It turns out Nelson Muntz’s dad has been hiding in Medicine Hat for many years.
The revelation was made at the end of Sunday night’s episode, titled “D’Oh Canada.” The episode centred on Lisa Simpson’s time in Canada and after returning to Springfield she brought an RCMP officer for show and tell. Asked what he did this weekend the Mountie replies, “Well, a Japanese tourist took pictures of me, I fed my horse an apple, and I found a very interesting man hiding in Medicine Hat.” With that, Muntz, the schoolyard bully, emotionally says “Papa.”
In recent years Medicine Hat has been referenced on the Tina Fey show “30 Rock” and the Ashton Kutcher show “The Ranch.”
Overall the episode highlighted many Canadian sports stereotypes including a shot of children with curling brooms, and featured another scene with a Stanley Cup-designed lamp sitting on a sidetable and a rug covered with Quebec Nordiques logos.
The Simpsons visit Niagara Falls and, through a series of mishaps, Lisa goes over the powerful flow of water that separates Ontario and New York.
She lands on the Canadian side and is admitted to hospital, where she is made an honourary Senators fan while learning about Canadian healthcare coverage.
The Simpsons’ consulting producer Tim Long grew up in Exeter, Ont. He’s one of three Canadian writers, the others being Joel H. Cohen and Jeff Westbrook.
-with files from The Canadian Press
