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{{Good article}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2023}}
{{Infobox Simpsons episode
{{Infobox Simpsons episode
| title = Radioactive Man
| image =
| image =
| caption =
| caption =
| season = 7
| season = 7
| episode = 2
| episode = 2
| director = [[Susie Dietter]]{{sfn|Richmond & Coffman|1997|p=182}}
| director = [[Susie Dietter]]
| writer = [[John Swartzwelder]]{{sfn|Richmond & Coffman|1997|p=182}}
| writer = [[John Swartzwelder]]
| production = 2F17
| production = 2F17
| airdate = September 24, 1995{{sfn|Richmond & Coffman|1997|p=182}}
| airdate = {{Start date|1995|09|24}}
| guests = [[Mickey Rooney]] as himself<br />[[Phil Hartman]] as [[Troy McClure]] and [[Lionel Hutz]]<ref name="BBC">{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/simpsons/episodeguide/season7/page2.shtml |title=Radioactive Man |access-date=2007-02-27 |author1=Martyn, Warren |author2=Wood, Adrian |year=2000 |publisher=BBC}}</ref>
| guests = [[Mickey Rooney]] as himself<br />[[Phil Hartman]] as [[Troy McClure]] and [[Lionel Hutz]]<ref name="BBC">{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/simpsons/episodeguide/season7/page2.shtml |title=Radioactive Man |access-date=2007-02-27 |author1=Martyn, Warren |author2=Wood, Adrian |year=2000 |publisher=BBC |archive-date=April 27, 2003 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030427134432/https://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/simpsons/episodeguide/season7/page2.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref>
| blackboard = "''[[Bewitched]]'' does not promote [[Satanism]]"{{sfn|Richmond & Coffman|1997|p=182}}
| blackboard = "''[[Bewitched]]'' does not promote [[Satanism]]"{{sfn|Richmond & Coffman|1997|p=182}}
| couch_gag = The couch is a fax machine that spews out a piece of paper with the Simpson family in a sitting position. The paper slides back under the couch.
| couch_gag = The couch is a fax machine that spews out a piece of paper with the Simpson family in a sitting position. The paper slides back under the couch.
| commentary = [[Matt Groening]]<br />David Mirkin<br />Susie Dietter<br />[[David Silverman (animator)|David Silverman]]
| commentary = [[Matt Groening]]<br />David Mirkin<br />Susie Dietter<br />[[David Silverman (animator)|David Silverman]]
| prev = [[Who Shot Mr. Burns?#Episode 2|Who Shot Mr. Burns? (Part Two)]]
| prev = [[Who Shot Mr. Burns?#Part Two|Who Shot Mr. Burns? (Part Two)]]
| next = [[Home Sweet Homediddly-Dum-Doodily]]
| next = [[Home Sweet Homediddly-Dum-Doodily]]
}}
}}
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"'''Radioactive Man'''" is the second episode of the [[The Simpsons season 7|seventh season]] of the American animated television series ''[[The Simpsons]]''. It originally aired on [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] in the United States on September 24, 1995.{{sfn|Richmond & Coffman|1997|p=182}} In the episode, the film version of the comic book series ''[[The Simpsons Comics#Radioactive Man|Radioactive Man]]'' is shot in [[Springfield (The Simpsons)|Springfield]], with an open casting call put out for a local boy to play the hero's sidekick, [[Fallout Boy (The Simpsons)|Fallout Boy]]. Much to [[Bart Simpson|Bart]]'s disappointment, the part goes to [[Milhouse Van Houten|Milhouse]]. When he tires of the long hours required to shoot the film, Milhouse quits the role, forcing the filmmakers to cease production and return to [[Hollywood, Los Angeles|Hollywood]].


⚫
The episode was written by [[John Swartzwelder]] and directed by [[Susie Dietter]]. [[Mickey Rooney]] guest starred as himself in the episode. "Radioactive Man" was the first episode of ''The Simpsons'' to be [[Traditional animation#Digital ink-and-paint|digitally colored]]. The episode features cultural references to the 1960s ''[[Batman (TV series)|Batman]]'' television series, the 1995 film ''[[Waterworld]]'', and the song "[[Lean on Me (song)|Lean on Me]]" by [[Bill Withers]].
⚫
"'''Radioactive Man'''" is the second episode of ''[[The Simpsons]]''{{'}} [[The Simpsons (season 7)|seventh season]]. It originally aired on the [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox network]] in the United States on September 24, 1995. In the episode, the film version of the comic book series ''[[The Simpsons Comics#Radioactive Man|Radioactive Man]]'' is shot in [[Springfield (The Simpsons)|Springfield]]. Much to [[Bart Simpson|Bart]]'s disappointment, the part of the hero's sidekick, [[Fallout Boy (The Simpsons)|Fallout Boy]], goes to [[Milhouse Van Houten|Milhouse]]. When he tires of the long hours required to shoot the film, Milhouse quits the role, forcing the filmmakers to cease production and return to [[Hollywood]].

