My favourite Lionel Hutz quote is: "I move for a bad court thingy" "You mean a mistrial?" "Yeah that's why you're the judge and I'm the law talking guy." "The lawyer." "Right." It's my favourite quote as despite being a lawyer he shows absolutely no knowledge of the law and I'm surprised the Judge keeps him in the room after that! Also both Dr Nick and Lionel Hutz make their first appearances in the same episode 'Bart Gets hit by a Car' For the next Simpson's history I'd like to see Lenny and Carl.
As a law student, I can confirm that this is the case for many lawyers, judges or legislators. Nobody really knows what we are studying/doing, not even professors. That’s the beauty of it.
Billy[edit] Billy (voiced by Tress MacNeille) is Troy McClure's assistant who appeared in "Lisa the Simpson", and "Bart the Mother". He was supposed to appear in more episodes, but due to the death of McClure's voice actor Phil Hartman, he was retired along with McClure. He is a child who appears in Troy McClure's educational films. He appears in the films "Birds: Our Fine Feathered Colleagues", and "Someone's in the Kitchen with DNA". A similar child named Jimmy (who at one point McClure also calls Billy) appears in "The Meat Council Presents: 'Meat and You: Partners in Freedom'" in the episode, "Lisa the Vegetarian".
If you want to do a main character Lisa would be fun to see the progression of how the series changed her character; it would be the "evolution" of Lisa if you will. You'd definitely have your work cut out for you though.
My favourite Lionel Hutz quote/scene is in "The Day the Violence Died" ... If I hear "objection" and "sustained"... one more time today, I think I'm going to scream. ... the subsequent scream from Hutz is priceless.
It's so weird seeing him bullying Gil even if it did lead to the best Gil line: "I brought this wall from home." He's been established asa pathetic type for a long time. And I would say that his best line is also in the same episode: "The truth and the truth." His character just fits to be a sneaky realtor which maybe is what they wanted to transition him into since his lawyer part was over done. I imagine if they kept him around he would keep changing jobs. That salesman who convinces you to buy more than you should. Pyramid scheme guy. Maybe a celebrity publicist. Anything where he has to lie could work because his charisma is that good.
I wouldn't be surprised if Gil Gundersen was originally meant to be a another rival for Lionel Hutz, had Phil not passed away so suddenly they probably would have continued to butt heads on the odd occasion.
The Lon Lon Ranch music in the backround is totally distracting for me. I spent so much time playing Ocarina of Time that I'll no that tune anywhere :D
I like how you mention the concept of 'post classic characters'. I've always thought of Lindsey Nagel and that guy who goes YEEEESSS as post classic era characters.
This character is so unique from all the other lawyer characters, and is very humorous. I still remember my favorite moment from him is when he tried to get himself money after Marge's aunt died.
if Hartman had lived I could see Lionel Hutz being the Springfield Republican Party's mayoral candidate for an election against Quimby with Hutz winning becoming Springfield's new mayor.
"well...replace the word 'kinda' with the word repeatedly and the word 'dog' with 'son'" Probably the funniest line for me. RIP phil hartman. No one could replicate that charisma and delivery.
It isn’t technically a Hutz line, but “This verdict is written in a cocktail napkin. And it still says guilty. And guilty is spelled wrong!” Is easily my favorite Hutz moment and one of the best in the entire series
I saw Matlock in a bar last night, the sound wasn’t on, but I think I got the gist of it…. (Could have flubbed it a bit, it’s probably been 20 years since I’ve seen the episode but it’s a classic line)
Rewatching this in 2020 (because what else am I gonna do?) I wanna double down on how awesome Phil Hartman was! I have a "Best of Phil Hartman on SNL" DVD and Phil was the king of deadpan. You want an unfrozen caveman lawyer, completely unironically? Phil could do that, deadass deadpan, without even snickering!
