For me, one of the most thrilling episodes of "The Simpsons" has always been "Cape Feare." It first aired when I was young enough to be really, really entranced by TV; I'd never seen anything like this. I was genuinely afraid of Sideshow Bob.
The new book "Stupid TV, Be More Funny" digs into "Cape Feare" (among other things). Someone on staff had seen the Scorsese/Nolte/Lange film and wanted to write a lengthy parody. This was unusual because all previous "Simpsons" parodies had been the length of one scene or one interlude. Suddenly, the cartoon was really digging into Scorsese's work; certain pages of dialogue very closely aligned themselves with actual Nolte dialogue from the cineplex.
I'm also fond of "22 Short Films"--particularly the exchange about "steamed hams"--and now I know that this script was a response to Quentin Tarantino. The writers were thinking about "Pulp Fiction" and about "non-linear storytelling."
A third script I love is "Homer's Enemy," and I now understand that this sequence was not instantly canonical. The episode was generally ignored when it first aired. Its brilliant idea is this: Imagine how a real and beleaguered adult American would react to a work life in the immediate vicinity of Homer Simpson. (I've always suspected that "Grimes" is a tip of the hat to Richard Yates, who included "the Grimes sisters" in his novel "The Easter Parade.") "Homer's Enemy" increases the tension until there is only one possible satisfying conclusion--then the script "goes there." Terrific writing.
I'm enjoying Siegel's book; obviously, it has the best title among all--all!--of the June releases. The graphic design and photos are also a plus.
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