Burns' Heir
"Burns' Heir" | |
---|---|
The Simpsons episode | |
Episode no. | Season 5 Episode 18 |
Directed by | Mark Kirkland |
Written by | Jace Richdale |
Production code | 1F16 |
Original air date | April 14, 1994 |
Guest appearance | |
Episode features | |
Couch gag | The Simpsons are balls that bounce onto the couch. Bart almost bounces away, but Homer reins him in and hurls him in place.[2] |
Commentary | Matt Groening David Mirkin Jace Richdale Mark Kirkland David Silverman |
"Burns' Heir" is the eighteenth episode of the fifth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on April 14, 1994. In the episode, Mr. Burns has a near-death experience that prompts him to find an heir to inherit his wealth after he dies. He chooses Bart as his heir because he admires the "creature of pure malevolence". Marge convinces Bart to spend time with his benefactor, who allows his heir the money and freedom to do whatever he pleases. Soon Bart leaves his family to live with Burns instead.
The episode was written by Jace Richdale and directed by Mark Kirkland. "'Burns' Heir'" is Richdale's sole writing credit. David Silverman was originally set to direct the episode, but he was so swamped with his work as supervising director that it was reassigned to Kirkland.
Plot
Mr. Burns almost drowns while taking a bath after Smithers puts a sponge on his head, weighing down his frail body, yet he manages to rise from almost drowning and choke a man half his age. Realizing that he has no one to carry on his legacy when he dies (Smithers is to be entombed alive with him), Mr. Burns decides to find an heir to inherit his vast fortune. Burns auditions several boys for his heir. He rejects Bart because he dislikes the poorly worded proposal Homer makes him read aloud at the auditions. Feeling spiteful, Bart vandalizes Burns's mansion. Burns is impressed by Bart, whom he refers to as a "creature of pure malevolence" and accepts him as his heir.
Homer and
When Bart grows lonely and wants to go home, Burns, who has grown fond of Bart, tricks him into thinking his family no longer loves him by staging a video with actors portraying Homer, Marge, and
Production
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/02/RichardSimmonsSept2011.jpg/215px-RichardSimmonsSept2011.jpg)
"Burns' Heir" was the first episode in which Jace Richdale received a writers' credit, although he was a part of the show's staff for several seasons. When he was starting out as a writer on the show, Richdale was told to pitch some story ideas and he came up with the basic plot off the top of his head.[3] David Silverman was originally going to direct the episode, but he was so swamped with his work as supervising director that it was reassigned to Mark Kirkland.[4] While the Simpsons are at a movie, there is a parody of the THX sound Deep Note. During that scene, a man's head explodes in a reference to the film Scanners. The THX executives liked the parody so much that the scene was made into an actual THX movie trailer, with the scene being redone for the widescreen aspect ratio.[5]
A deleted scene from the episode sees Mr. Burns release a "Robotic
Reception
In its original broadcast, "Burns' Heir" finished 53rd in ratings for the week of April 11–17, 1994, with a
The authors of the book I Can't Believe It's a Bigger and Better Updated Unofficial Simpsons Guide, Warren Martyn and Adrian Wood, wrote that, "the episode lacks the emotional punch of others in which members of the family are separated."[2]
DVD Movie Guide's Colin Jacobson wrote that the episode was "such a great concept that it’s a surprise no [one] went for it earlier." He felt that it "occasionally veers on the edge of mushiness, but it avoids becoming too sentimental. It's a blast to see Burns’ world from Bart’s point of view.[9] DVD Talk gave the episode a score of 5 out of 5[10] while DVD Verdict gave the episode a B.[11]
Paul Campos of Rocky Mountain News described the Robotic Richard Simmons scene as "a level of surreal comedy that approaches a kind of genius".[12]
Legacy
Homer's quote, "Kids, you tried your best and you failed miserably. The lesson is never try", was added to The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations in August 2007.[13]
References
- OL 433519M..
- ^ a b Martyn, Warren; Wood, Adrian (2000). "Burns' Heir". BBC. Archived from the original on April 5, 2010. Retrieved April 12, 2008.
- ^ Richdale, Jace. (2004). Commentary for "Burns' Heir", in The Simpsons: The Complete Fifth Season [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.
- ^ Silverman, David. (2004). Commentary for "Burns' Heir", in The Simpsons: The Complete Fifth Season [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.
- ^ a b c d Mirkin, David. (2004). Commentary for "Burns' Heir", in The Simpsons: The Complete Fifth Season [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.
- ^ a b Oakley, Bill (2005). The Simpsons The Complete Seventh Season DVD commentary for the episode "The Simpsons 138th Episode Spectacular" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
- ^ a b "Nielsen Ratings /Apr. 11-17". Long Beach Press-Telegram. Associated Press. April 20, 1994.
- South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
- ^ Jacobson, Colin (December 21, 2004). "The Simpsons: The Complete Fifth Season (1993)". DVD Movie Guide. Retrieved May 5, 2009.
- ^ Gibron, Bill (December 21, 2004). "The Simpsons — The Complete Fifth Season". DVD Talk. Retrieved May 5, 2009.
- ^ Bromley, Judge Patrick (February 23, 2005). "The Simpsons: The Complete Fifth Season". DVD Verdict. Archived from the original on January 16, 2009. Retrieved May 5, 2009.
- ^ Campos, Paul (January 11, 2000). "Simpsons' charm is in telling truth". Rocky Mountain News.
- ^ Shorto, Russell (August 24, 2007). "Simpsons quotes enter new Oxford dictionary". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved May 2, 2009.
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fa/Wikiquote-logo.svg/34px-Wikiquote-logo.svg.png)