One Fish, Two Fish, Blowfish, Blue Fish/References

Cultural References

 * References to the movie "D.O.A." include the kids singing in the restaurant and the doctor saying, "Sorry to keep you waiting."
 * The five stages of grief were first laid out in Elizabeth Kubler-Ross's book, "On Death and Dying."
 * The episode title is an obvious pun on the Dr. Seuss book One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish.
 * The answering machine message "Nobody's Home" is sung to the opening notes of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony.

Goofs

 * No matter how much sushi Homer wolfs down when gobbling it from his plate, at no point is Homer seen with less than two pieces on his plate.
 * When Marge is telling Homer to wake up, Homer's five o'clock shadow is colored his skin color.

Trivia

 * The karaoke signer identifying himself as Richie Sakai is a caricature and namesake of The Simpsons producer Richard Sakai.
 * Homer drinks a large bottle of "Duffihama" beer with his dinner at The Happy Sumo.
 * The Simpsons have a mouse problem in their home: A mousehole is seen in the videotaped message to Maggie from Homer.
 * The clock reads 7:00 when the kids run in for dinner, but during dinner, it reads 5:00.
 * Richie Sakai sings "Gypsies, Tramps And Thieves" by Cher, Bart and Lisa sing the theme song from "Shaft" by Isaac Hayes.
 * Homer telling Bart that "cover for me" is a phrase he will find useful in his adult years is in fact a phrase that landed Homer in his current situation when the head sushi chef told the sous chef to "cover for me" so he could go make out with Edna Krabappel, and ignoring the sous chef's pleas that he was too inexperienced to prepare an order of fugu.
 * Fugu is in fact a poisonous fish if cut improperly. Sushi chefs must work for several years before being allowed to take tough tests in order to become certified to prepare it. The Emperor of Japan is also prohibited by law from eating fugu.