Thread by @dailysimpsons

#OnThisDay #OTD #30YearsAgo January 14, 1993, "Marge vs. the Monorail" first aired on the Fox network. Dir: @_rich_moore. Wr: @ConanOBrien. EP: @AlJean & @MikeReissWriter. Guest-starring @TheRealNimoy as himself and Phil Hartman as Lyle Lanley. #TheSimpsons

@_rich_moore @ConanOBrien @AlJean @MikeReissWriter @TheRealNimoy Conan O'Brien (pictured here at the Simpsons writers' offices in 1992) conceived the idea when he saw a billboard in Los Angeles that just had the word "Monorail" on it, with no other details or explanation.

@_rich_moore @ConanOBrien @AlJean @MikeReissWriter @TheRealNimoy Writers did not think Leonard Nimoy would accept the role, because William Shatner had previously turned the show down. Instead, @GeorgeTakei was asked to guest star, as he had previously appeared as Akira in the second season episode "One Fish, Two Fish, Blowfish, Blue Fish".

@_rich_moore @ConanOBrien @AlJean @MikeReissWriter @TheRealNimoy @GeorgeTakei After requesting several script changes, Takei declined, saying he did not want to make fun of public transportation as he was a member of the board of directors of the Southern California Rapid Transit District. As a result, the staff went to Nimoy, who accepted.

@_rich_moore @ConanOBrien @AlJean @MikeReissWriter @TheRealNimoy @GeorgeTakei Writer @Interbang1Jeff stated "[Nimoy] was just very gracious and easy to work with." Here is Nimoy talking about the show later the same year he recorded his first appearance.

@_rich_moore @ConanOBrien @AlJean @MikeReissWriter @TheRealNimoy @GeorgeTakei @Interbang1Jeff Martin called Nimoy a “good sport”, recalling when he got to recording the “cosmic ballet” line, he said, “Okay, I know how to deliver this one,” meaning, “I can be pompous and windy, just like you want me to be.”

@_rich_moore @ConanOBrien @AlJean @MikeReissWriter @TheRealNimoy @GeorgeTakei @Interbang1Jeff Here is Nimoy congratulating The Simpsons on their 100th episode in 1994. He would go on to make one more appearance on the show in Season 8's "The Springfield Files."

@_rich_moore @ConanOBrien @AlJean @MikeReissWriter @TheRealNimoy @GeorgeTakei @Interbang1Jeff Although he only appeared twice, Nimoy's performances were so fondly remembered that a memoriam card was featured at the end of Season 26's "The Princess Guide" after his death.

@_rich_moore @ConanOBrien @AlJean @MikeReissWriter @TheRealNimoy @GeorgeTakei @Interbang1Jeff Homer's monorail conductor uniform is based on uniforms of the Imperial officers in Star Wars. (FYI, the imperial officer on the left in the second image was overdubbed by an uncredited @theharryshearer)

The episode features references to The Flintstones, The Silence of the Lambs and Batman, amongst others. (video: Onikorp)

Here's Conan talking with other #TheSimpsons writers (Jeff Martin, Al Jean, Mike Reiss and @JayKogen) in 2013 about "Marge vs. the Monorail" and writing "The Monorail Song."

The song, with lyrics by Conan and music by Jeff Martin, was inspired by the song "Ya Got Trouble" from the musical The Music Man, which the general plot of the episode also stemmed from.

Conan went on to perform The Monorail Song (featuring @HankAzaria) live at "The Simpsons Take The Bowl" in 2014. (video: YanisRei on YouTube)

@HankAzaria .@VICE published a great article titled An Oral History of 'Marge vs The Monorail' in 2020, featuring new interviews with the staff that worked on it. vice.com/en/article/akd…

Syndication promo for "Marge vs. the Monorail."