Jaws Wired Shut is the ninth episode of the thirteenth season of The Simpsons.
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Plot
The Springfield gay pride parade passes by the Simpsons' home. This makes Homer feel uncomfortable after he sees Santa's Little Helper flirting with one of the dogs and he drags his family to the Springfield Googolplex to see a movie called "Shenani-Goats" starring Tim Allen and rated PG-13 for brief rudeness and appearances by Garry Shandling. Homer grows impatient at the number of short films, commercials, and public service announcements preceding the film. He jumps up in front of the screen chanting, "Stop the madness! Start the movie!" The angry ushers then chase Homer out of the cinema, wielding oversized Kit-Kat bars. While running without looking where he's going, Homer collides with the fist of a large metal statue of boxer Drederick Tatum.
At the Springfield General Hospital, Dr. Hibbert wires Homer's broken jaw shut, saying that he will not be able to speak or eat solid food for a while. Not being able to talk Homer starts to listen to his family which pleases them, especially Marge. Marge decides that, since Homer is so well-behaved, they can risk going to the Springfield annual formal event at the Country Club.
The next day, the jaw wires come off. Homer and Marge appear on a chat show called "Afternoon Yak" to discuss how Homer became a changed man. During the show, Marge, with the support of the hosts, pleads with Homer to stop his "reckless ways" and stay well behaved. Despite the temptation of the upcoming Demolition Derby, Homer decides not to do it for Marge's sake.
Five weeks after Homer made his pledge to behave, Marge realizes that all the peace and quiet isn't so great and she starts going crazy with boredom. The demolition derby form flies into her hand, and she decides to give it a try. When she leaves, Homer wakes up and finds Marge is gone and so is the demolition derby form. He heads off to the derby with the kids. Although Marge initially enjoys the demolition derby, things soon get too dangerous for her and needs help. Homer has no idea how to save her, as he has given up being reckless. Bart comes up with an idea and calls for a beer can from a vendor. The beer inspires Homer to act recklessly to save Marge and he rescues her from her car at the last moment.
Pop culture references
- The episode's name is a play on the film title "Eyes Wide Shut".
- The rich woman asking Marge and Homer to dine at Toad Hall is a reference to The Wind in the Willows.
- A poster at the Googolplex advertises the upcoming film Dude, Where's My Pepsi. This is a parody of Dude, Where's My Car?.
- The episode contains several pieces of classical music: Rimsky-Korsakov's "Flight of the Bumblebee", Mozart's "Eine kleine Nachtmusik", Johann Strauss II's "The Blue Danube", and the theme from the movie The Magnificent Seven.
- Abe's assertion that sauerkraut was known as "liberty cabbage" during the war (specifically World War I) is actually true.
- In the Afternoon Yak segment Homer promises to Marge "he'll be as dull as Dilbert".
- The show Afternoon Yak is a parody of the daytime talk show The View.
- The final part of the episode is a parody of the Popeye cartoons.
- At the Demolition Derby, a sign reads "As Seen On Faces of Death III".
Reception
In an article on gay marriage, The Economist references the Simpsons' blase acceptance of the annual Springfield gay pride parade in this episode as being "a few steps ahead of real life. But only a few."[1]
References
- ^ "Out and proud parents", The Economist, June 28, 2007, http://www.economist.com/world/na/displaystory.cfm?story_id=9409421
External links
- "Jaws Wired Shut" episode capsule at The Simpsons Archive
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