The Telltale Head
"The Telltale Head"
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Episode Information
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Plot
Homer and Bart are chased through the streets of Springfield by an angry mob. Someone has sawn off the head of the statue of town founder Jebediah Springfield. Surrounded by the surly crowd, Bart pleads for understanding and relates the events of the previous day.
As the story unfolds, Bart borrows $5.00 from Homer and sneaks away to see Space Mutants IV at the local movie theater. On his way, he runs into a gang of troublemakers. One of them, Jimbo, invites Bart to sneak into the movies with him and his buddies. Later, as the boys throw rocks at Jebediah's statue, Jimbo wishes someone would cut off the statue's head. When Bart tries to defend the town's hero, Jimbo and the boys laugh at him. To be cool, Bart sneaks out of the house that night and saws the statue's head off.
The next day, all of Springfield grieves the decapitation of the town founder. Bart finds Jimbo and his pals and discovers they are as distraught as everyone else. Feeling remorse, Bart returns home and confesses to his family. As Homer escorts Bart to the authorities, they are confronted by the angry mob. Bart tells the crowd that his act has united the town and taught people to appreciate their heritage. The townspeople agree, and Bart is forgiven.
Trivia
- Marge pulls a Radioactive Man comic book from inside Bart's jacket before leaving the house for church.
- Homer has an 8-track tape deck in his car.
- A member of the angry mob carries a sign with the likeness of Jebediah Springfield's head and the words, "Have You Seen Me?"
- The football announcer on Homer's car radio says, "This could be the most remarkable comeback since Lazarus rose from the dead."
- Announcer: "Wolodarsky takes it at the 5... oh my, he fumbles," reference to show writer-producer Wallace Wolodarsky.
- A sign inside church where Rev. Lovejoy has just given a sermon on the evils of gambling reads, "Bingo---Tuesday Night. Monte Carlo Night---Wednesday. Reno Retreat Saturday."
- The movie marquee reads, "Space Mutants IV: The Trilogy Continues."
- Among the items Jimbo, Dolph, and Kearney steal from the Kwik-E-Mart is a copy of Playdude magazine.
- Kearney stands on the lawn and leans on a sign that reads "Keep off the Grass."
- Sideshow Bob's hair evolves from a huge red afro.
References
- The episode title is a reference to the short story "The Tell-Tale Heart" by Edgar Allan Poe. In addition, Bart actually hears the head talking when he is overcome with guilt.
- The Bridge over the River Kwai - the line "What have I done?"
- When Bart awakes to a find the head of Jebediah Springfield in bed next to him, it is reminiscent of the scene from "The Godfather" where Tom Hagen (Robert Duvall) "persuades" Woltz to cast Fontane in the movie by leaving the head of the producer's prize racehorse in his bed.
