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Shout-Out examples in The Simpsons.

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Episode references

    Season 1 

Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire

  • The title is a parody of the first line of The Christmas Song, "Chestnuts roasting on an open fire..."
  • Bart mentions Charlie Brown, Tiny Tim, and The Smurfs.
  • Two of the incorrect names for Santa's reindeer Homer says are Nixon and Donna Dixon.

Bart the Genius

Homer's Odyssey

  • The title is a pun on the Greek poem The Odyssey by Homer.
  • Bart sings "John Henry was a Steel Driving Man", an American folk song.

There's No Disgrace Like Home

  • The title is a pun on the line "There's no place like home" from The Wizard of Oz.
  • Burns' Manor, as always, resembles Kane's mansion from Citizen Kane. The sign "Stately Burns' Manor" was lifted from the Batman (1966) TV show.
  • Mr. Burns was originally based on Ronald Reagan, although the writers kept his habit of greeting his employees by index cards.
  • Marge (drunkenly) leads the other female party guests in a rousing rendition of Dean Martin's "Hey Brother, Pour The Wine" from 1964.
  • Freaks is referenced when the family (in Homer's hallucination) repeats "One of us".
  • The "shock therapy" was based on Laurel and Hardy throwing pies at each other.

Bart the General

Moaning Lisa

  • The title is a pun on The Mona Lisa painting.
  • Bleeding Gums Murphy was based on blues musician Blind Lemon Willie.
  • The video game Homer and Bart are playing is a parody of Punch-Out!!, which also features a character similar to one in Life in Hell.

The Call of the Simpsons

  • The title is a parody of The Call of the Wild.
  • At one point Homer does the Tarzan yell.
  • After Homer is mistaken for Bigfoot, a supermarket tabloid not unlike National Enquirer publishes stories like "I Married Bigfoot" and "The Bigfoot Diet: Pork Chops: Aplenty".

The Telltale Head

Life on the Fast Lane

Homer's Night Out

  • When Apu tells Homer that he looks familiar (due to seeing him on the incriminating photo), Homer believes he's confused him for Fred Flintstone.
  • During the bachelor party the guys sing "Barnacle Bill the Sailor."

The Crepes of Wrath

  • The title is a pun on the novel The Grapes of Wrath.
  • The two men who "take care" of Bart while he is in France are named César and Ugolin, the male leads from Jean Le Florette and Manon des Sources.
  • The foreign exchange kid is named after former Albanian leader Elver Hoxha.
  • The road to the chateau includes scenes depicted in several famous paintings, notably Bassin aux nymphéas by Creator/Claud Monet, Champ de blé aux corbeaux by Vincent van Gogh, Le rêve by Henri Rousseau and Le Déjeuner sur l'herbe by Édouard Manet.
  • Maggie has a red balloon, a reference to the classic French children's film Le Ballon Rouge.

Krusty Gets Busted

  • A Little Night Music: When Chief Wiggum orders the clowns on the police line-up to come out, he says "Send in the clowns", a nod to the musical, titled after Mozart's Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, which is used as the theme for Sideshow Bob's show.
  • Krusty's shot behind bars is a reference to the closing credits of The Prisoner, with the background music resembling the theme from Mission: Impossible.
  • The "Day the Laughter Died" title on the newscast references both "The Day the Music Died" and a then-recent Andrew Dice Clay album of the same name.
  • Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!: When Sideshow Bob is arrested, he admits his crime and that he intended to frame Krusty, exclaiming, "I would have gotten away with it, too, if it weren't for You Meddling Kids," referring to the common ending line of most episodes where the Mystery Inc. kids foil criminal activity.
  • Sideshow Bob reads The Man In The Iron Mask to the audience.
  • Cole Porter's "Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye" is sung in the episode.

Some Enchanted Evening

  • America's Most Wanted: The television series "America's Most Armed and Dangerous" (where Mrs. Botz's true identity is revealed to the kids) is a parody.
  • South Pacific: The episode title is taken from a song from the 1949 musical.
  • Ms. Botz's pursuit of Bart into the cellar is reminiscent of Robert Mitchum's pursuit of a young boy in The Night of the Hunter.
  • Homer hums "Patricia", a 1958 song by Damaso Perez Prado, which is also played at a restaurant.
  • Moe's Tavern plays "The Man That Got Away" from the 1954 remake of A Star Is Born (1954).

    Season 2 

Bart Gets an F

Simpson and Delilah

  • The title is a pun on the legend of Samson and Delilah.
  • The scene with Homer running through town with his new hair is a parody of It's a Wonderful Life
  • The scene where Homer gets the executive washroom key is a parody of Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?.

Treehouse of Horror

Two Cars in Every Garage and Three Eyes on Every Fish

  • Burns' campaign speech is a recreation of the famous scene from Citizen Kane. His trashing of the Simpson's dining room is reminiscent from another scene from the film.
  • Mary Bailey was named after the wife of the protagonist of It's a Wonderful Life.
  • The title refers to a Republican Party circular used to promote Herbert Hoover in 1928 that promised "a chicken in every pot and a car in every backyard (not garage)."
  • The "Blinky" campaign ad parallels Richard Nixon's "Checkers speech" in the 1952 campaign. The ad also features an actor portraying Charles Darwin to claim the three-eyed fish is a result of evolution.
  • The clip of Burns driving a tank was lifted from Michael Dukakis' presidential campaign in 1988.
  • A 1992 re-run of the episode remade the "chalkboard gag" to mock then-VP Dan Quayle's "potatoe fayle".

Dancin' Homer

  • Part of Homer's routine resembles that of legendary Baltimore Orioles fan Wild Bill Hagy.
  • Homer dances to the tune of the "Baby Elephant Walk".
  • Homer's line, "Today, as I leave for Capital City, I consider myself the luckiest mascot on the face of the earth" that he says in his farewell speech to the Springfield fans, is a reference to Lou Gehrig's farewell speech, immortalized in the 1942 baseball film The Pride of the Yankees.
  • "Capitol City" is a parody of "New York, New York".

Dead Putting Society

Bart vs. Thanksgiving

  • Bart doesn't know about the Bullwinkle and Underdog parade balloons, also a reference to the fact that year's Macy's Thanksgiving Parade featured a Bart balloon.
  • The group "Hooray for Everything" is based on Up with People. They perform "Get Dancing" by Disco-Tex and the Sex-O-Lettes.
  • Lisa's centerpiece includes Georgia O'Keeffe, Susan B. Anthony and Marjory Stoneman Douglas.

Bart the Daredevil

  • One of the wrestlers on TV is called Rasputin.
  • The school band performs Franz Schubert's Unfinished Symphony.
  • The "Truck-O-Saurus" is a parody of Robosaurus.
  • Lance Murdoch is a parody of Evel Knievel.
  • Doctor Hibbert is a clear parody of Cliff Huxtable. The show ran against The Cosby Show at the time. He was initially to be a woman named Julia, a reference to comic actress Julia Sweeney (then called Hibbert through marriage).
  • There's a lot of patients that attempted to imitate TV and movie characters like Superman. There's also a separate "three stooges" ward.
  • Bart's arrival to Springfield Gorge is taken from Lawrence of Arabia.

Itchy & Scratchy & Marge

  • The "new" Itchy and (not "&") Scratchy show is a jab at the saccharine cartoon shows of the 1980s.
  • The scene where the children go out and play is a reference to the "Pastoral Symphony" segment from Fantasia.
  • At the end of the scene some kids are intrigued by Nelson white-washing a fence.
  • Maggie hitting Homer with the mallet is a reference to Psycho. The "Psycho" Strings music is present, as are the same shots, and a can of red paint provides Symbolic Blood flowing away in the drain.

Bart Gets Hit By A Car

One Fish, Two Fish, Blowfish, Blue Fish.

  • The title is a reference to Dr. Seuss' One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish.
  • When Homer arrives at his home after leaving Moe's Tavern, he hammers on one of the windows of the house and shouts Marge's name, as in the 1967 film The Graduate.
  • Bart and Lisa sing the theme from Shaft, and another patron called "Richie Sakai" sings Cher's "Gypsies, Tramps, and Thieves".
  • Homer sings "When the Saints Go Marching In" while Lisa plays her sax.
  • Homer listens to an audiobook of the Bible read by Larry King.

The Way We Was

  • The title references the 1973 film The Way We Were.
  • Siskel & Ebert & The Movies is parodied at the beginning of the episode. The film featured (which introduces McBain/Ranier Wolfcastle) is a parody of late 1980s-era action films.
  • Numerous songs of the early 70s are featured such as "Close To You" (which became the "love theme" for Homer and Marge),"The Joker", "Colour My World", "Pick Up the Pieces", "The Hustle", "The Streak" and "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" (which is the prom's theme).
  • Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin posters hang in Homer's bedroom.
  • There is a debate about the National Maximum Speed Act, which imposed nationwide speed limits in the wake of the 1973 oil crisis.
  • Artie includes a Time article as an argument for Marge to accept his invitation.
  • The girl Barney asks to the prom wouldn't go with him even if he were Elliott Gould.
  • Shakespeare Fried Chicken doubles as a reference to The Bard and a parody of Kentucky Fried Chicken.

Homer vs. Lisa & The 8th Commandment

  • Drederick Tatum is a parody of Mike Tyson.
  • Mr. Burns remembers a fight between 19th century boxer James Corbett and "an Eskimo fellow".
  • Troy McClure is a parody of actors Troy Donahue and Doug McClure.
  • The family watches Jaws, Die Hard, and Wall Street on cable.
  • Homer standing in front of the cable truck resembles a scene in North By Northwest.
  • The film "Broadcast Nudes" is a reference to Broadcast News, made by showrunner James L. Brooks.

Principal Charming

  • The title is an obvious pun on the term "prince charming".
  • In a parody of Vertigo, Skinner climbs the school bell tower to investigate the tetrasulfatum incident.
  • Hans Moleman's license says his name is "Ralph Melish", the same as a character from a Monty Python album.
  • Homer searches for a man worthy of Selma with a "computer-enhanced vision" in the vein of Westworld and The Terminator.
  • Skinner sings "Inchworm" on his way to Patty and Selma's apartment. Selma sings Lisa "Brandy" in a lullaby style.
  • There are fleeting references to The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939) and Gone with the Wind. Patty bids Skinner farewell by saying "Goodnight, sweet principal", a reference to Hamlet.

Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?

  • The episode's title is a reference to a fictional book from Sullivan's Travels
  • The end of the McBain film mirrors that of the classic James Bond movies.
  • Herb refers to the Ford Mustang and the Lamborghini Cheeta when citing car naming conventions, berating his staff for suggesting "Persephone".
  • Herb's house resembles Frank Lloyd Wright's residence. His studio is based on the Tailesin school of architecture and the factory resembles the Johnson Wax Headquarters, both also designed by Wright.
  • Homer's tacky automobile design mirrors the Edsel, the Tucker Torpedoa and the DeLorean DMC 12. These automobiles were reviled and their respective companies went under just like Powell Motors.
  • The Homermobile's horn plays "La Cucaracha".

Bart's Dog Gets an F

  • The Hibberts resemble the Huxtables.
  • Flanders' "Assassins" sneakers are a parody of Nike Air Jordans.
  • The music from Jaws plays whenever Santa's Little Helper is about to attack something.
  • Lisa touching Marge's finger is a reference to E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.
  • The Bouviers' quilt features Bufallo Bill's Wild West shows and the 1929 stock crash in separate frames. Robert Capa's The Falling Soldier
  • The category Santa's Little Helper is assigned at obedience school is called "Cujo", the other categories being named "Rin Tin Tin", "Toto" and "Benji".
  • The school's instructor is a parody of Margaret Thatcher, also being based on British dog trainer Barbara Woodhouse.
  • The fates of the dogs at the school are a parody of the ending of Animal House.

Old Money

  • The scene with Grampa and Bea eating their pills is a parody of Tom Jones.
  • "Diz-Nee-Land" is an obvious spoof of Disneyland, but it's "not affiliated with anything from The Walt Disney Company".
  • The song "Embraceable You" is played during the episode.
  • Grampa sitting at a diner mirrors the painting Nighthawks.
  • Among those in line for Grampa's money are Darth Vader and the Joker.
  • The "Monroe Box" is a parody of "Skinner's Box".
  • Grampa recites Rudyard Kipling's "If—" before trying to bet his money at the casino.
  • The climax references the ending of the 1932 film If I Had a Million.

