21. Three Men and a Comic Book

Episode Title: Three Men and a Comic Book
Episode Number: 34
Original Air Date:  May 9, 1991

Plot Synopsis: The Simpsons attend a local comic book convention where Bart spots a copy of "Radioactive Man #1" on sale for $100. It's the first appearance of his favorite superhero and he simply has to have it. The proprietor of the Android's Dungeon comic book shop, the fabled Comic Book Guy, won't budge on the price. His parents won't just give him the $100 and insist that he has to work for it. In a misguided attempt to do just that, Bart starts doing chores for Mrs. Glick, an impossibly old lady who lives... somewhere around town. It's not clear, exactly.

Anyway, Mrs. Glick's chores suck and Bart only gets paid fifty cents for them anyway. Completely dejected and now possessing the true knowledge of the value of a dollar (it's essentially worthless), Bart returns to the Android's Dungeon to try to haggle over the price. He spots Martin Prince doing the same, and Milhouse trying to buy a stupid baseball card like the dopey nerd that he is. Bart realizes that if they all pool their money together they can buy the comic and each own a third. Which they then proceed to do. They also proceed to almost immediately begin fighting over where the comic gets to "live" as all three of the boys insist that it should be kept in their respective homes.

The boys all spend the night in Bart's treehouse to try to figure out what to do with the comic. They end up reading it, and quite frankly it's a pretty honest representation of the quality of superhero comics from the era. Anyway, all three boys get more and more paranoid about their intentions. Bart thinks that Martin and Milhouse are conspiring against him to take the comic for themselves. Martin devises a system where they have a kind of "time share" system for the comic, but for the night the issue is staying put.

When Martin gets up to use the bathroom in the middle of the night, Bart thinks he's trying to take the comic and ties him up. Milhouse tries to go talk to Marge about how crazy Bart is getting and Bart attacks him. Right around this time a storm rolls in and it starts getting windy. Milhouse falls out of the treehouse and is saved at the last second by Bart. At the same time, the window blows the comic up against the treehouse wall. Bart has to choose between saving his friend and saving the comic. He ultimately chooses his friend, and the comic is blown out onto the ground. The combination of rain, a well-timed lightning strike and Santa's Little Helper completely destroy the issue. The episode ends the next morning as the boys both reveal that they know what the lesson that should have learned is (that they lost their new favorite thing because that couldn't share it properly) and that they didn't actually learn that lesson at all because they're eight and eight-year-olds are stupid.

Overall Thoughts: This is the third of my "Top Ten" episodes of the season. Season two has been pretty consistently good overall, but these three episodes (the other two being "Bart the Daredevil" and "Lisa's Substitute") are the ones that I consider GREAT. Like, shockingly great.

What Works: This episode marks the first appearance of Comic Book Guy who is immediately a lot of fun, even if his voice isn't quite "right" just yet. Hank Azaria quickly figures out how to tweak his performance and make it just a little bit funnier than it is here. Still, for a random new character, he makes a hell of a first impression.

On a nerdy personal note, this episode really captures what going to comic book conventions as a kid was like. I've been to a few in my day, though I was a bit older than the kids in this particular episode, and they're all more or less pretty much as represented.

I really like Marge's flashback with her stupid tiny oven. It's nice to see flashbacks to a Young Marge in a period of her life where hopes and dreams hadn't been beaten out of her yet. Maybe that's going a little too far, but Young Marge always seems a lot happier and care-free than Current Marge. It's an interesting dynamic.

This episode has so. Many. References. It's legitimately difficult to keep track of them all. From "The Wonder Years" to the 1960s "Batman" TV series to the Fantastic Four, a wide variety of different pop culture icons are all represented, and they're all spot on. I know that the conceit is that we begin the episode at a comic book convention, which is a bit different from the situations the Simpsons usually find themselves in, but the show has never been this reference-heavy before. Even still, it all manages to work and it doesn't feel like "references for references" sake. None of the jokes are "Hey, remember that thing? Wasn't that thing funny?!" Which is good.

All told, this episode is very, very funny from top to bottom. I can't really think of a joke that doesn't land just right. It may actually be the most joke-heavy episode of the season, now that I think of it. There's SO MUCH that happens in such a short amount of time, and all of it's funny. It's kind of like the comedy equivalent of "Lisa's Substitute" in that that particular episode packed a shocking amount of sentiment into such a short run time.