⚫
The episode was written by [[John Swartzwelder]] and directed by [[Susie Dietter]]. [[Mickey Rooney]] guest starred as himself in the episode. "Radioactive Man" was the first episode of ''The Simpsons'' to be [[Traditional animation#Digital ink and paint|digitally colored]]. The episode features cultural references to the 1960s ''[[Batman (TV series)|Batman]]'' television series, the 1995 film ''[[Waterworld]]'', and the song "[[Lean on Me (song)|Lean on Me]]" by [[Bill Withers]].


Since airing, the episode has received positive reviews from fans and television critics. It acquired a [[Nielsen rating]] of 9.5, and was the fourth-highest-rated show on the Fox network that week.
Since airing, the episode has received positive reviews from fans and television critics. It acquired a [[Nielsen rating]] of 9.5, and was the fourth-highest-rated show on the Fox network that week.


==Plot==
==Plot==
Bart and Milhouse are thrilled to learn a film version of their favorite comic book series, ''[[The Simpsons Comics#Radioactive Man|Radioactive Man]]'', is being produced in Springfield. Several [[Springfield (The Simpsons)#Springfield Elementary School|Springfield Elementary]] students audition for the role of [[List of recurring The Simpsons characters#Fallout Boy|Fallout Boy]] when tryouts are held at their school. After Bart is rejected for being an inch too short, Milhouse is cast as Fallout Boy opposite [[List of recurring The Simpsons characters#Rainier Wolfcastle|Rainier Wolfcastle]] as [[List of recurring The Simpsons characters#Radioactive Man|Radioactive Man]]. When Milhouse's parents hear their son will play Fallout Boy, they buy expensive products because they expect to "start living in the fast lane" now that their son is a [[Hollywood#Motion picture industry|Hollywood]] movie star.
Bart and Milhouse are thrilled to learn a film version of their favorite comic book series, ''[[The Simpsons Comics#Radioactive Man|Radioactive Man]]'', is being produced in Springfield. Several [[Springfield (The Simpsons)#Springfield Elementary School|Springfield Elementary]] students audition for the role of [[List of recurring The Simpsons characters#Fallout Boy|Fallout Boy]], Radioactive Man's sidekick. After Bart is rejected for being an inch too short (and his attempts to fake a growth spurt fail), Milhouse is cast as Fallout Boy opposite [[List of recurring The Simpsons characters#Rainier Wolfcastle|Rainier Wolfcastle]] as [[List of recurring The Simpsons characters#Radioactive Man|Radioactive Man]] despite the fact that he doesn't really want to be an actor at all. When Milhouse's parents hear their son will play Fallout Boy, they buy expensive luxury goods because they expect to "start living in the fast lane" now that their son is a [[Cinema of the United States|Hollywood]] movie star.


Disappointed at losing the role, Bart remains Milhouse's friend and confidant. Milhouse sours on the long hours and multiple takes required to shoot the film and disappears during filming of the most expensive scene. Production is suspended while the townspeople search for Milhouse. Bart finds him in his tree house, where former child star [[Mickey Rooney]] unsuccessfully tries to convince Milhouse to finish the film. Deeming Rooney an unsuitable replacement for Milhouse, the bankrupt producers cancel the film and return to [[Hollywood]].
Disappointed at losing the role, Bart remains Milhouse's friend and confidant. Milhouse's unease turns into disgust over how boring and stupid he finds the moviemaking process, and he disappears right before the filming of the most expensive scene at the Nuclear Power Plant. Production is suspended while the townspeople search for Milhouse. Bart finds him in his treehouse, where former child star [[Mickey Rooney]] unsuccessfully tries to convince Milhouse to finish the film, after the producers found Milhouse by tapping Bart's treehouse phone. Deeming Rooney an unsuitable replacement for Milhouse and because of all the price gouging, the bankrupt producers cancel the film and return to [[Hollywood, Los Angeles|Hollywood]], where they are greeted with open arms and are happy to be back "where people treat each other right."


==Production==
==Production==
[[File:Uso-show-mickey-rooney.jpg|thumb|right|[[Mickey Rooney]] guest starred as himself in the episode.]]
[[File:Uso-show-mickey-rooney.jpg|thumb|right|[[Mickey Rooney]] guest starred as himself in the episode.]]
The episode was written by [[John Swartzwelder]], and directed by [[Susie Dietter]]. When Dietter read through his first script, she did not find it very funny because of all the [[visual gag]]s. Once the [[Storyboard#Animatics|animatic]] was finished, she thought: "Hey, this is really funny!"<ref name="Dietter">{{cite video |people=Dietter, Susie |date=2005 |title=The Simpsons season 7 DVD commentary for the episode "Radioactive Man" |medium=DVD |publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref>
The episode was written by [[John Swartzwelder]], and directed by [[Susie Dietter]].{{sfn|Richmond & Coffman|1997|p=182}} When Dietter read through his first script, she did not find it very funny because of all the [[visual gag]]s. Once the [[Storyboard#Animatics|animatic]] was finished, she thought: "Hey, this is really funny!"<ref name="Dietter">{{cite video |people=Dietter, Susie |date=2005 |title=The Simpsons season 7 DVD commentary for the episode "Radioactive Man" |medium=DVD |publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref>