Brush with Greatness

  • The design of "H2WHOA!" is based on the staircases in Ascending and Descending.
  • Krusty takes his make-up off like the Joker in Batman (1989).
  • Homer's line "As God is my witness, I'll always be hungry again!" is a twist on a line from Gone with the Wind.
  • Homer's training resembles that of Rocky.
  • The music from The Good, the Bad and the Ugly plays as Homer approaches the scale.
  • Andy Warhol's "Campbell's Soup Cans" appears at the museum.
  • Smithers reads Mr. Burns a Ziggy comic strip.

Lisa's Substitute

The War of the Simpsons

  • The songs played at the party include "It's Not Unusual", "The Look of Love", "That's the Way (I Like It)" and "Wichita Lineman".
  • Homer' false memory of the party is a reference to the Algonquin Round Table, complete with Hirschfeld-esque art.
  • Marge blares the "Mexican Hat Dance" on the car radio so the kids won't listen her and Homer argue.
  • Bart's torment of his babysitter is a reference to The Omen.
  • The photo of Captain Sherman is a parody of the hoax picture of the Loch Ness Monster.
  • John and Gloria are a parody of George and Martha from Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?.
  • Homer's battle with Captain Sherman is reminiscent of The Old Man and the Sea and Moby-Dick.

Three Men and A Comic Book

Blood Feud

    Season 3 

Stark Raving Dad

Mr. Lisa Goes to Washington

When Flanders Failed

Bart the Murderer

Homer Defined

  • The USA Today newspaper appears at the beginning of the episode.

Like Father Like Clown

  • The plot is based on The Jazz Singer. Rabbi Krustofsky indirectly references it at one point.
  • Homer is surprised to learn that Mel Brooks is Jewish.
  • Krusty sings "O Mein Papa" when he is reunited with his father.

Treehouse of Horror II

  • Lisa's nightmare ("The Monkey's Paw") is based on the short story of the same name and an episode of the 1980s Twilight Zone.
  • Bart's nightmare ("The Boy") is based on an episode of the original Twilight Zone called "It's a Good Life'', later adapted into a segment of the 1983 movie which marked Nancy Cartwright's film debut.
  • Homer's nightmare ("If I Only Had A Brain"), apart from being based on Frankenstein, appears to reference a scene from RoboCop 2 in which a man's brain is removed from his body and his cranium is cut right off with a bonesaw. This also happens to Homer except his cranium is disposed of carelessly, making a hilarious china-bowl noise as it hits the ground.

Lisa's Pony

  • Lisa's discovering of her pony is a reference to The Godfather's "horse head scene".
  • Homer's dream is drawn in the style of Little Nemo in Slumberland.
  • Grandpa plays a video game that's an obvious homage to Asteroids.

Saturdays of Thunder

Flaming Moe's

  • Several references to Cheers are made, including the Flaming Moe's montage.
  • At the end of the episode, a plethora of "Flaming Moe's"-like bars appear, a parody of the many "Ray's Pizza" establishments in New York.

Burns Verkaufen der Kraftwerk

  • Burns sings "Brother, Can You Spare Me A Dime?" while strolling through the plant.
  • Horst claims to resemble Sgt. Schultz.

I Married Marge

  • The title references the sitcom I Married Joan.
  • Young Homer and Marge see The Empire Strikes Back on a date. Homer then spoils the twist to the people waiting in line for the next showing.
  • A Farrah Fawcett poster hangs on Barney's apartment.

Radio Bart

  • The episode parallels similar "falling-in-a-well" incidents that ended in tragedy, most particularly that of Jessica MacClure, whose case had been covered in Radio Days. Whether the episode's title is a reference or not to the film is unknown.
  • The song "We're Sending Our Love Down The Well" is a parody of "We Are the World".
  • A place where someone's trapped becoming a tourist trap, surrounded by attractions and shops selling food and merchandise, is all taken from Ace in the Hole (1951).

Lisa the Greek

  • The title and the character "Smooth" Jimmy Apollo are references to Jimmy the Greek.
  • Duff Bowl was a reference to the series of Bud Bowl "games" that would play during the Super Bowl at the time.

Homer Alone

  • The title and Homer's scream is a nod to Home Alone.
  • The opening scene has Homer chasing Bart as if they were Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner, complete with "scientific names".
  • Marge's roar to the angry bystander sounds a lot like the MGM lion roar.
  • This episode establishes Patty and Selma's obsession with MacGyver.

Bart the Lover

  • The film about zinc is a parody of 1950s-era educational films.
  • Bart borrows the name of Edna's "pen pal" from President Woodrow Wilson. The picture is of hockey player Gordie Howe.

Homer at the Bat

  • The title is a reference to "Casey at the Bat".
  • The music that plays before Homer uses his Wonder Bat is similar to music used in The Natural.
  • Burns' softball team lineup features some players from the 19th century, among them Honus Wagner, Mordecai "Three-Finger" Brown and Jim Creighton, who had died in 1862.

Separate Vocations

  • The opening of the second act is a reference to Quinn Martin cop shows.
  • "Axel F" plays while Bart and Skinner look for the teachers' books.

Dog of Death

  • Kent Brockman notes Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery" is not a guide to winning the lottery, but a chilling tale about conformity gone mad.
  • Fatherhood is among the books at the fireside.
  • The doctor is a parody of Ben Casey.
  • The brainwashing scene references A Clockwork Orange.

Colonel Homer

  • The title is based on Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis Presley's manager.
  • Homer says Lurleen's song hasn't stuck to him so hard since "Funkytown" by Lipps Inc.
  • The variety show Ya-Hoo! is a parody of Hee Haw.
  • The plot was inspired by Coal Miner's Daughter.

Black Widower

  • Dinosaurs is parodied at the start of the episode.
  • Bob and Selma sing "Something Stupid".
  • Bob and Krusty's reunion mirrors the reunion between Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis at a telethon. Krusty's Al Hirschfeld-style caricature is a parody of that of Lewis.
  • Sideshow Bob's prisoner number is 24601.

The Otto Show

Bart's Friend Falls in Love

Brother Can You Spare Two Dimes

  • The title is a reference to "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?"
  • Homer reminiscences about the couch while watching Dallas, the "Hands Across America" event, the Berlin Wall coming down and Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C..

    Season 4 

Kamp Krusty

  • The scene where the children make wallets while Kearney beats the drum parodies Ben-Hur (1959).
  • The method Mr. Black and the bullies flee the camp during the rebellion parodies the James Bond series.

A Streetcar Named Marge

  • Marge appears in a musical production of A Streetcar Named Desire and the title is also a reference.
  • Homer can be seen playing on a Game Boy at one point in the episode.

Homer the Heretic

  • Homer dances in his underwear and a shirt, much like in Risky Business.

Lisa the Beauty Queen

Treehouse of Horror III

Itchy & Scratchy: The Movie

  • The Star Trek film is a spoof of later movies featuring the original cast.
  • "Steamboat Itchy" is a spoof of Steamboat Willie, while the Wartime Cartoon parodies "Der Fuehrer's Face" and Itchy and Scratchy resemble the early-mid 1940s designs for Tom and Jerry.
  • Lisa mentions Michael Jackson and Dustin Hoffman appearing in the movie, being credited with pseudonyms. In "Stark Raving Dad", Jackson was billed as "John Jay Smith" while Hoffman was credited as "Sam Etic" in "Lisa's Substitute".

Marge Gets a Job

  • The retirement party at the beginning is a reference to Citizen Kane.
  • "The Imperial March (Darth Vader's theme)" from Star Wars is played when Mr. Burns peruses his surveillance system.
  • There's a photo of Burns and Elvis Presley that looks like the Elvis-Nixon photograph.
  • A subplot centering on Bart parallels The Boy Who Cried Wolf.

New Kid On The Block

Mr. Plow

Lisa's First Word

  • Homer mentions Grampa won a house in a rigged game show, a reference to the 1950s quiz show scandal.
  • There is a reference to "Where's the beef?", both a slogan for Wendy's and a quote by Walter Mondale criticizing an opponent.
  • The Krusty Burger Olympic promotion and the subsequent backfiring due to the Soviet boycotting of the Games was based on a McDonald's promotion that had the same results.

Homer's Triple Bypass

  • The COPS in Springfield show is a parody of COPS, with a spoof of the theme song.

Marge vs. the Monorail

Selma's Choice

  • The title is a reference to Sophie's Choice.
  • There are some references to Disneyland: The "Duff Beer For Me" show is a parody of "it's a small world", while the Main Street Parade is spoofed as well.
  • Inverted: the Bouvier family iguana being called "Jub-Jub" looks like a reference to "The Jabberwocky" ('the Jub-Jub Bird') or to "The Hunting of the Snark", but Word of God says that it was just a random phrase coined by the writer, Conan O'Brien.

Brother from the Same Planet

  • The nun being blown away by the wind parodies The Flying Nun.
  • The scene where Milhouse writes "Trab Pu Kcip" parodies the "Redrum" scene from The Shining.
  • Homer watches a documentary about NFL player Bart Starr.
  • Tuesday Night Live is a parody of Saturday Night Live, with Bart noting that the show isn't the same without Joe Piscopo.
  • Dr. Hibbert offers Lisa a M*A*S*H coloring book.
  • Bart and Tom watch an episode of The Ren & Stimpy Show.
  • Homer tells Pepi a made-up story about Bart shoving half a grapefruit on his face, a reference to The Public Enemy (1931).

I Love Lisa

  • The title is a reference to the classic TV show I Love Lucy.
  • Krusty thinks he is going to be arrested at an adult theater like it happened to Paul Reubens.
  • Bart's delivery while playing John Wilkes Booth is a parody of Terminator.

Duffless

  • In the early 50s, Duff was a "proud sponsor" of Amos 'n' Andy.
  • Bart trying to pick up two cupcakes with cherries parodies a scene on A Clockwork Orange, where Alex, after being conditioned, struggles to fondle a woman's bare breasts.
  • Moe's "He'll be back" monologue is a reference to Reefer Madness.
  • Homer and Marge sing "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head" at the end of the episode.

Last Exit to Springfield

  • There are a lot of Shout Outs in this episode:
  • The title references Hubert Selby Jr's 1964 novel Last Exit to Brooklyn, and Homer becoming a union official and gaining importance during a strike roughly parallels one of that novel's plotlines.
  • The scene where Lisa gets her braces is a parody of the scene in the 1989 Tim Burton film where Jack Napier discovers his new face and becomes the Joker.
  • Lisa's Mushroom Samba while under sedation parodies Yellow Submarine, complete with an appearance by the Beatles.
  • At Lenny's request, Lisa plays a little bit of the 1968 Mason Williams Instrumental "Classical Gas".
  • Homer has an Imagine Spot that's a parody of Don Fanucci's first appearance in The Godfather Part II (Homer as a mob boss, taking bribes and tribute in the form of donuts).
  • The montage of Burns and Smithers heading towards the power grid is a parody of Get Smart.
  • Mr. Burns quotes Captain Ahab in Moby-Dick (or Khan Noonien Singh) when he shuts down the power in Springfield.
  • The scene where the power plant workers sing in a big circle, overheard by Mr. Burns, is a parody of How the Grinch Stole Christmas!.
  • The closeup of a bird giving a Burns-like shudder references the infamous loudly-squawking parrot with a transparent eye from Citizen Kane.

So It's Come To This: A Simpsons Clip Show.

  • Referencing the final scene of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Barney smothers Homer with a pillow and breaks a window with a water fountain.
  • Grampa quotes a line from Don McLean's "Vincent".

The Front

  • The title references the 1976 film of the same name about writers fronting for colleagues blacklisted as communists.
  • The end credits of Little Barbershop of Horrors parody the end credits of many TV shows produced by Stephen J. Cannell, here placing Itchy and Scratchy at the desk in Cannell's place. (Cannell himself commented on the episode positively to writer Mike Reiss later.)

Whacking Day

  • The "Itchy & Scratchy" segment is a parody of JFK, whose director Oliver Stone is credited as "guest director".

