Cape Feare vs. Three Men and a Comic Book

Post by **stip** » Thu May 26, 2016 11:28 am

Cape Feare

After receiving numerous death threats in the mail, Bart becomes paranoid. It is revealed that the writer is his enemy, Sideshow Bob, who is incarcerated in Springfield State Prison. The next day, Sideshow Bob's parole hearing is held; the parole board is easily convinced that Sideshow Bob is no longer a threat, reasoning that "No one who speaks German could be an evil man" after seeing Bob's "Die Bart Die" tattoo. When the Simpson family goes to watch an Ernest movie at the theater (called "Ernest Goes Somewhere Cheap"), Sideshow Bob sits in front of them and acts obnoxiously, smoking incessantly and laughing, much to the Simpsons' annoyance. The Simpsons then realize that it was him who sent the letters, and Marge angrily confronts him saying to stay away from Bart.

Despite their efforts, Chief Wiggum and the Simpson family are unable to protect Bart from Sideshow Bob. Sideshow Bob drives around Evergreen Terrace in an ice-cream truck, calling out the names of all the people whom he will not kill; Bart's name is not mentioned. The Simpsons opt for the Witness Relocation Program and relocate to Terror Lake, changing their surname to "Thompson" and settling in a houseboat. However, unknown to the family as they drive cross-country to their new home, Sideshow Bob has strapped himself to the underside of the car. Bob has a very uncomfortable journey, as the car goes over numerous speedbumps, Homer unknowingly throws his coffee on Bob, and the car drives through a Cacti field.

As the Simpsons arrive at Terror Lake and go inside their new houseboat, Sideshow Bob comes out from under the car. In doing so, he steps on the teeth of a number of rakes repeatedly, causing the rakes' handles to swing up and hit him in the face. Later, when Bart is walking down the road, he sees Sideshow Bob escape from the underside of another car, only to be trampled by a parade of elephants, increasingly adding to his misfortune. Bart runs home and warns his parents about Sideshow Bob's presence. Bart goes to bed, but is very hesitant and on edge.

During the night, Sideshow Bob reaches the houseboat and cuts it loose from the dock with a machete. Bob then ties up Homer, Marge, Lisa and Maggie, to ensure they will not interfere with his plan. After tying up Santa's Little Helper and Snowball II as well, Bob enters Bart's room, ready to kill him. Bart escapes out the window and tries to escape, but he cannot jump off the boat, as there are crocodiles and electric eels in the water; he is cornered. As a "last request", he has an idea: he compliments Sideshow Bob on his beautiful voice and asks him to sing the entire score of the H.M.S. Pinafore, to stall for time as the houseboat floats to Springfield. After the performance, Bob advances on Bart again, but the boat runs aground, and Sideshow Bob is arrested, and the Simpsons return home. Abe Simpson, however, was unaware they had moved and, without his pills, he ends up becoming a woman and being asked out by Jasper.

Three Men and a Comic Book

When Bart attends a comic book convention dressed as his superhero alter ego Bartman, he finds the first issue of Radioactive Man for $100 at Comic Book Guy's Android's Dungeon. However, he does not have enough money to buy it, and Homer refuses to give him extra money, so he decides to get a job. Bart turns to Mrs. Glick, who gives him fifty cents for his hard work. Bart then goes to the Android's Dungeon, with only a few cents extra, where he runs into Milhouse Van Houten and Martin. He talks them into pooling their money and buying the comic book. Since none of them want to let the comic book out of their sights, they decide to spend the night together in Bart's treehouse. The three get progressively more paranoid and Bart becomes convinced that the other two are conspiring against him.

Eventually, the tension is at a breaking point. When Martin gets up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom, Bart thinks he plans on stealing the comic and subsequently ties him up. Meanwhile, a thunderstorm approaches. Milhouse tries to alert Marge that Bart has gone crazy, but Bart thinks he is making a move for the comic and tackles him. Milhouse rolls over the side of the treehouse, but Bart catches him precariously by his sleeve. When a gale of wind takes hold of the comic so that it flies towards the treehouse's entrance, Bart is forced to decide between it and Milhouse. After mulling over his options, Bart chooses Milhouse and pulls him up into the treehouse. The comic flies out the entrance and is shredded by Santa's Little Helper on the ground, hit by lightning, and completely destroyed. The next morning, the three boys reflect on how their inability to share led to the destruction of the comic, although Bart, has forgotten the experience.

Chris_H_2 · Post by **Chris_H_2** » Thu May 26, 2016 1:13 pm

This one's tough. But Comic Book pulls it out.

