Radioactive Man (The Simpsons episode)
| "Radioactive Man" | |
|---|---|
| The Simpsons episode | |
| File:2f17.jpg | |
| Episode no. | Season 7 |
| Directed by | Susie Dietter |
| Written by | John Swartzwelder |
| Original air dates | September 24, 1995 |
| Episode features | |
| Chalkboard gag | "'Bewitched' does not promote satanism" |
| Couch gag | The family is portrayed as a fax, and the couch as a fax machine |
"Radioactive Man" is the second episode of The Simpsons' seventh season and originally aired September 24, 1995. It was the first episode to be digitally colored. The duties of that task went to U.S. Animation, Inc., who also worked on "The Simpsons 138th Episode Spectacular". Digital coloring wouldn't be attempted again until season 12's "Tennis the Menace", and again when the show permanently switched to digital coloring in season 14 with "The Great Louse Detective".
Synopsis
Template:Spoiler Bart and Milhouse are thrilled to hear that a film version of their favorite comic book, Radioactive Man, is in production. Rainier Wolfcastle, the star of the McBain films, is chosen to play Radioactive Man, and even more excitingly for the Springfield Elementary School children, the production moves to their town. A search is launched for a young actor to play Radioactive Man's sidekick Fallout Boy, and Bart auditions. Bart does well, but is rejected because he is an inch too short. Bart leaves and acquires high shoes and a vertical stripe suit, but by this point Milhouse has already taken the part.
A despondent Bart is told by Lisa that he is still needed as a star's friend and confidant, and Bart eagerly accepts this new role. However, Milhouse finds his own job intolerable and disappears. Bart finds him in the treehouse, but despite encouragement from former child star Mickey Rooney, Milhouse gives up on his acting career. All production on the film is aborted, with the project bankrupt.
Trivia
- In Matt Groening's DVD introduction, he said that Rainier Wolfcastle's line "The goggles do nothing!" is among his favorite lines from the entire series.
- The actor playing Milhouse when he gets hurt is the Estonian midget first seen in Burns' Heir. In that episode, he portrayed Lisa Simpson.
- Two of the sound effects in the campy '70s "Radioactive Man" TV series are from previous episodes. "Bort" was a popular name at Itchy & Scratchy Land, while "Snuh" was Marge's crusade against cartoon violence in Itchy & Scratchy & Marge.
- In syndication, a scene where Krusty the Clown is auditioning for "Crispy the Clown" in the movie, but has to settle for Angry the Clown, Silly Sailor, or Dr. Clownius instead, is cut. However, "Silly Sailor" is mentioned again in a scene from the movie shown in the editing room that was not cut.
Cultural references
- During the part where Comic Book Guy is searching for word of the Radioactive Man movie, The Artist Formerly Known as Prince is shown as one of the computer nerds.
- The boardroom discussion regarding who should play Radioactive Man, Rainier Wolfcastle or Dirk Richter from the "campy 70's version", parodies then-60-year-old Adam West's well-publicized insistence that he reprise his role as Batman for the 1989 film adaptation.
- The song playing at the end is "Lean on Me" by Bill Withers.
- The Scoutmaster in the flashback to the campy 70's series is based on Paul Lynde.
Goofs
- One of the producers says they want to stay far away from making the movie like the campy 1970s Radioactive Man, but Dirk Richter died in the 1960s and the only Radioactive Man TV show mentioned was the one from the 1950s that had Laramie cigarettes as its sponsor (mentioned on the season two episode "Three Men and a Comic Book").
- Moe was a part of "The Little Rascals", but the series wasn't called that until it was put on television. However, it should be noticed that many people have claimed to have been members of the Little Rascals without actually having been, so this might not be a legitimate claim. Besides, if Moe was really an "Our Gang" member, he would have been around 80 years old at the time of this episode's premiere.[verification needed]
See also
External links
- "Radioactive Man" episode capsule at The Simpsons Archive