Bart on the Road

"Bart on the Road"
The Simpsons episode
File:Bart on the Road 2.png
Episode no.	Season 7
Directed by	Swinton O. Scott III
Written by	Richard Appel
Original air dates	March 31, 1996
Episode features
Couch gag	Everybody is put on the couch by a pinsetter, after Snowball II is scared off by the pin clearing bar.

"Bart on the Road" is the twentieth episode of The Simpsons' seventh season.

Synopsis

Template:Spoiler After the airline refuses to let him change his ticket to Hong Kong from Friday to Saturday without a huge fee, Skinner decides to promote a take-your-kids-to-work-day on the Friday before spring break. Bart goes to the DMV with Patty and Selma, Lisa goes to the power plant with Homer, Milhouse discovers the exciting world of crackers, and Martin makes money in the futures market.

At the DMV Bart makes himself a fake driver's license. He, Nelson, and Milhouse look for a way to use it, so they decide to use Martin's money to rent a car and go on a road trip. As a cover story, the four of them tell their parents that they have been selected by their school to attend the National Grammar Rodeo in Canada.

Instead, they go out joyriding, but where should they go? Finding an old brochure they decide to go to the World's Fair in Knoxville, Tennessee. But first Nelson makes them stop in Branson, Missouri (Bart: "Dad says it's just like Vegas... if it were run by Ned Flanders"), where he can see his hero, Andy Williams.

Back in Springfield, Homer asks if Lisa would like to come spend her spring break at work with him and she enjoys herself there; meanwhile, Marge becomes bored at home. Finding out that the World's Fair was over years ago (the Knoxville World's Fair was held in 1982), and the aging Sunsphere has been turned into a wig shop, Bart and company do not find Knoxville that exciting, especially when Nelson wrecks the car. They are stranded with no money, but they cannot tell their parents.

Bart tells Lisa the truth, and she tells him to become a courier. He does and is able to go to Hong Kong free of charge while his friends stay. Bart tells Lisa that she needs to have somebody ship something large to Springfield. Lisa tells Homer, who is very upset and expresses his displeasure by excusing himself before donning one of the plant's safety helmets and letting loose a stream of muffled curses that fog up the visor. After venting his fury, Homer orders the plant a new nuclear console from the Oak Ridge Nuclear Facility. Bart and company return home, and everyone knows about the trip except Marge, who receives a call from Skinner asking if Bart travelled to Hong Kong, among other similar calls.

Trivia

• The date of birth Bart has on his fake driver's license is 02/11/70; as his age is said to be 25, this suggests that the episode takes place in April 1995. (Of course, this date contradicts with his "real" birthday (as it is a fake ID).)
• One of the signs that the car passes by when it drives past Branson, Missouri has the name Lurleen Lumpkin, who is last seen in "Team Homer".
• A part of this episode's plot is similar to the movie National Lampoon's Vacation.
• One of the first episodes to use computers to help the animation on the car in and near the cornfield.

Cultural references

• The episode is likely an ironic reference to the failed expectations of the 1982 World's Fair, pointing out how structures like the Sunsphere are largely forgotten today. The boys also clearly fail to do proper research, as they see a brochure for the World's Fair in the rental car's glove compartment and believe it is up to date. When they learn the 1982 World's Fair ended many years ago, Milhouse desperately asks "But there is another World's Fair coming soon right? Before Friday?"
• The boys pick up a strange looking man at one point, who looks and sounds similar to the hitchhiker from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
• The David Cronenberg film Naked Lunch (based on the works of William S. Burroughs) is referenced when Bart, Milhouse and Nelson sneak into it and are disappointed at how misleading the title is.
• When Bart arrives in Hong Kong, he apparently gets off the plane that is labeled "中華航空公司" (China Airlines), which is based in Taipei.
• The marquee at the theatre at which Andy Williams is performing proclaims "He's Still Got It!", according to Look magazine (though Look magazine folded in 1971).
• This is one of two times the song "Radar Love" by Golden Earring is heard on the show. Fat Tony also requests it to be played on a radio station in "Papa's Got a Brand New Badge".
• Apparently, one of the acts in Branson pairs Waylon Jennings and Madame (although the marquee reads "Madam").
• Skinner tries to curtail his swearing by exclaiming, "GM Chrysler!"
• Martin bought an Al Gore doll in Knoxville, which is appropriate for their locale since the former Vice President was raised in and served as senator from Tennessee.

