Bart on the Road
Template:Infobox The Simpsons season seven
Bart on the Road is the twentieth episode of The Simpsons' seventh season, airing on March 31, 1996.
Episode details
Production Number: 3F17
Original Air Date: March 31, 1996
Writer: Richard Appel
Director: Swinton Scott
Couch Gag: Everybody is put on the couch by a pinsetter, after Snowball II is scared off by the pin-clearing bar
Synopsis
Template:Spoiler After the airline refuses to let him change his ticket to Hong Kong from Saturday to Friday without a huge fee, Skinner decides to promote a take-your-kids-to-work-day on the Friday before spring break. Bart goes to the DMV with Patty and Selma, Lisa goes to the power plant with Homer, Milhouse discovers the exciting world of crackers, and Martin makes money in the stock market.
At the DMV Bart makes himself a fake driver's license. He, Nelson, and Milhouse look for a way to use it, so they decide to use Martin's money to rent a car and go on a road trip. As a cover story, the four of them tell their parents that they have been selected by their school to attend the National Grammar Rodeo in Canada.
Instead, they go out joyriding, but where should they go? Finding an old brochure they decide to go to the World's Fair in Knoxville, Tennessee. But first Nelson makes them stop in Branson, Missouri (Bart: "Dad says it's just like Vegas... if it were run by Ned Flanders"), where he can see his hero, Andy Williams.
Back in Springfield, Homer asks if Lisa would like to come spend her spring break at work with him and she enjoys herself there; meanwhile, Marge becomes bored at home. Finding out that the World's Fair was over years ago, and the aging Sunsphere has been turned into a wig shop, Bart and company do not find Knoxville that exciting, especially when they wreck the car. They are stranded with no money, but they cannot tell their parents.
Bart tells Lisa the truth, and she tells him to become a courier. He does and is able to go to Hong Kong free of charge with his friends. Bart tells Lisa that she needs to have somebody ship something large to Springfield. Lisa tells Homer, who is very upset and expresses his displeasure by excusing himself before donning one of the plant's safety helmets and letting loose a stream of muffled curses that fog up the visor. After venting his fury, Homer orders the plant a new nuclear console. Bart and company return home, and everyone knows about the trip except Marge.
Quotes
- Lisa: Bart rented a car with a phony driver's license and drove Milhouse, Nelson and Martin to a wig outlet in Knoxville and their car got crushed and they're out of money and they can't get home and Bart's working as a courier and just came back from Hong Kong!
Homer: (very calm) Yes...that's a real pickle. Would you excuse me for a moment? (puts on a radiation suit helmet and screams profanities until the mask fogs up) All right, I've thought this thing through. I will send Bart the money to come home...then I will murder him. - Homer: This is a map of nuclear sites around the country. As a safety inspector, I'm responsible for changing most of these light bulbs.
Lisa: Why are there so many burnt-out ones?
Homer: (dejected) 'Cause they won't hire an assistant. - (at the DMV)
Patty: Some days we don't let the line move at all.
Selma: We call those "weekdays".
(both laugh) - Nelson: (after exiting a movie theater showing Naked Lunch): I can think of at least two things wrong with that title.
- (while gushing at an Andy Williams concert)
Nelson: Ha Ha..ah ha, wow. I didn't think he was going to do "Moon River", but then...bam! SECOND ENCORE! - (in the car:)
Kids: Bart, Can we stop for ice cream?
Bart: Yes.(Flatly)
Trivia
- The marquee at the theatre at which Andy Williams is performing proclaims "He's Still Got It!", according to Look magazine. However, said magazine folded in 1971.
- This is one of two times the song "Radar Love" by Golden Earring is heard on the show. Fat Tony also requests it to be played on a radio station in "Papa's Got a Brand New Badge".
- Apparently, one of the acts in Branson pairs Waylon Jennings and Madame (although the marquee reads "Madam").
- Skinner tries to curtail his swearing by exclaiming, "GM Chrysler!"
- Martin bought an Al Gore doll in Knoxville, which is appropriate for their locale since the former Vice President was raised in and served as senator from Tennessee.
- This is the first (and last) appearance of Martin's toy dog, Flipsy, which looks like a white Scottish Terrier dressed in stereotypical Scottish clothing. It barks and it can flip in the air (hence its name, Flipsy). Its demise occurred when Nelson threw the toy dog out the window of their moving rental car. The dog barks a couple of times and flips once more, only to be completely destroyed when a car runs over it (and Nelson yells "Haw-haw!" from offscreen).