Marge In Chains

  • Homer wants to watch Wiseguy.
  • The Blue-Haired Lawyer uses the "Zapruder film" to incriminate Marge.

Krusty Gets Kancelled.

  • Gabbo was named after the dummy in the 1929 film The Great Gabbo and was modeled after Howdy Doody.
  • The "Worker and Parasite" cartoon is a parody of the early 1960s Tom and Jerry cartoons, produced in Prague.
  • There are some references to Johnny Carson and The Tonight Show: Krusty mentions having beat Joey Bishop, who briefly competed with Carson, while Bette Midler sings Krusty "Wind Beneath My Wings" as in the penultimate episode of Carson's Tonight Show.
  • Krusty's comeback special was based on Elvis 68.
  • Krusty's suggestions to the Red Hot Chilli Peppers about their act mirror the "Light My Fire incident" between The Doors and Ed Sullivan. Sullivan is mentioned by Bart in a previous scene.

    Season 5 

Homer's Barbershop Quartet

  • Moe is selling clams painted to resemble Lucille Ball.
  • Homer tosses away the first issue of Action Comics, some "Flying Jenny" stamps, the Declaration of Independence, and a Stradivarius fiddle.
  • Melvin and the Squirrels are an obvious parody of Alvin and the Chipmunks.
  • As with Side Show Bob, Skinner's prisoner number in Vietnam was 24601.
  • Many of the Be-Sharps' points of popularity parallel The Beatles.
    • In the 1980s, Moe's Tavern was called Moe's Cavern, a nod to The Cavern Club where the Beatles got their start.
    • Barney replacing Chief Wiggum is a reference to Pete Best getting replaced by Ringo Starr.
    • Bart asking if the Be-Sharps screwed up like the Beatles and said they were Bigger Than Jesus is a nod to John Lennon's infamous quote. Homer then show's him a record called "Bigger Than Jesus" with the Be-Sharps walking on water a la the cover to Abbey Road.
    • The finale of the Be-Sharps reuniting to sing atop Moe's Tavern is a reference to the Beatles singing on top of the Apple building.
  • Chief Wiggum watches The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson and The Late Show with Joan Rivers.

Cape Feare

Homer Goes To College

  • Much of the plot is a reference to Animal House, down to the use of "Louie Louie" in the credits.
  • The couch gag features the pink foot from Monty Python.
  • Burns offers the safety inspectors the contents of a "mysterious box" like in Let's Make a Deal.
  • Burns attempts to hit a college chairman with a bat, parodying The Untouchables.
  • Dean Peterson was formerly a bassist for The Pretenders.
  • The nerds live in Room 222.
  • Homer has posters of Albert Einstein and W.C. Fields in his "dorm".

Rosebud

  • There are numerous nods to Citizen Kane, starting with the title.
    • The opening shot from outside Burns' mansion.
    • The flashback to Burns' childhood, where he leaves his precious childhood memory behind for a life of riches and cold industry.
    • Burns dropping the snowglobe at the end of his flashback dream.
    • The Rosebud sleigh appears in the background with all of Burns' stuff.
  • Burns tries to cover up to Smithers his dream about Bobo by telling him he was dreaming of The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo. In the next scene, Homer is indeed dreaming about it.
  • The guards marching and chanting outside Burns' mansion are based on the Wicked Witch of the West's guards in The Wizard of Oz.
  • The ending, where Burns, now a head in a jar on a robotic body, runs away with Bobo, with a number of Homer-like humans enslaved by apes, is a parody of Planet of the Apes.
  • Burns' brother is revealed to be comedian George Burns.
  • Burns and Smithers' attempt to steal Bobo is based on Mission: Impossible.
  • Charles Lindbergh and Adolf Hitler were both in possession of Bobo.
  • Burns and Smithers act in a bad The Honeymooners parody.
  • The mob begins to sing "High Hopes" after seeing Maggie bond with Bobo.

Treehouse of Horror IV

  • The wraparounds are a parody of Night Gallery.
  • The segments parody The Devil and Daniel Webster ("The Devil and Homer Simpson"), The Twilight Zone (1959) episode "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet" ("Terror at 5 1/2 Feet") and Bram Stoker's Dracula ("Bart Simpson's Dracula")
  • A demon mentions that "James Coco went mad in fifteen minutes" of the donuts torture. Coco was a portly character actor of the 1970s. The force-feeding gag is a reference to the 1937 Merrie Melodies cartoon "Pigs Is Pigs".
  • Among those in the jury at Homer's trial are Benedict Arnold, John Wilkes Booth and the starting line of the 1976 Philadelphia Flyers.
  • Homer is afraid of the "Dogs Playing Poker" portraits.
  • The end of the "Dracula" segment parodies A Charlie Brown Christmas.

Marge On the Lam

  • Much of the episode is a parody of Thelma & Louise.
  • Crystal Buzz is a reference to the "clear soda" fad of 1992.
  • Lionel watches L.A. Law while sitting the kids.
  • The end of the episode parodies the traditional closing sequence of Dragnet, narrated by George Fenneman as in the original.

Bart's Inner Child

  • The injured kids from the trampoline spoof the injured soldiers form Gone with the Wind.
  • Homer tries to get rid of the trampoline in a Wile E. Coyote-like fashion.
  • The Reverend decides to play "The Entertainer" in the organ.

Boy-Scoutz 'n the Hood

  • The title parodies Boyz n the Hood.
  • The "Springfield, Springfield" number is a nod to the musical On the Town, with a sailor looking for New York included.
  • The knife fight between Moe and Moleman is a parody of "Crocodile" Dundee.
  • Ernest Borgnine introduces himself like Troy McClure, mentioning his role in From Here to Eternity.
  • Homer imagines singing The Archies' "Sugar, Sugar".
  • There's a fleeting reference to Deliverance when Borgnine's raft is drifting through a forest while music from the "Dueling Banjos" scene plays in the background.

The Last Temptation of Homer

  • Homer's guardian angel initially takes the form of Isaac Newton, but then turns into Col. Klink (voiced by Werner Klemperer, no less).
  • Homer's first vision of Mindy is similar to Sandro Botticelli's The Birth of Venus.
  • Burns unleashes flying monkeys like the Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz.

$pringfield: Or, 'How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Legalized Gambling

  • The episode's title is a reference to Dr. Strangelove's own long title.
  • Marge reminds Homer his lifelong dream was not being a croupier, but to appear in The Gong Show.
  • Burns behaves a lot like Howard Hughes in his last years as a Las Vegas magnate. His "Spruce Goose"/Hercules aircraft is parodied with Burns' incredibly tiny "Spruce Moose" (which is not a model, according to Burns).
  • Robert Goulet sings "Jingle Bells" with Batman-inspired lyrics.

Homer the Vigilante

  • Homer's daydream is a nod to Dr. Strangelove.
  • Malloy is based on "Raffles", a suave burglar portrayed on the eponymous 1939 film by David Niven.
  • The exchange between Homer and Skinner at the museum is a spoof of Dragnet, with its iconic theme included.
  • The final sequence is a parody of It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World.
  • Homer's Noodle Incident about a flipped car and a mouthy grandma is a reference to the story "A Good Man is Hard to Find" by Flannery O’Connor, with the context suggesting that Homer is meant to stand in for the Misfit (who killed the grandma and the rest of the family in the flipped car).
    Homer: So I said: "Look, buddy, your car was upside-down when I got here. And as for your grandma, she shouldn't have mouthed off like that!"

Bart Gets Famous

  • Bart imagines himself appearing in Match Game 2034.
  • The Song "Kung Fu Fighting" is referenced as a One-Hit Wonder.

Homer & Apu

  • The scene of Homer and Apu walking towards the airport carrying heavy backpacks references Lawrence of Arabia.

Lisa vs. Malibu Stacy

  • The plot was inspired by the then-controversial "Teen Talk Barbie" dolls.
  • Matlock appears at the opening of a Geriatric center at the beginning of the episode. The crowd of seniors sing "We love you Matlock, oh yes we do..."
  • Homer dances on giant piano keys as in Big.

Deep Space Homer

  • Home Improvement and Married... with Children are featured in the episode.
  • When Homer is on the centrifuge, he face distorts and resembles Popeye. Later during the launch, his face becomes that of Richard Nixon.
  • Homer imitates the final scene of Planet of the Apes when he finally gets the film's twist.
  • The Itchy & Scratchy cartoon references the chest-bursting scene from Alien.
  • The zero gravity scene and the ending with the Fox satellite spoof A Space Odyssey.
    • Itchy rides on a pod resembling the one from the movie.

Homer Loves Flanders

  • Homer sings "Two Tickets to Paradise" and "Macho Man" (with nachos, of course).
  • Moe reads Little Women and My Friend Flicka.

Bart Gets an Elephant

  • The first part of a story – Bart being told he was the winner of an elephant, but then asked if he wants a $10,000 cash substitute – parallels a similar situation that happened on the 1950s version of The Price Is Right, where a contestant was shown an elephant, offered $4,000 and then insisted that they make good on the elephant prize. In both cases, legal threats arose and those in charge complied with the contestants' wishes.
  • The Springfield Tar Pits resemble the La Brea Tar Pits
  • These lines when Homer hits the statue come from The Sound of Music.

Burns' Heir

  • At the movie theater, there are parodies for the THX "Deep Note", the trailer for the 1992 movie Toys and "Let's All Go to the Lobby".
  • When Mr. Burns wants to be told what day it is, a boy answers, "Why, today is Christmas Day, sir!" Burns tells him he was referring to Bart.
  • In a parody of Taxi Driver, Moe is talking to himself through a mirror.

Sweet Seymour Skinner's Baadasssss Song

  • The title is a parody of the blaxploitation film Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song
  • Skinner's novel, Billy and the Cloneasaurus is an obvious plagiarism of Jurassic Park.

The Boy Who Knew Too Much

Lady Bouvier's Lover

  • The title is a reference to Lady Chatterley's Lover. In the DVD commentary the producers say they were at the time worried the title was too lewd, now it wouldn't be lewd enough!
  • Grampa playing with the baked potatoes is a reference to The Gold Rush.
  • "Rex Breem and His Band of Some Esteem" is a parody of Les Brown and His Band of Renown.
  • Grampa bids farewell to Mrs. Bouvier in a Jimmy Durante fashion. Unfortunately for him, the lawyers for Durante's estate are on the spot.
  • The ending is an homage to The Graduate, complete with Simon & Garfunkel parody "The Sound of Grampa".

Secrets of a Successful Marriage

    Season 6 

Bart of Darkness

  • The title is a reference to the classic novel Heart of Darkness.
  • The musical number at the pool was an homage to choreographer Busby Berkeley.
  • The last act is a parody of Rear Window, down to Jimmy Stewart making a cameo.

Lisa's Rival

  • Lisa's diorama is inspired by Oliver Twist, while Allison's has The Tell-Tale Heart as a theme.

Another Simpsons Clip Show

Itchy & Scratchy Land

  • Many of Itchy & Scratchy Land's areas reference Walt Disney World. For example..
    • Parents Island is a reference to Pleasure Island, a former club.
    • There is a reference to the Main Street Electrical Parade.
  • The gags during the family's car ride are based on National Lampoon's Vacation.
  • The helicopter ride to the park is a reference to Jurassic Park.
  • Pinitchio and Scratchtasia are parodies of Pinocchio and Fantasia respectively.
  • Roger Myers Sr.'s film Nazi Supermen Are Our Superiors is a nod to Walt Disney's alleged antisemitism, as well as an inversion of the propaganda short "Der Fuehrer's Face".
  • The robots rebelling and going on a rampage is a nod to Westworld.
  • The joke about Euro Itchy & Scratchy Land is a reference to the low attendance of Disneyland Paris in its first years of operation.

Sideshow Bob Roberts

  • The episode is mostly a parody of Bob Roberts.
  • Birch Barlow is a parody of radio host Rush Limbaugh. His name is also likely a reference to the ultraconservative John Birch Society (named for a U.S. Army captain killed by Communist soldiers in China shortly after the end of World War II).
  • Grampa asks the mayor (and later Bob) to name the expressway he promises after Matlock.
  • The mayoral debate between Bob and Quimby is a parody of the Kennedy-Nixon debate in 1960.
  • Bart gets The Flintstones talking phone in kindergarten. Henry Corden even voices Fred's recording.
  • The Archie comics gang (Archie, Reggie, Jughead and Moose) dump Homer out of their car, with the warning: "Duh, stay out of Riverdale!"
  • Among those who "voted" for Bob are Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and the Big Bopper, who died in a plane crash in 1959.

