THE OTTO SHOW

SEASON 03 EPISODE 22 (EPISODE 57)

THIS IS IT:

After a number of marginal appearances, Otto the school bus driver takes centre stage in an episode for the first time.  It begins with Bart and Milhouse attending a Spinal Tap concert at Springfield Coliseum which descends into a riot after twenty minutes.  After this Bart wants to become a rockstar and has a guitar bought for him which, off the back of a natural series of events, sees Otto losing his job, becoming homeless and living with The Simpsons.  Of course it all ends happily with many a lesson learned (and promptly forgotten).  Basically the episode deals with the age old stereotype of heavy metal fans in society and their inability to combine their dreams and healthily fit in.  In many ways Otto represents the element of arrested development in all of us.  It also deals heavily with the issues that come from dealing with extend family.

IS IT ANY GOOD:

Yes, it contains a big hit rate boosted by a big cameo from Spinal Tap during the first half.

WHAT IT TAUGHT ME:

Homer’s tinnitus.  That rock shows in America are performed at ice hockey stadiums.

EXTERNAL REFERENCES:

Gadaffi.  The future rockstar Bart shouting “slag off” is somewhat Jim Morrison.  Otto does a cover of “Freebird”.  “This is not Happy Days and he is not The Fonz”, “Hey, Mr S!”

BEST LINES:

“Oh Marge I went to thousand of heavy metal concerts and it never hurt me”.  “Some of the best times I ever had were in the back seat of a car”.  “I’d like to play me latest chart topper.  It’s called “Me Fans Are Stupid Pigs”.  “Oh yeah, well it sounds Polly wolly crappy”.  “Otto, that’s one palindrome you won’t be hearing for a while”.  “Oh everyone says that when they hear themselves on tape”.  “Will you knock it off, I can’t hear myself think: I want some peanuts”.  “Of course I’m not mad, if something’s hard to do then it’s not worth doing”.

BEST JOKES:

The cassette recording of Marge agreeing to let Otto stay at their house and how it fools Homer hook, line and sinker.  Certainly one of Bart’s most audacious moments.

PERIPHERAL MOMENT:

The umlaut over the N of Spinal Tap at Springfield Coliseum.  It’s standard Tap issue but still funny.

REALITY CROSSOVER:

Homer and I appear to share a similar degree of hearing problems rooted in the same manner.  Patty using the green pen/red pen method to display good and bad is a method I have used at my place of work.  Also obviously I was a child that tried to learn the guitar and quit.

MVP:

Homer Simpson.

GUEST APPEARANCES:

Spinal Tap.

SONGS:

“Break Like The Wind” by Spinal Tap.

EPISODE LINKS:

None.

PERCULARITIES:

A guy sounding like Comic Store Guy and looking a little bit like Comic Store Guy selling a Spinal Tap t-shirt of the band kicking Gadaffi.

BART ON THE BLACKBOARD:

I will not spin the turtle.

OTHER:

This was the episode where Otto’s surname was established as Mann.  Bill and Marty from KBBL interview Spinal Tap.  Otto drives the school bus through the Springfield tyres.  Let tender moment of Homer inviting Bart to watch TV with him and saying it doesn’t matter what’s on.

FINAL WORDS:

It endures time and repeated viewings.