Against the Groen(ing) 09.28.07: Bart the Genius- Episode 2
Posted by Cory Lynn Schibler on 09.28.2007
Kwyjibo on the loose!
Welcome back to Against the Groen(ing). Once again I’m Cory Lynn Schibler bringing you episode two of the longest running animated sitcom, The Simpsons. As I said last week, we will always address the core cast and then bring up any other important figures if need be. But first, a new addition to the column as this week’s episode provides us with our first chalkboard and couch gags.
Production Code: #7G02 Original Airdate: January 14, 1990
This episode was written by Jon Vitti and directed by David Silverman.
Principal Cast Homer: Dan Castellaneta Marge: Julie Kavner Bart: Nancy Cartwright Lisa: Yeardley Smith Principal Skinner: Harry Shearer Dr. Pryor: Harry Shearer Martin: Pamela Hayden or Russi Taylor (if you can confirm the voice for this episode, let me know.)
Chalkboard Gag: “I will not waste chalk.”
Couch Gag: The family all try to squeeze onto the family couch, launching Bart off the screen in the process.
The episode opens with the family playing a rousing game of Scrabble. Maggie is on the floor and has spelled out the Theory of Relativity using her letter blocks. Homer, our lovable oaf, complains that he cannot spell anything using his letters. We are then shown that the word “oxidize” is spelt out on his letter rack. Homer settles for the word “do.” After young super smart Lisa uses the word “id,” Homer complains about her use of an abbreviation. Lisa says it is a word, and so the family pulls the dictionary out from under the short leg of the couch (education is a staple of the American family after all) and discovers that it is one of the three components of the psyche. As a psychology major, I can tell you that that is a part of the psychoanalytic theory of psychology that was proposed by Sigmund Freud, whose fixation on sex fits right in with the current landscape of American culture. Bart then declares his victory of the game with the word “kwyjibo.” When Homer calls him on the word, we see Homer from Bart’s eyes holding a banana, which leads to “kwyjibo” being a “big, dumb, balding, North American ape with no chin.” Instead of defending her husband, Marge is quick to jump in and say that he also has a short temper.
We then cut to Springfield Elementary where Bart is busy spray-painting Principal Skinner’s likeness on a wall with a word bubble stating, “I am a weiner.” Martin Prince, the school suck-up, is quick to point out that that spelling is incorrect. Skinner knows that Bart is the culprit because his hands are still covered in red spray paint. Skinner tells Bart to come to his office after school.
We then go to Bart’s classroom where Martin explains that he was only protecting the school property. Bart promptly tells him to “eat my shorts.” Mrs. Edna Krabapple makes her first appearance. You may remember her from our first episode where I explained she was the sexy one. Anyway, she is passing out the IQ test that the students will be participating in. She tells them that they shouldn’t worry because the test does nothing to their grades, it only affects their social status and financial stability, or lack there of. This line is such a great commentary on today’s educational climate. Keep in mind that this episode is from the early nineties, but her statement about this test still rings true today. We have standardized testing (especially here in Texas where I am from) that tests completely different material than what the teachers are expected to teach. However, every year someone “expert” says that teachers should not teach to the test, but teach what the students are supposed to learn and the good test results will follow. Those experts are idiots. As someone who is a product of the Texas public school system and was subjected to standardized testing, as well as the son of a school teacher in that system, I can tell you that if teachers were to teach the objectives that they are supposed to, kids would fail the standardized tests miserably. Sorry to rant, but education is something that I care very deeply about.
Anyways, Martin again sucks up to the teacher, asking if Bart should be facing the window so he is not tempted to cheat. It’s a freaking IQ test Martin! Cut the poor kid some slack. Mrs. Krabapple thinks that that is a great idea.
