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Miscellaneous / Verschiedenes » alt.tv.simpsons » (long) A review of "Homer Simpson, This Is Your Wife (HABF08)"
| (long) A review of "Homer Simpson, This Is Your Wife (HABF08)" [message #243171] |
Mo, 27 März 2006 08:48 |
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[The long of it]
So who says it's hard to get a script on "The Simpsons"? All you have
to do is star in an internationally-acclaimed TV show of your own, and
you're in. Why, you might even get to act in the show you wrote! At
least, that's the path that worked for Ricky Gervais. And, I'm happy
to say, the results worked for me, too.
For "Homer Simpson, This Is Your Wife," Gervais decided to place the
Simpsons on a reality show. If you remember "Helter Shelter
(DABF21)," then you'll know this isn't the first time we've seen that
(or even the second, if you count Lisa's turn on "L'il Starmaker" in
"A Star is Torn (GABF13)"). I liked "Helter Shelter" when it aired,
but this episode tops it, making several good observations about how
reality TV is made without resorting to some of the silliness of the
earlier show. For example, take the scene where the producers of
"Wife Flippers" try to get Marge's consent to appear on their show.
"If you agree," they say, "it'll make a terrific act break!" Not only
do they prompt her for a spontaneous decision, but they make her give
several readings of it, just to get the perfect one.
The concept of "Wife Flippers," by the way, is that Marge and a mom
from another family will swap places for a week, as camera crews film
the adjustments everyone makes. Her new "husband" is Charlie. One of
the advantages of writing your own show is that you have the
opportunity to write a juicy part for yourself. Gervais takes
advantage of this, playing Charlie to a tee. Normally the target of
his shrewish wife's vitriol, Charlie's at first grateful that Marge
appreciates him. It doesn't take long before he's fallen in love with
her. I know this should be easy since it's a part he wrote for
himself, but Gervais really nails it. He's likeable, if incompetent,
like a less-crude version of Homer. Even when he's botching a
misogynist joke (one of the show's best scenes, by the way), we still
think of him as essentially a nice guy. A later scene, where Charlie
plays a love song for Marge, is pure gold. (Gervais wrote not only
the lyrics, but the music as well. What a show-off.)
The rest of the material is pretty good, too. Events begin at a party
where Lenny shows off his new high-definition plasma TV. I loved
Homer's instant obsession, planting himself on Lenny's couch and not
budging for three days. Even the kids get in on the act; sent to
retrieve their father, they immediately join him when they realize
Lenny's TV isn't just a plasma TV, but a *high-definition* plasma TV.
In the hopes of winning cash for a TV of their own, the Simpsons
appear on "Wife Flippers." While Marge is off with Charlie, Homer
must deal with Severity, Charlie's fittingly-named spouse. The "book
reports" she forces Homer and Bart to do on their TV watching is good,
but the producers were wise to keep the focus on the less-predictable
Marge-Charlie aspect of the story. Finally, there's an excellent
callback to Patty's sexual orientation to wrap up the show. I knew
the producers were going to make further references to Patty as a
lesbian, but I didn't know they'd be this good.
I must make mention of tonight's opening couch gag, a live-action
version of the show's usual opening. It's the one that's been
circulating on the Internet for a couple of weeks now. In the
animated opening, the characters had a bit more energy (or at least,
they seemed to move faster). Nevertheless, it does a good job of
capturing the key elements: Bart's blackboard gag, Maggie's checkout,
the driveway scene, and so on. (And wow, Springfield Elementary looks
a lot drearier in real life!) I spent the rest of the episode
wondering how the scenes would have looked if the live actors had
continued to play OFF.
I don't get the Beeb locally, so I've never seen the British "Office"
or Ricky Gervais. I can't tell you how much of Gervais' humor
filtered through "The Simpsons" team of in-house writers, but I can
say this episode seemed a little fresher for having an outside
perspective on things.
Hmm, I wonder if Steve Carrell is up to writing an episode ...
[The short of it]
Here's the secret to getting your script on the show: Be the star of
an internationally-acclaimed show of your own. Gervais makes a good
case for himself as a fanscript writer. Even though the Simpsons have
been on reality TV before, this episode finds new and witty things to
say. The funny writing is topped with an excellent vocal performance
by Gervais as the put-upon husband who falls in love with Marge in a
wife-swapping show. With the intriguing live-action (!) opening,
funny first-act setup, clever third-act wrap-up and Gervais' rambling
over the closing credits, this is an excellent episode literally from
start to finish. (A)
[DYNs]
.... Lenny appears to have upgraded his parties? (At his New Year's
Eve party, he didn't even have a clock)
.... when Lenny unveils it, the TV is showing a scene from the
"Phantom of the Opera" movie?
