It is revealed that Bart has a crush on Terri. However, when Homer says this, no one in the class seems to think much of it.
This is the second time somebody strangles Homer the way he strangles Bart. The last time was in the shortShut Up Simpsons.
This is the first episode where Mr. Burns knows who Homer is, without Smithers' help.
When Maggie gets took back on a washing line, this is another reference to when the UK's Channel 4 promoted its first broadcast of The Simpsons where Maggie is being held back on a line in front of flashing white-striped lights.
When Homer throws a bowling ball at the ground and someone cries in pain, it is a reference to Frank Grimes from the episode "Homer's Enemy", who lived under a bowling alley.
During UK airings on Channel 4, the entire scene featuring Homer's attempted suicide was edited out of the episode. Instead, the scene goes straight from Homer singing The End to Ron Howard driving up with his children.
While Maggie is saving Homer, the opening music from the television documentary Victory at Sea plays.
The fast-motion sequence when Homer oversleeps, accompanied by music, references a scene from the 1983 film Koyaanisqatsi.
Homer plays a Where's Waldo? game on the back of the cereal box he eats his breakfast from.
Homer dresses up as a Teletubby to entertain Maggie. His line, "...and I'm all man, in case you heard otherwise" is a reference to the Reverend Jerry Falwell accusing Tinky Winky (from the Teletubbies) of promoting homosexuality. In the same scene, Homer ended up being electrocuted, because he turned on the television that he had on his stomach.
Homer sings The Doors' song "The End" over Jim Morrison's voice. He misses a few lines, going from 'my only friend' to 'weird scenes inside the goldmine.'
When Homer and Otto descend into the sewers on the bungee rope, they pass three underground societies: the Morlocks (from The Time Machine), the C.H.U.D.s (from C.H.U.D.) and the Mole People (from the 1956 film The Mole People). In this parody, Hans Moleman and his people are actually dressed up like the Albino enslavers from the film, NOT the actual mole creatures.
Teller, of magic duo Penn & Teller - who is known for never speaking, does indeed speak in this episode.
After Homer bowls his perfect game, he pulls out a "Before I Die I want To-" list and checks off the item "Bowl a Perfect Game." Below that is listed "See Stevie Nicks Naked." It is checked three times.
The part where Homer bowls the strike that wins him the 300 game has many elements from the Robert Redford film The Natural (the exploding lanes similar to the exploding stadium lights when Redford's character bats the winning hit out of the park, Homer pumping his arms victoriously as debris rains down on him, and the music (which was used in another sports-related Simpsons episode).
In the scene where Ron Howard nearly runs over Homer, he is seen with four children - two boys and two girls. In real life, Howard has three daughters and one son, and all were significantly older at the time of the episode. The kids in Howard's car all appear to be 12 or younger.
Goofs
Homer is seen wearing his Pin Pals shirt when interrupting Pen & Teller, though in "Homer's Phobia" John is wearing Homer's Pin Pals shirt and states that someone (Marge) gave it to Goodwill. He could have gotten it back after he realized fame after the perfect game.
Ron Howard's children all appear to be younger than twelve, but in real life only his son was 12 years old at the time this episode aired.
When Homer is dragged by the rip tide he was shown to have no shoes on, however while he was "running" underwater, he is shown wearing shoes. When Maggie saves him, he is again shown underwater without shoes.
After Marge realizes that Homer lied to her about Lenny being injured, her butt is not behind the edge of the couch she is sitting on.