This episode also has its morality on display in ways that fit really comfortably in between all of those jokes. Bart (sort of) learns the value of a dollar though hard work and pain. It's also a "Learn to Share/Something Coming Between Friends" episode that is told in a really effective way, even though I'd hardly call Martin their "friend" but more of an "acquaintance" at this point. I don't know if he ever actually becomes a true "friend," to be honest.

Bart Simpson is a such sarcastic little bastard, but he's so genuine in certain aspects of his personality. We've previously seen just how much he loves Krusty the Clown. Here his love of Radioactive Man is on display. When Bart says that he needs to own that comic, I believe him. It's a great "little kid" aspect of his personality that helps to ground the character in reality, even if he does talk like the most sarcastic adult I've ever met for most of the series.

What Doesn't Work: The animation is still doing that weird thing where their faces twist in half sometimes. It's happening less and less as season two goes on, but it's still happening just enough to creep me out.

Closing Thoughts: I don't know why Bart doesn't just say that he's Batman to get in to the comic book convention. He's basically dressed exactly like Batman. "Bartman" isn't exactly the most original idea he's ever had. I think it totally would have worked.

It's interesting that Milhouse is depicted as just a tiny, tiny bit smarter than Bart. The scene I'm referencing is when Milhouse is the first to figure out that Martin is kind of screwing the other two out of getting to hang onto the "Radioactive Man" comic. I'd never really thought of him quite like that. In my mind, he's always just been the sycophantic Smithers to Bart's Mr. Burns (minus all of that gay stuff).

There's also a hilarious amount of smoking in this episode. Even a guy in the background at Krusty Burger is smoking at one point.

Final Grade (out of 10): 10

19. Lisa's Substitute

 

Episode Title: Lisa's Substitute
Episode Number: 32
Original Air Date:  April 25, 1991

Plot Synopsis: When Lisa's teacher Miss Hover comes down with Lyme disease, she is quickly replaced by a substitute in the form of Mr. Bergstrom. Bergstrom is quick to make an impression on the entire class and on Lisa in particular, who almost instantly develops a crush on him.

Right around the same time, Bart gets the wacky idea that he should run for class president. His opponent is Martin Prince, who would do a legitimately okay job. Bart, always needing to be the center of attention, doesn't care about any of that and decides to throw his hat into the ring. The two boys launch smear campaigns against run another in the days leading up to the election. Bart, it seems, is a lock for the popular vote.

Mr. Bergstrom asks Lisa if Homer helps her with her homework on the grounds that her homework is always so "neat" and "correct." Lisa immediately lets her disappointment in Homer be shown, which surprises him. Later on, Homer and Lisa run into Mr. Bergstrom at a museum. Bergstrom tells Homer that he needs to be a better role model for his daughter, which is advice he takes to heart but ultimately doesn't really know what to do with.

Soon Miss Hover returns, much to Lisa's shock. It seems that her Lyme disease fears were psychosomatic, and she's fine. This crushes Lisa, who heads to Bergstrom's apartment to try to talk to him. She finds out that he's already moved out, and catches up with him at the train station. He understands that she's disappointed but knows that she'll understand why he needs to leave. He gives her a note saying "You are Lisa Simpson," which is designed to encourage her whenever she's feeling down and alienated.

Oh, and because nobody actually bothered to vote except Martin and one other person, Martin wins the election much to Bart's shock and horror.

So anyway, when Lisa gets home that night she ends up taking out all her grief on Homer and calling him a baboon. At Marge's insistence and with what Bergstrom told him firmly in mind, he heads up to Lisa's room later on and fixes everything. He also manages to help Bart get over his election loss and he helps Maggie get to sleep, which leads him to proclaim that he's on "the biggest roll of his life."

Overall Thoughts: This is my favorite episode of the series as of right this second. I know that I haven't seen every last episode, but this one has always been my favorite and it remains so after getting the chance to watch it again. This is one for the books, for a wide variety of reasons that I will explain in painful detail starting right now:

What Works: This episode features a truly amazing guest appearance from the great Dustin Hoffman. He's perfectly cast as Mr. Bergstrom and manages to somehow elevate already well-written material. I mean, I know this shouldn't come as any surprise. He's Dustin Hoffman. But still, it's worth noting that yes, he's even good in animated form.