.... in the Simpsons' universe, "The Tracey Ullman Show" is
apparently still on the air?
.... Marge taps her foot to Charlie's song?
.... when Charlie steps in front of the fireplace, we can see his
legs in silhouette through his robe?
.... the shadows were moving realistically across the walls, as they
would in a fireplace-lit room?
.... the words and music of "Lady Blue" and "End Credit Ramble" were
penned by Ricky Gervais?
.... not to be outdone, the show's own Alf Clausen wrote the music
for "Picture In Picture"? (Gervais again did the lyrics)
[References]
"This Is Your Life" (TV series)
- title a spoof (and a fitting one, since "This Is Your Life" was
also an "unscripted" series)
Newsweek (newsmagazine)
- Lenny's parody version is called, "Newsfake"
Time (newsmagazine)
- famous for its annual "Man of the Year" issue
"Freak Out" (song)
- cold sore jingle sung to this tune
"Best Damn Sports Show, Period" (TV series)
- tour guide refers to one of Fox's sitcoms as "the worst damn
comedy show, period"
"Wife Swap"
"Meet Your New Mommy" (TV series)
- "Mother Flippers" a rip-off [See "Personal Comments &
Observations" for more]
"The Office" (TV series)
- isn't Ricky Gervais' character an office manager on this show?
Air Force One (Presidential plane)
- Lisa flown to New Haven on Frito-Lay's "Air Force Yum"
"The Apprentice" (TV series)
- the show where Donald Trump employs his catchphrase, "You're
fired"
[Previous Episode References]
[7F18] Someone uses the "I'm dying ..." psych-out
[DABF21] Lenny lives next door to a jai alai fronton
(at least he got rid of that big glass wall!)
[DABF21], [GABF13] For that matter, the Simpsons on a reality show
[GABF04] The show where Patty comes out as a lesbian
[FFF]
Lenny's magazine cover:
Newsfake
[Lenny]
MAN OF
THE YEAR
"Family Circus" cartoon:
[Billy in a barber's chair,]
[ talking to the barber ]
Don't bother, it'll just grow back
Boy's roadside cosmetic procedure stand:
BOTOX
$5
Sign at Fox studios gate:
[Fox logo]
NUMBER TWO WITH
PRISONERS 18 - 49
The worst damn comedy show, period:
Jody's World [Spade]
[head ]
[shot ]
With David Spade
Fox reality shows:
DWARF MILLION
OR DOLLAR
MIDGET? FART-
AMERICA DECIDES OFF ["Fart-off" is inside a cloud]
Casting call sign:
CASTING CALL
"MOTHER
FLIPPERS"
Amateur singers' cage:
American
Idol
HOLDING PEN
Homer's DVD:
HOMER gone WILD
VOLUME
6
Film crewmen's signs:
WHAT DON'T
A WASTE
JERK SIGNS
Frito-Lay helicopter:
AIR FORCE
YUM
[Personal Comments & Observations]
>> Meta-Reference Corner
While touring the Fox back lot, the Simpsons meet Dan Castellaneta,
better known to us as the voice of Homer. (In the Simpsons' world,
he's still an actor on "The Tracey Ullman Show.") I think that's his
actual speaking voice, based on interviews he has given.
The "Mother Flippers" producers tell Marge that if she agrees to be on
the show, it will make a good act break. Presumably, they're
referring to "Mother Flippers," but it's also the act break for this
episode of "The Simpsons."
>> Plagiarismo Di Plagiarismo!
Lisa says she's seen "Mother Flippers" before, as some other show.
Actually, she's seen it *twice* before. "Wife Swap" and "Meet Your
New Mommy" (and "Mother Flippers," while we're at it) have the same
premise: Let's take women from two wildly different backgrounds, have
them switch places, and tape the ensuing hilarity! One show -- "Wife
Swap," if I remember right -- is on ABC, while the other is on Fox,
which means that "Mother Flippers" is actually copying from its own
network. Both shows premiered at about the same time, and there was
actually some sniping going on as to who was stealing from whom. In
reality, the idea, like many successful ones in American TV, was
borrowed from a British show with the same premise. As opposed to
completely American fare, like NBC's "The Office."
>> Un-reality show
Some of the criticism directed at reality shows is that they aren't as
spontaneous as they seem. Consider the act break, where the producers
have Marge give a few different readings of, "I'll do it!" Some
reality shows have made their subjects re-do things because the
cameras didn't get them the first time around. (Supposedly,
"Survivor" had contestants re-do a contest, being careful to get the
same results as the first time around, because the producers wanted a
better camera angle on the action.)
