Waiting for Duffman

Last updated

"Waiting for Duffman"
The Simpsons episode
Episode no.Season 26
Episode 17
Directed by Steven Dean Moore
Written by John Frink
Production codeTABF10
Original air dateMarch 15, 2015 (2015-03-15)
Guest appearances
Episode features
Couch gag The family is repeatedly sucked into a portal above the couch until Bart eventually separates from the rest, avoids getting beamed up, and closes the portal via a remote control. He then finds a severed Homer head.
Episode chronology
 Previous
"Sky Police"
Next 
"Peeping Mom"
The Simpsons (season 26)
List of episodes

"Waiting for Duffman" is the seventeenth episode of the twenty-sixth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons , and the 569th overall episode of the series. The episode was directed by Steven Dean Moore and written by John Frink. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on March 15, 2015. R. Lee Ermey reprises his role of Colonel Leslie Hapablap from "Sideshow Bob's Last Gleaming". The title is a play on Waiting for Guffman .

Contents

"Waiting for Duffman" was dedicated in memory of Sam Simon, a developer of The Simpsons, who died seven days before it aired.

Plot

When Barry Huffman (the man who plays Duffman) undergoes hip replacement surgery following an injury during a parade and retires, Duff Beer's owner Howard K. Duff VII sets up a reality show called "So You Think You Can Duff," presented by Cat Deeley in order to find his replacement. The judges for this competition are Der Zip Zorp (a best-selling Electronica artist that wears a computer monitor-shaped helmet), Missy LeBeau (a former Duff Girl and current senator from Oklahoma), and Rajneesh Superstar (a billionaire Mumbai entrepreneur). The competition is fierce until only Homer Simpson and one other competitor remain. Homer wins the competition after the other contestant is disqualified upon Der Zip Zorp detecting a tattoo of Duff Beer's competitor Olde Ogdenville Ale on his back. Howard K. Duff VII tells him that he has inserted him with a chip that will reveal if he drinks, because he must stay sober on the job.

While sober, Homer sees the misery that Duff is causing to the people and environment of Springfield. At a motor racing event, he gives out alcohol-free beer as a placebo in an attempt to convince the audience that alcohol is not essential for a good time. This angers them, and they form an angry mob. Howard K. Duff fires Homer and tells him that there was no chip, resulting in Homer's return to heavy drinking.

Following the incident, Howard K. Duff tracks down Barry Huffman (who is now working at a coffee shop) and convinces him to take his old job back.

Production

Cat Deeley was cast as herself, hosting a reality competition series for the next Duffman. [2] R. Lee Ermey reprised his role as Colonel Leslie Hapablap from the seventh season episode "Sideshow Bob's Last Gleaming." Stacy Keach continued his recurring role as H.K. Duff VII. [1]

For the episode's initial broadcast, the end credits included a clip of Sam Simon describing his work and a thank-you to him. Simon had died the week before on March 8, 2015. [3]

Cultural references

Ichabod Duff crossing the Duffaware River is a parody of George Washington's crossing of the Delaware River Washington Crossing the Delaware by Emanuel Leutze, MMA-NYC, 1851.jpg
Ichabod Duff crossing the Duffaware River is a parody of George Washington's crossing of the Delaware River

Reception

The episode received a 1.5 rating and was watched by a total of 3.59 million people, making it the most watched show on Fox that night. [6]

Dennis Perkins of The A.V. Club gave the episode a C rating, saying "There are a few funny lines scattered throughout ’Waiting For Duffman’ which provide exactly the quantity of laughs necessary to mark this as a serviceable Simpsons episode, without doing anything to rise above that standard." [4]

Tony Sokol of Den of Geek gave the episode 3 out of 5 stars. He stated that the episode had plenty of laughs but was tepid. [5]

Related Research Articles

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

Robert Onderdonk Terwilliger Jr., PhD, better known as Sideshow Bob, is a recurring character 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">Santa's Little Helper</span> Dog in The Simpsons animated TV series

