"Jaws Wired Shut" is the ninth episode of the thirteenth season of the American animated television series ''

The Simpsons ''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical depiction of American life, epitomized by the Simpson family, which consists of Homer Simpson, Homer, Marge ...

''. It originally aired on the

Fox network The Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly known simply as Fox and stylized in all caps as FOX, is an American commercial broadcast television network owned by Fox Corporation and headquartered in New York City, with master control operations ...

in the United States on January 27, 2002. In the episode, Homer's jaw is broken when he collides with a statue of

Drederick Tatum The American animated television series ''The Simpsons'' contains a wide range of minor and supporting characters like co-workers, teachers, students, family friends, extended relatives, townspeople, local celebrities, and even animals. The write ...

. Homer's jaw is wired shut, leaving him unable to speak. At first Marge enjoys Homer's inability to talk, since it makes him a better listener and a more compassionate person. Eventually Marge misses Homer's wild antics. Craving excitement, she enters a demolition derby. The episode was written by

Matt Selman Matt Selman (born }) is an American writer and producer. Early life Selman is a native of Watertown, Massachusetts. He graduated from Beaver Country Day School in 1989 and the University of Pennsylvania in 1993. Career After considering a car ...

and directed by

Nancy Kruse Nancy Kruse is a former animation director on ''The Simpsons''. She started working on the show during the first season as a background clean-up artist. After that she did background layout and character layout for several years on the show before ...

. The plot idea for the episode was pitched by Selman, as was the setpiece, which originated from a discussion he had with current showrunner

Al Jean Alfred Ernest Jean III (born January 9, 1961) is an American screenwriter and producer. Jean is well known for his work on ''The Simpsons''. He was raised near Detroit, Michigan, and graduated from Harvard University in 1981. Jean began his wri ...

. Comedian

John Kassir John Kassir (born October 24, 1957) is an American actor and comedian. He is known for his work as the voice of the Cryptkeeper in HBO's ''Tales from the Crypt'' franchise. He is also known for his role as Ralph in the off-Broadway show ''Reef ...

guest-starred as one of the gay dogs in the pride parade in the episode. In its original broadcast, the episode was seen by approximately 8.7 million viewers, making it the most watched scripted program on Fox that night. Following its home video release, "Jaws Wired Shut" received mostly positive reviews from critics.

Plot

When the Springfield gay pride parade passes by the Simpsons' house,

Santa's Little Helper Santa's Little Helper is a fictional dog in the American animated television series ''The Simpsons''. He is the pet greyhound of the Simpson family. He was previously voiced by Frank Welker, and is currently voiced by Dan Castellaneta. The dog ...

becomes tempted when three of the

gay ''Gay'' is a term that primarily refers to a homosexual person or the trait of being homosexual. The term originally meant 'carefree', 'cheerful', or 'bright and showy'. While scant usage referring to male homosexuality dates to the late 1 ...

dogs start flirting with him. Uncomfortable,

Homer Homer (; grc, Ὅμηρος , ''Hómēros'') (born ) was a Greek poet who is credited as the author of the ''Iliad'' and the ''Odyssey'', two epic poems that are foundational works of ancient Greek literature. Homer is considered one of the ...

drags his family to the Springfield Googolplex. After growing impatient at several previews and public service announcements preceding the film, Homer flies into a rampage and demands the movie start. Wielding oversized

Kit Kat Kit Kat (stylised as KitKat in various countries) is a chocolate-covered wafer bar confection created by Rowntree's of York, United Kingdom, and is now produced globally by Nestlé (which acquired Rowntree's in 1988), except in the United Sta ...

bars, the ushers chase Homer from the cinema. While Homer is fleeing, his head collides with the fist of a large metal statue of boxer

. At Springfield General Hospital,

Dr. Hibbert Dr. Julius Michael Hibbert, M.D. is a recurring character on the television animated sitcom ''The Simpsons''. He is Springfield's most prominent medical professional. Although he has a kind and warm persona, he is also often characterized as gree ...

