Episode 7G01
Written by Matt Groening and Sam Simon
Directed by David Silverman, Kent Butterworth
Also starring: Christopher Collins (as TV host), June Foray (as receptionist), Paul Willson
Special guest voice: Penny Marshall (as Miss Botz)

Premise: Despairing of Homer, Marge calls Dr Marvin Monroe's KBBL agony phone-in K-Babble. His advice: a romantic night out. Bart, Lisa and Maggie are left in the hands of the mysterious babysitter Miss Lucille Botz, and sit down to watch America's Most Armed and Dangerous.

Features: Dr Marvin Monroe, Moe, Barney, the two barflies.

Couch: The Simpsons rush in - and just sit down.

And introducing: Arnie Pie, Bill from KBBL.

Trivia:

• Miss Botz's services are obtained through the Rubber Baby Buggy Bumper Babysitting service.
• K-Babble's phone number is 555 PAIN.
• Dr Monroe's assistant holds up two notes: LINE 1 - MARGE, ANOTHER UNAPPRECIATED WIFE and LINE 2 - PAUL HSI, NAILBITER (NOT HIS OWN).
• Springfield has a flower store, Howard's Flowers.
• America's Most Armed and Dangerous's telephone number is l-800-USQUEAL.

Homage: Miss Botz's pursuit of Bart into the cellar is reminiscent of Robert Mitchum's pursuit of a young boy in Night of the Hunter (Charles Laughton, 1955). In Moe's Tavern we hear 'The Man That Got Away', from A Star Is Born (George Cukor, 1954).

Hello, can I speak to: Al Coholic, Oliver Clothesoff.

Notes: It's quite a shock to discover that this confident, fully rounded episode was the first to be made. The perfect template.