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Difference between revisions of "Goo Goo Gai Pan"

Wikisimpsons - The Simpsons Wiki
 
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{{EpisodePrevNext|On a Clear Day I Can't See My Sister|Mobile Homer}}
 
{{EpisodePrevNext|On a Clear Day I Can't See My Sister|Mobile Homer}}
 
{{Quote|Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on Wu!|[[Madam Wu]]}}
 
{{Quote|Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on Wu!|[[Madam Wu]]}}
 
{{Episode
 
{{Episode
|image=Goo Goo Gai Pan.jpg
+
|image=Goo Goo Gai Pan promo.png
|Episode Number=347
+
|number=347
|productionCode=GABF06
+
|season=16
|originalAirdate=March 13, [[2005]]
+
|snumber=12
|blackboardText=
+
|prodcode=GABF06
|couchGag=The family is surprised by the townspeople and Homer collapses of a heart attack
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|airdate=March 13, [[2005]]
|specialGuestVoices=[[Robert Wagner]] as {{Ch|Robert Wagner|himself}} <br/> [[Lucy Liu]] as [[Madam Wu]]
+
|couchgag=The family is surprised by the townspeople and Homer collapses of a heart attack
|Written By=[[Lawrence Talbot]] (pseudonym for [[Dana Gould]])
+
|guests=[[Robert Wagner]] as {{Ch|Robert Wagner|himself}}<br>[[Lucy Liu]] as [[Madam Wu]]
|Directed By=[[Lance Kramer]]
+
|showrunner1= Al Jean
 +
|writer=[[Dana Gould]]
 +
|director=[[Lance Kramer]]
 
}}
 
}}
  
"'''Goo Goo Gai Pan'''" is the twelfth episode of [[season 16]]. It originally aired on March 13, [[2005]] and was written by [[Lawrence Talbot]] and directed by [[Lance Kramer]]. It guest starred [[Robert Wagner]], and [[Lucy Liu]] as [[Madam Wu]].
+
"'''Goo Goo Gai Pan'''" is the twelfth episode of [[season 16]] of ''[[The Simpsons]]'' and the three-hundred and forty-seventh episode overall. It originally aired on March 13, [[2005]]. The episode was written by [[Lawrence Talbot]] and directed by [[Lance Kramer]]. It guest stars [[Robert Wagner]] as {{Ch|Robert Wagner|himself}} and [[Lucy Liu]] as [[Madam Wu]].
  
 
== Synopsis ==
 
== Synopsis ==
{{Desc|[[Selma]] has a severe hot flash while giving [[Mr. Burns]] his driving test. [[Dr. Hibbert]] explains (with help from a video starring [[Robert Wagner]]) that Selma is experiencing the onset of menopause. Selma, decides she wants a baby rather than grow old alone. Adoption is suggested, but the [[Springfield Orphanage|Springfield orphanage]] is empty. [[Lisa]] suggests adopting a baby girl from [[China]]. One problem: the Chinese government only allows married couples to adopt. No problem; Selma writes down a name for her husband - Homer's - and "The Simpsons are going to China!" (with [[Marge]] acting as [[Bart]] and Lisa's nanny) so Selma and Homer can pick up the baby together.}}
+
{{Desc|[[Selma]] has a severe hot flash while giving [[Mr. Burns]] his driving test. [[Dr. Hibbert]] explains (with help from a video starring {{Ch|Robert Wagner}}) that Selma is experiencing the onset of menopause. Selma, decides she wants a baby rather than grow old alone. Adoption is suggested, but the [[Springfield Orphanage|Springfield orphanage]] is empty. [[Lisa]] suggests adopting a baby girl from [[China]]. One problem: the Chinese government only allows married couples to adopt. No problem; Selma writes down a name for her husband - Homer's - and "The Simpsons are going to China!" (with [[Marge]] acting as [[Bart]] and Lisa's nanny) so Selma and Homer can pick up the baby together.}}
  
 
== Plot ==
 
== Plot ==
Line 26: Line 28:
 
Selma then goes to the [[Consulate of China]] where she speaks to [[Mr. Zhao]]. Zhao tells Selma that her adoption request is all fine except she hasn't filled in a husband on the form, which she is required to have to adopt. After asking if he knew who [[Angus MacGyver]] was, Selma filled in [[Homer]]'s name, causing a chill to go through Homer. The Simpsons then decide to go to China with Selma to adopt a baby. On the plane, Selma tells Homer that she wants him to pretend to be her husband after Homer takes some medicine and starts to hallucinate, seeing three dragons. The [[White Dragon]] offers to take Homer to China on his back in return for peanuts, but Homer only offered him one.
 