wires Homer's broken jaw shut, leaving him unable to speak or eat solid food. Homer is forced to listen to his family, which pleases them, especially Marge. Since Homer is so well-behaved, Marge risks attending the annual formal event at the country club. When Homer's jaw wires are removed the next day, he and Marge appear on ''Afternoon Yak'' to discuss his transformation. With the help of the show's hosts, Marge pleads with Homer to abandon his "reckless ways" and stay well-behaved. Despite the temptation of an upcoming demolition derby, Homer behaves for Marge's sake. Five weeks later, Marge — bored with the sudden peace and quiet — enters the demolition derby. When Homer wakes and finds Marge gone, he heads to the derby with the kids to stop her. At first Marge enjoys the derby, but things soon get too dangerous for her. Since he has given up recklessness, Homer has no idea how to save her.

Bart Bart is a masculine given name, usually a diminutive of Bartholomew, sometimes of Barton, Bartolomeo, etc. Bart is a Dutch and Ashkenazi Jewish surname, and derives from the name ''Bartholomäus'', a German form of the biblical name ''Bartho ...

has an idea: he orders a can of beer from a vendor. After Homer drinks the beer the way

Popeye Popeye the Sailor Man is a fictional cartoon character created by Elzie Crisler Segar.spinach for a burst of energy, he rescues Marge. She makes him promise not to make her the live wire of the family.

Production

The episode was written by executive producer

and directed by

. It was first broadcast on the

in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

on January 27, 2002. The episode's

setpiece In film production, a set piece is a scene or sequence of scenes whose execution requires complex logistical planning and considerable expenditure of money. The term is often also used more broadly to describe a sequence in which the film-maker's ...

was pitched by Selman, and originated from a discussion he had with current showrunner

, about "how much crap there is at the movie theater before the movie actually begins." The episode's plot was also pitched by Selman, who had wanted to do an episode with a "jaws-wired-shut plot" for a while. It was not until long after the episode was completed that Selman learned that one can in fact talk with one's jaw wired shut. He learned this from fellow ''Simpsons'' writer Brian Kelley, who had had his jaw wired shut once in high school. Kelley joined the writing staff during the writing stage of the episode, however he did not mention that one could talk, since he did not want to "ruin" the episode. However, he did say that one should eat a lot before since one will lose weight when their jaw is wired shut. These trivias were subsequently included in the episode.Selman, Matt. (2010). Commentary for "Jaws Wired Shut", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Thirteenth Season'' VD 20th Century Fox. According to Jean, the episode's table read went "great" until the third act.Jean, Al. (2010). Commentary for "Jaws Wired Shut", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Thirteenth Season'' VD 20th Century Fox. The ''Simpsons'' writers found the third act "pretty challenging" to write, because by having Homer's jaws wired shut, they "took heirfunniest character" and "remove comedy." In the DVD commentary for the episode, Selman described it as "It's the comedy of saying: 'Oh, he

omer Omer may refer to: __NOTOC__ * Omer (unit), an ancient unit of measure used in the era of the ancient Temple in Jerusalem * The Counting of the Omer (''sefirat ha'omer''), a 49 day period in the Jewish calendar * Omer (Book of Mormon), a Jaredite ...

can't do all the stuff you want him to do'." It was also hard to "keep the story moving" back to normal, since they kept having to "re-use the premise". The episode features American comedian

as one of the dogs in the gay pride parade in the beginning of the episode. Barbara Walters and Star Jones, the hosts of ''The View'', were portrayed by American voice-actor

Tress MacNeille Teressa Claire MacNeille (née Payne; born June 20, 1951) is an American voice actress, whose credits include voicing Dot Warner on the animated television series '' Animaniacs'', Babs Bunny on ''Tiny Toon Adventures'', Chip and Gadget Hackwrenc ...

. In the DVD commentary for the episode, Jean stated that MacNeille is "very versatile". Lisa Ling and Joy Behar were portrayed by voice-actor

Pamela Hayden Pamela Hayden (born November 28, 1953) is an American actress and voice actress, known for providing various voices for the animated television show ''The Simpsons'', such as Milhouse Van Houten. Biography Hayden provides voices for characters ...

