The Simpsons episode
"Burns Verkaufen der Kraftwerk"
Hans & Fritz learn from Homer that Mr. Burns is considering selling the power plant
Episode no.	46
Prod. code	8F09
Orig. airdate	December 5, 1991
Show runner(s)	Al Jean & Mike Reiss
Written by	Jon Vitti
Directed by	Mark Kirkland
Chalkboard	“The Christmas pageant does not stink.”
Couch gag	Santa’s Little Helper is on the couch and growls menacingly. The family back away slowly.
Guest star(s)	Phil Hartman
DVD commentary	Matt Groening Al Jean Mike Reiss Dan Castellaneta Jon Vitti Mark Kirkland David Silverman
Season 3 September 19, 1991 – August 27, 1992
Stark Raving Dad Mr. Lisa Goes to Washington When Flanders Failed Bart the Murderer Homer Defined Like Father, Like Clown Treehouse of Horror II Lisa's Pony Saturdays of Thunder Flaming Moe's Burns Verkaufen der Kraftwerk I Married Marge Radio Bart Lisa the Greek Homer Alone Bart the Lover Homer at the Bat Separate Vocations Dog of Death Colonel Homer Black Widower The Otto Show Bart's Friend Falls in Love Brother, Can You Spare Two Dimes?
List of all The Simpsons episodes

“Burns Verkaufen der Kraftwerk” (German: Burns to Sell [sic] the Power Plant) is the eleventh episode of The Simpsons’ third season; the title uses incorrect German grammar—see below. The episode aired on December 5, 1991. Simpsons redirects here. ... Image File history File links Simpsons_8F09. ... Homer Jay Simpson is a fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons, voiced by Dan Castellaneta. ... Charles Montgomery Monty Burns, normally referred to as Mr. ... December 5 is the 339th day (340th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the 1991 Gregorian calendar). ... Al Jean is a TV comedy writer most known for his work on The Simpsons. ... Mike Reiss is an American TV comedy writer. ... The Simpsons writing staff in season 13, including current show runner Al Jean (fourth from left in middle row) and previous show runners Mike Scully (first from left in back row), David Mirkin (sixth from left in back row), and Mike Reiss (fourth from left in back row). ... Vitti as portrayed in the episode of The Simpsons The Front. Jon Vitti is a writer who is most noted for his well-received scripts for the television series The Simpsons. ... The three people are caricatures of (left to right) Rich Moore, Wes Archer and David Silverman[1] The following is a list of directors who have worked on the Fox animated television series The Simpsons. ... Mark Kirkland is a director of episodes of The Simpsons. ... Bart writes The Pledge of Allegiance does not end with Hail Satan The chalkboard gag is a running visual joke that occurs during the opening credits of many episodes of The Simpsons. ... The couch gag is a running visual joke in the opening credits of the animated television series The Simpsons. ... (left to right) Elvis Costello, Tom Petty, Keith Richards, Homer, Mick Jagger, Lenny Kravitz and Brian Setzer guest starred in the heavily promoted season 14 episode How I Spent My Strummer Vacation. This is a list of guest stars who appeared on The Simpsons. ... Phil Hartman (born as Philip Edward Hartmann) (September 24, 1948 – May 28, 1998) was a Canadian/American actor, voice artist, comedian, graphic artist and writer. ... The Simpsons DVD season boxsets have been released since 2001 in different regions all over the world. ... Matthew Abram Groening (born February 15, 1954[2] in Portland, Oregon;[3] his family name is pronounced ) is an Emmy Award-winning American cartoonist and the creator of The Simpsons,[4] Futurama and the weekly comic strip Life in Hell. ... Al Jean is a TV comedy writer most known for his work on The Simpsons. ... Mike Reiss is an American TV comedy writer. ... Daniel Louis Castellaneta (born September 10, 1958) is an Emmy award winning American voice actor and comedian best known for providing the voice of Homer Simpson and other characters on the animated series The Simpsons. ... Vitti as portrayed in the episode of The Simpsons The Front. Jon Vitti is a writer who is most noted for his well-received scripts for the television series The Simpsons. ... Mark Kirkland is a director of episodes of The Simpsons. ... David Silverman (b. ... The Simpsons Season 3 DVD. The Simpsons 3rd season (September 1991 – May 1992) began on September 19, 1991. ... is the 262nd day of the year (263rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the 1991 Gregorian calendar). ... August 27 is the 239th day of the year (240th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar). ... Stark Raving Dad is the first episode of The Simpsons third season. ... Mr. ... Bart the Murderer is the third episode of the The Simpsons third season. ... Bart the Murderer is the fourth episode of the The Simpsons third season. ... Homer Defined is the fifth episode of The Simpsons third season. ... Like Father, Like Clown is the sixth episode of The Simpsons third season. ... Treehouse of Horror II (onscreen: The Simpsons Halloween Special II)is the seventh episode of The Simpsons third season, and the second Simpsons Halloween episode. ... Lisas Pony is the eight episode of the The Simpsons third season. ... Bart the Murderer is an episode of the The Simpsons third season. ... Flaming Moes is the 10th episode of the The Simpsons third season. ... I Married Marge is the 12th episode of the The Simpsons third season. ... Radio Bart is the thirteenth episode of The Simpsons third season. ... Lisa the Greek is the fourteenth episode of The Simpsons third season. ... Homer Alone is the fifteenth episode of The Simpsons third season. ... Bart the Lover is the sixteenth episode of The Simpsons third season which is an early look at the personal life of Mrs. ... Homer at the Bat is the seventeenth episode of The Simpsons third season. ... Separate Vocations is the 18th episode of The Simpsons third season. ... Dog of Death is the 19th episode of The Simpsons third season. ... Bart the Murderer is an episode of the The Simpsons third season Episode details Production Number: 8F19 Original Air Date: March 26, 1992 Writer: Matt Groening Director: Mark Kirkland Blackboard: I will not conduct my own fire drills Couch Gag: The cushions are missing Synopsis Homer and Marge go see... Black Widower is the 21st episode of The Simpsons third season. ... The Otto Show is the 22nd episode of The Simpsons third season. ... Barts Friend Falls in Love is the 23rd episode of The Simpsons third season. ... Brother, Can You Spare Two Dimes? is the 24th episode of The Simpsons third season. ... The following is an episode list for the Fox animated television series The Simpsons. ... This article or section needs additional references or sources to improve its verifiability. ... Simpsons redirects here. ... The following is an episode list for the Fox animated television series The Simpsons. ... “Burns Verkaufen der Kraftwerk” (German: Burns to Sell [sic] the Power Plant) is the eleventh episode of The Simpsons’ third season; the title uses incorrect German grammar—see below. ... December 5 is the 339th day (340th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the 1991 Gregorian calendar). ...