Treehouse of Horror V

  • The introduction is a spoof of The Outer Limits.
  • The first segment is a parody of The Shining.
  • The title of the second segment is a pun on Crime and Punishment.
  • The title of the third segment is a pun on Nightmare Cafe.
  • The closing sequence about a fog turning people inside out was inspired by an episode of the radio series Lights Out!. During the credits, the family performs "One", from A Chorus Line.

Bart's Girlfriend

Lisa on Ice

  • Bart's team is called the Mighty Pigs, a reference to The Mighty Ducks.
  • There is a jab at the Apple MessagePad's poor handwriting recognition.

Homer Badman

  • "Rock Bottom" is a parody of Hard Copy, a controversial investigative journalism show.
  • Homer imagines himself singing "Under the Sea" while he fantasizes about living underwater.
  • The news report from the helicopter is a spoof of the standoff with O.J. Simpson.

Grampa vs. Sexual Inadequacy

Fear of Flying

  • Homer enters the Cheers bar attempting to find a new place to hang out.
  • Accidental Hero, which is called Hero here, Fearless, and Alive are all real movies, and all about plane crashes!
  • Marge dreams about being Mr. Robinson from Lost in Space.
  • Marge and her mother running from an airplane in a cornfield is a reference to North by Northwest.

Homer the Great

  • The Stonecutters are a parody of the Freemasons.
  • The society owns the Ark of the Covenant.

And Maggie Makes Three

Bart's Comet

  • In one shot of Springfield's citizens cramming themselves into Flanders' bunker, Waldo is among the crowd in his iconic red and white striped outfit.
  • Flanders sings "Que Sera Sera" when he leaves the bunker. He is then joined by the entire town.

Homie the Clown

  • Krusty lights a cigar with a copy of Action Comics #1.

Bart vs. Australia

Homer vs. Patty & Selma

  • Like in Star Trek, the family beams up on the couch.

A Star is Burns

Lisa's Wedding

  • Martin ends as the Phantom of the Opera, playing "A Fifth of Beethoven" in the organ.

Two Dozen and One Greyhounds

The PTA Disbands!

  • One of the substitute teachers tormented by Bart turns out to be Gabe Kaplan.

'Round Springfield

The Springfield Connection

  • The title and some elements reference The French Connection.

Lemon of Troy

  • There are some references to Greek mythology, starting with the title.

Who Shot Mr. Burns? (Part One)

  • The title and plot reference "Who Shot J.R.?"
  • The "Drummers' Salute" from JFK plays at the end of the episode.

    Season 7 

Who Shot Mr. Burns? (Part Two)

  • Smithers' dream has a reference to The Mod Squad.
  • Chief Wiggum falls asleep while looking over some of the evidence from shooting, and ends up dreaming of a place similar to The Black Lodge in Twin Peaks, with a backwards-talking Lisa standing in for The Man From Another Place.
  • Willie references Basic Instinct during his interview.
  • The "Chez Guevara" nightclub is an obvious pun on Che Guevara.
  • Homer's escape from custody is a replica of Kimble's escape from the crashed bus and derailing train in The Fugitive.
  • As confirmed by director Wes Archer, one shot of Chief Wiggum loading his gun is a direct homage to a similar shot from Golgo 13: The Professional.

Radioactive Man

  • The campy 70s version of "Radioactive Man" is reminiscent of Batman (1966). "The Scoutmaster" is modeled after Paul Lynde.
  • Aquaworld is a reference to Waterworld.
  • Moe was one of the Little Rascals... until he killed Alfalfa for stealing his shtick. Luckily he was an orphan owned by the studio.

Home Sweet Homediddly-dum-doodly

  • Maggie spins her head towards Bart and Lisa, who are behind her, much like in The Exorcist.

Bart Sells His Soul

Lisa the Vegetarian

  • There are some references to The Beatles in the final act:
  • Apu met Paul McCartney when he traveled to India. Apu was then billed as the "fifth Beatle".
  • Paul mentions that there's a recipe for lentil soup when playing "Maybe I'm Amazed" backwards. An special version of the song was made to have this, as well as the line "And by the way, I'm alive", referring to the "Paul is dead" urban legend.

Treehouse of Horror VI

  • The title of "Attack of the 50-Foot Eyesores" is a reference to Attack of the 50 Foot Woman.
  • The second segment ("Nightmare on Evergreen Terrace") is a parody of the Elm St. movies, while Bart's dream at the beginning resembles a cartoon from the 1940s.

King Size Homer

  • Some of the mannequins on the clothing store resemble the McCrory brothers who became known for their photo while riding motorbikes.

Mother Simpson

  • Grampa is watching Super Bowl III in the flashback.
  • Maggie dances with some slogans painted on in a parody of Laugh-In.
  • Burns in the tank mirrors Michael Dukakis' tank incident in 1988.
  • Mona and Lisa play Bob Dylan's "Blowin' in the Wind".

Sideshow Bob's Last Gleaming

  • The episode parodies the 1960s-era obsession with nuclear war, including films such as Dr. Strangelove and the "Daisy ad" from the 1964 elections.

The Simpsons 138th Episode Spectacular

Marge Be Not Proud

  • One of the guests on Krusty's Christmas special is a parody of Brazilian singer/TV host Xuxa, with Krusty struggling to pronounce her name. The other is "respected private citizen Tom Landry" (the joke being that Landry was dismissed as the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys six years before this episode, was retired by that point, and was an unlikely choice for a variety special anyway).
  • Among the video game characters that make up Bart's conscience are the Super Mario Bros., Donkey Kong and Sonic the Hedgehog.

Team Homer

  • Burns' ether hallucination leads him to think Homer is the Pillsbury doughboy.
    • He also mistakes Hans Moleman for Lucky, the Lucky Charms cereal leprechaun, and proceeds to give him a power drill lobotomy.

Two Bad Neighbors

Scenes from the Class Struggle in Springfield

  • The Ogdenville TV store features Panaphonics, Magnetbox and Sorny sets. Bart points out they are imitations.
  • Burns drives a 1900s-era car and wears am Edwardian "driver gear".

Bart the Fink

  • The title is a pun on Barton Fink.

Lisa the Iconoclast

  • Kearney is old enough to remember Watergate and the American Bicentennial.
  • Gilbert Stuart's unfinished portrait of George Washington plays an important role on uncovering Jebediah.

Homer the Smithers

  • Marge is surprised to see Homer up at 4.30 AM, when The Little Rascals is not on until 6.

The Day the Violence Died

  • "Itchy, the Lucky Mouse" is a reference to Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, while his short "Manhattan Madness" is a parody of silent cartoons such as Felix in Hollywood. The relationship between Chester Lampwick and Roger Myers, Sr. mirrors that of Pat Sullivan and Otto Messmer, who made the Felix the Cat cartoons.
  • The 1970s Itchy & Scratchy film is a parody of Fritz the Cat.
  • Among those credited on "Steamboat Itchy" are composer George Gershwin and John F. Kennedy's father Joseph, who was a producer in the 1920s.
  • The "Amendment to Be" cartoon is a parody of Schoolhouse Rock.
  • Lester and Eliza are based on the Tracey Ullman-era designs of Bart and Lisa.
  • Roger Meyers Jr. says: If it weren't for someone plagiarizing The Honeymooners, we wouldn't have The Flintstones. If someone hadn't ripped off Sergeant Bilko, there'd be no Top Cat. Huckleberry Hound, Chief Wiggum, Yogi Bear? Hah! Andy Griffith, Edward G. Robinson, Art Carney."

A Fish Called Selma

  • The title is a parody of A Fish Called Wanda.
  • The song "Dr. Zaius" in the Planet of the Apes play is a parody of "Rock Me Amadeus".

Bart On the Road

  • Bart, Milhouse, Nelson and Martin travel to the Knoxville World's Fair, only to find out it was held in 1982.

22 Short Films about Springfield

  • The title is a take-off on the 1993 film Thirty Two Short Films About Glenn Gould. The episode itself is a parody of Pulp Fiction.

Raging Abe Simpson and His Grumbling Grandson in "The Curse of the Flying Hellfish

  • Some of the stolen paintings resemble actual works missing since WWII.

Much Apu about Nothing

  • The title is a pun on Much Ado About Nothing.

Homerpalooza

  • The title is a pun on Lollapalooza. Hullabalooza itself is a parody of the festival's first incarnation.

Summer of 4 Ft. 2

  • The title is a pun on Summer of '42.
  • Lisa says that she heard the word "crustacean" on Baywatch.

    Season 8 

Treehouse of Horror VII

  • The segment "The Thing and I" parodies The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Basket Case.
  • The "Genesis Tube" segment is a spoof of The Twilight Zone episode "The Little People".
  • The title of the segment "Citizen Kang" is a pun on Citizen Kane.
  • Kang and Kodos' spaceship crashing into the Capitol Dome is a reference to Earth vs. the Flying Saucers.

You Only Move Twice

  • The title and third act reference the James Bond films.
  • The promo video for Cypress Creek is called "Cypress Creek: The Tale of One City".

The Homer they Fall

  • The montage of Homer beating hobos is a reference to Raging Bull.
  • Drederick Tatum's recent run-ins with the law mirror those of Mike Tyson's.

Burns, Baby, Burns

  • Larry was conceived after Mr. Burns saw Gone with the Wind.
  • Homer has one piece missing from his Snoopy jigsaw puzzle.
  • The final act spoofs Ransom.

Bart After Dark

A Milhouse Divided

  • The title refers to the proverb "A house divided against itself cannot stand".
  • The closing theme is rearranged in the style of Steely Dan.

Lisa's Date with Density

  • Great part of the plot is lifted from Rebel Without a Cause.
  • Nelson sings a version of "Joy to the World" with the lyrics changed to the story of a dismembered teacher.

Hurricane Neddy

  • One of the inmates at the asylum is Jay Sherman.
  • As a child, Flanders played as Dick Tracy fighting Prune-Face, before switching roles. He then mixes names...
  • Ned's father references drummer Gene Krupa when speaking with Dr. Foster regarding Ned's hyperactivity.

El Viaje Misterioso de Nuestro Jomer (The Mysterious Voyage of Homer)

  • Some of the visual elements from Homer's vision are lifted from Dances with Wolves.
  • The song "Short Shorts" plays at the end as a shipment of hot pants beaches at the harbor.

The Springfield Files

The Twisted World of Marge Simpson

  • Frank Ormand is modeled after guest star Jack Lemmon's character in Glengarry Glen Ross.
  • One of Cletus' kids is called "Q-Bert".

Mountain of Madness

  • SNPP employees Haney and Druckers are named after characters in Green Acres.

Simpsoncalifragilisticexpiala(Annoyed Grunt)cious

  • The episode is a parody of Mary Poppins.
  • The initials on the Krusty Komedy Klassic have some Unfortunate Implications, and he's appearing at the N.Y. Apollo Theater to boot.
  • Homer's imagination parodies Steamboat Willie.
  • Willie sings "Maniac" from Flashdance.
  • The Itchy & Scratchy short "Reservoir Cats" is a very detailed parody of the "Mr. Blonde vs. the policeman" scene of Reservoir Dogs.

The Itchy & Scratchy & Poochie Show

Homer's Phobia

  • John's antiques shop has a TV Guide from around 1975 featuring Laverne & Shirley on the cover.
  • There are some campaign pins such as "I Like Ike" and the fictitious "Quayle Can't Fayle"note  and "I Fell For Dole"note .
  • Bart dances to "The Shoop Shoop Song" with a bouffant wig like the ones in Hairspray (1988).

Brother From Another Series

  • Frasier is a hit show on the NBC Television network.

My Sister, My Sitter

  • "Planet Hype" is a parody of Planet Hollywood.
  • Lisa carrying Bart in a wheelbarrow is a reference to My Left Foot.

