# Dark Knight Court > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Dark_Knight_Court > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Dark_Knight_Court.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_Knight_Court > Source revision: 1352877354 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) 16th episode of the 24th season of The Simpsons "Dark Knight Court" The Simpsons episode Episode no. Season 24 Episode 16 Directed by Mark Kirkland Written by Billy Kimball Ian Maxtone-Graham Production code RABF10 Original air date March 17, 2013 (2013-03-17) Guest appearances Janet Reno as herself Maggy Reno Hurchalla as Janet Reno[1] Episode features Chalkboard gag "Jesus's last words were not 'TGIF' (Thank God It's Friday)" Couch gag Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie are Easter eggs placed on a grass nest on the couch. Homer comes in and sits on them. Episode chronology ← Previous "Black Eyed, Please" Next → "What Animated Women Want" The Simpsons season 24 List of episodes "**Dark Knight Court**" is the sixteenth episode of the [twenty-fourth season](/source/The_Simpsons_season_24) of the American animated television series *[The Simpsons](/source/The_Simpsons)*, and the 524th episode overall. The episode was directed by [Mark Kirkland](/source/Mark_Kirkland) and written by [Billy Kimball](/source/Billy_Kimball) and [Ian Maxtone-Graham](/source/Ian_Maxtone-Graham). It originally aired on the [Fox network](/source/Fox_Broadcasting_Company) in the United States on March 17, 2013.[2] In this episode, Bart denies committing a prank but is put on trial while Mr. Burns decides to be a superhero. Former United States Attorney General [Janet Reno](/source/Janet_Reno) appeared as herself and shared the role with her sister [Maggy Reno Hurchalla](/source/Maggy_Hurchalla). The episode received mixed reviews. The episode is dedicated to the recently deceased Robert Reno, whose sisters [Maggy Reno Hurchalla](/source/Maggy_Hurchalla) and [Janet Reno](/source/Janet_Reno) appear in the episode.[3][4] ## Plot While performing at an [Easter](/source/Easter) celebration, the Springfield Elementary band members inadvertently launch hundreds of [eggs](/source/Egg_(food)) from their instruments, ruining the townspeople's clothes and splattering the streets. "Suspicion quickly falls on [Bart](/source/Bart_Simpson), who the townspeople believe is responsible, but he denies committing the prank because he would never ruin another holiday after [Thanksgiving incident of 1990](/source/Bart_vs._Thanksgiving) and the [Christmas incident of 1997](/source/Miracle_on_Evergreen_Terrace). [Lisa](/source/Lisa_Simpson) uses Maggie as a lie detector because Bart is only able to tell her the truth, and after Bart's statement of innocence passes the Maggie-test Lisa decides that the best way to resolve the issue is to hold a trial at SES, which is presided over by [Janet Reno](/source/Janet_Reno). Lisa initially provides a strong defense but when she describes Bart as a good kid, Judge Reno admonishes her for opening Skinner's cross-examination to include everyone who has factual evidence about Bart NOT being a good kid (Skinner says "I call everyone in the world!") as Lisa groans and Bart looks horrified. Meanwhile, [Mr. Burns](/source/Mr._Burns) rediscovers his love of superheroes after visiting [Comic Book Guy](/source/Comic_Book_Guy)'s store, and he decides to become a superhero named [Fruitbat](/source/Megabat) [Man](/source/Batman). [Smithers](/source/Waylon_Smithers), fearful for Burns' safety, stages numerous crimes for his boss to thwart, using [Homer](/source/Homer_Simpson), [Lenny](/source/Lenny_Leonard), [Carl](/source/Carl_Carlson), the [Crazy Cat Lady](/source/Crazy_Cat_Lady), and other citizens as paid fake villains for Fruit Bat Man to "defeat". Desperate to find someone to solve Bart's dilemma, Lisa tries to hire Burns, but he tells her to get lost. Smithers admits to Burns all his previous exploits were faked, and this was Burns' one chance to really help someone. As Marge washes the town's clothes, she and Lisa notice that [Groundskeeper Willie](/source/Groundskeeper_Willie)'s [kilt](/source/Kilt) is stained with only one