Santa's Little Helper is a fictional dog in the American animated television series The Simpsons. He is the pet greyhound of the Simpson family. He was previously voiced by Frank Welker, and is currently voiced by Dan Castellaneta. The dog was introduced in the first episode of the show, the 1989 Christmas special "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire", in which his owner abandons him for finishing last in a greyhound race. Homer Simpson and his son Bart, who are at the race track in hope of winning some money for Christmas presents, see this and decide to adopt the dog.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Duffman</span> Fictional character and singer from The Simpsons franchise

Barry Huffman, more commonly known by his work name Duffman, is a character on the animated sitcom The Simpsons. He is the mascot and chief spokesperson for Duff Beer. It has been referenced, however, that the corporate mascot "Duffman" has actually been embodied by a number of different actors, though they are virtually identical. He is known for his staccato catchphrase: "Oh, yeah!". He is recognizable by his "Duff"-branded cap, wayfarer sunglasses, red cape, light blue bodysuit, and utility belt stocked with "Duff".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">R. Lee Ermey</span> US Marine sergeant and actor (1944–2018)

Ronald Lee Ermey was an American actor and U.S. Marine drill instructor. He achieved fame for his role as Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in the 1987 film Full Metal Jacket, which earned him a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Ermey was also a United States Marine Corps staff sergeant and an honorary gunnery sergeant.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cat Deeley</span> English television presenter (born 1976)

Catherine Elizabeth Deeley is an English television presenter and actress. She began her career as a co-presenter of the ITV children's show SMTV Live (1998–2002), for which she won a BAFTA Children's Award, and its spin-off chart show CD:UK (1998–2005). In 2003, Deeley co-presented the talent competition show Fame Academy on BBC One, and became the presenter of the ITV talent show Stars in Their Eyes.

"Cape Feare" is the second 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 October 7, 1993. The episode features guest star Kelsey Grammer in his third major appearance as Sideshow Bob, who attempts to kill Bart Simpson again after getting out of jail, spoofing the 1962 film Cape Fear and its 1991 remake. Both films are based on John D. MacDonald's 1957 novel The Executioners and allude to other horror films such as Psycho.

"Sideshow Bob's Last Gleaming" is the ninth 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 November 26, 1995. In this episode, Sideshow Bob attempts to rid Springfield of television by threatening to detonate an atomic bomb. When that backfires, he attempts to kill Bart once again, but this time along with Krusty the Clown.

"Hungry, Hungry Homer" is the fifteenth episode of the twelfth season of the American television series The Simpsons. It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on March 4, 2001. In the episode, Homer becomes a Good Samaritan after discovering the simple joys of helping people in need – which is put to the test when he goes on a hunger strike after the owner of the Springfield Isotopes baseball team attempts to discredit him when Homer stumbles on his plot to discreetly move the team to Albuquerque, New Mexico.

"Old Yeller-Belly" is the nineteenth episode of the fourteenth season of the American television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on May 4, 2003. Santa's Little Helper fails to help Homer when he is trapped in a fire. He is rebuffed by the family, but eventually accepted again.

"So It's Come to This: A Simpsons Clip Show" is the eighteenth episode of the fourth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on April Fools' Day, 1993. In the episode, Homer plays a series of practical jokes on Bart, and to get even, Bart shakes up a can of Homer's beer with a paint shaker. Homer opens the can, resulting in a huge explosion that lands him in the hospital, where he goes into a coma. At Homer's bedside, the Simpson family reminisce, mainly about moments relevant to Homer's life.

"Selma's Choice" is the thirteenth episode of the fourth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on January 21, 1993. In the episode, Selma decides to have a baby, inspired by her late aunt's advice that she not spend her life alone. She experiences what life with children is like by taking Bart and Lisa to the Duff Gardens amusement park, which does not go as planned.

"Duffless" is the sixteenth episode of the fourth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on February 18, 1993. Homer gets arrested for drunk driving, and Marge asks him to stop drinking beer for a month. Meanwhile, after Bart ruins Lisa's science fair project, she attempts to get revenge by proving that he is dumber than a hamster.

