# Simpsons couch gag -- that was sweet of them... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 3, 2005, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-couch-gag-that-was-sweet-of-them/324540 "2005-10-03T06:44:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2005, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-couch-gag-that-was-sweet-of-them/324540/1 "2005-10-03T06:44:24Z")
They reran the “Get Smart” couch gag for this week’s episode. Unless it was just a coincidence, I assume they did it as a homage to Don Adams. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2005, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-couch-gag-that-was-sweet-of-them/324540/2 "2005-10-03T07:15:14Z")
I think it was just a coincidence. The episode is a re-run. Usually they schedule those things weeks in advance, but I suppose there’s a slight possibility that they decided to show that episode instead of some other one. (But I think they have used that couch gag more than once.) ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2005, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-couch-gag-that-was-sweet-of-them/324540/3 "2005-10-03T08:08:05Z")
Yeah, that’s an old rerun. From like years ago the normaly save the ones that old for syndication. I didn’t whatch it last night so I don’t know. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2005, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-couch-gag-that-was-sweet-of-them/324540/4 "2005-10-03T13:55:20Z")
Well, it was a nice sweet coincidence, unless they told FOX to substitute that opening gag for the one that first appeared in that mundane episode. ---
**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:** [October 3, 2005, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-couch-gag-that-was-sweet-of-them/324540/5 "2005-10-03T15:34:27Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > The episode is a re-run. Really? I thought it was a new episode; at least, I don’t remember having seen it before. The couch gag _was_ a rerun—it’s not uncommon for them to re-use couch gags with new episodes—and I assumed they did indeed choose to show that one last night in homage to Don Adams. ---
**Author:** ![aktep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f0a364/32.png) [@aktep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aktep)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2005, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-couch-gag-that-was-sweet-of-them/324540/6 "2005-10-03T19:04:52Z")
> [@Thudlow Boink](#): > > Really? I thought it was a new episode; at least, I don’t remember having seen it before. GABF13, “A Star is Torn” originally aired on 5/8/05 and had a second airing on 8/7/05 before yesterday’s showing. The next new episode this season will be Treehouse of Horror XVI, on 11/6/05 (the rest of October will be pre-empted for baseball) Source: [http://www.snpp.com/guides/episode\_list.html](http://www.snpp.com/guides/episode_list.html) ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2005, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-couch-gag-that-was-sweet-of-them/324540/7 "2005-10-03T19:06:20Z")
It could be a coincidence or a decision on the part of whoever makes the call at that particular Fox affiliate. I’m not sure if the couch gags and episodes are packaged together. ---
**Author:** ![anyrose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/54ee81/32.png) [@anyrose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anyrose)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2005, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-couch-gag-that-was-sweet-of-them/324540/8 "2005-10-03T19:10:09Z")
> [@Finagle](#): > > They reran the “Get Smart” couch gag for this week’s episode. Unless it was just a coincidence, I assume they did it as a homage to Don Adams. It was a rerun - a few weeks old - It was coincidence ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2005, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-couch-gag-that-was-sweet-of-them/324540/9 "2005-10-03T19:11:36Z")
Either way, that’s always been one of my favorite couch gags. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2005, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-couch-gag-that-was-sweet-of-them/324540/10 "2005-10-03T20:23:38Z")
It is a good gag, but I gave that ep a miss (on accounta I don’t care for Fantasia Barrino, so once was enough for me). FTR, the other episode shown last night (syndicated, about Seymour’s and Edna’s aborted nuptials) didn’t have that gag. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2005, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-couch-gag-that-was-sweet-of-them/324540/11 "2005-10-03T21:34:15Z")
Generally speaking a couch gag will air twice in one season - infront ot 2 different episodes. Of course they will live on in syndication. ---
**Author:** ![Frostillicus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Frostillicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frostillicus)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2005, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-couch-gag-that-was-sweet-of-them/324540/12 "2005-10-04T01:51:52Z")
I really don’t think it was a coincidence that they ran the Get Smart couch gag the same week that Don Adams died. I think it was a tribute. ---
**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2005, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-couch-gag-that-was-sweet-of-them/324540/13 "2005-10-04T14:31:46Z")
OK, enlighten me. What is a “Get Smart” couch gag? ---
**Author:** ![Ponder\_Stibbons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponder_stibbons/32/343_2.png) [@Ponder\_Stibbons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponder_Stibbons)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2005, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-couch-gag-that-was-sweet-of-them/324540/14 "2005-10-04T14:43:33Z")
> [@Oslo Ostragoth](#): > > OK, enlighten me. What is a “Get Smart” couch gag? Well, if you’ve never seen the classic TV show [Get Smart](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058805/), it’s kinda hard to explain. It’s basically a riff on the show’s opening sequence.