22 Short Films About Springfield

"No, no, I said steamed hams! That's what I call hamburgers."

- Seymour Skinner (Skinner's Story)

"22 Short Films About Springfield" is the twenty-first episode of Season 7.

Synopsis
It is about the untold stories of many people of Springfield, focusing mainly on recurring characters. This is one of several episodes considered anthology episodes that feature mini-stories.

Prologue
The episode opens with Bart and Milhouse spitting off of a bridge, and wondering about the lives of other people in Springfield. The remainder of the episode consists of a variety of short stories focusing on different supporting characters, as well as the Simpson family. A few of these segments feature their own title cards or theme songs (some of which were cut for time and released on The Complete Seventh Season DVD). At other times, the segments simply segue from one to the next.

Apu's Story
Sanjay asks Apu to go to a party, so Apu leaves the store for the next five minutes. During this period, he eats a semi-cooked tofu dog, dances to the song "Freak-A-Zoid" by Midnight Star, has sex with a woman in a tool shed, and falls into a pool with other partygoers, therefore coincidentally breaking all the rules of his religion. He heads back to the Kwik-E-Mart with a minute to spare. He opens the door to the store, and discovers that Hans Moleman was inside during the four minutes, while Apu was away. Moleman demands his four minutes of "wasted" time back, but quickly lets it go, claiming he would just waste them.

Lisa's First Story
While skateboarding, Bart accidentally throws gum into Lisa's hair while she puts a beer can into a recycling bin. Marge tries to get the gum out of Lisa's hair with peanut butter and mayonnaise. Lisa then goes outside to let the mix sink in, but is chased around the yard by a swarm of bees.

Waylon Smithers Jr.'s Story
Mr. Burns and Smithers are on a tandem bike ride and Smithers gets stung by a bee, but also has an allergic reaction after claiming that he is deadly allergic to bee stings. Mr. Burns orders Smithers to pedal to the hospital while in great pain, but in the end, they crash right at the hospital's door, and paramedics pick up the unconscious Mr. Burns instead of the ailing Smithers. Dr. Nick walks by and simply exclaims that Smithers needs booze, and drops pocket change on an ailing Smithers.

Dr. Nick's Story
Dr. Nick walks into the medical boardroom to have a meeting about his gross incompetence. Suddenly, a doctor walks in and tells them that a lunatic with a scalpel (Abraham Simpson II) is demanding to see a quack. The board members turn to look at Dr. Nick. He walks though the door giving Abe a nonsensical diagnosis: that Abe's skeleton is trying to escape his body. He performs an improvised treatment by shocking Abe with the wires of a nearby surgery light. The grateful board allows Dr. Nick to keep his medical license, and he celebrates by offering free nosejobs to everyone, starting with Jasper.

Moe's Story
Moe asks Barney if he recalls Moe quipping that he will have to send away to NASA to calculate Barney's bar tab. The results came in, and Moe tells Barney that he owes $14 billion (he initially claims that it was $70 billion until he realized that that was actually the cost for the Voyager Spacecraft). Barney gives Moe $2,000, which Moe says is halfway there. Snake then comes and tries to rob Moe. Moe quickly runs into a room behind him with a 3 inch thick bulletproof glass window. While Moe is behind the bulletproof glass, Snake jumps over the counter, and steals from the cash register to pay off his student loans. Moe wonders how much air he has behind the bulletproof glass, and shortly after collapses.

Skinner's Story
Principal Skinner has invited Superintendent Chalmers to his house for an unforgettable luncheon, but his roast is ruined and so he resorts to ordering fast food from Krusty Burger and disguising it as his own cooking. While trying to come up with fake explanations to cover up his lie, Skinner forgets to turn off the oven and sets his house on fire. When Chalmers notices, Skinner passes it off as aurora borealis and rushes him out. Chalmers states that although Skinner is an odd fellow, he steamed a good ham. While Agnes (offscreen) calls for help, the Springfield Fire Department helps with the fire.

