The Simpsons gave fans one of the best episodes in the history of the animated series 32 years ago today, and with it also ended up with one of its best movie parodies ever. The Simpsons has had a lot of classic episodes over the course of its 37 season run thus far, and many of these fan favorites were about Mr. Burns. There’s just something special about Mr. Burns in particular that makes him a standout character in the series. You can put him in pretty much every situation, and there are still new avenues to explore with him after all this time.
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The Simpsons really figured out the key to Mr. Burns’ longevity early on too. 32 years ago today, on October 21st, 1993, “Rosebud” aired on FOX and introduced fans to Mr. Burns’ lost childhood bear, Bobo. This bear was something he had longered for in his older, depressing life. And called out to in the dead of night with a full parody of the episode’s namesake, Citizen Kane, as it mirrored the classic film‘s most memorable scene of a sad old man looking back on his own youth.
The Simpsons Released a 10/10 Episode Today
The Simpsons Season 5 is one that is right smack dab in the middle of what is considered as the “Golden Age” of the animated series by fans. “Rosebud” kicks off with Mr. Burns dreaming about a memory he had as a child where he was adopted by a mysterious rich man and quickly decided to leave his family behind. But in the process of doing so, he also left behind his childhood bear, Bobo. After being frozen in ice for many years (and making it through some big moments in history), this bear ends up in the hands of the Simpsons.
When it’s revealed that the bear Maggie has grown so attached to is the very same one that Burns is looking for, the initial plan is to sell it to him for a great price. But when Maggie refuses to give up the bear, Homer decides against it. But eventually, Maggie does decide to give Burns the bear and it’s indeed an ending. It’s not a happy one, or a sad one as Mr Burns. gets what he wants, but as Marge says, “It’s an ending.” And that’s why fans remember it so well all these years later.
Why This Episode Is Such a Great Parody
But the best parodies in The Simpsons history come across even if you don’t know the original source material. The series is likely the first time a lot of fans had even heard of Citizen Kane, and are more likely to recognize its callouts after seeing them in the show. This episode isn’t the only time The Simpsons refers to the classic movie (like with the “cane from Citizen Kane”), but it’s the one that most thematically resonates with the classic when it comes to its core story.
Mr. Burns has longed for that missing piece of his childhood innocence that had since been long tossed away, and that’s why the titular character of the film is longing for on his deathbed. “Rosebud” is the word he says with his last breath, and it’s soon revealed to be the name of a sled he loved as a childhood. It’s soon destroyed with much of Kane’s late estate, and it’s truly an ending that reflects the kind of empty life he ultimately led. It’s a bummer of an ending that The Simpsons couldn’t do in its entirety, but it’s lack of a truly fitting resolution is the best shout out to the original film the episode could ask for.
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Image courtesy of Lucasfilm -
Image Courtesy of Warner Bros
