Cultural References[]

• The episode title is a pun on the Alfred Hitchcock film Dial M for Murder.
• The episode's closing sequence duplicates the opening sequence of the NBC Mystery Movie, with Nelson Muntz as Columbo, Dr. Hibbert as Quincy, Rich Texan as McCloud and Mr. Burns and Smithers as McMillan & Wife.
• Nelson's method for investigating the murder of Martin is very similar to Columbo's.
• Sneakers, the TV show Marge asks to catch Homer cheating on his diet, is a parody of the reality TV show Cheaters. The host of Sneakers resembles Joey Greco, who hosts Cheaters.
• The "Taj Mah-All-You-Can-Eat" restaurant takes its name from the Taj Mahal.
• Songs heard at Martin's funeral:
  • The first song is "Gonna Fly Now", the theme from Rocky.
  • The second song (played during the slideshow) is "I Will Remember You" by Sarah McLachlan.
• The scene where Bart and Lisa meet at the Kwik-E-Mart resembles a famous scene from Double Indemnity.
• References to Macbeth:
  • Lisa urges Bart to keep quiet about their involvement in Martin's death, similar to Lady Macbeth convincing Macbeth to calm down and lie about Duncan's murder (also like every other accomplice in the history of the world).
  • Lisa also states that she has a dark side, like Lady Macbeth.
• The restaurant which Homer goes to, "Pudding on the Ritz", is a pun on the song "Puttin' on the Ritz" written by Irving Berlin.
• The scene where Marge chases Bart and Lisa out of the house with a broom references a recurring gag in the comedy series Last of the Summer Wine.
• The beguiling lute solo played in Martin's butterfly house is Bach's "Prelude in C Minor, BWV 999," specifically written for the solo lute.

Trivia[]

• After Bart steals Sideshow Mel's bone, we see his true long hair.
• Some of the Nicknames of Martin at his Funeral are: Martin Prince, Martin Princess, Martin Priss, Fartin' Priss, and Martin the Brown Nosed Reindeer. The last one references Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and the term "Brown nosed."
• According to Nelson, Martin apparently has a fear of heights.

Continuity[]

• When Nelson hears Bart and Lisa confess to Martin's apparent death, Lisa tries to get him romantically interested in her again. The two dated in "Lisa's Date with Density."
• The scenes of Martin at his funeral are scenes from "Girls Just Want to Have Sums," "Bye Bye Nerdie," "Treehouse of Horror III," "Fat Man and Little Boy", and "Three Men and a Comic Book."

Goofs[]

• Homer denied that he cheated on his diet, however, the fact that he gained weight whilst on the diet is enough to prove that he hasn't been sticking to it.
• During the couch gag, Homer appears to have hair.