Thirty Minutes over Tokyo

"Thirty Minutes over Tokyo"
The Simpsons episode
Episode no.Season 10
Episode 23
Directed byJim Reardon
Written byDonick Cary
Dan Greaney
Production codeAABF20[1]
Original air dateMay 16, 1999 (1999-05-16)
Guest appearances
Episode features
Chalkboard gag"I'm so very tired"
Couch gagThe Simpsons sit on the couch, but get sucked inside and come out on shredded paper.
CommentaryMatt Groening
Mike Scully
Donick Cary
George Meyer
Ron Hauge
Matt Selman
Jim Reardon
Episode chronology
List of episodes

"Thirty Minutes over Tokyo" is the twenty-third and final episode of the tenth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on May 16, 1999. In the episode, after being robbed by Snake Jailbird, the Simpsons visit a money-saving seminar, where they learn ways to limit their expenses. Soon, the family can afford a cheap last-minute flight to another country, the only disadvantage being that they do not know where their plane tickets will bring them, which leads them to spend their vacation in Japan.

The episode was written by Donick Cary and Dan Greaney, while Jim Reardon served as director. It was one of the last episodes written in its production line, and its title is a reference to the war film Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo. Several guest-stars appeared in the episode, including George Takei as the host for The Happy Smile Super Challenge Family Wish Show. This episode parodies aspects of Japanese culture, including the cruelty of Japanese game shows.

The episode was seen by approximately 8 million viewers in its original broadcast. In 2005, the episode was first released on home video, and in 2007, it was released as part of the tenth season DVD box set.

Following the tenth season's home video release, "Thirty Minutes over Tokyo" received mixed reviews from critics. Because of a scene in which the Emperor of Japan is thrown into a trunk filled with sumo thongs, the episode has never aired in Japan, as the scene was considered disrespectful. Likewise, the episode is unavailable for streaming on Disney+ in Japan.

  1. ^ Groening 2010, p. 517.

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