Homer vs. The 18th Amendment

  • The plot spoofs both Prohibition and The Untouchables.
  • Detective Banner sits at a diner in a scene reminiscent of Nighthawks.

Grade School Confidential

  • The title is a spoof of High School Confidential.
  • Skinner handing Bart a letter for Edna parodies the opening of For Your Eyes Only.

The Canine Mutiny

  • The title is as much a pun on The Caine Mutiny as Laddie is a parody of a certain dog.
  • Mr. Mitchell thinks his dead parrot is still alive.

The Old Man and the Lisa

  • When Mr. Burns tells Smithers that he is going to get that girl to help him and the following scenes with Lisa are a parody of the intro from That Girl.
  • Lisa telling the townspeople recycling is evil is a parody of the endings of Soylent Green and Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956).

In Marge We Trust

  • The commercial for "Mr. Sparkle" is a parody of Japanese commercials.
  • The Reverend paraphrases a quote from Charge of the Light Brigade when retelling his standoff with the baboons.

Homer's Enemy

  • Grimes is a parody of the protagonist of Falling Down.
  • Grimes' rampage is an homage to Modern Times.

The Simpsons Spinoff Showcase

  • "Chief Wiggum, P.I." parodies elements from 1980s-era cop shows, such as Magnum, P.I. and Miami Vice.
  • The "Love-Matic Grampa" is a parody of My Mother, The Car and Knight Rider.
  • The "Simpson Family Smile-Time Variety Hour" is a parody of 1970s-era variety shows like The Brady Bunch Variety Hour (including the noticeable recast of a character), Sonny and Cher (the show's logo with Homer and Marge) and Laugh-In (the short sketches).
  • Ozmodiar parodies The Great Gazoo.

The Secret War of Lisa Simpson

  • Bart's prank with the loudspeakers has a similar result to Marty's use of Doc's amplifier in Back to the Future.

    Season 9 

The City of New York vs. Homer Simpson

  • After his flashback, Homer mentions that C.H.U.D.s attacked him after falling in the sewer.
  • Bart mistakes a Hasidic Jew for ZZ Top.
  • Bart sneaks into the headquarters of MAD.

The Principal and the Pauper

Lisa's Sax

  • Homer and Marge sing a version of "Those Were the Days" from All in the Family. The narrator then notes The Simpsons is filmed in front of a live studio audience.
  • Bart watches The WB with Michigan J. Frog presenting "another bad show that no one will see".
  • A biopic about Krusty shows him in a failed marriage to Mia Farrow... and a lot of adopted children.
  • Homer watches Twin Peaks in 1990, being clueless to what's going on.
  • The episode ends with Lisa playing "Baker Street" on her sax.

Treehouse of Horror VIII

  • "The Homega Man" is a parody of The Omega Man.
  • "Fly vs. Fly" is a parody of The Fly (both the 1958 and 1986 versions) and its title references the cartoon Spy v. Spy.
  • The third segment is a spoof of the Salem witch hunts (even though none of the alleged witches were actually burned).

The Cartridge Family

  • The title spoofs The Partridge Family.
  • The Continental Soccer Association ad opens with a parody of Hank Williams Jr. and his performances in the opening segment of Monday Night Football (saying "Open wide for some soccer!" instead of "Are you ready for some football?").
  • The theme from the TV show The Avengers plays at the end.

Bart Star

  • The title references NFL player Bart Starr.
  • Lenny in the 1970s says Homer is "dy-no-mite" at gymnastics and sports a T-shirt with the Fonz's catchphrase "Sit on it".

The Two Mrs. Nahasapeemapetilons

  • Apu's bouffant-style hairdo resembles the "Rachel" haircut.
  • Apu also dresses like John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever when dancing at the disco.
  • Manjula's favorite food is "Fried Green Tomatoes".

Lisa the Skeptic

  • The craze fueled by the "angel" is similar to the one surrounding the "Cardiff giant" hoax.
  • Some police departments have done "fake giveaways" to nab law offenders.

Realty Bites

  • The title is a parody of Reality Bites.
  • The episode spoofs Glengarry Glen Ross, Gil being based on Jack Lemmon's character in the film.

Miracle on Evergreen Terrace

  • The title is a reference to Miracle on 34th Street.
  • Marge tries to get the money back on Jeopardy!.

All Singing, All Dancing

Bart Carny

  • Bart and Homer talking through their teeth is a reference to the Crosby-Hope Road to... films.

The Joy of Sect

  • The title is a reference to the book The Joy of Sex.
  • The episode refers to diverse "new religious movements".
  • The scouts finally get Homer into the fold by singing the theme from the Batman TV show.

Das Bus

  • The title is a pun on Das Boot.
  • Principal Skinner banging his shoe on his desk at the Model U.N. meeting is a reference to Nikita Khrushchev's "shoe-banging incident" at the United Nations in 1960.
  • The plot about the kids on the island is based on Lord of the Flies.
  • The scene where Bart, Lisa and Milhouse swing across a ravine on a vine references Raiders of the Lost Ark.
  • Ralph's face paint resembles that of Peter Criss.

The Last Temptation of Krust

  • The title is a pun on The Last Temptation of Christ.
  • Java the Hut is a pun on Jabba the Hutt.
  • The "Canyonero" is a spoof of the then-nascent SUV craze.

Dumbbell Indemnity

  • The title is a parody of Double Identity.
  • Homer appears to Moe as a ghost like Jacob to Scrooge in A Christmas Carol.

Lisa the Simpson

This Little Wiggy

  • The title refers to the nursery rhyme "This Little Piggy".
  • Nelson's daydream of the Knowledgeum consists on him finding out which one of The Three Stooges has the heaviest brain.

Simpson Tide

  • The episode parodies the film Crimson Tide.
  • The Couch Gag is lifted nearly frame-for-frame from Rocky and Bullwinkle.
  • The first scene is a spoof of Planet of the Apes.
  • According to Grampa, JFK said his "Berliner" quote during WWII.
  • Captain Tenille is named after 70s pop duo The Captain and Tenille.
  • The submarine crew sings Village People's "In the Navy".

The Trouble with Trillions

  • The trillion-dollar bill is similar to the Marshall Plan.
  • Burns thinks Homer works for Collier's, a pioneering magazine that went under in 1957.
  • One of the paintings on Burns Manor is "Whistler's Mother", or more like Burns in the "Portrait of the Artist's Mother".
  • Burns thinks the late-1950s car in Havana is the latest word on automobiles.
  • A Duff billboard in Cuba reads "El Duff-O O Muerte", a spoof of "Victoria O Muerte", a quote by Che Guevara (who appears in said billboard).

Girly Edition

  • The title is a pun on Early Edition.
  • Bart acts much like the main character in A Face in the Crowd.
  • The robot cartoon that replaces the kids' news is a parody of Transformers.

Trash of the Titans

King of the Hill

  • The title is an homage to the then-only other primetime cartoon on Fox at the time.
  • PowerSauce is a takeoff on PowerBar.

Lost Our Lisa

  • Lisa must answer three questions to sit down like on Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
  • Homer and Lisa sing the Old Spice jingle at the end of the episode.

Natural Born Kissers

  • The title spoofs Natural Born Killers.
  • Bart allegedly claimed he was the inspiration for Cosmo Kramer.
  • Bart and Lisa find the alternate ending for Casablanca. And one version of It's a Wonderful Life ends with a shooting spree.

    Season 10 

Lard of the Dance

  • The title spoofs the play Lord of the Dance.
  • Alex tells Lisa not to "be such a Phoebe".
  • Marge tries to cheer Lisa up by commenting that the only babies that could organize school dances were those "super-babies from Brazil".

The Wizard of Evergreen Terrace

  • The title is a parody of "The Wizard of Menlo Park", a title given to Thomas Edison, whose work Homer tries to emulate.
  • The blackboard gag and a joke at KBBL reference the Lewinsky scandal.
  • Homer's surprise party is a take-off of This Is Your Life.

Bart the Mother

  • The episode is based on the Andy Griffith Show episode "Opie the Mother".
  • The "Bolivian Doughnuts" are a takeoff on "Colombian Coffee".

Treehouse of Horror IX

  • The opening features Freddy Krueger (A Nightmare on Elm Street) and Jason Voorhees (Friday the 13th) sitting on the couch, waiting for the Simpsons to arrive.
    • Made even better by Robert Englund, the original Freddy, providing his voice for the one line "I don't get it, they should be here by now."
  • The first segment ("Hell Toupee") takes elements from Wes Craven's Shocker and an episode of Amazing Stories.
  • The second segment ("Terror of Tiny Toon") has references to Pleasantville and the Twilight Zone movie.
  • The third segment ("Starship Poopers") is a parody of a Soap storyline, while the paternity issue is "resolved" in The Jerry Springer Show.
  • Also in the third segment, Kang and Kodos state their home is Rigel VII, which was the first extra-terrestrial planet ever mentioned in Star Trek: The Original Series, during the opening scenes of the original pilot, "The Cage"

When You Dish Upon a Star

  • The title is a pun on the song "When You Wish Upon a Star".
  • The episode begins with Homer dreaming that he's Yogi Bear (Bart being Boo-Boo). He then dreams about being Magilla Gorilla.
  • The Sea Captain tells Ron Howard he liked Splash.
  • Smithers asks Kim Basinger about the pumps she wore in L.A. Confidential.
  • The Comic Book Guy wants to talk to Alec Baldwin about errors in The Hunt for Red October.
  • The celebrities sensing the incoming townspeople with their drinks vibrating parodies Jurassic Park.

D'ohin' in the Wind

  • The title spoofs the song "Blowin' in the Wind".
  • Burns' "recruitment film" is filmed as a "talkie" and is directed by Alan Smithee.
  • Homer went to Woodstock when he was a little kid.
  • Seth and Munchie are a parody of ice cream magnates Ben & Jerry.
  • Homer thinks "Uptown Girl" is an authentic hippie song.
  • Homer puts daisies in the policemen's guns like it happened at Kent State.

Lisa Gets an A

  • Lisa has to read The Wind in the Willows...
  • ... but she spends her sick time playing "Dash Dingo", a parody of Crash Bandicoot.
  • Nelson taunts Lisa as "Lady Cheaterly" as she buys the test answers from him.
  • Gil attempts to sell the school the infamous Coleco Adam.

Homer Simpson in "Kidney Trouble"

  • The title is a parody of Roger Rabbit in "Tummy Trouble".
  • One of the passengers on the "Ship of Lost Souls" is modeled after Peter Lorre.

Mayored to the Mob

  • The title is a pun on Married to the Mob.
  • The sci-fi convention is chock-full of references to icons like Star Wars, Doctor Who, Battlestar Galactica, ALF, Star Trek, Godzilla and others.
  • The bodyguard instructor attempts to sing the love theme of The Bodyguard. Said song plays at the end when Homer tries to escort Mark Hamill from the fans and the paparazzos.
  • Homer ponders about doing a Weekend at Bernie's when he thinks Mayor Quimby died.
  • Mark appears in a version of Guys and Dolls that plays at a dinner theatre.
  • The waiter at the dinner theatre is a parody of Frank Nelson.
  • The dance Fat Tony's henchman performs is almost identical to the one Daffy Duck performs in Show Biz Bugs.

Viva Ned Flanders

  • The title is a parody of Viva Las Vegas, the title song playing at the end.
  • "Burns Casino" was hosting Don Rickles when it ended operations.
  • The Las Vegas casinos spoof numerous landmarks like the "Sands", "Caesar's Palace" and the "Sahara", among others.
  • In their marriage to the "Vegas wives", Homer is dressed (somewhat) like Frank Sinatra, while Ned dresses like John Travolta.
  • When learning the full extent of their predicament, Ned mentions the lyrics of the theme tune of Maude.
  • The Moody Blues recite the poem on their hit "Nights in White Satin" before attacking Homer and Ned.

Wild Barts Can't Be Broken

  • The title is a pun on Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken.
  • Cyndi Lauper performs at the ball game.
  • "Homer's Night Out" is a parody of silent films.
  • "Don't Go There" is a parody of 1990s sitcoms, particularly Friends.
  • "The Bloodening" is a spoof of "Village of the Damned".
  • There is a passing reference to Our Gang/Little Rascals when the kids plot their zany scheme.

