Don’t know about the TZ, but there’s an episode of The Outer Limits where scientists on Earth, create a minature planet, based on information transmitted to them from aliens on another planet. Life evolves rapidly on this “planet” quickly reaching contemporary Earth technology in a few months or so. The Earth scientist who’s observing this is attacked by weapons developed on the minature planet and is only able to save himself by smashing the glass booth the planet’s in, thus releasing it’s non-oxygen atmosphere and killing the inhabitants.
Frankly, after years of being forced to listen to the Edgar Winter Group’s “Frankenstein,” I will always consider the episode where Homer runs 'em down as my all time favorite.
Actually, I believe it was “chaulk-faced goons” and it wasn’t from Dial Z for Zombies, it was from The Homega Man, where Springfield was attacked by a nuclear warhead from France.
Actually, the 1975 Philadelphia Flyers were a winning sports team - Stanley Cup champions, in fact. They were on the jury of the damned because they played really, really dirty. (But I don’t think any of them are dead.)
I love the Halloween Special where Mr Burns is a vampire (can’t think of the name).
Homer: “Oh Lisa, you and your stories. ‘Bart is a vampire. Beer kills brain cells.’ Now let’s go back to that building… thingy… where our beds and tv… is.”
In the episode where Mr. Burns hires Grandpa Simpson and his buddies as strikebreakers (they are too old to bust heads anymore, so now they’ll just tell them long pointless stories that don’t go anywhere!), Grandpa notes that he “was carrying an onion on my belt, as was the custom at the time.”
Cracks me up every time, although I’m not sure why…
Sam, your Kang quote is my complete favorite out of that entire short. His puzzlement as he gropes his way towards the final formulation in his speech is a total scream. Quite the perfect sendup of our pandering politicians.
Tuck, excellent potential cite for the Outer Limits (one of my favorite 60s shows) Genisis Tub connection. While I’m rather sure that “Microcosmic God” preceded both of these, it’s just as possible that Groening’s team was working from the television reference. Their prediliction for beatnik and flower power call-backs makes this easy to believe.
As to your intense dislike of “Frankenstein,” we’ll have to agree to disagree. That’s some of the finest R&R synth work ever done. I’ve seen Edgar play it live and the guy is phenomenonal. He rotates through alto sax, drums and synth in the course of the song. Yeah, he’s a freak, but he hits the keys pretty d@mn well.
Friends of mine were seated above the backstage area at a Johnny Winter concert and swore they could see the footlights shining through parts of his body. Sort of fitting that Groening used one of the Winter brothers for a Zombie episode. Both of them are weird but put on hilacious shows.
Manduck, not being a sports fan, that particular bit of trivia didn’t embed itself rather well with me. Thanks for the cite and background. I gotta ask; Is your screen name derived from the ancient Mad Magazine paperback spoof on the popular 40s character, Mandrake the Magician?
Cadfael, the “onion” quote may well be one of Abe’s most memorable ramblings. He used it in Lisa’s classroom too. Gets a hoot out of me every time as well.
Based on the old Usenet postings I read, the writers didn’t find the line funny enough.
And, on the wit and wisdom of Grampa: neither of those occurences appears in a Halloween episode (even though they’re funny). And Grampa didn’t tell the onion story to Lisa’s class. He told a story that took place in nineteen-dickety-two. They had to use “dickety” because the Kaiser had stolen the word “twenty.” He chased the Kaiser to get it back, but gave up after dickety-six miles.
I think I do remember Homer saying he was the first cartoon character to travel through time. Maybe my memory is a bit off, but I am pretty positive thats what Homer said the first time the episode was shown. Maybe it was changed for future episodes?
The “non-Brazilian” reference is a reference to Carlos Castaneda, who wrote extensively about his own time travel experiences(induced by halucinogenic chemicals).
I thought this was in the Simpson Encyclopedia, but it may not be. I had heard it somewhere official, however.
Kang: We must move forwards, not backwards, upwards not forwards, sideways not upwards, and twirling, ever twirling to our doom(cue spinning) - absolute genius, totally irrelevent but incredibly funny.
I swear I have not forgotten about your books! Money has been tight, but I just started my new job, and I get paid friday. They are on the top of my to do list now that all of my bills are no longer nipping at my heels.
