Thursdays with Abie

Last updated

"Thursdays with Abie"
The Simpsons episode
Episode no.Season 21
Episode 9
Directed byMike Frank Polcino
Written byMitch Glazer &
Don Payne
Production codeMABF02
Original air dateJanuary 3, 2010 (2010-01-03)
Guest appearances
Episode features
Couch gag Homer and the rest of the family get launched into a pinball game called "Couch Gag Chaos".
Episode chronology
← Previous
"O Brother, Where Bart Thou?"		Next →
"Once Upon a Time in Springfield"
The Simpsons (season 21)
List of episodes

"Thursdays with Abie" is the ninth episode of the twenty-first season of the American animated television series The Simpsons . In this episode, Grampa meets a human interest journalist who writes and publishes Grampa's life stories, which makes Homer jealous. While giving his story of Mr. Burns to the newspaper, he finds out that the journalist plots to kill Grampa. Meanwhile, Bart is forced to care for a stuffed lamb as part of a class project and gives the lamb to Lisa.

Contents

The episode was written by Mitch Glazer & Don Payne and directed by Mike Frank Polcino. Mitch Albom guest stars in the episode.

Being the first episode to air in the 2010s, it originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on January 3, 2010, "Thursdays with Abie" was watched by about 8.65 million people and received a 4.0 Nielsen rating .

The episode also received positive reviews from critics.

Plot

During a trip to a water park with the family, Abe meets a journalist named Marshall Goldman. Abe is thrilled that Marshall is interested in hearing his rambling anecdotes, and tells of the time he sat on and Animal trained a real shark during World War II, after the warship he served on was sunk by a torpedo (which they themselves fired earlier) in the Pacific Ocean. Marshall publishes Abe's story in the Springfield Shopper. When Homer reads Marshall's article, he is shocked that other people find Abe's stories interesting. In his next anecdote, Abe tells of giving a not-yet-famous Clark Gable a shoe shine at the Springfield railway station and lending him a copy of Gone with the Wind , but still remembers his anger at not being paid. A rapt Marshall writes up this story as well and Abe's fame grows. Homer decides to visit his father, but Abe tells him off, suggesting that Homer only wants to spend time with him now that he is famous. Later, Marge suggests that, in actuality, Homer is angry with himself for not having spent more time with his dad. Insulted at the not-so-false suggestion, Homer listens to Mr. Burns' anecdotes, writes his own column and takes it to the Springfield Shopper (where it is quickly shredded). While at the newspaper office, Homer sneaks into Marshall's office and discovers a manuscript that Marshall intends to submit for a Pulitzer Prize. The manuscript states that Abe is dead and Homer realizes that Marshall intends to kill Abe. He rushes to the railway station, but Abe and Marshall have already departed on a vintage train known as the Tinseltown Starliner (Clark Gable went to the same train after Abe does his shoe polishing). After knocking out Abe, Marshall attempts to suffocate him with a pillow. With the help of Lenny and Carl, Homer breaks through a window just as Marshall pulls out a gun. The two struggle, and then Abe pulls the emergency brake and Marshall is knocked out by a vast load of hat boxes. Homer and his father reconcile, with Abe telling Homer that he is ready for his first ramble.

Meanwhile, Bart has possession of Larry the Lamb, a stuffed sheep toy that each child in Mrs. Krabappel's room takes a turn caring for over a weekend, much to the dismay of Nelson, who says that Larry was "all that kept me sane" in song. Bart resents the stuffed toy, so Lisa offers to take care of him. However, she accidentally loses Larry down a storm drain. Bart goes in to retrieve him, and is chased by sewer rats and sewer cats before finding Larry atop a pipe. Bart uses Larry to slide to safety but the toy rips and Bart unceremoniously crashes through a grate to a beach, where Agnes Skinner (who all this time has heard the children calling out for "Larry") tells Bart to "Give him my number. I'll teach him things. Things he can use."

Production

The episode was written by Mitch Glazer & Don Payne and directed by Mike Frank Polcino. Mitch Albom who wrote Tuesdays with Morrie makes a guest appearance. [1]

Cultural references

"Thursdays with Abie" serves as a parody of Tuesdays with Morrie in which Mitch Albom learns about life values from his former teacher Morrie Schwartz. [2] Simpsons voice actor Hank Azaria, who voices Marshall, also played Albom in the film based on Tuesdays with Morrie . The opening Flyby gag is a parody of the Wicked Witch of the West from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz . [3] The Slimu octopus is a parody of Shamu, the killer whale. [2] The song that plays during the train station scenes is the American jazz standard "Chattanooga Choo Choo". Also Nelson sings a different version of "Mary Had a Little Lamb". [2]

