S01EP09 The Call of the Simpsons

The Call of the Simpsons
Air Date: February 18, 1990
Production Episode: 7G09
Written by: John Swartzwelder
Directed by: Wesley Archer

One of the classics of the genre now, this episode takes the family out of their familiar setting and dumps them on a camping trip. What better way to explore your characters after setting them up than to force them into an unfamiliar situation rife with the potential for comedy? Even on The Simpsons alone this spring has been revisited time and time again.

We start off with a bit more of Ned's character development. At this point in the series, like in "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire", he's simply the well off neighbor that Homer is competing with. His actions in this episode don't fit his later character at all. In the previous episode we saw his habit of spending money on things others can enjoy. This comes up most notably later on in the series, where he reveals his rec room with beer on tap, full of things he would never partake in.

At the start we see Rod Flanders on a riding mower, complete with umbrella and lemonade. Modern Ned would consider such luxuries sinful. We then see Ned drive up in his new RV, which becomes a regular vehicle for them, appearing in several other episodes. At this point, however, Ned mentions that he has purchased the RV using credit, something the fiscally conscious later Ned would never do. At this point in the series, he makes the same amount of money as Homer. Later on, notably in the episode where he starts the Leftorium, he is said to be a pharmaceutical salesman, which would account for his wealth. His later literal personal relationship with God would also account for his good fortune.

Homer decides to get an RV of his own, and heads off to Cowboy Bob's. A not so recurring character, he's appeared in a handful of background scenes, as well as selling Homer an RV a second time fifteen years later in "Mobile Homer". Here he will only sell Homer a broken down used van due to Homer's credit rating. Ned still congratulates Homer on his purchase and declares it a beauty, showing his upbeat and affable nature right from the start.

Predictably, once the Simpsons are in the forest, they lose the RV when it rolls over a cliff. Stranded, Homer and Bart head out for help, while Marge and Lisa stay put. Maggie follows Homer without his knowledge, while Marge figures she will be okay with the guys. We see a lot of Lisa's intelligence, along with Marge's. They successfully create a shelter and fire, being comfortable until a news team finds them.

Homer and Bart lose Maggie, not realizing she's following them. They end up in a river, go over a waterfall, and climb out buck naked. They continue to fail at survival skills in humorous ways. Maggie is found by a bear, who she calms down with a spare pacifier. The bear takes her back to the caver, where they treat her as one of their own.

I don't want to claim the writers planned something they never intended to, but this comes up over and over. Maggie has the almost superhuman ability to get people or animals to listen to her. At first it was probably a "babies are innocent and animals will take care of a baby" trope, but you'll see as the seasons go on that it's a consistent part of her character, right up to the episodes in the future, where she's "The voice of her generation". Although that is far more likely a joke on the "Maggie never talks" gag. It is interesting how consistent the "Maggie is a super baby" plot point is. 

In between this sequence, Homer tries to eat honey out of a bee hive, gets stung in the mouth, and falls into a muddy river. There he spots a camera man, who mistakes his shouting and bestial appearance as Bigfoot. It is at this point that Marge and Lisa meet the reporters and are rescued. After an interview as "The wife of Bigfoot", we see Lisa and her at home, watching the news, where we see the first ever appearance of.....

No, actually we don't. While the news anchor clearly has Kent Brockman's voice, he is not Kent Brockman yet. We don't see him until "Krusty Gets Busted". There's no mention of Kent's name at this point in the series.

Eventually Homer and Bart find Maggie, Homer is captured by hunters, and is studied by scientists. Despite knowing Homer from a few episodes earlier, Dr. Marvin Monroe, who is apparently now a zoologist, admits they cannot decide if Homer is a man or a beast. Eventually it is decided that he is either a brilliant beast or a below average man.

And so ends an entertaining romp in the woods full of the usual camping cliches, topped by a bigfoot sighting, and wrapped up in the most ridiculous way possible. Truly, a classic episode. And I'm not being sarcastic, these are what I'd consider the classic Simpsons. Ridiculous plotlines wrapped up in ridiculous ways that play on the Simpsons being the bottom of Springfield's social strata.

Also, did anyone else notice the bears growling was clearly heavy, metal furniture being moved around? It's incredibly noticeable in the sequence where Maggie is introduced to the other bears.