Three of ‘The Simpsons’ have survived Niagara Falls plunges
Published January 31, 2023 at 5:05 pm
Granted, they are cartoons but The Simpsons have seen three of their five member family plunge over Niagara Falls and survive.
You could say it’s a familial daredevil feat that’s unmatched in either the real world or the Toon World.
Believe it or not, the two perilous plunges over the falls are separated by 15 years (almost exactly) and yet, in true toon fashion, no one has aged a single day.
In the April 25, 2005 episode Catch ‘Em If You Can, Homer and Marge are desperate to get a little alone-time away from the kids and it turns into a cross-country adventure of Hide-and-Seek.
With Lisa and Bart hot on their heels the entire time, the befuddled parents start in Miami, realize the kids are there already and head off to Niagara Falls in New York.
The title of the episode is a reference to the film Catch Me If You Can, which is also parodied in the run-and-hide musical montage.
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Both the American and Canadian Coast Guards take off towards the bouncy
castle containing Homer and Marge to save them from plunging over
Niagara Falls.
Eventually, the two kids realize they are cramping their folks’ style and head off to an amusement park to give them alone time. However, to get that time, Homer and Marge are already at the park.
Furious when they spot their kids at the park, the pair run away into a bouncy castle. Once in the castle, believing the kids won’t find them, they engage in a little bit of adult sexy-time.
Unfortunately, their session is so boisterous that the bouncy castle rolls into Niagara River and heads towards their fall. This lead to a classic loud-speaker exchange between the American and Canadian Coast Guards, both eager to save the couple.
USA Coast Guard: “Back off, Canadians, we’ve got them.”
Canadian Coast Guard: “You back off, hosers, they’re in Canadian waters, eh!”
USA Coast Guard: “Beat it, you puck-slapping maple-suckers!”
Canadian Coast Guard: “Take a hike, you Shatner-stealing Mexico-touchers!”
That leads the two sides to start smashing into each other’s boats, leaving the hapless couple to plunge over what is clearly Horseshoe Falls. (See the YouTube clip at the bottom.) However, not only do they survive, it seems they continue their adult sexy-time all the way down and then well into the gorge.
It becomes apparent that Homer and Marge have decided if
they are going to die going over the falls, they are going to go
conjugal all the way.
The episode was so well-received with critics, it won a Writers Guild of America Award for Best Animation Screenplay in 2005.
Fast forward 15 years and three days to the show’s April 28, 2019 episode, entitled D’oh Canada. This time, it’s Lisa’s time to take the plunge. She and Bart’s are engaged in a game of Bounce Bubble where she ends up landing in the river and goes over the falls.
When Lisa comes to after her Niagara Falls plunge, she realizes she’s on the Canadian side because there’s a Mountie looking down at her.
The bubble saves her life and when she wakes up, she sees a Mountie looming over her, who notes, “You’re in beautiful Canada – is what I’d say if Canadians weren’t too modest to brag. But we are.” She is instantly taken to the hospital where both she and her family are stunned by the free health care.
Through a bizarre turn, she is granted political exile in Canada and at several points, she decides it’s best for her, telling her parents, “Their Fox News is just news about foxes!”
Lisa is tended to by a Canadian paramedic and a, ummmm, Rescue Beaver.
As Marge attempts to rescue Lisa, the family is compelled to confront the temptation to move to Canada. Eventually they realize that Canada also has its faults and head back to the United States.
But with three out of five members doing the daredevil Niagara Falls plunge, how many seasons will it take before it happens to Bart and baby Maggie? In the meanwhile, here’s a clip of Homer, Madge and their crazy ride in the bouncy castle.
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