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{{Infobox Simpsons episode
{{Infobox Simpsons episode
| image =
| image =
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| production = 3F09
| production = 3F09
| airdate = {{Start date|1996|1|14}}
| airdate = {{Start date|1996|1|14}}
| couch_gag = Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie are moose heads on the wall and Homer is a bearskin rug on the floor. A game hunter comes in, sits on the couch, and smokes a pipe.<ref name="BBC"/>
| couch_gag = [[Marge Simpson|Marge]], [[Bart Simpson|Bart]], [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]], and [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]] are moose heads on the wall and [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] is a bearskin rug on the floor. A game hunter comes in, sits on the couch, and smokes a pipe.<ref name="BBC"/>
| commentary = [[Matt Groening]]<br/>Bill Oakley<br/>Josh Weinstein<br/>Ken Keeler<br/>Wes Archer
| commentary = [[Matt Groening]]<br/>Bill Oakley<br/>Josh Weinstein<br/>Ken Keeler<br/>Wes Archer
| prev = [[Team Homer]]
| prev = [[Team Homer]]
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}}
}}


"'''Two Bad Neighbors'''" is the thirteenth episode of the [[The Simpsons (season 7)|seventh season]] of the American animated television series ''[[The Simpsons]]''. It was written by [[Ken Keeler]], directed by [[Wes Archer]] and inspired by the animosity toward the series' earlier run from the Bushes. In the episode, [[George H. W. Bush]], the 41st [[President of the United States]] (voiced by [[Harry Shearer]]),<ref>{{cite news |last=Hughes |first=William |title=George H.W. Bush has died, but pop culture's impression of him lives on |url=https://news.avclub.com/george-h-w-bush-has-died-but-pop-cultures-impression-1830789538 |access-date=December 12, 2018 |newspaper=The A.V. Club |date=December 1, 2018}}</ref> moves across the street from the [[Simpson family|Simpsons]]. [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] seeks revenge after the former President spanks [[Bart Simpson|Bart]] for his bad behavior.
"'''Two Bad Neighbors'''" is the thirteenth episode of the [[The Simpsons season 7|seventh season]] of the American animated television series ''[[The Simpsons]]''. It was written by [[Ken Keeler]], directed by [[Wes Archer]] and inspired by the animosity toward the series' earlier run from the [[Bush family]]. In the episode, [[George H. W. Bush]], the 41st [[President of the United States]] (voiced by [[Harry Shearer]]),<ref>{{cite news |last=Hughes |first=William |title=George H.W. Bush has died, but pop culture's impression of him lives on |url=https://news.avclub.com/george-h-w-bush-has-died-but-pop-cultures-impression-1830789538 |access-date=December 12, 2018 |newspaper=[[The A.V. Club]] |date=December 1, 2018}}</ref> moves across the street from the [[Simpson family|Simpsons]]. [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] seeks revenge after the former President spanks [[Bart Simpson|Bart]] for his bad behavior.


⚫
"Two Bad Neighbors" originally aired on [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] in the United States on January 14, 1996.<ref name="BBC"/>{{sfn|Richmond & Coffman|1997|p=194}} The episode was selected for release in a 2000 video collection of selected political episodes of the show, titled: ''The Simpsons Political Party''.<ref name="amazon1">{{cite AV media |title=The Simpsons Political Party, Boxed Set |publisher=20th Century Fox |oclc=44075102}}</ref> The episode appeared on the second volume of the collection, together with the episode "[[Duffless]]" from [[The Simpsons season 4|season four]].<ref name="amazon2">{{cite AV media |title=The Simpsons Political Party, Vol. 2 |publisher=20th Century Fox |oclc=58432589}}</ref> The episode was included in ''The Simpsons'' season seven DVD set, which was released on December 13, 2005.<ref name="dvd">{{Cite AV media|title=The Simpsons&nbsp;— The Complete Seventh Season |work=[[The Simpsons]] |publisher=20th Century Fox |date=December 13, 2005 }}</ref> Keeler, Oakley, and Weinstein participated in the DVD's [[audio commentary]], alongside [[Matt Groening]] and the director of the episode, [[Wes Archer]].{{sfn|Richmond & Coffman|1997|p=194}}<ref name="dvd"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/releases/Simpsons-Complete-7th-Season/5292 |title=The Simpsons&nbsp;— The Complete 7th Season |publisher=[[TVShowsOnDVD.com]] |access-date=2008-11-30 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121002230012/http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/releases/Simpsons-Complete-7th-Season/5292 |archive-date=2012-10-02 }}</ref> This episode also marks the first appearance of regular recurring character [[list of the Simpsons characters|Disco Stu]].
It originally aired on the [[Fox network]] in the United States on January 14, 1996. Since airing, the episode has received positive reviews from television critics, and ''[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair]]'' named it the fifth-best episode of the show. It acquired a [[Nielsen rating]] of 9.9, and was the second-highest-rated show on the Fox network the week it aired.


==Plot==
==Plot==
[[George H. W. Bush]] and his wife [[Barbara Bush|Barbara]] move into the empty house across the street from the Simpsons and take a liking to [[Ned Flanders]]. Although Barbara takes a liking to [[Bart Simpson|Bart]], Bart's pranks and irreverent spirit annoy George, who [[Spanking|spanks]] the boy after he accidentally shreds his memoirs and trashes the house with his [[outboard motor]] and finally becoming fed up with Bart bothering him. Despite Barbara's suggestion that he apologize, George refuses after [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] confronts him for spanking Bart.
[[George H. W. Bush]] and his wife [[Barbara Bush|Barbara]] are looking for a place where they can get away from politics. They settle on [[Springfield (The Simpsons)|Springfield]], the city with the lowest [[voter turnout]] in America, and move into the house opposite the Simpsons. Bart's pranks and irreverent spirit quickly get on George's nerves, and he reaches his breaking point after Bart accidentally shreds his memoirs with an outboard motor. George gives Bart a spanking, which evokes Homer's ire, and the two become enemies from then on.


