I haven't been able to place all of the episodes quite yet, but so far, the timeline I've gathered for Season 2 is:
7F12 – The Way We Was
7F16 – Oh Brother Where Art Thou
7G06 – Moaning Lisa
7G02 – Bart The Genius
7F04 – Treehouse of Horror
7G04 – There’s No Disgrace Like Home
7G08 – Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire
7F14 – Bart’s Dog Gets an F
7F03 – Bart Gets an F
7G10 – Homer’s Night Out
7G12 – Krusty Gets Busted
7F19 – Lisa’s Substitute
7G13 – The Crepes of Wrath
7G09 – Call of the Simpsons
7F21 – Three Men and a Comic Book
7F05 – Dancin’ Homer
7F18 – Brush With Greatness
7F01 – Two Cars in Every Garage and Three Eyes on Every Fish
7F08 – Dead Putting Society
7F07 – Bart vs. Thanksgiving
7F22 – Blood Feud
I have included some Season 1 episodes as reference points to my first timeline.
Most of the other episodes can be placed in multiple locations, so I want to wait until later to find definitive spots for them. The fixed reference date of "Old Money" is causing a lot of problems, so I might consider it non-canon. I also realized that any episode in which Lisa eats meat must be placed prior to or during the time she is in 2nd grade, which may cause later issues.
And, as before, here are the top 10 episodes of Season 2 which will hold more weight in their canonicity:
10) 7F18 - Brush With Greatness
9) 7F17 - Old Money
8) 7F22 - Blood Feud
7) 7F03 - Bart Gets an F
6) 7F04 - Treehouse of Horror
5) 7F11 - One Fish, Two Fish, Blow Fish, Blue Fish
4) 7F21 - Three Men and a Comic Book
3) 7F12 - The Way We Was
2) 7F07 - Bart vs. Thanksgiving
1) 7F19 - Lisa's Substitute
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
7F22 - Blood Feud (August 11, 1991)
Summary: Bart gives blood to save Mr. Burns and Homer gets upset when they get no reward.
Episode Timeline:
Monday:
- The power plant unveils it's new warning sign
- Burns collapses on his bedroom floor
- Burns needs a blood transfusion
- Smithers announces to the plant that they are looking for blood
- Bart has the right blood type
- Homer tells the story of Hercules and the lion
Tuesday:
- Bart arrives to give blood
- The blood rejuvenates Burns
- Burns returns to the plant, healthy
- Burns decides to give the Simpsons a nice gift
Wednesday:
- Homer receives Burns's card
- Bart takes a letter
- Homer decides to sleep before he mails it
- Homer dreams about strangling Burns and eating pancakes
Thursday:
- Homer chews his pillow
- Homer wonders where the letter is
- Bart mails the letter
- Homer learns the letter was mailed
- 12pm, Homer tries to retrieve the letter
- Burns decides to write his own biography
- Homer tries to pose as Burns
- Lisa continues showing Maggie flashcards
Friday:
- Burns writes his 5th chapter
- 7:02am, Burns reads Homer's letter
- Homer is escorted from Burns's building
- Burns signs Homer's pink slip
- Homer is afraid
- Smithers talks to the goon
- Smithers tells Burns he called it off
- Homer drinks at Moe's
Saturday:
- Burns goes shopping for the Simpsons
- Burns delivers his gift
- The Simpsons discuss the moral of the story
References to Time:
- Smithers once donated a kidney to Burns
- Carl is Homer's supervisor
- Otto mentions that school is in session
- Burns doesn't know who Lenny or Bart are
- The mail is picked up at noon
- Homer doesn't know Burns's first name
- Burns usually arrives to work at 7:30am
References to Other Episodes: None
SLH Presence:
- SLH is present
- Moe's TV is black and white
- Bart prank calls Moe
- The Olmec Head first appears
Minimum Time Spanned: 6 days
Canon: Bart is allergic to butterscotch, but in a later episode, Marge feeds it to him (maybe that was before they learned of the allergy). If that's true, then it's all canon.
