# Simpsons 4/5: "Eeny Teeny Maya Moe" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 6, 2009, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-4-5-eeny-teeny-maya-moe/492142 "2009-04-06T16:34:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-4-5-eeny-teeny-maya-moe/492142/1 "2009-04-06T16:34:26Z")
LABF06 Written by John Frink A rather interesting episode as it focuses on two characters who are usually neglected, both by the writers and by people in Springfield- Maggie and Moe. It was rather suprising to see Moe not be prejudiced about his new girlfriend’s [del]shortcomings[/del] obvious difference given the way his character is, but it was an interesting side of Moe that we haven’t really seen. What I didn’t understand though is why Maya was willing to make fun of her difference (by pretending to be a doll and making puns) but getting angry at Moe for making puns as well. I guess it’s because he took it too far- which isn’t surprising for Moe. I also like the fact that the writers seem to revel in the fact that Mr. Largo isn’t used that often- his only line in his previous appearance was “I live in a loft!” and here he’s shown apparently wanting a sex change. And I thought Moe’s anecdote about saving money after buying the bar by changing _his_ name to Moe was pretty funny. ---
**Author:** ![middleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-4-5-eeny-teeny-maya-moe/492142/2 "2009-04-06T16:44:29Z")
Very good episode. Vintage Simpson charm. I must say, since the movie’s release, the show has been on an upswing. The ending where Homer gives Moe some great advice was as good as anything the show has ever produced. ---
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-4-5-eeny-teeny-maya-moe/492142/3 "2009-04-06T16:54:09Z")
Oveall, not a bad episode, question though, is it unusual for the Crazy Cat Lady to actually _speak_ in a coherent and understandable manner, I seem to remember that her schtick is insane nonverbal rambling and throwing cats… ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-4-5-eeny-teeny-maya-moe/492142/4 "2009-04-06T16:57:27Z")
I was kind of disapointed that there wasn’t any reconciliation with Moe and Maya at the end. Where’s the love for Moe? But I thought the advice from Homer was unusually good. And of course, it was obvious that Moe would have to go to Dr. Nick for the operation. That was telegraphed from a mile away, but I like anything with Dr. Nick. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-4-5-eeny-teeny-maya-moe/492142/5 "2009-04-06T17:13:37Z")
> [@mobo85](#): > > What I didn’t understand though is why Maya was willing to make fun of her difference (by pretending to be a doll and making puns) but getting angry at Moe for making puns as well. Yeah, this bothered me too - while I’m not crazy about Moe episode, they built up the relationship pretty nicely and then had to take it apart in a hurry. It’s happened more often as the show has gotten shorter over the years. You knew how the romance was going to end. You could almost feel them running out of time and needing to create a problem, because it seemed to me that Moe was coping pretty well with the fact that Maya was a little person. If he’d tried to get the operation before the breakup I think the “you just see me as short” accusation would have made more sense. The doll gag was certainly funny. Homer’s advice was great, though. > [@](#): > > And I thought Moe’s anecdote about saving money after buying the bar by changing _his_ name to Moe was pretty funny. I liked this, too. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-4-5-eeny-teeny-maya-moe/492142/6 "2009-04-06T17:14:43Z")
> [@mobo85](#): > > What I didn’t understand though is why Maya was willing to make fun of her difference (by pretending to be a doll and making puns) but getting angry at Moe for making puns as well. That really annoyed me, especially considering how obvious it was that he _really_ liked her, and how mild his puns were. Apart from that, great episode. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-4-5-eeny-teeny-maya-moe/492142/7 "2009-04-06T17:16:08Z")
> [@MacTech](#): > > Oveall, not a bad episode, question though, is it unusual for the Crazy Cat Lady to actually _speak_ in a coherent and understandable manner, I seem to remember that her schtick is insane nonverbal rambling and throwing cats… Usually it’s incomprehensible gibberish with a word or two thrown in about cats or another topic. She did talk to Marge a few seasons ago, saying that her medication allowed her to experience “brief moments of lucidity.” She started ranting and throwing cats again when Marge pointed out the “medication” was actually Reese’s pieces. ---
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-4-5-eeny-teeny-maya-moe/492142/8 "2009-04-06T18:33:41Z")
I loved the tough baby because (a) his dad is obviously one of the toughs at Bart’s school and (b) because of the clanking milk bottles. “Warriors, come out to playayaya!” Obscure references to 1970s cult movies FTW! ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-4-5-eeny-teeny-maya-moe/492142/9 "2009-04-06T18:37:30Z")
I don’t see why they have to absolutely return everything to the status quo at the end of the episode. After all, Apu is married now with 8 toddlers and Barney was sober for awhile. They could have let poor Moe have a girlfriend for the rest of the season. It was a cute episode though, I liked it. ---
**Author:** ![Mike\_Fun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a9adbd/32.png) [@Mike\_Fun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mike_Fun)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-4-5-eeny-teeny-maya-moe/492142/10 "2009-04-06T18:38:12Z")
I thought Dr. Nick was killed off in the movie. What gives? ---