After Homer launches [[Skyrocket|bottle rockets]] at George's window, the next day Bush puts up a banner reading "Two Bad Neighbors" to refer to Bart and Homer, but it only confuses Ned Flanders and [[Dr. Hibbert]] with George becoming confused of Homer's name. Later, Homer and Bart use cardboard likenesses of George and Barbara's sons, [[George W. Bush|George Jr.]] and [[Jeb Bush|Jeb]], to lure George out of the house, where they glue a rainbow-colored wig on his head as he is about to give a speech at a local club. George retaliates by destroying the Simpsons' lawn with his car.
Homer launches [[Skyrocket|bottle rockets]] at George's window and George puts up a banner reading "Two Bad Neighbors". Next, Homer and Bart use cardboard likenesses of George's sons, [[George W. Bush|George Jr.]] and [[Jeb Bush|Jeb]], to lure him out of the house, where they glue a clown wig to his head. George retaliates by destroying the Simpsons' lawn with his car.


George spots Homer and Bart moving through underground sewers to release [[locust]]s in his house. He climbs below the street to confront them. After Homer and George brawl with George still refusing to apologize, Bart releases the locusts, which attack George. Former [[General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union|Soviet General Secretary]] [[Mikhail Gorbachev]] arrives to deliver a housewarming present for the Bushes. After pressure from his wife, George reluctantly apologizes to Homer in front of Gorbachev. The Bushes eventually move and sell their house to former President [[Gerald Ford]]. Ford invites Homer for beer and [[nachos]] during a football game broadcast at his house. Homer and Gerald find they share common ground because they are both [[Accident-proneness|accident-prone]].
Homer and Bart decide to release locusts in the Bushes' house, but George catches them in the act. Homer and George begin brawling and only stop when [[Mikhail Gorbachev]] arrives to deliver a housewarming present. Under pressure from his wife, George apologizes to Homer in front of Gorbachev. The Bushes move again and their house is bought by President [[Gerald Ford]]. Homer and Ford bond over their love of football, beer, and nachos, and discover that they are equally [[Accident-proneness|accident-prone]].


==Production==
==Production==

===Background===
[[File:G & B. Bush F-SD-03-15575.jpg|thumb|200px|[[George H. W. Bush]] and [[Barbara Bush|his wife]] had a feud with ''The Simpsons'' that eventually led to this episode.]]
[[File:G & B. Bush F-SD-03-15575.jpg|thumb|200px|[[George H. W. Bush]] and [[Barbara Bush|his wife]] had a feud with ''The Simpsons'' that eventually led to this episode.]]
The show had a feud with the Bushes that eventually led to the idea for this episode. In the October 1, 1990 edition of ''[[People (magazine)|People]]'', [[Barbara Bush]] called ''The Simpsons'' "the dumbest thing [she] had ever seen", which had led to the writers sending a letter to Bush where they posed as [[Marge Simpson]]. Bush immediately sent a reply in which she apologized.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://people.com/archive/cover-story-in-the-eye-of-the-storm-vol-34-no-13/ |title=In the Eye of the Storm |first=Paula |last=Chin |access-date=2022-01-20|date=1990-10-01 |magazine=[[People (magazine)|People]]}}</ref><ref name="Brooks2">Brooks, James L. (2004). "Bush vs. Simpsons", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Fourth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>
The show had a feud with the Bushes that eventually led to the idea for this episode. In the October 1, 1990 edition of ''[[People (magazine)|People]]'', [[Barbara Bush]] called ''The Simpsons'' "the dumbest thing [she] had ever seen", which had led to the writers sending a letter to Bush where they posed as [[Marge Simpson]]. Bush immediately sent a reply in which she apologized.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://people.com/archive/cover-story-in-the-eye-of-the-storm-vol-34-no-13/ |title=In the Eye of the Storm |first=Paula |last=Chin |access-date=2022-01-20 |date=1990-10-01 |magazine=[[People (magazine)|People]] |archive-date=April 11, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160411195520/http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0%2C%2C20118869%2C00.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Brooks2">Brooks, James L. (2004). "Bush vs. Simpsons", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Fourth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

⚫
On January 27, 1992, then-President [[George H. W. Bush]] made a speech during his [[1992 United States presidential election|re-election]] campaign that reignited the feud between ''The Simpsons'' and the Bushes. At that point, [[family values]] were the cornerstone of Bush's campaign platform, to which effect he gave the following speech at the National Religious Broadcasters' convention in [[Washington, D.C.]]: "We are going to keep on trying to strengthen the American family, to make American families a lot more like [[the Waltons]] and a lot less like the Simpsons".<ref name="Brooks2"/> The next broadcast of ''The Simpsons'' was a rerun of "[[Stark Raving Dad]]" on January 30, 1992. It included a new opening, which was a response to Bush's speech. The scene begins in the Simpsons' living room. Homer, Bart, [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]], and [[Patty and Selma]] all stare at the television and watch Bush's speech. After Bush's statement Bart replies, "Hey, we're just like the Waltons. We're praying for an end to [[Early 1990s recession|the Depression]] too."{{sfn|Turner|2004|pp=225-226}}<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2007/08/simpsons200708 |title=Simpson Family Values |author=Ortved, John |access-date=2022-01-20 |date=August 2007 |magazine=[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair]]}}</ref>


