Sideshow Bob Roberts
| "Sideshow Bob Roberts" | |
|---|---|
| The Simpsons episode | |
| File:QuimbyBobDebate.png | |
| Episode no. | Season 6 |
| Directed by | Mark Kirkland |
| Written by | Bill Oakley Josh Weinstein |
| Original air date | October 9, 1994[1] |
| Episode features | |
| Commentary | Matt Groening David Mirkin Bill Oakley Josh Weinstein Mark Kirkland |
"Sideshow Bob Roberts" is the fifth episode of The Simpsons' sixth season, and it originally aired on October 9, 1994. Kelsey Grammer returns as villain Sideshow Bob, who in this episode, wins the Springfield mayoral election through electoral fraud. The episode was written by Bill Oakley and Josh Weinstein, and directed by Mark Kirkland. Oakley and Weinstein drew inspiration for the episode from the Watergate scandal, and included many cultural references to political films, as well as real-life events. These included the film All the President's Men and the first televised debate between Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy during the 1960 United States presidential election.
The episode was referenced in a course at Columbia College Chicago titled: "The Simpsons as Satirical Authors". It received favorable reception in the media, including a positive mention in I Can't Believe It's a Bigger and Better Updated Unofficial Simpsons Guide and Green Bay Press-Gazette. A review in Press & Sun-Bulletin placed the episode as the seventh best of the series.
Plot
In Springfield Prison, Sideshow Bob calls Birch Barlow, a local right-wing talk show host and complains of being unfairly imprisoned. Barlow and Springfield's residents pressure Mayor Quimby into releasing Bob. Bob is soon unveiled as the Republican Party candidate for the Springfield mayoral election. Determined to keep Bob from becoming mayor, Bart and Lisa decide to campaign for Quimby. Unfortunately, due to Bob's charisma and Quimby's drowsy appearance at a televised debate, Bob wins the election.
The Simpsons awake to find that their house is in the way of Bob's new "Matlock Expressway" and that it will soon be demolished. Bob also demotes Bart to kindergarten at Springfield Elementary School. Bart and Lisa begin to suspect that Bob somehow rigged the election. Lisa goes through the voting records but is unable to find any evidence that the election was rigged. Lisa receives a message from a whistle blower, who turns out to be Waylon Smithers.
Bob's policies disagree with Smithers's "choice of lifestyle" so he tells Bart and Lisa to find a voter named Edgar Neubauer, who will lead them to evidence of electoral fraud. Eventually, Bart discovers the name Edgar Neubauer on a tombstone at the cemetery. Lisa discovers that many of those listed as voting for Bob are in fact long dead. At the trial that follows, Bart and Lisa trick Bob into confessing his crime and he is sent back to prison. The Simpsons get their house back, Quimby takes Bob's place as mayor, and Bart returns to the fourth grade.
Production
Although the episode primarily mocks the Republican Party, the writers included several jokes at the expense of the Democratic Party, liberal and conservative politics, to try and be as neutral as possible.[2] Writers Bill Oakley and Josh Weinstein were very interested in the Watergate scandal and based a lot of the second act on that.[3] Mark Kirkland directed the episode.[1]
The episode sees Kelsey Grammer return as Sideshow Bob for his fourth appearance. Clips from previous episodes featuring Bob were used to remind viewers who he was and what he had done.[2] Bob's Cape Fear musical cue from the episode "Cape Feare" is also reused.[3] Showrunner David Mirkin found directing Grammer a joy. Dr. Demento also guest starred, as did Larry King for the second time.[2] One of the prisoners in Bob's campaign advert is a caricature of producer Richard Sakai.[2] The "Les Wynan" joke was pitched by Mike Reiss.[3] The episode does not feature a chalkboard or couch gag, cutting straight from the clouds to the TV. Some syndication edits have included a couch gag.[4]
Cultural references
Much of the episode is based on the Watergate scandal, as well as other real life political events.[3] The two Republicans who follow Bob around were based on H. R. Haldeman and John Ehrlichman, two of Richard Nixon's closest advisors during Watergate.[3] Sideshow Bob's campaign advert was based on the famous Willie Horton political advertisement used by George H. W. Bush during the 1988 United States presidential election.[3][5] Birch Barlow's question to Mayor Quimby about whether his stance on crime would differ if it was his family being attacked is a reference to Bernard Shaw's similar question to Democratic candidate Michael Dukakis during the 1988 presidential debates.[3] Quimby's appearance during the debate parodies Richard Nixon's appearance during the first televised debate between Nixon and John F. Kennedy during the 1960 United States presidential election. Nixon had recently recovered from a cold, and sweated considerably throughout, something that was detrimental to the impression he made in the debate.[3]
