Desperately Seeking Lisa/References

General

References/Trivia

Appearances

Credits

Quotes

	Season 36 Episode References
← 770 "The Yellow Lotus"	771 "Desperately Seeking Lisa"	"Shoddy Heat" 772 →

Cultural references

• The episode title is a reference to the film Desperately Seeking Susan.
• The episode is an omage to Martin Scorsese's film After Hours.
• Bart started to watch the TV series Mad Men when The Krusty the Clown Show was in reruns. He says that Marge and Lisa are "fighting like Don Draper and Pete Campbell after they lost their Lucky Strike account". Draper and Campbell are two of the main characters of Mad Men working at Sterling Cooper advertising agency, while the cigarette company Lucky Strike was one of the agency's most crucial and longstanding clients.
• The movement Allegro from Mozart's Symphony in D major "No. 45" is heard while Lisa travels to Capital City.
• Capital City parodies New York City:
  • The Large Central Station's name and facade resemble that of the Grand Central Terminal.
  • The Unidentified State Building is a reference to the Empire State Building.
  • The Prussian Coffee Room parodies the Russian Tea Room. A cup with the Prussian eagle and a lid hinting a pickelhaube can be seen on the app.
  • The "Highbrow Artists Parade" has the style of Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade annual parade in New York City. The artists recreated include William Shakespeare, Emily Dickinson, Salvador Dalí and James Joyce.
  • The statue of the fearless girl facing down the gorilla that symbolizes fossil fuels and wasteful fast food packaging is a parody of the bronze sculpture Fearless Girl which was originally located facing down the Charging Bull, which depicts financial optimism and prosperity, but was later removed due to complaints.
• Lisa uses Oogle on her phone, a parody of Google.
• The busy street full of signs parodies Times Square:
  • Blocko Store is a parody of a Lego Store.
  • Mojitoville parodies Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville, with one of their resorts located at Times Square.
  • P.F. Thong's is a parody of the casual dining restaurant chain P. F. Chang's.
  • Forever 41 is a parody of fashion retailer Forever 21.
  • n&n's Store is a parody of M&M's World.
  • An in-universe The Simpsons Store is seen, with the show logo.
  • The revival of Stop the Planet of the Apes I Want to Get Off parodies the Broadway revival Stop the World – I Want to Get Off.
• Patty and Selma order "Cigs in Blanket", "Philly Wheeze Steak", "Vape Suzette" and "Phlegm Brûlée" parodies of Pigs in a blanket, Philly Cheese Steak, Crêpes Suzette and Crème brûlée, respectivelly.
• Julian has a book of poetry by Sylvia Plath.
• Julian occasionally writes reviews on Airbnb.
• Freaks of the 'Field is a reference to the Freaks in a Field festival.
• Katya's loft is located at NoHoSoGoBloJoTo, a pun on the famous neighborhood DUMBO (Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass), one of the most wealthiest communities in New York City partially due to its large number of former industrial buildings that have been converted into spacious luxury residential lofts.
• The Cranberry juice-ical is a reference to The Cranberries. B. J. Novak stars in it as the Bog.
• The people outside of the hotel are dressed in costumes of Goofy, Charlie Brown, Pikachu and Shrek. Julian mentions Pikachu.
• "Bull in the Heather" by Sonic Youth plays during the montages and the credits.
• A man reads Tropic of Cancer by Henry Miller.
• Lacey Van Aster mentions seducing Theodor, Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt.
• Painting of thief Lisa include her as The Scream and The Devil wears pearls, a reference to the film The Devil Wears Prada.
• "Pay to Cum" by Bad Brains plays in Chalmers and Ms. Hoover's hotel room.
• One of the baloons at the parade is of Joan Didion.
• Julian mentions Lisa being John Gregory Dunne.
• Julian calls Katya Cindy Sherman.

Continuity

• A Blocko Store is seen. ("The D'oh-cial Network")
• An n&n's Store is seen. ("Mad About the Toy")
• Stop the Planet of the Apes I Want to Get Off is playing. ("A Fish Called Selma")
• A P.F. Thong's store is seen. ("From Beer to Paternity")
• Another parody of the Russian Tea Room is seen. ("From Russia Without Love")

Trivia

• Ms. Hoover seems to be either cheating on or having divorced from Gil Gunderson.

← Season 35 Season 36 References Upcoming episodes →
Aired
Bart's Birthday • The Yellow Lotus • Desperately Seeking Lisa • Shoddy Heat • Treehouse of Horror XXXV • Women in Shorts • Treehouse of Horror Presents: Simpsons Wicked This Way Comes • Convenience Airways
Disney+ Specials
O C'mon All Ye Faithful • The Past and the Furious • Yellow Planet
Unscheduled
The Man Who Flew Too Much • Homer and Her Sisters • The Last Man Expanding • Estranger Things • Men Behaving Manly • Keep Chalm and Gary On • Bad Boys... for Life?
Unknown Production Code
The Beautiful Shame • Marge and Homer and Moe and Maya • Abe League of Their Moe