⚫
On January 27, 1992, then-President [[George H. W. Bush]] made a speech during his [[1992 United States presidential election|re-election]] campaign that reignited the feud between ''The Simpsons'' and the Bushes. At that point, [[family values]] were the cornerstone of Bush's campaign platform, to which effect he gave the following speech at the National Religious Broadcasters' convention in [[Washington, D.C.]]: "We are going to keep on trying to strengthen the American family, to make American families a lot more like [[the Waltons]] and a lot less like the Simpsons".<ref name="Brooks2"/> The next broadcast of ''The Simpsons'' was a rerun of "[[Stark Raving Dad]]" on January 30, 1992. It included a new opening, which was a response to Bush's speech. The scene begins in the Simpsons' living room. Homer, Bart, [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]], and [[Patty and Selma]] all stare at the television and watch Bush's speech. After Bush's statement Bart replies, "Hey, we're just like the Waltons. We're praying for an end to [[Early 1990s recession|the Depression]] too."{{sfn|Turner|2004|pp=225-226}}<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2007/08/simpsons200708 |title=Simpson Family Values |last=Ortved |first=John |access-date=2022-01-20 |date=August 2007 |magazine=[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair]] |archive-date=August 27, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080827213908/http://www.vanityfair.com./culture/features/2007/08/simpsons200708 |url-status=live }}</ref> This episode marks the only Season 7 episode where [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]] has a minor role, having only one line, although she has major/supporting roles in the season's other episodes.
During the couch gag for "[[Mathlete's Feat]]", this episode was referenced by Rick from ''[[Rick and Morty]]''.


===Writing===
[[File:Bill Oakley2.jpg|thumb|160px|[[Bill Oakley]] got the inspiration for the episode after the feud with the Bushes. |alt=A portrait of a man with black hair looking at the viewer]]
[[File:Bill Oakley2.jpg|thumb|160px|[[Bill Oakley]] got the inspiration for the episode after the feud with the Bushes. |alt=A portrait of a man with black hair looking at the viewer]]
[[Bill Oakley]], who was a writer on ''The Simpsons'' at the time, came up with the idea for "Two Bad Neighbors" two years before production began.<ref name="Weinstein">{{cite video |people=Weinstein, Josh |date=2005 |title=The Simpsons season 7 DVD commentary for the episode "Two Bad Neighbors" |medium=DVD |publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> Oakley got the inspiration for the episode after the feud between the Bushes and the Simpson family, and two years later when he and [[Josh Weinstein]] became [[showrunners]] of ''The Simpsons'', they assigned [[Ken Keeler]] to write it.{{sfn|Richmond & Coffman|1997|p=194}} Oakley said that [[Bill Clinton]] had been President of the United States for two years at the point when the episode went into production, so the feud had "faded off into oblivion". The staff therefore thought it would be funny if the two parties encountered each other again.<ref name="Oakley">{{cite video |people=Oakley, Bill |date=2005 |title=The Simpsons season 7 DVD commentary for the episode "Two Bad Neighbors" |medium=DVD |publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref>
[[Bill Oakley]], who was a writer on ''The Simpsons'' at the time, came up with the idea for "Two Bad Neighbors" two years before production began.<ref name="Weinstein">{{cite video |people=Weinstein, Josh |date=2005 |title=The Simpsons season 7 DVD commentary for the episode "Two Bad Neighbors" |medium=DVD |publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> Oakley got the inspiration for the episode after the feud between the Bushes and the Simpson family, and two years later when he and [[Josh Weinstein]] became [[showrunners]] of ''The Simpsons'', they assigned [[Ken Keeler]] to write it.{{sfn|Richmond & Coffman|1997|p=194}} Oakley said that [[Bill Clinton]] had been President of the United States for two years at the point when the episode went into production, so the feud had "faded off into oblivion". The staff therefore thought it would be funny if the two parties encountered each other again.<ref name="Oakley">{{cite video |people=Oakley, Bill |date=2005 |title=The Simpsons season 7 DVD commentary for the episode "Two Bad Neighbors" |medium=DVD |publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref>


Weinstein said that the episode is often misunderstood. Many audiences expected a political satire, while the writers made special effort to keep the parody apolitical.<ref name="Weinstein"/> Oakley stresses that "it's not a political attack, it's a personal attack", and instead of criticizing Bush for his policies, the episode instead pokes fun at his "crotchetiness". Oakley considered the episode to lack many "zany" jokes common for the show at that time, and described the episode as a companion piece to the [[The Simpsons (season 8)|season eight]] episode "[[Homer's Enemy]]", in that a realistic character (Frank Grimes in that case) is placed in the unrealistic ''Simpsons'' universe and juxtaposed alongside Homer, creating conflict.<ref name="Oakley"/>
Weinstein said that the episode is often misunderstood. Many audiences expected a political satire, while the writers made special effort to keep the parody apolitical.<ref name="Weinstein"/> Oakley stresses that "it's not a political attack, it's a personal attack", and instead of criticizing Bush for his policies, the episode instead pokes fun at his "crotchetiness". Oakley considered the episode to lack many "zany" jokes common for the show at that time, and described the episode as a companion piece to the [[The Simpsons season 8|season eight]] episode "[[Homer's Enemy]]", in that a realistic character (Frank Grimes in that case) is placed in the unrealistic ''Simpsons'' universe and juxtaposed alongside Homer, creating conflict.<ref name="Oakley"/>


