Estranger Things/References

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References/Trivia


Season 36 Episode References
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"Estranger Things"
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Cultural references

  • The episode title is a reference to the TV series Stranger Things, and also a play on the word "estrange".
  • Prince William is on the cover of the first issue of Partially Bald Monthly, while Michael Keaton is on the cover of the second issue.
    • The headline on Michael Keaton's issue is "Michael Keaton is... Recedeljuice!", a reference to the film Beetlejuice which starred Keaton as Betelgeuse and also a reference to his receding hairline.
    • The abbreviation HRH, short for "Hair Royal Hairline", is a pun on the title "Her Royal Highness" (HRH).
  • Homer, Bart, and Lisa eat Twinkies.
During "Open Sesame Street", Itchy and Scratchy are dressed similarly to Bert and Ernie from Sesame Street
  • "A Mother's Heartbreak" is a parody of "When She Loved Me" by Sarah McLachlan from Toy Story 2. Incidentally, Sarah also sings the former song herself.
    • During the song sequence, Itchy grabs a lamppost while holding an umbrella, mimicking Gene Kelly's iconic moment in the 1952 musical Singin' in the Rain.
  • When Marge is worried that Bart and Lisa may stop speaking and drift apart, Homer makes an analogy to Sweet and CJ Johnson, the brothers from Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. In the video game series, CJ Johnson is blamed by Sweet for the death of their brother Brian, a tragedy that drives the two apart.
    • Homer also mentions Los Santos, a fictional city from the game, and Big Smoke, a relevant character.
    • The next day, Homer plays the game on the TV.
  • The song heard when Homer wears the sunglasses and plays the video game is "Superbad" by Top Dogz, which is part of the soundtrack of the video game Watch Dogs: Legion.
In the future, Lisa is the commissioner of the NBA. Then, the WNBA is called the NBA, while the nowadays NBA is called "MNBA"
  • The WNBA is called the NBA in the future while the NBA is called the MNBA, implying that the popularity of women's basketball will eventually surpass that of men's.
    • Lisa becomes the commissioner of the new NBA.
  • "Da Butt" by Experience Unlimited plays when Lisa goes home.
  • A keg of Metamucil is thrown out the window of the Simpson house.
  • Along with his keys, Bart has a Costmo card, a parody of Costco.
  • While playing croquet, Bart tells Comic Book Guy to think that the ball is a Tribble from Star Trek.
  • Bart bought a Chevrolet Camaro with the money he got from looking after the old people.
  • Comic Book Guy says the Camaro is as red as the planet Arrakis, saying it's a reference to Dune.
  • Bart has one of the t-shirts with him holding a slingshot ready to shoot with the text "Underachiever ('And proud of it, man!')", one of the popular real-life t-shirts created after "Bart Gets an "F"" and banned from schools.
  • "Jailbreak" by Thin Lizzy plays during the rescue mission.
  • The Disorient Express is a reference to the Orient Express.
  • When Bart mentions Itchy reanimating the corpse of Ty Cobb in a plot to "slide spikes first into Scratchy's face" he is alluding to Cobb's actual practice of sliding spikes high to inflict wounds on the covering baseman.
  • Marge married Ringo Starr in Heaven.

Trivia

  • Raphael, the old Jewish man, and Emil do not appear to have aged at all in the future.
  • This is the first time that the Comic Book Guy is featured in an episode set in the future.

Continuity

Goofs

  • In the flashback to four years ago, a picture of Maggie is seen on the wall, despite her not being born yet.
Season 36 References
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 • Homer and Her Sisters • The Man Who Flew Too Much • Bottle Episode • The Flandshees of Innersimpson • The Last Man Expanding • P.S. I Hate You • Abe League of Their Moe • Stew Lies • Full Heart, Empty Pool • Estranger Things