The Nightmare After Krustmas

Last updated

"The Nightmare After Krustmas"
The Simpsons episode
Episode no.Season 28
Episode 10
Directed by Rob Oliver
Written by Jeff Westbrook
Production codeWABF02
Original air dateDecember 11, 2016 (2016-12-11)
Guest appearances
Episode features
Couch gag The Simpsons run to the couch, dressed as characters from A Christmas Carol (Homer is the Ghost of Christmas Present, Marge is Jacob Marley, Lisa is The Ghost of Christmas Past, Maggie is the Ghost of Christmas Future, and Bart is Tiny Tim). Mr. Burns (dressed as Ebenezer Scrooge) says "Smithers, release the Christmas hounds!" and hounds wearing jingle bells and reindeer antlers chase them off the couch.
Episode chronology
← Previous
"The Last Traction Hero"		Next →
"Pork and Burns"
The Simpsons season 28
List of episodes

"The Nightmare After Krustmas" is the tenth episode of the twenty-eighth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons , and the 606th episode of the series overall. The episode was directed by Rob Oliver and written by Jeff Westbrook. It aired in the United States on Fox on December 11, 2016.

Contents

In this episode, Krusty converts to Christianity to be closer to his daughter Sophie while Maggie is scared by a gnome doll. Natasha Lyonne and Jackie Mason guest starred. Former hockey player Wayne Gretzky and artist Theo Jansen appeared as themselves. The episode received mixed reviews.

Plot

When few people are present for Reverend Lovejoy's service on the fourth Sunday of Advent, Helen calls him for an intervention by Ned, Agnes, Sideshow Mel, the Parson, and the Patriarch, who demands he bring more people to the church. Meanwhile, the Simpsons attend a pagan festival. Theo Jansen shows his wind-powered sculpture, the Strandbeest, which tramples Krusty, who is ice-skating with his daughter Sophie. At the hospital, the Jewish Krusty tries to bond with his Christian daughter who wants to celebrate Christmas. Seeing their discomfort, Marge invites them to spend Christmas with the Simpsons. At home, Marge brings Maggie a Gnome in Your Home that watches her and tells Santa Claus what she has been doing. Krusty brings a crew to record his visit as a television special, angering Sophie who sends him away.

After failing to convert anyone, Lovejoy encounters Krusty, whom he converts after Krusty mistakes Snake being tased for an image of Jesus. During the Christmas church service, Lovejoy introduces the converted Krusty, and Sophie is happy. During Krusty’s updated show, the changes disappoint the kids in the audience. Meanwhile, Maggie has a nightmare where the Gnome talks to her and spits out finger tips. Finding herself at the North Pole, Maggie enters a cave, which turns into the Gnome's head and eats her. Maggie is woken by Marge on Christmas morning. Marge says the Gnome told her she has been good, and, to her horror, she will permanently leave him in her room. Maggie opens her present, which is a Mrs. Gnome in Your Home. That night, Marge and Homer find the Gnomes cut to pieces in their bed while Maggie sleeps happily.

Krusty prepares for his baptism in a frozen river. While approaching Lovejoy, he cracks the ice and falls underneath. He hallucinates the ghosts of his father and his first agent. His father says religion plays no role in being a good father, and he must put his children before himself. He is saved by Lovejoy who is praised as a savior, and people return to church for his service. Krusty returns to being Jewish.

Later, Sideshow Mel's wife leaves him, and Maggie destroys more Gnomes. The Christian God and the Jewish God argue whether Krusty received baptism by falling underwater but are interrupted by a drunk Ahura Mazda, God of Zoroastrianism. Krusty and Sophie sing together while being carried by the Strandbeest.

Production

With this episode, Wayne Gretzky became the first hockey player to lend his voice to The Simpsons. [1] He had been written in an early draft of the season six episode "Lisa on Ice" but was eventually cut. [2] Jackie Mason reprised his role as Rabbi Krustofsky who had died in the twenty-sixth season episode "Clown in the Dumps." Natasha Lyonne took over the role of Sophie Krustofosky from Drew Barrymore, who voiced her in the twelfth season episode "Insane Clown Poppy." [3] Artist Theo Jansen appeared as himself displaying his Strandbeest sculpture. [4]

Cultural references

The Parson's manner is a parody of Bing Crosby's character from the 1944 film Going My Way . The Gnome in Your Home is a parody of The Elf on the Shelf dolls. Krusty's father appears in the body of the snowman from the 2013 film Frozen . [5]

