a rifle, in a parody of the opening credit of the Western show ''[[The Rifleman]]'' starring [[Chuck Connors]].
 
−
* Todd's woodpecker is a reference the [[Woody Woodpecker]] show, especially its laugh after attacking Bart.
 
−
* The [[self-reference|self-referencing]] blackboard gag refers to the [[United States presidential election, 2000|presidential election]] which was two days after the episode was aired. A controversy surrounding the election was the supposed use of subliminal messages.
 
−
* The timing of the episode coincides with [[Matt Groening]]'s native northwest [[Oregon]] splitting into two overlapping area codes ([[Area code 503]] and [[Area code 971]]). Such a [[split plan]] was often unpopular due to existing phone numbers changing and now the alternative method of an [[overlay plan]], whereby an area is given a new code for new numbers but existing numbers do not change.
 
−
* While waiting for The Who's concert in Olde Springfield, [[Principal Skinner]] seems to be dressed in [[Mod (lifestyle)|Mod attire]]. [[Edna Krabappel]] is dressed as a typical [[groupie]].
 
−
* The scene with Homer, Lenny, and Carl having lunch in the nuclear power plant has a reference to the movie [[Pulp Fiction]]. While writing the new area code on his hand, Homer complains that he already has enough things to remember and a close-up of his hand shows the writing "Lenny=White, Carl=Black." This is a reference to the second last scene in Pulp Fiction, in which The Wolf is called to help resolve a problem. On a pad of paper before he meets up with Vincent and Jules, he writes "Vincent-White, Jules-Black" in order to distinguish between the two. 
 
−
* The last part of the final scene - where the badgers descend upon Springfield - shows one badger, much smaller than the rest, some distance behind the others. This is probably a reference to several similar [[Looney Tunes]] cartoons starring [[Sylvester]] in which he is originally terrorised by a group of mice, but subsequently develops enough courage to "show them who's boss" and drive them all away. In each of these cartoons, the mice are shown fleeing the house, screaming and squeaking in fear, followed a little later by a baby mouse chattering incoherently in a voice that has been recorded at high speed.
 
−
* Homer telling the [[Arizona Cardinals]] representative to "keep walking" is a reference to how poor the Cardinals franchise has been.
 
−
* After they receive the gold from the river, Kent Brockman does an editorial about it and thanks Homer saying that they will all be covered in [[Urolagnia|golden showers]] (a sexual term for peeing on your partner). He does not get it but the people off to the side laugh hysterically.
 
−
* When [[The Who]] orders Homer to tear down the wall, the moment is quite similar to movie [[Pink Floyd The Wall|The Wall]] by [[Pink Floyd]], in which the main character is ordered to tear down the wall in his head, that alienates him from the world.
 
−
=== The Who references ===
 
−
* When Kent Brockman's newscast shows a picture of Homer and friends on the steps of a home, the layout and poses match the back cover of The Who's ''[[Meaty Beaty Big and Bouncy]]'' [[compilation album]].
 
−
* Moe's line "That fat, dumb, and bald guy sure plays some real hard ball" is a variation of a lyric in the song "[[Pinball Wizard]]" by [[The Who]]. The original lyric is "That deaf, dumb, and blind kid sure plays a mean pinball".
 
  
 
=== Cuts ===
 
=== Cuts ===
−
There were several parts cut when this episode airs on ''[[Sky One]]'', including:  
+
There were several parts cut when this episode airs on ''[[w:Sky_One|Sky One]]'', including:  
  
−
* When KBBL are talking about a matress on the freeway, the 'Joan Collins must be in town.' is cut.
+
* When [[KBBL]] are talking about a mattress on the freeway, the line '[[w:Joan_Collins|Joan Collins]] must be in town' is cut.
−
* When Homer phones the Radio Station, it cuts from the scene to the town hall, missing out the scene with Homer strangling Bart, and Bart retaliating by hitting Homer on the head with the phone.
+
* When Homer phones the radio station, it cuts from that scene to the town hall, missing out the scene with Homer strangling Bart, and Bart retaliating by hitting Homer on the head with the phone.
−
* Kent's 'Golden Showers' line is cut.
+
* [[Kent_Brockman"Kent's]] 'Golden Showers' line is cut.
−
 
 
−
== Episode Quotes ==
 
−
''Homer:'' Oh yeah? They think they're better than us?  Hey Bart, C'mere a minute!
 
−
''Bart:'' You c'mere a minute!
 
−
''Homer:'' Oh yeah?
 