I believe I've said before that Lisa episodes are always among my favorite, and "Lisa's Substitute" is why. She goes through quite the little emotional shift in this episode and comes out the other side a much stronger character. There is so much packed into these twenty-odd minutes, and the episode isn't even entirely devoted to Lisa's story. It's a "Lisa's first crush" AND "Lisa doesn't see Homer as a role model" episode rolled into one. The result is that there isn't one moment that seems wasted. On paper, I can see this one being a tough sell because it's heavy on emotion, but in my mind that makes it all the more impressive that it was pulled off as flawlessly as it was.

Speaking of, Lisa's perception of Homer versus her perception Mr. Bergstrom is pretty fascinating. I like that Mr. Bergstrom almost immediately sees the issue at hand and even confronts Homer about it. The result is that Homer and Lisa's relationship examined quite perfectly. The episode gives Lisa something - Mr. Bergstrom - and then immediately takes it away. The result is that we get to see Lisa's true feelings about what is left - namely, her own father. Again - this isn't only a shocking amount of sentiment for an animated show, but it's also shockingly well done.

There isn't one moment in the episode that seems forced to me. The plot requires Mr. Bergstrom to be awesome so that we believe that Lisa could develop a crush on him, and it succeeds in accomplishing that goal immediately. Mr. Bergstrom is genuinely awesome and it's easy to see what Lisa sees in him.

This episode also features a really wonderful Lisa and Marge bonding moment. Lisa is talking about the way Mr. Bergstrom makes her feel and Marge keeps insisting that Homer makes her feel the same way. Lisa is annoyed by this, to which Marge replies "We can talk, but you're just going to have to accept the fact that I feel that way about your father." It's great.

If you don't at least fight the urge to tear up by the time you get to "You are Lisa Simpson," you are likely some sort of soulless robot who hates love. Like a Terminator.

Even the B-story from this episode is solid. It never overstays it's welcome, and it always comes along at just the right times. It's hardly my favorite part of the episode, but I definitely think it's necessary to help prevent the piece from getting too bogged down with anything overly touchy-feely. It's a really nice juxtaposition.

Also, I think it's important to note how great the entire cast is in this one, particularly Yeardly Smith and Dan Castellaneta. This is the kind of episode that proves that the cast isn't just filled with good voice over actors but good actors, period. Now, I'm not trying to take anything away from great voice over actors and I'm certainly not trying to separate that profession from actors in general.

My point is this: when "Lisa's Substitute" aired in 1991, the show was already hugely popular. It was a cultural phenomenon. Bart is everywhere. The show doesn't have to do an episode like this to be successful. Yet it did. And it wouldn't have been able to do such an episode without an amazing cast to back it up. So not only is the idea that this episode exists crazy, but the idea that it's so good is also pretty mind boggling.

This is such a good episode, you guys.

What Doesn't Work: Not a goddamn thing. Really, I mean it.

Closing Thoughts: I'll say it again: this episode is really touching, funny, and wonderful. If someone were to ask me for an example of how powerful the show can be, this is the episode that I'd show them. 

As a kid in 1991, I'm sure I wouldn't have liked this episode because it isn't laugh-out-loud funny from beginning to end. Watching it later on as an adult, however, this was the episode that made me go "Shit. I think I identify with Lisa more than anyone else."

Mr. Bergstrom also has a really great quote right before he gets on a train and rides out of Lisa's life forever: "That's the problem with being middle class - anybody who really cares will abandon you for those who need it more."

Final Grade (out of 10): 10

8. Bart the Daredevil

Episode Title: "Bart the Daredevil"
Episode Number: 21
Original Air Date: December 6, 1990

Plot Synopsis: The Simpson family attends a local monster truck rally (as you do) where Bart sees a giant robot dinosaur named Truckasaurus. More importantly, though, Bart also witness a daredevil named Lance Murdock perform a death-defying leap over a giant tank filled with electric eels, sharks, a tiger and all sorts of other crazy things. Lance ends up getting terribly, terribly injured in the aftermath of the stunt, but it's too late: Bart has been inspired.

Bart takes to his skateboard and starts performing stunts for the neighborhood kids. As expected, Bart quickly injures himself. Dr. Hibbert tries to talk Bart out of further tomfoolery by showing him a ward filled with children who were injured imitating various stunts. Lisa tries to talk Bart out of further tomfoolery by getting him to speak with Lance Murdock, who ironically ends up being super supportive. Not one to be talked out of pretty much anything, Bart insists that he's going to come back bigger than ever by jumping the Springfield Gorge.

