Todd, Todd, Why Hast Thou Forsaken Me?/References

General

References/Trivia

Appearances

Gags

Credits

Quotes

	Season 31 Episode References
← 670 "Thanksgiving of Horror"	671 "Todd, Todd, Why Hast Thou Forsaken Me?"	"Bobby, It's Cold Outside" 672 →

Cultural references

• The episode title is a pun of Jesus' four last words on the cross "My God, My God, Why Hast Thou Forsaken Me?".
• During the opening sequence:
  • The magazines at the Kwik-E-Mart:
    • Goys' Life is a pun on the real magazine Boys' Life and to the term goy, used to refer to a non-Jew.
    • Devout People and Steeple are parodies of People.
    • Tithe is a pun on Time and to a tithe, a one-tenth part of something, paid as a contribution to a religious organization.
    • Bland-o-Lakes Butter is a parody of Land O'Lakes.
  • Ned has blueprints for Noah's Ark on his garage wall.
• In the Have A Maudey, Roddy, Toddy Christmas videotape, Ned is humming the traditional Christmas carol "Deck the Halls".
• When Todd says that, according to his Math teacher, believing in something without proof is crazy, Ned replies by mentioning the coat of many colors, Noah's Ark, the Holy Ghost, and Balaam's talking donkey.
• The song "Praise God" is a parody of the song "Doxology".
  • A modified version of the song is heard during the credits.
• Homer watches Arena football on his phone.
• Reverend Lovejoy mentions replacing the organ player, Gertie, with Spotify.

The sign "Bless-A-Me Street" has parodies of Elmo and Big Bird from Sesame Street.

• A sign in the First Church of Springfield says "Bless-A-Me Street", with parodies of Elmo and Big Bird, a reference to Sesame Street.
• When Reverend Lovejoy approaches Todd with the microphone, Gertie plays the fanfare "Charge".
• The song "A Mighty Problem Is Our Todd" is a parody of the hymn "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" by Martin Luther.
  • "His Little Mind", heard later in the episode, is also a parody of "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God".
• Swan Lake, Op 20 is heard during the children ballet recital.
• Rod accidentally watched an episode of 30 Rock. Ned then says it's okay to watch just for Kenneth.
• Ned thinks that a prayer without an "amen" is like a Tootsie Pop without a center.
• The answer that Bart gives Homer after asking him where to bury survivors if a plane crashed on the border of North and South Dakota bears resemblance to a similar question Rudy and Vanessa Huxtable asked their brother Theo about where to bury survivors if a plane crashed on the Canada-United States border on the 1988 The Cosby Show episode "Trust Me".
• Marge mentions the books The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Clifford the Big Red Dog, and Everyone Poops.
• Lisa mentions that Buddha loves yoga and Yoda, from Star Wars.
• English singer and songwriter David Bowie was reincarnated as a fly.
• Abe says that his Amazon Alexa won't talk to him directly.
• Marge was reading Fahrenheit 451: The Cookbook in bed, a reference to the book Fahrenheit 451.
• The motivational poster "Hang in there, Baby" can be seen in young Homer's room.
• The song "Ned Flanders Is Drinking Today" is a parody of the hymn "Christ the Lord Is Risen Today" by Charles Wesley.
• Absolut Krusty is a parody of Absolut Vodka.
• Hans Moleman is an Uber driver for Lindsey Naegle.

Jesus presents Homer and Ned John the Baptist's head, which then reattaches to his body, a reference to the beheading of John the Baptist.

• Jesus presents Homer and Ned John the Baptist's head, which then reattaches to his body, a reference to the beheading of John the Baptist.
• When Abraham Lincoln meets Homer and Ned in Heaven:
  • He tells them that the 2012 American biographical historical drama Lincoln is Steven Spielberg's biggest movie. Due to its high commercial success and acclaimed critical response, the film has been ranked as one of the best films of Spielberg's career.
  • As counterexamples, Homer cites Spielberg's films Jaws, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, and "all the Jurassic..." before being interrupted by Lincoln. Homer was referring to Jurassic Park and The Lost World: Jurassic Park, both directed by Steven Spielberg.
  • The question Lincoln asks, "How did I do in the Academy Awards?", is referring to the 85th Academy Awards, in which Lincoln was nominated for Best Picture but lost to Argo.
  • An angry Lincoln indirectly refers to his assassination in 1865 at Ford's Theatre.
• Dr. Hibbert references the song "Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)".
• The song "Rejoice, Rejoice" is a parody of the hymn "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel".
• The phrase "Nirvana is for closers" by Buddha, is a pun on the famous line "Coffee is for closers" said by top salesman Blake (Alec Baldwin) in the 1992 American dark comedy-drama Glengarry Glen Ross

Trivia

• Ned has a swear jar, impure thoughts jar, pants too tight jar, and untrimmed mustache jar.

← Season 30 Season 31 References Season 32 →

The Winter of Our Monetized Content • Go Big or Go Homer • The Fat Blue Line • Treehouse of Horror XXX • Gorillas on the Mast • Marge the Lumberjill • Livin La Pura Vida • Thanksgiving of Horror • Todd, Todd, Why Hast Thou Forsaken Me? • Bobby, It's Cold Outside • Hail to the Teeth • The Miseducation of Lisa Simpson • Frinkcoin • Bart the Bad Guy • Screenless • Better Off Ned • Highway to Well • The Incredible Lightness of Being a Baby • Warrin' Priests: Part One • Warrin' Priests: Part Two • The Hateful Eight-Year-Olds • The Way of the Dog