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"Lost Verizon" is the second episode of the twentieth season of the American animated television series ''
The Simpsons ''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening and developed by Groening, James L. Brooks and Sam Simon for the Fox Broadcasting Company. It is a Satire (film and television), satirical depiction of American life ...
''. It first aired on the
Fox network Fox Broadcasting Company, LLC (commonly known as Fox; stylized in all caps) is an American commercial broadcast television network serving as the flagship property of Fox Corporation and operated through Fox Entertainment. Fox is based at Fo ...
in the
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
on October 5, 2008 and in the United Kingdom on November 9, 2008. The episode was directed by Raymond S. Persi and written by
John Frink John Frink is an American television writer and producer. He has written several episodes of the American animated sitcom ''The Simpsons'', many of which he co-wrote with his former writing partner Don Payne (writer), Don Payne. Frink and Payne ...
. In this episode,
Bart Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) is a rapid transit system serving the San Francisco Bay Area in California. BART serves List of Bay Area Rapid Transit stations, 50 stations along six routes and of track, including eBART, a spur line running t ...
becomes jealous of his friends and their cell phones. Working at a golf course, Bart takes the cell phone of
Denis Leary Denis Colin Leary (born August 18, 1957) is an American stand-up comedian and actor. Born in Massachusetts, he first came to prominence as a stand-up comedian, especially through appearances on MTV (including the comedic song " Asshole") and th ...
after the comedian throws it away in anger. Marge, per Leary's advice, activates the GPS system on the phone to track down Bart's every move; catching on, Bart attaches the GPS chip to a bird that migrates to
Machu Picchu Machu Picchu is a 15th-century Inca citadel located in the Eastern Cordillera of southern Peru on a mountain ridge at . Often referred to as the "Lost City of the Incas", it is the most familiar icon of the Inca Empire. It is located in the ...
,
Peru Peru, officially the Republic of Peru, is a country in western South America. It is bordered in the north by Ecuador and Colombia, in the east by Brazil, in the southeast by Bolivia, in the south by Chile, and in the south and west by the Pac ...
. Leary and
Brian Grazer Brian Thomas Grazer (born July 12, 1951) is an American film and television producer. He founded Imagine Entertainment in 1986 with Ron Howard. The films they produced have grossed over $15 billion. Grazer was personally nominated for four Acad ...
, who also appeared in "
When You Dish Upon a Star "When You Dish Upon a Star" is the fifth episode of the tenth season of the American animated television series ''The Simpsons''. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on November 8, 1998. When the family spends the day at Lake Sprin ...
" as himself, both guest star as themselves. The episode received mixed reviews.


