Beyond Blunderdome

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The Simpsons episode
"Beyond Blunderdome"

Episode no.	227
Prod. code	AABF23
Orig. Airdate	September 26, 1999
Show Runner(s)	Mike Scully
Written by	Mike Scully
Directed by	Steven Dean Moore
Chalkboard	"Fridays are not 'pants optional'"
Couch gag	The Ullman era Simpsons sit on the couch, joined by the modern era Simpsons. Each side screams and runs away.
Guest star	Mel Gibson as himself Jack Burns as Edward Christian
Season 11 September 26, 1999 – May 21, 2000
Beyond Blunderdome Brother's Little Helper Guess Who's Coming to Criticize Dinner? Treehouse of Horror X E-I-E-I-(Annoyed Grunt) Hello Gutter, Hello Fadder Eight Misbehavin' Take My Wife, Sleaze Grift of the Magi Little Big Mom Faith Off The Mansion Family Saddlesore Galactica Alone Again, Natura-Diddily Missionary: Impossible Pygmoelian Bart to the Future Days of Wine and D'oh'ses Kill the Alligator and Run Last Tap Dance in Springfield It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Marge Behind the Laughter
List of all Simpsons episodes...

"Beyond Blunderdome" is the premiere of the eleventh season of The Simpsons. It aired on September 26, 1999.

1 Synopsis
2 Trivia
3 Cultural references
4 External links

[edit] Synopsis

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Homer takes a test drive of a new electric car so that he can get a free gift. His gift turns out to be free tickets to a preview screening of the new Mel Gibson movie, a remake of Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. The audience members are given comment cards to fill out so that the filmmakers can change the movie based on audience reactions. The movie is a smash with everyone but Homer, who finds it boring. After the screening, Mel Gibson worries that everyone was too nice to tell him how to improve the movie. When he reads Homer's card, he decides that Homer was the only person brave enough to tell him the truth.

Mel shows up on the Simpsons' door and invites Homer to come with him to Hollywood to change the movie. Homer and Mel begin work on the film while the rest of the family explores Hollywood. When Homer's ideas prove to be stupid and pointless, Mel begins to worry that he made the wrong decision. However, he remits when Homer tells him his ideas for the famous "filibuster" scene. The next day, they present the new take to the producers. In the new version, Mr. Smith goes berserk and kills every member of Congress and the President for little to no reason at all. The producers are horrified, and attempt to destroy the film. Wanting to save their movie, Homer and Mel run for it.

They meet up with the rest of the family at a wax museum, where they steal a replica of the car from the Mad Max movies and race through the streets of Hollywood, the film executives hot on their trail. They eventually manage to evade them, and the movie premieres soon after to round critical rejection.

Spoilers end here.

[edit] Trivia

Homer's edit of the Mr. Smith remake climaxes with Mr. Smith impaling a villain with the American flag. A year later, another hero played by Mel Gibson would do the same thing in The Patriot.

Homer's memory of Braveheart actually refers to a TBS commercial where chimpanzees reenact scenes from movies.

When Mel Gibson is cornered by a crowd after the test screening of his new film there is a McBane VI poster visible in the background. The correct spelling of the fictional character in The Simpsons is McBain

[edit] Cultural references

When Homer is watching a test screening for Mel Gibson's remake of Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, he badmouths it, saying "At least the Jimmy Stewart version had the giant rabbit who ran the savings and loan!". These are references to Harvey and It's a Wonderful Life.