In an interview with the fan site NoHomers.net, Weinstein was asked if there had been any stories that he had come up with that did not make it into the show, to which he replied: "The great thing about ''The Simpsons'' is that we pretty much were able to get away with everything, so there weren't any episodes we really wanted to do that we couldn't do. Even the crazy high-concept ones like 'Two Bad Neighbors' and 'Homer's Enemy' we managed to put on the air because honestly there were no network execs there to stop us."<ref name="NHC">{{cite web |last=Oakley |first=Bill |date=November 25, 2005 |title=Ask Bill and Josh Q&A Thread |url=http://www.nohomers.net/showthread.php?t=51876 |access-date=2008-12-22 |publisher=NoHomers.net}}</ref>
In an interview with the fan site NoHomers.net, Weinstein was asked if there had been any stories that he had come up with that did not make it into the show, to which he replied: "The great thing about ''The Simpsons'' is that we pretty much were able to get away with everything, so there weren't any episodes we really wanted to do that we couldn't do. Even the crazy high-concept ones like 'Two Bad Neighbors' and 'Homer's Enemy' we managed to put on the air because honestly there were no network execs there to stop us."<ref name="NHC">{{cite web |last=Oakley |first=Bill |date=November 25, 2005 |title=Ask Bill and Josh Q&A Thread |url=http://www.nohomers.net/showthread.php?t=51876 |access-date=2008-12-22 |publisher=NoHomers.net}}</ref>
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The episode features the first appearance of [[Disco Stu]], who became a recurring character in the series. Stu was originally designed as a withered, old, [[John Travolta]]-esque figure and was to be voiced by [[List of cast members of The Simpsons#Recurring guest voices|repeat guest star]] [[Phil Hartman]]. However, when the animators remodeled the character, Hartman was not available to dub the voice and so [[Hank Azaria]] took over the role.<ref name="Oakley"/>
The episode features the first appearance of [[Disco Stu]], who became a recurring character in the series. Stu was originally designed as a withered, old, [[John Travolta]]-esque figure and was to be voiced by [[List of cast members of The Simpsons#Recurring guest voices|repeat guest star]] [[Phil Hartman]]. However, when the animators remodeled the character, Hartman was not available to dub the voice and so [[Hank Azaria]] took over the role.<ref name="Oakley"/>

===Merchandise===
⚫
"Two Bad Neighbors" originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on January 14, 1996.<ref name="BBC"/>{{sfn|Richmond & Coffman|1997|p=194}} The episode was selected for release in a 2000 video collection of selected political episodes of the show, titled: ''The Simpsons Political Party''.<ref name="amazon1">{{cite AV media |title=The Simpsons Political Party, Boxed Set |publisher=20th Century Fox |oclc=44075102}}</ref> The episode appeared on the second volume of the collection, together with the episode "[[Duffless]]" from [[The Simpsons (season 4)|season four]].<ref name="amazon2">{{cite AV media |title=The Simpsons Political Party, Vol. 2 |publisher=20th Century Fox |oclc=58432589}}</ref> The episode was included in ''The Simpsons'' season seven DVD set, which was released on December 13, 2005.<ref name="dvd">{{Cite book |title=The Simpsons&nbsp;— The Complete Seventh Season |work=[[The Simpsons]] |publisher=20th Century Fox |date=December 13, 2005 }}</ref> Keeler, Oakley, and Weinstein participated in the DVD's [[audio commentary]], alongside [[Matt Groening]] and the director of the episode, [[Wes Archer]].{{sfn|Richmond & Coffman|1997|p=194}}<ref name="dvd"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/releases/Simpsons-Complete-7th-Season/5292 |title=The Simpsons&nbsp;— The Complete 7th Season |publisher=[[TVShowsOnDVD.com]] |access-date=2008-11-30 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121002230012/http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/releases/Simpsons-Complete-7th-Season/5292 |archive-date=2012-10-02 }}</ref>


==Cultural references==
==Cultural references==
[[File:StephenGroverCleveland.png|thumb|upright|Grampa claims to have been spanked by [[Grover Cleveland]].]]
[[File:StephenGroverCleveland.jpg|thumb|upright|Grampa Simpson claims to have been spanked by [[Grover Cleveland]].]]


=== Politics ===
=== Politics ===


==== George H. W. Bush ====
==== George H. W. Bush ====
There are also numerous references to events in [[George H. W. Bush]]'s presidency, such as the [[George H. W. Bush vomiting incident|vomiting incident at a Japanese banquet]], the [[United States invasion of Panama|invasion of Panama]] to depose [[Manuel Noriega]] and the [[Read my lips: no new taxes|broken pledge not to raise taxes]].
There are numerous references to events in [[George H. W. Bush]]'s presidency, such as the [[George H. W. Bush vomiting incident|vomiting incident at a Japanese banquet]], the [[United States invasion of Panama|invasion of Panama]] to depose [[Manuel Noriega]] and the [[Read my lips: no new taxes|broken pledge not to raise taxes]].


==== Grover Cleveland ====
==== Grover Cleveland ====
In response to George spanking Bart, [[Grampa Simpson|Grandpa]] says: "Big deal! When I was a pup, we got spanked by presidents till the cows came home. [[Grover Cleveland]] spanked me on two non-consecutive occasions", referring to the only president to have served two non-consecutive terms in office.<ref name="BBC">{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/simpsons/episodeguide/season7/page12.shtml |title=Two Bad Neighbors |access-date=2007-03-06 |author1=Martyn, Warren |author2=Wood, Adrian |publisher=BBC |year=2000}}</ref>
In response to George spanking Bart, [[Grampa Simpson|Grandpa]] says: "Big deal! When I was a pup, we got spanked by presidents till the cows came home. [[Grover Cleveland]] spanked me on two non-consecutive occasions", referring to the first president to have served two non-consecutive terms in office.<ref name="BBC">{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/simpsons/episodeguide/season7/page12.shtml |title=Two Bad Neighbors |access-date=2007-03-06 |last1=Martyn |first1=Warren |last2=Wood |first2=Adrian |publisher=[[BBC]] |year=2000 |archive-date=October 12, 2003 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031012230028/https://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/simpsons/episodeguide/season7/page12.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref>