Selma then goes to the [[Consulate of China]] where she speaks to [[Mr. Zhao]]. Zhao tells Selma that her adoption request is all fine except she hasn't filled in a husband on the form, which she is required to have to adopt. After asking if he knew who [[Angus MacGyver]] was, Selma filled in [[Homer]]'s name, causing a chill to go through Homer. The Simpsons then decide to go to China with Selma to adopt a baby. On the plane, Selma tells Homer that she wants him to pretend to be her husband after Homer takes some medicine and starts to hallucinate, seeing three dragons. The [[White Dragon]] offers to take Homer to China on his back in return for peanuts, but Homer only offered him one.
  
In China, the family goes to meet [[Madam Wu]] to adopt a baby. After handing over the money, Wu tells Homer and Selma that she has to make sure they're a happy married couple and they have to wait a few days before they get the baby. Wu then goes around with the family as they explore the sights in China, including a Shaolin temple, [[Mao Zedong]]'s tomb, the [[Great Wall of China]] and a Chinese version of ''[[Death of a Salesman]]''. Madam Wu then asks Homer what his job is, and he tells her that he's a Chinese acrobat. At a [[Krusty Fried Chicken]], Madam Wu manages to offend both Lisa and [[Marge]] before they all go to the [[Chinese Acrobatic Theater]] to see a show. When the lead acrobat is unable to take part in the final stunt of the show, due to being dead, Madam Wu sends Homer to take part, since he claimed to be an acrobat. Homer got injured in the stunt and was taken to hospital.
+
In China, the family goes to meet [[Madam Wu]] to adopt a baby. After handing over the money, Wu tells Homer and Selma that she has to make sure they're a happy married couple and they have to wait a few days before they get the baby. Wu then goes around with the family as they explore the sights in China, including a Shaolin temple, [[Mao Zedong]]'s tomb, the [[Great Wall of China]] and a Chinese version of ''[[Death of a Salesman]]''. Madam Wu then asks Homer what his job is, and he tells her that he's a Chinese acrobat. At a [[Krusty Fried Chicken]], Madam Wu manages to offend both Lisa and [[Marge]] before they all go to the [[Chinese Acrobatic Theater]] to see a show. When the lead acrobat is unable to take part in the final stunt of the show, due to being dead, Madam Wu sends Homer to take part, as he had claimed to be an acrobat. Homer gets injured in the stunt and was taken to hospital.
  
In the hospital, Selma shows off baby [[Ling Bouvier|Ling]], and thanks Homer for helping her to get her. She then leaves Homer and Marge in the hospital for some snuggling. However, Madam Wu sees this as she was spying on the family at the time and takes Ling away from Selma again because she needs to be married to have her. Upset at this, the family comes up with a plan to get Ling back and Homer goes undercover as a [[Buddha]] statue into the [[Beijing Orphanage]]. He gets Ling back and escapes and meets back up with the family in [[Tiananmen Square]]. However, Madam Wu catches up with them in a tank and demands they hand Ling back. Selma has a heart to heart conversation with Wu and she decides to let Selma keep Ling as she was also brought up by a single mother after her father died.
+
In the hospital, Selma shows off baby [[Ling Bouvier|Ling]], and thanks Homer for helping her to get her. She then leaves Homer and Marge in the hospital for some snuggling. However, Madam Wu sees this as she was spying on the family at the time and takes Ling away from Selma again because she needs to be married to have her. Upset at this, the family comes up with a plan to get Ling back and Homer goes undercover as a [[Buddha]] statue into the [[Beijing Orphanage]]. He gets Ling back and escapes and meets back up with the family in [[Tiananmen Square]]. However, Madam Wu catches up with them in a tank and demands they hand Ling back. Selma has a heart to heart conversation with Madam Wu, who then decides to let Selma keep Ling as she (Wu) was also brought up by a single mother after her father died.
  
 
Madam Wu then goes with the family to the dock to say goodbye to them as they head off back home. However, Bart has been replaced by a [[Chinese spy]], which Homer claims is close enough. The three dragons then appear again and the [[Red Dragon]] starts to sing. During the end credits, [[David Silverman]] teaches the viewer how to draw Bart.
 
Madam Wu then goes with the family to the dock to say goodbye to them as they head off back home. However, Bart has been replaced by a [[Chinese spy]], which Homer claims is close enough. The three dragons then appear again and the [[Red Dragon]] starts to sing. During the end credits, [[David Silverman]] teaches the viewer how to draw Bart.
  
