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Wild Barts Can't Be Broken
Sunday, Cruddy Sunday
Homer to the Max

Trivia[]

  • Principal Skinner says he is glad he works in a elementary school after the postmaster says that the stereotype of the deranged mail carrier "going postal" (read: shooting up the post office he works at in a fit of rage) is a thing of the past. This episode aired Jan 31, 1999, long before the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Connecticut on December 14, 2012 happened, but less than 3 months before the shooting at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado on April 20, 1999 happened, making the joke doubly tasteless.
  • The chalkboard gag "I will not do the 'Dirty Bird'" is a reference to the touchdown dance done by Atlanta Falcons running back Jamal Anderson during the Falcons' 1998 season (which led them to a Super Bowl appearance).
  • Homer mentions the Denver Broncos which he owns according to "You Only Move Twice" because Hank Scorpio gives him the team as a farewell gift after Homer told him his lifelong dream was to own the Dallas Cowboys.
  • Caricature artist Troy Aikman's line, "You like dune buggies? Everybody likes dune buggies!" is a reference to a similar line from a different artist drawing almost identical pictures in Season 4's "Lisa the Beauty Queen", "You like roller skating? Everybody likes roller skating!"
  • The character Wally Kogen is a composite of two early Simpsons writers Jay Kogen and Wallace Wolodarsky.
  • This episode has the most main characters.
  • This episode aired on the same day as the series premiere of Seth MacFarlane's Family Guy.
  • In the Gracie Films Logo, Rupert Murdoch shouts "Silence!".
  • When Rupert Murdoch is being introduced, the 20th Century Fox theme plays.
  • The ad for the Super Bowl uses footage from "Homer Loves Flanders", and "Football's Greatest Injuries" from "Saturdays of Thunder", where the hand comes out of nowhere and snaps the guy's neck. 
  • The song that plays in the scene when everybody is running away from the security guards is "Song 2" by British rock band, Blur.

Censorship[]

  • The Super Bowl commercial featuring three sexy women servicing a man's car had the line "The Catholic Church: We've Made a Few Changes" edited to "The Church: We've Made a Few Changes" in all reruns (and some overseas airings) due to complaints from The Catholic League, though the syndicated version has the original line (spoken and in closed captions). The uncut line is shown on the season 10 DVD set and Disney+, but the subtitles/closed captions have the edited line instead.

Cultural references[]

  • The title of this episode is a reference to the U2 song Sunday Bloody Sunday.
  • The couch gag is a spoof of the sinking of the RMS Titanic, which happened on April 15, 1912.
  • Nelson asks the postal worker if he has ever gone on a killing spree. This is a reference to going postal, which originated in the United States in 1990s following a several incidents from 1986 onward. During that period, individuals working for the United States Postal Service or USPS shot and killed fellow workers and members of the public.
  • The football coach in Homer's fantasy about going to the Super Bowl bears a striking similarity to Tom Landry, coach of the Dallas Cowboys at the time the episode aired.
  • The use of Vincent Price in the phone message is a reference to a fake radio commercial for Coca-Cola that used sound bites of Vincent Price from his films.
  • In the Post Office, Krusty looks at a legends of Comedy poster an asks, "What has Fatty Arbuckle done that I haven't done?".
  • The terrified yell Wally, Homer, and Chief Wiggum do as they flee from Rupert Murdoch's private room is a reference to the terrified yell Larry, Moe, and Curly Joe did, from The 3 Stooges.
  • Al Gore measuring the drapes of the Oval Office is a reference to the fact he was running for president at the time (he lost the Presidency to George W Bush by 537 votes in Florida although he won the popular vote nationally). While that is true, the real joke about Gore measuring the drapes in the Oval Office is that President Bill Clinton was going through an impeachment trial. This episode aired two weeks before the U.S. Senate acquitted the president. Had 2/3 of the Senate voted guilty on just one of the two articles of impeachment, President Clinton would have been removed from office and Vice President Gore would have become the 43rd president of the United States. Clinton was in no danger of being removed based on the votes. Gore would not get the presidential nomination for the Democratic Party until the summer of 2000.
  • The appearance of a character named Rudy who wants to get on the bus with the others with the line "What I lack in size I make up for in obnoxiousness." is apparently a reference to, and commentary on the main character of, the film Rudy, with Sean Astin.

Goofs[]

Fatflanders

Ned with body fat

  • When Bart's class is on the field trip at the post office, at one point, Chuck is among the students seen there, but he isn't usually seen as part of Bart's class. It was a full-school field trip. This is evident, as Lisa was shown there.
Blacrim

The Blue-Haired Lawyer with black rims on his glasses

  • Ned Flanders is seen to have a lot of hidden body fat in this episode, but most episodes to have him shirtless depict him as very muscular. Besides, Ned is usually depicted as a Christian and should not have attended the Super Bowl.
  • When everyone is drunk on the bus, the Blue-Haired Lawyer's glasses have black rims in this episode instead of the usual green ones.
  • When Marge suggests the Color-By-Numbers kit to Lisa, she is instead holding the Li'l Leonardo Art Set. After the camera changes, she is actually holding the correct Color-By-Numbers kit, but another Color-By-Numbers kit is also seen behind her.
  • In the scene where Rupert Murdoch lands his helicopter, Homer is shouting even though his mouth is closed.
Armoverlap

A layering error with Marge's arm over the art set

  • When Marge and Lisa look through art kits, in one shot when Marge is behind the Leather Craft set her arm is drawn in front of it, revealing it not all the way drawn.
  • Why didn't the fans kick Wally Kogan while being housed in the jail? He was the one responsible for getting the tickets, not Homer. Misplaced anger, most likely. Plus, it's funnier this way.
  • Due to the large amount of men in the group Homer invited to the Superbowl, some are absent in most scenes, such as the Blue-Haired Lawyer in most shots after they get off of the bus, despite him being technically present.


Season 9 Season 10 References/Trivia Season 11
Lard of the DanceThe Wizard of Evergreen TerraceBart the MotherTreehouse of Horror IXWhen You Dish Upon a StarD'oh-in' in the WindLisa Gets an "A"Homer Simpson in: "Kidney Trouble"Mayored to the MobViva Ned FlandersWild Barts Can't Be BrokenSunday, Cruddy SundayHomer to the MaxI'm with CupidMarge Simpson in: "Screaming Yellow Honkers"Make Room for LisaMaximum HomerdriveSimpsons Bible StoriesMom and Pop ArtThe Old Man and the "C" StudentMonty Can't Buy Me LoveThey Saved Lisa's BrainThirty Minutes Over Tokyo
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