(long) A review of "All's Fair in Oven War (FABF20)"
Benjamin Robinson
It's tough these days to be a moral example. Lisa used to be a
straight arrow, but when pushed hard enough, she turned to cheating on
a classroom exam. Now, it's Marge's turn to show her failings, when
she sabotages her competitors' entries in a bakeoff. Sure, she was
just returning the treatment she got from a roomful of conniving
contestants but still, cheating is cheating. Oh, where will it end?
Now I don't believe in nothing no more. I'm going to law school.
Then again, maybe I'll just skip the law degree. "All's Fair in Oven
War" is a lighthearted episode focusing on the humor instead of moral
dilemmas or dramatic emotions. Matt Selman, the lead writer for this
episode, signals this early on when Marge and Homer decide to remodel
their kitchen. They hire a contractor, who assures them he will be
done in a matter of weeks. The very next scene is captioned, "Two
years later." Of course, nobody has aged a bit. And the Simpsons
have a kitchen that's three times bigger than the rest of the house.
And you just know in next week's episode the kitchen will be right
back to normal. The message from the writers is clear: We're not
taking this too seriously, and neither should you.
Marge's journey to the bakeoff begins, as do most family calamities,
with that kitchen re-do. At first, Homer bristles at the thought of
hiring a professional. "Those crooks charge for materials *and*
labor. Pick one, jerks!" he says. The writers play at a humor cliché
when Homer shocks himself by hammering an electrical junction box, and
says, "Now, let's do exactly the same thing again." Eventually, Homer
gives in on the contractor issue and Marge gets her dream kitchen. It
inspires her to jazz up her cooking, and soon she's competing to win
the Auntie Ovenbake bakeoff. If she wins, her face will be on the
Ovenbake box. To get there, though, she'll have to go against her
sense of fair play. This sounds like a setup where we might see Marge
give in to temptation, only to slowly regret her choice -- kind of
like Marge and Lisa's gradual misgivings in "Homer vs. Lisa and the
Eighth Commandment (7F13)." This episode goes for the laugh, so
Marge's decisions are made quickly, before the story can get too
heavy. Instead, we get a bunch of funny sponsors (I liked American
Pride Guided Missiles, myself), a good fantasy sequence from Homer,
and a funny gag involving Agnes and a metal door.
The kitchen renovation unearths Homer's old stash of "Playdude"
magazines. Bart and Milhouse discover these, and decide to re-create
the Hefner lifestyle in Bart's treehouse. (John Ashcroft types can
relax; the boys only get the magazines after Marge bowdlerizes them by
cutting out all the girly pictures.) The boys do a pretty good job of
re-creating the 70s-era jet-setter scene, but we've seen Bart pull
this faux-sophisticate shtick before, and it's not quite as amusing as
the writers think it is. What really makes this story, in my opinion
is Bart and Milhouse's naivete regarding things sexual. Bart thinks
"getting some" has something to do with toys, and when "Playdude"
suggests some tips to throw "orgies," neither boy is sure what the
word means. It's nice to see that the writers understand the kids are
funnier when they act as kids, rather than really short adults. Come
to think of it, many Matt Selman episodes show a deft touch when
writing for the younger characters.
There's also a deft touch with the "seriousness level" of this
episode. While obviously not deep, it isn't excessively cartoony,
either. There are no sturgeons dropping from the sky, fiber optic
handcuffs bursting into flame, and no "fictional" characters coming to
life and talking to "real" people. (Well, at least not outside
Homer's daydream.) I appreciate that.
If you had given me two episodes I'd never seen before, one by Ian
Maxtone-Graham and one by Matt Selman, and asked me to pick which one
would be silly fun, I'd have answered Maxtone-Graham. Yet the show he
did write, "Lisa Gets an 'A' (AABF03)," thoughtfully explored new
aspects of Lisa's complex character. With "All's Fair in Oven War,"
Selman and his team turned in an episode that's often funny, if
slightly superficial. In the past, I might have complained about
that, but I've come to realize that it's okay for the show to kick
back from time to time and just have some fun. Different recipes for
different tastes, after all.
[The short of it]
Early on, the writers signal they're not taking this episode too
seriously, and neither should you. Marge's moral dilemma, regarding
whether or not to sabotage bakeoff contestants before they can
sabotage her, takes a back seat to the jokes in this one. Enough of
them work to make this episode fun even if it isn't emotionally deep.
Bart and Milhouse's attempts to revive the 70s Playboy lifestyle are
funniest when the boys expose their naivete on the subject. The home-
renovation starting plot is also good for several laughs. In the
past, I might have complained that this show didn't explore Marge's
dilemma deeply enough, but now I think an occasional "just for laughs"
episode like this one is just fine. (B+)
[DYNs]
... Nelson writes "Speedo" on the waistband of his underwear?
... in the wide shot of the convention center, we see that Otto is
one of the bakeoff contestants?
