Radio Bart
"Radio Bart"
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Episode Information
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Radio Bart is the thirteenth episode of the third season, first shown on the 9th January 1992. Sting guest voices himself. It was nominated for an Emmy that year. The episode's plot is inspired by a common American tradition of telling stories about children who have fallen down wells.
Contents
Plot
Homer doesn't know what to get Bart for his birthday. While watching TV, he sees an ad for a microphone that can be used to send voices over the radio. Homer jumps on the idea and orders one for Bart's birthday. However, Bart is less than enthralled by it, and more taken with the label-maker that Patty and Selma got him.
Homer tries to convince Bart how great the microphone is, and after Marge also tries it out, Bart decides to have a little 'fun' with it. After trying it out on a few unsuspecting victims (he manages to make Rod and Tod Flanders believe that God is talking to them through the radio), Bart lowers a radio down into an old, abandoned well. Calling for help over the radio, a number of Townspeople gather around the well, where Bart explains that he is an orphan named Timmy O'Toole. Due to the size of the well, none of the city's Police Force will fit, and Timmy explains that his foot is trapped under a rock.
A number of townsfolk attempt to come up with solutions to free the boy. Krusty the Clown even decides to work with musician Sting, to create a song called "We're Sending Our Love Down the Well." A carnival is held near the well to benefit Timmy O'Toole, and an Itchy & Scratchy episode is dedicated to him.
However, Bart's ruse is broken when Lisa sees him wrestling the microphone away from Santa's Little Helper. The growls through the microphone by the dog make the townspeople believe that something is wrong with Timmy, and the local news immediately reports on his 'possibly feral condition.' Lisa confronts Bart that his prank is going to end up backfiring. Bart scoffs at this, until he remembers that he used his label-maker to put a 'Property of Bart Simpson' label on the radio in the well.
Later that evening, Bart returns to the well, and attempts to climb down into it using a rope. When Officers Lou and Eddie see the rope, they untie it, sending Bart plummeting down into the well, where his foot ends up trapped under a rock (much like the story he made up to fool everyone). Bart calls for help, and explains to the officers about his prank. The officers then decide to leave Bart there.
The next day, Marge asks what the Police are doing to help Bart. Police Chief Wiggum mentions that since Bart tricked the public, there is very little public support to help him. The Mayor considers this prospect, but in the wake of negative public opinion, he renounces his support and proclaims that Bart should 'stay down there' (which causes cheers from his brain-washed constituents).
Later that evening, Marge and Homer return and drop a sweater down for Bart to wear. As he ponders the situation, and considers that he'll be trapped down in the well for the rest of his life, Homer is incited to dig him out. Before long, a number of other citizens have helped in the efforts. After several days, they manage to reach Bart. Homer assures Bart that they'll make sure that noone else will ever fall down the well.
The final image shows Groundskeeper Willie posting a sign nearby that says "Caution: Well" (note: in reality, it would have been safer just to board-up the well).
Production
When this episode was being made, the producers approached Bruce Springsteen to appear. He rejected doing the episode, and got Sting to appear in his place. According to DVD Commentary, the producers originally wanted Homer to sing The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald by Gordon Lightfoot as opposed to Convoy. Jon Vitti said the reason the song was not used was because Lightfoot had made it so that in order to clear the song, they would have to get okays from the families of all 29 victims who died on the ship.
In one scene, Bart uses his radio to make Homer believe aliens are invading the Earth. This prompts Homer to brandish a shotgun in panic. According to the commentary, Homer's original reaction was to mix Kool-Aid and rat poison, ostensibly to spare his family the horror of alien invasion. This was deemed too dark and was changed.
Trivia
- This is the first episode in which Sideshow Mel speaks.
- When Bart pretends to be an alien using the microphone, he calls himself 'Bartron.' This is the second time this name has been used. On an earlier episode that aired on "The Tracy Ullman Show," Bart, Lisa and Maggie decide to play a make-believe game of 'Space-Patrol.' Lisa puts a vase over Bart's head, claiming he can play "Bartron, an evil robot gone berserk."
- Two of the names on The Krusty the Klown birthday list are the names of people who would later become part of the Simpsons staff: Ken Keeler and Patric Verrone
- The name of the pizza place, "Wall E. Weasel," is a parody of the restaurant chain "Chuck E. Cheese."
- The music session to record "We're Sending Our Love Down the Well," is meant to parody the recording session for the song "We Are The World." Krusty's vocalizations during parts of the song seem to be parodying how Huey Lewis sang with the "We Are The World" recording session.
