Trust but Clarify

{{Infobox Simpsons episode | image = | caption = | season = 28 | episode = 5 | director = Mike Frank Polcino | writer = [[Harry Shearer]] | production = VABF21 | airdate = {{Start date|2016|10|23}} | guests = *[[Dan Rather]] as himself | blackboard = "The first episode of the second 600" | couch_gag = [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] reluctantly visits an art museum with [[Marge Simpson|Marge]] and [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]]. Then, in a scene drawn in the style of [[modern art]], he finds himself on the couch with an abstract version of [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]]. Homer instead becomes drawn in [[Ben-Day dots]]. | commentary = | prev = [[Treehouse of Horror XXVII]] | next = [[There Will Be Buds]] }} "'''Trust but Clarify'''" is the fifth episode of the [[The Simpsons season 28|twenty-eighth season]] of the American animated television series ''[[The Simpsons]]'', and the 601st episode of the series overall. It aired in the United States on [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] on October 23, 2016, making it the first episode to air in October the week after the annual ''[[Treehouse of Horror]]''. The title is based on the phrase "[[Trust but verify]]", used in relation to nuclear verification. This episode was written by voice actor [[Harry Shearer]] and directed by Mike Frank Polcino.

In this episode, Kent Brockman is fired for lying about an experience, but Lisa and Bart go to him to report a discovery while Homer tries to get a promotion at work. Journalist [[Dan Rather]] guest starred as himself. The episode received mixed reviews.

==Plot== [[Grampa Simpson|Grampa]] hangs with other war veterans at a bar when "The Late Late Late Night with Jimmy Jimmy" is on with [[Kent Brockman]] as its guest star. At the show, Kent starts telling war stories such as when he crash landed a falling helicopter on a sinking container. Another war veteran at the bar however confirms that Kent's story was false. As result, Kent apologizes about all the fake stories he told on air. He is fired for it and replaced by Arnie Pye.

Meanwhile, [[Krusty the Clown]] introduces a new product called Krustaceans, which are more palatable than other Krusty-brand food products. [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]] soon finds out that the candy is extremely addictive and leaves a tingling sensation, so she teams up with [[Bart Simpson|Bart]] to discover why. They manage to break into one of the Krusty factories, steal samples from the product and take them to [[Professor Frink]] where they find out it contains [[formaldehyde]].

Lisa tries to put the story on Channel 6, but they refuse to air it. Kent is depressed because he is unable to find a new job at the news scene and contemplates [[suicide]]. Lisa asks him to cover his story about Krusty's new product. He is reluctant, but at a meeting, he is encouraged to take Lisa's story as an opportunity for a comeback, so he and Lisa record Krusty admitting that his product was bad and manages to get his job back. This time, Kent gives the credit to Lisa.

[[Homer Simpson|Homer]] is envious as a power plant employee that barely speaks English got a corner office, so Homer's Ambition tells him to dress better to make higher chances of getting a promotion. Homer asks [[Marge Simpson|Marge]] for help and they buy a suit for Homer. The next day, Homer goes into [[Mr. Burns]]' office giving him reasons for him to get a promotion, but he fails. Homer's Ambition is beaten by his apathy, alcoholism, anger and awe and thrown out Homer's ear, so he decides to go to Moe's Tavern.

==Production== This is the first episode written by ''Simpsons'' actor [[Harry Shearer]]. Journalist [[Dan Rather]] appeared as himself.<ref name="Perkins"/>

==Cultural references== Kent Brockman’s controversy is a reference to the [[Brian Williams]] Iraq War controversy. The ''[[The Itchy & Scratchy Show|Itchy & Scratchy]]'' cartoon in the episode, "Mousetrapping a Murderer", is a parody of the true crime television series ''[[Making a Murderer]]''.<ref>{{cite web|first=Liz|last=Calvario|date=October 22, 2016|title='The Simpsons' Skewers Documentary TV With 'Making a Murderer' Parody — Watch|url=https://www.indiewire.com/features/general/the-simpsons-spoof-murderer-itchy-scratchy-watch-1201739421/|website=[[IndieWire]]|access-date=July 27, 2024|archive-date=July 31, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240731073245/https://www.indiewire.com/features/general/the-simpsons-spoof-murderer-itchy-scratchy-watch-1201739421/|url-status=live}}</ref> The company Bizzfad featured in the episode is a parody of the digital media company [[BuzzFeed]].<ref>{{cite web|first=Sandra|last=Gonzalez|date=October 21, 2016|title='The Simpsons' spoofs Buzzfeed in new sneak peek|url=https://www.cnn.com/2016/10/21/entertainment/simpsons-spoofs-buzzfeed/index.html|website=[[CNN]]|access-date=July 27, 2024|archive-date=July 31, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240731073351/https://www.cnn.com/2016/10/21/entertainment/simpsons-spoofs-buzzfeed/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Reception== Dennis Perkins of ''[[The A.V. Club]]'' gave the episode a B− stating, "In the end, 'Trust But Clarify' is pretty forgettable in the grand scheme, although hardly negligible. It’s not fair to the episode to measure it against the higher expectations caused by Shearer’s heightened involvement, but it’s also not unreasonable to think that the multi-talented Shearer’s writing credit here might have nudged it into some more interesting territory, either."<ref name="Perkins">{{cite web|last=Perkins|first=Dennis|title= The media's on trial in Harry Shearer's first-ever Simpsons script |url=https://www.avclub.com/the-media-s-on-trial-in-harry-shearer-s-first-ever-simp-1798189443|work=[[The A.V. Club]]|date=October 23, 2016|access-date=October 24, 2016}}</ref>

[[Tony Sokol]] of ''[[Den of Geek]]'' gave the episode 4 out of 5 stars. He stated that Harry Shearer made the episode fresh but keeping with the formula from the early episodes. He felt the modern animation of the episode dampens the effectiveness of the jokes.<ref name="Sokol">{{cite web|last=Sokol|first=Tony|author-link=Tony Sokol|title=The Simpsons: Trust But Clarify Review|url=https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/the-simpsons-trust-but-clarify-review/|work=[[Den of Geek]]|date=October 24, 2016|access-date=July 22, 2023|archive-date=July 22, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230722202315/https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/the-simpsons-trust-but-clarify-review/|url-status=live}}</ref> Sokol later named this episode the third-best episode of the 2010s.<ref>{{cite web|last=Sokol|first=Tony|author-link=Tony Sokol|title=The Best Simpsons Episodes of the '10s|url=https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/the-best-simpsons-episodes-of-the-10s/|work=[[Den of Geek]]|date=May 21, 2023|access-date=September 3, 2023|archive-date=July 28, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240728033246/https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/the-best-simpsons-episodes-of-the-10s/|url-status=live}}</ref>

"Trust but Clarify" scored a 1.5 rating with a 5 share and was watched by 3.36 million viewers, making it the most watched show on Fox that night.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/daily-ratings/sunday-final-ratings-oct-23-2016/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161026080120/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/daily-ratings/sunday-final-ratings-oct-23-2016/|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 26, 2016|title='Bob's Burgers' and 'The Simpsons' adjust down: Sunday final ratings|last=Porter|first=Rick|work=[[TV by the Numbers]]|date=October 25, 2016|access-date=October 25, 2016}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== {{Wikiquote|The_Simpsons/Season_28#Trust but Clarify|"Trust but Clarify"}} {{Portal|The Simpsons}} * {{IMDb episode|5847444}}

[[Category:2016 American television episodes]] [[Category:The Simpsons season 28 episodes]] [[Category:Works by Harry Shearer]] [[Category:Television episodes directed by Mike Frank Polcino]]