egg, which appears to have been crushed into it by hand. Realizing that Willie is the culprit, Lisa confronts him; he confesses to committing the prank due to his hatred of the Easter holiday (as he is a [Scottish Old Believer Presbyterian](/source/Presbyterian)) and shreds the kilt to destroy the evidence. As he tries to escape on his tractor, Burns intervenes and captures him, having had a change of heart. Burns turns Willie over to the court just before Reno can deliver a guilty verdict against Bart. Lisa thanks Burns and suggests that he might take advantage of his heroics to become a better person; meanwhile, Moe (who testified about Bart's cruel history of prank calls against him) breaks down sobbing after he gets a phone call informing him of Bart's acquittal. Before the end credits, there is a trailer for the "Dependables", a spoof that casts several of Springfield's elderly residents as a superhero team. ## Production The producers offered former United States Attorney General [Janet Reno](/source/Janet_Reno) to appear as herself in August 2012. Because Reno's [Parkinson's disease](/source/Parkinson's_disease) prevented her from speaking the script's long lines, Reno's sister [Maggy Hurchalla](/source/Maggy_Hurchalla) called the producers to decline. Upon hearing her voice and noting the similarity with Reno's voice, the producers asked if they could share the role. Reno spoke the one-liners while Hurchalla spoke the longer lines.[1] The episode was given an in memoriam dedication at the end for Janet and Maggy's brother Robert Reno, who died eight months earlier along with a prologue stating that Janet and Maggy's proceeds from their voice over roles donated to The [Innocence Project](/source/Innocence_Project).[3] ## Reception ### Ratings The episode received a 2.2 in the 18-49 demographic and was watched by a total of 4.89 million viewers. This made it the second most watched show on Fox's Animation Domination line up that night.[5] ### Critical reception Robert David Sullivan of *[The A.V. Club](/source/The_A.V._Club)* gave the episode a B, saying "Earlier this season, I wrote that Mr. Burns was getting tiresome as a character. So though 'Dark Knight Court' isn't necessarily the funniest episode of the season, it is one of the most pleasantly surprising."[6] Teresa Lopez of *TV Fanatic* gave the episode 3 out of 5 stars. She felt the appearance by Janet Reno to be dated but liked the references to early *Simpsons* jokes.[7] Rob H. Dawson of *TV Equals* said "The Simpsons is at its best when it doesn't stray too far from its roots as a take on the family sitcom, and the Batman parody in 'Dark Knight Court' just didn't hit that mark for me."[8] ## See also - [The Simpsons portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:The_Simpsons) - [List of Easter television episodes](/source/List_of_Easter_television_episodes) ## References 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Gordon_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Gordon_1-1) Gordon, Sade M. (March 18, 2013). ["Voice of former Martin County commissioner on The Simpsons episode"](https://web.archive.org/web/20130702154730/http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2013/mar/18/voice-of-former-martin-county-commissioner-on/). *[Treasure Coast Newspapers](/source/Treasure_Coast_Newspapers)*. Archived from [the original](http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2013/mar/18/voice-of-former-martin-county-commissioner-on/) on July 2, 2013. Retrieved March 20, 2013. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["(SI-2410) "Dark Knight Court""](http://www.thefutoncritic.com/listings/20130225fox18/). *[The Futon Critic](/source/The_Futon_Critic)*. Retrieved August 20, 2023. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Innocence_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Innocence_3-1) ["Innocence Blog: Tune In: Innocence Project Board of Directors' Director Emeritus Janet Reno on "The Simpsons""](https://web.archive.org/web/20130318225739/http://www.innocenceproject.org/Content/Tune_In_Innocence_Project_Board_of_Directors_Director_Emeritus_Janet_Reno_on_The_Simpsons.php). [Innocence Project](/source/Innocence_Project). March 15, 2013. Archived from [the original](http://www.innocenceproject.org/Content/Tune_In_Innocence_Project_Board_of_Directors_Director_Emeritus_Janet_Reno_on_The_Simpsons.php) on March 18, 2013. Retrieved April 15, 2014. