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Ice Cream of Margie (With the Light Blue Hair)
Encyclopedia
"Ice Cream of Margie" is the seventh episode of The Simpsons
' eighteenth season
, originally airing on the Fox network in the United States on November 26, 2006. In the episode, Homer gets fired from the nuclear power plant and takes over an ice cream truck business, while a depressed Marge creates Popsicle
-stick sculptures to keep busy. The sculptures quickly become popular, and Marge is excited to have a purpose in life until a turn of events divides the Simpsons household. It was written by Carolyn Omine
, and directed by Matthew Nastuk
. In its original run, the episode received 10.90 million viewers.
for playing with Carl and Lenny what seems to be a form of hockey
with office supplies; Homer gets in more trouble when he fantasizes that Mr. Burns is an ice cream cone and tries to lick him. Homer uses a $100 bill to buy a 25 cent ice cream from an ice cream man named Max. Max collapses and dies while changing the bill into coins. Max's widow gives the truck to Homer, and Homer has Otto
make the truck fashionable. Opal, a parody of The Oprah Winfrey Show
, has a show about successful women, which sends Marge into a deep depression, as she feels she has not done anything with her life. Marge is inspired by all the Popsicle-sticks Homer brings home, and makes sculptures out of them.
Kent Brockman
sees these sculptures and interviews Marge, who says she creates them so they will serve as a reminder of her when she is gone. Kent includes her on a news special, Kent Brockman's Kentresting People. Thanks to the publicity, Rich Texan creates an art show to showcase Marge's talent; however, it opens on Saturday, a day with high ice cream sales. Homer promises to return by 3 o'clock to see the art show. He loses track of time and hurries home, but accidentally crashes into his own lawn in the process, destroying all of Marge's sculptures. Marge says that Homer has ruined her dreams and locks herself in the bedroom.
Homer tries to express how bad he feels by slipping pictures of himself under the door but falls asleep. When he wakes up, Marge is gone and Grandpa
is looking after Bart
and Lisa
, who tell him that Marge left hours ago. Marge is on top of city hall, where she declares she will show the world how she feels about Homer. She reveals the largest Popsicle sculpture she has ever made, and the subject is Homer. Marge realizes that Homer tried to keep his promise to her and make it on time, not that he did not care, much to the shock of a nearby Opal. Marge apologizes to Homer for the way that she acted, Homer apologizes for ruining her sculptures, and the two reunite. The scene shifts 200 years into the future, where that Homer sculpture is the only remaining element of Western art in a world where iPods have conquered humanity, whipping them with headphones for a hobby
.
deemed the entire episode boring and said it had no general quality to make it interesting. He did, however, enjoy Carl Carlson's line to Lenny Leonard: "See, statements like that are why people think we're gay". He also appreciated the Ali G parody. He gave the episode a final rating of 5.2/10. Adam Finley of TV Squad gave the episode a negative review, and like Iverson, said that it was boring.
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
The Simpsons (season 18)
The Simpsons 18th season aired from September 10, 2006 to May 20, 2007. The season contained seven hold-over episodes from the season 17 production line. Al Jean served as the Showrunner, a position he has held since the thirteenth season....
, originally airing on the Fox network in the United States on November 26, 2006. In the episode, Homer gets fired from the nuclear power plant and takes over an ice cream truck business, while a depressed Marge creates Popsicle
Popsicle
Popsicle is the most popular brand of ice pop in the United States and Canada. The first ice pop was created by accident in 1905 when 11-year-old Frank Epperson left a cup of soda on his porch in cold weather overnight. The next morning he went to go get the soda and it was frozen, so he put two...
-stick sculptures to keep busy. The sculptures quickly become popular, and Marge is excited to have a purpose in life until a turn of events divides the Simpsons household. It was written by Carolyn Omine
Carolyn Omine
Carolyn Omine is an American television writer. She has written for Full House, The Parent 'Hood and The Simpsons. She was credited as an executive producer by the Simpsons' 17th season, although this changed to a producer in the 18th....
, and directed by Matthew Nastuk
Matthew Nastuk
Matthew Nastuk is an animation director on The Simpsons. He started directing during the tenth season, and has since directed over a dozen episodes and continues to direct today.-Season Ten:...
. In its original run, the episode received 10.90 million viewers.