Favorite Moments:
- In the rush to get Bart's blood to Burns, one of the hospital workers forgets to hit the elevator button.
- An excited Homer tells Lisa to do something to celebrate the letter from Burns. She turns on the sprinkler.
- The Post Office mural that parodies the Sistine Chapel painting of Adam and God is pretty cool.
Review: This is a nice simple episode where the family behaves like a family. Homer gets upset, Bart does what he thinks is right, Lisa shows flashcards to Maggie, and Marge tries to provide the voice of reason. Nothing over the top happens, and it is a good way to sum up Season 2. The ending scene is cute when the family tries to determine the moral of the story and decides it's just a bunch of stuff that happened. A-
Episode Timeline:
Monday:
- The power plant unveils it's new warning sign
- Burns collapses on his bedroom floor
- Burns needs a blood transfusion
- Smithers announces to the plant that they are looking for blood
- Bart has the right blood type
- Homer tells the story of Hercules and the lion
Tuesday:
- Bart arrives to give blood
- The blood rejuvenates Burns
- Burns returns to the plant, healthy
- Burns decides to give the Simpsons a nice gift
Wednesday:
- Homer receives Burns's card
- Bart takes a letter
- Homer decides to sleep before he mails it
- Homer dreams about strangling Burns and eating pancakes
Thursday:
- Homer chews his pillow
- Homer wonders where the letter is
- Bart mails the letter
- Homer learns the letter was mailed
- 12pm, Homer tries to retrieve the letter
- Burns decides to write his own biography
- Homer tries to pose as Burns
- Lisa continues showing Maggie flashcards
Friday:
- Burns writes his 5th chapter
- 7:02am, Burns reads Homer's letter
- Homer is escorted from Burns's building
- Burns signs Homer's pink slip
- Homer is afraid
- Smithers talks to the goon
- Smithers tells Burns he called it off
- Homer drinks at Moe's
Saturday:
- Burns goes shopping for the Simpsons
- Burns delivers his gift
- The Simpsons discuss the moral of the story
References to Time:
- Smithers once donated a kidney to Burns
- Carl is Homer's supervisor
- Otto mentions that school is in session
- Burns doesn't know who Lenny or Bart are
- The mail is picked up at noon
- Homer doesn't know Burns's first name
- Burns usually arrives to work at 7:30am
References to Other Episodes: None
SLH Presence:
- SLH is present
- Moe's TV is black and white
- Bart prank calls Moe
- The Olmec Head first appears
Minimum Time Spanned: 6 days
Canon: Bart is allergic to butterscotch, but in a later episode, Marge feeds it to him (maybe that was before they learned of the allergy). If that's true, then it's all canon.
Favorite Moments:
- In the rush to get Bart's blood to Burns, one of the hospital workers forgets to hit the elevator button.
- An excited Homer tells Lisa to do something to celebrate the letter from Burns. She turns on the sprinkler.
- The Post Office mural that parodies the Sistine Chapel painting of Adam and God is pretty cool.
Review: This is a nice simple episode where the family behaves like a family. Homer gets upset, Bart does what he thinks is right, Lisa shows flashcards to Maggie, and Marge tries to provide the voice of reason. Nothing over the top happens, and it is a good way to sum up Season 2. The ending scene is cute when the family tries to determine the moral of the story and decides it's just a bunch of stuff that happened. A-
Monday, August 17, 2009
7F21 - Three Men and a Comic Book (May 9, 1991)
Summary: Bart tries to get money for the first issue of Radioactive Man, then shares ownership with Martin and Milhouse.
