# Simpsons 5/17: "Coming to Homerica" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 18, 2009, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-5-17-coming-to-homerica/496797 "2009-05-18T00:42:48Z")\ **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:** [May 18, 2009, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-5-17-coming-to-homerica/496797/1 "2009-05-18T00:42:48Z")
LABF12 Written by Brendan Hay After a recent spate of good episodes, it’s disappointing that America’s newest postal icons finish their 20th season with a rather mediocre episode. The whole illegal immigration/Minutemen thing is still a hot-button issue in America, but I can’t help but think that the series has done the various topics commented on in this episode better in previous ones: illegal immigration in “Much Apu About Nothing,” vigilantism in “Homer the Vigilante,” building a divisive wall in “A Tale of Two Springfields” (although that one may have been based more on the Berlin Wall than the proposed U.S./Mexico border fence). I did like the fact that the hated immigants were friendly Norweigians looking for work rather than Mexicans- that’s a very Simpsony thing. But other than the opening with the Mother Nature burger, Homer getting drunk on Norwegian liqueur, the Mr. Largo joke (the writers seem to be reveling in his obscurity lately), and the billboard gag in the opening credits (which manages to reference _The Simpson Movie_, U2’s Spider-Man musical, and get an in-joke as well in its short time on screen), this episode fell a little short. Let’s hope the Simpsons are able to build up a new batch of good ones for Season 21- with or without the help of Odgenvillian labor. ---
**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:** [May 18, 2009, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-5-17-coming-to-homerica/496797/2 "2009-05-18T01:30:27Z")
(I am an unaplogetic Simpsons fan. I’m sorry, but that’s just how I am.) I liked it. Yeah, there was the “Oh I’ve seen this before” but you’ll get that with every episode now. did they do funny things with their premise? The answer is “Yup.” My question is, why did they have the Ogdenvillians be Norwegian? Yes, they got some amusing characterization jokes from it, but where did it come from? ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2009, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-5-17-coming-to-homerica/496797/3 "2009-05-18T01:31:02Z")
I agree. A few nice moments in the first third (especially the fall of Ogdenville), but the rest was very pedestrian. Fiat: Maggie should never talk. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2009, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-5-17-coming-to-homerica/496797/4 "2009-05-18T01:44:32Z")
> [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](#): > > My question is, why did they have the Ogdenvillians be Norwegian? Yes, they got some amusing characterization jokes from it, but where did it come from? Because the writers clearly endorse building an impenetrable barrier around Minnesota. ---
**Author:** ![Uosdwis\_R.Dewoh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Uosdwis\_R.Dewoh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uosdwis_R.Dewoh)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2009, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-5-17-coming-to-homerica/496797/5 "2009-05-18T02:39:56Z")
When Lennie and Carl were freezing to death in their balloon contraption, a house hanging from balloons floated by. What was that about? ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2009, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-5-17-coming-to-homerica/496797/6 "2009-05-18T02:43:58Z")
> [@Uosdwis\_R.Dewoh](#): > > When Lennie and Carl were freezing to death in their balloon contraption, a house hanging from balloons floated by. What was that about? I thought it was a six-pack when I first saw it, but it is indeed a house. In that case, I’m guessing it’s meant as a shout-out to the Simpsoners who work at Pixar, whose latest film _Up_ is about an old man and his flying house. ---
**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:** [May 18, 2009, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-5-17-coming-to-homerica/496797/7 "2009-05-18T03:42:20Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > Because the writers clearly endorse building an impenetrable barrier around Minnesota. And do nothing about all those lutefisk-lickers from North and South Dakota? Talk about a half-assed plan! ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2009, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-5-17-coming-to-homerica/496797/8 "2009-05-18T03:42:29Z")
I thought it was a pretty good episode. I liked the Open sign at the Closed Signs store. In previous episodes, wasn’t Ogdenville many miles away from Springfield? That’s where Marge found that Chanel suit at the bargain store. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2009, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-5-17-coming-to-homerica/496797/9 "2009-05-18T04:06:50Z")
I found the problem with this episode is _the Simpsons_ used to be so good at doing a satire and parody. This was just a disjointed effort to mock people who have legitimate grips against immigration. _South Park_ and the _Family Guy_ did it and did it much better. It would’ve been more intersting to see some legitimate anti arguments. Also the episode started with “immigrants take our jobs,” and rapidly developed into a xenophobia. As if to say the real problem is not that you take our jobs but rather, we just don’t like “your kind.” The fact they used Norwegians (the WHITEST of white people) to play the immigrants is supposed to be \so funny\? As if to say, "Hey you know what, instead of using Mexicans, let’s take the total opposite and make them the minority. Which has become a sad trend now, where only white males can be portrayed as stupid. Why not be brave and use real immigrant populations like Latinos or Asians or Indians or even the Irish. (Little known fact Irish in America are estimated to have the fourth largest number of illegals in America) It was just so disjointed it made little sense. It was like they had 20 writers each write one joke and hired a 21st writer to come up with a weak plot to string the 20 jokes together. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2009, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-5-17-coming-to-homerica/496797/10 "2009-05-18T06:08:45Z")
Started strong, ended weak. But it contained my very favorite line of the season: “I am afraid of xylophones. It’s the music you hear when _skeletons are dancing_.” ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2009, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-5-17-coming-to-homerica/496797/11 "2009-05-18T11:21:30Z")