This is the first episode of ''The Simpsons'' to be [[Traditional animation#Digital ink and paint|digitally colored]]. The duties of that task went to [[USAnimation]], who would later work on "[[The Simpsons 138th Episode Spectacular]]". Digital coloring would not be attempted again until [[The Simpsons (season 12)|season 12]]'s "[[Tennis the Menace]]", and again in [[The Simpsons (season 14)|season 14]]'s "[[Treehouse of Horror XIII]]". The show permanently switched to digital coloring later in that same season, beginning with "[[The Great Louse Detective]]".<ref name="Silverman">{{cite video |people=Silverman, David |date=2005 |title=The Simpsons season 7 DVD commentary for the episode "Radioactive Man" |medium=DVD |publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref>
This is the first episode of ''The Simpsons'' to be [[Traditional animation#Digital ink-and-paint|digitally colored]]. The duties of that task went to [[USAnimation]], who would later work on "[[The Simpsons 138th Episode Spectacular]]". Digital coloring would not be attempted again until [[The Simpsons season 12|season 12]]'s "[[Tennis the Menace]]", and again in [[The Simpsons season 14|season 14]]'s "[[Treehouse of Horror XIII]]". The show permanently switched to digital coloring later in that same season, beginning with "[[The Great Louse Detective]]".<ref name="Silverman">{{cite video |people=Silverman, David |date=2005 |title=The Simpsons season 7 DVD commentary for the episode "Radioactive Man" |medium=DVD |publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref>


[[Mickey Rooney]] guest starred as himself in the episode.<ref name="Mirkin">{{cite video |people=Mirkin, David |date=2005 |title=The Simpsons season 7 DVD commentary for the episode "Radioactive Man" |medium=DVD |publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> [[Nancy Cartwright]] recalls in her autobiography ''My Life as a 10-Year-Old Boy'' that Rooney recorded his lines with the other actors. Although he was late for the session, she comments that he was "so full of pep" and very enthusiastic about the role.<ref>{{cite book |title=My Life as a 10-Year-Old Boy |last=Cartwright |first=Nancy |author-link=Nancy Cartwright |chapter=The "Mickster" |pages=[https://archive.org/details/mylifeastenyearo00nanc/page/217 217–221] |year=2000 |publisher=[[Hyperion (publisher)|Hyperion]] |location=New York City |isbn=0-7868-8600-5 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/mylifeastenyearo00nanc/page/217 }}</ref>
[[Mickey Rooney]] guest starred as himself in the episode.<ref name="Mirkin">{{cite video |people=Mirkin, David |date=2005 |title=The Simpsons season 7 DVD commentary for the episode "Radioactive Man" |medium=DVD |publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> [[Nancy Cartwright]] recalls in her autobiography ''My Life as a 10-Year-Old Boy'' that Rooney recorded his lines with the other actors. Although he was late for the session, she comments that he was "so full of pep" and very enthusiastic about the role.<ref>{{cite book |title=My Life as a 10-Year-Old Boy |last=Cartwright |first=Nancy |author-link=Nancy Cartwright |chapter=The "Mickster" |pages=[https://archive.org/details/mylifeastenyearo00nanc/page/217 217–221] |year=2000 |publisher=[[Hyperion (publisher)|Hyperion]] |location=New York City |isbn=0-7868-8600-5 |chapter-url-access=registration |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/mylifeastenyearo00nanc/page/217 }}</ref>