Episode Timeline:
WWI:
- Mrs. Glick's brother Asa dies from holding a grenade too long
About 30 years ago:
- Little Marge works for her older sisters to earn money for an Easy Bake Oven
Saturday:
- Lisa and Bart are driven to the 12th Annual Comic-Con
- Bartman tries to get a discount
- Jimbo corrects the Mayor
- Martin loses a Vulcan ear
- Otto shows his comic book idea
- The original Fallout Boy takes questions
- Comic Book Guy shows Bart the first issue of Radioactive Man
- 6:00pm, the family leaves the convention
- Bart decides to get a job to earn the money to buy the comic book
Sunday:
- Bart searches the house for money
- Bart turns in an empty bottle at the Kwik-E-Mart
- Bart trades Bolivian coins for American money
- Bart tries selling lemonade
- Bart sells beer
- Marge talks to Mrs. Glick about a job for Bart
Monday:
- Bart goes to Glick's
- Bart pulls weeds
- Glick applies iodine to Bart's wounds
- Bart returns home
Tuesday:
- Bart cleans the gutters
- Glick shows off her wedding/mourning dress
- Bart visits the comic book
Wednesday:
- Bart cleans the cat box
- Glick puts on more iodine
Thursday is skipped
Friday:
- Glick pays Bart 50 cents
- Bart complains about working
Saturday:
- Bart, Milhouse, and Martin buy the comic book
- The boys try to each leave with it
- The boys read the book in Bart's treehouse
- The boys make a schedule for the comic book, but tonight it stays
- The boys fight and eat S'mores
- The boys tie up Martin
- The boys fight and the comic is destroyed
Sunday:
- The boys should've learned how to share
References to Time:
- Buddy Hodges wasn't killed in Vietnam
- The first issue of Radioactive Man came out Nov. 1952
- When Homer was about 20, he figured out working is for chumps
References to Other Episodes: None.
SLH Presence:
- SLH is present
Minimum Time Spanned: 9 days, possibly the summer
Canon: Yes
Favorite Moments:
- When Bart wants $100 for the comic, Homer replies, "Well, TS"
- The Wonder Years reference with Daniel Stern as the adult Bart
- Milhouse shouting "Let's tie him up!" when Martin tries to use the bathroom
Review: This is a great episode. The comic-conventions scenes are spot on, Bart working for Glick is hilarious, and the final aftermath of the three boys and the comic is tragic and exciting to watch. This is a well-crafted episode. It's also full of nice "realistic" touches, like Maggie smashing fries into the table at Krusty Burger. A
Episode Timeline:
WWI:
- Mrs. Glick's brother Asa dies from holding a grenade too long
About 30 years ago:
- Little Marge works for her older sisters to earn money for an Easy Bake Oven
Saturday:
- Lisa and Bart are driven to the 12th Annual Comic-Con
- Bartman tries to get a discount
- Jimbo corrects the Mayor
- Martin loses a Vulcan ear
- Otto shows his comic book idea
- The original Fallout Boy takes questions
- Comic Book Guy shows Bart the first issue of Radioactive Man
- 6:00pm, the family leaves the convention
- Bart decides to get a job to earn the money to buy the comic book
Sunday:
- Bart searches the house for money
- Bart turns in an empty bottle at the Kwik-E-Mart
- Bart trades Bolivian coins for American money
- Bart tries selling lemonade
- Bart sells beer
- Marge talks to Mrs. Glick about a job for Bart
Monday:
- Bart goes to Glick's
- Bart pulls weeds
- Glick applies iodine to Bart's wounds
- Bart returns home
Tuesday:
- Bart cleans the gutters
- Glick shows off her wedding/mourning dress
- Bart visits the comic book
Wednesday:
- Bart cleans the cat box
- Glick puts on more iodine
Thursday is skipped
Friday:
- Glick pays Bart 50 cents
- Bart complains about working
Saturday:
- Bart, Milhouse, and Martin buy the comic book
- The boys try to each leave with it
- The boys read the book in Bart's treehouse
- The boys make a schedule for the comic book, but tonight it stays
- The boys fight and eat S'mores
- The boys tie up Martin
- The boys fight and the comic is destroyed
Sunday:
- The boys should've learned how to share
References to Time:
- Buddy Hodges wasn't killed in Vietnam
- The first issue of Radioactive Man came out Nov. 1952
- When Homer was about 20, he figured out working is for chumps
References to Other Episodes: None.
