The Simpsons (animation)/Recap/S06/E18 A Star Is Burns

A Crossover with The Critic, which was in the middle of its second and final season after a Channel Hop to Fox.

Springfield has of late developed a reputation as the least cultured city in America, and a town hall meeting is called to address the issue. Nobody is particularly enthused when Marge gets up to speak her piece, but her suggestion of a film festival that would feature locally-produced fare is well-received. Ned Flanders sets to shooting a retelling of the baby Moses story, and Bart goes for fly-on-the-wall fare (Homer in the Shower, Homer on the Toilet). And Mr. Burns decides to produce a Biopic -- of himself, seeing it as a great way to remake his public image. Hiring Steven Spielberg's "non-union Mexican equivalent" to direct, he winds up playing himself in A Burns for All Seasons.

Marge examines the work of nationally-televised film critics to choose one to invite to Springfield to serve on the festival jury, and with Lisa's encouragement picks Jay Sherman. He is enthusiastic about judging the festival and the Simpsons host him as a houseguest, though Bart feels dirty about talking up the quality of his show.

Unfortunately, Homer develops an inferiority complex thanks to Jay's presence. Not only are Marge and the others impressed by Jay's intellect and wit, he proves to hold his own in more lowbrow activities as well -- burping contests, knowing the words to "I Wish I Were an Oscar Meyer Weiner", etc. To prove to Homer that she respects him and his intelligence, Marge reluctantly honors his request to serve on the jury alongside her, Jay, Mayor Quimby, and Krusty the Klown (which means Martin Scorsese is replaced).

At the festival, Mr. Burns's ego-stroking film receives a nasty reception and he bribes both the mayor and Krusty to vote it as Best Film. Marge and Jay back Barney's touching document of his own alcoholism, Pukeahontas, leaving Homer to break the tie. Unfortunately, his favorite film of the lot is Hans Moleman Productions' Man Getting Hit by Football, so the jury is deadlocked and Marge is embarrassed. Jay encourages Homer to rethink his decision, and rewatching Pukeahontas convinces him that it deserves his support. Barney wins the Best Film award, and temporarily swears off booze until he learns that he's won a tanker truck's worth of Duff Beer to go along with his statuette. All seems well -- Marge is proud of Homer and thinks that Mr. Burns learned his lesson...

But an epilogue reveals that Mr. Burns, stung by his failure to win at the festival, pushes his film through to the Academy Awards and bribes everyone in the industry to vote him Best Actor. The good news is that he still loses to George C. Scott, who plays the lead in a feature-length version of Man Getting Hit by Football.

This episode contains examples of:

 * Burn the Witch: An example of how backward Springfield is culturally -- Granpa heads up a mob preparing to burn Principal Skinner at the stake for claiming that the Earth revolves around the sun.
 * Burping Contest: Homer won first prize at one and tries to use this to stand up against Jay, who has won the Pulitzer Prize. Jay proves himself to be at least as good a burper (if not better), and explains that only he and Eudora Welty can claim both that talent and a Pulitzer among their achievements.
 * Crossover: The first for The Simpsons, and the only one intended to boost interest in the show it was crossing over with (one that had, in its first season, established The Simpsons as a fictional show in its universe). This was not by choice for the showrunners; Matt Groening was unhappy enough with the whole business that this is the only episode that does not credit him onscreen as executive producer.
 * Deliberately Monochrome: Pukeahontas.
 * Epic Movie: A Burns for All Seasons is intended as this.
 * Groin Attack: The whole point of Man Getting Hit by Football.
 * Historical Hero Upgrade: A Burns for All Seasons is Mr. Burns doing this for himself.
 * Homage: Moe Better Booze is this to Cabaret's "The Money Song", while A Burns for All Seasons shamelessly recasts Mr. Burns as such characters as E.T. and Jesus Christ (!) as portrayed in Ben Hur.
 * Sistine Steal: The opening credits of A Burns for All Seasons are set against one with Mr. Burns in Adam's place.
 * Something Completely Different: McBain -- Let's Get Silly, a Stand Up Comedy film following on from a series of action films. Not that there isn't Stuff Blowing Up in this film...
 * Terrible Interviewees Montage: Of the actors vying to play Mr. Burns. He decides to just play himself when none are to his liking.
 * William Shatner: As voiced by a soundalike, he auditions for the role of Mr. Burns.