Ep. 31 - Pulp Fiction with Bill Oakley
Former Simpsons writer and showrunner Bill Oakley (now founder of the Steamed Hams Society) joins Adam and Nate as they continue their double feature inspired by “22 Short Films About Springfield” (S7E21) with a rewatch of Pulp Fiction (1994) on its 30th anniversary.
Also in this episode:
Bill discusses his Brett Kavanaugh-like taste in movies, including Pulp Fiction and Cold Turkey (1971), the process of piecing together “22 Short Films about Springfield,” and the shared pop culture DNA of The Simpsons and Quentin Tarantino
Bill also provides the behind-the-scenes story of what killed the Simpsons spinoff “Springfield”
When does a mixed-up timeline work on film, and when is it just a gimmick?
Quentin Tarantino’s homage (French for “theft”) of one of his favorite directors Sergio Leone
Next time, That Shelf Managing Editor Emma Badame joins the podcast to revisit Alfred Hithcock’s Rear Window (1954) on its 70th anniversary, and its parody in “Bart of Darkness” (S6E1).
“The Simpsons” Surf-Rock style theme performed by The Supersonicos.
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Every Simpsons Reference to Pulp Fiction
By our count, Pulp Fiction has been directly referenced 6 times in the first 13 seasons of The Simpsons. The first reference appears in “Bart’s Girlfriend” (S6E7) from 1994, the same year as the release of the movie.
Scene & Plot References
22 Short Films About Springfield (S7E21): This episode contains several parodies of Pulp Fiction, beginning with the title card, which is modeled after the segment titles from the movie. This is one of the few times outside of the “Treehouse of Horror” series where The Simpsons includes an on-screen title. On the commentary, Bill Oakley notes that this was partly to help set the viewer’s expectation that this episode wouldn’t be a standard sitcom format.
Later, Chief Wiggum, Lou, and Eddie compare the names of hamburgers between McDonalds and Krusty Burger, mimicking a similarly drawn-out scene between Vincent and Jules in this movie. However, the booth where the Simpsons version takes place is from the diner segment in this film, rather than the car where Jules and Vincent talk.
The scene where Chief Wiggum and Snake are captured by Herman in his weapons shop is a parody of the climax of “The Gold Watch” segment in this movie. However, when the doorbell rings, Kirk and Milhouse Van Houten are at the door looking for a bathroom, instead of the white supremacist rapist Zed. Much like Butch, Milhouse saves the day with a medieval weapon.
Simpsoncalifragilisticexpiala(Annoyed Grunt)cious (S8E13) & Take My Wife Sleaze (S11E8): The Itchy & Scratchy episode “Reservoir Cats” (supposedly guest directed by Quentin Tarantino) mashes up the famous ear-cutting scene from Reservoir Dogs with the dance sequence from Pulp Fiction. While Quentin Tarantino refused to appear as a guest star, the segment nonetheless ends with Tarantino coming out to over-explain the themes of the episode.
Small References
Bart’s Girlfriend (S6E7): When Bart and his new girlfriend Jessica go on their rule-breaking spree, a Dick Dale-style surf rock soundtrack can be heard in the background, much like the trailer and opening credits of this movie.
While this episode aired only one month after the movie was released, the score is one of the last pieces of an episode to come together, so it’s plausible that this is a reference to Pulp Fiction. (unconfirmed)
A Tale of Two Springfields (S12E2): To keep track of which of his friends is which, Homer writes "Lenny = White, Carl = Black" on his hand, much like the Wolf does on a note pad about Jules and Vincent in the film. This is perhaps as close as The Simpsons has come to their informal rule that Homer can never be so dumb that he forgets his own name. (Unconfirmed)
Extra Credit
Looking for more like this or an interesting double feature? Here are our recommendations.
From Bill: Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998), Snatch (2000), plus for something unrelated to Pulp Fiction that’s just one of Bill’s favorite movies, check out Cold Turkey (1971)
From Nate: Once Upon a Time in the West (1968), and Magnolia (1999)
From Adam: Lucky Number Slevin (2006)
Further Reading & Viewing
Article: Maureen Dowd, “This Is Why Uma Thurman Is Angry,” The New York Times, February 3, 2018.
Oral History: Mark Seal, “Cinema Tarantino: The Making of Pulp Fiction,” Vanity Fair, February 13, 2013.
Featurette: “Pulp Fiction: The Facts,” Pulp Fiction two-disc DVD, 2002.
Featurette: “Behind The Scenes Production Design,” Pulp Fiction two-disc DVD, 2002.
TV Episode: “The Tarantino Generation,” At the Movies (Siskel & Ebert), June 3, 1995.
Here are a couple of wild album covers from John Travolta’s recording career. For many, Travolta’s public image was stuck in this era prior to Pulp Fiction. Case in point, in The Simpsons episode “Itchy & Scratchy Land” (covered on Springfield Googolplex), Travolta shows up in his Saturday Night Fever costume less than two weeks before the release of Pulp Fiction.
Further Eating
Want to hang out with Bill Oakley some more? Check out the Steamed Hams Society & Food Discovery Club, Bill’s online community that celebrates fast food, snack food, and hard-to-find edible delights (with special treats for fans of The Simpsons, too).