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Brecher, Elinor J. (July 7, 2012). ["Robert Reno, brother of former U.S. Attorney General, dies - Breaking News"](https://web.archive.org/web/20180111164845/http://www.miamiherald.com/news/article1941073.html). *[Miami Herald](/source/Miami_Herald)*. Archived from [the original](http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/07/07/2886027/robert-reno-former-attorney-generals.html) on January 11, 2018. Retrieved April 15, 2014. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Bibel, Sara (March 19, 2013). ["Sunday Final Ratings: 'Once Upon a Time', 'The Amazing Race', 'Family Guy', 'The Cleveland Show', 'The Simpsons', 'Bob's Burgers' & 'The Mentalist' Adjusted Up"](https://web.archive.org/web/20130322071502/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2013/03/19/sunday-final-ratings-once-upon-a-time-the-amazing-race-family-guy-the-cleveland-show-the-simpsons-bobs-burgers-the-mentalist-adjusted-up/173714/). *[TV by the Numbers](/source/TV_by_the_Numbers)*. Archived from [the original](http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2013/03/19/sunday-final-ratings-once-upon-a-time-the-amazing-race-family-guy-the-cleveland-show-the-simpsons-bobs-burgers-the-mentalist-adjusted-up/173714/) on March 22, 2013. Retrieved March 20, 2013. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Sullivan, Robert David (March 18, 2013). ["The Simpsons: "Dark Knight Court""](https://www.avclub.com/the-simpsons-dark-knight-court-1798176153). *[The A.V. Club](/source/The_A.V._Club)*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20130524201044/http://www.avclub.com/articles/dark-knight-court,93449/) from the original on May 24, 2013. Retrieved March 20, 2013. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Lopez, Teresa (March 17, 2013). ["The Simpsons Review: Fruity Batman"](https://www.tvfanatic.com/2013/03/the-simpsons-review-fruity-batman/). *TV Fanatic*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20230821032648/https://www.tvfanatic.com/2013/03/the-simpsons-review-fruity-batman/) from the original on August 21, 2023. Retrieved August 20, 2023. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Dawson, Rob H. (March 18, 2013). ["The Simpsons Season 24 Review "Dark Knight Court""](https://web.archive.org/web/20130510130938/http://www.tvequals.com/2013/03/18/the-simpsons-season-24-review-dark-knight-court/). *TV Equals*. Archived from [the original](http://www.tvequals.com/2013/03/18/the-simpsons-season-24-review-dark-knight-court/) on May 10, 2013. Retrieved March 20, 2013. ## External links Wikiquote has quotations related to ***["Dark Knight Court"](https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/The_Simpsons/Season_24#Dark_Knight_Court)***. - ["Dark Knight Court"](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2739622/) at [IMDb](/source/IMDb_(identifier)) v t e The Simpsons episodes Seasons 1–20 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Season 21–present 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 Season 24 "Moonshine River" "Treehouse of Horror XXIII" "Adventures in Baby-Getting" "Gone Abie Gone" "Penny-Wiseguys" "A Tree Grows in Springfield" "The Day the Earth Stood Cool" "To Cur with Love" "Homer Goes to Prep School" "A Test Before Trying" "The Changing of the Guardian" "Love Is a Many-Splintered Thing" "Hardly Kirk-ing" "Gorgeous Grampa" "Black Eyed, Please" "Dark Knight Court" "What Animated Women Want" "Pulpit Friction" "Whiskey Business" "The Fabulous Faker Boy" "The Saga of Carl" "Dangers on a Train" See also Treehouse of Horror list The Simpsons episode guides "The Simpsons Guy" Category --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Dark Knight Court](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_Knight_Court) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_Knight_Court?action=history)). 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