Cultural references

The title of the episode was pitched by ''The Simpsons'' writer Max Pross, and is a reference to Stanley Kubrick's 1999 drama film ''

Eyes Wide Shut ''Eyes Wide Shut'' is a 1999 erotic mystery psychological drama film directed, produced, and co-written by Stanley Kubrick. It is based on the 1926 novella '' Traumnovelle'' (''Dream Story'') by Arthur Schnitzler, transferring the story's set ...

''. According to Jean, the writers chose the title because "

hey Hey or Hey! may refer to: Music * Hey (band), a Polish rock band Albums * ''Hey'' (Andreas Bourani album) or the title song (see below), 2014 * ''Hey!'' (Julio Iglesias album) or the title song, 1980 * ''Hey!'' (Jullie album) or the title s ...

thought it would have been more well-remembered." When Homer's jaw is wired shut, he writes words on a portable chalkboard to communicate with people. This is a reference to

Anthony Hopkins Sir Philip Anthony Hopkins (born 31 December 1937) is a Welsh actor, director, and producer. One of Britain's most recognisable and prolific actors, he is known for his performances on the screen and stage. Hopkins has received many accolad ...

' character in '' Legends of the Fall'', who, after having a stroke, also communicates with people using a chalkboard. The song used in the ballet scene is " The Blue Danube Waltz", which was also used in '' 2001: A Space Odyssey'', another film by Kubrick. A scene in the episode takes place on the talk show "Afternoon Yak", a parody of '' The View'', with the hosts based on ''The View'''s real-life host Barbara Walters and Joy Behar, and former hosts

Lisa Ling Lisa J. Ling (born August 30, 1973) is an American journalist, television personality, and author. She is currently the host of '' This Is Life with Lisa Ling '' on CNN. Previously, she was a reporter on Channel One News, a co-host on the ABC da ...

and Star Jones. ''The View'''s audience members are also referenced, and are depicted in the episode as "giv nga huge response" to everything in the program. The play that Bart and Homer are rehearsing in the living room was written by American playwright Edward Albee. Near the end of the episode, Homer gains strength by drinking a can of beer. The scene parodies the character

Popeye Popeye the Sailor Man is a fictional cartoon character created by Elzie Crisler Segar.Olive Oyl Olive Oyl is a cartoon character created by E. C. Segar in 1919 for his comic strip ''Thimble Theatre''. The strip was later renamed '' Popeye'' after the sailor character that became the most popular member of the cast; however, Olive Oyl was ...

in the scene. Another scene shows the Simpsons in a movie theater, where

Lisa Lisa or LISA may refer to: People People with the mononym * Lisa Lisa (born 1967), American actress and lead singer of the Cult Jam * Lisa (Japanese musician, born 1974), stylized "LISA", Japanese singer and producer * Lisa Komine (born 1978), J ...

tries to solve the following quiz: "Name that character: MOT HANKS". She answers, seemingly obvious, "

Tom Hanks Thomas Jeffrey Hanks (born July 9, 1956) is an American actor and filmmaker. Known for both his comedic and dramatic roles, he is one of the most popular and recognizable film stars worldwide, and is regarded as an American cultural icon. Ha ...

", while the right answer turns out to be "Otm Shank", "''India's answer to

Brian Dennehy Brian Manion Dennehy (; July 9, 1938 – April 15, 2020) was an American actor of stage, television, and film. He won two Tony Awards, an Olivier Award, and a Golden Globe, and received six Primetime Emmy Award nominations. Dennehy had roles in ...

''" according to fellow moviegoer

Apu APU or Apu may refer to: Film and television * ''The Apu Trilogy'', a series of three Bengali films, directed by Satyajit Ray, with the fictional character Apu Roy, comprising: ** ''Pather Panchali'' (''Song of the Little Road'') (1955), the first ...