Sunday, Cruddy Sunday

  • The title is a pun on Sunday, Bloody Sunday.
  • The "pipsqueak" trying to get onto the bus is Rudy.
  • "Euro-Dollywood" is a parody of Euro-Disneyland.

Homer to the Max

  • The mid-season countdown is a parody of FOX's promotions.
  • The "Police Cops" show has a distinct Miami Vice feel.
  • Homer sings about his new name to the tune of "(Theme from) Goldfinger".

I'm With Cupid

  • The title is a pun on the famous phrase "I'm With Stupid".
  • Elton John plays "Your Song" to Apu and Manjula at the end of the episode.

Marge Simpson in "Screaming Yellow Honkers"

  • The title spoofs the candy Screaming Yellow Zonkers.
  • The school show has the teachers singing "Fame", Krabappel performing "Fever" (to the audience's visible queasiness) and Skinner and Chalmers doing a "Who's On First?" routine that ends awfully wrong.
  • Wiggum calls Marge "Thelma" and "Louise" upon arresting her for reckless driving.
  • Like in The Gods Must Be Crazy, a rhino instinctively stomps out a fire.

Make Room For Lisa

  • The title parodies Make Room For Daddy.
  • When "In the Mood" plays on the radio, Homer thinks it's 1939. Lenny and Carl then "return" him to the present with "Safety Dance" by Men Without Hats, or "Men Without Jobs" according to Bill and Marty.
  • Among the exhibits at the Smithsonian are Fonzie's jacket, Archie Bunker's armchair, and Howdy Doody (oh, there's also the Bill of Rights).
  • Lisa's favorite movie is The Little Mermaid. Too bad Homer taped it over.
  • Homer likens now roomies Bart and Lisa to The Odd Couple and the Mertzes.

Maximum Homerdrive

  • The title is a pun n Maximum Overdrive.
  • Tony Randall is the only other besides Red to have finished the meat-eating challenge.
  • The drawing on Red's truck features Tex Avery's Red Riding Hood and the Wolf.
  • The tune playing in the doorbell is "Close to You" by the Carpenters, Homer and Marge's song.
  • "Señor Ding-Dong" acts like Zorro.

Simpsons Bible Stories

  • The episode features stories based on the Old Testament.
    • Marge's dream is about Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.
    • Lisa's dream is about Moses and the Ten Commandments.
    • Homer's dream is about King Solomon.
    • Bart's dream is about David and Goliath.
  • The one story of the New Testament is the "four horsemen of the Apocalypse".

Mom & Pop Art

  • The title is a take-off on the term "pop art".
  • Homer decides to flood the town to look like Venice.
  • Ned thinks the flood is a second version of the one in "Noah's Ark".

The Old Man and The "C" Student

  • The title is a pun on The Old Man and the Sea.
  • The seniors recreate scenes from A Hard Day's Night.
  • The seniors are shown an edited version of Gone with the Wind (Yes, the movie did have a war in it.)

Monty Can't Buy Me Love

  • The title is a pun on "Money Can't Buy Me Love".
  • Arthur Fortune is a parody of Richard Branson.
  • The show Burns is a guest on is a parody of "shock jocks" like Howard Stern.

They Saved Lisa's Brain

  • The title is a reference to They Saved Hitler's Brain.
  • The "Bright Pack "is a pun on the "Brat Pack".
  • Stephen Hawking compares their "utopia" to a "fruitopia", a portmanteau of "fruitcake"note  and a juice called Fruitopia.
  • Homer thinks Hawking is Larry Flynt.

Thirty Minutes Over Tokyo

  • The title references 30 Seconds Over Tokyo.
  • Homer confuses Wired magazine with a magazine called "Weird", seemingly a parody of MAD and Cracked that turns to be nonexistent.
  • Rich Uncle Pennybags attends the money savers' conference.
  • "Battling Seizure Robots" is a reference to a scene with rapid lighting flashes in the Pokémon episode "Electric Soldier Porygon" that sent 685 children into seizures.
  • There is another shot at Woody Allen's scandals, with him being reduced to making Japanese commercials.
  • The game show is a parody of Truth or Consequences and Japanese game shows in general.
  • Godzilla, Gamera, Rodan, and Mothra all make an appearance.

    Season 11 

Beyond Blunderdome

Brother's Little Helper

  • Homer and Marge watch Showgirls at a film festival.
  • Bart sings the Popeye closing theme at the end of the episode.

Guess Who's Coming To Criticize Dinner

  • Krusty does a very bad version of King Lear at a dinner theater.

Treehouse of Horror X

  • For some reason, Dick Clark chose Springfield to ring in the Millennium.

E-I-E-I-D'oh

  • The Zorro movie is a jab to the film version of Wild Wild West.
  • The "tomacco" montage is a reference to Green Aces.

Hello Gutter, Hello Fadder

  • Homer appears in a parody of The Hollywood Squares. Needless to say, he makes a fool of himself.

Eight Misbehavin'

  • The title is a parody of Cole Porter's Ain't Misbehavin'.

Take My Wife, Sleaze

Grift of the Magi

  • The title is a parody of the short story The Gift of the Magi, but the plot is entirely unrelated.
  • The Funzos are an obvious parody of the "Furby" toys.

Little Big Mom

  • Homer and Bart spend their evenings watching I Love Lucy.

Faith Off

  • The sermon is titled Life in Hell.
  • The half-time show consists of a cover of "(I Had) The Time Of My Life"

The Mansion Family

  • Burns' doctor describes his condition as the "Three Stooges Syndrome".

Saddlesore Galactica

  • The title is a nod to Battlestar Galactica.

Alone Again, Natura-Diddly

  • The title references the song "Alone Again, Naturally".

Missionary Impossible

  • The title is a pun on Mission: Impossible.
  • The British sitcom Homer watches is a spoof of The Young Ones and Father Ted.
  • Bender and Hank Hill are among the pledge-takers on the FOX telethon.

Pigmoelian

  • The title is a reference to Pygmalion.
  • The bartender competition is partly inspired on Cocktail.
  • The soap opera intro is a spoof of Days of Our Lives.

Bart to the Future

  • The title is a parody of Back to the Future, with Future!Bart working for former adversary Future!Nelson, who sports a tracksuit and gold chains.
  • Future!Lisa and Future!Bart have a similar "president with an annoying sibling" relation to the one between Bill and Roger Clinton, or Jimmy and Billy Carter (whose ghost talks to Bart).
  • Future!Krusty looks like Groucho Marx in his later years.

Days Of Wine and D'ohses

  • Bart and Lisa attempt to take a photo of dogs playing poker for a phonebook, only to have their picture "snatched" by Nelson.

Kill the Alligator and Run

  • The title is a nod to "Take the Money and Run". Fittingly, the song also deals with fugitives in the South.
  • Captain Jack is named after the alligator in Leave it to Beaver.
  • Homer asks for the "Rappin' Granny" from The Wedding Singer.

Last Tap Dance in Springfield

  • The title spoofs Last Tango in Paris, tango being Lisa's first choice for dancing.
  • "Little" Vicky is a parody of Shirley Temple.

It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Marge

Behind the Laughter

  • The episode is a parody of VH1's Behind the Music, complete with the announcer.
  • Bart mentions he's starring in Teen Wolf 3.
  • After the family is reunited, Willie Nelson's curls spring up like Pippi Longstocking.
  • The subject of next week's show is Huckleberry Hound, who turns out to be a closeted homosexual.

    Season 12 

Treehouse of Horror XI

A Tale of Two Springfields

  • The title is a take on Charles Dickens' "A Tale of Two Cities"
  • The picture of Homer, Moe, Lenny and Carl resembles a photo of Queen.
  • Homer decides to call "the guys who made the Berlin Wall" to divide his side of town.

Insane Clown Poppy

  • The title is a pun on Insane Clown Posse.
  • Stephen King announces that he will leave horror behind and do a biography of Benjamin Franklin, a man who... tortured small animals and opened the gates of Hell.
  • Jonathan Franzen reads "Goodnight, Moon" in his thriller style.

Lisa the Tree Hugger

  • The song at the end is a parody of "This Land Is Your Land", a song used in numerous environment-related ads.

The Computer Wore Menace Shoes

The Great Money Caper

  • The plot is based on Paper Moon, and Homer and Bart attempt to scam Flanders by selling him a bible they claim Maude ordered before dying, but Ned isn't fooled because he'd seen Paper Moon.
  • The title is from The Great Muppet Caper
  • Grandpa mentions The Sting 2 when he joins Homer and Bart.
  • "Magic Palace", the magic-themed restaurant the Simpsons visit at the beginning, is based on The Magic Castle, a Hollywood nightclub.
  • Marge's line "I didn't say that for clapping" is from a speech John Wayne once gave while drunk.
  • The ending lampoons the cliche of heist films always having a twist ending.

HOMЯ

  • The episode is a loose parody of Flowers for Algernon.
  • Philip J. Fry has a cameo in the couch gag.
  • Gravey and Jobriath is an extremist parody of Davey and Goliath, with Gravey planning to attack Planned Parenthood. The name Jobriath comes from an American Glam Rock singer who released a couple albums in The '70s and gained a cult following.
  • An old Itchy & Scratchy cartoon parodies From Here to Eternity and features an ad for Laramie cigarettes, alluding to the fact The Flintstones were initially sponsored by Winston cigarettes. The butler seems to be a parody of Rochester, the valet on The Jack Benny Program, which for years was sponsored by Lucky Strike.
  • I.P.O. Fridays is a pun on the restaurant T.G.I. Fridays.
  • Homer's Imagine Spot about the risks of investing includes a reference to King Kong and Gold Diggers of 1933.
  • At the library, Homer has read books from Hop on Pop to Death Be Not Proud.

Pokey Mom

  • The title is a parody of Pokemon.
  • At the end, Wiggum asks Jack if he has ever seen Oz, Sex and the City or The Sopranos. Jack replies that he only gets basic cable at jailnote .

Worst Episode Ever

  • Homer recalls the time he was booted out from a Gallagher show.

Tennis the Menace

  • The title is a pun on Dennis the Menace.

Day of the Jackanapes

  • The title is a lampoon on Day of the Jackal.
  • Krusty admits he taped Judge Judy over his old shows, leading Sideshow Bob to plot his revenge.
  • Krusty also appeared on Laugh-in, although he said some "innuendo" and got banned from the networks for over 20 years.

New Kids on the Blecch

  • The title is a pun on New Kids on the Block, while the episode spoofs the "boy band" craze of the late 90s/early 00s as well as allegations of subliminal messaging on popular songs.
  • Lieutenant L.T. Smash tells Lisa that pop stars have been used to encourage conscription since Elvis, also including The Beatles (in their Sgt. Pepper garb), The Captain and Tennille and Kiss.
  • Ang Lee is credited as the director of the Party Posse's "Drop Da Bomb" video.

Hungry Hungry Homer

  • Blockos are a parody of Legos.

Bye Bye Nerdie

  • The title is a parody of Bye-Bye, Birdie.

Simpson Safari

Trilogy of Error

  • The title is a parody of the film Trilogy of Terror.

I'm Going to Praiseland

  • The title parodies the chorus of Paul Simon's "Graceland".
  • The theme park is based on Heritage USA.
  • The gas leak refers to a similar incident at Disney World.

Children of a Lesser Clod

  • The title is a pun of Children of a Lesser God.
  • Professor Frink uses shoes padded with flubber.
  • In Homer's retelling of how he broke his knee, he was a giant in space and got hit in the knee by George Jetson's car.
  • When Homer is billed for the porno films he rented, he mentions Doctor Screwlittle.
  • The scene where Arnie Pie follows Homer in the stolen paddy-wagon is based off of the infamous O.J. Simpson car chase.

Simpsons Tall Tales

  • In the Paul Bunyan story, Lenny says they are going to get rid of Paul!Homer as they did with Laura Ingalls.
  • In the Tom Sawyer story, Hibbert sings "Ol' Man River" in the showboat.

    Season 13 

Treehouse of Horror XII

  • The first act is entitled "Hex and the City".
  • The second act features a parody of HAL.
  • The third act is a spoof of Harry Potter, shortly before The Philosopher's Stone was released.