Products produced from <i>The Simpsons</i>

The long-running television animation The Simpsons has featured a number of fictional products, sometimes spoofs of real-life products, that have subsequently been recreated by real world companies attempting to exploit the popularity of The Simpsons. In 2007, as part of a "reverse product placement" marketing campaign for The Simpsons Movie, real life versions of a number of Simpsons products were sold in 7-Eleven stores. Real cans of Buzz Cola, boxes of Krusty-O's cereal, Squishees, and a special edition (#711) of the Radioactive Man Comic were all sold in stores alongside other The Simpsons merchandise.

<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.

Duff Beer is a brand of beer that originated as a fictional beverage on the American animated series The Simpsons. Beers using the Duff branding have been brewed in a number of countries, resulting in legal battles with varying results. An official version is sold in three variations near the Simpsons Ride at Universal Studios. In 2015, 20th Century Fox, the producer of The Simpsons, began selling licensed Duff beer in Chile, with a view to driving out brandjacking.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Homerazzi</span> 16th episode of the 18th season of The Simpsons

"Homerazzi" is the sixteenth 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 March 25, 2007. It was written by J. Stewart Burns, directed by Matthew Nastuk, and guest starred J.K. Simmons as the tabloid editor, Betty White as herself, and Jon Lovitz as Enrico Irritazio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Treehouse of Horror XXIV</span> 2nd episode of the 25th season of The Simpsons

"Treehouse of Horror XXIV" is the second episode of the twenty-fifth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons and the 532nd episode of the series. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on October 6, 2013. The episode was written by Jeff Westbrook and directed by Rob Oliver.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Simpsons Guy</span> 1st episode of the 13th season of Family Guy

"The Simpsons Guy" is the first episode of the thirteenth season of the American animated television series Family Guy, and the 232nd overall episode. It is a 44-minute-long crossover with The Simpsons, and was written by Patrick Meighan and directed by Peter Shin. It originally aired in the United States on September 28, 2014, on Fox, where both The Simpsons and Family Guy have aired since their respective debuts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Treehouse of Horror XXVII</span> 4th episode of the 28th season of The Simpsons

"Treehouse of Horror XXVII" is the fourth episode of the twenty-eighth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons, the 27th episode in the Treehouse of Horror series of Halloween specials, and the 600th episode of the series overall. The episode was directed by Steven Dean Moore and written by Joel H. Cohen. It aired in the United States on Fox on October 16, 2016.

"Lisa Gets the Blues" is the seventeenth episode of the twenty-ninth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons, and the 635th episode of the series overall. The episode was directed by Bob Anderson and written by David Silverman and Brian Kelley. It aired in the United States on Fox on April 22, 2018.

References

  1. 1 2 Swift, Andy (March 13, 2015). "[VIDEO] 'The Simpsons' Season 26 — Cat Deeley Guest-Stars". TVLine . Archived from the original on November 29, 2022. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
  2. Slezak, Michael (March 5, 2015). "The Simpsons First Look: Cat Deeley Gets Animated! Plus: The SYTYCD Host Shares an LOL Seacrest Zinger!". TVLine . Retrieved July 9, 2023.
  3. Harnick, Chris (March 16, 2015). "The Simpsons Honors Sam Simon With Touching Tribute". E! Online . Retrieved July 9, 2023.
  4. 1 2 Perkins, Dennis (March 15, 2015). "Review: The Simpsons: "Waiting For Duffman"". The A.V. Club . Retrieved May 4, 2015.
  5. 1 2 Sokol, Tony (March 16, 2015). "The Simpsons: Waiting for Duffman Review". Den of Geek . Retrieved July 9, 2023.
  6. Bibel, Sara (March 17, 2015). "Sunday Final Ratings: 'The Last Man on Earth', 'Secrets & Lies', 'Battle Creek' & '60 Minutes' Adjusted Up". TV by the Numbers . Archived from the original on March 18, 2015. Retrieved May 4, 2015.