This episode and its song is named after and a parody of the 1956 song of the same name by Elvis Presley.
The Amazing Place is a parody of two CBS shows; the name is a parody of The Amazing Race, and the concept of the show features elements from The Amazing Race and Survivor.
Elements from The Amazing Race include:
Teams (or in this case, couples) competing against each other, with the last place team eliminated after completing a stage;
Elements from Survivor include:
The setting of the show is on an island
The show references Robert "Boston Rob" Mariano, who competed on both Survivor and The Amazing Race.
Boston Rob first competed in Survivor: Marquesas and reappeared on Survivor: All-Stars, Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains, and Survivor: Redemption Island. During Survivor: All-Stars, he formed an alliance with Amber Brkich, which evolved into a romantic relationship; both made it to the Final Two during All-Stars, with Amber winning by a vote of 4-3; Boston Rob proposed to Amber prior to the final votes being revealed during the show's live finale.
As an engaged couple, Boston Rob and Amber competed on The Amazing Race 7, finishing in second place. They would get married soon after Amazing Race 7 aired, and reappeared as a married couple in the Amazing Race All-Stars in 2007, but were eliminated after the fourth leg.
Homer and Marge's black-and-white fights inside the hotel room are parodying Richard Burton as George and Elizabeth Taylor as Martha in the movie Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966) directed by Mike Nichols and adapted from the Edward Albee play. The newly eliminated contestants, Nick and Honey, who Marge invites over were also characters in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and were played by George Segal and Sandy Dennis.
Homer's line "Our son is dead" and then "we have no son" are referencing when George tells Martha the same thing relieving their son they have kept talking about is actually nonexistent.
Trivia[]
Al Jean implied on social media "Heartbreak Hotel" would act as the Season 29 finale, although this was ultimately changed.[1]
Last time Homer used his middle finger was in “The Simpsons Movie.”
Maggie doesn’t appear with the family while watching TV at the beginning and the end of the episode.
George Segal played Nick in 1966's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? was who voiced Nick in the episode.
Matt Selman wrote on social media about George Segal, "A week before this aired, a friend mentioned that George Segal had said "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf" was his favorite movie he was ever in, so we tracked him down & he was delighted to reprise the voice."[2] and "My direction for George Segal, reprising the role of "Nick" from "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf," was "just do it how Mike Nichols said to.""[3]
George Segal was previously reference when Selma was asked for any amusing anecdotes while on a date with Troy McClure and she just said, "Well, not much happens to me, but I once had dinner with a movie star and it was the most wonderful night of my life." and despite obviously talking about Troy, he responds, "Really? Who was it, George Segal? I hear he plays the banjo." ("A Fish Called Selma")
Honey in 1966's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? was played by Sandy Dennis, who won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for the role, and she died from ovarian cancer on March 2, 1992. In the episode Honey is voiced by Renée Ridgeley who co-wrote the episode with her husband Matt Selman.