The Parent Rap

  • The title is a parody of The Parent Trap.

Homer the Moe

  • Swigmore College is a pun on Skidmore College.

A Hunka Hunka Burns In Love

  • Thee title is a pun on "A Hunka-Hunka Burning Love"
  • Woody Allen wonders how he ended up writing fortunes on cookies.

The Blunder Years

  • The title is a pun on The Wonder Years.
  • Homer's flashback is similar to Stand by Me.

She Of Little Faith

  • The renovated church is a jab towards the "megachurches" popular during the 2000s.

Brawl In the Family

  • Wiggum acknowledges that Monopoly has started many a brawl.

Sweets & Sour Marge

  • Not even fire likes Butterfingers.

Jaws Wired Shut

  • The title is a parody of Eyes Wide Shut.
  • Homer's rescue of Marge from the demolition derby is a direct homage to the Popeye cartoons, complete with the power-up theme song, only Homer substitutes beer for spinach.

Half-Decent Proposal

  • The title is a parody of Indecent Proposal.
  • Marge, Patty and Selma watch a parody of Sex and the City.
  • There's a nod to the final scene of M*A*S*H.
  • "If Marge and Artie marry, I'll never be born".

The Bart Wants What It Wants

  • When visiting Greta, Bart is greeted by Milhouse saying "Whassup?", a Budweiser slogan at the time.

The Lastest Gun In the West

The Old Man and the Key

  • The car race is a parody of Grease.

Tales from the Public Domain

  • The episode consists of three stories: The Odyssey featuring Homer, Joan of Arc featuring Lisa, and Hamlet featuring Bart.
  • The family dances to the tune of "Ghostbusters (Who You Gonna Call?)" at the end.

Blame it On Lisa

  • The title is a parody of "Blame it on Rio".
  • There is a shot at the perceived sexual nature of Brazilian (And Latin American) television with the incredibly suggestive children's show in which Ronaldo performs.
  • The kidnappers comment on the millions of cruzeiros (worth fifty thousand dollars), citing the ridiculously devalued currency Brazil had during the 20th century.

Weekend at Burnsie's

Gump Roast

I Am Furious (Yellow)

  • The title is a pun on I Am Curious (Yellow)
  • The episode references the "webtoon boom" of the dot-com bubble era.
  • The cartoon Lou Rawls: Secret Agent features Rawls singing a reworded version of his 1976 hit "You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine".

The Sweetest Apu

  • Among the tasks Manjula gives Apu are the submitting and publication of a cartoon to The New Yorker and a performance of My Fair Lady with the octuplets.

Little Girl In the Big Ten

  • The "bubble" subplot was based on the made-for-TV movie The Boy in the Plastic Bubble and its theatrical remake Bubble Boy.

The Frying Game

  • The title is a pun on "The Crying Game".
  • Turns out that Homer and Marge were the victims of Fox's latest game show.

Poppa's Got a Brand New Badge

    Season 14 

Treehouse of Horror XIII

  • The "Send in the Clones" segment features Peter Griffin and the Tracey Ullman-era Homer among the "dupes".
  • "The Fright to Creep and Scare Harms" has Lisa unwittingly reviving Billy the Kid, Frank and Jesse James, The Sundance Kid (without Butch Cassidy), and... Kaiser Wilhelm II.
  • The third segment is a parody of The Island of Dr. Moreau.

How I Spent My Strummer Vacation

  • The title is a pun on "How I Spent My Summer Vacation"

Bart & Lisa vs. The 3rd Grade

Large Marge

  • The Baha Men make a cameo singing "Who Left the Milk Out?" and "Who Let Her Jugs Out?", parodies of their hit "Who Let the Dogs Out?".
  • Bart and Milhouse watch the '60's Batman show, complete with Adam West and Burt Ward, also featuring Krusty in a Joker-style guest role. Bart mentions that Krusty also had a recurring role on Bewitched.
  • When Bart's stunt makes the flag fall, the WWII vets attempt to put it into place a la Iwo-Jima, only for the stunt to make them fall as well.

Helter Shelter

  • Homer hires an exterminator business called "A Bug's Death".
  • The title is a pun on the fairground ride Helter Skelter.

The Great Louse Detective

Special Edna

  • After watching a video of a teacher that tries to add humor to his lessons, the judges consider that Dead Poets Society has ruined a generation of educators.
  • "Honey I Sprayed Goo on the Audience" is a reference to both the film Honey, I Shrunk the Kids and the now-defunct Epcot ride Honey I Shrunk the Audience.

The Dad Who Knew Too Little

The Strong Arms of the Ma

  • The man who stole Marge's necklace wears a Goofy hat.
  • Marge's revenge on the burglar resembles a scene of The Godfather.

Pray Anything

  • The title is a pun on Say Anything....

Barting Over

I'm Spelling as Fast as I Can

A Star Is Born Again

  • The title is a portmanteau of A Star is Born and "born-again".

Mr. Spritz Goes to Washington

  • The title is a pun on Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.
  • Krusty's face is pasted over several famous photographs, including Iwo-Jima, "Tank-Man"note  and Jack Ruby shooting Lee Harvey Oswald.

C.E.D'oh

'Scuse Me While I Miss the Sky

Three Gays of the Condo

  • The montage at the end features a parody of "Jack and Diane".

Dude, Where's My Ranch?

  • The title is a pun on Dude, Where's My Car?.

Old Yeller Belly

  • The title is a portmanteau of Old Yeller and "yellow-belly"note .

Brake My Wife, Please

  • The title is a pun on "take my wife, please".
  • Homer hits George Wilson with a stick.

The Bart Of War

  • The title is a pun on The Art of War.
  • In response to South Park having done the "Simpsons Already Did It" episode, this one has Bart and Milhouse watching that show.

Moe Baby Blues

    Season 15 

Treehouse XIV

My Mother The Car Jacker

  • Among the clips of the 60s montage on the news we see Batman doing the "Batusi".

The President Wore Pearls

The Regina Monologues

  • The title parodies that of The Vagina Monologues.
  • The scene where Homer circles the roundabout in front of Buckingham Palace parodies a similar scene in National Lampoon's European Vacation.

The Fat & The Furriest

Today I Am a Clown

'Tis the 15th Season

  • The title is a pun on the Christmas song Tis the Season to be Jolly.
  • Homer watches Mr. Magrew's Christmas Carol, an obvious pun on Mr. Magoo and A Christmas Carol, several other takes on the latter are briefly shown, including a Star Trek version.

Marge vs. Singles, Seniors, Childless Couples, Teens and Gays

  • Roofi is an obvious parody of Raffi.
  • The scene of the babies attending the Roofi concert greatly resembles Woodstock.
  • The kids watching in horror as the "R" in the "Toys R Us" sign is turned frontward, especially Milhouse's expression, is a reference to the famous photograph taken during the Nazi occupation of France.
  • The scene of the Itchy & Scratchy statue being taken down with a tank parodies the destruction of the statue of Saddam Hussein during the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
  • The scene where the kids make the childless people love children (either that, or making them sick as with Moe) by touching them parodies the ending to The War of the Worlds.
    Lisa: For all their disposable income, for all their leisure time, they had no immunity against God's lowliest creatures: children.

I D'oh-bot

  • The title is a pun on I, Robot.

Diatribe of a Mad Housewife

Margical History Tour

  • The title is a pun on Magical Mystery Tour.

Milhouse Doesn't Live Here Anymore

Smart & Smarter

  • The title is the opposite of Dumb And Dumber.

The Ziff Who Came to Dinner

  • The background music of "The Re-Deadening" (a horror film that Homer takes Bart and Lisa to see) is the theme from Rosemary's Baby.

  • When Lisa is investigating the strange noises from the attic, she quickly becomes frightened and tearfully says farewell to Homer and Marge on camera, parodying the apology scene from The Blair Witch Project.

Co-Dependents Day

  • The title is a pun on Independence Day.

The Wandering Juvie

My Big Fat Geek Wedding

  • The title is a pun on My Big Fat Greek Wedding.
  • Several pop culture franchises appear during the convention scene at various booths, including the typical Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica,Flash Gordon and Star Trek references. One relatively deep cut though is a partially obscured booth for BIONICLE with a poster behind it depicting a character in a Kanohi Hau similar to the design in the Miramax direct to video films. A statue of The Iron Giant is also visible at the convention.

Catch 'Em If You Can

  • The title is a pun on Catch Me If You Can.

Simple Simpson

  • The title is a pun on the Nursery Rhyme Simple Simon.
  • Marge kisses Homer as Pie-Man while he is hanging upside-down just like Mary-Jane does to Peter Parker in Spider-Man.

The Way We Weren't

  • The title is a pun on The Way We Were.

Bart-Mangled Banner

  • The title is a pun on Star-Spangled Banner.

Fraudcast News

  • The title is a pun on Broadcast News.

    Season 16 

Treehouse XV

All's Fair in Oven War

Sleeping With the Enemy

She Used to be My Girl

  • In The Stinger, Lisa is praying to Buhda, Jesus, and SpongeBob SquarePants. When Buhda thinks that they should help, SpongeBob just says "Screw Her!" and laughs maniacally instead of doing his famous "Dyeyeyeyeyeye!!!" laugh.

Fat Man & Little Boy

Midnight Rx

  • Mr. Burns' plane, the Plywood Pelican, is a parody of Howard Hughes' Spruce Goose.
  • Ralph says "I'm cuckoo for contraband", a reference to the Cocoa Puffs tagline "I'm cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs".
  • The Canadian drug store "Dudley Do-Drugs" is a pun on Dudley Do-Right.

Mommie Beerest

Homer & Ned's Hail Mary Pass

Pranksta Rap

There's Something About Marrying

On a Clear Day, I Can't See My Sister

  • The title is a pun on On A Clear Day I Can See Forever.
  • Sprawl-Mart is a parody of Wal-Mart. Lampshaded with a banner saying it's not a rip-off of Wal-Mart.
    • The subplot is also a parody of Wal-Mart's controversies regard its treatment of their employees.
  • The family joins together to play "Tijuana Taxi".

Goo Goo Gai Pan

  • Being set in Beijing and having a sign reading "Tiananmen Square: Nothing Happened Here in 1989.", there is also a recreation of the famous Tank man picture.

Mobile Homer

The Seven Beer Snitch

Future-Drama

Don't Fear the Roofer

The Heartbroke Kid

A Star is Torn

Thank God It's Doomsday

Home Away from Homer

  • Bad Company's eponymous song plays during Ned's rebellion from Humbleton.
  • Humbleton figurines are a parody of Hummel figurines.
  • When Ned enters Humbleton, Lara's Theme from Doctor Zhivago plays.

The Father, the Son and the Holy Guest Star

  • When Lisa mentions that Latin is "the language of Plutarch", Homer confuses him with Mickey Mouse's dog.
  • The "Ministry Machine" is a parody of the Mystery Machine from Scooby-Doo.

    Season 17 

Bonfire of the Manatees

The Girl Who Slept Too Little

Milhouse of Sand and Fog

Treehouse XVI

Marge's Son Poisoning

See Homer Run

Last of the Red Hat Mamas

The Italian Bob

Simpsons Christmas Stories

Homer's Paternity Coot

We're on the Road to D'ohwhere

My Fair Laddy

The Seemingly Never Ending Story

Bart Has Two Mommies

Homer Simpson, This is Your Wife

Million Dollar Abie

Kiss Kiss Bang Bangalore

The Wettest Stories Ever Told

Girls Just Want to Have Sums

  • The title is a reference to Cyndi Lauper's "Girls Just Want to Have Fun".
  • When Lisa takes off her disguise, Dolph complains that "We've been Yentled!"
  • Martin sings part of Jethro Tull's "Thick as a Brick" after he plays the flute, followed by the original playing over the closing credits.

Regarding Margie

The Monkey Suit

  • The plot is a parody of the "Monkey Trial" of 1925, as well as the play it inspired, Inherit the Wind.
  • The conservative lawyer is seen feeding a deer and makes an allusion to Bambi to demonize evolution.
  • Marge has a picture of herself with a costumed Snoopy, which also advertises MetLife.

