The Telltale Head

Plot

Homer and Bart are chased through Springfield, carrying the head of a statue of Jebediah Springfield. They become surrounded and Bart recalls how he ended up with the head.

The story begins on Sunday morning. After church, Bart sneaks off to see Space Mutants IV, but runs into some troublemakers. Jimbo, the leader, invites Bart to sneak into the movie with them. Later, the boys throw rocks at the statue of Jebediah Springfield, but when Bart defends the town founder, the bullies tease him.

Bart sneaks off in the middle of the night and saws the head off the statue to impress the gang. However, everyone in Springfield is upset, even Jimbo and the bullies. Bart confesses to his family, and Homer escorts Bart to the authorities, where they run into the mob. We are taken back to the present day, where Bart reminds the townspeople of their heritage, and they forgive him.

Memorable quotes

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Notes

• Bart's blackboard gag for this episode is "I Did Not See Elvis", however, one of the lines reads: "I Did See Elvis".
• Marge pulls a comic book from inside Bart's jacket.
• A sign inside the church advertises Bingo, Monte Carlo Nights and a Reno Retreat. Reverend Lovejoy's sermon was on the evils of gambling.
• The ad for the Space Mutants movie reads: Space Mutants IV: The Trilogy Continues.
• The football commentator mentions a player named 'Wolodarsky'. Wallace Wolodarsky is a writer on The Simpsons.
• Jimbo, Dolph and Kearney stand on the grass, next to a sign saying "Keep Off The Grass".
• Sideshow Bob appeared on the TV set with his hair in an afro, instead of his normal style.

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References

• The head of the statue talks to Bart, referencing Edgar Allen Poe's literary tale, "The Telltale Heart". The episode title also takes its name from this.
• The scene where Bart wakes up with the head next to him in bed is a parody of the movie "The Godfather".

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