 
== Production ==
 
== Production ==
The episode's writer, [[Dana Gould]], were adopting a child from China at the time the episode was being aired so he went under a pseudonym of Lawrence Talbot in case the episode was seen by the orphanage workers in China and they got offended by the episode. Dana Gould's daughter Lulu was the design of baby Ling. Gould chose the name {{W|Larry Talbot|Lawrence Talbot}} because that's the alter-ego of the Wolf Man.<ref name="DanaGould">{{Com|Gould, Dana|Goo Goo Gai Pan|Sixteenth|(2013).}}</ref> [[Tim Long]] directed [[Robert Wagner]]'s scenes in the episode.<ref>{{Com|Jean, Al|Goo Goo Gai Pan|Sixteenth|(2013).}}</ref> Homer pretending to be Selma's husband is a reference to something Dana Gould saw when adopting a baby, where a lesbian had a fake husband so she could adopt. Gould also mentioned that this was his favorite episode because it's so close to home for him.<ref name="DanaGould"/>
+
The episode's writer, [[Dana Gould]], was adopting a child from China at the time the episode was being aired so he went under a pseudonym of Lawrence Talbot in case the episode was seen by the orphanage workers in China and they got offended by the episode. Dana Gould's daughter Lulu was the design of baby Ling. Gould chose the name {{W|Larry Talbot|Lawrence Talbot}} because that's the alter-ego of the Wolf Man.<ref name="DanaGould">{{Com|Gould, Dana|Goo Goo Gai Pan|Sixteenth|(2013).}}</ref> [[Tim Long]] directed [[Robert Wagner]]'s scenes in the episode.<ref>{{Com|Jean, Al|Goo Goo Gai Pan|Sixteenth|(2013).}}</ref> Homer pretending to be Selma's husband is a reference to something Dana Gould saw when adopting a baby, where a lesbian had a fake husband so she could adopt. Gould also mentioned that this was his favorite episode because it's so close to home for him.<ref name="DanaGould"/>
  
 
During the credits of the episode, [[David Silverman]] teaches the viewers how to draw Bart. However, the way he taught you was not actually how he draws Bart in reality. [[Erick Tran]] directed the live action Silverman segment.<ref>{{Com|Silverman, David|Goo Goo Gai Pan|Sixteenth|(2013).}}</ref>
 
During the credits of the episode, [[David Silverman]] teaches the viewers how to draw Bart. However, the way he taught you was not actually how he draws Bart in reality. [[Erick Tran]] directed the live action Silverman segment.<ref>{{Com|Silverman, David|Goo Goo Gai Pan|Sixteenth|(2013).}}</ref>
Line 46: Line 48:
 
Robert Canning of {{W|IGN}} said that a majority of the jokes in the episode fall flat. He also felt that the actual storyline would take about 10 minutes if not for all the China filler. However, he did enjoy Robert Wagner's segment and the dragons. He gave the episode a 6.5 rating overall.<ref>[http://uk.ign.com/articles/2008/09/22/the-simpsons-flashback-goo-goo-gai-pan-review IGN - "The Simpsons Flashback: "Goo Goo Gai Pan" Review"]</ref>
 
Robert Canning of {{W|IGN}} said that a majority of the jokes in the episode fall flat. He also felt that the actual storyline would take about 10 minutes if not for all the China filler. However, he did enjoy Robert Wagner's segment and the dragons. He gave the episode a 6.5 rating overall.<ref>[http://uk.ign.com/articles/2008/09/22/the-simpsons-flashback-goo-goo-gai-pan-review IGN - "The Simpsons Flashback: "Goo Goo Gai Pan" Review"]</ref>
  
As of April 2018, the episode has a 7.8 rating on {{W|IMDb}}<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0701100/ IMDb - "Goo Goo Gai Pan"]</ref> and a 8.0 rating on {{W|TV.com}}.<ref>[http://www.tv.com/shows/the-simpsons/goo-goo-gai-pan-375180/ TV.com - "Goo Goo Gai Pan"]</ref>
+
"Goo Goo Gai Pan" was nominated for a [[2005]] {{W|Environmental Media Award}} Turner Award, but it lost to "Prescription for Trouble" from ''{{W2|George Lopez|TV series}}''.<ref name="EMA2005">[https://web.archive.org/web/20071014120640/http://ema-online.org/awards_15th_annual.php Environmental Media Association - "15th Annual Environmental Media Awards"] (archived on {{W|Wayback Machine}})</ref>
 +
 
 +
As of May 2022, the episode has a 7.0 rating on {{W|IMDb}}.<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0701100/ IMDb - "Goo Goo Gai Pan"]</ref>
 +
 