Yes - the floating house was a reference to “Up”. Interesting that it aired on the 17th of May [Constitution Day (Norway) - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norwegian_Constitution_Day) Brian ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2009, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-5-17-coming-to-homerica/496797/12 "2009-05-18T11:46:43Z")
> [@mobo85](#): > > LABF12 Written by Brendan Hay > > After a recent spate of good episodes, it’s disappointing that America’s newest postal icons finish their 20th season with a rather mediocre episode… But other than the opening with the Mother Nature burger, Homer getting drunk on Norwegian liqueur, the Mr. Largo joke (the writers seem to be reveling in his obscurity lately), and the billboard gag in the opening credits (which manages to reference _The Simpson Movie_, U2’s Spider-Man musical, and get an in-joke as well in its short time on screen), this episode fell a little short. You mean, other than the riotious, frequent humor and copious gags, this one wasn’t funny? Maybe a half-hour isn’t long enough for you? I thought it was one of the best ever and barely had time to react to one gag before the next one came along. The opening sequence alone parodied about four films. > [@Intergalactic Gladiator](#): > > My question is, why did they have the Ogdenvillians be Norwegian? Yes, they got some amusing characterization jokes from it, but where did it come from? It’s the same tactic used in _Blazing Saddles_, reversing prejudice. Remember where all the people were recruited to help build the fake town, and the mayor said, “The niggers and chinks are OK, but no Irish.” ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2009, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-5-17-coming-to-homerica/496797/13 "2009-05-18T15:18:06Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > Started strong, ended weak. But it contained my very favorite line of the season: > > “I am afraid of xylophones. It’s the music you hear when _skeletons are dancing_.” Great line. I also liked Krusty’s shameless talk with his business manager at the beginning, twice cutting to the unamused glower of the chimp with the cigar. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2009, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-5-17-coming-to-homerica/496797/14 "2009-05-18T17:08:37Z")
I loved it when Maggie kept saying “Ja! Ja!” ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2009, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-5-17-coming-to-homerica/496797/15 "2009-05-18T18:04:47Z")
> [@Gangster\_Octopus](#): > > I loved it when Maggie kept saying “Ja! Ja!” I guess Jodie Foster has started demanding more lines for Maggie after all these years. I hope it doesn’t turn into a problem in season 21. 😉 Not the best episode of the year, mostly because the ending got soft. But I thought this one was pretty good. I think my favorite moment was the sepia-toned parade of proud Dust Bowl-esque Ogdenvillians loading their grandmothers onto jalopies, recalling The Grapes of Wrath and The Beverly Hillbillies at the same time. ETA: I can’t wait for _Spider-Pig: The Musical!_ ---
**Author:** ![Zany\_Zeolite\_Zipper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/4af34b/32.png) [@Zany\_Zeolite\_Zipper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zany_Zeolite_Zipper)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2009, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-5-17-coming-to-homerica/496797/16 "2009-05-18T20:17:14Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I guess Jodie Foster has started demanding more lines for Maggie after all these years. I hope it doesn’t turn into a problem in season 21. 😉 > > Not the best episode of the year, mostly because the ending got soft. But I thought this one was pretty good. I think my favorite moment was the sepia-toned parade of proud Dust Bowl-esque Ogdenvillians loading their grandmothers onto jalopies, recalling The Grapes of Wrath and The Beverly Hillbillies at the same time. > > ETA: I can’t wait for _Spider-Pig: The Musical!_ Did you notice that all the Ogdenvillians were driving Volvos, and the Granny’s were sitting in Ikea chairs? I think the Simpsons could pick any culture, mock it for thirty minutes, and still have a good show, even neglecting to include a plot. ---
**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:** [May 18, 2009, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-5-17-coming-to-homerica/496797/17 "2009-05-18T20:58:06Z")
Wouldn’t xylophobia be the fear of _wood_? Uff da! ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2009, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-5-17-coming-to-homerica/496797/18 "2009-05-18T23:06:40Z")
The Norweigian press has apparently [covered the Norse invasion of Springfield](http://www.dagbladet.no/2009/05/18/kultur/tv_og_medier/the_simpsons/norge/6280127/). I can’t read their sloopy-loopy language, so I have no idea what they say. (And how come Al Jean gets an umlaut and no one else does?) ---
**Author:** ![choie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/choie/32/7829_2.png) [@choie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/choie)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-5-17-coming-to-homerica/496797/19 "2009-05-19T00:02:35Z")
A middling to very good ep, with some peaks and valleys. Favorite line was the skeletons/xylophones line already mentioned. I was a little creeped out by Maggie’s “ja!” – sounded way too old for her. (It wasn’t Foster again, right? Didn’t see JF in the credits.) In the past I think Yeardley Smith has done some tiny vocalizations for Maggie, and I wish they’d utilized her again. What was the music playing during the sepia-toned montage of dying Ogdenville? It was lovely. Sounded vaguely John Williamsy (i.e. _Schindler’s List_-esque Williams, not _Star Wars_-esque Williams). ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-5-17-coming-to-homerica/496797/20 "2009-05-19T00:25:48Z")
> [@mobo85](#): > > (And how come Al Jean gets an umlaut and no one else does?) Executive producer umlauts? > [@choie](#): > > I was a little creeped out by Maggie’s “ja!” – sounded way too old for her. (It wasn’t Foster again, right? Didn’t see JF in the credits.) I agree with you. Nancy Cartwright has made Maggie’s noises lately. In the early years Yeardley Smith usually did it. I actually found Mr. Largo’s tip-toeing funnier than Homer’s line, but maybe I’m alone there. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-5-17-coming-to-homerica/496797.md?page=2)