Homer's Story
Homer is walking Santa's Little Helper, and holding Maggie and some groceries at the same time and comes across a newspaper vending machine. The paper has an article regarding a new donut tax. Concerned about the donut tax, Homer buys a paper while juggling around Maggie, etc., and accidentally locks Maggie in the newspaper vending machine. After finding only train flattened coins in his pocket, Homer tries to put a note on Santa's Little Helper about Maggie being trapped. However, since Homer wrote it in mustard, Santa's Little Helper licks it off of the paper. Homer tries to pull Maggie out through the little space that the door opens, but pulls off Maggie's clothing accidentally. Homer ultimately chooses to just steal the vending machine with Maggie still inside.

Chief Wiggum's Story
Clancy Wiggum is at Krusty Burger with Eddie and Lou, and they discuss the similarities and differences of McDonalds and Krusty Burger, and the food they sell. Wiggum later leaves and goes to get some donuts. This story is also a parody from Pulp Fiction, when Vincent tells Winnfield what the quarter-pounder with cheese is called in Paris (Royal with Cheese).

Bumblebee Man's Story
Bumblebee Man returns from his show and plans to relax at home. However, he encounters a series of disasters (similar to his show) that accidentally destroys his house and his wife divorces her husband.

Snake and Wiggum's Story
Snake is driving his car listening to a rock version of the Simpsons theme song while Chief Wiggum is walking down the street, eating doughnuts. Wiggum notices Snake, and Snake runs him over impulsively. Wiggum chases after Snake and they indirectly wind up in Herman's Military Antiques. Herman captures them at gunpoint. This story is a parody from a Pulp Fiction scene.

Reverend Lovejoy's Story
Reverend Lovejoy walks his dog and has him relieve himself on Ned Flanders' front yard. Ned comes out onto his yard, and Lovejoy insincerely scolds his dog.

Lisa's Second Story
Marge is still trying to remove the gum from Lisa's hair. After Ned suggests freezing it out, he accidentally mashes more hair into it. Soon, a large crowd of people has gathered in to the Simpsons' kitchen to offer suggestions, including Dr. Hibbert, Lionel Hutz, Sideshow Mel, Otto, Captain McCallister, Üter, Kent Brockman, Leopold, Groundskeeper Willie, Capital City Goofball, Handsome Pete, Dr. Hector von Colossus, Lenny and Mr. Teeny.

Cletus' Story
Cletus finds a pair of boots and gives them to Brandine for her job interview, but she refuses to accept them, as they may "scuff up the topless dancing runway" at the place she's trying to get the job at. Brandine tells Cletus to put them back where they came from. Cletus climbs a telephone pole and hangs them over the power lines where he found them. Cletus then shouts at his mother to get off the roof.

Milhouse's Story
Milhouse goes into The Android's Dungeon & Baseball Card Shop to use the bathroom, but Comic Book Guy tells Milhouse that the bathroom is for paying customers only. Milhouse chooses to purchase a Hamburgler comic for 75 cents, but at that moment, his father, Kirk, comes in and, appalled that Milhouse is just buying comics, he takes Milhouse to another place. He and Milhouse go into Herman's Military Antiques to get Milhouse to a restroom.

Kirk Van Houten's Story
Herman has captured Snake and Wiggum, who are tied up, and is now holding a shotgun and waiting for 'Zed' to get to his store. Milhouse and his dad come in so that Milhouse can go to the bathroom. While Kirk is trying to make small talk with Herman, he nearly gets captured, along with Snake and Wiggum. Milhouse accidentally hits Herman from behind with a spiked flail, knocking him unconscious.

Lisa's Third Story
Lisa goes to Jake the Barber to get her hair cut. With a small bald spot from the hair getting cut, she gets it restyled, which makes Lisa look more like a real person. She leaves the barber shop, and Nelson laughs at her hair.

Nelson's Story
After laughing at Lisa's new hair, Nelson laughs at Mrs. Glick, who trips and falls into a trash can, and then laughs at a tall guy driving a very small Volkswagen Beetle. The tall man stops his car and gets out. He chases after Nelson, pulls down Nelson's pants and makes him walk down the street to teach the bully a lesson. Nelson is splattered by ketchup and mustard by Bart and Milhouse, who are standing on top of an overpass.

Ending
Bart and Milhouse walk away, with the conclusion that everybody has their own story to tell, with not enough time to tell them all. Out of nowhere, Professor Frink appears and tries to tell his story, but is cut short by the end credits.

