Skip to main content

This week’s Simpsons’ ’80s action-movie-themed couch gag pushes it to the limit

Another week, another couch gag on The Simpsons. It’s business as usual … Except that this week’s couch isn’t a gag so much as a full-blown 1980s action movie fantasy streaming directly out of Homer’s brain and into yours.

The 90-second short, which opens the upcoming episode Teenage Mutant Milk-Caused Hurdles, is the the title sequence to a fictional show called LA-Z Rider, where a muscular, casual suit-wearing Homer fights crime with his teammate/ride, the Simpsons’ couch. Bart, Lisa, Marge, and Maggie all get a brief moment to shine, of course, as do many of Springfield’s familiar faces, including Lenny, Carl, Patty, Selma, Sideshow Bob, Spike, and a seriously chiseled Ned Flanders.

Recommended Videos

It touches on all those iconic ’80s cliches: pastels, giant cell phones, Miami, and large sunglasses. And of course, the whole thing is set to the tune of “Scarface (Push it to the Limit)” by Paul Engeman n… Ok, it’s really just a loose re-telling of Scarface. Except there’s a couch! And virtual reality!

We don’t know about you, but we would watch a whole show made like this.

The Simpsons has resorted to longer, more sensational couch gags in recent years, invoking everything from Minecraft, to Game of Thrones. The show has also handed over the reins to celebrity artists to play with the form, such as Banksy and Ren and Stimpy creator John Kricfalusi. The show has taken to even bigger swings this season, getting in the news by splitting Homer and Marge up (for an episode), and creating the first non-Treehouse of Horror Halloween episode. Of course, after 27 seasons, you do whatever you can to keep things fresh.

The “LA-Z Rider” couch gag, followed by the new Teenage Mutant Milk-Caused Hurdles episode, will air Sunday, January 10 at 8 p.m. EST.

Mike Epstein
Former Associate Editor, Gaming
Michael is a New York-based tech and culture reporter, and a graduate of Northwestwern University’s Medill School of…
7 best Superman movies, ranked
Superman readies to fight in Superman.

Superman was the first superhero, but his screen history lacks successful outings. The Man of Steel, an upright do-gooder who is more powerful than any other superhero, has proven difficult to adapt because he's neither terribly conflicted nor all that vulnerable.

James Gunn's Superman is just the latest attempt to tell a story about this character, and not the first one to be a success. We've ranked the long history of Superman movies on screen, narrowing it down to his seven best live-action films:

Read more
2025 Emmy nominations: Severance dominates, Apple TV+ impresses, and more observations
Two people stare at a computer.

The Television Academy rewarded the battle between innies and outies as Severance led the 2025 Emmy nominations with 27. Season 2 of the hit sci-fi drama is the frontrunner to win Outstanding Drama Series. The more impressive feat is the six acting nominations for the principal cast, with Adam Scott and Britt Lower leading the way in the categories for Lead Actor and Actress in a Drama Series.

Speaking of the lead actor, Scott's toughest competition will be Noah Wyle, who secured a nomination for his portrayal of Dr. Michael "Robby" Robinavitch on The Pitt. It's Wyle's first Emmy nomination since receiving five consecutive nods in the '90s for playing Dr. John Carter on ER. It will be difficult for The Pitt to knock off Severance for Outstanding Drama, but there is an "it's time" narrative for Wyle building that could propel him to the Emmy over Scott.

Read more
Furiosa is a sci-fi movie you must watch on Netflix before it’s too late
Tom Burke stands between Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth in "Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga."

After making three Mad Max movies in the '80s, George Miller's iconic dystopian franchise went on a 30-year hiatus. The wait was worth it because the next entry, Mad Max: Fury Road, became one of the best action movies of the 21st century. Thankfully, Miller only waited nine years for his next Mad Max adventure, Furiosa.

Thanks to a licensing agreement, Furiosa is now available to stream on Netflix. It won't be here forever, though, as it leaves the service at the end of the month. Furiosa is one of our five sci-fi movies to watch this July. Check out all of our picks below.

Read more