Homer has a heart-to-heart with Bart and desperately tries to keep him from jumping. Homer also flat out forbids it, but Bart sneaks out of his room one day and off he goes. All of the Springfield kids have gathered to watch Bart likely kill himself when his stunt goes wrong. Homer shows up at the last possible second and saves Bart. Homer also decides to teach Bart a lesson by trying to jump the gorge himself, the idea being that Bart will see how stupid it is (and how presumably dead Homer is about to be) and give it up once and for all. Bart almost immediately promises to never do it again.

Homer accidentally ends up carrying through with the stunt and, for a second, it looks like all is well. That doesn't last, though, and Homer plummets down the side of the gorge and is horribly injured. As he's airlifted out of the gorge and placed into the back of an ambulance, the ambulance immediately crashes which sends him back down the gorge a second time.

Overall Thoughts: Everything I want from an episode of "The Simpsons" is here in the exact right proportions. The episode is incredibly funny. There have been some good, solid episodes before this with a lot of great jokes, but they haven't really been quite on this level thus far. Episodes are starting to be littered with jokes that are so fast you can easily miss them, but when you eventually do see them you'll laugh out loud. The show is continuing to examine the relationships of its characters (in this case, primarily Bart and Homer), but from new and interesting angles. All in all, this is a great episode of the show that is up there with the best of them and is incredibly successful at what it sets out to do.

What Works: The show is getting "cartoony", but for the most part (more on "the most part" in a second) the end result in this case is more than worth it. Bart trying to jump the Springfield Gorge isn't exactly the most grounded (warning: that may or may not have been a pun, I'm not sure...) story, but the sentiment at the heart of it is very real. The writers are starting to walk that fine line between "over the top" and "just right" in regards to that cartoon element. If you tell this story just a little differently, it's broad to the point of being nonsensical.

Thankfully, the writers really nail it in a completely satisfying way. This story takes full advantage of the fact that it's in a cartoon, but still manages to have more heart than most other shows airing on a weekly basis. Even when the episode leans heavily towards the "outrageous" side, it never forgets that emotion that helps make its characters so great.

Speaking of characters, Lance Murdock is a ton of fun. It's terrific to see a daredevil who loves danger and pain, and who wholeheartedly encourages Bart to jump the gorge even when that is obviously the worst idea in the world.

This episode is also a great example of one of my favorite types of "Simpsons" stories - Bart the kid. Because of the way he talks and his intelligent wit (despite his unintelligent everything else), it's sometimes easy to forget that Bart is still just a little boy. This episode never forgets that and still manages to use it as a vehicle to tell a bunch of really great jokes and ultimately tie it into Homer in a really wonderful way. Bart entertaining the neighborhood kids by jumping over swimming pools, animals and even Homer on his skateboard is a very "kid" idea.

Speaking of Bart and Homer's relationship, Homer's idea of sacrificing himself to teach Bart a lesson is very touching. Even beyond that, this episode is filled with little touches that really inform these characters. The opening wrestling montage shows just how alike Bart and Homer are, which is really nice and funny at the same time.

This episode has the distinction of featuring one of the best jokes ever: Homer falling for a super long time down the gorge, twice. It's a wonderful example of perfect comedic timing. I remember seeing it for the first time and being totally caught off guard when the ambulance almost instantly crashes into a tree and sends Homer, now on a gurney, right back down the gorge. I only wish it had gone on longer, like it does in that random clip show from a few seasons in the future.

What Doesn't Work: The only thing I don't absolutely love in this episode is the gag where the Truckasaurus eats the Simpson family car. It's not really that funny, it's a little too big and it doesn't really serve the story in any way. Deleting it could have allotted more time for Lance Murdock or even anything, really. But still - this is the most minor of minor complaints, as the moment I'm talking about lasts for all of 45 seconds. It also still manages to lead to funny jokes (Bart yelling "Pull, you dogs!" as workmen attempt to get Homer out of their trashed car and the creator of Truckasaurus apologizing to Marge spring to mind), so in the end it works out okay, but it's a little too broad for my tastes.

Closing Thoughts:  This episode isn't quite perfect, but it's so painfully goddamn close. If I were doing "half point" grading I would probably give this episode somewhere between a 9.5 and a 9.8, but I'm not. It's better than a straight 9, so it gets a 10.

There's not really a joke that doesn't land. There's not a scene that isn't compelling. There's just the right amount of heart and sentiment. Ladies and gentlemen (let's be honest - gentlemen), I present to you the first of my top ten episodes of "The Simpsons."

Final Grade (out of 10): 10