The Simpsons S 7 E 19 A Fish Called Selma / YMMV

Alternative Character Interpretation:
- Did Troy really reject being a sidekick in a new McBain movie or was that a lie to cover up the fact that he was passed up for the role (because he's no longer with Selma)?
- Likewise, did he come to care for Selma in his own way, even if he was not even slightly attracted to her and the marriage was for show? He did light up a cigar to cheer her up and he looks quite distraught and lonely, watching her leave at the episode's ending, implying he did like having her as a companion.
- At the wedding, after Homer finds out the truth about Troy's reasons for marrying Selma, is he just being absent-minded and not paying attention to Reverend Lovejoy giving him the opportunity to object, or is he consciously choosing not to object due to his dislike of Selma?
Alternative Joke Interpretation: Either the John Tesh look-a-like is surprised that McClure is dating a woman, or is unsure if Selma is a woman.^note
Crosses the Line Twice: Troy's sexual attraction to (and possibly harassment of) fish. The writers were upfront that they chose it because it was the most bizarre fetish they could think of, blowing past being perverted and going into the realm of pure absurdity.
Fridge Brilliance: Troy's shallowness is really played up in this episode...even in his private life, he speaks in ad-worthy catchphrases and always seems to be playing his onscreen persona. But then you realize...he's had to hide his real self for so long that his public, phony self is all he has left by now, even in private moments with someone else. It's almost a case of Fridge Sadness.
Genius Bonus: The crack at Hugh Grant's expense is even funnier for those who recall that the Divine Brown scandal coincided with/mildly distracted from the release of Nine Months, because this episode's Special Guest Jeff Goldblum played a friend of Grant's character in that film. (It was a 20th Century Fox release on top of that.)
Harsher in Hindsight: Homer humming along to Gary Glitter's "Rock and Roll (Part II)" in his mind, as Troy is revealed to be a sex offender in this episode. Just the year after this episode, Glitter was convincted of possessing child pornography.
He Really Can Act: This episode essentially made Troy more than a one-joke character (the joke of him being a washed-up B-movie actor) and had lots of potential. It's really a shame that Hartman was murdered before they could do more with Troy.
Jerkass Woobie: Troy might have had an ulterior motive in his relationship with Selma, but it's hard not to feel a little sorry for how lonely and screwed up he is.
Memetic Mutation: The brain of Homer does a tone-deaf cover of Gary Glitter's "Rock and Roll (Part II)".
Narm Charm: The In-Universe musical of Planet of the Apes is a parody of musicals based on films. But damn if it isn't catchy and with great rhymes.
Rainbow Lens: Rumors about Troy's sexuality have all but killed his career, and with Selma serving as The Beard, he's beloved by the press and the parts start flying in, with the possibility that he'll become a father and therefore a "family man" potentially opening up a whole new range of roles. Lampshaded when Selma asks him point blank if he's gay, to which his response is "Gay? I wish!"
Signature Scene: The Planet of the Apes musical! It even was excerpted in a retrospective documentary on the original movies.
Suspiciously Similar Song: "Dr. Zaius" deftly changes "Rock Me Amadeus" just enough to count as an original song.
Unintentional Period Piece: When Selma lights up in a restaurant, it's treated as a major social faux pas rather than a health code violation as public smoking bans were only starting to appear at the time. In the same scene, another diner snarks, "I ordered a Zima, not emphysema." Zima was discontinued in 2008.
Woolseyism: The Latin American dub manages to work a lot of puns and jokes in the movies that Troy McClure is remembered for.

YMMV / The Simpsons S 7 E 19 A Fish Called Selma

Edit Locked