=== TV ===
=== TV ===
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=== Music ===
=== Music ===
When Homer and Bart hand out fliers for the upcoming garage sale, [[Apu Nahasapeemapetilon]] is seen washing his car while singing [[Cheap Trick]]'s 1979 song "[[Dream Police (song)|Dream Police]]".<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/5937935/springfield_rock_city/print |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081220224951/http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/5937935/springfield_rock_city/print |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 20, 2008 |title=Springfield, Rock City |last=Nawrocki |first=Tom |date=November 28, 2002 |magazine=Rolling Stone |access-date=2008-12-07}}</ref>
When Homer and Bart hand out fliers for the upcoming garage sale, [[Apu Nahasapeemapetilon]] is seen washing his car while singing [[Cheap Trick]]'s 1979 song "[[Dream Police (song)|Dream Police]]".<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/5937935/springfield_rock_city/print |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081220224951/http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/5937935/springfield_rock_city/print |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 20, 2008 |title=Springfield, Rock City |last=Nawrocki |first=Tom |date=November 28, 2002 |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |access-date=2008-12-07}}</ref>


Homer's song at the rummage sale is set to the tune of the songs "[[Big Spender]]" and "[[Stayin' Alive]]".<ref name="ult">{{cite book |title=[[Simpsons World The Ultimate Episode Guide: Seasons 1–20]] |publisher=[[HarperCollins|Harper Collins Publishers]] |year=2010 |editor=Bates, James W. |editor2=Gimple, Scott M. |editor3=McCann, Jesse L. |editor4=Richmond, Ray |editor5=Seghers, Christine |isbn=978-0-00-738815-8 |edition=1st |page=1073}}</ref>
Homer's song at the rummage sale is set to the tune of the songs "[[Big Spender]]" and "[[Stayin' Alive]]".<ref name="ult">{{cite book |title=[[Simpsons World The Ultimate Episode Guide: Seasons 1–20]] |publisher=[[HarperCollins|Harper Collins Publishers]] |year=2010 |editor=Bates, James W. |editor2=Gimple, Scott M. |editor3=McCann, Jesse L. |editor4=Richmond, Ray |editor5=Seghers, Christine |isbn=978-0-00-738815-8 |edition=1st |page=1073}}</ref>


==Reception==
==Reception==
In its original broadcast, "Two Bad Neighbors" finished 52nd in the ratings for the week of January 7 to January 14, 1996, with a [[Nielsen rating]] of 9.9.<ref name=ratings>{{cite news |title=NBC Rules The Viewing Week |date=January 19, 1996 |page=32D |work=[[Rocky Mountain News]] |author=Moore, Frazier}} Retrieved on December 21, 2008.</ref> The episode was the second-highest-rated show on the Fox network that week, following the [[NFC Championship Game|NFC Championship]] postgame.<ref name=ratings/>
In its original broadcast, "Two Bad Neighbors" finished 52nd in the ratings for the week of January 7 to January 14, 1996, with a [[Nielsen rating]] of 9.9.<ref name=ratings>{{cite news |title=NBC Rules The Viewing Week |date=January 19, 1996 |page=32D |work=[[Rocky Mountain News]] |last=Moore|first=Frazier|author-link=Frazier Moore}} Retrieved on December 21, 2008.</ref> The episode was the second-highest-rated show on the Fox network that week, following the [[NFC Championship Game|NFC Championship]] postgame.<ref name=ratings/>


Since airing, the episode has received mostly positive reviews from fans and television critics. It was named by ''[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair]]''{{'s}} John Ortved as the show's fifth-best episode. Ortved said, "While the ''Simpsons'' people have always claimed evenhandedness in their satire, the show is, after all, hardly right-leaning, and it is hard to miss how gleefully the former President is mocked here."<ref>{{cite magazine |first=John |last=Ortved |title=Springfield's Best |magazine=[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair]] |date=2007-07-05 |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2007/08/top10simpsons200708 |access-date=2022-01-20}}</ref> Warren Martyn and Adrian Wood, the authors of the book ''I Can't Believe It's a Bigger and Better Updated Unofficial Simpsons Guide'', wrote: "Very strange, this episode takes ''The Simpsons'' into a whole new dimension of political satire. The lampooning of a single public figure is a startling move. Works much better for Americans, we're told."<ref name="BBC"/>
Since airing, the episode has received mostly positive reviews from fans and television critics. It was named by ''[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair]]''{{'s}} John Ortved as the show's fifth-best episode. Ortved said, "While the ''Simpsons'' people have always claimed evenhandedness in their satire, the show is, after all, hardly right-leaning, and it is hard to miss how gleefully the former President is mocked here."<ref>{{cite magazine |first=John |last=Ortved |title=Springfield's Best |magazine=[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair]] |date=2007-07-05 |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2007/08/top10simpsons200708 |access-date=2022-01-20 |archive-date=May 30, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090530090021/http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2007/08/top10simpsons200708 |url-status=live }}</ref> Warren Martyn and Adrian Wood, the authors of the book ''I Can't Believe It's a Bigger and Better Updated Unofficial Simpsons Guide'', wrote: "Very strange, this episode takes ''The Simpsons'' into a whole new dimension of political satire. The lampooning of a single public figure is a startling move. Works much better for Americans, we're told."<ref name="BBC"/>