 +
== In other languages ==
 +
{{LanguageBox
 +
|de=yes
 +
|deName=Der lächelnde Buddha
 +
|deTrans=The smiling Buddha
 +
|es=yes
 +
|esName=Gu Gu Gai Pan
 +
|esTrans=Goo Goo Gai Pan
 +
|la=yes
 +
|laName=Aventura en China
 +
|laTrans=Adventure in China
 +
|fr=yes
 +
|frName=Bébé Nem
 +
|frTrans=Baby Nem
 +
|qu=yes
 +
|quName=Un numéro un pour emporter
 +
|quTrans=A number one takeaway
 +
|it=yes
 +
|itName=Adozione made in Cina (bimba in adozione, marito in prestito)
 +
|itTrans=Adoption made in China (baby girl for adoption, husband on loan)
 +
}}
  
 
== References ==
 
== References ==
{{Images|ep=yes}}
 
 
{{Reflist}}
 
{{Reflist}}
  
 +
{{Images|ep=yes}}
 
{{season 16}}
 
{{season 16}}
  
Line 57: Line 83:
 
[[Category:Homer episodes]]
 
[[Category:Homer episodes]]
 
[[Category:Travel episodes]]
 
[[Category:Travel episodes]]
 +
[[Category:Environmental Media Award nominated episodes]]
 
[[Category:Episodes written by Dana Gould]]
 
[[Category:Episodes written by Dana Gould]]
 
[[Category:Episodes directed by Lance Kramer]]
 
[[Category:Episodes directed by Lance Kramer]]
 +
[[Category:Patty and Selma episodes]]
  
 
[[sv:Goo Goo Gai Pan]]
 
[[sv:Goo Goo Gai Pan]]

Latest revision as of 21:44, September 4, 2024

Season 16 Episode
346 "On a Clear Day I Can't See My Sister"
347
"Goo Goo Gai Pan"
"Mobile Homer" 348
"Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on Wu!"
Madam Wu
"Goo Goo Gai Pan"
Goo Goo Gai Pan promo.png
Episode Information
Episode number: 347
Season number: S16 E12
Production code: GABF06
Original airdate: March 13, 2005
Couch gag: The family is surprised by the townspeople and Homer collapses of a heart attack
Guest star(s): Robert Wagner as himself
Lucy Liu as Madam Wu
Showrunner: Al Jean
Written by: Dana Gould
Directed by: Lance Kramer


"Goo Goo Gai Pan" is the twelfth episode of season 16 of The Simpsons and the three-hundred and forty-seventh episode overall. It originally aired on March 13, 2005. The episode was written by Lawrence Talbot and directed by Lance Kramer. It guest stars Robert Wagner as himself and Lucy Liu as Madam Wu.

Synopsis[edit]

"Selma has a severe hot flash while giving Mr. Burns his driving test. Dr. Hibbert explains (with help from a video starring Robert Wagner) that Selma is experiencing the onset of menopause. Selma, decides she wants a baby rather than grow old alone. Adoption is suggested, but the Springfield orphanage is empty. Lisa suggests adopting a baby girl from China. One problem: the Chinese government only allows married couples to adopt. No problem; Selma writes down a name for her husband - Homer's - and "The Simpsons are going to China!" (with Marge acting as Bart and Lisa's nanny) so Selma and Homer can pick up the baby together."


Plot[edit]

Homer as a Buddha statue

Selma gives Mr. Burns a driving test to renew his license. During the test, Selma starts to experience hot flashes and ends up going to hospital due to these. In the hospital, Dr. Hibbert tells Selma that she's going through menopause and shows her a video, starring Robert Wagner, about it. Selma then realizes that she's lost her chance to have a baby and wants one. She goes to the Springfield Orphanage to adopt, only for the birth father, Cletus, to come along and take his baby back because he misheard what Brandine wanted. Disheartened by this, Selma is told by Lisa that she could adopt a baby from China as they have a lot of babies up for adoption there.

Selma then goes to the Consulate of China where she speaks to Mr. Zhao. Zhao tells Selma that her adoption request is all fine except she hasn't filled in a husband on the form, which she is required to have to adopt. After asking if he knew who Angus MacGyver was, Selma filled in Homer's name, causing a chill to go through Homer. The Simpsons then decide to go to China with Selma to adopt a baby. On the plane, Selma tells Homer that she wants him to pretend to be her husband after Homer takes some medicine and starts to hallucinate, seeing three dragons. The White Dragon offers to take Homer to China on his back in return for peanuts, but Homer only offered him one.