Many political films are also referenced. The episode features several references to the film All the President's Men, which chronicled Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein's investigation of the Watergate scandal. These include the pull-out of Lisa looking over the voting records, the music, and the clandestine meeting with Smithers in a parking garage.[3] The end court scene, as well as Sideshow Bob's speech echo the 1992 film A Few Good Men, including Jack Nicholson's speech with the line "You can't handle the truth".[4][2] Bob's sudden confession that he did rig the election was a vague reference to "every episode of Perry Mason".[6] Sideshow Bob gives his acceptance speech underneath a giant poster with a picture of himself on it; this is a reference to the campaign speech scene in Citizen Kane.[4] The title and several plot elements, including Bob entering Burns's meeting draped in an American flag, are references to the 1992 film Bob Roberts.[4][3]
The character Birch Barlow is a take-off of American talk show host and political commentator Rush Limbaugh.[4] Barlow mentions Colonel Oliver North, Officer Stacey Koon and advertising mascot Joe Camel as being "intelligent conservative[s], railroaded by our liberal justice system".[1] Also, the language spoken at Republican Party headquarters is inspired by Enochian, a language associated with occult and Satanic ceremonies.[3]
Other references are also included. The Springwood Minimum Security Prison is a parody of Allenwood Minimum Security Prison.[5] When Lisa is driving, she is listening to "St. Elmo's Fire" by John Parr,[4] a choice David Mirkin found "very sad".[2] Archie Comics characters Archie Andrews, Reggie Mantle, Moose Mason and Jughead Jones are shown throwing Homer on the Simpson's lawn and warning him to "stay out of Riverdale!"[1][2] Some of the deceased voters are Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper, who all died in a plane crash on February 3, 1959.[7] The epitaph on The Big Bopper's gravestone is "Gooooodbye, Baby!" a reference to the opening line of his song "Chantilly Lace" - "Hellooo Baby!".[2] Finally, the Simpson's home being demolished to make way for a bypass is a very slight reference to the opening of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.[2]
Reception
In its original American broadcast, "Sideshow Bob Roberts" finished tied for 64th place in the weekly ratings for the week of October 3 to October 9, 1994 with a Nielsen rating of 8.6. It was the sixth highest rated show on the Fox Network that week.[8]
Warren Martyn and Adrian Wood, the authors of the book I Can't Believe It's a Bigger and Better Updated Unofficial Simpsons Guide noted the episode was: "A stunningly outspoken political satire that drew considerable disapproval from the Republican Party when it was aired."[4] Eric Reinagel, Brian Moritz and John Hill of the Press & Sun-Bulletin named "Sideshow Bob Roberts" as the seventh best episode of the show.[9] Thomas Rozwadowski of Green Bay Press-Gazette placed the episode amongst his list of the ten best episodes of the show which have lessons: "Corrupt politicians always get their comeuppance. Or not." He also highlighted Bob's campaign advert and Kent Brockman's line "And the results are in. For Sideshow Bob, 100 percent. For Joe Quimby, 1 percent. And we remind you, there is a 1 percent margin of error."[10]
The episode has been used in a course at Columbia College Chicago. The course entitled "The Simpsons as Satirical Authors" featured "Sideshow Bob Roberts" as one of the episodes used screened for the ""What's (Not) Wrong with America? Critiquing the U.S. Government" topic.[11]
References
- ^ a b c d Richmond, Ray (1997). The Simpsons: A Complete Guide to our Favorite Family. Harper Collins Publishers. p. 153. ISBN 0-00-638898-1.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ a b c d e f g h i Mirkin, David (2005). The Simpsons season 6 DVD commentary for the episode "Sideshow Bob Roberts" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
{{cite AV media}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|1=(help) - ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Oakley, Bill (2005). The Simpsons season 6 DVD commentary for the episode "Sideshow Bob Roberts" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
{{cite AV media}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|1=(help) - ^ a b c d e f g Martyn, Warren; Wood, Adrian (2000). "Sideshow Bob Roberts". BBC. Retrieved 2008-03-27.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ a b Weinstein, Josh (2005). The Simpsons season 6 DVD commentary for the episode "Sideshow Bob Roberts" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
{{cite AV media}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|1=(help) - ^ Groening, Matt (2005). The Simpsons season 6 DVD commentary for the episode "Sideshow Bob Roberts" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
{{cite AV media}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|1=(help) - ^ Adam Finley (2006-06-29). "The Simpsons: Sideshow Bob Roberts". TV Squad. Retrieved 2008-08-07.
- ^ Associated Press (1994-10-12). "Nielsen Ratings/Oct. 3-9". Press-Telegram. p. C5.
{{cite news}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help) - ^ Eric Reinagel, Brian Moritz, John Hill (2007-07-27). "Woo-Hoo! A look at the 10 best 'Simpsons' episodes ever - just in time for the new movie". Press & Sun-Bulletin. p. 8E.
{{cite news}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Thomas Rozwadowski (2007-07-29). "Wanna be S-M-R-T? Take lessons from 'The Simpsons'". Green Bay Press-Gazette. p. 01D.
{{cite news}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help) - ^ Jason George (2005-12-07). "The Simpsons go to college - Columbia offering a course that even noted school-phobe Bart would like". Chicago Tribune. p. 3.
{{cite news}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help)
External links