Dave Foster of DVD Times said: "Once again showing the mischievous relationship Bart and Homer share their pranks and the inevitable confrontations with George Bush Senior are as hilarious as they are implausible and frequent, but there is much to love about this episode in which the writers think out loud and paint ''The Simpsons'' and its characters as Bush once did."<ref>{{cite web |access-date=2008-12-01 |url=http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/content.php?contentid=60554 |title=The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season |publisher=DVD Times |date=2006-02-25 |author=Foster, Dave }}</ref> DVD Movie Guide's Colin Jacobson enjoyed the episode and said that it "offers the kind of episode that only ''The Simpsons'' could pull off well. The idea of bringing a president to live in Springfield is high-concept to say the least, and it could—and probably should—have bombed. However, the silliness works well and turns this into a great show."<ref name=dvdmovieguide>{{cite web |access-date=2008-12-01 |url=http://www.dvdmg.com/simpsonsseasonseven.shtml |title=The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season (1995) |publisher=DVD Movie Guide |date=2006-01-05 |author=Jacobson, Colin }}</ref> John Thorpe of ''[[Central Michigan Life]]'' named it the second-best episode of the series,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://media.www.cm-life.com/media/storage/paper906/news/2000/11/15/EtCetera/Top-10.Simpsons.Episodes.Ever-2475956.shtml |title=Top 10 Simpson's episodes ever |last=Thorpe |first=John |date=November 15, 2000 |work=Central Michigan Life |access-date=2008-12-21 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090122045610/http://media.www.cm-life.com/media/storage/paper906/news/2000/11/15/EtCetera/Top-10.Simpsons.Episodes.Ever-2475956.shtml |archive-date=January 22, 2009 }}</ref> and Rich Weir of [[AskMen.com]] named it the ninth-best episode.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.askmen.com/top_10/entertainment/64_top_10_list.html |title=Top 10: Simpsons Episodes |last=Weir |first=Rich |publisher=AskMen.com |access-date=2022-01-20}}</ref>
Dave Foster of DVD Times said: "Once again showing the mischievous relationship Bart and Homer share their pranks and the inevitable confrontations with George Bush Senior are as hilarious as they are implausible and frequent, but there is much to love about this episode in which the writers think out loud and paint ''The Simpsons'' and its characters as Bush once did."<ref>{{cite web |access-date=2008-12-01 |url=http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/content.php?contentid=60554 |title=The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season |publisher=DVD Times |date=2006-02-25 |last=Foster |first=Dave |archive-date=February 21, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090221004257/http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/content.php?contentid=60554 |url-status=live }}</ref> DVD Movie Guide's Colin Jacobson enjoyed the episode and said that it "offers the kind of episode that only ''The Simpsons'' could pull off well. The idea of bringing a president to live in Springfield is high-concept to say the least, and it could—and probably should—have bombed. However, the silliness works well and turns this into a great show."<ref name=dvdmovieguide>{{cite web |access-date=2008-12-01 |url=http://www.dvdmg.com/simpsonsseasonseven.shtml |title=The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season (1995) |publisher=DVD Movie Guide |date=2006-01-05 |last=Jacobson |first=Colin |archive-date=December 4, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081204094350/http://www.dvdmg.com/simpsonsseasonseven.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref> John Thorpe of ''[[Central Michigan Life]]'' named it the second-best episode of the series,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://media.www.cm-life.com/media/storage/paper906/news/2000/11/15/EtCetera/Top-10.Simpsons.Episodes.Ever-2475956.shtml |title=Top 10 Simpson's episodes ever |last=Thorpe |first=John |date=November 15, 2000 |work=Central Michigan Life |access-date=2008-12-21 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090122045610/http://media.www.cm-life.com/media/storage/paper906/news/2000/11/15/EtCetera/Top-10.Simpsons.Episodes.Ever-2475956.shtml |archive-date=January 22, 2009 }}</ref> and Rich Weir of ''[[AskMen]]'' named it the ninth-best episode.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.askmen.com/top_10/entertainment/64_top_10_list.html |title=Top 10: Simpsons Episodes |last=Weir |first=Rich |website=[[AskMen]] |access-date=2022-01-20 |archive-date=January 20, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220120065511/https://www.askmen.com/top_10/entertainment/64_top_10_list.html |url-status=live }}</ref>


==References==
==References==
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{{Gerald Ford}}
{{Gerald Ford}}


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[[Category:The Simpsons season 7 episodes]]
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{{good article}}

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[[Category:The Simpsons (season 7) episodes]]
[[Category:1996 American television episodes]]
[[Category:1996 American television episodes]]
[[Category:Cultural depictions of George H. W. Bush]]
[[Category:Cultural depictions of George H. W. Bush]]
[[Category:Cultural depictions of Gerald Ford]]
[[Category:Cultural depictions of Gerald Ford]]
[[Category:Cultural depictions of George W. Bush]]
[[Category:Cultural depictions of Mikhail Gorbachev]]
[[Category:Cultural depictions of Mikhail Gorbachev]]
[[Category:Television episodes written by Ken Keeler]]
[[Category:Television episodes written by Ken Keeler]]
[[Category:Caricatures of presidents of the United States]]
[[Category:Fiction about father–son relationships]]


[[it:Episodi de I Simpson (settima stagione)#Due pessimi vicini di casa]]
[[it:Episodi de I Simpson (settima stagione)#Due pessimi vicini di casa]]

Latest revision as of 19:05, 14 November 2024

"Two Bad Neighbors"
The Simpsons episode
Episode no.Season 7
Episode 13
Directed byWes Archer
Written byKen Keeler
Production code3F09
Original air dateJanuary 14, 1996 (1996-01-14)
Episode features
Couch gagMarge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie are moose heads on the wall and Homer is a bearskin rug on the floor. A game hunter comes in, sits on the couch, and smokes a pipe.[1]
CommentaryMatt Groening
Bill Oakley
Josh Weinstein
Ken Keeler
Wes Archer
Episode chronology
← Previous
"Team Homer" 		Next →
"Scenes from the Class Struggle in Springfield"
The Simpsons season 7
List of episodes

"Two Bad Neighbors" is the thirteenth episode of the seventh season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It was written by Ken Keeler, directed by Wes Archer and inspired by the animosity toward the series' earlier run from the Bush family. In the episode, George H. W. Bush, the 41st President of the United States (voiced by Harry Shearer),[2] moves across the street from the Simpsons. Homer seeks revenge after the former President spanks Bart for his bad behavior.