In China, the family goes to meet Madam Wu to adopt a baby. After handing over the money, Wu tells Homer and Selma that she has to make sure they're a happy married couple and they have to wait a few days before they get the baby. Wu then goes around with the family as they explore the sights in China, including a Shaolin temple, Mao Zedong's tomb, the Great Wall of China and a Chinese version of Death of a Salesman. Madam Wu then asks Homer what his job is, and he tells her that he's a Chinese acrobat. At a Krusty Fried Chicken, Madam Wu manages to offend both Lisa and Marge before they all go to the Chinese Acrobatic Theater to see a show. When the lead acrobat is unable to take part in the final stunt of the show, due to being dead, Madam Wu sends Homer to take part, as he had claimed to be an acrobat. Homer gets injured in the stunt and was taken to hospital.

In the hospital, Selma shows off baby Ling, and thanks Homer for helping her to get her. She then leaves Homer and Marge in the hospital for some snuggling. However, Madam Wu sees this as she was spying on the family at the time and takes Ling away from Selma again because she needs to be married to have her. Upset at this, the family comes up with a plan to get Ling back and Homer goes undercover as a Buddha statue into the Beijing Orphanage. He gets Ling back and escapes and meets back up with the family in Tiananmen Square. However, Madam Wu catches up with them in a tank and demands they hand Ling back. Selma has a heart to heart conversation with Madam Wu, who then decides to let Selma keep Ling as she (Wu) was also brought up by a single mother after her father died.

Madam Wu then goes with the family to the dock to say goodbye to them as they head off back home. However, Bart has been replaced by a Chinese spy, which Homer claims is close enough. The three dragons then appear again and the Red Dragon starts to sing. During the end credits, David Silverman teaches the viewer how to draw Bart.

Production[edit]

The episode's writer, Dana Gould, was adopting a child from China at the time the episode was being aired so he went under a pseudonym of Lawrence Talbot in case the episode was seen by the orphanage workers in China and they got offended by the episode. Dana Gould's daughter Lulu was the design of baby Ling. Gould chose the name Lawrence Talbot because that's the alter-ego of the Wolf Man.[1] Tim Long directed Robert Wagner's scenes in the episode.[2] Homer pretending to be Selma's husband is a reference to something Dana Gould saw when adopting a baby, where a lesbian had a fake husband so she could adopt. Gould also mentioned that this was his favorite episode because it's so close to home for him.[1]

During the credits of the episode, David Silverman teaches the viewers how to draw Bart. However, the way he taught you was not actually how he draws Bart in reality. Erick Tran directed the live action Silverman segment.[3]

Reception[edit]

Several of the jokes in the episode were taken poorly by China, with the episode being banned. These include jokes about the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, Mao Zedong (who Homer calls "a little angel who killed 50 million people") and Homer portraying a Buddha statue.[4]

Robert Canning of IGN said that a majority of the jokes in the episode fall flat. He also felt that the actual storyline would take about 10 minutes if not for all the China filler. However, he did enjoy Robert Wagner's segment and the dragons. He gave the episode a 6.5 rating overall.[5]

"Goo Goo Gai Pan" was nominated for a 2005 Environmental Media Award Turner Award, but it lost to "Prescription for Trouble" from George Lopez.[6]

As of May 2022, the episode has a 7.0 rating on IMDb.[7]

In other languages[edit]

Language Name Translation
Germany.png Deutsch "Der lächelnde Buddha" The smiling Buddha
Spain flag.png Español "Gu Gu Gai Pan" Goo Goo Gai Pan
Hispanic America.gif Español "Aventura en China" Adventure in China
France.png Français "Bébé Nem" Baby Nem
Flag of Quebec.svg.png Français "Un numéro un pour emporter" A number one takeaway
Italy Flag.png Italiano "Adozione made in Cina (bimba in adozione, marito in prestito)" Adoption made in China (baby girl for adoption, husband on loan)

References[edit]


The Saga of Carl - title screen.png Wikisimpsons has a collection of images related to "Goo Goo Gai Pan".
Season 16 Episodes
Treehouse of Horror XV All's Fair in Oven War Sleeping with the Enemy She Used to Be My Girl Fat Man and Little Boy Midnight Rx Mommie Beerest Homer and Ned's Hail Mary Pass Pranksta Rap There's Something About Marrying On a Clear Day I Can't See My Sister Goo Goo Gai Pan Mobile Homer The Seven-Beer Snitch Future-Drama Don't Fear the Roofer The Heartbroke Kid A Star Is Torn Thank God It's Doomsday Home Away from Homer The Father, the Son and the Holy Guest Star