SLH Presence:
- SLH is present
Minimum Time Spanned: 9 days, possibly the summer
Canon: Yes
Favorite Moments:
- When Bart wants $100 for the comic, Homer replies, "Well, TS"
- The Wonder Years reference with Daniel Stern as the adult Bart
- Milhouse shouting "Let's tie him up!" when Martin tries to use the bathroom
Review: This is a great episode. The comic-conventions scenes are spot on, Bart working for Glick is hilarious, and the final aftermath of the three boys and the comic is tragic and exciting to watch. This is a well-crafted episode. It's also full of nice "realistic" touches, like Maggie smashing fries into the table at Krusty Burger. A
Sunday, August 16, 2009
7F20 - The War of the Simpsons (May 2, 1991)
Summary: Homer and Marge go to a marriage retreat after he embarrasses her at a dinner party.
Episode Timeline:
About 9 years ago:
- Baby Bart drives down his babysitter
A night in the past:
- Homer had fun in bed eating a big sandwich
Saturday:
- Homer and Marge prepare for a dinner party, Flanders mixes a drink for Homer
- The party gets underway, Homer gets drunker
- Homer wears a lampshade
- Maggie tears up people's money
- Homer quits working for some guy he doesn't know
- Homer looks down Maude's blouse
- The guests leave, Homer is passed out
Sunday:
- Homer and Marge fight in the car
- Homer apologizes to Bart about his behavior
- Homer comes late to church
- Marge signs up for the marriage retreat
Monday - Friday are skipped
Saturday:
- Homer finishes packing for the trip
- Grampa agrees to babysit
- Homer stores fishing supplies in the car
- Grampa and the kids say goodbye
- Homer stops at the bait shop and learns about General Sherman
- Bart decides to bleed Grampa dry
- Homer and Marge arrive at the retreat
- The problems of the couples are discussed
- Grampa and the kids go shopping
- 9:30pm, Marge finishes her list of grievances
- Bart and Lisa watch McBain on television
Sunday:
- 5am, Homer tries to sneak out to fish
- Homer gets dragged of the pier by General Sherman
- Sherman drags Homer around
- Bart and Lisa drink coffee
- Sherman knocks Homer out of the boat
- Before noon, Bart invites people to a party at 2pm
- Lovejoy tells Marge that Homer is the cause of all the problems
- 2pm, the party starts
- Homer talks to Sherman
- The party is very destructive
- Homer catches Sherman
- Grampa cries after the party
- Homer throws back Sherman
- Bart and Lisa clean
- Homer and Marge return home, Grampa leaves
- The Legend of Homer is created at the bait shop
References to Time:
- Last year at the Winfields' party, Homer threw up in the laundry hamper
- Barney has met Patty and Selma before
- This is the 3rd Annual Marriage Retreat
- Bart is almost 10 and a half
References to Other Episodes: None.
SLH Presence:
- SLH is present
Minimum Time Spanned: 9 days
Canon: Homer claims that their wedding was a big bash with lots of musicians and holy men. We will later see in "I Married Marge" that this was not true (unless he is referring to the second wedding from "A Milhouse Divided" but I doubt it). This comment is not canon.
Favorite Moment: When Flanders reveals his problem with Maude (she underlines passages in his Bible when she can't find her own), Homer quips "Lucky you don't keep guns in the house."