When trying to woo Marge, Charlie tells her, "we're alone now." Sure,
if you don't count the camera guy, the sound guy, the grip, the
director, and so on. (To be fair, I think people really do get used
to having the crew around after awhile, and start to act as they
normally do when they aren't being filmed.)
The cameraman says he didn't get Marge's nice speech about Homer, but
he did get Charlie's confession about the parentage of his son. That
plays to a common complaint by people who have been on reality shows:
that they are edited to make people seem nastier than they really are.
>> Personality Parade
Charlie Sheen -- Actor, currently appearing on the CBS sitcom, "Two
and a Half Men." (The extra half-man is a boy, in case you were
wondering.) No matter what role he is in, Sheen has this emotionally
detached, aloof persona; hence, Homer's comment about the soulless
look in his eye.
David Spade -- Another actor, currently appearing in numerous
commercials for Capital One. (Or maybe they've moved on -- their
latest had has an incompetent guardian angel.) Before that, he was on
"Saturday Night Live" and "Just Shoot Me." Spade has a sarcastic,
cynical edge that makes him an unlikely choice for a cutie-pie sitcom
like "Jody's World" appears to be.
Mischa Barton -- I *think* she's an actress on "The O.C.," but can't
say for certain since I've only seen two or three episodes of that
show. "The O.C." is a hit for Fox, which may be why the network has
erected a statue in her honor.
Ryan Seacrest -- The host of "American Idol." I'm just mentioning
this for our overseas viewers, since most Americans know who he is.
David Letterman -- Host of a late-night talk show on CBS, the home
network of "CSI: Miami." His guest, "Alias," is probably Jennifer
Garner, the star of that show. "CSI: Miami" airs at 10:00pm (EST)
Mondays, while "Late Night with David Letterman" runs from 11:35pm to
12:37am, so you can figure out how long Homer was asleep.
>> American Geography 101
Lake Havasu is in Arizona. Its main claim to fame is that London
Bridge was transported there, stone by stone, and rebuilt as a tourist
attraction. So if you Londoners have been wondering what happened to
it ...
New Haven is a city in Connecticut which, as Marge notes, is nicknamed
"The Nutmeg State." As far as I know, no British landmarks (save for
Ricky Gervais) have been relocated there.
>> Proposition 38
Thought gay marriage was a divisive issue? Some states are
considering whether or not to allow gay couples to adopt. Others are
floating propositions to allow (or bar) gay couples from adopting
children; apparently the Simpsons live in one of these states.
You know, if Patty and Severity do try to adopt, Fox could make a
reality show of that!
--
Benjamin Robinson bjr7 [at] freenet.tlh.fl.us
This message may or may not contain sarcastic content; your burden to decide
"I'm naked, clueless, and f-e-e-e-ling good!" -- Ratbert
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| Re: (long) A review of "Homer Simpson, This Is Your Wife (HABF08)" [message #243173 ] |
Mo, 27 März 2006 09:02 |
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Benjamin Robinson wrote:
> [7F18] Someone uses the "I'm dying ..." psych-out
I'm pretty sure that's 2F01 (dead serious about going to Itchy and Scratchy
Land), unless there's one I'm forgetting in 7F18. There's also one in CABF11
(dead tired of babyproofers who don't provide a free estimate).
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| Re: (long) A review of "Homer Simpson, This Is Your Wife (HABF08)" [message #243204 ] |
Di, 28 März 2006 15:07 |
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<snip>
> As opposed to
> completely American fare, like NBC's "The Office."
Mm-hmm - sarcasm? - Ricky Gervais and his mate Stephen created both the
original UK and the US versions of The Office. For those that haven't seen
the UK version, it's really odd hearing such a familiar voice and character
coming out of a Simpsons cartoon on the screen. Gervais plays the lead role
in The Office and his very particular style of dialogue ("... I'm a bit of
an elbow man meself, actually [giggles] ... bit different ... bit weird ...
not _sexual_ [gurn]") takes you straight back to him sat behind his desk at
Wernham Hogg.
Ricky's dialogue works best when it's coming from his own mouth, I'd urge
you to see the original The Office if you get the chance.
<snippety>
> David Letterman -- Host of a late-night talk show on CBS, the home
> network of "CSI: Miami." His guest, "Alias," is probably Jennifer
> Garner, the star of that show.
Ricky Gervais also guest starred in an episode of Alias, cool way to
name-check your mates, huh?!
h
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| Re: (long) A review of "Homer Simpson, This Is Your Wife (HABF08)" [message #244610 ] |
So, 02 April 2006 15:37 |
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I agree. Although the 'elbow man' line WAS straight from the Office,
therev was somethig about the general tone, or timing, or something,
that seemed to be lacking in this ep.
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