Reception

Dennis Perkins of The A.V. Club gave the episode a B−, saying "There's nothing wrong with the idea in theory—Dan Castellaneta and Harry Shearer always sink their teeth into Krusty's ravenous fame-grubbing and Lovejoy's sepulchral sententiousness, respectively, with enthusiasm. And a B-character taking the wheel for an episode can be a spur to fresh storytelling. But, while there's a bracingly irreverent take on religion throughout the episode, the Lovejoy and Krusty show isn't especially compelling on its own." [5]

Tony Sokol of Den of Geek gave "The Nightmare After Krustmas" 4.5 stars, stating, "'The Nightmare After Krustmas' gives us everything except a non-denominational seasonal special, but is a present anyone can open...(A)lmost every line is a skewered shot of eggnog spiked with subversive holiday cheer. Even the setups. The visual gags are aplenty and the whole episode is lit with wit." [6]

"The Nightmare After Krustmas" scored a 2.3 rating with an 8 share and was watched by 5.60 million viewers, making it Fox's highest rated show of the night. [7]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Krusty the Clown</span> Fictional character from The Simpsons franchise

Herschel Shmoikel Pinchas Yerucham Krustofsky, better known by his stage name Krusty the Clown, is a recurring character on the animated television series The Simpsons. He is voiced by Dan Castellaneta. He is the long-time clown host of Bart and Lisa Simpson's favorite TV show, a variety show consisting of various kid-friendly sketches and often highly violent cartoons, most notably The Itchy & Scratchy Show. Despite his cheery onscreen persona, Krusty is actually a cynical, burnt-out, addiction-riddled smoker who is made miserable by show business but continues on anyway. He has become one of the most frequently occurring characters outside the main Simpson family and has been the focus of many episodes, some of which also feature Sideshow Bob.

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

Reverend Timothy "Tim" Lovejoy, Jr. is a recurring character in the animated television series The Simpsons. He is voiced by Harry Shearer, and first appeared in the episode "The Telltale Head".

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

Robert Underdunk Terwilliger Jr., PhD, better known as Sideshow Bob, is a recurring character and antagonist in the animated television series The Simpsons. He is voiced by Kelsey Grammer and first appeared in the episode "The Telltale Head". Bob is a self-proclaimed genius who is a graduate of Yale University and a champion of high culture, including the adoption of a transatlantic accent, similar to that of Grammer's portrayal of Dr. Frasier Crane from the sitcoms Cheers and Frasier. He began his career as a sidekick on Krusty the Clown's television show, but after enduring constant abuse, Bob framed his employer for armed robbery in "Krusty Gets Busted", only to be foiled by Bart Simpson, and sent to prison. Bob started seeking revenge against Bart while in prison, and the two became feuding arch-enemies.

<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 Fox 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.

"Krusty Gets Busted" is the twelfth and penultimate episode of the first season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on April 29, 1990. The episode was written by Jay Kogen and Wallace Wolodarsky and directed by Brad Bird. In the episode, Krusty the Clown is convicted of armed robbery of the Kwik-E-Mart. Believing that Krusty has been framed for it, Bart and Lisa investigate the crime and learn that Krusty's sidekick, Sideshow Bob, is the culprit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lisa on Ice</span> 8th episode of the 6th season of The Simpsons

"Lisa on Ice" is the eighth episode of the sixth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It was the first broadcast on Fox in the United States on November 13, 1994. In the episode, Lisa discovers that she possesses a skill for ice hockey. A rivalry between her and Bart ensues, as the siblings play for opposing teams.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Theo Jansen</span> Dutch artist (born 1948)

Theodorus Gerardus Jozef Jansen is a Dutch artist. In 1990, he began building large mechanisms out of PVC that are able to move on their own and, collectively, are titled Strandbeest. The kinetic sculptures appear to walk. His animated works are intended to be a fusion of art and engineering. He has said that "The walls between art and engineering exist only in our minds." Some of his creations are reported to incorporate primitive logic gates for collision detection with obstacles such as the sea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bart Gets Famous</span> 12th episode of the 5th season of The Simpsons

"Bart Gets Famous" is the twelfth episode of the fifth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on February 3, 1994. In the episode, Bart gets a job as Krusty the Clown's production assistant. He replaces Sideshow Mel in one of Krusty's skits and accidentally destroys the stage props. When Bart says "I didn't do it," he instantly becomes famous for his catchphrase.

<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".

<i>The Simpsons</i> Ride Attraction at Universal theme parks

The Simpsons Ride is a motion simulator ride located in the Springfield areas of both Universal Studios Florida and Universal Studios Hollywood. Based on the animated television series The Simpsons, the ride was announced in 2007 as a replacement for Back to the Future: The Ride at both parks. It first opened at Universal Studios Florida on May 15, 2008, and then a few days later at Universal Studios Hollywood on May 19, 2008. The producers of The Simpsons contributed to the design of the ride, which uses CGI animation, also worked on the ride's 2D animation. At the time of its opening, the ride featured state-of-the-art projection and hydraulic technology.