The two following stories go through the entire episode by connecting to several segments:

Lisa's Story
While skateboarding, Bart accidentally throws gum into Lisa's hair while she puts a Duff into a garbage bin. Marge tries to get the gum out of Lisa's hair with peanut butter and mayonnaise. Lisa then goes outside to let the mix sink in, but is chased around by a swarm of bees. After escaping them, Marge is still trying to remove the gum out of Lisa's hair. After Ned suggests freezing it out, he accidentally mashes more hair into it. Soon, everyone comes in to the Simpsons' kitchen to offer suggestions, including Dr. Hibbert, Lionel Hutz, Sideshow Mel, Otto, Captain McCallister and Üter. Lisa goes to Jake the Barber to get her hair cut. With a small bald spot from the hair getting cut, she gets it restyled, which makes Lisa look more like a real person. She leaves the barber shop, and Nelson laughs at her ridiculous hair.

After laughing at Lisa's new hair, Nelson laughs at Mrs. Glick, who trips and falls into a trash can, and then laughs at a tall guy driving a very small Volkswagen Beetle. The tall man stops his car and gets out. He chases after Nelson, pulls down Nelson's pants and makes him walk down the street to teach the bully a lesson. Nelson is splattered by ketchup and mustard by Bart and Milhouse, who are standing on top of an overpass.

The Herman Situation
Moe asks Barney if he recalls Moe quipping that he'll have to send away to NASA to calculate Barney's bar tab. The results came in, and Moe tells Barney that he owes 14 billion dollars. Barney gives Moe $2,000, which Moe says is halfway there. Snake then comes and tries to rob Moe. Moe quickly runs into a room behind him with a three inch thick bulletproof glass window. While Moe is behind the bulletproof glass, Snake jumps over the counter, and steals from the cash register to pay off his student loans. Moe wonders how much air he has behind the bulletproof glass, and shortly collapses. Meanwhile, Chief Wiggum is at Krusty Burger with Eddie and Lou and Eddie, Lou and Wiggum discuss the similarities and differences of McDonalds and Krusty Burger, and the food they sell. Wiggum later leaves and goes to get some donuts. Snake is driving his car listening to a rock version of the Simpsons theme song while Chief Wiggum is idiotically walking down the street, eating doughnuts. Wiggum notices Snake, and Snake runs him over impulsively. Wiggum chases after Snake and they indirectly wind up in Herman's Military Antiques. Herman captures them at gunpoint, beats them up and waits for Zed to get here so "the party can begin". Milhouse goes into Comic Book Guy's store to go to the bathroom, but CBG tells Milhouse that he must purchase a comic book to go to the bathroom. Milhouse chooses to buy a Hamburglar comic for 75 cents. Kirk comes in and appalled that Milhouse is just buying comics, he takes Milhouse into Herman's Military Antiques to get him to a restroom. A confused Herman agrees. While Kirk is trying to make small talk with Herman, he gets tied up with Snake and Wiggum. Milhouse accidentally hits Herman from behind with a spiked flail, knocking him unconscious. Wiggum escapes, as the others wonder over the weird situation.

Production

 * The very tall man is a caricature of Simpsons writer Ian Maxtone-Graham. He is voiced by Hank Azaria. He appears again briefly on the bus at the beginning of The City of New York vs. Homer Simpson.


 * The episode was inspired by "The Adventures of Ned Flanders" segment at the end of "The Front".

Legacy

 * The episode inspired Simpsons creator Matt Groening to come up with a concept of a possible spin-off series called Tales from Springfield (also known as just Springfield), about the recurring characters of Springfield, along with the stories of young Homer. The idea has still not been made a reality.


 * The episode also inspired the Futurama episode "Three Hundred Big Boys" which is about all the characters getting 300 dollars and it shows what everyone does with them.
 * The scene with Principal Skinner has grew popular as a meme, with the videos on YouTube being similar to the remixes of "We Are Number One." The meme is known as "Steamed Hams." The most popular is "Steamed Hams Inc.", which is a parody of the song "Feel Good Inc." by Gorillaz.