[References]
Rep. Fred Gandy
Rep. Sonny Bono (Congressmen)
- elected to Congress years after cheesy acting jobs
Playboy (men's magazine)
- Bart stumbles onto a cache of Springfield's traditional
equivalent, "Playdude"
demonstration at Kent State
- clash between National Guard and students at this Ohio college
left four students dead; "four dead in Ohio"
"Gravity's Rainbow" (novel)
- Thomas Pynchon plans a "Gravity's Rainbow Cookbook"
"The Crying of Lot 49" (novel)
- one of the recipes is "The Frying of Latke 49"
(a latke is a potato pancake, and one of the staples of Eastern
European Jewish cooking)
Betty Crocker
- Auntie Ovenfresh character vaguely similar
- Marge calls the cheating contestants "Betty Crookeds"
Little Debbie's (snack food maker)
- one of the bakeoff sponsors is, "Li'l Fatso"
Sherwin Williams (paint)
- Drizzler's Gravies logo similar to S-W's "We cover the Earth"
logo
Taster's Choice (coffee)
- one of the sponsors is Quetzalcoatl's Choice Mexican food
Tastykake (snack food maker)
- Stuart calls Marge's recipe a "tasty-fake"
Chicken of the Sea (brand tuna)
- McAllister's bakeoff entry is, "Pizza of the Sea"
Pringles (potato chips/crisps)
Pillsbury (dough products)
Star-Kist (tuna)
Froot Loops (cereal)
Green Giant (frozen vegetables)
Count Chocula (cereal)
Land O' Lakes (butter)
- the mascots for these products are invited to Homer's imagined
party, although they are not mentioned by name
[For the record the mascots are: The mustachioed guy
(Pringles), the Pillsbury Doughboy, Charlie (Star-Kist), Toucan
Sam (Froot Loops), the Green Giant (only his feet are seen),
Count Chocula (in the portrait by the door), and the Indian
maiden (Land O' Lakes)]
Planter's nuts
- Homer identifies Mr. Cashew (cf. Mr. Peanut)
Keebler (cookie maker)
- Homer sees the "Koobler dwarves," who spoof of the Keebler elves
Rice Krispies (cereal)
- their mascots are Snap, Crackle, and Pop; Homer spots "Snip,
Krinkle, and Poof"
Twinkies (snack cake)
- Homer bear-hugs "Twinkle the Kid" to death
"Iron Chef" (TV series)
- the bakeoff final set looks like Kitchen Stadium
"The Godfather" (movie)
- James Caan's character the victim of a hit at a tollbooth
(at least, I assume that was Caan's character. The joke doesn't
make sense otherwise)
[Previous Episode References]
[4F15] Simpson family member (almost) catapulted
[5F06] Cookie Kwan still patrols the West Side for Red Blazer Realty
[9F06], [9F19] Bart imitates Hugh Hefner
[FABF05] Thomas Pynchon "appears"
[FABF13] Homer kills his snack food heroes in one of his fantasies
[3G03] Norman Mailer's Playdude/Playboy career mentioned
[FFF]
"Playdude" cover:
P L A Y D U D E
THE GIRLS OF KENT STATE:
FOUR NUDE IN OHIO
Contractor's truck:
-----
/J & J\
+-- ---+
|CONSTRUCTION|
+------------+
THE VAGUE ANSWER PEOPLE
Church sign:
CHURCH POT LUCK:
WHAT A FRIEND
WE HAVE IN
CHEESE PUFFS
Springfield Shopper headlines:
FATHER OF EIGHT MISSING
STEVE BARNES OPENS
CONVENIENCE STORE
Bakeoff banner:
+-------------+
|BAKEOFF TODAY|
+-------------+
WARNING
FIRST TEN ROWS
MAY GET FAT
Bakeoff sponsors:
Li'l Fatso [gravy boat]
[fat boy] Drizzler's Gravies
CUPCAKES [Earth]
AMERICAN PRIDE QUETZALCOATL'S
[missile] CHOICE
RADAR GUIDED /-------\
MISSILE SYSTEMS |Tastier|
[Aztec] < than a |
| human |
|heart. |
\-------/
Mexican Food
Bart's treehouse sign:
PLAYDUDE MANSION
- SPRINGFIELD -
YOU MUST
BE COOLER
THAN THIS
TO ENTER
[MILHOUSE]
Ear medicine bottle:
Rx Springfield Pharmacy
-----------------------
B a b y E a r
M e d i c i n e
Maggie Simpson
Cap'n McAllister's Pizza:
PIZZA
of the
SEA
Sign by doorknob:
CAUTION:
WET
PAINTED
KEYHOLE
Lisa's homemade card:
[front] [inside]
I look up ... because you
to you... let me down
[Happy] [Sad ]
[Lisa ] [Lisa]
[Oops!]
= After they are catapulted, the family's angle of descent looked a
little off. It looked as though they were launched from a point
behind the audience.