according to a youtuber who is a Lawyer by profession (his channel is called Legal Eagle), he's stated that Hutz line "Hear say and Conjecturer are KINDS of evidence" is actually a really common in joke among law practitioners so its nice to know the shows writers managed to make blood sucking leaches laugh XD
Care to join me in a belt of scotch? -It's nine in the morning! Yeah, but I haven't slept in days... *Slams half the scotch left in a half empty bottle* Last chance...! *Finishes the bottle*
I think Mr. Hutz has a secret drug problem, that is why he often has issues. When he is sober, he seems to win cases. Then maybe at some point he did a bit too much of something, then switched to realestate since he burnt his brain out too much for law.
this is one of my favorite Simpsons quotes ever, right up there with “this is the room with the electeicity, but it has too much electricity, so i don’t know, maybe wear a hat”
I didn't really notice this until watching the video back, but Lionel Hutz is a surprisingly Marge-centric character. She shows up a lot in this video. It's really Marge and Bart, who the writers seemed to love pairing up with Hutz.
TheRealJims can you do a sixty second review of Behind the Laughter? I think it's just such a different episode for the show and I'd love to see your take on it.
Well that's because her no nonsense attitude and honesty contrast with his shaddiness really well, whereas with Homer he can basically talk him into anything with little to no effort and where's the fun in that ?
Judge Snyder is incredulous at Hutz’ last ditch yet ridiculously incompetent attempt to get Marge off the hook. 1. He forges the verdict and uses distinctly different paper. 2. He doesn’t change the forged verdict to secure his client’s freedom. 3. And to top it all off, he can’t spell.
@@robo3007 And now we lost Russi Taylor, voice of not only Martin Prince and Sherri and Terri, but also the voice of Minnie Mouse since the 80s. I wonder if Pamela Hayden is gonna take over since she was the voice over when Taylor wasn't available.
This man inspired Bart to be a legal professional, as show in some of the future episodes. In the joke about a world without lawyers, Bart states,“Mr. Hutz, when I grow up, I want to be a lawyer just like you.”
And he ends up being Chief Justice of The Supreme Court. Mind you that would be somewhat easier when your sister is the first straight female President.
It would mean the world to me if you did a Simpsons Histories on the mysterious Mr. Snrub. Though his time on the show was brief, I have always wondered what's the deal with him. Why was Smithers so keen on helping him out if he's a total stranger from a land far away?
“Woohoo!” This was going to be my favorite quote from Lionel Hutz, but you beat me to it friend. I don’t even quite understand what’s happening here other than I suppose he’s trying to flatter and embolden Homer into hiring him and going in on this clearly fraudulent lawsuit.
"Mr. Simpson, don't you worry. I saw an episode of Matlock in a bar last night. The sound was down, but I think I got the gist of it." "Mr. Simpson, I was just going through your garbage, and I couldn't help overhearing that you need a babysitter."
I think there's a good point abut Hutz being so charming it's plausible why he keeps getting hired. That first quote sounds so reaffirming until you take in what he actually said.
freckle on my lumpsack they joke in the DVD commentaries that if they ever did a live action Simpsons that Phil Hartman would be one of the few actors who could play his characters in both.
“That was a right pretty speech sir, but I ask you, what IS a contract? Webster’s defines it as an agreement under the law which is unbreakable. Which is UN-BREAKABLE! ...Excuse me I must use the restroom”- Lionel Hutz
He'd probably get into how the character went from a cool, ambitious rock-and-roll bus driver to just a sad, pathetic drug user. Easily one of my least favorite changes in a character.
I'm pretty sure you were just wearing a red and white striped club tie in a half Windsor knot. And I dont forget anything. I can even recite pi to 40,000 places. The last digit is 1!
Man, Lionel Hutz was such a fun character. A shame they don't use him anymore, but I totally respect the writers decision to retire him after Phil Hartman died. I just wish there was an adequate replacement for him, Gil just isn't the same and the Blue-Haired Lawyer's too competent to have these fun "bad attorney" jokes. Edit: favorite Lionel Hutz bit? "Works on contingency? No, money down!"