  
 
== External links ==
 
== External links ==
 
*{{imdb episode|id=0701049|episode=A Tale of Two Springfields}}  
 
*{{imdb episode|id=0701049|episode=A Tale of Two Springfields}}  
 
*[http://www.whatbadgerseat.com/ Whatbadgerseat.com] A spoof site created  after the episode.
 
*[http://www.whatbadgerseat.com/ Whatbadgerseat.com] A spoof site created  after the episode.
−
 
  
 
{{Season 12}}
 
{{Season 12}}
 
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tale of Two Springfields, A}}
 
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tale of Two Springfields, A}}
−
 
 
[[Category:Episodes]]
 
[[Category:Episodes]]
 
[[Category:Season 12]]
 
[[Category:Season 12]]
 
[[Category:2000]]
 
[[Category:2000]]

Revision as of 16:28, December 27, 2009

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"A Tale of Two Springfields"
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Episode Information
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"A Tale of Two Springfields" is the second episode from season twelve of the animated TV series The Simpsons. The title is a spoof of Charles Dickens' classic book, A Tale of Two Cities.

Plot

While feeding Santa's Little Helper, Bart finds a badger in his doghouse. Bart and Lisa try to get rid of it themselves, but are unsuccessful. After Homer suggests they blow up the doghouse with dynamite, Lisa tells him to call animal control instead. When Homer calls them, he gets a tri-tone and a recording indicating that he did not enter the correct area code. Marge informs him that the phone company ran out of numbers, so they had to split Springfield into two area codes. One half keeps the old 636 and the Simpsons' half get the new 939. He is outraged that they changed the code so suddenly (even though Lenny and Carl say that they had weeks of advance warnings, including two weeks at area code camp). While at a town meeting, with Homer wearing a suicide belt, Lindsey Naegle shows a film (starring talking telephone Phony McRing-Ring) that attempts to convince the audience two area codes are better. The whole town agrees with it. However, Homer stands up, reminding them how terrible it was and points out that the original 636 code was kept by the rich side of town. When Homer fails to blow himself up, he leads a rebellion of the poor and goes off to form a new town.

Homer names the town with the new 939 code "New Springfield", while the half of the town with 636 is now called "Olde Springfield". Homer is appointed mayor of New Springfield, but shows disrespect for the office by using his sash as a napkin. Rivalry quickly ensues between the two towns. When Olde Springfield insults the inefficiency of his half of town, Homer cuts power to Olde Springfield. Olde Springfield retaliates by hijacking a beer truck and dumping its contents in the river. Homer and New Springfield strike back by cutting off the river into Olde Springfield; however this causes its inhabitants to find gold in the riverbed and buy the Evian bottled water factory. Homer decides to build a giant wall right through town, just like the one Berlin had. When he tells his citizens they do not have enough supplies to get past tomorrow, and that a wave of disease will kill the weak (afterwards, they'll be forced to eat certain breeds of dogs), everyone except the Simpsons leave.

Now the mayor of a empty town, Homer boasts to himself that The Who is coming to their town, when they are actually performing in Olde Springfield. Together, he and Bart get them to perform in New Springfield. When Olde Springfield is waiting for the band, they find them in New Springfield and prepare to riot. Just before a major conflict, The Who suggests they get speed-dial to solve their rivalry. They also agree to play if Springfield tears down the wall, which Pete Townshend (voiced by his brother, Paul Townshend) ends up destroying by playing the famous outro to "Won't Get Fooled Again".


Cuts

There were several parts cut when this episode airs on Sky One, including:

  • When KBBL are talking about a mattress on the freeway, the line 'Joan Collins must be in town' is cut.
  • When Homer phones the radio station, it cuts from that scene to the town hall, missing out the scene with Homer strangling Bart, and Bart retaliating by hitting Homer on the head with the phone.
  • Kent_Brockman"Kent's 'Golden Showers' line is cut.

External links

Season 12 Episodes
Treehouse of Horror XI • A Tale of Two Springfields • Insane Clown Poppy • Lisa the Tree Hugger • Homer vs. Dignity • The Computer Wore Menace Shoes • The Great Money Caper • Skinner's Sense of Snow • HOMЯ • Pokey Mom • Worst Episode Ever • Tennis the Menace • Day of the Jackanapes • New Kids on the Blecch • Hungry, Hungry Homer • Bye, Bye, Nerdie • Simpson Safari • Trilogy of Error • I'm Goin' to Praiseland • Children of a Lesser Clod • Simpsons Tall Tales
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