==Cultural references==
==Cultural references==
[[File:Ogfolliesof38.jpg|thumb|left|220px|The character [[Carl Switzer|Alfalfa]] (right) from ''[[The Little Rascals]]'' is referenced in the episode.]]
[[File:Ogfolliesof38.jpg|thumb|left|220px|The character [[Carl Switzer|Alfalfa]] (right) from ''[[The Little Rascals]]'' is referenced in the episode.]]
The Radioactive Man character is based on [[Batman]], and several scenes in the episode reference the ''[[Batman (TV series)|Batman]]'' television series from the 1960s.<ref name="BBC"/> A ''Radioactive Man'' antagonist, The Scoutmaster, is based on actor/comedian [[Paul Lynde]].<ref name="BBC"/> The scene in the new ''Radioactive Man'' film where Radioactive Man and Fallout Boy are captured in Aquaworld is a reference to the 1995 film ''[[Waterworld]]''.<ref name="BBC"/> The director of the ''Radioactive Man'' film says: "That Milhouse is going to be big, [[Gabby Hayes]] big!", in reference to the American actor Gabby Hayes.<ref name="Mirkin"/> [[Moe Szyslak]], the bartender of [[Moe's Tavern]], says that he, as a kid, played the part of Smelly on ''[[The Little Rascals]]'', until he killed [[Carl Switzer|Alfalfa]] for stealing his schtick.<ref name="Groening">{{cite video |people=Groening, Matt |date=2005 |title=The Simpsons season 7 DVD commentary for the episode "Radioactive Man" |medium=DVD |publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> [[Bill Withers]]' song "[[Lean on Me (song)|Lean on Me]]" from 1972 is played at the end of the episode.<ref name="BBC"/>
The Radioactive Man character is based on [[Batman]], and several scenes in the episode reference the ''[[Batman (TV series)|Batman]]'' television series from the 1960s.<ref name="BBC"/> A ''Radioactive Man'' antagonist, The Scoutmaster, is based on actor/comedian [[Paul Lynde]].<ref name="BBC"/> The scene in the new ''Radioactive Man'' film where Radioactive Man and Fallout Boy are captured in Aquaworld is a reference to the 1995 film ''[[Waterworld]]''.<ref name="BBC"/>{{Citation needed|date=June 2024}} Because ''Waterworld''{{'}}s July 1995 release date happened long after the animation on the episode had been completed, the references to it in this episode are related to the information available about its setting during filming (post-apocalyptic flooded Earth) and budget issues (it was the most expensive film ever made at the time at $175 million estimated).{{Citation needed|date=June 2024}} The director of the ''Radioactive Man'' film says: "That Milhouse is going to be big, [[Gabby Hayes]] big!", in reference to the (not all that big) American actor Gabby Hayes.<ref name="Mirkin"/> [[Moe Szyslak]], the bartender of [[Moe's Tavern]], says that he, as a kid, played the part of Smelly on ''[[The Little Rascals]]'', until he killed [[Carl Switzer|Alfalfa]] for stealing his schtick.<ref name="Groening">{{cite video |people=Groening, Matt |date=2005 |title=The Simpsons season 7 DVD commentary for the episode "Radioactive Man" |medium=DVD |publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> Moe mentions that "[[William Faulkner]] could write an exhaust pipe gag that could really make you think", a reference to the author's time in Hollywood.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=2012-01-25 |title=Faulkner Goes To Hollywood |url=https://mcgarnagle.wordpress.com/2012/01/25/faulkner-goes-to-hollywood/ |access-date=2023-07-30 |website=Springfield Historical Society @ mcgarnagle.com |language=en |archive-date=July 30, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230730192520/https://mcgarnagle.wordpress.com/2012/01/25/faulkner-goes-to-hollywood/ |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Bill Withers]]' 1972 song "[[Lean on Me (song)|Lean on Me]]" is played at the end of the episode.<ref name="BBC"/>


In one scene, [[Comic Book Guy]] sends a message to other Internet nerds about who will star in the new ''Radioactive Man'' film, two of whom are the nerds Homer met in "[[Homer Goes to College]]", and one is [[Prince (musician)|Prince]] dressed in a purple suit. The last nerd is [[Curtis Armstrong]] with an appearance resembling his ''[[Revenge of the Nerds]]'' character Booger. The [[usenet newsgroup]] which he posts the message to (alt.nerd.obsessive) is a reference to the [[alt.tv.simpsons]] newsgroup.{{sfn|Turner|2005|pp=282–283}}<ref>{{cite news |last=Tossell |first=Ivor |title=Worst. Column. Ever. |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070726.wgtweb27/BNStory/ |newspaper=Globe and Mail |date=2007-08-02 |access-date=2007-11-18 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090116075927/http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070726.wgtweb27/BNStory/ |archive-date=2009-01-16 }}</ref>
In one scene, [[Comic Book Guy]] sends a message to other Internet nerds about who will star in the new ''Radioactive Man'' film, two of whom are the nerds [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] met in "[[Homer Goes to College]]", and one is [[Prince (musician)|Prince]] dressed in a purple suit. The last nerd is [[Curtis Armstrong]], with an appearance resembling his ''[[Revenge of the Nerds]]'' character Booger. The [[usenet newsgroup]] to which he posts the message (alt.nerd.obsessive) is a reference to the [[alt.tv.simpsons]] newsgroup.{{sfn|Turner|2005|pp=282–283}}<ref>{{cite news |last=Tossell |first=Ivor |title=Worst. Column. Ever. |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/technology/worst-column-ever/article20399597/ |newspaper=Globe and Mail |date=2007-08-02 |access-date=2022-01-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090116075927/http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070726.wgtweb27/BNStory/ |archive-date=2009-01-16 }}</ref>