Plot

Milhouse calls his friends on his cell phone to tell them about
Principal Skinner Principal Seymour Skinner is a recurring fictional character in the animated sitcom ''The Simpsons'', who is voiced by Harry Shearer. He is the principal of Springfield Elementary School, which he struggles to control, and is constantly enga ...
trying to cross a freeway on foot, but he cannot call
Bart Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) is a rapid transit system serving the San Francisco Bay Area in California. BART serves List of Bay Area Rapid Transit stations, 50 stations along six routes and of track, including eBART, a spur line running t ...
, because
Bart Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) is a rapid transit system serving the San Francisco Bay Area in California. BART serves List of Bay Area Rapid Transit stations, 50 stations along six routes and of track, including eBART, a spur line running t ...
does not have a cell phone. Bart asks his mother,
Marge Marge is a feminine given name, a shortened form of Marjorie, Margot or Margaret. Notable Marges include: People * Marge (cartoonist) (1904–1993), pen name of Marjorie Henderson Buell, American cartoonist * Marge Anderson (1932–2013), Ojibwe ...
, for a phone, but she cannot afford one. Bart walks past the country club and is hit by a golf ball from Dr. Hibbert. He pays Bart for returning the ball to him. Bart then tries to earn money for a phone by retrieving golf balls, until
Groundskeeper Willie Dr. William MacDougal, better known as Groundskeeper Willie, is a recurring character on ''The Simpsons'', voiced by Dan Castellaneta. He is the head groundskeeper and Janitor at Springfield Elementary School. Willie is almost feral in nature and ...
accuses him of taking his job, and he confiscates the golf balls that Bart had. Nearby,
Denis Leary Denis Colin Leary (born August 18, 1957) is an American stand-up comedian and actor. Born in Massachusetts, he first came to prominence as a stand-up comedian, especially through appearances on MTV (including the comedic song " Asshole") and th ...
swings at his golf ball and misses as his cell phone rings. Leary discards his phone, which lands beside Bart. Bart then makes prank calls with the phone. When Marge overhears Bart and Milhouse's mischievousness, Milhouse confesses the phone belongs to Leary, so she confiscates it. When Leary calls, Marge apologizes for her son's behavior. Leary suggests Marge activate the phone's GPS and web filter and return it to Bart, allowing her to track Bart's movements and block websites. Marge does so and returns the phone to Bart, preventing him from watching adult material and hurting himself. Bart realizes he cannot have fun when Marge and
Homer Homer (; , ; possibly born ) was an Ancient Greece, Ancient Greek poet who is credited as the author of the ''Iliad'' and the ''Odyssey'', two epic poems that are foundational works of ancient Greek literature. Despite doubts about his autho ...
have him under surveillance.
Lisa Lisa or LISA may refer to: People People with the mononym * Lisa (Japanese musician, born 1974), stylized "LISA" * Lisa, stagename of Japanese singer Lisa Komine (born 1978) * Lisa (South Korean singer) (born 1980) * Lisa (Japanese musician, b ...
discovers her parents spying on Bart and confronts Marge. When she refuses to acknowledge her behavior, Lisa informs Bart, who uninstalls the parental control software and ties the GPS chip to a bird. Marge, thinking the bird is Bart, assumes he is running away from home. While the family searches for Bart, the bird lands on the car and upon seeing the tracking chip on its leg, Lisa figures out who they are following. After doing a little research, she realizes that the bird is a
scarlet tanager The scarlet tanager (''Piranga olivacea'') is a medium-sized American songbird. Until recently, it was placed in the tanager family (Thraupidae), but it and other members of its genus are now classified as belonging to the cardinal family (Card ...
that is migrating south to
Machu Picchu Machu Picchu is a 15th-century Inca citadel located in the Eastern Cordillera of southern Peru on a mountain ridge at . Often referred to as the "Lost City of the Incas", it is the most familiar icon of the Inca Empire. It is located in the ...
, her dream trip. Lisa deliberately lets the bird go so the family can follow it there. Bart relishes his freedom but becomes frightened of being alone at night. In Machu Picchu, the Simpsons continue searching for Bart. Marge swears to be more protective with Bart, but Lisa convinces her to rest below the statue of the Peruvian God of the Sky. Marge falls asleep and dreams of the God of the Sky. He says how parents who overprotected their children could never set them free, which was why the natives were conquered. Marge learns she must let Bart care for himself. Homer discovers they are following a bird, making Marge realize where Bart is. Returning home, Marge asks Bart if he missed her. Bart says he did not notice they were gone but then begs her to never leave again. Lisa then asks where
Maggie Maggie or Maggy is a common short form of the name Magdalena, Magnolia, Margaret, or Marigold. People Maggie * Maggie Adamson, Scottish musician * Dame Maggie Aderin-Pocock (born 1968), British scientist * Maggie Alderson (born 1959), ...
is, and it's revealed that she was left behind in Machu Picchu, where she is being worshipped like a god.