LoathedVermin72 · Post by **LoathedVermin72** » Thu May 26, 2016 1:17 pm

Chris_H_2 wrote:This one's tough. But Comic Book pulls it out.

Yep.

tragabigzanda · Post by **tragabigzanda** » Thu May 26, 2016 1:24 pm

Cape Feare is a top 5 episode for me.

Simple Torture · Post by **Simple Torture** » Thu May 26, 2016 1:29 pm

Cape Feare has some really nice set pieces and, of course, the rake gag, which is just amazingly funny, even after tons of re-watches. But I'm a sucker for the show's small episodes that also act as modern morality tales without being too preachy, so Comic Book gets my vote.

Chris_H_2 · Post by **Chris_H_2** » Thu May 26, 2016 2:08 pm

I love this clip:

Norah · Post by **Norah** » Thu May 26, 2016 2:40 pm

This might be the toughest matchup of the day. I have to go with Cape Feare though.

Post by **stip** » Thu May 26, 2016 3:02 pm

cape feare is an all timer. despite not being quotable the rake gag may be their best bit of all time

LoathedVermin72 · Post by **LoathedVermin72** » Thu May 26, 2016 3:05 pm

the rake gag isn't as funny as people make it out to be

tragabigzanda · Post by **tragabigzanda** » Thu May 26, 2016 3:09 pm

Homer: Hey, kids! Want to drive through that cactus patch?
Bart: Yeah!
Lisa: Yeah!
Sideshow Bob: [underneath car] No!
Homer: Well, two against one!
[drives through cactus field]
Sideshow Bob: Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow!

EJ · Post by EJ » Thu May 26, 2016 3:10 pm

LoathedVermin72 wrote:the rake gag isn't as funny as people make it out to be

agreed

EJ · Post by EJ » Thu May 26, 2016 3:15 pm

tragabigzanda wrote:Homer: Hey, kids! Want to drive through that cactus patch?
Bart: Yeah!
Lisa: Yeah!
Sideshow Bob: [underneath car] No!
Homer: Well, two against one!
[drives through cactus field]
Sideshow Bob: Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow!

this, however, is gold

Post by **Jorge** » Thu May 26, 2016 3:23 pm

Cape Feare is just a lot funnier.

Norah · Post by **Norah** » Thu May 26, 2016 6:58 pm

ABNorman · Post by **ABNorman** » Thu May 26, 2016 7:15 pm

These are both great, but Comic Book is one of the episodes that serve as a pretty direct connection to my youth. Bart the Daredevil is another.

tragabigzanda · Post by **tragabigzanda** » Thu May 26, 2016 7:54 pm

ABNorman wrote:These are both great, but Comic Book is one of the episodes that serve as a pretty direct connection to my youth. Bart the Daredevil is another.

Bart the Daredevil still has the funniest bit of the entire series run.

LoathedVermin72 · Post by **LoathedVermin72** » Thu May 26, 2016 7:57 pm

tragabigzanda wrote:
ABNorman wrote:These are both great, but Comic Book is one of the episodes that serve as a pretty direct connection to my youth. Bart the Daredevil is another.
Bart the Daredevil still has the funniest bit of the entire series run.

Ehhhhh no

Norah · Post by **Norah** » Thu May 26, 2016 7:58 pm

tragabigzanda wrote:
ABNorman wrote:These are both great, but Comic Book is one of the episodes that serve as a pretty direct connection to my youth. Bart the Daredevil is another.
Bart the Daredevil still has the funniest bit of the entire series run.

Which one?

LoathedVermin72 · Post by **LoathedVermin72** » Thu May 26, 2016 7:59 pm

cutuphalfdead wrote:
tragabigzanda wrote:
ABNorman wrote:These are both great, but Comic Book is one of the episodes that serve as a pretty direct connection to my youth. Bart the Daredevil is another.
Bart the Daredevil still has the funniest bit of the entire series run.
Which one?

I bet it's Homer falling down the canyon

tragabigzanda · Post by **tragabigzanda** » Thu May 26, 2016 8:00 pm

cutuphalfdead wrote:
tragabigzanda wrote:
ABNorman wrote:These are both great, but Comic Book is one of the episodes that serve as a pretty direct connection to my youth. Bart the Daredevil is another.
Bart the Daredevil still has the funniest bit of the entire series run.
Which one?

Homer going down the cliff side. It transcends Simpsons, and goes into the upper echelons of comedic bits along with Who's On First and Steve Martin's arrow-through-the-head.

Red Mosquito