==Reception==
==Reception==
In its original broadcast, "Radioactive Man" finished 51st in the ratings for the week of September 18 to September 24, 1995. It acquired a [[Nielsen ratings|Nielsen rating]] of 9.5.<ref name=ratings>{{cite news |title=How They Rate |date=September 29, 1995 |page=16 |work=[[St. Petersburg Times]] }} Retrieved on November 30, 2008.</ref> The episode was the fourth-highest-rated show on the Fox network that week, following ''[[The X-Files]]'', ''[[Beverly Hills, 90210]]'', and ''[[Melrose Place]]''.<ref name=ratings/>
In its original broadcast, "Radioactive Man" finished 51st in the ratings for the week of September 18 to September 24, 1995. It acquired a [[Nielsen ratings|Nielsen rating]] of 9.5.<ref name=ratings>{{cite news |title=How They Rate |date=September 29, 1995 |page=16 |work=[[St. Petersburg Times]] }} Retrieved on November 30, 2008.</ref> The episode was the fourth-highest-rated show on the Fox network that week, following ''[[The X-Files]]'', ''[[Beverly Hills, 90210]]'', and ''[[Melrose Place]]''.<ref name=ratings/>


Since airing, the episode has received mostly positive reviews from fans and television critics.
Since airing, the episode has received mostly positive reviews from fans and television critics.


The authors of the book ''I Can't Believe It's a Bigger and Better Updated Unofficial Simpsons Guide'', Warren Martyn and Adrian Wood, called the episode a "wonderful pastiche" on the [[Batman in film#Tim Burton / Joel Schumacher series|Tim Burton Batman films]], and added that Milhouse is an obvious candidate for Fallout Boy.<ref name="BBC">{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/simpsons/episodeguide/season7/page2.shtml |title=Radioactive Man |access-date=2007-02-27 |author1=Martyn, Warren |author2=Wood, Adrian |year=2000 |publisher=BBC}}</ref>
The authors of the book ''I Can't Believe It's a Bigger and Better Updated Unofficial Simpsons Guide'', Warren Martyn and Adrian Wood, called the episode a "wonderful pastiche" on the [[Batman in film#Tim Burton and Joel Schumacher series (1989–1997)|Tim Burton Batman films]], and added that Milhouse is an obvious candidate for Fallout Boy.<ref name="BBC"/>


DVD Movie Guide's Colin Jacobson enjoyed the episode, but he does not consider it a "classic". He said that it offers "more than a few amusing bits", and added that "spoofing the movie business isn't anything new, but the show does it well in this solid program".<ref name=dvdmovieguide>{{cite web |access-date=2008-12-01 |url=http://www.dvdmg.com/simpsonsseasonseven.shtml |title=The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season (1995) |publisher=DVD Movie Guide |date=2006-01-05 |author=Jacobson, Colin }}</ref>
DVD Movie Guide's Colin Jacobson enjoyed the episode, but he does not consider it a "classic". He said that it offers "more than a few amusing bits", and added that "spoofing the movie business isn't anything new, but the show does it well in this solid program".<ref name=dvdmovieguide>{{cite web |access-date=2008-12-01 |url=http://www.dvdmg.com/simpsonsseasonseven.shtml |title=The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season (1995) |publisher=DVD Movie Guide |date=2006-01-05 |author=Jacobson, Colin |archive-date=December 4, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081204094350/http://www.dvdmg.com/simpsonsseasonseven.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref>


Jennifer Malkowski of DVD Verdict considered the best part of the episode to be when Krusty tries to prove the "range" of different characters he can portray to the casting director. The website concluded its review by giving the episode a grade of A-.<ref>{{cite web|access-date=2008-12-01 |url=http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/simpsonsseason7.php |title=The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season |publisher=DVD Verdict |date=2006-01-16 |author=Malkowski, Judge |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081204055914/http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/simpsonsseason7.php |archive-date=2008-12-04 }}</ref>
Jennifer Malkowski of DVD Verdict considered the best part of the episode to be when Krusty tries to prove the "range" of different characters he can portray to the casting director. The website concluded its review by giving the episode a grade of A−.<ref>{{cite web|access-date=2008-12-01 |url=http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/simpsonsseason7.php |title=The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season |publisher=DVD Verdict |date=2006-01-16 |author=Malkowski, Judge |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081204055914/http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/simpsonsseason7.php |archive-date=2008-12-04 }}</ref>


Nancy Basile of [[About.com]] named it one of her twenty favorite episodes of the series, and said that she thinks the friendship between Bart and Milhouse in the episode is "endearing" and "touching". She added that she thinks the episode "pokes fun at Hollywood very effectively", and that "To top it off, funny favorite characters Rainier Wolfcastle [...] and Lionel Hutz are also in the episode."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://animatedtv.about.com/od/thesimpsons/tp/top20simpsons.01.htm |title='The Simpsons' Top 20 Episodes |last=Basile |first=Nancy |publisher=About.com |access-date=2008-12-10}}</ref>
Nancy Basile of [[About.com]] named it one of her twenty favorite episodes of the series, and said that she thinks the friendship between Bart and Milhouse in the episode is "endearing" and "touching". She added that she thinks the episode "pokes fun at Hollywood very effectively", and that "To top it off, funny favorite characters Rainier Wolfcastle [...] and Lionel Hutz are also in the episode."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.liveabout.com/most-iconic-episodes-of-the-simpsons-137728 |title=20 Most Iconic Episodes of 'The Simpsons' |last=Basile |first=Nancy |publisher=About.com |access-date=2022-01-17 |archive-date=August 4, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190804232830/https://www.liveabout.com/most-iconic-episodes-of-the-simpsons-137728 |url-status=live }}</ref>


