Simpsons Wiki
Register
Advertisement
Episode
References
Gags
Appearances
Gallery
Quotes
Credits
Fat Man and Little Boy
Midnight Rx
Mommie Beerest

Continuity[]

Cultural References[]

  • The title is a parody of the film Midnight Express.
  • The drug store is called "Dudley Do Drugs" a parody of Dudley Do-Right.
  • Huey Lewis' single "I Want a New Drug" was used in the Pharmaceutical Ad. The video was a modified cartoon version of the band's actual music video.
  • The man at the employment agency plays a game clearly modelled after Doom.
  • The scene in which Mr. Burns revives Smithers is a parody of the Disney movies Snow White and the Seven Dwarves (the glass coffin) and Sleeping Beauty (Smithers being locked in a palace room and woken up by Burns‘ kiss).
  • The banner at the U.S.-Canadian border reads that Canada is now "Celine Dion Free", a reference to Canadian singer Celine Dion moving to Las Vegas to perform nightly at Caesars Palace.
  • The Springfield Air and Space Museum is a parody of the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.
  • Burns and Smithers flying by the moon in a makeshift aircraft while Burns says "Next stop... Pirate Island!" is a parody of E.T. The Extraterrestrial.
  • There is a plane at the Springfield Air and Space Museum called "Spirit of Shelbyville", which is a reference to the Spirit of St. Louis, a plane used by Charles Lindbergh to fly solo across the Atlantic.
  • As they bicker in the back of the car Ned mentions Hawkman which may be a reference to the DC Comics superhero.
  • The song played when Doctor Hibbert is discussing the drug companies is "Baby Got Back" by Sir-Mix-A-Lot.
  • Pfizer is also a real life pharmaceutical research company based in New York.

Censorship[]

  • Ralph getting into the contraband pills was cut in Sky Showcase and Channel 4 airings to remove his pupils dilating and his line, "I'm cuckoo for contraband!"
  • Abe calling his nurse a "hussy" was cut in Channel 4 airings.
  • The Canadian Ned Flanders offering the American Ned Flanders a "reeferino" was cut in Channel 4 airings.
  • Ned's line, "It's hotter than a FOX news weather skank!" was cut in Channel 4 airings.
  • Apu burning his tongue on his drink was shortened in Channel 4 airings, though not Flanders accidentally making Apu look like a Muslim by wrapping a towel around his head.
  • Krusty the Clown's line about needing lithium to curb his bipolar mood swings (followed by him alternatively laughing and crying) was cut on Sky 1/Sky Showcase.

Goofs[]

  • The Canadian Ned offers Flanders a "reeferino" and says that "it's legal here". In real life, at the time of this episode, marijuana not used for medicinal reasons was technically illegal in Canada. Punishment for possession of the drug in small amounts, however, is relatively minor, and jail time for possession is very unlikely. As of October 2018, marijuana used for recreational purposes is legal in Canada.
  • When Homer, Grandpa, Ned and Apu are returning to the United States, they encounter a Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) officer at the border, in full uniform. There are four things wrong with this:
    • Mountie officers only wear their iconic red uniform (the Red Serge) on special occasions.
    • The Canadian Border Services Agency is responsible for patrolling the border on the Canadian side, not the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
    • When crossing the Canada/United States border, people only need to check in with the country they are entering, not the one they are leaving.
    • The Mountie officer asks another if Homer had a passport. At the time of this episode, passports were not required to cross the border.
Overlapbeard

Abe's beard drawn over his glasses

  • When Grandpa Simpson announces that he wants to fight the system, his beard is drawn over his glasses for a few frames.
  • Earlier in the show Mr. Burns mentions that rain makes the Plywood Pelican catch fire. Later, it is shown in a dock.
  • Krusty the Clown mentions that he needs lithium dibromide (LiBr) to treat his bipolar disorder. There's no such chemical; the writers either mean lithium bromide (which is used in air-conditioning systems) or lithium carbonate (which is prescribed to people who have bipolar disorder). Lithium dibromide is also incorrectly named using the system of IUPAC nomenclature of inorganic chemistry. However, Krusty could have gotten the name wrong because of his illiteracy.
  • Despite being prohibited from returning to Canada in this episode, he returns here with his family for the 2010 Winter Olympics in "Boy Meets Curl" and "D'oh Canada".
    • Though it is likely that either the ban was lifted or Homer used an alias to avoid suspicion.

Aerospace References[]

This episode contains many references to aerospace and its history.

Production Notes[]

  • The final draft for this episode was published on September 4, 2003.[1]

Citations[]


Season 15 Season 16 References/Trivia Season 17
Treehouse of Horror XVAll's Fair in Oven WarSleeping with the EnemyShe Used to Be My GirlFat Man and Little BoyMidnight RxMommie BeerestHomer and Ned's Hail Mary PassPranksta RapThere's Something About MarryingOn a Clear Day I Can't See My SisterGoo Goo Gai PanMobile HomerThe Seven-Beer SnitchFuture-DramaDon't Fear the RooferThe Heartbroke KidA Star is TornThank God It's DoomsdayHome Away from HomerThe Father, the Son and the Holy Guest Star
Advertisement