"Radioactive Man" is the second episode of The Simpsons' seventh season which originally aired September 24, 1995. It was written by John Swartzwelder, and directed by Susie Dietter. Mickey Rooney guest starred as himself. The episode sees the film version of the comic book Radioactive Man set up production in Springfield.

It was also the first episode to be digitally colored. The duties of that task went to USAnimation, who also worked on "The Simpsons 138th Episode Spectacular". Digital coloring would not be attempted again until season 12's "Tennis the Menace", and again when the show permanently switched to digital coloring in season 14 with "The Great Louse Detective".

Plot

Bart and Milhouse are thrilled to hear that a film version of their favorite comic book, Radioactive Man, is in production. Rainier Wolfcastle, the star of the McBain films, is chosen to play Radioactive Man, and even more excitingly for the Springfield Elementary School children, the production moves to their town, after seeing a small poorly spelled ad in Variety magazine ("FLIM SPRINGFIELD"). A search is launched for a young actor to play Radioactive Man's sidekick Fallout Boy, and Bart auditions. Bart does well, but is rejected because he is an inch too short. Bart leaves and acquires high shoes and a vertical stripe suit (among other attempts to look taller), but by this point Milhouse has already taken the part, albeit reluctantly.

A despondent Bart is told by Lisa that he is still needed as a star's friend and confidant, and Bart eagerly accepts this new role. However, Milhouse finds his own job intolerable and disappears, right during the filming of the most expensive scene in the movie. The film is suspended while the townspeople search for Milhouse. Eventually Bart finds him in the treehouse, but despite encouragement from former child star Mickey Rooney, Milhouse gives up on his acting career. All production on the film is aborted, with the project bankrupt, thanks to price gouging and other unscrupulous conduct by the people of Springfield. Despite Rooney's stern lecture about their selfish greed, Mayor Quimby insists the townspeople can't give any of the directors' money back before they leave. The directors return to Hollywood, "where people treat each other right," and wait until they're able to resume production on the movie.

Cultural references

Radioactive Man, the "campy 70's version" in particular, is largely a parody of the Batman series, with "The Scoutmaster" being based on Paul Lynde. The film executives wanting to pick seventy-three year old (and dead) Dirk Richter to play Radioactive Man is a reference to the then-60-year-old Adam West's well-publicized insistence that he reprise his role as Batman for the 1989 film adaptation. The scene where Radioactive Man (Rainier) and Fallout Boy (Milhouse) are captured on an artificial island makes reference to the film Waterworld. The end song is "Lean on Me" by Bill Withers.

During the battle with the Scoutmaster's "henchmen," two of the words that appear as sound effects, "SNUH!!" and "BORT!!" are words previously used in the series: SNUH is the acronym for Marge's public interest group, "Springfieldians for Nonviolence, Understanding, and Helping" (Itchy & Scratchy & Marge), and "BORT" is the name on a novelty license plate Bart finds in the gift shop in Itchy & Scratchy Land.

Comic Book Guy sends a message to other Internet nerds about who will star in the new Radioactive Man movie, two of whom are the nerds Homer met in "Homer Goes to College", while the one in the center square is Prince dressed in a purple suit. The usenet newsgroup which he posted to (alt.nerd.obsessive) is a reference to the alt.tv.simpsons newsgroup.

Whilst searching for Milhouse, Bart encounters a character who bears a striking resemblance to Miller (Tracey Walter) a character in Alex Cox's 1984 cult film 'Repo Man'.

Reception

A very popular line appeared in this episode "My eyes, the goggles do nothing!" and has been parodied in many shows. Loogan Herr gives this episode a 9 out of 10 in IGN saying "Could watch this over, and over and never get tired of it!" and many critics name this as their favorite episode.

References

External links

• "Radioactive Man" episode capsule at The Simpsons Archive