The Simpsons Spin-Off Showcase/References

General

References/Trivia

Appearances

Credits

Quotes

	Season 8 Episode References
← 176 "Homer's Enemy"	177 "The Simpsons Spin-Off Showcase"	"The Secret War of Lisa Simpson" 178 →

Trivia

• Lisa appears with one line in "Chief Wiggum P.I". It is announced she is replaced (by an older, more attractive, but less intelligent) girl in "The Simpsons Family Smile Time Variety Hour", which is a likely spoof of the 1977 spin off "The Brady Bunch Variety Hour", where Eve Plumb refused to participate in this spin-off, so she was replaced by another girl playing Jan Brady.
• Homer is the only family member to appear in all three stories.
• Actor Troy McClure hosts this showcase amidst a sea of framed pictures depicting such vintage TV spin-offs as Laverne & Shirley, The Ropers, Fish, Rhoda and The Jeffersons.
  • Rhoda featured Julie Kavner, voice of Marge Simpson.
• When Kent Brockman is announcing the debut of "The Simpsons Smile Time Variety Hour", a clock is behind him reading 8:20, which during the episode's debut, was the approximate time that segment was aired for households that went by Pacific Standard Time and Eastern Standard Time.
• Betty is a caricature of her voice actress Tress MacNeille.

Cultural references

• Troy McClure introduces himself by saying, "You may remember me from such TV spinoffs as Son of Sanford and Son and AfterMannix", referencing the following:
  • Sanford and Son
  • Mannix
  • M*A*S*H and AfterMASH
• Magnum P.I. - The title of Chief Wiggum's skit is a reference to the famous TV show.
• My Mother the Car - The "Love Matic Grandpa", where Moe's Love Tester is possessed by the spirit of Grandpa, is a spoof of this Jerry Van Dyke show, where a man buys an antique car to learn that his deceased mother is communicating to him through the car.
• The Flintstones - The tiny alien called Ozmodiar is based on The Great Gazoo from this series.
• The New Orleans chef is Paul Prudhomme.
• The malfunctioning Grampa-possessed Love Tester sings "Daisy Bell", referencing a scene in 2001: A Space Odyssey when HAL 9000 sings "Daisy Bell" as its circuits are disconnected.

Goofs

• When Chief Wiggum is talking to Ralph, his arm is briefly put too high up so that the space between his arm and Ralph's blanket can be seen. This makes it clear than Wiggum's arm isn't fully drawn.
• One of the white buttons on the lobster chef's shirt briefly turns red.
• One of the Mardi Gras monster costumes (actually the Simpsons in disguise) briefly loses its teeth randomly.
• When Wiggum kisses Ralph goodnight, his lips never actually touch Ralph's forehead.
• During the first scene at Moe's Tavern, a random splotch of white appears on Barney's shirt.
• Also, part of Barney's sleeve repeatedly appears and disappears.
• When he's talking to his date in the bathroom, part of the back of Moe's blue blazer briefly turns white.
• In the beaver skit, an area of empty space between Lisa and Maggie briefly turns brown.

← Season 7 Season 8 References Season 9 →

Treehouse of Horror VII • You Only Move Twice • The Homer They Fall • Burns, Baby Burns • Bart After Dark • A Milhouse Divided • Lisa's Date with Density • Hurricane Neddy • El Viaje Misterioso de Nuestro Jomer • The Springfield Files • The Twisted World of Marge Simpson • Mountain of Madness • Simpsoncalifragilisticexpiala(Annoyed Grunt)cious • The Itchy & Scratchy & Poochie Show • Homer's Phobia • Brother from Another Series • My Sister, My Sitter • Homer vs. the Eighteenth Amendment • Grade School Confidential • The Canine Mutiny • The Old Man and the Lisa • In Marge We Trust • Homer's Enemy • The Simpsons Spin-Off Showcase • The Secret War of Lisa Simpson