"Two Bad Neighbors" originally aired on Fox in the United States on January 14, 1996.[1][3] The episode was selected for release in a 2000 video collection of selected political episodes of the show, titled: The Simpsons Political Party.[4] The episode appeared on the second volume of the collection, together with the episode "Duffless" from season four.[5] The episode was included in The Simpsons season seven DVD set, which was released on December 13, 2005.[6] Keeler, Oakley, and Weinstein participated in the DVD's audio commentary, alongside Matt Groening and the director of the episode, Wes Archer.[3][6][7] This episode also marks the first appearance of regular recurring character Disco Stu.

Plot

[edit]

George H. W. Bush and his wife Barbara are looking for a place where they can get away from politics. They settle on Springfield, the city with the lowest voter turnout in America, and move into the house opposite the Simpsons. Bart's pranks and irreverent spirit quickly get on George's nerves, and he reaches his breaking point after Bart accidentally shreds his memoirs with an outboard motor. George gives Bart a spanking, which evokes Homer's ire, and the two become enemies from then on.

Homer launches bottle rockets at George's window and George puts up a banner reading "Two Bad Neighbors". Next, Homer and Bart use cardboard likenesses of George's sons, George Jr. and Jeb, to lure him out of the house, where they glue a clown wig to his head. George retaliates by destroying the Simpsons' lawn with his car.

Homer and Bart decide to release locusts in the Bushes' house, but George catches them in the act. Homer and George begin brawling and only stop when Mikhail Gorbachev arrives to deliver a housewarming present. Under pressure from his wife, George apologizes to Homer in front of Gorbachev. The Bushes move again and their house is bought by President Gerald Ford. Homer and Ford bond over their love of football, beer, and nachos, and discover that they are equally accident-prone.

Production

[edit]
George H. W. Bush and his wife had a feud with The Simpsons that eventually led to this episode.

The show had a feud with the Bushes that eventually led to the idea for this episode. In the October 1, 1990 edition of People, Barbara Bush called The Simpsons "the dumbest thing [she] had ever seen", which had led to the writers sending a letter to Bush where they posed as Marge Simpson. Bush immediately sent a reply in which she apologized.[8][9]

On January 27, 1992, then-President George H. W. Bush made a speech during his re-election campaign that reignited the feud between The Simpsons and the Bushes. At that point, family values were the cornerstone of Bush's campaign platform, to which effect he gave the following speech at the National Religious Broadcasters' convention in Washington, D.C.: "We are going to keep on trying to strengthen the American family, to make American families a lot more like the Waltons and a lot less like the Simpsons".[9] The next broadcast of The Simpsons was a rerun of "Stark Raving Dad" on January 30, 1992. It included a new opening, which was a response to Bush's speech. The scene begins in the Simpsons' living room. Homer, Bart, Lisa, and Patty and Selma all stare at the television and watch Bush's speech. After Bush's statement Bart replies, "Hey, we're just like the Waltons. We're praying for an end to the Depression too."[10][11] This episode marks the only Season 7 episode where Lisa has a minor role, having only one line, although she has major/supporting roles in the season's other episodes.

A portrait of a man with black hair looking at the viewer
Bill Oakley got the inspiration for the episode after the feud with the Bushes.

Bill Oakley, who was a writer on The Simpsons at the time, came up with the idea for "Two Bad Neighbors" two years before production began.[12] Oakley got the inspiration for the episode after the feud between the Bushes and the Simpson family, and two years later when he and Josh Weinstein became showrunners of The Simpsons, they assigned Ken Keeler to write it.[3] Oakley said that Bill Clinton had been President of the United States for two years at the point when the episode went into production, so the feud had "faded off into oblivion". The staff therefore thought it would be funny if the two parties encountered each other again.[13]

Weinstein said that the episode is often misunderstood. Many audiences expected a political satire, while the writers made special effort to keep the parody apolitical.[12] Oakley stresses that "it's not a political attack, it's a personal attack", and instead of criticizing Bush for his policies, the episode instead pokes fun at his "crotchetiness". Oakley considered the episode to lack many "zany" jokes common for the show at that time, and described the episode as a companion piece to the season eight episode "Homer's Enemy", in that a realistic character (Frank Grimes in that case) is placed in the unrealistic Simpsons universe and juxtaposed alongside Homer, creating conflict.[13]

In an interview with the fan site NoHomers.net, Weinstein was asked if there had been any stories that he had come up with that did not make it into the show, to which he replied: "The great thing about The Simpsons is that we pretty much were able to get away with everything, so there weren't any episodes we really wanted to do that we couldn't do. Even the crazy high-concept ones like 'Two Bad Neighbors' and 'Homer's Enemy' we managed to put on the air because honestly there were no network execs there to stop us."[14]

At the end of the episode, Gerald Ford moves into the house across the street after Bush leaves. When originally conceived, Richard Nixon was going to move in instead, though this was changed to Bob Dole following Nixon's death. The writers then decided it would be funnier if it were Ford since they believed he was the politician who best represented Homer.[13] Keeler's first draft also included a musical number in the style of Tom Lehrer's satirical recordings, although this ended up being cut.[15]

The episode features the first appearance of Disco Stu, who became a recurring character in the series. Stu was originally designed as a withered, old, John Travolta-esque figure and was to be voiced by repeat guest star Phil Hartman. However, when the animators remodeled the character, Hartman was not available to dub the voice and so Hank Azaria took over the role.[13]

Cultural references

[edit]
Grampa Simpson claims to have been spanked by Grover Cleveland.

Politics

[edit]

George H. W. Bush

[edit]

There are numerous references to events in George H. W. Bush's presidency, such as the vomiting incident at a Japanese banquet, the invasion of Panama to depose Manuel Noriega and the broken pledge not to raise taxes.

