Difference between revisions of "Dangers on a Train/References"

Revision as of 15:20, August 27, 2024

Cultural references

• The title is a reference to Alfred Hitchcock's 1951 psychological thriller Strangers on a Train.
• The stores located at the Towne Centre at Springfielde Glenne include:
  • Abercrombie & Rich, a parody of Abercrombie & Fitch, an American lifestyle retailer on clothing.
  • Neiman Mark-Up, a parody of Neiman Marcus, the American department store chain.
  • Spiffany's, a parody of Tiffany's, the famous American luxury jewelry.
  • Vulgari, a parody of Bulgari, the Italian luxury fashion house.
  • Circuit Circus, a parody of Circuit City and a pun on Circus Circus, a famous hotel and casino in Las Vegas.
  • Bikini Atoll, a pun on coral reef of the same name.
  • GAO Schwarz, a parody of FAO Schwarz, an American toy brand and retail chain.
  • Maura Ashlee, a parody of Laura Ashley, a British textile design company.
  • Cropduster Video, a parody of Blockbuster Video, the American multimedia brand and former rental store chain.
• The song "(Where Do I Begin?) Love Story" composed by Francis Lai is heard when Homer and Marge spend time alone.
• When Homer tells Lisa he named Bart after a train, he was referring to the Bay Area Rapid Transit, public transport for the San Francisco Bay Area called by the acronym BART.
• The marijuana products sold at Kannabis Korner include:
  • Dawg, short for "Stardawg", a hybrid marijuana strain.
  • Haze, an identifying name for a strain and a varieties of cannabis strains.
  • Bubba, short for "Bubba Kush", a marijuana strain from Florida known for its heavy tranquilizing effects.
  • Kush, a family of potent cannabis strains named after the Hindu Kush mountain range.
• The employee of Kannabis Korner tells Otto to watch Fantasia, the 1940 animated musical anthology film featuring Mickey Mouse.
• Patty and Selma take Maggie and Ling Bouvier to "Baby Beethovens", although Ling plays Mozart's Eine kleine Nachtmusik instead.

• Marge and Ben are fans of Upton Rectory, a parody of Downton Abbey.
• Ben sings the Jerome Kern and Dorothy Fields song "The Way You Look Tonight" in Marge's imagination, backed by Nelson Riddle's orchestra.
  • The arrangement sung by Ben is similar to the version done by Frank Sinatra, which was arranged and conducted by Riddle for the 1964 album Sinatra Sings Days of Wine and Roses, Moon River, and Other Academy Award Winners.
  • When Ben is leaning against the lamppost, it is reminiscent of the cover of Sinatra's 1954 album Songs For Young Lovers.
  • When Ben is singing with the orchestra, the raincoat and fedora combination is reminiscent of the poster for Sinatra's 1957 film Pal Joey.

Trivia

• For some reason on the channel FXX, this episode got a TV-14 rating.
• On Marge's list of people she was replying to online, she has "Convict #RABF17". RABF17 is the production code of this episode.
• Stores seen at the Springfielde Glenne:
  • Abercrombie & Rich
  • Puttering Barn
  • Spiffany's
  • Neiman Mark-Up
  • Maura Ashlee
  • Vulgari
  • Georgio Ourmoney
  • Circuit Circus
  • Costington's
  • Expensive Bros. Jewelry
  • The Learning Place
  • K-Sport
  • Bikini Atoll
  • GAO Schwarz
  • Cropduster Video
• This episode features Seth MacFarlane, the creator of Family Guy, as a guest voice actor—the night this episode aired was the same night that the Family Guy episode "No Country Club for Old Men" aired, which guest starred Simpsons veteran Hank Azaria. Azaria noted the coincidence on Twitter, joking that it was "a sign of the apocalypse."
• In the end Homer wonders if his marriage "will last 25 years." Bart looks into the camera and says, "Nothing should", breaking the fourth wall.

Continuity

• Homer had previously recalled of him and a pregnant Marge thinking of names with Homer shooting other name over schoolyard rhyming taunts and Marge suggested Bart and Homer missed that obvious rhyme with fart, but why Marge suggested Bart is unmentioned ("I Married Marge").

Goofs

• Despite the first part of the episode taking place "almost nine years ago", the Squeaky-voiced teen is exactly the same age as he is in present day.
• Homer and Marge have their 10th anniversary, but Bart is 10 and the anniversary should have taken place before his birthday. In "I Married Marge", they marry when Marge is pregnant.