Simpsons – Flaming Moe's (s3e10)

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“Flaming Moe’s” is the 10th episode of the The Simpsons’ third season. The episode aired on November 21, 1991. This is the first and only occasion on which Bart’s prank calls to Moe backfire, due to the fact that there was a man with the same name Bart unwittingly asks for.

Plot
Moe and his tavern are in serious financial trouble. After he runs out of beer, Homer decides to tell him about a drink recipe that he accidentally invented one night, called the “Flaming Homer”.

Homer explains that after Patty and Selma made the Simpson family watch slides from their latest vacation, he was unable to find a beer. He decided to mix together drops of liquor from near-empty bottles and accidentally included a bottle of cough syrup. When Patty dropped cigarette ash in the drink and set it on fire, Homer discovered that fire greatly enhanced the flavor of the drink.

Moe steals Homer’s recipe and begins serving the “Flaming Moe” as his own concoction. Moe sees his business boom, and his tavern soon becomes one of the trendiest nightspots in Springfield and Aerosmith’s official hangout. Homer becomes angry with Moe and vows never to return to the tavern. He subsequently becomes obsessed with Moe and how he betrayed him.

After the waitress Moe has hired discovers that Moe stole the recipe from Homer, she convinces him to sell the drink and give half of the money to Homer. Restaurant chain owners become interested in purchasing the secret ingredient for the drink, offering Moe $1,000,000 for it. Moe is about to accept the deal when Homer arrives at the tavern and climbs on top of Aerosmith’s set. He reveals to everyone in the bar that the secret ingredient is ordinary cough syrup. Within days, nearly all restaurants in Springfield are serving Flaming Moes (under slightly altered names), and Moe’s business has greatly decreased. Homer stops in and finds that Moe is not angry at him. Moe even gives Homer a “Flaming Homer” on the house.

Flaming Moe’s Song Lyrics
The song “Flaming Moe’s” was sung by Kipp Lennon, who provided the singing for the character who called himself Michael Jackson in the episode Stark Raving Dad.

When the weight of the World had got you down and you want to end your life/Bills to pay, a dead end job, and problems with the wife.
Don't throw in the towel 'cause there's a place right down the block,
where you can drink your misery away.
At Flaming Moe's,
(Let's all go to Flaming Moe's)
Where liquor in a mug,
Will warm you like a hug,
and happiness is just a Flaming Moe away.
Happiness is just a Flaming Moe away.

Cultural references
This episode parodied Cheers heavily, due to the bar-centric setting. The intellectual waitress who sleeps with Moe and later leaves for Hollywood, is reminiscent of Diane Chambers, and the “opening theme” for Moe’s is a direct parody of the famous Cheers theme, as well as the Norm-like Barney entering the bar, and a Woody-like character behind the bar.

Aerosmith took considerable effort in the production of the episode. They sing their hit Walk This Way in Moe’s Tavern, inviting Moe to join him. The Aerosmith video release Big Ones You Can Look At features behind-the-scenes footage of the band recording their segments for the episode. Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler recorded a special live version of the song “Young Lust” which played during the closing credits.

When a seemingly crazy Homer reveals the secret of the Flaming Moe, the scene has many parallels to The Phantom of the Opera including Homer standing high up in the roof (similar to the way The Phantom character often haunts the flies of the Paris Opera House) and having half his face covered by his bath robe (as The Phantom character often covers his deformed face with a mask).

After having sex with Moe, the waitress says: “I was just thinking about Homer Simpson.” And Moe replies: “That’s OK, I was just thinking about Sybil Danning”. Lionel Hutz refers to a ficticious “Frank Wallbanger” case, suggesting that the well-known cocktail called a Harvey Wallbanger was stolen by a guy named Harvey from a man named Frank.

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