Plot

Homer learns he owns stock in the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant and sells his 100 shares for 25 cents apiece to a shady stock broker, netting $25, which he spends on beer. Soon after the sale he learns that the value of the stock was $52 per share. While Homer misses out on the windfall—he could have made $5,200—other employees make small fortunes. Springfield Nuclear Power Plant Springfield Nuclear Power Plant is a fictional nuclear power plant in the television animated cartoon series The Simpsons. ... A Stock broker sells or buys stock on behalf of a customer. ... Leffe, a Belgian beer, served in branded glasses Schlenkerla Rauchbier straight from the cask Beer is the worlds oldest[1] and most popular[2] alcoholic beverage. ...

The reason for the stock’s inflated value is because a depressed Mr. Burns wants to sell the plant to pursue other interests. The sale is completed at a value of $100 million to two German businessmen, Hans and Fritz (possibly named after The Katzenjammer Kids), who have been hanging out in Moe’s looking for just such an opportunity (provided the purchase leaves them with enough change to buy the Cleveland Browns). They immediately begin a thorough evaluation of the plant and its employees. When they interview Homer, he is unable to intelligently answer their questions and begins slipping into a now-infamous fantasy about cavorting through “The Land of Chocolate.” It isn’t long before Homer gets laid off. Mr. ... “The Captain and the Kids” redirects here. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Chocolate most commonly comes in dark, milk, and white varieties, with cocoa solids contributing to the brown coloration. ...

A depressed Homer mopes around the house, insisting he is a competent safety-minded worker. Meanwhile, Burns is not having a good time in retirement and decides to go to Moe’s Tavern to have a drink. There, Homer and the other bar patrons, along with Bart (who Marge sent to pick up Homer) mock scornfully at Burns for losing the power plant. Burns realizes that only his ownership of a nuclear plant gave him power over ordinary men and is resolved to buy back the plant. Morris Moe Lester Szyslak (pronounced //) is a fictional character on the animated series The Simpsons, voiced by Hank Azaria. ...