Plot
Mr. Burns fires Homer SimpsonHomer Simpson
Homer Jay Simpson is a fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons and the patriarch of the eponymous family. He is voiced by Dan Castellaneta and first appeared on television, along with the rest of his family, in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987...
for playing with Carl and Lenny what seems to be a form of hockey
Hockey
Hockey is a family of sports in which two teams play against each other by trying to maneuver a ball or a puck into the opponent's goal using a hockey stick.-Etymology:...
with office supplies; Homer gets in more trouble when he fantasizes that Mr. Burns is an ice cream cone and tries to lick him. Homer uses a $100 bill to buy a 25 cent ice cream from an ice cream man named Max. Max collapses and dies while changing the bill into coins. Max's widow gives the truck to Homer, and Homer has Otto
Otto Mann
Otto Mann is a fictional character on the animated TV series The Simpsons, voiced by Harry Shearer. He is the school bus driver for Springfield Elementary School...
make the truck fashionable. Opal, a parody of The Oprah Winfrey Show
The Oprah Winfrey Show
The Oprah Winfrey Show is an American syndicated talk show hosted and produced by its namesake Oprah Winfrey. It ran nationally for 25 seasons beginning in 1986, before concluding in 2011. It is the highest-rated talk show in American television history....
, has a show about successful women, which sends Marge into a deep depression, as she feels she has not done anything with her life. Marge is inspired by all the Popsicle-sticks Homer brings home, and makes sculptures out of them.
Kent Brockman
Kent Brockman
Kent Brockman is a fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons. He is voiced by Harry Shearer and first appeared in the episode "Krusty Gets Busted"...
sees these sculptures and interviews Marge, who says she creates them so they will serve as a reminder of her when she is gone. Kent includes her on a news special, Kent Brockman's Kentresting People. Thanks to the publicity, Rich Texan creates an art show to showcase Marge's talent; however, it opens on Saturday, a day with high ice cream sales. Homer promises to return by 3 o'clock to see the art show. He loses track of time and hurries home, but accidentally crashes into his own lawn in the process, destroying all of Marge's sculptures. Marge says that Homer has ruined her dreams and locks herself in the bedroom.
Homer tries to express how bad he feels by slipping pictures of himself under the door but falls asleep. When he wakes up, Marge is gone and Grandpa
Abraham Simpson
Abraham J. "Abe" Simpson, often known simply as Grampa, is a fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons. He is voiced by Dan Castellaneta and he is also the patriarch of the Simpson family, the father of Homer Simpson, and the grandfather of Bart, Lisa, and Maggie Simpson...
is looking after Bart
Bart Simpson
Bartholomew JoJo "Bart" Simpson is a fictional main character in the animated television series The Simpsons and part of the Simpson family. He is voiced by actress Nancy Cartwright and first appeared on television in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987...
and Lisa
Lisa Simpson
Lisa Marie Simpson is a fictional main character in the animated television series The Simpsons. She is the middle child of the Simpson family. Voiced by Yeardley Smith, Lisa first appeared on television in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987. Cartoonist Matt Groening...
, who tell him that Marge left hours ago. Marge is on top of city hall, where she declares she will show the world how she feels about Homer. She reveals the largest Popsicle sculpture she has ever made, and the subject is Homer. Marge realizes that Homer tried to keep his promise to her and make it on time, not that he did not care, much to the shock of a nearby Opal. Marge apologizes to Homer for the way that she acted, Homer apologizes for ruining her sculptures, and the two reunite. The scene shifts 200 years into the future, where that Homer sculpture is the only remaining element of Western art in a world where iPods have conquered humanity, whipping them with headphones for a hobby
Sadistic personality disorder
Sadistic personality disorder is a diagnosis which appeared only in an appendix of the revised third edition of the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders . The current version of the DSM does not include it, so it is no longer considered a valid...
.
Cultural references
- This episode's title is a reference to the first words of Stephen FosterStephen FosterStephen Collins Foster , known as the "father of American music", was the pre-eminent songwriter in the United States of the 19th century...
's "Jeanie with the Light Brown HairJeanie with the Light Brown Hair"Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair" is a parlor song by Stephen Foster . It was published by Firth, Pond & Co. of New York in 1854. Foster wrote the song with his wife Jane McDowell in mind. "Jeanie" was a notorious beneficiary of the ASCAP boycott of 1941...
," lyrics that also inspired the title of the sitcom I Dream of JeannieI Dream of JeannieI Dream of Jeannie is a 1960s American sitcom with a fantasy premise. The show starred Barbara Eden as a 2,000-year-old genie, and Larry Hagman as an astronaut who becomes her master, with whom she falls in love and eventually marries...
. - Greta Wolfcastle makes a non-speaking cameo appearance in this episode.
- The episode features the songs "Get Ur Freak OnGet Ur Freak On"Get Ur Freak On" is a hip hop song written by American rapper/singer Missy Elliott and her producer Tim "Timbaland" Mosley for Elliott's third studio album Miss E... So Addictive. Released as the album's first single in 2001, the track reached #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, becoming Missy...
" by Missy ElliottMissy ElliottMelissa Arnette "Missy" Elliott , is an American rapper, singer-songwriter, record producer, and actressA five-time Grammy Award winner, Elliott, with record sales of over seven million in the United States, is the only female rapper to have five albums certified platinum by the RIAA, including one...
