| "Viva Ned Flanders" | |
|---|---|
| The Simpsons episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 10 Episode 10 |
| Directed by | Neil Affleck |
| Written by | David M. Stern |
| Production code | AABF06 |
| Original air date | January 10, 1999 |
| Guest appearance | |
| The Moody Blues as themselves | |
| Episode features | |
| Chalkboard gag | "My mom is not dating Jerry Seinfeld" |
| Couch gag | The Simpsons sit on the couch as normal, but Matt Groening's live-action hand spins the picture, leaving everything a blur of color.[1] |
| Commentary | Matt Groening Mike Scully George Meyer Ron Hauge Julie Thacker Neil Affleck |
"Viva Ned Flanders" is the tenth episode of the tenth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It first aired on Fox in the United States on January 10, 1999. In the episode, Ned Flanders, who is revealed to be 60 years old, feels that he has not lived his life to the fullest. He asks for help from his neighbor, Homer Simpson, who takes Ned to Las Vegas to show him "the right way to live". However, while there, the two become intoxicated and accidentally marry two cocktail waitresses named Amber and Ginger.
The episode was written by David M. Stern and directed by Neil Affleck. The revelation of Ned's age was heavily debated between the Simpsons staff, and the decision to make him 60 years old could have been inspired from a joke by Simpsons writer Ron Hauge. A scene in the episode features the song "Viva Las Vegas" by Elvis Presley, although the staff originally wanted a version of the song performed by Bruce Springsteen. The Moody Blues guest-starred as themselves in the episode, and the episode marked the first appearance of the cocktail waitresses Amber and Ginger, who were voiced by Pamela Hayden and Tress MacNeille respectively.
The episode was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program (For Programming less than One Hour) in 1999, which it ultimately lost to King of the Hill. Following the tenth season's release on DVD, the episode received mostly positive reviews from critics. Amber and Ginger have appeared in later episodes in the series, the first time being the season 13 episode "Brawl in the Family", which serves as a continuation of "Viva Ned Flanders".