Milhouse of Sand and Fog/References

References/Trivia

Season 17 Episode References

←

358

359
"Milhouse of Sand and Fog"

360

Cultural references

The term "Pox Box" is a play on the former name of 4Kids TV, Fox Box.
The beginning of this episode (the Pox Party) is similar to the South Park episode "Chickenpox". Ironically, this is a case where South Park Already Did It.
In the scene parodying The O.C., in addition to the cheating scene, it also involves the O.C. gang going to Knott's Berry Farm (along with a person dressed as Snoopy), with The O.C.'s theme song California playing (Snoopy then forces the O.C. kids to take out money from an ATM at gunpoint). California is also played over the ending credits.
In one scene, Bart and Milhouse are acting out a song from the play Oklahoma!, "The Farmer and the Cowman".
When Milhouse stumbled upon Luann and Kirk making out during the Pox Party, he exclaims "Sweet Lizzie McGuire!"

This is the second time Milhouse's therapist Professor Wexler is referred to, the first time being "Sideshow Bob's Last Gleaming".
Doctors are actually against the idea of pox parties that was used in this episode, claiming people should get the chickenpox vaccine instead as a safer alternative.
Bart's fall over the cliff references two past Simpson moments. First, Bart falling on the rocks references Homer's famous fall over Springfield Gorge in "Bart the Daredevil". Second, the idea of having a Simpson use a dummy over a cliff to fake their death was used by Homer in "Mother Simpson".

Marge worries adult-onset chicken pox will render Homer sterile--but years of working in a nuclear power plant have already done that. However, only Mr. Burns and Smithers know this, and they covered it up to avoid paying compensation (although this is unnecessary as they already tricked Homer into signing a liability waiver in "Brother, Can You Spare Two Dimes?"). Then again, Homer asks if he's sterile in "Eight Misbehavin'", and Marge assures him he is. So either he found out at some point or she was fibbing to avoid an awkward conversation.
Milhouse (apparently) already had the chicken pox once, in "Lady Bouvier's Lover", but it is possible to contract the disease twice.
Marge threatens Bart that she will delete all his custom ringtones on his cell phone but then in season 20, Bart doesn't have a cell phone.