, "Money for NothingMoney for Nothing (song)"Money for Nothing" is a single by British rock band Dire Straits, taken from their 1985 album Brothers in Arms. It was one of Dire Straits' most successful singles, peaking at number one for three weeks in the United States, and it also reached number one for three weeks on the U.S. Mainstream...
" by Dire StraitsDire StraitsDire Straits were a British rock band active from 1977 to 1995, composed of Mark Knopfler , his younger brother David Knopfler , John Illsley , and Pick Withers .Dire Straits' sound drew from a variety of musical influences, including jazz, folk, blues, and came closest...
, "Feels So GoodFeels So Good (Chuck Mangione song)"Feels So Good" is the title of a 1978 instrumental by the American flugelhorn player Chuck Mangione. It was both written and produced by Mangione and is the title track from his 1977 album....
" by Chuck MangioneChuck MangioneCharles Frank "Chuck" Mangione is an American flugelhorn player and composer who achieved international success in 1977 with his jazz-pop single, "Feels So Good." Mangione has released more than thirty albums since 1960.-Early life and career:...
, and varied scorings of "Pop Goes the WeaselPop Goes the Weasel"Pop! Goes the Weasel" is an English language nursery rhyme and singing game. It has a Roud Folk Song Index number of 5249.-Lyrics:There are many different versions of the lyrics to the song...
". - The revelation of the customized ice cream truck is a parody of Pimp My RidePimp My RidePimp My Ride is a TV show produced by MTV. Each episode consists of taking one car in poor condition and restoring it and customizing it.The original United States version was hosted by rapper Xzibit...
(which, coincidentally, had an episode in which a man had a broken-down ice cream truck that he wanted Xzibit to pimp out); Bart also says "Wow Otto, you totally pimped Dad's ride". - The scene where Homer gets dressed as an ice cream man is a reference to the opening of Da Ali G ShowDa Ali G ShowDa Ali G Show is the name of two related satirical TV series created by and starring British comedian Sacha Baron Cohen and featuring the character Ali G....
. - The TV show Marge watches, Opal, is a parody of The Oprah Winfrey ShowThe Oprah Winfrey ShowThe Oprah Winfrey Show is an American syndicated talk show hosted and produced by its namesake Oprah Winfrey. It ran nationally for 25 seasons beginning in 1986, before concluding in 2011. It is the highest-rated talk show in American television history....
. Opal reappears in "Husbands and KnivesHusbands and Knives"Husbands and Knives" is the seventh episode of The Simpsons nineteenth season, and was first broadcast on November 18, 2007. It features guest appearances from Alan Moore, Art Spiegelman and Dan Clowes as themselves as well as Jack Black as Milo. It was written by Matt Selman and directed by Nancy...
" and "Funeral for a FiendFuneral for a Fiend"Funeral for a Fiend" is the eighth episode of The Simpsons nineteenth season and first aired on November 25, 2007. It was written by Michael Price and was directed by Rob Oliver. It features Kelsey Grammer in his tenth appearance as Sideshow Bob, as well as David Hyde Pierce in his second...
". - When Homer is speeding to Marge's art show, the theme from the 1970s TV show The Streets of San FranciscoThe Streets of San FranciscoThe Streets of San Francisco is a 1970s television police drama filmed on location in San Francisco, California, and produced by Quinn Martin Productions, with the first season produced in association with Warner Bros...
is heard. - Homer mistakes a huge Popsicle-stick sculpture of himself for Magilla GorillaMagilla GorillaThe Magilla Gorilla Show is an animated series for television produced by Hanna-Barbera for Screen Gems between 1963 and 1967, and originally sponsored in syndication by Ideal Toys from 1963 through 1966. The show also had other recurring characters, including Punkin' Puss & Mushmouse, and Ricochet...
. - The episode predicts a bleak future in which humanity is enslaved by anthropomorphic giant iPodIPodiPod is a line of portable media players created and marketed by Apple Inc. The product line-up currently consists of the hard drive-based iPod Classic, the touchscreen iPod Touch, the compact iPod Nano, and the ultra-compact iPod Shuffle...
s. - When Snake Jailbird hijacks the helicopter, he tells Kent Brockman about a "tie-up on the 101/405 interchange." The interchange between the 101 and 405 Freeways is actually in Sherman Oaks, California.
Reception
Dan Iverson of IGNIGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
deemed the entire episode boring and said it had no general quality to make it interesting. He did, however, enjoy Carl Carlson's line to Lenny Leonard: "See, statements like that are why people think we're gay". He also appreciated the Ali G parody. He gave the episode a final rating of 5.2/10. Adam Finley of TV Squad gave the episode a negative review, and like Iverson, said that it was boring.