Difference between revisions of "To Surveil with Love"
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The episode was written by [[Michael Nobori]] and directed by [[Lance Kramer]] and guest stars [[Eddie Izzard]] as Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles, and Nigel Bakerbutcher. The episode features references to The Karate Kid, World War II, George Orwell, and Nineteen Eighty-Four. "To Surveil with Love" has received overwhelmingly positive reviews with TV Squad naming it the best episode in years and it received a 2.7/8 in the 18-49 Nielsen Rating demographic. | The episode was written by [[Michael Nobori]] and directed by [[Lance Kramer]] and guest stars [[Eddie Izzard]] as Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles, and Nigel Bakerbutcher. The episode features references to The Karate Kid, World War II, George Orwell, and Nineteen Eighty-Four. "To Surveil with Love" has received overwhelmingly positive reviews with TV Squad naming it the best episode in years and it received a 2.7/8 in the 18-49 Nielsen Rating demographic. | ||
==Plot== | ==Plot== | ||
| − | Homer | + | When [[Mr. Burns]] is informed that the [[Springfield Nuclear Power Plant]] has run out of room to store waste plutonium, [[Waylon Smithers|Smithers]] hides some of the radioactive matter in [[Homer]]'s Duff gym bag. Later that day, Homer forgets the bag in a train station and mass chaos ensues when the police see the bag as a threat and blow it up (which according to [[Kent Brockman]] released enough radioactive power to create seventeen Incredible Hulks and a Spider Man). The incident sparks fears of terrorism, and the town votes to hire a British security consultant named [[Nigel Bakerbutcher]] to install surveillance cameras all around Springfield. Soon the entire town is being watched, but [[Chief Wiggum]] and the other officers tire of watching the surveillance screens and recruit some of the townspeople — including [[Marge]] and [[Ned Flanders]] — to keep watch. Marge is not comfortable watching the activities of her fellow townspeople, but Ned discovers he enjoys being Springfield's "conscience" and proceeds to nag everyone through loudspeakers on the cameras. |
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| + | Meanwhile, [[Lisa]] is invited to join the school debate team but soon discovers that she faces prejudice from the brunette supremacist judges (that her competition readily capitalizes on) because she has blonde hair. Even [[Cletus Spuckler|Cletus]] mocks her when she raises concerns about infringement upon civil liberties at the town hall meeting, so she decides to dye her hair dark brown. At the next debate meeting, she intentionally presents a weak argument and when the judges enthusiastically agree with her, she points out that they judged her on her hair color rather than the strength of her debate skills, and notes that there are exceptions to every stereotype. Just as she says that not all old people are bad drivers, though, [[Abraham Simpson|Grampa]] crashes his car through the wall of the gym where the meeting is being held, ruining her argument. | ||
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| + | [[Bart]] becomes frustrated by Ned's constant nagging and discovers that the Simpson family's backyard contains a blind spot. Soon, he and Homer are charging the townsfolk to use the yard to relax and do anything they want. Marge voices her disapproval and Ned overhears. When Ned confronts Homer, Homer points out that Ned is playing [[God]]. Ned is troubled by this and admits that he got carried away with his nagging, and he and Homer proceed to destroy every security camera in town. | ||
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| + | In the end, it is revealed that the antics of Springfield's citizens were broadcast as a reality TV show in Great Britain, known as ''American Oafs''. Queen Elizabeth II remarks that she will miss "that Ralph Wiggum boy," that he reminded her of her own son, and her son Prince Charles replies with a quintessential Ralphism: "My cat's breath smells like cat food." | ||
| + | ==Production== | ||
| + | The episode was written by [[Michael Nobori]] who served as a production assistant for Seasons 20 and 21 and directed by [[Lance Kramer]] and guest stars Eddie Izzard performing impressions of Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles and the character Nigel Bakerbutcher. In an effort for more viewers for May sweeps FOX made a week full of musical segments in all the shows called Fox Rocks. For ''The Simpsons'' they had a couch gag with The Simpsons characters lip dubbing Ke$ha's song "Tik Tok". | ||
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Revision as of 16:13, May 8, 2010
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Template:EpisodeHD To Surveil With Love is the twentieth episode of The Simpsons' twenty-first season. It aired on May 2, 2010. In the episode, radiation seeps out of Homer's gym bag after a bomb squad blows it up and Springfield officials decide to suspend all civil liberties. Meanwhile, Lisa dyes her hair.
The episode was written by Michael Nobori and directed by Lance Kramer and guest stars Eddie Izzard as Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles, and Nigel Bakerbutcher. The episode features references to The Karate Kid, World War II, George Orwell, and Nineteen Eighty-Four. "To Surveil with Love" has received overwhelmingly positive reviews with TV Squad naming it the best episode in years and it received a 2.7/8 in the 18-49 Nielsen Rating demographic.
Plot
When Mr. Burns is informed that the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant has run out of room to store waste plutonium, Smithers hides some of the radioactive matter in Homer's Duff gym bag. Later that day, Homer forgets the bag in a train station and mass chaos ensues when the police see the bag as a threat and blow it up (which according to Kent Brockman released enough radioactive power to create seventeen Incredible Hulks and a Spider Man). The incident sparks fears of terrorism, and the town votes to hire a British security consultant named Nigel Bakerbutcher to install surveillance cameras all around Springfield. Soon the entire town is being watched, but Chief Wiggum and the other officers tire of watching the surveillance screens and recruit some of the townspeople — including Marge and Ned Flanders — to keep watch. Marge is not comfortable watching the activities of her fellow townspeople, but Ned discovers he enjoys being Springfield's "conscience" and proceeds to nag everyone through loudspeakers on the cameras.
Meanwhile, Lisa is invited to join the school debate team but soon discovers that she faces prejudice from the brunette supremacist judges (that her competition readily capitalizes on) because she has blonde hair. Even Cletus mocks her when she raises concerns about infringement upon civil liberties at the town hall meeting, so she decides to dye her hair dark brown. At the next debate meeting, she intentionally presents a weak argument and when the judges enthusiastically agree with her, she points out that they judged her on her hair color rather than the strength of her debate skills, and notes that there are exceptions to every stereotype. Just as she says that not all old people are bad drivers, though, Grampa crashes his car through the wall of the gym where the meeting is being held, ruining her argument.
Bart becomes frustrated by Ned's constant nagging and discovers that the Simpson family's backyard contains a blind spot. Soon, he and Homer are charging the townsfolk to use the yard to relax and do anything they want. Marge voices her disapproval and Ned overhears. When Ned confronts Homer, Homer points out that Ned is playing God. Ned is troubled by this and admits that he got carried away with his nagging, and he and Homer proceed to destroy every security camera in town.
In the end, it is revealed that the antics of Springfield's citizens were broadcast as a reality TV show in Great Britain, known as American Oafs. Queen Elizabeth II remarks that she will miss "that Ralph Wiggum boy," that he reminded her of her own son, and her son Prince Charles replies with a quintessential Ralphism: "My cat's breath smells like cat food."
Production
The episode was written by Michael Nobori who served as a production assistant for Seasons 20 and 21 and directed by Lance Kramer and guest stars Eddie Izzard performing impressions of Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles and the character Nigel Bakerbutcher. In an effort for more viewers for May sweeps FOX made a week full of musical segments in all the shows called Fox Rocks. For The Simpsons they had a couch gag with The Simpsons characters lip dubbing Ke$ha's song "Tik Tok".