**Author:** ![Gus\_Gusterson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85f322/32.png) [@Gus\_Gusterson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gus_Gusterson)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-4-5-eeny-teeny-maya-moe/492142/11 "2009-04-06T18:52:49Z")
> [@mobo85](#): > > What I didn’t understand though is why Maya was willing to make fun of her difference (by pretending to be a doll and making puns) but getting angry at Moe for making puns as well. My take was that having so many jokes at the ready showed that he thinks about her height a lot. She’s used to the odd comment here and there. She knows that she’s different. But the man she loves is supposed to get past her height and just see _her_. Moe wasn’t there yet and she saw that he probably never would be. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-4-5-eeny-teeny-maya-moe/492142/12 "2009-04-06T18:58:53Z")
> [@mobo85](#): > > And I thought Moe’s anecdote about saving money after buying the bar by changing _his_ name to Moe was pretty funny. I recognized that joke from Happy Days. Arnold revealed his real name as Mitsumo Takahashi. When he was asked why people called him “Arnold,” he revealed, “I bought the drive in from a guy named Arnold. I couldn’t afford to change the sign. It was cheaper to change my name.” ---
**Author:** ![voguevixen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5ac83/32.png) [@voguevixen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voguevixen)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-4-5-eeny-teeny-maya-moe/492142/13 "2009-04-06T20:25:42Z")
> [@Gus\_Gusterson](#): > > My take was that having so many jokes at the ready showed that he thinks about her height a lot. She’s used to the odd comment here and there. She knows that she’s different. But the man she loves is supposed to get past her height and just see _her_. Moe wasn’t there yet and she saw that he probably never would be. Yeah once he got going didn’t he make some bonehead remark like “Phew! I’ve really been saving these up!” ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-4-5-eeny-teeny-maya-moe/492142/14 "2009-04-06T20:51:38Z")
Not particularly a funny episode, but certainly “nice.” Yeah, Maya’s breakup with Moe seemed very sudden and arbitrary, I guess I could explain it away as she actually had cold feet and wanted an excuse to get out. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-4-5-eeny-teeny-maya-moe/492142/15 "2009-04-06T21:05:01Z")
> [@Mike\_Fun](#): > > I thought Dr. Nick was killed off in the movie. What gives? According to Wikipedia, the show’s producers acknowledged after the movie that Dr. Nick would return without explanation, “a la Dr. Marvin Monroe.” ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-4-5-eeny-teeny-maya-moe/492142/16 "2009-04-06T21:17:22Z")
> [@Folly](#): > > I don’t see why they have to absolutely return everything to the status quo at the end of the episode. After all, Apu is married now with 8 toddlers and Barney was sober for awhile. They could have let poor Moe have a girlfriend for the rest of the season. I thought Moe would break up with Maya by ep’s end but that was mainly due to my false assumption that Maya was voiced by a special guest star. I have to say I was a bit surprised–and relieved–when it turned out she was voiced by one of the regular female cast voices because I was having trouble identifying her voice and thought I was getting more out of touch with popular culture in my old age. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-4-5-eeny-teeny-maya-moe/492142/17 "2009-04-06T21:37:49Z")
> [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](#): > > According to Wikipedia, the show’s producers acknowledged after the movie that Dr. Nick would return without explanation, “a la Dr. Marvin Monroe.” Dr. Monroe had an explanation - he was “very sick.” So sick they named Marvin Monroe Memorial Hospital after him. 😃 I liked that joke. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-4-5-eeny-teeny-maya-moe/492142/18 "2009-04-06T22:55:08Z")
Moe’s better off without her - she looks high-maintenance. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-4-5-eeny-teeny-maya-moe/492142/19 "2009-04-06T23:12:30Z")
Was it just me, or one of the hockey commentators called [Petomane](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/363/did-a-french-vaudeville-star-once-specialize-in-trained-flatulence)? ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-4-5-eeny-teeny-maya-moe/492142/20 "2009-04-06T23:14:26Z")
This really has been a good season. I actually found the breakup pretty realistic. Well, not the idea that he was going to have his legs shortened and give the scraps to his dog, but the part where it was OK for her to joke about something that made her different but not for her boyfriend to do the same, especially in the middle of a marriage proposal. I thought for once Moe _wasn’t_ being a total jerk, just semi-realistically clueless and insensitive. And while it would have been setback to their relationship, it wouldn’t have been fatal in and of itself. On a lighter note, she had her online photo taken at Legoland! Overall, I liked the main storyline but found the Maggie subplot disturbing. Other baby-in-peril episodes haven’t bothered me, but something about the ratcheting up of the impending physical violence while her father was just out of reach was extra creepy. And Marge getting all mushy because Homer interceded after what - a week? - of total abandonment seemed a bit much, even by her low standards. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-4-5-eeny-teeny-maya-moe/492142.md?page=2)