Flaming Moe's

Did You Know?

• Real-life Flaming Moe drinks are sold at Universal Studios Florida, served as a brightly-colored orange soda with dry ice to make it appear smoking.
• Aerosmith recorded their dialogue in Boston with Hank Azaria, who flew over to help them with their lines.

Plot

Moe is out of Duff and struggling to attract customers, so Homer tells him about the Flaming Homer, a cocktail he invented after Patty and Selma drank all his beer. Homer mixed drops from random liquor bottles, inadvertently including children's cough syrup, and discovered that fire from a falling ash greatly improves its flavor. Moe makes the drink for a customer, claims it as his own invention called the Flaming Moe, and the tavern becomes a celebrity hotspot renamed Flaming Moe's. Moe hires a waitress named Collette to handle the extra business.

Homer grows resentful over Moe's betrayal. A restaurant chain offers Moe $1 million for the secret ingredient; he initially refuses but later decides to split the money with Homer. Before the deal closes, Homer reveals the secret is children's cough syrup, and the chain representative tears up the contract. Other bars begin serving Flaming Moes, and Moe's business dwindles. Homer and Moe reconcile when Moe serves him a free Flaming Homer.

Production

Al Jean said the opening two minutes were inspired by his childhood, where his sister's friends would try to kiss him during sleepover parties. The main plot is loosely based on the Los Angeles establishment Coconut Teaszer. According to IGN, the episode was one of the first to give Moe the spotlight. A cut joke involved a gay couple entering Flaming Moe's assuming it was a gay bar; Matt Groening felt it was good to remove it.

Catherine O'Hara recorded dialogue for Collette, but the producers felt her voice did not animate correctly and used a temporary track by Jo Ann Harris instead, though O'Hara is still credited. Sam Simon, who had written for Cheers, contributed much of Collette's dialogue. More of the Moe-Collette subplot was cut because it did not work. The third act opens with a parody of the Cheers theme song, written by Jeff Martin and designed by future Simpsons director Nancy Kruse.

Cultural references

The basic premise is similar to the film Cocktail. Several references are made to Cheers: Collette parodies Diane, the Flaming Moe's theme sequence parodies Where Everybody Knows Your Name, and Barney gets a Norm Peterson entrance. Collette quitting to pursue acting in Hollywood mirrors Shelley Long leaving Cheers. Bart running from Lisa and her friends references North by Northwest.

Homer revealing the secret parallels The Phantom of the Opera, with Homer in the light rigging covering half his face. Martin's school presentation is about Archer Martin, developer of gas chromatography, later used by Professor Frink. Frink's analysis scene is an homage to The Nutty Professor. Lionel Hutz cites the Frank Wallbanger case of '78, referring to the Harvey Wallbanger cocktail.

Bars with names similar to Flaming Moe's parody Ray's Pizza in New York City. Aerosmith sings Walk This Way in the tavern and Young Lust during the closing credits.

Reception

In its original airing during November sweeps, the episode had a 14.4 Nielsen rating and was viewed in approximately 13.26 million homes, finishing the week ranked 29th, up from the season's average of 32nd. It finished second in its timeslot behind The Cosby Show and was the highest rated show on Fox that week. Gary Russell and Gareth Roberts called it possibly the best Simpsons episode, praising the constant gags, inspired animation, and superb plot.

Colin Jacobson of DVD Movie Guide wrote that from Lisa's slumber party through the Cheers spoof, the episode is another real winner, highlighting Homer's best lines and a great twist on Bart's prank phone calls. Nate Meyers of Digitally Obsessed gave it 5/5, calling it another great chapter. Emily VanDerWerff of Slant Magazine called it very funny and noted the plot's focus on Moe as an example of the show expanding supporting characters, interpreting the episode as a metaphor for Sam Simon's relationship with Groening and James L. Brooks.

Niel Harvey of The Roanoke Times called it a classic bit of Simpsonia. The episode appears on many lists of best Simpsons episodes.