The Simpsons Spin-Off Showcase - Cultural References

Cultural References

The whole episode is a satire of unoriginal, poor television writing and references and parodies many television series. When Troy McClure mentions that Fox can only fill up three slots for the next season, the three series are Melrose Place, The X-Files and The Simpsons itself. On the museum of television Troy walks by posters of spin-offs, such as The Ropers (spun off from Three's Company), Laverne and Shirley (spun off from Happy Days), Rhoda (spun off from The Mary Tyler Moore Show) and Fish (spun off from Barney Miller), to demonstrate the power of spin-offs. Troy walks by a poster of The Jeffersons (a spin-off of All in the Family) twice, because the writers could not think of any more spin-offs.

Chief Wiggum, P.I. is a parody of police-dramas, such as Miami Vice, Magnum, P.I. and Starsky and Hutch. Skinner emulates Don Johnson from Miami Vice in order to look scruffier. The character of Big Daddy is based on Dr. John, who comes from New Orleans.

The Love-matic Grampa is a parody of fantasy sitcoms such as Mister Ed, I Dream of Jeannie and Bewitched as well as having similarities to My Mother the Car. The Love-matic Grampa machine singing "Daisy Bell" in a distorted manner when its electrical circuits are failing is a reference to HAL from the 1968 film 2001: A Space Odyssey. Grampa also references All Quiet on the Western Front, when Moe says he "wrote the book on love". Moe's date, Betty, looks somewhat like Tress MacNeille, the actress who voiced her.

The Simpson Family Smile-Time Variety Hour is a parody of the 1960s and 1970s live variety shows. Mainly it is a parody of The Brady Bunch Hour, a short-lived spin-off of the 1970s sitcom The Brady Bunch. The replacement of Lisa in the third segment with another girl reflects the recasting of Jan Brady in the Brady Bunch Hour when Eve Plumb refused to participate. The Simpson family is made to look like The Partridge Family. Also, the segment holds numerous references to Laugh-In. Kent Brockman introduces the show from inside a broadcast booth in a style similar to Laugh-In, there is a joke wall similar to the one in Laugh-In where The Sea Captain opens a porthole. There is also a Laugh-In-like montage wherein other characters comments on the skit itself. When Hans Moleman reads a poem, it is based on Henry Gibson reading a poem on Laugh-In. Other shows parodied during the variety show include The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour, and The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour.

The songs parodied during the third segment are:

• "I Want Candy" by The Strangeloves, performed by the Simpson family.
• "Peppermint Twist" by Joey Dee and the Starlighters, performed by Bart, Lisa and Maggie.
• "Lollipop" by Ronald & Ruby, performed by Jasper Beardley.
• "Whip It" by Devo, performed by Waylon Smithers.

In the planned future for the show, Homer meets a green space alien named Ozmodiar that only he can see. This is a reference to The Great Gazoo, a character added into some of the final episodes of The Flintstones.