My Mother the Carjacker

Last updated

"My Mother the Carjacker"
The Simpsons episode
Episode no.Season 15
Episode 2
Directed by Nancy Kruse
Written by Michael Price
Production codeEABF18
Original air dateNovember 9, 2003 (2003-11-09)
Guest appearance
Glenn Close as Mona Simpson
Episode features
Couch gag The Simpsons sit on the couch as normal, but then begin to decay and turn to dust. [1]
Commentary Al Jean
Michael Price
Matt Selman
Tom Gammill
Max Pross
Marc Wilmore
Dan Castellaneta
Episode chronology
← Previous
"Treehouse of Horror XIV"		Next →
"The President Wore Pearls"
The Simpsons (season 15)
List of episodes

"My Mother the Carjacker" is the second episode of the fifteenth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons . It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on November 9, 2003. [2] In the episode, Homer receives a cryptic message in the newspaper informing him to come to a certain place at midnight, and soon discovers that the person who wrote the message is his mother, Mona Simpson. It was written by Michael Price and directed by Nancy Kruse. [2] Glenn Close makes her second of six guest spots as Homer's mother. [2] It has a direct link from the season seven episode "Mother Simpson". [3] It was nominated for a Writers Guild of America Award in 2004. [4] In its original run, the episode received 12.4 million viewers. [5]

Contents

Plot

On Kent Brockman's Channel Six "Oops Patrol" segment, he displays a humorous headline ("Mayor Unveils Erection to Cheering Crowd"), noticed and submitted by Marge, for which she receives a free T-shirt and other perks from the town. An envious Homer, after trying on and stretching out Marge's shirt, attempts to find his own funny headline so he too can win a T-shirt. Homer spends the following night with newspapers plastered over his bedroom wall, exhausting himself in his search. He finds an article entitled "World's Biggest Pizza". The first letters of each line spell out an invitation for Homer to meet someone at Fourth Street Overpass at midnight. He wakes Bart so they can both go. When they reach the overpass, the mystery person reveals herself to be Mona Simpson, Homer's mother.

At the Overpass Diner, Mona explains that the government is still hunting her because of her crime of sabotaging Mr. Burns' germ warfare lab. Her nostalgia aroused by a macaroni pencil case Homer had made for her when he was five, her liberal links at the Springfield Shopper published the story of the giant pizza to lure Homer. Chief Wiggum, Lou, and Eddie arrive at the diner, and Lou recognizes Mona. Waitress Hora lets Homer, Mona, and Bart escape through the back after they increase her tip. After they drive off, Homer rams into the police station, where Mona is arrested. At the trial, during which it is implied by Homer afterwards that Mona's ex-husband Grampa testifies against her, Homer is put on the stand and, after a long clueless pause, gives a heartfelt request that they do not take his mother away from him again. The jury, deeply moved, acquit Mona, much to Burns' fury.

Mona catches up on Homer's missed childhood; giving Homer a bath, watching Homer in the school play, knitting for Homer, teaching Homer how to ride a bike, and seeing a reenactment of the birth of Bart. To make Mona more welcome, Homer steals a whole room from Ned Flanders's house so she can have her own private bedroom. Burns renames his Germ Warfare Laboratory the "Grandma Simpson Peace Museum and Kid-teractive Learnatorium" to a crowd of cheering onlookers. Burns asks Mona to be the first to sign the museum's guest book. However, it is revealed to be a confessional trap when after signing the document, Mona says to Burns that she signed under false names while at national parks, which is a federal offense. Federal agents jump out and arrest her. Lisa tells Homer she disagrees with what the government did with Mona, and unintentionally gives Homer the idea to break Mona out of prison.

The next day, Homer and Bart trick the bus which is transferring female convicts to prison into pulling over by changing a sign overhead to display a warning of a snowstorm ahead. As the drivers get off to put chains on the tires, Homer steals the bus and liberates the convicts as the police give chase. Not wanting Homer to be imprisoned and leave his children like she did, Mona tases him and pushes him out of the bus onto an abandoned bed. Homer watches as the bus flies off a cliff into a lake, where it explodes and is covered by a rockslide.