Review: This is a pretty good episode. This seems to be one of those classic episodes that builds a lot of the dynamic between Homer and Marge. Although Homer vs. Marge episodes become a lot more common,this once pays off well. The whole dinner party sequence is quite entertaining (including Homer's recollection of it). Bart and Lisa taking advantage of Grampa is amusing as well, but it's ultimately a forgettable subplot. B+
Episode Timeline:
About 9 years ago:
- Baby Bart drives down his babysitter
A night in the past:
- Homer had fun in bed eating a big sandwich
Saturday:
- Homer and Marge prepare for a dinner party, Flanders mixes a drink for Homer
- The party gets underway, Homer gets drunker
- Homer wears a lampshade
- Maggie tears up people's money
- Homer quits working for some guy he doesn't know
- Homer looks down Maude's blouse
- The guests leave, Homer is passed out
Sunday:
- Homer and Marge fight in the car
- Homer apologizes to Bart about his behavior
- Homer comes late to church
- Marge signs up for the marriage retreat
Monday - Friday are skipped
Saturday:
- Homer finishes packing for the trip
- Grampa agrees to babysit
- Homer stores fishing supplies in the car
- Grampa and the kids say goodbye
- Homer stops at the bait shop and learns about General Sherman
- Bart decides to bleed Grampa dry
- Homer and Marge arrive at the retreat
- The problems of the couples are discussed
- Grampa and the kids go shopping
- 9:30pm, Marge finishes her list of grievances
- Bart and Lisa watch McBain on television
Sunday:
- 5am, Homer tries to sneak out to fish
- Homer gets dragged of the pier by General Sherman
- Sherman drags Homer around
- Bart and Lisa drink coffee
- Sherman knocks Homer out of the boat
- Before noon, Bart invites people to a party at 2pm
- Lovejoy tells Marge that Homer is the cause of all the problems
- 2pm, the party starts
- Homer talks to Sherman
- The party is very destructive
- Homer catches Sherman
- Grampa cries after the party
- Homer throws back Sherman
- Bart and Lisa clean
- Homer and Marge return home, Grampa leaves
- The Legend of Homer is created at the bait shop
References to Time:
- Last year at the Winfields' party, Homer threw up in the laundry hamper
- Barney has met Patty and Selma before
- This is the 3rd Annual Marriage Retreat
- Bart is almost 10 and a half
References to Other Episodes: None.
SLH Presence:
- SLH is present
Minimum Time Spanned: 9 days
Canon: Homer claims that their wedding was a big bash with lots of musicians and holy men. We will later see in "I Married Marge" that this was not true (unless he is referring to the second wedding from "A Milhouse Divided" but I doubt it). This comment is not canon.
Favorite Moment: When Flanders reveals his problem with Maude (she underlines passages in his Bible when she can't find her own), Homer quips "Lucky you don't keep guns in the house."
Review: This is a pretty good episode. This seems to be one of those classic episodes that builds a lot of the dynamic between Homer and Marge. Although Homer vs. Marge episodes become a lot more common,this once pays off well. The whole dinner party sequence is quite entertaining (including Homer's recollection of it). Bart and Lisa taking advantage of Grampa is amusing as well, but it's ultimately a forgettable subplot. B+
Friday, August 14, 2009
7F19 - Lisa's Substitute (April 25, 1991)
Summary: Lisa falls for her substitute teacher while Bart runs for class president.
Episode Timeline:
Monday:
- Miss Hoover has Lyme Disease
- Bart shows a video of the birth of Snowball II
- Mr. Bergstrom comes to teach Lisa's class
- Martin announces his bid for class presidency
- Bergstrom sings Home on the Range
- Bart is nominated to be president
Tuesday:
- Bergstrom reads Charlotte's Web
- Bergstrom draws out the students' talents
- Krabappel hits on Bergstrom
- Lisa plays sax for Bergstrom
Wednesday:
- Lisa and Marge do laundry
- Homer and Bart make fun of Bergstrom
- Bergstrom asks if Homer helps with Lisa's homework
- Bart demands more asbestos
- Homer encourages Bart to win
Thursday:
- Martin isn't looking for easy answers
- Bart gives a speech at lunch
- Bart and Martin put up campaign posters
- Homer makes a poster for Bart
Friday:
- Lisa and Bergstrom watch Bart lead the people
- Ralph reads his letter to Miss Hoover
- Marge asks Homer to take Lisa to the museum
Saturday:
- Homer doesn't pay the museum's suggested donation
- Homer, Lisa, and Bergstrom look at a dinosaur
- Homer, Lisa, and Bergstrom look at a mummy
- Homer and Bergstrom talk about Lisa
- Marge tells Lisa to invite Bergstrom over for dinner
Sunday is skipped
Monday:
- Hoover is back
- Bergstrom taught that life is worth living, Lisa runs out of school
- The election for president will be held during recess
- Lisa goes to Bergstrom's apartment to find he has left
- No one voted for Bart
- Martin wins
- Lisa says goodbye to Bergstrom
- Lisa calls Homer a baboon
- Homer makes amends with Lisa
- Homer cheers up Bart
- Homer helps Maggie sleep
- Homer and Marge go to bed
References to Time:
- Lisa is in Hoover's class, 2nd Grade, Bart in Krabappel's, 4th
- Krabappel is technically still married
- The Museum of Natural History will be closing forever in 2 weeks
- A calendar in Bart's class says it is April
- Homer says he's never lost anyone special to him
References to Other Episodes: None.