"Wedding for Disaster" is the fifteenth episode of the twentieth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on March 29, 2009. In the episode, Marge and Homer's second marriage turns out to be invalid, so they decide to get married again. Right before the remarriage, Homer goes missing, and Bart and Lisa suspect that he has been kidnapped by Sideshow Bob. The episode was written by Joel H. Cohen and directed by Chuck Sheetz. It features Kelsey Grammer in his 12th vocal appearance as Sideshow Bob.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clown in the Dumps</span> 1st episode of the 26th season of The Simpsons

"Clown in the Dumps" is the twenty-sixth season premiere of the American animated television series The Simpsons and the 553rd episode of the series overall. It first aired in the United States on the Fox network on September 28, 2014, with the Family Guy crossover episode "The Simpsons Guy" airing afterwards. This episode was dedicated to the memory of Louis Castellaneta, the father of The Simpsons lead voice actor Dan Castellaneta. It was written by Joel H. Cohen and directed by Steven Dean Moore, with Don Hertzfeldt guest directing the opening title sequence. Jeff Ross, Sarah Silverman, and David Hyde Pierce guest starred as themselves, with Jackie Mason and Kelsey Grammer reprising their respective roles as Rabbi Krustofski and Sideshow Bob, while Maurice LaMarche voiced several minor characters.

"'Tis the 30th Season" is the tenth episode of the thirtieth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons, and the 649th episode overall. The episode was directed by Lance Kramer with a story by Jeff Westbrook and teleplay by John Frink and Joel H. Cohen. It aired in the United States on Fox on December 9, 2018.

"I'm Dancing as Fat as I Can" is the thirteenth episode of the thirtieth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons, and the 652nd episode overall. The episode was directed by Matthew Nastuk and written by Jane Becker. It aired in the United States on Fox on February 10, 2019.

"The Clown Stays in the Picture" is the fourteenth episode of the thirtieth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons, and the 653rd episode overall. The episode was directed by Timothy Bailey and written by Matt Selman. It aired in the United States on Fox on February 17, 2019.

"I'm Just a Girl Who Can't Say D'oh" is the twentieth episode of the thirtieth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons, and the 659th episode overall. The episode was directed by Mike Frank Polcino and written by Jeff Martin and Jenna Martin. It aired in the United States on Fox on April 7, 2019.

"Marge the Lumberjill" is the sixth episode of the thirty-first season of the American animated television series The Simpsons, and the 668th episode overall. It aired in the United States on Fox on November 10, 2019. The episode was directed by Rob Oliver and written by Ryan Koh.

"The King of Nice" is the fourth episode of the thirty-fourth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons, and the 732nd episode overall. It aired in the United States on Fox on October 16, 2022. The episode was directed by Debbie Bruce Mahan and written by Jessica Conrad.

References

  1. ↑ "Wayne Gretzky lending his voice to 'The Simpsons'". Sports Illustrated . November 18, 2016. Archived from the original on October 29, 2020. Retrieved November 12, 2019.
  2. ↑ Prewitt, Alex (November 12, 2019). "Lisa on Ice: Inside 'The Simpsons' Iconic Hockey Episode". Sports Illustrated . Archived from the original on October 26, 2020. Retrieved November 12, 2019.
  3. ↑ Snierson, Dan (September 15, 2016). "Simpsons reanimates Rabbi Krustofski, welcomes Natasha Lyonne". Entertainment Weekly . Archived from the original on August 3, 2024. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
  4. ↑ Pérez Gavilán, Sergio (August 14, 2017). "Las esculturas cinéticas de Theo Jansen llegaron a Los Simpsons". Vice (in Spanish). Archived from the original on August 3, 2024. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
  5. 1 2 Perkins, Dennis (December 11, 2016). "A fitfully funny Simpsons Christmas forgets the Simpsons". The A.V. Club . Archived from the original on December 12, 2016. Retrieved December 15, 2016.
  6. ↑ Sokol, Tony (December 11, 2016). "The Simpsons: The Nightmare After Krustmas Review". Den of Geek . Retrieved December 15, 2016.
  7. ↑ Porter, Rick (December 13, 2016). "'Simpsons,' 'Son of Zorn,' 'Last Man on Earth' and '60 Minutes' adjust down: Sunday final ratings". TV by the Numbers . Archived from the original on December 14, 2016. Retrieved December 13, 2016.
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.