Simpsons (some spoilers)

["Brian Cady" <cadyb@home.com>]

Review of Sunday's The Simpsons with The Who from the New York Daily News:
http://www.nydailynews.com/2000-11-03/New_York_Now/Television/a-86935.asp

The 250th episode isn't even one of the show's better efforts. It underutilizes its guest stars, Pete Townshend, Roger Daltrey and
John Entwistle of The Who, but even a less than terrific "Simpsons" is delightful. Proof:

With mere days to go before the national election, the opening credits have Bart writing on the blackboard, "I will not plant
subliminal Messagores."

When Homer skeptically sticks his head into the doghouse after the kids tell him a badger has curled up there, we hear Homer getting
ripped to shreds. When he comes out of the doghouse, he says, "It's a badger, all right. Or possibly a griffin."

When Moe the bartender is upset that Homer has diverted The Who from a Springfield concert to Homer's own site on the other side of
town, he alludes to "Pinball Wizard" by saying "That fat, dumb and bald guy sure plays some real hardball!"

The central plot device, about Springfield residents up in arms because the phone company has divided their town into two different
area codes, hits a raw nerve that, by now, is nearly universal.

And another from Jam! Showbiz:
http://www.canoe.ca/Television/nov3_simpsons-sun.html

Keeping that in mind, it's safe to say The Simpsons returns in fine form this Sunday, even if its 12th season premiere - which also
happens to be the 250th episode of the long-running series - merely lives up to the usual Simpsons quality. Merely.

Airing Sunday at 9 p.m. on Global (Cable 8) and Fox (Cable 33, 28), A Tale of Two Springfields follows the now-traditional season
premiere modus operandi of bringing in high-profile guest voices - in this case, British rock legends the Who, playing themselves.

Springfield finds itself a town divided when the phone company forces half of the populace to adopt a new area code. The rich people
get to keep the old 636 code, while the folks living on the wrong side of the tracks - including Homer and family, as if that needed
to be said - have to bear the burden of the new 939 prefix.

The typically restrained Homer-style response is to declare half of the town its own city, with him as mayor. Thus, New Springfield
is born. Unfortunately, Olde Springfield has the stadium where Roger Daltry and pals are scheduled to play. D'oh!

Therefore, Homer has to find a way to lure the Who across the wall of garbage that separates New Springfield from Olde Springfield,
in the hopes the rest of the town's citizenry will follow.

The various gags need not be spoiled here, but suffice to say they include a hungry badger, an animated character called Phony
McRingring, golden showers and lines like "that fat, dumb and bald guy sure plays some real hardball." (Those not of the Who's
g-g-generation might struggle with the significance of that last one.)

Also of interest to hardcore Simpsons fans: While it's been a long-running gag on the show that we're never told what state
Springfield is in, the 636 area code really does exist - in Missouri.

It's not the area code for Springfield, Missouri, mind you, but still, something to think about next summer while waiting for the
premiere of Season 13 of The Simpsons. And waiting ... and waiting ...

        -Brian in Atlanta
         The Who This Month!
        http://members.home.net/cadyb/who.htm