The name of this episode is also a reference to the movie Summer of '42.
After Bart shows off his skateboard tricks, Erin asks "Like, who does he think he is with that slingshot in his back pocket? Dennis the Menace?"
When Milhouse sees Lisa in her cool persona, he remarks that she looks like Blossom. Coincidentally, fourteen years after this episode aired Blossom's actress Mayim Bialik, would be cast as The Big Bang Theory character Amy Farrah Fowler, who like Lisa is very intellectual and has a similar disappointing yearbook experience due to unpopularity like Lisa in this episode.
Homer's purchase of numerous items, then sneaking in an illegal item in the dialogue is a parody of American Graffiti, in which an a teenager attempts to buy alcohol this way. The ill-gotten liquor is called "Old Harper", which is one of the items Homer rapidly requests.
Censorship[]
On Australian TV, the scene of Homer buying the risque personal items (the condoms, the porno mags, two enemas, some panty shields, and a bottle of Old Harper) to cover his tracks in buying illegal fireworks was cut, yet the scene of Marge picking through the bag and telling Homer, "Whatever you're planning to do tonight, count me out!" wasn't edited. Sky Showcase in the UK edited the same scene, but, for continuity reasons, cut Marge picking through the bag and being disgusted with Homer's purchase (mostly because he forgot to get bread).
Trivia[]
This episode aired on the same day as "Homerpalooza" on American TV.
Bart the Murderer: The last time Bart said, "Don't have a cow, man!" (cf. Marge pointing out that Bart hasn't said "Don't have a cow, man!" in years making the statement true).
Lisa's Substitute: Lisa finally finds someone who understands her, but the friendship gets ruined by a Simpson male (Homer/Bart).
Selma's Choice: Bumper cars get abused (Dolph, Jimbo, and Kearney steal them/Bart rams his into Lisa's).
Lisa the Beauty Queen: A character gets squirted with the water gun used in the "Squirt Water into the Clown's Mouth" carnival game.
Lemon of Troy: A doppelganger of a Springfieldianite lives in another town (everyone in Shelbyville/the Sikh version of Apu).
Kamp Krusty: An episode takes place during the last day of school.
In the opening scene, the pens in Martin's pocket are white instead of their usual purple.
In the promotional image for this episode, Lisa's glasses have no or transparent lenses, but in the episode itself, they have purple lenses.
Marge with a white necklace
When Lisa first meets the skater kids, she's wearing her glasses in one shot but they disappear in the next. Then they reappear in front of the library.
Right before Bart and Lisa fight at the table, Marge's necklace is colored white.
At Ned's beach house, there is a picture of Maude above the bed Lisa was sitting on. When the camera angle changes, the picture changes to a photo of Rod and Todd.
This episode was released after "I Love Lisa", so Ralph was already established as Lisa's friend. In addition, Janey, Sherri, Terri, Wanda, Becky, and Allison established as Lisa's friends, which means Lisa could have chosen one of them. Yet in the episode, it's shown that Lisa has no friends at all. Janey, Sherri, Terri, Wanda, and Becky don't really take Lisa seriously (cf. "Lisa vs. Malibu Stacy", where they aren't offended over the stereotypically feminine things the talking Malibu Stacy doll says, or "Radio Bart", where Janey, Wanda, and Becky make up that insensitive jump rope rhyme about Bart within earshot of Lisa), Allison is voiced by a celebrity guest star and was meant to be a one-time character, and Ralph probably forgot that Lisa liked him. He is established as not being very bright.
In the episode "Bart on the Road" Lisa stated she has never heard of the Grammar Rodeo, yet in this episode, it is revealed that she was in the Grammar Rodeo herself. She probably meant that she's never heard of Canada having their own Grammar Rodeo.
Homer screams "SWEET MERCIFUL CRAP! MY CAR!!!" after seeing the orange station wagon covered in starfish, pebbles and seashells, but the orange station wagon is Marge's car. He probably considers it his car since (a) he and Marge share most things in their marriage and, (b) he's the one driving it in this episode.
Production Notes[]
The final draft for this episode was published on November 13, 1995.[1]
