Against the Groen(ing) 10.26.07: Moaning Lisa - Episode 6
Posted by Cory Lynn Schibler on 10.26.2007
The Blues is about making other people feel worse and making a little money while you do it.
Welcome back to Against the Groen(ing), you’re favorite 411 column about your favorite yellow family. On tap for today is Moaning Lisa featuring the first appearance of everyone’s favorite blues sax player Bleeding Gums Murphy. Here it comes boys and girls.
Original Air date : February 11, 1990 Production Code : 7G06
This episode was written by Al Jean and Mike Reiss and directed by Wesley Archer.
Principal Cast Homer: Dan Castellaneta Marge: Julie Kavner Bart: Nancy Cartwright Lisa: Yeardley Smith
Chalkboard: “I will not instigate revolution.”
Couch: the family tries to squeeze into the couch again. This time, Maggie flies sky high and falls into the ever watchful arms of Marge.
We open with Lisa staring sadly into the bathroom mirror as Homer bangs on the door. As Lisa leaves, Bart sprints into the bathroom ahead of Homer. As the family prepares to leave the house, Marge is worried because there are only 2 cupcakes left for the other 3 family members. Lisa sadly says that they can have hers because it will not bring her happiness.
On a side note, the team says on the commentary that the reason for this episode came from James L. Brooks. He originally had the idea while working on Taxi to have a character be sad and nobody would know why. It never happened and so he brought the idea to the Simpsons and used Lisa as the character. Writer Mike Reiss said that it ended up being a good thing because it connected with a lot of women, who are not the typical Simpsons audience.
At school, Lisa continues to be miserable. At band practice, her music teacher stifles her creative improvisation on My Country, Tis of Thee. Lisa says that she is playing out for the homeless, the blue-collar worker, the oppressed, etc. Her teacher tells her that is good but that none of those nasty people will be at the recital.
In the cafeteria, Lisa laments on the tediousness of the lunch hour, until she is repeatedly hit by food from a food fight. This scene segues into the gym scene where Lisa is being pummeled by dodge balls. When asked why she isn’t dodging, Lisa says that she is just too sad.
Back at the home, Homer and Bart are at the TV playing video boxing. Apparently, Homer is terrible at the game as Bart announces his record as “48 humiliating knockouts” and nicknames him the human punching bag. Marge comes in and says that they have gotten a note from the school. Homer immediately asks Bart what he has done, while Bart is adamant that no one can prove he did it. We then find out that the letter is about Lisa. It says that Lisa is sad and Homer says that he doesn’t see any tears. Lisa explains that it is not that kind of sad, and we learn that she is contemplating whether her existence means anything at all.
Homer tries to help, but he is too clueless to aid in this deeply philosophical issue. Since he doesn’t know what to do in the situation, he does what he knows best and punishes Bart. Bart then confronts Lisa about him getting in trouble, and she comments to Maggie that he only thinks about himself. They then argue over whose side Maggie is on. Bart asks Maggie to go to the one she loves the most, and Maggie crawl to the TV and gives it a giant hug. I think that there might be a message in their somewhere.
When everything seems lost for young Lisa, she hears a saxophone playing in the distance, and sets off with her sax to find it. She comes across BLEEDING GUM MURPHY on a bridge. Man, I love this man. He looks like a fat Ice-T. Back at the house, Marge is trying to find out what’s wrong with Lisa, and Homer is dreaming of losing to Bart at the boxing game.
Back at the bridge, Bleeding Gums is teaching Lisa the fine art of the blues. He says that he can’t help her solve her problems but he can jam with her. Bleeding Gums tells her that playing the blues isn’t about making yourself feel better; it’s about making other people feel miserable and making money while you do it.
Back at home, we learn from the TV that 2 museums, a symphony hall, and the bowling alley were gutted in a fire. Homer is distraught, not knowing what he will do without it.
Bart, in order to cheer Lisa up, places another prank call to Moe’s Tavern, this time asking for one Jacques Strap. If you’ll remember, during his first prank call Lisa was right by Bart’s side laughing it up. This time, she just sadly walks away.
Meanwhile, Homer makes his way to the arcade, where a young man teaches him how to be a better video boxing player. Homer is then chewed out by the child’s mom.
On the way to school, Marge tells Lisa that she needs to smile because it is what is on the surface that counts, not what’s on the inside. However, as Marge listens to people around Lisa, she becomes increasingly angry and finally takes Lisa back home and tells her to act however she wants to.
Back at the house, Homer has decided to use his newfound skills to finally defeat Bart. Homer is pounding Bart into submission when Marge and Lisa arrive. Seconds before he can deliver the knockout punch, Marge pulls the plug on the game system. Bart then promptly announces his retirement, undefeated, from video boxing. Marge says that Lisa has an idea for what the family should do tonight.
We move to jazz club, where Bleeding Gums is playing. He then performs the song that Lisa sang at the bridge as we roll the credits.
If I haven’t said this already, I love this show. Every week, especially here early in the show, new nuances arise in each character. This episode we get to see the angst that drives Lisa’s every decision, which will be very apparent when she gets more political later on. Her monologue to her music teacher will serve as the catalyst for the future of Lisa Simpson.
Now for a time, I must say farewell. Next week, we will be getting in touch with our wild side with the Call of the Simpsons. Till next week, eat my shorts!
First, here's a match from Osaka Pro between Monkey Magic and everyone's favorite comedy wrestler EBESSAN!!!!!!!!
Second, here is the 2004 year in review for the best wrestling company there is, Ring of Honor.
The 411: Bringing a story arc over from a completely different (and live action) TV show may not seem like a very good idea (in fact, the writers said on the commentary that when the story came up, Groening commented “oh, you guys got stuck with that one.”). However, the story works and fits in perfectly with the type of character that Lisa will become as the series moves on. Lisa has always been mature above and beyond her 8 years, and showing the teenage angst in this episode is no exception. It’s always nice when a show takes an episode to expand on a specific character, and this one does that for Lisa. 7.0 Out of 10.0.