Reception

In its original American broadcast, "Thursdays with Abie" was viewed by an estimated 8.65 million households and received a rating of 4.0 rating/10 share in the 18/49 rating being the most viewed and highest rated episode on Fox's Animation Domination . [4] The show ranked seventh in the 18/49 rating and was third on Fox for the week after The OT and The Allstate Sugar Bowl and made it 20th in the weekly ratings (it was still Fox's top rated scripted show). [5]

The episode got a positive review from IGN's Robert Canning giving it an 8.4/10 and saying that "Overall, the episode was a success, using one of the best Simpsons running jokes to tell an engaging and even sentimental tale". [2]

Emily VanDerWerff of The A.V. Club gave episode a C+ saying that "Most of the core relationships on The Simpsons have hung on to their ability to move us. Most Homer and Lisa episodes are still touching on some level, while most Bart and Lisa episodes play off the two's easy camaraderie. One of the exceptions to this rule is the relationship between Homer and his dad. The two had some great episodes in the show's early going, as the series examined the way that Abe's inability to be a good single parent reverberated down through the years (in a much, much funnier way than that sounds)." [6]

Jason Hughes of TV Squad stated in his review "I didn't find the episode particularly funny, but I appreciated that The Simpsons did bring a bit of that emotion back to the character's relations". [7]

Dan Castellaneta was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance at the 62nd Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards for playing Abraham Simpson and Homer Simpson in this episode, but lost to Anne Hathaway who won for her role in another The Simpsons episode "Once Upon a Time in Springfield." [8] [9]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grampa Simpson</span> Recurring character in The Simpsons

Abraham Jebediah "Abe" Simpson II, better known as Grampa Simpson, is a recurring character in the animated television series The Simpsons. He made his first appearance in the episode entitled "Grandpa and the Kids", a one-minute Simpsons short on The Tracey Ullman Show, before the debut of the television show in 1989.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Like Father, Like Clown</span> 6th episode of the 3rd season of The Simpsons

"Like Father, Like Clown" is the sixth episode of the third season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on October 24, 1991. In the episode, Krusty the Clown reveals to the Simpsons that he is Jewish and that his father, Rabbi Hyman Krustofsky, kicked him out for pursuing a career in comedy. Bart and Lisa try to reunite a heartbroken Krusty with his estranged father.

<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.

"Lady Bouvier's Lover" is the twenty-first and penultimate 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 May 12, 1994. In the episode, Abe Simpson falls in love with Marge's mother, Jacqueline Bouvier, and they start dating. However, on a night out in town, she is charmed by Mr. Burns. Abe is brokenhearted when he learns that Jacqueline is going to marry Mr. Burns.

"Raging Abe Simpson and His Grumbling Grandson in 'The Curse of the Flying Hellfish'" is the twenty-second 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 April 28, 1996.

"The Old Man and the Key" is the thirteenth episode of the thirteenth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It first aired in the United States on the Fox network on March 10, 2002. In the episode, Grampa Simpson falls in love with Zelda, an old woman who has just moved into the senior home in which Grampa lives. However, Grampa is not the only one in the home who is infatuated with Zelda.

"Bart After Dark" is the fifth episode of the eighth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on November 24, 1996. After accidentally breaking a stone gargoyle at a local house, Bart is forced to work there as punishment. He assumes it will be boring work, but is surprised when he learns that it is actually a burlesque house. Marge is horrified when she learns of the burlesque house, and resolves to have it shut down. The episode was directed by Dominic Polcino and written by Richard Appel.

"Million Dollar Abie" is the sixteenth episode of the seventeenth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on April 2, 2006. This is the first episode to have a parody title of the film Million Dollar Baby, with the second being "Million Dollar Maybe" in season 21.

<i>The Simpsons</i> season 7 Season of television series

The seventh season of the American animated television series The Simpsons originally aired on the Fox network between September 17, 1995, and May 19, 1996. The show runners for the seventh production season were Bill Oakley and Josh Weinstein who would executive produce 21 episodes this season. David Mirkin executive produced the remaining four, including two hold overs that were produced for the previous season. The season was nominated for two Primetime Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Animated Program and won an Annie Award for Best Animated Television Program. The DVD box set was released in Region 1 on December 13, 2005, Region 2 on January 30, 2006, and Region 4 on March 22, 2006. The set was released in two different forms: a Marge-shaped box and also a standard rectangular-shaped box in which the theme is a movie premiere.

