The Boy Who Knew Too Much

Plot

On a hot day at school, Bart fakes an absence note and skips class. Principal Skinner is suspicious and tracks down Bart in town. Bart manages to escape into the back of Freddy Quimby's car (Mayor Quimby's nephew). He ends up at Freddy's birthday party.

At dinner, Freddy has an argument with the waiter over how to pronounce "chowder." Later, the waiter is brutally beaten in the kitchen, and Bart, hiding under a table witnesses the assault.

Freddy Quimby is charged with beating the waiter, and Homer is on the jury. Bart confesses to Lisa that Freddy Quimby is innocent, but can't tell anyone because Skinner will know he skipped school.

In court, everything is going well for Freddy until the chowder argument resurfaces. Everyone on the jury now believe him guilty. Homer, however, votes innocent so that he can stay in a luxury hotel for free.

Eventually, Bart confesses that he saw the whole incident: the waiter simply slipped and injured himself in the kitchen. Freddy Quimby is innocent, and since Bart showed bravery by coming forward, Skinner gives him just four months detention.

Memorable quotes

Skinner: Why, there are no children here at the 4H club, either! Am I so out of touch? No, it's the children who are wrong.

Bart: Oh my God, he is like some sort of...non...giving up...school guy!

Wiggum: Oh my God! Someone's taken a bite out of the big Rice Krispie square! Oh yeah, and the waiter's been brutally beaten.

Skinner: (thinking) I know you can read my thoughts, Bart. Just a little reminder: if I found out you cut class, your ass is mine. Yes, you head me. I think words I would never say.
Homer: (thinking) I know you can read my thoughts, boy. (singing) Meow meow meow meow, meow meow meow meow, meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow.

Moe: Freddy Quimby was with me the entire... night in question. We were collecting canned goods for the starving people in... er, you know, one of them loser countries.

Dr. Hibbert: Well, only one in two million people has what we call the "evil gene". Hitler had it, Walt Disney had it, and... Freddy Quimby has it.
Lionel Hutz: Thank you, Dr. Hibbert. I rest my case.
Judge: You rest your case?
Lionel Hutz: What? Oh no, I thought that was just a figure of speech. Case closed.

Homer: So if we don't all vote the same way, we'll be deadlocked and have to be sequestered in the Springfield Palace Hotel--
Patty: That's not going to happen.
Jasper: Let's vote. My liver is failing.
Homer: --where we'll get a free room, free food, free swimming pool, free HBO... ooh! Free Willy!

Homer: I'm only doing what I think is right. I believe Freddy Quimby should walk out of here a free hotel.

Skinner: You're stealing a table?
Homer: I'm not stealing it. Hotels expect you to take a few things. It's a souvenir!
Skinner: Ah. Is that my necktie you're wearing?
Homer: Souvenir.

Homer: Marge, it was horrible. Everyone was against me in that jury room. But I stood by the courage of my convictions and I prevailed. And that's why we had Chinese food for lunch.

Skinner: His brand of gum: Doublemint. Trying to double your fun, eh, Bart? Well, I'll double your detention. I wish someone was around to hear that.

Chief: (On TV) Well McGarnicle, Billy's dead! Slit his throat from ear to ear.
McGarnicle: Hey, I'm trying to eat lunch here!

Suggest a quotation

Notes

• Bart uses the "Li'l Bastard Clock-Tampering Kit."
• The sign outside Quimby's house reads: Thursday Is Ladies' Night.
• McBain (based on Arnold Schwarzenegger) is with his wife, who looks like and has the same name as Schwarzenegger's wife.
• There is "El Barto" graffitti outside the courthouse.
• The courtroom artist is Matt Groening.
• At the end of the episode, Homer has several lamps and other items he stole from the hotel.

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References

• The title of this episode comes from the film, "The Man Who Knew Too Much".
• The episode plot is similar to that of "Huckleberry Finn" by Mark Twain
• Homer's "Meow" song comes from a TV commercial.
• The scene in the hotel, where Skinner picks up Homer's cigar is actually from "The Odd Couple."
• The waiter is very similar to Inspector Clouseau from ''The Pink Panther''.
• Bart escapes from Principal Skinner by hiding under a dark green blanket in the back of Freddy Quimby's car, parodying Back To The Future II. Similar music to that from the film also plays.

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