Graham Beckwith of ''[[The Lantern]]'' singled out Rainier Wolfcastle's line "My eyes! The goggles do nothing!" from the episode as one of ''The Simpsons''{{'}} "greatest one liners".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://media.www.thelantern.com/media/storage/paper333/news/2007/05/21/Arts/simpsons.Past.Prime.At.400th-2905990.shtml |title='Simpsons' past prime at 400th |last=Beckwith |first=Graham |date=May 21, 2007 |work=The Lantern |access-date=2008-12-21 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071007103209/http://media.www.thelantern.com/media/storage/paper333/news/2007/05/21/Arts/simpsons.Past.Prime.At.400th-2905990.shtml |archive-date=October 7, 2007 }}</ref>
Graham Beckwith of ''[[The Lantern]]'' singled out Rainier Wolfcastle's line "My eyes! The goggles do nothing!" from the episode as one of ''The Simpsons''{{'}} "greatest one liners".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://media.www.thelantern.com/media/storage/paper333/news/2007/05/21/Arts/simpsons.Past.Prime.At.400th-2905990.shtml |title='Simpsons' past prime at 400th |last=Beckwith |first=Graham |date=May 21, 2007 |work=The Lantern |access-date=2008-12-21 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071007103209/http://media.www.thelantern.com/media/storage/paper333/news/2007/05/21/Arts/simpsons.Past.Prime.At.400th-2905990.shtml |archive-date=October 7, 2007 }}</ref>


''[[Total Film]]''{{'}}s Nathan Ditum ranked Rooney's performance as the eighth-best guest appearance in the show's history, commenting that he is "desperately funny and self-effacing as a parody of his fallen child-star self."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.totalfilm.com/features/the-20-best-simpsons-movie-star-guest-spots |title=The 20 Best Simpsons Movie-Star Guest Spots |last=Ditum |first=Nathan |date=March 29, 2009 |work=[[Total Film]] |access-date=2009-08-02}}</ref>
''[[Total Film]]''{{'}}s Nathan Ditum ranked Rooney's performance as the eighth-best guest appearance in the show's history, commenting that he is "desperately funny and self-effacing as a parody of his fallen child-star self."<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/the-20-best-simpsons-movie-star-guest-spots/ |title=The 20 Best Simpsons Movie-Star Guest Spots |last=Ditum |first=Nathan |date=March 29, 2009 |work=[[Total Film]] |publisher=GamesRadar |access-date=2022-01-17 |archive-date=April 10, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090410171103/http://www.totalfilm.com/features/the-20-best-simpsons-movie-star-guest-spots/page:4 |url-status=live }}</ref>


==References==
==References==
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{{Wikiquote|The_Simpsons/Season_7#Radioactive_Man|"Radioactive Man"}}
{{Wikiquote|The_Simpsons/Season_7#Radioactive_Man|"Radioactive Man"}}
{{Portal|The Simpsons}}
{{Portal|The Simpsons}}
*{{IMDb episode|id=0701201}}
*[http://www.thesimpsons.com/#/recaps/season-7_episode-2 "Radioactive Man"] at The Simpsons.com
*[http://www.tv.com/the-simpsons/radioactive-man/episode/1415/summary.html "Radioactive Man"] at [[TV.com]]
*[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0701201/ "Radioactive Man"] at the [[Internet Movie Database]]
*[http://www.simpsonsarchive.com/episodes/2F17.html "Radioactive Man"] episode capsule at [[The Simpsons Archive]]
*[http://www.simpsonsarchive.com/episodes/2F17.html "Radioactive Man"] episode capsule at [[The Simpsons Archive]]


{{The Simpsons episodes|7}}
{{The Simpsons episodes|7}}

{{DISPLAYTITLE:Radioactive Man (''The Simpsons'' episode)}}

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{{good article}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Radioactive Man (The Simpsons Episode)}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Radioactive Man (The Simpsons Episode)}}
[[Category:The Simpsons (season 7) episodes]]
[[Category:The Simpsons season 7 episodes]]
[[Category:1995 American television episodes]]
[[Category:1995 American television episodes]]
[[Category:Superhero fiction]]
[[Category:Superhero fiction]]
[[Category:Fictional films]]
[[Category:Fictional films]]
[[Category:Parody superheroes]]
[[Category:Parody superheroes]]
[[Category:Hollywood in fiction]]
[[Category:Hollywood, Los Angeles in fiction]]
[[Category:Television shows written by John Swartzwelder]]
[[Category:Television episodes written by John Swartzwelder]]
[[Category:Television episodes about filmmaking]]
[[Category:Television episodes about filmmaking]]
[[Category:Television episodes about comics]]
[[Category:Television episodes about comics]]