Quotes

• Lisa: (very fast) Bart rented a car with a phony driver's license and drove Milhouse, Nelson and Martin to a wig outlet in Knoxville and their car got crushed and they're out of money and they can't get home and Bart's working as a courier and just came back from Hong Kong!
  Homer: (overly calm) Yes...that's a real pickle. Would you excuse me for a moment? (puts on a radiation suit helmet and screams inaudible profanities until the mask fogs up) All right, I have thought this through. I will send Bart the money to fly home...then I will murder him.
  Lisa: Dad, no! Then he will know I told you!
• Marge: Lisa, you'll have a fine time at the plant with dad. You've been interested in nuclear power for years.
  Lisa: I signed numerous petitions to shut down that plant.
  Marge: Well, there you go.
• Homer: This is a map of nuclear sites around the country. As a safety inspector, I'm responsible for changing most of these light bulbs.
  Lisa: Why are there so many burnt-out ones?
  Homer: (dejected) 'Cause they won't hire an assistant.
• (at the DMV)
  Patty: Some days we don't let the line move at all.
  Selma: We call those "weekdays".
  (both laugh)
• Nelson: (after exiting a movie theater showing Naked Lunch): I can think of at least two things wrong with that title.
• (while gushing at an Andy Williams concert)
  Nelson: Ha Ha..ah ha, wow. I didn't think he was going to do "Moon River", but then...bam! second encore!
• (Bart's car drives past a station wagon with a family that has three rowdy kids; the father is really angry)
  Father: (screaming) If you kids can't keep your hands to yourselves, I'm gonna turn this car around, and there'll be no Cape Canaveral for anybody! (Nelson reaches out from the window of Bart's car and slaps the man's back.) That's it! Back to Winnipeg!
  (the station wagon turns around and drives away on the wrong side of the road)
• (in the car:)
  Milhouse: Bart, can we stop for ice cream?
  Bart: (flatly) Yes.
  Nelson: Bart, can we weigh the car at that weighing station?
  Bart: (flatly) Yes.
  Milhouse: Hey Bart, can we pick up that hitchhiker?
  Bart: (flatly) I don't see why not.
  Hitchhiker: Bart, can we stop for ice cream?
  Bart: (flatly) Yes.
  Hitchhiker: Well, I didn't think I was rehabilitated, but I guess they needed the extra bed.
• Nelson (after the car is destroyed): This wouldn't have happened if we'd just gone to Macon, Georgia! (everyone stares at him) I'm just sayin', is all.
• Marge (going to bed with Homer, but the phone rings): Hello? Oh, hello, Principal Skinner. No, Bart has never been to Hong Kong before. Good-night. (hangs up, but the phone rings again) Hello? Tennessee State Police! No, my son's car was not crushed in Knoxville. I don't where to begin telling you what's wrong with that. (phone rings again after Homer turns off the light) Hello? No! Bart is not available tomorrow to deliver a human kidney to Amsterdam! (Homer stifles his laughter) Homer, are you laughing at me?
• Bart: Well we've still got a car and a wad of cash!
  Martin: Uh... No we don't, I must've spent our last 10 dollars on this Al Gore doll.
  Al Gore Doll: You are hearing me talk.
• Lisa: Its not fair, I'm the best student in school, how come I've never heard of this competition?!
  Bart: Maybe because you are as we say in latin, a "dorkus malorkus".
• Homer: Hello, this is Springfield Nuclear. I'd like to place an order for a....T-437 Safety Command Console.
  Technician: But Springfield Nuclear, my computer shows that your T-437 Safety Command Console is fully operational.
  (Homer pours his Buzz Cola all over the console, shorting it out.)
  Technician: ...so I su—, (distressed) oh, my God! Oh, my Lord! Springfield Nuclear, you're operating without a T-437!

External links

• "Bart on the Road episode capsule". The Simpsons Archive.