Bart vs. Australia

The episode received mixed reception in Australia, with some Australian fans saying the episode was a mockery of their country. Shortly after it had aired, the Simpsons staff received over 100 letters from Australians who were insulted by the episode. They also received letters from people complaining about the Australian accents used in the episode that "sounded more like South African accents". It has since become a beloved episode in Australia.

The main premise, which is that the "Coriolis effect" causes all drains in a certain hemisphere to rotate a certain way, is in fact not true. The Coriolis force is too weak to cause any visible effect, and the water can rotate in any direction anywhere on Earth. The direction is primarily determined by the shape of the vessel and the way it was filled. Ironically, the "hemisphere determination" urban legend is still widely believed because of its use in several fictional works including this very cartoon.

Featured in 100 Greatest Cartoons (2005)