Latest revision as of 03:54, 16 December 2024

"Radioactive Man"
The Simpsons episode
Episode no.Season 7
Episode 2
Directed bySusie Dietter
Written byJohn Swartzwelder
Production code2F17
Original air dateSeptember 24, 1995 (1995-09-24)
Guest appearances
Mickey Rooney as himself
Phil Hartman as Troy McClure and Lionel Hutz[1]
Episode features
Chalkboard gag"Bewitched does not promote Satanism"[2]
Couch gagThe couch is a fax machine that spews out a piece of paper with the Simpson family in a sitting position. The paper slides back under the couch.
CommentaryMatt Groening
David Mirkin
Susie Dietter
David Silverman
Episode chronology
← Previous
"Who Shot Mr. Burns? (Part Two)" 		Next →
"Home Sweet Homediddly-Dum-Doodily"
The Simpsons season 7
List of episodes

"Radioactive Man" is the second episode of the seventh season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on September 24, 1995.[2] In the episode, the film version of the comic book series Radioactive Man is shot in Springfield, with an open casting call put out for a local boy to play the hero's sidekick, Fallout Boy. Much to Bart's disappointment, the part goes to Milhouse. When he tires of the long hours required to shoot the film, Milhouse quits the role, forcing the filmmakers to cease production and return to Hollywood.

The episode was written by John Swartzwelder and directed by Susie Dietter. Mickey Rooney guest starred as himself in the episode. "Radioactive Man" was the first episode of The Simpsons to be digitally colored. The episode features cultural references to the 1960s Batman television series, the 1995 film Waterworld, and the song "Lean on Me" by Bill Withers.

Since airing, the episode has received positive reviews from fans and television critics. It acquired a Nielsen rating of 9.5, and was the fourth-highest-rated show on the Fox network that week.

Plot

[edit]

Bart and Milhouse are thrilled to learn a film version of their favorite comic book series, Radioactive Man, is being produced in Springfield. Several Springfield Elementary students audition for the role of Fallout Boy, Radioactive Man's sidekick. After Bart is rejected for being an inch too short (and his attempts to fake a growth spurt fail), Milhouse is cast as Fallout Boy opposite Rainier Wolfcastle as Radioactive Man despite the fact that he doesn't really want to be an actor at all. When Milhouse's parents hear their son will play Fallout Boy, they buy expensive luxury goods because they expect to "start living in the fast lane" now that their son is a Hollywood movie star.

Disappointed at losing the role, Bart remains Milhouse's friend and confidant. Milhouse's unease turns into disgust over how boring and stupid he finds the moviemaking process, and he disappears right before the filming of the most expensive scene at the Nuclear Power Plant. Production is suspended while the townspeople search for Milhouse. Bart finds him in his treehouse, where former child star Mickey Rooney unsuccessfully tries to convince Milhouse to finish the film, after the producers found Milhouse by tapping Bart's treehouse phone. Deeming Rooney an unsuitable replacement for Milhouse and because of all the price gouging, the bankrupt producers cancel the film and return to Hollywood, where they are greeted with open arms and are happy to be back "where people treat each other right."

Production

[edit]
Mickey Rooney guest starred as himself in the episode.

The episode was written by John Swartzwelder, and directed by Susie Dietter.[2] When Dietter read through his first script, she did not find it very funny because of all the visual gags. Once the animatic was finished, she thought: "Hey, this is really funny!"[3]

This is the first episode of The Simpsons to be digitally colored. The duties of that task went to USAnimation, who would later work on "The Simpsons 138th Episode Spectacular". Digital coloring would not be attempted again until season 12's "Tennis the Menace", and again in season 14's "Treehouse of Horror XIII". The show permanently switched to digital coloring later in that same season, beginning with "The Great Louse Detective".[4]

Mickey Rooney guest starred as himself in the episode.[5] Nancy Cartwright recalls in her autobiography My Life as a 10-Year-Old Boy that Rooney recorded his lines with the other actors. Although he was late for the session, she comments that he was "so full of pep" and very enthusiastic about the role.[6]

Cultural references

[edit]
The character Alfalfa (right) from The Little Rascals is referenced in the episode.

The Radioactive Man character is based on Batman, and several scenes in the episode reference the Batman television series from the 1960s.[1] A Radioactive Man antagonist, The Scoutmaster, is based on actor/comedian Paul Lynde.[1] The scene in the new Radioactive Man film where Radioactive Man and Fallout Boy are captured in Aquaworld is a reference to the 1995 film Waterworld.[1][citation needed] Because Waterworld's July 1995 release date happened long after the animation on the episode had been completed, the references to it in this episode are related to the information available about its setting during filming (post-apocalyptic flooded Earth) and budget issues (it was the most expensive film ever made at the time at $175 million estimated).[citation needed] The director of the Radioactive Man film says: "That Milhouse is going to be big, Gabby Hayes big!", in reference to the (not all that big) American actor Gabby Hayes.[5] Moe Szyslak, the bartender of Moe's Tavern, says that he, as a kid, played the part of Smelly on The Little Rascals, until he killed Alfalfa for stealing his schtick.[7] Moe mentions that "William Faulkner could write an exhaust pipe gag that could really make you think", a reference to the author's time in Hollywood.[8] Bill Withers' 1972 song "Lean on Me" is played at the end of the episode.[1]