The Simpsons hold a funeral for Mona and pay their respects, but the coffin (filled with last week's garbage) suddenly slides away and into a forest. Later at night, Homer pores over newspaper headlines and finds an article in which the first letter of each row spells out "IMOK" over the front and back side of the page. Taking this to be another message from his mother that she is still alive, he goes to sleep. However, he overlooks an article about a giant taco, in which Mona encoded a long message that explains she escaped from the bus before it crashed and hitched a ride out of town. [3]

Cultural references

The title is a reference to the TV series My Mother the Car . The song Mona sings with the convicts is "I Fought the Law". The song played during the '60s montage is Jimi Hendrix's version of "All Along the Watchtower". The montage concludes with John Wayne as a guest on Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In saying "You bet your sweet bippy", a catch phrase of the show. During the scenes with Homer re-enacting his childhood for his mother, the song being played is "Mother and Child Reunion" by Paul Simon. [6] When Homer is having prints of pictures of his mother made, the song played is "Mother" by John Lennon. Homer's line of "Bless the loom that fruited you" is a reference to Fruit of the Loom. [6] Homer's line of "We'll hide you where there's no people – Disney California Adventure Park" is a reference to how a park in Disneyland had poor attendance. The scene of the Homer pinning newspapers to the wall and letters jumping out and deciphering hidden messages is a homage to similar scenes in A Beautiful Mind . When Homer is showing the family headlines is a parody of the "Headlines" segment on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno . Also, Lisa says "Don't go inside! It's a trap!", which is a reference of Admiral Ackbar's famous line, said in Return of the Jedi .

Reception

During its original run, the episode gained 12.4 million viewers, losing to a rerun of "Three Gays of the Condo" (12.6). [3] The episode was nominated for a Writers Guild of America Award. [3] IGN ranks Glenn Close's performances as the twenty-fifth best guest appearances in the show's history. [7]

Related Research Articles

Marjorie Jacqueline "Marge" Simpson (née Bouvier) is a character in the American animated sitcom The Simpsons and part of the eponymous family. Voiced by Julie Kavner, she first appeared on television in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987. Marge was created and designed by cartoonist Matt Groening while he was waiting in the lobby of James L. Brooks' office. Groening had been called to pitch a series of shorts based on Life in Hell but instead decided to create a new set of characters. He based the character on his mother Margaret Groening. After appearing on The Tracey Ullman Show for three seasons, the Simpson family received their own series on Fox, which debuted December 17, 1989.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chief Wiggum</span> Fictional character from The Simpsons franchise

Chief Clancy Wiggum is a fictional character from the animated television series The Simpsons, voiced by Hank Azaria. He is the chief of police in the show's setting of Springfield, and is the father of Ralph Wiggum and the husband of Sarah Wiggum.

"Marge Be Not Proud" is the eleventh episode of the seventh season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on December 17, 1995, exactly six years after the series premiere episode "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire". In the episode, Marge refuses to buy Bart the new video game Bonestorm, so he steals it from a local discount store. Bart is estranged from his mother after he gets caught, so he works to regain her love and trust.

"Brush with Greatness" is the eighteenth episode of the second season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox Network in the United States on April 11, 1991. In the episode, Marge enrolls in an art class after Lisa encourages her to revive her former interest in painting. When she wins first prize in a local art competition for a portrait of Homer on the couch in his underwear, Mr. Burns commissions her to paint his portrait. In the subplot, Homer is determined to lose weight after getting stuck in a water slide at an amusement park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lisa's First Word</span> 10th episode of the 4th season of The Simpsons

"Lisa's First Word" is the tenth episode of the fourth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It was first broadcast on the Fox network in the United States on December 3, 1992. In the episode, as the Simpson family gathers around Maggie and tries to encourage her to say her first word, Marge reminisces and tells the story of Lisa's first word. Maggie's first word is voiced by Elizabeth Taylor.

"Bart vs. Thanksgiving" is the seventh episode of the second season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on November 22, 1990. In the episode, Bart runs away from home after destroying a centerpiece that Lisa makes for the Thanksgiving dinner table.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Simpson family</span> Family of five fictional characters in animation series The Simpsons

The Simpson family are the main fictional characters featured in the animated television series The Simpsons. The Simpsons are a nuclear family consisting of married couple Homer and Marge and their three children, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie. They live at 742 Evergreen Terrace in the fictional town of Springfield, United States, and they were created by cartoonist Matt Groening, who conceived the characters after his own family members, substituting "Bart" for his own name. The family debuted on Fox on April 19, 1987, in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" and were later spun off into their own series, which debuted on Fox in the U.S. on December 17, 1989, and started airing in Winter 1989.

"On a Clear Day I Can't See My Sister" is the eleventh episode of the sixteenth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on March 6, 2005. A repeat of this episode also replaced the episode "The Father, the Son, and the Holy Guest Star", which was supposed to air on April 10, 2005, due to the death of Pope John Paul II 8 days earlier.

"$pringfield ", simply known as "$pringfield", is the tenth episode of the fifth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons, and the 91st episode overall. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on December 16, 1993. In the episode, Springfield legalizes gambling to revitalize its economy. Mr. Burns opens a casino where Homer is hired as a blackjack dealer. Marge develops a gambling addiction, Bart opens a casino in his tree house, and Burns' appearance and mental state deteriorate à la Howard Hughes.

