Cape Fear with Jon Vitti

What better way to start a new season than by breaking down one of the most iconic episodes of The Simpsons with the writer behind it? Simpsons writer Jon Vitti joins Adam and Nate to talk about the movie that inspired his episode-long parody “Cape Feare” (S5E2), Martin Scorsese’s Cape Fear (1991).

Also in this episode:

• The field trip with series co-creator Sam Simon that inspired this episode

• How this movie parody solidified the character of Sideshow Bob

• What the hell is going on with the tone of this movie? 

• The boom of Alfred Hitchcock homages in the 1980s and 1990s

• Plus, check out our show notes for a complete list of Simpsons references, double feature suggestions, and further reading

Next time, podcaster Dave Shumka joins Adam and Nate to discuss A Streetcar Named Desire (1951) and Marge’s musical turn as Blanche DuBois in “A Streetcar Named Marge” (S4E2).

For more of Jon’s work, check out his classic episodes of The Simpsons or his movies like Fixed, The Angry Birds Movie, and Alvin and the Chipmunks. 

For more Simpsons movie parody content, check out SpringfieldGoogolplex.com, or follow us @simpsonsfilmpod on Instagram, Threads, YouTube, and Letterboxd. Discover more great podcasts on the That Shelf Podcast Network.