Appearances
Characters
- Lisa Simpson
- Homer Simpson
- Marge Simpson
- Bart Simpson
- Krusty the Clown
- Sideshow Mel
- Jake the Barber
- Rosetta
- Maggie Simpson
- Martin Prince
- Milhouse Van Houten
- Richard
- Wendell Borton
- Nelson Muntz
- Wall-E-Weasal
- Lewis
- Larry the Looter
- Senor Beaverotti
- Patty and Selma Bouvier
- Santa's Little Helper
- Janey Powell
- Edna Krabappel
- Wanda
- Rod and Todd Flanders
- Groundskeeper Willie
- Jasper Beardley
- Seymour Skinner
- Clancy Wiggum
- Dave Shutton
- Timmy O'Toole
- Kent Brockman
- Jimbo Jones
- Professor Frink
- Sting
- Rainier Wolfcastle
- Marvin Monroe
- Lance Murdock
- Capital City Goofball
- Troy McClure
- Scott Christian
- Bleeding Gums Murphy
- Stephanie
- Joe Quimby
- Princess Kashmir
- Itchy & Scratchy
- Otto Mann
- Lou
- Eddie
- Funky-See, Funky Do's
- Herman
- Carl Carlson
- Apu Nahasapeemapetilon
- Moe Szyslak
- Julius Hibbert
Locations
- 742 Evergreen Terrace
- Phineas Q. Butterfat's 5600 Flavors Ice Cream Parlor
- Jake's Unisex Hair Palace
- Wall-E-Weasal's
- Springfield Elementary School
- Flanders House
- The Old Well
Vehicles
Reception
In the DVD commentary for the episode, the staff expresses their disbelief that this episode lost the Emmy for animated program to Claymation Easter. Al Jean said they thought this episode or Ren & Stimpy would win and were absolutely floored when neither did. David Silverman said he believes The Simpsons and Ren & Stimpy split the vote, allowing Claymation Easter to grab the Emmy. The Daily Telegraph characterized the episode as one of "The 10 Best Simpsons TV Episodes."
Cultural References
- The song that plays as Bart descends the well (to retrieve the incriminating radio) is based on the theme song Axel F from Beverly Hills Cop. The Itchy & Scratchy cartoon "Cat Splat Fever" makes use of the title of the 1977 Ted Nugent album/song Cat Scratch Fever.
- The media circus and carnival that results after news breaks about "Timmy" being trapped in the well mirrors that of the 1951 movie Ace in the Hole. The movie in turn was based on the real incident and media circus that resulted when cave explorer Floyd Collins was trapped and died in a cave in Kentucky in 1925.
- The episode parodies charity singles. The song "We're Sending Our Love Down the Well" is a spoof of various 1980s charity songs, including "Do They Know It's Christmas?" (on which Sting was one of the vocalists) and "We Are the World". Also a parody of All out of love by Air Supply.
- The Wall E. Weasel pizza restaurant ("We cram fun down your throat") is a parody of the family pizza restaurant franchise Chuck E. Cheese's. Seen in this episode: The restaurant's mascot (here in his first appearance), the franchise's pizza, video games, and poorly maintained animatronic robots.
- The song in the commercial (used to demonstrate the Superstar Celebrity Microphone) — and later "performed" by Homer — is the 1975 novelty song Convoy by C.W. McCall.
- The Superstar Celebrity Microphone is based on the late-1970s era toy microphone Mr. Microphone. The television ad pitching the microphone is also similar.
- Upon hearing Bart cry about being trapped in the well, Homer decides to dig Bart out himself, declaring "That's all I can stand, and I can't stand no more!" echoing a line Popeye frequently used before getting into a fight.
- Soul Mass Transit System, the TV dance show in the first act (on which Funky-See Funky-Do is guest performing) is a parody of the long-running syndicated program Soul Train. Funky-See Funky Do's single, titled "I Do Believe We're Naked," is a parody of the song I Think We're Alone Now recorded by Tommy James & the Shondells, Tiffany and Girls Aloud.[2]
- As the camera pans down the well after the excavation has begun, a flying saucer containing a skeleton of a Rigellian alien can be seen.
- Homer stating that Sting is a good digger while he is helping dig Bart out of the well is appropriate and somewhat ironic due to the fact that Sting worked as a ditch digger (as well as a few other professions) before he became a full time musician.
- This episode is similar to an incident involving Jessica McClure, who fell into a well in Midland, Texas on October 14, 1987.
- The prank is obviously based upon the popular joke from the Lassie films, in which when one cannot understand the messenger, usually a dog, the reciever will reply "What's that boy? Timmy's stuck down a well?!"