<i>The Simpsons</i> season 6 Season of television series

The sixth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons originally aired on the Fox network between September 4, 1994, and May 21, 1995, and consists of 25 episodes. The Simpsons is an animated series about a working class family, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie. The show is set in the fictional city of Springfield, and lampoons American culture, society, television and many aspects of the human condition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Once Upon a Time in Springfield</span> 10th episode of the 21st season of The Simpsons

"Once Upon a Time in Springfield" is the tenth episode of the twenty-first season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on January 10, 2010. It was promoted as the 450th episode of the series, but is actually the 451st, and aired alongside The Simpsons 20th Anniversary Special – In 3-D! On Ice!. The episode is dedicated to posthumous guest star Eartha Kitt, who died December 25, 2008, over one year before the episode first aired.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Holidays of Future Passed</span> 9th episode of the 23rd season of The Simpsons

"Holidays of Future Passed" is the ninth episode of the twenty-third season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on December 11, 2011. Most of the episode is set thirty years into the future, when Bart and Lisa take their children with them to Homer and Marge's house over Christmas, while a pregnant Maggie goes into labor. Bart has divorced his wife, Jenda, and is struggling to become a better father for his two boys, while Lisa has trouble connecting with her rebellious teenage daughter, Zia. The Simpsons creator Matt Groening made a minor uncredited cameo appearance as a sports commentator shouting "goal!" during a soccer game.

"Gone Abie Gone" is the fourth episode of the twenty-fourth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons and the 512th episode overall. The episode was directed by Matthew Nastuk and written by Joel H. Cohen. It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on November 11, 2012. The episode received mixed reviews.

"A Father's Watch" is the eighteenth episode of the twenty-eighth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons, and the 614th episode of the series overall. The episode was directed by Bob Anderson and written by Simon Rich. It aired in the United States on Fox on March 19, 2017.

"Looking for Mr. Goodbart" is the twentieth episode of the twenty-eighth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons, and the 616th episode of the series overall. The episode was directed by Mike Frank Polcino and written by Carolyn Omine. It aired in the United States on Fox on April 30, 2017, and the United Kingdom on Sky 1 on May 14, 2017.

"Gone Boy" is the ninth episode of the twenty-ninth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons, and the 627th episode of the series overall. The episode was directed by Rob Oliver and written by John Frink. It aired in the United States on Fox on December 10, 2017. The title is a spoof of the novel Gone Girl.

"Forgive and Regret" is the eighteenth episode of the twenty-ninth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons, and the 636th episode of the series overall. The episode was directed by Rob Oliver and written by Bill Odenkirk. It aired in the United States on Fox on April 29, 2018.

"Mad About the Toy" is the eleventh episode of the thirtieth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons, and the 650th episode overall. The episode was directed by Rob Oliver and written by Michael Price. It aired in the United States on Fox on January 6, 2019.

"Better Off Ned" is the 16th episode of the thirty-first season of the American animated television series The Simpsons, and the 678th episode overall. It aired in the United States on Fox on March 15, 2020. The episode was directed by Rob Oliver and was written by Joel H. Cohen and Jeff Westbrook.

"The Man from G.R.A.M.P.A." is the 21st and penultimate episode of the thirty-second season of the American animated television series The Simpsons, and the 705th episode overall. It aired in the United States on Fox on May 16, 2021. The episode was directed by Mike Frank Polcino, and written by Carolyn Omine. In this episode, Homer meets a British secret agent.

References

  1. ↑ "Fox Primetime". Fox Flash. Archived from the original on December 4, 2010. Retrieved July 31, 2010.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Canning, Robert (January 4, 2010). "The Simpsons: "Thursdays with Abie" Review". IGN . Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  3. ↑ Ponywether, Ariel (January 13, 2010). "Review – The Simpsons: "Thursdays with Abie"". Firefox News. Archived from the original on April 14, 2013. Retrieved July 11, 2010.
  4. ↑ Gorman, Bill (January 4, 2010). "TV Ratings: Sunday Night Football Finishes On Top; Simpsons, Housewives Return Up". TV by the Numbers . Archived from the original on January 1, 2014. Retrieved January 17, 2022.
  5. ↑ Seidman, Robert (January 5, 2010). "TV Ratings: Pro and College Football and Desperate Housewives top weekly viewing". TV by the Numbers . Archived from the original on January 11, 2010. Retrieved July 31, 2010.
  6. ↑ VanDerWerff, Emily (January 4, 2010). ""Thursdays with Abie"/"Field of Streams"/"Big Man on Hippocampus"/"Don't Look a Smith Horse in the Mouth"". The A.V. Club . Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  7. ↑ Hughes, Jason (January 4, 2010). "Review: The Simpsons – Thursdays with Abie". HuffPost TV. Archived from the original on February 8, 2013. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
  8. ↑ "62nd Primetime Emmy Award Nominations". CBS News . July 8, 2010. Retrieved July 31, 2023.
  9. ↑ Day, Patrick Kevin; Fung, Lisa (August 29, 2010). "2010 Primetime Emmy Awards nominations & winners list". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved July 31, 2023.
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.