Lionel Hutz is why I still refer to Vodka as the "clearest of the clear liquors" Also I never realized how much he looks like a little boy in an oversized suit
How about we check out our favorite local Scotsman, Groundskeeper Willy? He has a ton of interesting history and interactions with the simpsons and is still around!
Jims and Scots are natural enemies. Like Englishmen and Scots. Or Welshmen and Scots. Or Japanese and Scots. Or Scots and other Scots. Damn Scots... they ruined Scotland!
It's always interesting for me to think how relatively "major" of a secondary character Lionel Hutz was during his time on the show. He made a lot of appearances early on, he was given a major appearance in a Treehouse of Horror segment, he was chosen to babysit the Simpsons kids over every other secondary character, et cetera. I always subconsciously think of Hutz as a more niche character, kind of like Cletus or Hans Moleman, but he really wasn't. He was such a great character. My favorite of his jokes would definitely have to be his "Neverending Story" line. It's so dumb, but so perfect.
You know what? How about Apu? The man is in the middle of a whole controversy, it would be nice to see him not as a stereotype, but rather the good honest salesman who builds furniture and discuss on where is the best place to put it.
It's weird how most of the controversy was manufactured. It all started with this Indian comedian making a documentary about his experiences growing up in America, the entertainment industry, and the most prominent Indian-American in pop culture: Apu. It wasn't anything antagonistic. Then the Simpsons writers had this weird backlash against it, months later, because they thought it was some hateful thing? Then Hank Azaria went on The Late Show talking about how he understands some of the concerns raised in the documentary. And then they erased him all together? All for something nobody was asking for. It's really bizarre. If I talk about the positives and negatives of Bumblebee Man, I hope the writers don't Thanos Snap him out of existence too.
Apu is a pretty great character. But in the spate of pointless re-castings in 2020, I never got uncomfortable vibes from Carl or Bumblebee Man being voiced by Hank Azaria and I don't think anyone watching actually did. But I wouldn't really miss him from the role of Apu.
Leave it to revisionist outrage culture to see representation of an overlooked culture as racism. Apu was more developed than half the characters on the show
I don't think so, but his characters definitely could've made lesser episodes better. Hartman was just great at brightening up an episode, but The Simpsons downfall was just to wide that one man could've saved it. Like now, if Jon Lovitz or Kelsey Grammer are in episode, you know it'll be good but it still won't offer enough to rival the old Artie Ziff or Sideshow Bob episodes. However his presence is still hugely missed on certain episodes that need some Lionel Hutz or Troy McClure comic relief.
Maybe, there were things in the works for Phil Hartman and the Simpsons before his death and it is really sad we will never know how awesome it probably was going to be.
My favorite Lionel Hutz moment is in the episode Selma's Choice Season 4, episode 13, where he dubbed his own voice over Great aunt Gladys's in an attempt to give himself a $50,000 inheritance!
"My client's film predates all of those things, Your Honor." "Oh, yes! I've forgotten your famous film- the one you destroyed before the trial and haven't been able to find another copy of? Oh, yes, that film?" "Yes......you don't have a copy, do you?"
"Excuse me, is there an Orange Julius stand on this floor?" "I'll sell you this one, it's almost full." "Well why don't I drink out of a toilet bowl?" (leaves disgusted) "He'll be back." Lionel Hutz negotiating at its finest.
There's something about the line "Care to join me in a belt of scotch?" It's so blatantly unprofessional but oddly forthright, paired with the energy and optimism he embodies, it really kills me. And then of course coupling it with the fact that he hasn't slept in days, it says so much about him but also raises a lot of questions. Why haven't you slept in days Lionel? Drugs? Paranoia? The guys at the YMCA getting aggressive?
So many great moments. MARGE ON THE LAM alone summed up his low character. All of his scenes in that episode were telling, but hilarious. Soliciting legal help to Homer while in jail was pretty funny. The show has not been the same since Phil Hartman’s untimely death.