The German investors, who will make several more silent appearances in Springfield in the future, are more than willing to sell the plant back to Burns because as they say, it will cost another $100 million dollars to bring the plant up to code. Burns, noting their desperation to sell and saying so offers them $50 million for the plant saying that, “you will find it [his offer] most unfair.” Homer is re-hired, and Burns plots his revenge on him at some unspecified point in the future.

Cultural references

Elvis Presley shaking hands with Richard Nixon

Mr. Burns has a photo of himself with Elvis Presley (similar to a real life photo of Richard Nixon with Elvis). The German supervisor, Horst, mentions he looks like Sergeant Schultz from Hogan’s Heroes. Mr. Burns says “I keep my friends close, but my enemies even closer.”, which is a quote of Sun Tzu, but, more likely, a reference to a quote in The Godfather, Part II. Elvis Presley meeting Richard Nixon. ... Elvis Presley meeting Richard Nixon. ... Elvis Aron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), often known simply as Elvis and also called The King of Rock n Roll or simply The King, was an American singer, musician and actor. ... Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913 – April 22, 1994) was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. ... Hogans Heroes was an American television situation comedy that ran from September 17, 1965 to July 4, 1971 on the CBS network for 168 episodes. ... Hogans Heroes was an American television situation comedy that ran from September 17, 1965 to July 4, 1971 on the CBS network for 168 episodes. ... Sun Tzu (孫子 also commonly written in pinyin: Sūn Zǐ) was the author of The Art of War, an influential ancient Chinese book on military strategy (for the most part not dealing directly with tactics). ... Al Pacino as Don Michael Corleone in The Godfather Part II The Godfather, Part II is the 1974 sequel to The Godfather. ...

Grammar of the title

The German episode title is generally translated as “Burns Sells the Power Plant.” However, it is grammatically incorrect in two ways: This article discusses the grammar of the German language, focusing on Standard German. ...

First, the verb “verkaufen” (“to sell”) is conjugated incorrectly. As the subject of the sentence (“Burns”) is third-person present singular, the verb should be “verkauft” (“sells”). “Verkaufen” is the infinitive form of the verb, as well as the first-person and third-person present plural forms. It has been suggested that Verbal agreement be merged into this article or section. ... In linguistics, conjugation is the creation of derived forms of a verb from its principal parts by inflection (regular alteration according to rules of grammar). ... The subject of a sentence is one of the two main parts of a sentence, the other being the predicate. ... Grammatical person, in linguistics, is deictic reference to the participant role of a referent, such as the speaker, the addressee, and others. ... The present tense is the tense (form of a verb) that is often used to express: Action at the present time A state of being A habitual action An occurrence in the near future An action that occurred in the past and continues up to the present There are two... In linguistics, grammatical number is a morphological category characterized by the expression of quantity through inflection or agreement. ...

Furthermore, the title displays the usage of incorrect gender. The word “Kraftwerk” (“power plant”) is neuter, not masculine, and should therefore be written “das Kraftwerk,” not “der Kraftwerk.” If the noun was in fact masculine (e.g. “Burns sells the television”—“der Fernseher”), the correct wording would be Burns verkauft den Fernseher, as “verkaufen” is a transitive verb and the accusative form of der is den. In linguistics, grammatical gender is a morphological category associated with the expression of gender through inflection or agreement. ... A transitive verb is a verb that requires both a subject and one or more objects. ...

A proper German translation of “Burns Sells the Power Plant” would be “Burns verkauft das Kraftwerk.” The title for the dubbed German version was changed to “Kraftwerk zu Verkaufen,” which means “Power Plant for Sale.” In the DVD commentary, Jon Vitti revealed that he just did word replacement from a German dictionary. Vitti as portrayed in the episode of The Simpsons The Front. Jon Vitti is a writer who is most noted for his well-received scripts for the television series The Simpsons. ... The dictionary is a list of words with their definitions, a list of characters with their glyphs, or a list of words with corresponding words in other languages. ...

External links

• Episode Capsule on “Simpsons Archive”

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