. The ''Itchy & Scratchy'' PSA showing at the theater is titled "To Kill a Talking Bird", a play on the 1960 novel ''

To Kill a Mockingbird ''To Kill a Mockingbird'' is a novel by the American author Harper Lee. It was published in 1960 and was instantly successful. In the United States, it is widely read in high schools and middle schools. ''To Kill a Mockingbird'' has become ...

''. The sign on the Springfield Civic Center mentions that the demolition derby was featured in the 1985 film '' Faces of Death III'', an entry in the controversial mondo horror film series ''Faces of Death''.

Release

In its original U.S. broadcast on January 27, 2002, "Jaws Wired Shut" received an 8.7 rating, according to

Nielsen Media Research Nielsen Media Research (NMR) is an American firm that measures media audiences, including television, radio, theatre, films (via the AMC Theatres MAP program), and newspapers. Headquartered in New York City, it is best known for the Nielsen rati ...

, translating to approximately 8.7 million viewers. The episode finished in 22nd place in the ratings for the week of January 21–27, 2002, making it the most watched scripted program on Fox that night. On August 24, 2010, "Jaws Wired Shut" was released as part of ''The Simpsons: The Complete Thirteenth Season'' DVD and Blu-ray set. Matt Groening, Al Jean, Matt Selman, Carolyn Omine, Dana Gould, Joe Mantegna and Pete Michels participated in the audio commentary of the episode. Following its home video release, "Jaws Wired Shut" received mostly positive reviews from critics. Stuart O'Conner of Screen Jabber described "Jaws Wired Shut", "

The Parent Rap "The Parent Rap" is the second episode and official premiere of the thirteenth season of the American animated television series ''The Simpsons''. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on November 11, 2001. In the episode, B ...

", "

She of Little Faith "She of Little Faith" is the sixth episode of the thirteenth season of the American animated television series ''The Simpsons''. It first aired in the United States on the Fox network on December 16, 2001. In the episode, Bart Simpson and his fa ...

" and "

Poppa's Got a Brand New Badge "Poppa's Got a Brand New Badge" is the twenty-second and final episode of the thirteenth season of the American animated television series ''The Simpsons''. It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on May 22, 2002. In the episode, ...

" as "first-rate ep sodes" Giving the episode a B+, Jennifer Malkowski of DVD Verdict described the episode as having "nicely gooey family moments." She called the "gay pride parade's 'Salute to Safer Sex' float" the episode's "highlight". Casey Broadwater of Blu-ray.com gave the episode a positive review as well, calling it "a welcome return to a more old school ''Simpsons'' storytelling style, capable of being both comical, and, in its own bizarro way, touching." Colin Jacobson of DVD Movie Guide wrote "While Season 13 doesn’t threaten to approach the high standards of the series’ strongest years, episodes like "Shut" help make it better than expected. Sure, it follows fairly predictable patterns, but it develops them in a satisfying comedic manner." He concluded his review by writing that the episode's overall "entertaining," even though its ending "falters." On the other hand, Ron Martin of 411Mania gave the episode a mixed review, calling it "uneven at best, mediocre at worst." Although he praised the episode's setpiece, Nate Boss of Project-Blu gave the episode an overall negative review, writing: "With a hilarious take on movie theaters to start the episode, the duldrum of the rest can be forgiven...almost." Adam Rayner of Obsessed with Film wrote that the episode was "woefully weak" and felt "contrived, rushed and handled by hacks." He added that the episode was "Dull". In an article on gay marriage, ''

The Economist ''The Economist'' is a British weekly newspaper printed in demitab format and published digitally. It focuses on current affairs, international business, politics, technology, and culture. Based in London, the newspaper is owned by The Eco ...

'' references the Simpsons' blasé acceptance of the annual Springfield gay pride parade in this episode as being "a few steps ahead of real life. But only a few".

was nominated for the Writers Guild of America Award for Outstanding Writing in Animation at the 55th Writers Guild of America Awards for his script to this episode.

References

External links

* * {{The Simpsons episodes, 13 The Simpsons (season 13) episodes 2002 American television episodes American LGBT-related television episodes