"Radioactive Man" | |
---|---|
The Simpsons episode | |
Episode no. | Season 7 Episode 2 |
Directed by | Susie Dietter |
Written by | John Swartzwelder |
Production code | 2F17 |
Original air date | September 24, 1995 |
Guest appearances | |
Mickey Rooney as himself Phil Hartman as Troy McClure and Lionel Hutz[1] | |
Episode features | |
Chalkboard gag | "Bewitched does not promote Satanism"[2] |
Couch gag | The couch is a fax machine that spews out a piece of paper with the Simpson family in a sitting position. The paper slides back under the couch. |
Commentary | Matt Groening David Mirkin Susie Dietter David Silverman |
"Radioactive Man" is the second episode of the seventh season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on September 24, 1995.[2] In the episode, the film version of the comic book series Radioactive Man is shot in Springfield. Much to Bart's disappointment, the part of the hero's sidekick, Fallout Boy, goes to Milhouse. When he tires of the long hours required to shoot the film, Milhouse quits the role, forcing the filmmakers to cease production and return to Hollywood.
The episode was written by John Swartzwelder and directed by Susie Dietter. Mickey Rooney guest starred as himself in the episode. "Radioactive Man" was the first episode of The Simpsons to be digitally colored. The episode features cultural references to the 1960s Batman television series, the 1995 film Waterworld, and the song "Lean on Me" by Bill Withers.
Since airing, the episode has received positive reviews from fans and television critics. It acquired a Nielsen rating of 9.5, and was the fourth-highest-rated show on the Fox network that week.