Wednesday, March 14, 2012

The Simpsons: The Symbols in our Dreams

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

I don't know about you guys, but when I see a truncated opening (like, no chalkboard saying or sax tune), I get a little sad. Sure, it's still nice to have a couch gag, even if it's as random as rolling up the family to be sliced like sushi... but it's not the same. I guess I tend to enjoy "fuller" openings of all television shows (which are so few and far between these days!), but the long-standing traditions inherent in The Simpsons just make the show a little better. Especially for episodes that are otherwise rather odd, like this one. We've all heard that dreams can reveal things about ourselves, but it's rare that we're able to see the actual exploration of those visions. While I would have liked to see a little more of each family member's dreams, I understand why time didn't allow that. However, I wasn't thrilled with how Homer's mother ends up being the root cause, and I certainly didn't see it coming! Thoughts?

The Simpsons "How I Wet Your Mother" (S23E16): Smithers goes to a highly secured supply closet to get a paperclip and a plutonium rod falls out and blocks the door. Homer opens the door and invites everyone start stealing small goods. Of course, Homer's the only employee not caught, so he gets the day off while everyone else has to write an essay. [writing an essay at work? what a waste of company time!] Later, Homer begins wetting the bed and doesn't know why. [haha, "from time to time I've heard you speak of a 'washing machine'?" love it.] Apu appears to him in a vision and relays that it's a karma-related issue, so Homer throws a lavish "I'm sorry" party. [apparently he has them often? long-time Simpsons fans, are there other episodes where he hosts these events?] But, he still wakes up wet. He tries a bed-wetting alarm, but it's too loud. He tries adult diapers, but they turn off Marge. [why is he wearing them while he's awake? Just switch to them post-intimacy!]

Professor Frink suggests that the family could go into Homer's dreams to try and discover the root of the problem. They ski and find a snowmobile hauling a coffin labeled, "marriage." [not looking so good...] Then, they fall asleep within the dream and are drawn like the old-school Simpsons, where they find fish in the coffin. They head to Lisa's dream at The Globe, but it's cut short to head to a beach of beer and junk food. [interesting roller coaster!] The police show up and demand that Professor Frink unhook the machine as Death saves the family... but it isn't death, it's Mona, Homer's mother. [why were the police there?] She takes them to a
CR: FOX
large movie theater where they see a flashback of a family vacation of Homer's youth. He tipped a boat and ruined the trip, which was only a few weeks before Mona left the family. [a marriage died because of a fishing trip at the beach. get it?] So, taking Bart fishing on the day he had off work brought back those memories. Because he's found the problem, it's now gone. [I've never understood how that worked. Also, was that "spin the top" thing from anything? I kinda think it must have been...]
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