3. Raging Abe Simpson and His Grumbling Grandson in “The Curse of the Flying Hellfish”
Season Seven
1996
Not much was ever made of Grandpa Simpson until the later seasons of the series, where we learned that he was a mean old codger. And sometimes for a good reason. Often times just because he was a jerk. In “Raging Abe Simpson,” it’s one of the most entertaining Grandpa-centric episode where we’re given an interesting dimension in to his youth. Bart Simpson also gets a crash course in to Grandpa’s life, when he learns he’s a part of a blood oath to collect priceless art as he’s close to being the last one standing in his troop of the Flying Hellfish. But Monty Burns breaks the oath by sending assassin Fernando Vidal out to get Grandpa.
Cue endless hilarity. And a script made up of almost nothing but quotable lines like “Oh, jabberjack. Schoolhouse don’t put up spittoons, I ain’t responsible,” and Flanders proclaiming Grandpa’s plan to steal his boat “spine-tingling-dingling!” There’s also the wonderful sight gags that are never drawn attention toward, but are too funny to ignore. Like the assassin’s insistence on dressing he and Mr. Burns as the Simpsons, Burns crashing in to Lisa’s room with a cherry picker as she mutters “Santa?” innocently, and Vidal’s dramatic declaration towards a picture of Grandpa eating a can of Del Monte peas. And who knew nurses in old folks homes were packing heat behind the medicine counter?
“Raging Abe Simpson” is a rare episode where Bart and his grandfather bond, and fight to give him back his self-respect, especially considering he was once a heroic military Sergeant. “Raging Abe Simpson” gives Grandpa an empathetic subtext as he was once a strapping young man with a whole world in front of him, who basically lost it when he became a working man and father, as we saw in future episodes. Hank Azaria really is at the top of his game here, as well, playing Fernando Vidal, and Baron von Wortzenberger, a German yuppy too self-centered to understand the significance of the art he’s given in the finale. It’s a fun diversion, and an utterly hilarious better look at one of the series’ most prominent supporting characters.