SLH Presence:
- SLH is not present
Minimum Time Spanned: 8 days
Canon: Yes, although there is a bit of inconsistency as to whether Bart's class is above Lisa's or vice-versa
Favorite Moment:
- Mr. Bergstrom's farewell scene. It's very touching, especially when Lisa says she needs him. "That's the problem with being middle class. Anybody who really cares will abandon you for those who need it more."
Review: This is one of the best if not the best episode of the Simpsons ever. It really stands out above all the episodes that preceded it. The Bart story is funny, the Lisa story is tragic, and it all fits nicely together, with Homer wrapping up both at the end. This is a good area for Homer to fit in, because he's not a complete idiot as he is seen in later seasons. He is just a not-to-bright father who tries his best to be a good father. Mr. Bergstrom is a great character and it's a shame that Dustin Hoffman wasn't willing to attach his name to the show, because he does such a good job and the episode is wonderful. I love every scene of this episode. A+
Episode Timeline:
Monday:
- Miss Hoover has Lyme Disease
- Bart shows a video of the birth of Snowball II
- Mr. Bergstrom comes to teach Lisa's class
- Martin announces his bid for class presidency
- Bergstrom sings Home on the Range
- Bart is nominated to be president
Tuesday:
- Bergstrom reads Charlotte's Web
- Bergstrom draws out the students' talents
- Krabappel hits on Bergstrom
- Lisa plays sax for Bergstrom
Wednesday:
- Lisa and Marge do laundry
- Homer and Bart make fun of Bergstrom
- Bergstrom asks if Homer helps with Lisa's homework
- Bart demands more asbestos
- Homer encourages Bart to win
Thursday:
- Martin isn't looking for easy answers
- Bart gives a speech at lunch
- Bart and Martin put up campaign posters
- Homer makes a poster for Bart
Friday:
- Lisa and Bergstrom watch Bart lead the people
- Ralph reads his letter to Miss Hoover
- Marge asks Homer to take Lisa to the museum
Saturday:
- Homer doesn't pay the museum's suggested donation
- Homer, Lisa, and Bergstrom look at a dinosaur
- Homer, Lisa, and Bergstrom look at a mummy
- Homer and Bergstrom talk about Lisa
- Marge tells Lisa to invite Bergstrom over for dinner
Sunday is skipped
Monday:
- Hoover is back
- Bergstrom taught that life is worth living, Lisa runs out of school
- The election for president will be held during recess
- Lisa goes to Bergstrom's apartment to find he has left
- No one voted for Bart
- Martin wins
- Lisa says goodbye to Bergstrom
- Lisa calls Homer a baboon
- Homer makes amends with Lisa
- Homer cheers up Bart
- Homer helps Maggie sleep
- Homer and Marge go to bed
References to Time:
- Lisa is in Hoover's class, 2nd Grade, Bart in Krabappel's, 4th
- Krabappel is technically still married
- The Museum of Natural History will be closing forever in 2 weeks
- A calendar in Bart's class says it is April
- Homer says he's never lost anyone special to him
References to Other Episodes: None.
SLH Presence:
- SLH is not present
Minimum Time Spanned: 8 days
Canon: Yes, although there is a bit of inconsistency as to whether Bart's class is above Lisa's or vice-versa
Favorite Moment:
- Mr. Bergstrom's farewell scene. It's very touching, especially when Lisa says she needs him. "That's the problem with being middle class. Anybody who really cares will abandon you for those who need it more."