The test begins and Bart is stuck on the first question, which is the veteran math standard of trains, passengers, stations, etc. After being told to visualize the problems, Bart eventually freaks himself out and falls out of his chair. Mrs. Krabapple asks him to stop bothering the kids who have chance to do well. Martin, who is finished, goes outside to read and begins making faces at Bart. When Bart reciprocates this action, Mrs. Krabapple goes to the window to see what he is looking at. Seeing his opportunity, young Bart switches his test with Martin’s and proceeds to randomly fill out the test with Martin’s name. Not the most original plan, but for a ten year old who had precious few seconds to act, I can’t help but be impressed.
We then see Marge and Homer on their way to meet with Principal Skinner about Bart. Marge says that even good sheep go astray and Homer says that kind of crap is why Bart is in trouble all the time. Homer then sees Bart’s graffiti and remarks that Skinner is indeed a wiener. While in the conference, we get a great look at Homer’s buffoonery as well as a crack on the American system. Principal Skinner says that the damage has been estimated at $75 and he does not think it is fair for other taxpayers to have to pay for it. Homer agrees that it is a crummy system, but nothing can be done about it. That’s just fantastic comedy right there folks. Marge then whispers to Homer that Skinner wants them to pay for it, which elicits a groan from Homer. Skinner says that this not an isolated incident and pulls Bart’s rather large file from the filing cabinet. He says that Bart skips school and then brings in notes that are “obvious forgeries when compared to the origin…” At this point, Skinner receives Homer’s check for the damages on which the handwriting is identical to the note in his hand. The district’s psychologist Dr. Pryor then comes in and tells the group that Bart is a genius. He then asks Bart a series of questions, which while they may apply to a genius or even a slightly gifted child, they also apply to our young slacker friend.
Dr. Pryor: “Are you ever bored in school?” Bart: “Oh, you bet.” Dr. Pryor: “Mm-hmm. Ever feel a little frustrated?” Bart: “All the time, sir.” Dr. Pryor: “Uh-huh. Do you ever dream of leaving your class to pursue your own intellectual development on an independent basis?” Bart: “Wow! It’s like you’re reading my mind, man.”
If you didn’t laugh while reading that exchange, you may as well stop reading my column now.
For those of you still here, let’s continue. Dr. Pryor then says that Bart is acting out because he has to slow down to the pace of normal kids. Principal Skinner demands that they retest him, while Dr. Pryor suggests they move him to another school, which Skinner is all in favor of. The good doctor tells Bart that he will be allowed to work at his own pace and do as little or as much work as he wants. Bart, of course, tells the doctor to sign him up.
We flash to breakfast on Bart’s first day of his new school. Marge suggests that he eat something more nutritious, while Homer thinks that one of the chemicals in Krusty the Clown (think Bozo, but with a foul mouth and a gambling problem) brand cereal might be what made Bart a genius and encourages Lisa to eat some as well. His logic for this is that they will have a back up in case Bart’s brain explodes. After he sees that his classmates are all wearing ties, Homer gives Bart his tie. He offers to show the boy how to put one on, showing him that the hooks go over the top of the collar and these others things go in the collar. Get it? It was a clip on. Sorry, I was watching the Cowboys destroy the Bears and I am really trying to get this done as quick as possible so that’s the best joke you’re getting.
Homer tells Bart to try hard, because he may one day be able to do what all Simpsons dream about… outsmarting someone. Bart then meets two of his new classmates, the first of which speaks in palindromes, the second of which speaks in backwards phonetics. I was going to try and write a clever palindrome making fun of the fact that one of the kids speaks in palindromes, but then I realized that that would defeat the purpose of making fun of someone for speaking in palindromes. I think there was either a joke or a point in there somewhere… Anyway, the new school that Bart is attending is very new age. His teacher is now a “learning coordinator” and the class is called a “collective experience.” The class debates whether free will is an illusion, with one student explaining that free will is burdened by many paradoxes. After the class gives many true paradoxes, Bart’s contribution to the discussion is redneck standby “damned if you do, damned if you don’t.”