Production

During the table read of the script in August 2007, a role meant for actor
Matt Damon Matthew Paige Damon ( ; born October 8, 1970) is an American actor, film producer, and screenwriter. He was ranked among ''Forbes'' most bankable stars in 2007, and in 2010 was one of the highest-grossing actors of all time. He has received va ...
was included and was performed by
Hank Azaria Henry Albert Azaria ( ; born April 25, 1964) is an American actor and producer. He is known for voicing many characters in the long-running animated sitcom ''The Simpsons'' since 1989, including Moe Szyslak, Chief Wiggum, Superintendent Chalmer ...
because he was not scheduled to record until later in the month. However, he did not appear in the final version of the episode. The episode was dedicated to
Paul Newman Paul Leonard Newman (January 26, 1925 – September 26, 2008) was an American actor, film director, race car driver, philanthropist, and activist. He was the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Paul Newman, numerous awards ...
, who died on September 26, 2008, nine days before the episode aired. Newman guest starred in the thirteenth season episode "
The Blunder Years "The Blunder Years" is the fifth episode of the thirteenth season of the American animated television series ''The Simpsons''. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on December 9, 2001. The episode sees Homer, after being ...
". Actor
Denis Leary Denis Colin Leary (born August 18, 1957) is an American stand-up comedian and actor. Born in Massachusetts, he first came to prominence as a stand-up comedian, especially through appearances on MTV (including the comedic song " Asshole") and th ...
and producer
Brian Grazer Brian Thomas Grazer (born July 12, 1951) is an American film and television producer. He founded Imagine Entertainment in 1986 with Ron Howard. The films they produced have grossed over $15 billion. Grazer was personally nominated for four Acad ...
guest starred as themselves. Grazer previously appeared in the tenth season episode "
When You Dish Upon a Star "When You Dish Upon a Star" is the fifth episode of the tenth season of the American animated television series ''The Simpsons''. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on November 8, 1998. When the family spends the day at Lake Sprin ...
".


Cultural references

The Swedish and Australian bars which Bart prank calls feature numerous references. The Swedish bar is named the "Inga-Bar Beerman" in reference to filmmaker
Ingmar Bergman Ernst Ingmar Bergman (14 July 1918 – 30 July 2007) was a Swedish film and theatre director and screenwriter. Widely considered one of the greatest and most influential film directors of all time, his films have been described as "profoun ...
. The image of the barman in profile and another person in the background looking directly into the camera is a visual reference to Bergman's 1966 film ''
Persona A persona (plural personae or personas) is a strategic mask of identity in public, the public image of one's personality, the social role that one adopts, or simply a fictional Character (arts), character. It is also considered "an intermediary ...
'', the barman's response to Bart, "I will thank you for showing me the futility of human endeavor" is a reference to Bergman's works often having dark themes such as death, bleakness and betrayal. The Australian barman resembles Michael "Crocodile" Dundee, and his bar is called the "Crocodile Drunkee's", both referencing the 1986 film '' "Crocodile" Dundee''. In his bar window, a partial sticker for the band
INXS INXS (a phonetic play on "in excess") were an Australian rock band, formed as the Farriss Brothers in 1977 in Sydney. The founding members were bassist Garry Gary Beers, main composer and keyboardist Andrew Farriss, drummer Jon Farriss, gu ...
is seen, as well as the album '' Business as Usual'' by
Men at Work Men at Work are an Australian rock band that was formed in Melbourne, 1979. They were best known for breakthrough hits such as " Down Under", " Who Can It Be Now?", " Be Good Johnny", " Overkill", and " It's a Mistake". Its founding member and ...
. The zoom-in places the Australian bar at
Fox Studios Australia Disney Studios Australia (formerly known as Fox Studios Australia) is a Film, motion picture and television production facility in Sydney that has operated as part of The Walt Disney Company since 2019. Occupying the site of the former Sydney ...
. Additionally, Skinner plays a human version of the arcade game ''
Frogger is a 1981 arcade action game developed by Konami and published by Sega. In North America, it was distributed by Sega/Gremlin. The object of the game is to direct five frogs to their homes by dodging traffic on a busy road, then crossing a ri ...
'' when trying to cross the interstate for gas. Marge receives a collection notice from Allied Peas whose corporate mascot bears a striking resemblance to the
Jolly Green Giant Green Giant and Le Sueur (spelled Le Sieur in Canada) are brands of frozen and canned vegetables owned by B&G Foods. The company's mascot is the Jolly Green Giant. Company and brand history The Minnesota Valley Canning Company was founded ...
while paying for frozen peas on installment, while Bart, Milhouse, and
Nelson Nelson may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Nelson'' (1918 film), a historical film directed by Maurice Elvey * ''Nelson'' (1926 film), a historical film directed by Walter Summers * ''Nelson'' (opera), an opera by Lennox Berkeley to a lib ...
grill
Twizzlers Twizzlers are a licorice-type candy manufactured by Y&S Candies, Inc., of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, a division of The Hershey Company. Twizzlers were first produced in 1929 by Young and Smylie, as the company was then called. The licorice compa ...
licorice. Bart suggests to Leary's manager that he order
New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Am ...
hats and
Derek Jeter Derek Sanderson Jeter ( ; born June 26, 1974), nicknamed "the Captain", is an American former professional baseball shortstop, businessman, and baseball executive. As a player, Jeter spent his entire 20-year Major League Baseball (MLB) caree ...
jerseys. Leary is a real life
Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. Founded in as one of the Ameri ...
fan, a large rival of the Yankees. Leary was born in
Massachusetts Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode ...
and went to college at
Emerson College Emerson College is a private college in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It also maintains campuses in Los Angeles and Well, Limburg, Netherlands (Kasteel Well). Founded in 1880 by Charles Wesley Emerson as a "school of Public Speaking, o ...
in Boston. When Leary is being teased by Krusty during his golf game, he mentions his real-life role in the movie
Ice Age An ice age is a long period of reduction in the temperature of Earth's surface and atmosphere, resulting in the presence or expansion of continental and polar ice sheets and alpine glaciers. Earth's climate alternates between ice ages, and g ...
as the voice of Diego the sabertooth tiger. The episode features two musical montages. During the montage of Homer and Marge tracking Bart the
Elvis Costello Declan Patrick MacManus (born 25 August 1954), known professionally as Elvis Costello, is an English singer, songwriter, record producer, author and television host. According to ''Rolling Stone'', Costello "reinvigorated the literate, lyrical ...
song " Watch Your Step" is playing, while Bart's golf ball recovery montage is set to
Merle Haggard Merle Ronald Haggard (April 6, 1937 – April 6, 2016) was an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, and fiddler. Widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential figures in country music, he was a central pioneer of the Bakersfield ...
's " Workin' Man Blues". During Marge’s dream sequence, the Peruvian god shows her how the ancient people never learned how to protect themselves due to their parent’s overprotection. In the scene were the villagers run away in fear at the sight of the conquistadores, the villagers reference the
Three Stooges The Three Stooges were an American vaudeville and comedy team active from 1922 until 1970, best remembered for their 190 short-subject films by Columbia Pictures. Their hallmark styles were physical, farce, and slapstick comedy. Six total ...
when they yell and run away in the same manner as them. A fat villager even does
Curly Howard Jerome Lester Horwitz (October 22, 1903 – January 18, 1952), better known by his stage name Curly Howard, was an American comedian and actor. He was a member of The Three Stooges comedy team, which also featured his elder brothers Moe and ...
’s famous “Whoop, whoop, whoop,” yell.