Grover Cleveland

[edit]

In response to George spanking Bart, Grandpa says: "Big deal! When I was a pup, we got spanked by presidents till the cows came home. Grover Cleveland spanked me on two non-consecutive occasions", referring to the first president to have served two non-consecutive terms in office.[1]

TV

[edit]

The relationship between Bart and George is a homage to the United States television series Dennis the Menace from 1959, with the Bushes standing in for Dennis's elderly neighbors, the Wilsons.[1]

Music

[edit]

When Homer and Bart hand out fliers for the upcoming garage sale, Apu Nahasapeemapetilon is seen washing his car while singing Cheap Trick's 1979 song "Dream Police".[16]

Homer's song at the rummage sale is set to the tune of the songs "Big Spender" and "Stayin' Alive".[17]

Reception

[edit]

In its original broadcast, "Two Bad Neighbors" finished 52nd in the ratings for the week of January 7 to January 14, 1996, with a Nielsen rating of 9.9.[18] The episode was the second-highest-rated show on the Fox network that week, following the NFC Championship postgame.[18]

Since airing, the episode has received mostly positive reviews from fans and television critics. It was named by Vanity Fair's John Ortved as the show's fifth-best episode. Ortved said, "While the Simpsons people have always claimed evenhandedness in their satire, the show is, after all, hardly right-leaning, and it is hard to miss how gleefully the former President is mocked here."[19] Warren Martyn and Adrian Wood, the authors of the book I Can't Believe It's a Bigger and Better Updated Unofficial Simpsons Guide, wrote: "Very strange, this episode takes The Simpsons into a whole new dimension of political satire. The lampooning of a single public figure is a startling move. Works much better for Americans, we're told."[1]

Dave Foster of DVD Times said: "Once again showing the mischievous relationship Bart and Homer share their pranks and the inevitable confrontations with George Bush Senior are as hilarious as they are implausible and frequent, but there is much to love about this episode in which the writers think out loud and paint The Simpsons and its characters as Bush once did."[20] DVD Movie Guide's Colin Jacobson enjoyed the episode and said that it "offers the kind of episode that only The Simpsons could pull off well. The idea of bringing a president to live in Springfield is high-concept to say the least, and it could—and probably should—have bombed. However, the silliness works well and turns this into a great show."[21] John Thorpe of Central Michigan Life named it the second-best episode of the series,[22] and Rich Weir of AskMen named it the ninth-best episode.[23]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e Martyn, Warren; Wood, Adrian (2000). "Two Bad Neighbors". BBC. Archived from the original on October 12, 2003. Retrieved March 6, 2007.
  2. ^ Hughes, William (December 1, 2018). "George H.W. Bush has died, but pop culture's impression of him lives on". The A.V. Club. Retrieved December 12, 2018.
  3. ^ a b c Richmond & Coffman 1997, p. 194.
  4. ^ The Simpsons Political Party, Boxed Set. 20th Century Fox. OCLC 44075102.
  5. ^ The Simpsons Political Party, Vol. 2. 20th Century Fox. OCLC 58432589.
  6. ^ a b The Simpsons — The Complete Seventh Season. The Simpsons. 20th Century Fox. December 13, 2005.
  7. ^ "The Simpsons — The Complete 7th Season". TVShowsOnDVD.com. Archived from the original on October 2, 2012. Retrieved November 30, 2008.
  8. ^ Chin, Paula (October 1, 1990). "In the Eye of the Storm". People. Archived from the original on April 11, 2016. Retrieved January 20, 2022.
  9. ^ a b Brooks, James L. (2004). "Bush vs. Simpsons", in The Simpsons: The Complete Fourth Season [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.
  10. ^ Turner 2004, pp. 225–226.
  11. ^ Ortved, John (August 2007). "Simpson Family Values". Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on August 27, 2008. Retrieved January 20, 2022.
  12. ^ a b Weinstein, Josh (2005). The Simpsons season 7 DVD commentary for the episode "Two Bad Neighbors" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
  13. ^ a b c d Oakley, Bill (2005). The Simpsons season 7 DVD commentary for the episode "Two Bad Neighbors" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
  14. ^ Oakley, Bill (November 25, 2005). "Ask Bill and Josh Q&A Thread". NoHomers.net. Retrieved December 22, 2008.
  15. ^ Keeler, Ken (2005). The Simpsons season 7 DVD commentary for the episode "Two Bad Neighbors" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
  16. ^ Nawrocki, Tom (November 28, 2002). "Springfield, Rock City". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on December 20, 2008. Retrieved December 7, 2008.
  17. ^ Bates, James W.; Gimple, Scott M.; McCann, Jesse L.; Richmond, Ray; Seghers, Christine, eds. (2010). Simpsons World The Ultimate Episode Guide: Seasons 1–20 (1st ed.). Harper Collins Publishers. p. 1073. ISBN 978-0-00-738815-8.
  18. ^ a b Moore, Frazier (January 19, 1996). "NBC Rules The Viewing Week". Rocky Mountain News. p. 32D. Retrieved on December 21, 2008.
  19. ^ Ortved, John (July 5, 2007). "Springfield's Best". Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on May 30, 2009. Retrieved January 20, 2022.
  20. ^ Foster, Dave (February 25, 2006). "The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season". DVD Times. Archived from the original on February 21, 2009. Retrieved December 1, 2008.
  21. ^ Jacobson, Colin (January 5, 2006). "The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season (1995)". DVD Movie Guide. Archived from the original on December 4, 2008. Retrieved December 1, 2008.
  22. ^ Thorpe, John (November 15, 2000). "Top 10 Simpson's episodes ever". Central Michigan Life. Archived from the original on January 22, 2009. Retrieved December 21, 2008.
  23. ^ Weir, Rich. "Top 10: Simpsons Episodes". AskMen. Archived from the original on January 20, 2022. Retrieved January 20, 2022.
Bibliography
[edit]
Wikiquote has quotations related to "Two Bad Neighbors".
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