In one scene, Comic Book Guy sends a message to other Internet nerds about who will star in the new Radioactive Man film, two of whom are the nerds Homer met in "Homer Goes to College", and one is Prince dressed in a purple suit. The last nerd is Curtis Armstrong, with an appearance resembling his Revenge of the Nerds character Booger. The usenet newsgroup to which he posts the message (alt.nerd.obsessive) is a reference to the alt.tv.simpsons newsgroup.[9][10]

Reception

[edit]

In its original broadcast, "Radioactive Man" finished 51st in the ratings for the week of September 18 to September 24, 1995. It acquired a Nielsen rating of 9.5.[11] The episode was the fourth-highest-rated show on the Fox network that week, following The X-Files, Beverly Hills, 90210, and Melrose Place.[11]

Since airing, the episode has received mostly positive reviews from fans and television critics.

The authors of the book I Can't Believe It's a Bigger and Better Updated Unofficial Simpsons Guide, Warren Martyn and Adrian Wood, called the episode a "wonderful pastiche" on the Tim Burton Batman films, and added that Milhouse is an obvious candidate for Fallout Boy.[1]

DVD Movie Guide's Colin Jacobson enjoyed the episode, but he does not consider it a "classic". He said that it offers "more than a few amusing bits", and added that "spoofing the movie business isn't anything new, but the show does it well in this solid program".[12]

Jennifer Malkowski of DVD Verdict considered the best part of the episode to be when Krusty tries to prove the "range" of different characters he can portray to the casting director. The website concluded its review by giving the episode a grade of A−.[13]

Nancy Basile of About.com named it one of her twenty favorite episodes of the series, and said that she thinks the friendship between Bart and Milhouse in the episode is "endearing" and "touching". She added that she thinks the episode "pokes fun at Hollywood very effectively", and that "To top it off, funny favorite characters Rainier Wolfcastle [...] and Lionel Hutz are also in the episode."[14]

Graham Beckwith of The Lantern singled out Rainier Wolfcastle's line "My eyes! The goggles do nothing!" from the episode as one of The Simpsons' "greatest one liners".[15]

Total Film's Nathan Ditum ranked Rooney's performance as the eighth-best guest appearance in the show's history, commenting that he is "desperately funny and self-effacing as a parody of his fallen child-star self."[16]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e f Martyn, Warren; Wood, Adrian (2000). "Radioactive Man". BBC. Archived from the original on April 27, 2003. Retrieved February 27, 2007.
  2. ^ a b c Richmond & Coffman 1997, p. 182.
  3. ^ Dietter, Susie (2005). The Simpsons season 7 DVD commentary for the episode "Radioactive Man" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
  4. ^ Silverman, David (2005). The Simpsons season 7 DVD commentary for the episode "Radioactive Man" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
  5. ^ a b Mirkin, David (2005). The Simpsons season 7 DVD commentary for the episode "Radioactive Man" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
  6. ^ Cartwright, Nancy (2000). "The "Mickster"". My Life as a 10-Year-Old Boy. New York City: Hyperion. pp. 217–221. ISBN 0-7868-8600-5.
  7. ^ Groening, Matt (2005). The Simpsons season 7 DVD commentary for the episode "Radioactive Man" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
  8. ^ "Faulkner Goes To Hollywood". Springfield Historical Society @ mcgarnagle.com. January 25, 2012. Archived from the original on July 30, 2023. Retrieved July 30, 2023.
  9. ^ Turner 2005, pp. 282–283.
  10. ^ Tossell, Ivor (August 2, 2007). "Worst. Column. Ever". Globe and Mail. Archived from the original on January 16, 2009. Retrieved January 17, 2022.
  11. ^ a b "How They Rate". St. Petersburg Times. September 29, 1995. p. 16. Retrieved on November 30, 2008.
  12. ^ Jacobson, Colin (January 5, 2006). "The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season (1995)". DVD Movie Guide. Archived from the original on December 4, 2008. Retrieved December 1, 2008.
  13. ^ Malkowski, Judge (January 16, 2006). "The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season". DVD Verdict. Archived from the original on December 4, 2008. Retrieved December 1, 2008.
  14. ^ Basile, Nancy. "20 Most Iconic Episodes of 'The Simpsons'". About.com. Archived from the original on August 4, 2019. Retrieved January 17, 2022.
  15. ^ Beckwith, Graham (May 21, 2007). "'Simpsons' past prime at 400th". The Lantern. Archived from the original on October 7, 2007. Retrieved December 21, 2008.
  16. ^ Ditum, Nathan (March 29, 2009). "The 20 Best Simpsons Movie-Star Guest Spots". Total Film. GamesRadar. Archived from the original on April 10, 2009. Retrieved January 17, 2022.
Bibliography
[edit]
Wikiquote has quotations related to "Radioactive Man".
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