Reception


Viewing figures

In its original airing, the episode garnered 7.43 million viewers, a 3.6 rating and a 10 share.


Critical response

Robert Canning of ''
IGN ''IGN'' is an American video gaming and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa district and is headed by its former e ...
'' said, "This wasn't a terrible episode, but it just was not funny enough for such a serpentine storyline. Throw in a wasted Denis Leary, and you really start to think that 'Lost Verizon' could have been so much more". He gave the episode a final rating of 6.7/10. Steve Heisler of ''
The A.V. Club ''The A.V. Club'' is an online newspaper and entertainment website featuring reviews, interviews, and other articles that examine films, music, television, books, games, and other elements of pop-culture media. ''The A.V. Club'' was created in ...
'' gave the episode a B-. He thought plot was similar to the seventh season episode “ Marge Be Not Proud” but felt this episode had the characters state their feeling to no one instead of showing their feelings as in the earlier episode. However, he liked the episode's one-off jokes. Erich Asperschlager of TV Verdict said, "it is a mostly solid episode, it feels like a missed opportunity for a show that garners more grumbles than acclaim these days".


References


External links

* {{The Simpsons episodes, 20 The Simpsons season 20 episodes 2008 American television episodes Television episodes set in Peru Verizon Television episodes written by John Frink Television episodes directed by Raymond S. Persi