Review: This is one of the best if not the best episode of the Simpsons ever. It really stands out above all the episodes that preceded it. The Bart story is funny, the Lisa story is tragic, and it all fits nicely together, with Homer wrapping up both at the end. This is a good area for Homer to fit in, because he's not a complete idiot as he is seen in later seasons. He is just a not-to-bright father who tries his best to be a good father. Mr. Bergstrom is a great character and it's a shame that Dustin Hoffman wasn't willing to attach his name to the show, because he does such a good job and the episode is wonderful. I love every scene of this episode. A+
Thursday, August 13, 2009
7F18 - Brush With Greatness (April 11, 1991)
Summary: While Homer goes on a diet, Marge is hired to paint a portrait of Mr. Burns.
Episode Timeline:
The early 70's:
- High school Marge gets her dreams of painting crushed
- Marge mails a painting to Ringo
Friday:
- Krusty finishes his last show from Mt. Splashmore
- Bart and Lisa bother Homer into the night
Saturday:
- The family leaves for Mt. Splashmore
- Bart and Lisa get in line for H2WHOA
- Maggie plays in the kiddie pool
- Homer goes on H2WHOA and gets stuck
- The family watches the news
- Homer is 260lbs and vows to go on a diet
Sunday:
- In the attic, Homer finds Marge's Ringo paintings
- The diet starts on porkchop night
Monday:
- Marge enrolls in a painting class, Lombardo approves
- Homer is trapped by his exercise equipment
Tuesday - Friday:
- Marge takes her first class
- Homer exercises, Marge paints him
- Lombardo chooses Marge to represent him at next week's art exhibition
Saturday -Tuesday are skipped
Wednesday:
- Marge's painting wins the exhibition
Thursday:
- Burns wants Marge to paint his portrait
Friday:
- Homer is down to 249lbs
- The donut deliverer notices the pileup of donuts at the plant
- Burns visits Marge
- Marge begins painting Burns
- Maggie crawls on Burns's leg
Saturday is skipped
Sunday:
- Burns reads the funny pages
- Marge walks in on Burns in the shower
- Smithers prepares tea
- Ringo opens Marge's old painting
Monday:
- Burns yells at Lisa
- Burns teases a 239lb Homer
- Marge receives Ringo's reply
- Marge paints all night
Tuesday:
- The Burns Painting is revealed
References to Time:
- Lisa is 8
References to Other Episodes:
- There's a Burns for Governor sticker in the attic from "Two Cars in Every Garage..."
SLH Presence:
- Sideshow Mel is on the Krusty Show
- Lisa eats meat
- SLH is present
Minimum Time Spanned: 14 days, most likely in the summer
Canon: Yes
Favorite Moment:
- Ringo's letter back to Marge is pretty sweet, especially the delayed response to her question about hamburgers
Review: Another nice episode. The Mt. Splashmore stuff is funny, and Burns and Smithers greatly resemble the Burns and Smithers we love today. Jon Lovitz plays another amusing character, and Ringo is great as a guest voice. Has that good old , classic charm. A-
Episode Timeline:
The early 70's:
- High school Marge gets her dreams of painting crushed
- Marge mails a painting to Ringo
Friday:
- Krusty finishes his last show from Mt. Splashmore
- Bart and Lisa bother Homer into the night
Saturday:
- The family leaves for Mt. Splashmore
- Bart and Lisa get in line for H2WHOA
- Maggie plays in the kiddie pool
- Homer goes on H2WHOA and gets stuck
- The family watches the news
- Homer is 260lbs and vows to go on a diet
Sunday:
- In the attic, Homer finds Marge's Ringo paintings
- The diet starts on porkchop night
Monday:
- Marge enrolls in a painting class, Lombardo approves
- Homer is trapped by his exercise equipment
Tuesday - Friday:
- Marge takes her first class
- Homer exercises, Marge paints him
- Lombardo chooses Marge to represent him at next week's art exhibition
Saturday -Tuesday are skipped
Wednesday:
- Marge's painting wins the exhibition
Thursday:
- Burns wants Marge to paint his portrait
Friday:
- Homer is down to 249lbs
- The donut deliverer notices the pileup of donuts at the plant
- Burns visits Marge
- Marge begins painting Burns
- Maggie crawls on Burns's leg
Saturday is skipped
Sunday:
- Burns reads the funny pages
- Marge walks in on Burns in the shower
- Smithers prepares tea
- Ringo opens Marge's old painting
Monday:
- Burns yells at Lisa
- Burns teases a 239lb Homer
- Marge receives Ringo's reply
- Marge paints all night
Tuesday:
- The Burns Painting is revealed
References to Time:
- Lisa is 8
References to Other Episodes:
- There's a Burns for Governor sticker in the attic from "Two Cars in Every Garage..."