At lunch, the students use their advanced knowledge of strange measurements to steal Bart’s lunch. At home, Homer asks Bart how the first day was. Bart replies that it was “os-os” which of course is so-so backwards. This elicits a genuine wow from Homer. Marge then comes in and says that “she feels so bad for not… um what’s the word… helping something grow…” Lisa helps her mother along by explaining that the word is nurturing. Marge concurs and says that because she neglected his genius brain, she bought them tickets to the opera. Bart groans, but Homer says that Marge is just trying to help. Marge then explains that Homer is going too, which causes him to exclaim “But I’m no genius, why should I suffer!?”
The family is attending the performance of “Carmen.” Bart and Homer are dejected that there is no peanut guy, no beer, and no “opera dogs.” During the “March of the Toreadors,” Bart treats us to one of my favorite lines from this episode, sung to the tune of the march.
Bart: “Toreador, oh, don’t spit on the floor. Please use a cuspidor, that’s what it’s for.”
After that, Bart and Homer spend the next minute or so doing anything they can to keep themselves entertained until the opera is over.
Back in the classroom, we find that Bart is still not fitting in with his new school, and because he is a “genius” now his old friends don’t like him either. Bart decides that he needs to tell his father the truth, but Homer says that it is getting dark so instead they go out to play catch. The next day, Bart is in the chemistry lab and his “learning coordinator” explains that she will assign someone to be his partner if no one joins him. Bart then mixes an acid and a base together, and causes a massive ooze explosion. In Dr. Pryor’s office the good doctor explains that no one is mad at Bart. Behind Dr. Pryor we see a picture of Bart next to Albert Einstein. Speaking of which, did anybody see “IQ?” Man was that a weird movie. Anyway, Bart explains to Dr. Pryor that he would like to go back to his old school to “pretend I’m a regular dumb kid. You know, to study them and all the stuff they do with each other. You know, see what makes them tick.” Dr. Pryor says he likes the idea and asks Bart to write up a proposal on the research project. Bart attempts to write the proposal, but eventually writes up a confession saying that he cheated on his IQ test and that he is a regular dumb kid.
While washing the green off of Bart from his lab explosion, Homer tells him not to worry because Einstein probably turned himself all sorts of color while inventing the light bulb. Homer’s ignorance truly is astounding. If I believed in man evolving from apes I would say he is the missing link, but I don’t so I’ll just say he is a really stupid human. Bart then confesses to his father that he cheated on his IQ test. Bart says that they have become closer than ever because of his lie, and that something that brought them that close together can’t be all bad. Homer responds with his now trademark (not the rapper) phrase “Why you little…” and Bart takes off into the house. I know last week there was some debate as to whether Lisa was appearing sans trousers. This week there is no debate, I just saw Bart’s butt. There it is again. Anyway, Marge asks what the commotion is all about and Lisa replies that she thinks Bart is dumb again. Marge simply says oh well. Homer chases Bart into his room, after which Homer calms down enough to lie about why Bart needs to come out of his room. Bart says that he feels insulted that Homer thinks he is that stupid, which puts Homer into a fit of rage, and we see him freaking out and banging on the door as the credits roll.
So while the first episode was not a home run, it was certainly a solid base hit. So now the second episode is up to the plate, with the pressure on. The entire world is waiting to see if they have a new show to watch or if it will be swept under the rug like most new sitcoms (it is on Fox after all). Never fear, we have solid contact. We still haven’t seen the kind of quality we will see in the Golden Age (man I can’t wait to review those episodes) this is certainly one of the best episodes of Season one. We get further development of the core characters, and get introduced to some of the great secondary characters (Krabapple, Skinner, and Martin). Plus, we get a whole ton of Bart the struggling preteen (including his bare bum). All in all, a perfectly good reason to watch the show.
Unfortunately, the super cool clips that I embedded in last week's episode have all been pulled from youtube. So until I find some suitable replacements, I guess this is the end. Up next week, Homer's Odyssey.
The 411: It’s still not there yet, but the speckles of brilliance are there in this second episode of The Simpsons. For only being the second episode and still being able to stand up fairly well against some episodes (no episodes past or present can match the excellence of the Golden Age) it gets my recommendation. Still, what we are waiting for is there. For being one of my favorites even today, this gets a 7.5 out of 10.0.