Joseph Stewart Burns, better known as J. Stewart Burns or simply just Stewart Burns is a television writer and producer most notable for his work on The Simpsons, Futurama, and Unhappily Ever After.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Regina Monologues</span> 4th episode of the 15th season of The Simpsons

"The Regina Monologues" is the fourth episode of the fifteenth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on November 23, 2003. It was directed by Mark Kirkland and was the final episode written by John Swartzwelder. The episode sees the Simpson family travel to the United Kingdom for vacation. There, they meet several celebrities including Tony Blair, Evan Marriott, Ian McKellen and J. K. Rowling, who all appear as themselves. Later, Homer is arrested and locked in the Tower of London for accidentally crashing into the Queen's carriage. Meanwhile, Abraham Simpson journeys to find Edwina, his long lost love, who is voiced by Jane Leeves.

"Home Sweet Homediddly-Dum-Doodily" is the third episode of the seventh season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on October 1, 1995. In the episode, the Simpson children are put in foster care at Ned and Maude Flanders' house. Homer and Marge are forced to attend a parenting class to get their children back.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mother Simpson</span> 8th episode of the 7th season of The Simpsons

"Mother Simpson" is the eighth episode of the seventh season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on November 19, 1995. After faking his own death to get a day off work, Homer reunites with his mother Mona, whom he thought had died over two decades prior. It was directed by David Silverman and was the first episode to be written by Richard Appel. Glenn Close makes her first of eleven guest appearances as Homer's mother. This episode is dedicated to the memory of staff member Jackie Banks, who died on 4 November 1995.

<i>The Simpsons</i> opening sequence Opening sequence of the TV series The Simpsons

The Simpsonsopening sequence is the title sequence of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It is accompanied by "The Simpsons Theme". The first episode to use this introduction was the series' second episode "Bart the Genius".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marge Gamer</span> 17th episode of the 18th season of The Simpsons

"Marge Gamer" is the seventeenth episode of the eighteenth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on April 22, 2007. It was written by J. Stewart Burns and featured a guest appearance from Brazilian soccer star Ronaldo.

"Midnight Towboy" is the third episode of the nineteenth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on October 7, 2007, and in the United Kingdom on November 11, 2007. This is the first Simpsons episode to premiere in October since season eleven's "Treehouse of Horror X", which aired on October 31, 1999.

"Lost Verizon" is the second episode of the twentieth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on October 5, 2008 and in the United Kingdom on November 9, 2008. Bart becomes jealous of his friends and their cell phones. Working at a golf course, Bart takes the cell phone of Denis Leary after the star comedian throws it away in anger. Marge, per Leary's advice, activates the GPS system on the phone to track down Bart's every move; catching on, Bart attaches the GPS chip to a bird that migrates to Machu Picchu, Peru. Leary and Brian Grazer both guest star as themselves. It was directed by Raymond S. Persi and written by John Frink.

"Mona Leaves-a" is the nineteenth and penultimate episode of the nineteenth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on May 11, 2008. The episode features the death of Homer's mother, Mona Simpson. Homer is reunited with his mother, Mona, but is not willing to forgive her for all the times she left him as a child. When she dies, a guilt-ridden Homer attempts to make it up to her by fulfilling her final wishes. It was written by Joel H. Cohen and directed by Mike B. Anderson and Ralph Sosa. Glenn Close makes her third appearance as Mona Simpson, and Lance Armstrong has a cameo as himself.

Mona Penelope Simpson is a fictional guest character in the animated television series The Simpsons. She is voiced most prominently by Glenn Close, but has also been voiced by Maggie Roswell, Tress MacNeille, and Pamela Hayden. Close's performances as Mona have been well received by critics and she was named one of the top 25 guest stars on the show by IGN.

References

  1. ↑ "Chronology of Walt Disney Records". Islandnet. November 9, 2003. Archived from the original on September 7, 2007. Retrieved May 2, 2008.
  2. 1 2 3 "The Simpsons 15x02 "My Mother the Carjacker"". Trakt. Retrieved January 28, 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "The Simpsons present: "My Mother the Carjacker"". The Simpsons. November 9, 2003. Archived from the original on April 18, 2008. Retrieved May 2, 2008.
  4. ↑ "Simpsons scoop script nominations". BBC News. January 20, 2004. Retrieved May 2, 2008.
  5. ↑ "Simpsons Channel News Archive; RATINGS: "My Mother the Carjacker"". The Simpsons. November 9, 2003. Archived from the original on March 9, 2008. Retrieved May 2, 2008.
  6. 1 2 "Watch TV Sitcoms.Com: "My Mother the Carjacker"". TV Sitcoms. Retrieved August 3, 2007.
  7. ↑ Goldman, Eric; Iverson, Dan; Zoromski, Brian. "Top 25 Simpsons Guest Appearances". IGN. Retrieved August 3, 2007.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.