SLH Presence:
- Sideshow Mel is on the Krusty Show
- Lisa eats meat
- SLH is present
Minimum Time Spanned: 14 days, most likely in the summer
Canon: Yes
Favorite Moment:
- Ringo's letter back to Marge is pretty sweet, especially the delayed response to her question about hamburgers
Review: Another nice episode. The Mt. Splashmore stuff is funny, and Burns and Smithers greatly resemble the Burns and Smithers we love today. Jon Lovitz plays another amusing character, and Ringo is great as a guest voice. Has that good old , classic charm. A-
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
7F17 - Old Money (March 28, 1991)
Summary: Grampa's new girlfriend dies and leaves him more money than he knows what to do with.
Episode Timeline:
Sunday, August 19, 1990:
- The family drops off Grampa after their visit to the liquor store
- The family decides that their next trip should be to Discount Lion Safari
- Grampa's medication is switched with Bea Simmons'
- Abe and Bea get to talking
- Abe prepares for his date
- Abe and Bea go dancing
Over the span of a month:
- Abe and Bea go to the park
- Abe and Bea drink milkshakes
- Abe and Bea go to the beach
- Abe and Bea play the piano
Saturday, September 15, 1990:
- Grampa shops at Herman's for a gift for Bea's birthday
- Grampa shops at Grandma's World
Sunday, September 16, 1990:
- Homer drags Grampa away from the home
- The family goes to Discount Lion Safari and gets trapped by lions all night
Monday, September 17, 1990:
- Grampa arrives back home to find Bea has died
Tuesday, September 18, 1990:
- At Bea's funeral, Abe says he has no son
- Lionel Hutz drops off Abe's inheritance from Bea
- Grampa calls Homer to tell him the news
- Grampa buys Napoleon's hat
- Grampa visits a mud-wrestling show
Wednesday, September 19, 1990:
- Grampa goes para-sailing
- Grampa goes to Diz-Nee Land
- Grampa comes by for dinner
- Grampa announces he'll give his money away
Thursday, September 20, 1990:
- Folks line up for Grampa's money
- Otto wants to revamp the bus
- Burns begs for the money
- Moe has a treasure map
- Monroe wants a baby for his Monroe Box
- Bart treats Grampa like Santa
- Frink needs to fund his death ray
- Lisa tells Grampa that the less fortunate need the money
- Grampa walks around the impoverished city
- Jasper suggests Grampa double his money gambling
Friday, September 21, 1990:
- Grampa heads to the Casino
- Homer tries to stop Grampa
- Grampa almost loses it all
- Grampa spruces up the retirement home with his money
References to Time:
- The third Sunday of every month is when the family spends a day with Grampa
- The family's already been to Olde Springfield Towne
- Herman says that Bea shares her birthday with the Battleship New Jersey. This ship was completed September 16, 1940, launched December 12, 1942, and commissioned May 23, 1943. When referring to a ship's birthday, usually the launch or commission date is observed. However, neither of those days could be "the third Sunday of a month." Therefore, I'm sticking with September 16, 1990 as my reference point.
- Frink has a wife
- Lisa wants a pony named Princess
- It's the 20th century
References to Other Episodes:
- Kent Brockman married Stephanie the weather lady (they we're rumored to be dating in "Bart vs. Thanksgiving")
SLH Presence:
- SLH is not present
- