{{Use American English|date=January 2025}} {{Good article}} {{Use mdy dates|date=September 2023}} {{Infobox Simpsons episode | image = | caption = | season = 10 | episode = 9 | director = [[Swinton O. Scott III]] | writer = [[Ron Hauge]] | production = AABF05 | airdate = {{Start date|1998|12|20}} | guests = * [[Mark Hamill]] as himself and Leavelle * [[Joe Mantegna]] as [[Fat Tony (The Simpsons)|Fat Tony]] * [[Dick Tufeld]] as ''[[Lost in Space]]'' Robot | blackboard = {{" '}}[[Bill Clinton|The President]] [[Impeachment of Bill Clinton|did it]]' is not an excuse". | couch_gag = The Simpsons sit on the couch. Two hydraulic presses from the sides and one from above crushes the family into a cube. | commentary = [[Matt Groening]]<br>[[Mike Scully]]<br>[[George Meyer]]<br>[[Ron Hauge]]<br>[[Dan Castellaneta]]<br>[[Mark Hamill]] | prev = [[Homer Simpson in: "Kidney Trouble"|Homer Simpson in: 'Kidney Trouble{{'-}}]] | next = [[Viva Ned Flanders]] }} "'''Mayored to the Mob'''" is the ninth episode of the [[The Simpsons season 10|tenth season]] of the American animated television series ''[[The Simpsons]]''. It originally aired on [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] in the United States on December 20, 1998. After [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] prevents [[Mayor Quimby]] and [[Mark Hamill]] from being trampled at a convention, Homer trains to become a bodyguard and is employed by Quimby. After Homer discovers Quimby has been making corrupt deals with [[Fat Tony (The Simpsons)|Fat Tony]] and forces him to end the deal, Fat Tony threatens to kill Quimby, leaving Homer to defend the Mayor from threats.<ref name="BBC">{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/simpsons/episodeguide/season10/page8.shtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140904192307/https://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/simpsons/episodeguide/season10/page8.shtml |archive-date=2014-09-04 |title=Mayored to the Mob |access-date=2008-09-07 |author1=Martyn, Warren |author2=Wood, Adrian |publisher=[[BBC]]}}</ref> The episode was written by [[Ron Hauge]] and directed by [[Swinton O. Scott III]],<ref name="BBC"/> and received positive reviews from critics overall.{{citation needed|date=May 2024}}
==Plot== While watching television, the Simpson family sees a commercial for the "Bi-Mon-Sci-Fi-Con", a science-fiction convention featuring [[Mark Hamill]] and others, and decide to attend. A riot breaks out at the convention after Hamill offers the chance for someone in the crowd to act out a scene with him. Homer notices that Hamill and [[Mayor Quimby]] are in danger of being trampled due to the riot and quickly rescues them. In gratitude, Quimby employs Homer as his bodyguard, whilst firing his current security detail for cloud watching instead of rescuing him.
Homer begins training at "Leavelle's Bodyguard Academy," where he quickly graduates and begins his new job. Homer and the Mayor get along well at first, and Homer cluelessly enjoys all of the corruption that Quimby embraces (including free beers and hamburgers). But unbeknownst to Homer, Quimby made a deal with [[Fat Tony (The Simpsons)|Fat Tony]] shortly after Homer was employed to provide milk to the schools of [[Springfield (The Simpsons)|Springfield]]. Homer discovers the milk is from rats and stops his kids (but not Milhouse) from drinking the gross rodent milk at school. Homer then confronts Quimby, accidentally knocking him out a window. As Quimby hangs from a ledge, Homer makes him promise to expose Fat Tony in return for being pulled to safety, which he agrees to.
Quimby organizes the arrests of Fat Tony and his men, and Fat Tony openly threatens Quimby's life. Scared at having to defend Quimby due to the death threats, Homer attempts to reassure the Mayor by taking him to a [[dinner theater]] to see Hamill portray Nathan Detroit in ''[[Guys and Dolls (musical)|Guys and Dolls]]''. However, Homer finds Fat Tony there alongside his henchman, Louie, and unwittingly makes the situation worse when he follows Fat Tony's suggestion to [[Kiss of death (mafia)|plant a kiss]] on Mayor Quimby. Louie then attempts to stab Quimby, but is stopped by Homer after Hamill advises Homer to "[[the Force|use the forks]]." However, Fat Tony is still able to savagely beat Quimby with a baseball bat while Homer is distracted. After the show, Hamill comforts Homer and tells him that Quimby will be fine, and Homer helps Hamill escape from the paparazzi.
==Production== [[File:Mark Hamill by Gage Skidmore 2.jpg|right|thumb|Mark Hamill (pictured) guest starred as himself and instructor Leavelle.]]
Ron Hauge, writer of the episode, wanted to do an episode where he would use [[Homer Simpson|Homer]]'s qualities such as oafishness, brute strength, thickness and loyalty, for good.<ref name=Hauge>{{cite video |people=Hauge, Ron |date=2007 |title=The Simpsons The Complete Tenth Season DVD commentary for the episode "Mayored to the Mob" |medium=DVD |publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> When [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]] says they have to go back for [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]] after the family escape the riot, Homer says "Forget Maggie, she's gone". ''[[The Simpsons]]'' creator [[Matt Groening]] claims this to be one of his favorite quotes in the show.<ref name=Groening/> [[Mark Hamill]] only agreed to guest star if he was allowed to voice a character as well as himself. He stated that he loved doing the voice for bodyguard instructor Leavelle a lot more than he did providing the voice for himself.<ref name=Hamill>{{cite video |people=Hamill, Mark |date=2007 |title=The Simpsons The Complete Tenth Season DVD commentary for the episode "Mayored to the Mob" |medium=DVD |publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref>
==Cultural references== The Bi-Mon-Sci-Fi-Con science-fiction convention features numerous references to the genre. As well as Hamill, guests at the convention include ALF from the television series ''[[ALF (TV series)|ALF]]'', [[Tom Baker]] in costume as the [[Fourth Doctor]] from the series ''[[Doctor Who]]'', Gort from the 1951 film ''[[The Day the Earth Stood Still]]'', [[Godzilla]] from the [[Godzilla (franchise)|film series of the same name]] and [[Jonathan Harris]] in costume as Dr. Zachary Smith from the 1960s television series ''[[Lost in Space]]'', as well as [[Robot B-9|the robot]] from the show.<ref name="BBC"/><ref name="ult"/> Real-life astronaut [[Neil Armstrong]] is also a guest.<ref name="BBC"/>
Among the attendees is Üter, who wears a ''[[Futurama]]'' shirt; ''Futurama'', an animated science-fiction comedy which was created by ''The Simpsons''{{'}} creator [[Matt Groening]], did not premiere until the following year.<ref name=Groening>{{cite video |people=Groening, Matt |date=2007 |title=The Simpsons The Complete Tenth Season DVD commentary for the episode "Mayored to the Mob" |medium=DVD |publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> [[Seymour Skinner]] is dressed as [[Spock]] from ''[[Star Trek]]'', as are several others, and [[Edna Krabappel]] is dressed as Barbarella from the comic and film ''[[Barbarella (film)|Barbarella]]'' (1968).<ref name="BBC"/><ref name="ult"/> Other costumes include [[Xena]] from the series ''[[Xena: Warrior Princess]]'', [[Terminator (character)|Terminator]] from ''[[Terminator (franchise)|The Terminator]]'' film series, [[Griffin (The Invisible Man)|Griffin]] from the novel ''[[The Invisible Man]]'' (1897) and later the comic book series ''[[The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen]]'', as well as a [[Borg]] and [[Geordi La Forge]] from ''Star Trek''.<ref name="ult"/> When [[Comic Book Guy]] meets a girl with similar interests to him at the convention, [[Alexander Courage]]'s piece "Under the Spell" from the original ''Star Trek'' pilot "[[The Cage (Star Trek: The Original Series)|The Cage]]" plays.<ref name="BBC"/> A booth for the comic book ''[[Roswell, Little Green Man]]'' is seen at the convention; the comic was published by Groening's [[Bongo Comics Group]].<ref name="ult"/>
The episode contains multiple references to ''[[Star Wars]]'', the film series in which Hamill starred.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nohomers.net/content/info/articles/11.shtml |title=I Bent My Wookiee! Celebrating the Star Wars/Simpsons Connection |access-date=2022-01-23 |date=2007-07-24 |author=Scott Chernoff |publisher=No Homers Club |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110724223022/http://starwars.com/community/news/media/f20070724/index.html?page=3 |archive-date=2011-07-24}}</ref> Throughout the episode, Hamill wears the costume of his ''Star Wars'' character [[Luke Skywalker]],<ref name="IGN"/> and tells Homer to "use the forks," spoofing the line "use [[the Force]]" from the franchise.<ref name=Hamill/> The convention features a [[tag team|tag-team wrestling]] match which sees "the mighty robots" (the [[Cylon (Battlestar Galactica)|Cylons]]) from the series ''[[Battlestar Galactica (1978 TV series)|Battlestar Galactica]]'' fight the "gay robots" ([[R2-D2]] and [[C-3PO]]) from ''Star Wars''.<ref name="BBC"/> Somebody at the convention wears a costume of the ''Star Wars'' character [[Chewbacca]].<ref name="ult"/> Homer and Mayor Quimby attend a production of the musical ''[[Guys and Dolls (musical)|Guys and Dolls]]'' (1955), starring Hamill as [[Guys and Dolls|Nathan Detroit]], who sings the ''Star Wars''-themed "Luke, Be a Jedi Tonight" to the tune of "[[Luck Be a Lady]]".<ref name="BBC"/><ref name=Hauge/><ref name=ign2/>
Leavelle's design is based on Texan detective [[Jim Leavelle]], as he appeared when escorting [[Lee Harvey Oswald]] when Oswald was shot by [[Jack Ruby]].<ref name=Hauge/> Leavelle trains the bodyguards by pretending to shoot their protectee from a grassy knoll on a cart. This is a reference to the [[Dealey Plaza#Grassy knoll|grassy knoll]] at the site of President [[John F. Kennedy]]’s [[John F. Kennedy assassination|assassination]], [[Dealey Plaza]] and a scene from the Kennedy assassination film ''[[Executive Action (film)|Executive Action]]'' (1973).<ref name="Hauge"/>
The plot shares elements with the film ''[[The Bodyguard (1992 film)|The Bodyguard]]'' (1992), particularly Homer carrying Hamill away from the crowd at the end.<ref name=ign2>{{cite news |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/01/08/the-simpsons-20-seasons-20-episodes |publisher=[[IGN]] |title=The Simpsons: 20 Seasons, 20 Episodes|author1=Robert Canning |author2=Eric Goldman |author3=Dan Iverson |author4=Brian Zoromski |date=2010-01-08 |access-date=2022-01-23}}</ref> Leavelle sings the song "[[I Will Always Love You]]" by [[Dolly Parton]], which was popularized by [[Whitney Houston]] as the theme for ''The Bodyguard''; it also plays at the end.<ref name="BBC"/><ref name=Hamill/> After believing he has killed Mayor Quimby, Homer decides to take inspiration from the film ''[[Weekend at Bernie's]]'' (1989) and "use the body to stage an elaborate farce."<ref name="BBC"/><ref name="ult">{{cite book |title=[[Simpsons World The Ultimate Episode Guide: Seasons 1–20]] |publisher=[[HarperCollins|Harper Collins Publishers]] |year=2010 |editor=Bates, James W. |editor2=Gimple, Scott M. |editor3=McCann, Jesse L. |editor4=Richmond, Ray |editor5=Seghers, Christine |isbn=978-0-00-738815-8 |edition=1st |page=487}}</ref> The title of the episode is a reference to the film ''[[Married to the Mob]]'' (1988).<ref name=Groening/> During the ''Guys and Dolls'' scene the cast members sing a song with the musical's title to the tune of "[[Hooray for Hollywood]]", which as Hamill points out isn't one of the show's musical numbers.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.simpsonsarchive.com/episodes/AABF05.txt |title=Mayored to the Mob |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=26 May 2002 |website=[[The Simpsons Archive]] |access-date=21 July 2015}}</ref>
==Reception== In its original broadcast, "Mayored to the Mob" finished 24th in ratings for the week of December 14–20, 1998, with a [[Nielsen ratings|Nielsen rating]] of 8.6, equivalent to approximately 8.5 million viewing households. It was the second highest-rated show on the Fox network that week, following ''[[Ally McBeal]]''.<ref>{{cite news |title=Prime-time Nielsen ratings |work=Associated Press Archive |agency=Associated Press |date=December 23, 1998}}</ref>
''[[Empire (magazine)|Empire]]'' named Hamill's performance in the episode as the tenth-best film gag in the show, commenting: "As a rule, celebrity cameos are rubbish, but good sport Hamill is hilarious when singing 'Luke, be a Jedi tonight' in a production of ''Guys and Dolls'', and makes this list for urging bodyguard Homer to 'use the forks.{{' "}}<ref>Colin Kennedy. "The Ten Best Movie Gags In ''The Simpsons''", ''[[Empire (magazine)|Empire]]'', September 2004, pp. 77</ref> Eric Goldman, Dan Iverson and Brian Zoromski of [[IGN]] marked Hamill's guest appearance second on a list of "Top 25 ''Simpsons'' Guest appearances" saying that much of the episode's humor came from Hamill being "a good sport about his past".<ref name="IGN">{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/01/04/top-25-simpsons-guest-appearances |title=Top 25 Simpsons Guest Appearances |access-date=2022-01-23 |author1=Goldman, Eric |author2=Iverson, Dan |author3=Zoromski, Brian |date=4 January 2010 |publisher=[[IGN]]}}</ref> In addition, Hamill ranked 18th on [[AOL]]'s list of their favorite 25 ''Simpsons'' guest stars,<ref>{{cite web |author=Potts, Kimberly |title=Favorite 'Simpsons' Guest Stars |url=http://www.aoltv.com/feature/the-simpsons/guest-stars|access-date=2022-01-23 |publisher=[[AOL]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100924092118/http://television.aol.com/feature/the-simpsons/guest-stars |archive-date=2010-09-24|url-status=dead}}</ref> and ''[[Total Film]]'''s Nathan Ditum ranked his performance as the third-best guest appearance in the show's history.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/the-20-best-simpsons-movie-star-guest-spots/ |title=The 20 Best Simpsons Movie-Star Guest Spots |last=Ditum |first=Nathan |date=March 29, 2009 |work=[[Total Film]] |access-date=January 23, 2022}}</ref> Simon Crerar of ''[[The Times]]'' also listed Hamill's performance as one of the thirty-three funniest cameos in the history of ''The Simpsons''.<ref name="Crerar">{{cite news |last=Crerar |first=Simon |title=The 33 funniest Simpsons cameos ever |url=https://www.thetimes.com/sunday-times-rich-list/profile/article/the-33-funniest-simpsons-cameos-ever-vg9jgq67gxr |access-date=2022-01-23 |newspaper=[[The Times]] |date=2007-07-05}}</ref>
The authors of the book ''I Can't Believe It's a Bigger and Better Updated Unofficial Simpsons Guide'', Warren Martyn and Adrian Wood, wrote that "the best bits all involve either the convention or Mark Hamill's repeated attempts to not be mobbed. Sadly, the main thrust of the story – Homer's protection of Quimby from Don Tony – falls a bit flat. Nevertheless, when the jokes run free, they are of exceptionally high quality."<ref name="BBC"/> In his review of ''The Simpsons''' tenth season, James Plath of DVD Town notes "Mayored to the Mob" to be "one of the funnier episodes."<ref name="Dvdtown">{{cite web|url=http://www.dvdtown.com/reviews/simpsons-the-the-complete-10th-season/5056 |title=Simpsons, The: The Complete 10th Season Special Edition |access-date=2008-09-07 |last=Plath |first=James |publisher=Dvdtown.com |date=August 17, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090206232903/http://www.dvdtown.com/reviews/simpsons-the-the-complete-10th-season/5056 |archive-date=February 6, 2009 }}</ref> IGN named it as the best episode of season 10.<ref name=ign2/> In an interview with Australian newspaper ''[[mX (newspaper)|mX]]'', season 10 show runner [[Mike Scully]] marked "Mayored to the Mob" as fourth in his top-five episodes from season 10.<ref>{{cite news |title=A Quick Chat With Mike Scully |date=October 8, 2007 |page=012 |publisher=Nationwide News Pty Limited |work=[[mX (newspaper)|mX]] |author=Sun, Matt}}</ref> [[Screen Rant]] called it the best episode of the 10th season.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://screenrant.com/the-simpsons-best-episodes-ranked/|title=The Simpsons: The Best Episode In Every Season, Ranked|last=Sim|first=Bernardo|date=2019-09-22|website=Screen Rant|language=en-US|access-date=2019-09-22}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist|2}}
==External links== {{Wikiquote|The_Simpsons/Season_10#Mayored_to_the_Mob|"Mayored to the Mob"}} {{Portal|The Simpsons}} *{{Snpp capsule|AABF05}} *{{IMDb episode |id=0701174}}
{{The Simpsons episodes|10}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mayored To The Mob}} [[Category:The Simpsons season 10 episodes]] [[Category:1998 American television episodes]] [[Category:Television parodies of Star Wars]] [[Category:Cultural depictions of Neil Armstrong]]
[[fi:Simpsonit (10. tuotantokausi)#Gangsterien armoilla (Mayored to the Mob)]]