Homer and Marge Turn a Couple Play

    Season 18 

The Mook, the Chef, the Wife and Her Homer

  • Fat Tony has a Finding Nemo bedsheet for his car.
  • When Fat Tony asks Milhouse for a three-ring binder, Milhouse asks if he wants the Comic Strip/Garfield or Love Is... one. Fat Tony picks Garfield.

Jazzy & the Pussycats

Please Homer, Don't Hammer 'Em

Treehouse XVII

G. I. D'oh

Moe N/A Lisa

Ice Cream of Margie (with the Light Blue Hair)

  • The title is a parody of the song "Jeannie with the Light Brown Hair".
  • Opal is a parody of The Oprah Winfrey Show.
  • Homer's method of getting dressed is based on the opening sequence to Da Ali G Show.
  • The theme to The Streets of San Francisco plays when Homer speeds to Marge's art show.
  • Homer mistakes the giant Popsicle-stick statue of himself for that of Magilla Gorilla.

The Haw-Hawed Couple

  • The title is a pun on The Odd Couple.
  • The Angelica Button books are a parody of the Harry Potter books.
  • Bart and Nelson's walk through Springfield Elementary is a direct parody of the scene from "Goodfellas", where Henry Hill escorts his date Karen through a nightclub. Both scenes even feature a song by The Crystals, only using "Then He Kissed Me" in the original and "He's A Rebel" in the homage.
  • Nelson breaks his camera in frustration and yells "Look what you made me do!", much like Annie Wilkes in Misery.
  • The scene of Angelica Button trapped in a giant hourglass resembles the climax of Aladdin.
  • In Homer's revised book ending, Wizard Greystache fights like Popeye.
  • The ending is a parody of Brokeback Mountain.

Kill Gil, Volumes 1 & 2

The Wife Aquatic

Revenge is A Dish Best Served Three Times

Little Big Girl

Springfield Up

Yokel Cord

Rome-old and Julie-eh

Homerazzi

  • Marge's screenplay Mrs. Mom (which Rainer Wolfcastle later plagiarizes) is based on Mr. Mom.

Marge Gamer

The Boys of Bummer

  • The title is a pun on The Boys of Summer.
  • Bart's ordeal references the public shaming of Bill Buckner and Steve Bartman for their baseball-related mistakes. Bartman would be referenced again when Homer (complete with jersey and headphones) catches one of the balls Bart was supposed to catch.
  • Jimbo, Dolph and Kearney sing an anti-Bart rendition of "Love Stinks" by The J. Geils Band.
  • At one point, Bart gets hit by a baseball and all his clothes fly off, much like Charlie Brown from Peanuts.
  • The voice and appearance of the baseball announcer are modeled after Vin Scully, the voice of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
  • The phrase "The Isotots lose the pennant!" is based on the phrase "The Giants win the pennant!" when the New York Giants win the 1951 National League pennant.
  • The theme that plays when Bart watches the all fly through the air is based on the score from Rudy.
  • The plot about the game being replayed is based on The Best Of Times.

Crook and Ladder

  • Smothering Mother magazine is a Larry Flynt publication.
  • Napien is an obvious parody of Ambien. In fact, Lisa was about to call it that before correcting herself.
  • While sleepwalking, Homer stacks a bunch of VHS tapes like dominoes, the first one pushed being a copy of C.H.U.D..

Stop of My Dog Will Shoot

24 Minutes

  • The episode is a parody of 24.

You Kent Always Say What You Want

    Season 19 

He Loves to Fly and He D'ohs

The Homer of Seville

Midnight Towboy

I Don't Wanna Know Why The Caged Bird Sings

Treehouse XVIII

Little Orphan Millie

Husbands & Knives

Funeral For A Fiend:

Eternal Moonshine of the Simpson Mind

E Pluribus Wiggum

That 90's Show

Love, Springfieldian Style

The Debarted

Dial N For Nerder

Smoke on the Daughter

Papa Don't Leech

Apocalypse Cow

Any Given Sundance

Mona Leaves-A

All About Lisa

    Season 20 

Sex, Pies and Idiot Scrapes

Lost Verizon

Double, Double, Boy In Trouble

Treehouse XIX

Dangerous Curves

  • The story structure is inspired by Two for the Road, and some specific parts of the film are also parodied.

Homer & Lisa Exchange Cross Words

My Pods & Broomsticks

  • The Genie from Aladdin appears in Homer's dream.

The Burns & The Bees

Lisa the Drama Queen

  • The plot is reminiscent of the film Heavenly Creatures, complete with one of the characters in the episode sharing a name with a character in the film.

Take My Life, Please

How the Test Was Won

No Loan Again, Naturally

Gone Maggie Gone

In the Name of the Grandfather

  • There's a gag based on Once, with Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová reprising their roles from the film.
  • The scene at Giant's Causeway parodies Q*bert.

Wedding for Disaster

  • Maggie's Imagine Spot involves Marge being a parody of Godzilla and Homer as King Kong. Then Kong!Homer sits down and reads Apes magazine, a parody of People.
  • Patty and Selma's torture of Homer is based on the Saw series.

Eeny Meany Maya Moe

The Good, The Sad, & The Druggly

Father Knows Worst

Waverly Hills, 9021D'oh

Four Great Women & A Manicure

Coming to Homerica

    Season 21 

Homer the Whopper"

"Bart Gets a 'Z'"

"The Great Wife Hope"

"Treehouse of Horror XX"

"The Devil Wears Nada"

"Pranks and Greens"

"Rednecks and Broomsticks

"O Brother, Where Bart Thou?"

"Thursdays with Abie"

"Once Upon a Time in Springfield"

"Million Dollar Maybe"

"Boy Meets Curl"

"The Color Yellow"

"Postcards from the Wedge"

"Stealing First Base"

"The Greatest Story Ever D'ohed"

"American History X-cellent"

"Chief of Hearts"

"The Squirt and the Whale"

  • The chalkboard gag is "South Park – We'd stand beside you if we weren't so scared" in response to that show's controversy regarding the depiction of Muhammad.

"To Surveil with Love"

"Moe Letter Blues"

"The Bob Next Door"

"Judge Me Tender"

  • Given the episode aired the same day as the Lost finale, the chalkboard gag is "End of "Lost": it was all the dog's dream. Watch us."

    Season 22 

"Elementary School Musical"

"Loan-a Lisa"

"Money BART"

"Treehouse of Horror XXI"

"Lisa Simpson, This Isn't Your Life"

"The Fool Monty"

"How Munched is That Birdie in the Window?"

"The Fight Before Christmas"

"Donnie Fatso"

"Moms I'd Like to Forget"

"Flaming Moe"

"Homer the Father"

"The Blue and the Gray"

"Angry Dad: The Movie"

"The Scorpion's Tale"

"A Midsummer's Nice Dream"

"Love Is a Many Strangled Thing"

"The Great Simpsina"

The Real Housewives of Fat Tony"

"Homer Scissorhands"

"500 Keys"

The Ned-Liest Catch"

    Season 23 

Holidays of Future Passed

  • Maggie rides in a broken-down plane based on the ones seen in Mad Max.

Them, Robot

Lisa Goes Gaga

  • Blink and miss - the mirror showing Lady Gaga in the Vampirella costume.

    Season 24 

Moonshine River

  • When the Simpsons are in Times Square where we first see them in New York City to find Mary Spuckler there:
    Homer: Look at this place! Things have certainly changed since our ancestor Fievel came here!

Penny-Wiseguys

  • Matt Groening has been cryptic about whether Homer is deliberately named after the character of Homer Simpson in Nathanael West's 1939 novel The Day of the Locust, but the series still has fun lampshading the connection when Homer is rescuing Dan Gillick from a swarm of grasshoppers:
    Homer: I never thought Homer Simpson would be a part of the Day of the Locust!

Pulpit Friction

    Season 25 

    Season 26 

Treehouse of Horror XXV

  • The many different versions of the Simpson family at the end:

Waiting for Duffman

  • In the scene just prior to Homer taking the Duffman oath, a video briefly plays of a Duff-themed Game of Thrones opening, complete with music. Homer lampshades the absurdity of the situation with "Seems awfully overproduced".

    Season 27 

Friend With Benefit

  • In place of a Couch Gag, the episode starts with a parody of the Disney short film Feast called Fat with Santa's Little Helper in place of Winston. It's a Surprisingly Realistic Outcome version of the story where Santa's Little Helper becomes morbidly obese because of all the table scraps and other people food he's being fed.

    Season 28 

The Cad and the Hat

  • In the episode's Couch Gag, the family notices their sailboat painting has gone missing, and Bart says "maybe another animated show stole it?". Cue Homer walking through the animated sets of South Park and The California Raisins to look for the painting before finding it in the Robot Chicken Nerd's room.

The Last Traction Hero

  • Homer discovers some sort of torture chamber with a Wicked Cultured flair in what is supposed to be Burns's bathroom. One curiosity present is the Nefertiti Bust (or a replica). Homer leaves and does not ask questions.

    Season 29 

The Serfsons

Lisa Gets the Blues

  • Bart is forced to dress like Little Orphan Annie (down to having his eyes whitened with correction fluid) and to sing a number from the musical Annie.

    Season 31 

The Winter Of Our Monetized Content

Bart the Bad Guy

Media references

  • Dennis the Menace:
    • The "spoken portrait" made by the police on "Wild Barts Can't Be Broken" resembles Dennis, with Wiggum commenting that it looks like the kid who attacked "that widow Wilson".
    • In "Brake My Wife, Please", Homer hits Mr. Wilson with a tree branch.
  • Peanuts:
    • In "Simpsons Roasting On A Open Fire" Bart tells Homer that miracles always happen to poor kids with Christmas: It happened to Charlie Brown, Tiny Tim and the Smurfs and it will happen to us.
    • At the start of "Treehouse of Horror II" a group of children in Halloween outfits pass by The Simpsons' house, in reference to It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.
    • Bart tries to distract the attention in "The Boy Who Knew Too Much" by quickly taking a newspaper: "Hey, look at this: Charlie Brown says "Good Grief". Hahaha, I didn't see THAT one coming."
    • The end of "Treehouse Of Horror IV" has the family mimic the end of the Peanuts Christmas specials, complete with Milhouse playing piano à la Schroeder and Santa's Little Helper doing the Snoopy dance.
    • In "Miracle On Evergreen Terrace" The old folks in Springfields' rest home dance just like the children in A Charlie Brown Christmas.
    • Homer makes a Snoopy puzzle in "Burns Baby Burns".
    • Santa's Little Helper imitates Snoopy in his Red Baron outfit in "The Seven-Beer Snitch" and again in the title sequence of "The Scorpion's Tale". He dances like him in the couch gag of "The Computer Wore Menace Shoes".
    • Homer is seen sleeping on the dog kennel in "Hungry Hungry Homer" while Bart says: Good grief!
    • In "Treehouse Of Horror XIV" Bart and Lisa dress up like Charlie Brown and Lucy for Halloween.
    • Bart is knocked upside down during a baseball match in "The Boys of Bummer", much like Charlie Brown used to suffer.
    • The final segment of "Treehouse of Horror XIX" is a parody of It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.
    • Schroeder has a cameo in "The Fight Before Christmas".
    • Lisa names Peppermint Patty and Marcie as two of her personal lesbian heroes, though she adds that she suspects that only Patty is lesbian.
  • Psycho:
    • In "Itchy & Scratchy vs. Marge", the scene of Maggie hitting Homer with a club resembles the infamous "shower scene".
    • The episode "Brother from the Same Planet" portrays Principal Skinner as a Norman Bates-style character.
    • In "Cape Feare", Sideshow Bob stays at the "Bates Motel".

Character references

  • Homer Simpson:
    • His voice is based on that of Walter Matthau, especially notable in the shorts and the first season. This is acknowledged in "Angry Dad: The Movie".
  • Bart Simpson:
    • Earlier seasons had him as a modern Dennis the Menace, with the episode "Two Bad Neighbors" essentially putting former President George H.W. Bush in the role of Mr. Wilson.
  • Krusty the Klown
    • Krusty was based on Bozo the Clown and Rusty Nails, a local TV clown of the 1950s.
    • His Jewish background, charity work and addiction to Percodan were lifted from Jerry Lewis.

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