Anti-Goof: Agnes's dent stays in the metal door even after it's no
longer needed for the joke.
[Personal Comments & Observations]
>> Meta-Reference Corner
Mulling over the prospect of being the model for Auntie Ovenfresh,
Marge says, "It would be a hoot to have my face on everything." She
needs to check out what the "Simpsons" licensing department is up to
nowadays.
>> Musical References
Homer imagines himself blasting Journey's "Separate Ways" on the
stereo.
>> And get this -- they'll even keep your food cold!
Sub-Zero is the best-known maker of "in-cabinet" style refrigerators.
These are the kind designed to blend in with the rest of the kitchen
cabinetry. They're shallower than the standard refrigerator and wider
to make up for the lost volume. Homer assumes the name means they'll
keep food cooler than usual, but their advantage is purely in looks;
functionally, I don't think they do anything a run-of-the-mill Kenmore
won't do. In spite of this, Sub-Zero fridges are a big-ticket kitchen
item, and would be right at home in the Simpsons' new $100K kitchen.
>> Personality Parade
Bella Abzug -- Pro-feminist Congresswoman, er, Congressperson.
Virginia Woolf -- Author. I think the recent movie "The Hours" was
based on either her work, or a specific book she wrote.
Thomas Pynchon -- Another writer (which is going to be a theme for
tonight). In spite of his *two* appearances on one of America's most
popular TV shows, Pynchon remains very publicity-shy. I doubt he goes
outside with a paper bag over his head, but there are no official
publicity photos of the man.
James Caan -- Actor, famous for roles in "Brian's Song," "The
Godfather," and "Rollerball." He must have honked off somebody in
Hollywood, because his career went into a chill after that. (Although
according to his Imdb.com biography he has had comeback roles, like
the detective in the movie version of "Alien Nation.")
John Cheever -- Writer. I'm not too ashamed to admit that I only
recognize the name from that episode of "Seinfeld" where Susan's cabin
burns down.
Norman Mailer -- Writer and frequent "Playboy" contributor.
Mickey Mantle -- Famous baseball player. Mantle had a storied career,
but what's important for this story is that he also had to battle some
personal demons. This is why Marge cites him as a hero with "feet of
clay."
>> Tollbooth Car Watch
James Caan and Brandine drive off in a powder blue 1965 Mustang
convertible.
--
Benjamin Robinson bj...@freenet.tlh.fl.us
This message may or may not contain sarcastic content; your burden to decide
"I'm naked, clueless, and f-e-e-e-ling good!" -- Ratbert
Aaron Hirshberg
> Springfield Shopper headlines:
>
> FATHER OF EIGHT MISSING
>
This headline was in the "New Delhi Times", or some such
Indian newspaper that Homer was reading.
> STEVE BARNES OPENS
> CONVENIENCE STORE
snip
> Norman Mailer -- Writer and frequent "Playboy" contributor.
This is an understatement. "The Naked and the Dead" was Mailer's
first novel and it is a WWII classic. In fact, it is a classic in
general.
> Mickey Mantle -- Famous baseball player. Mantle had a storied career,
> but what's important for this story is that he also had to battle some
> personal demons. This is why Marge cites him as a hero with "feet of
> clay."
Liver cancer from drinking, and osteoarthritis from not retiring after
his first major injury.
Space Mvsevm
Steve Brown
> snip
>
> > Springfield Shopper headlines:
> >
> > FATHER OF EIGHT MISSING
> >
>
> This headline was in the "New Delhi Times", or some such
> Indian newspaper that Homer was reading.
The New Delhi Daily, 7 (or maybe it was 2) Rupees. And the second one
was in The New Delhi Daily, not the first.
Matt Garvey
first act as an all-clear to enjoy the rest of the episode without much
consequence; if true, it's pretty subtle. I should have known better, too, since
I am a fan of Selman's episodes (two plots biting off more than they can chew
aside).
Also...
Benjamin Robinson wrote:
> >> Meta-Reference Corner
>
> Mulling over the prospect of being the model for Auntie Ovenfresh,
> Marge says, "It would be a hoot to have my face on everything." She
> needs to check out what the "Simpsons" licensing department is up to
> nowadays.
>
I was thinking of that when she said it, but didn't mention it because it
occurred to me that Marge is a little shortchanged in the merchandise
department. (When people reach for their diaphragm...) Upon further review, it
seems like I should have changed that "because" to "in spite of the fact
that"...maybe it's Marge's bid for more of her mug on everything!
To...@fred.net
: James Caan -- Actor, famous for roles in "Brian's Song," "The
: Hollywood, because his career went into a chill after that. (Although
: according to his Imdb.com biography he has had comeback roles, like
: the detective in the movie version of "Alien Nation.")
He's back on the upswing with the hit series on NBC, "Las Vegas".
--
To...@Fred.Net http://www.fred.net/tomr
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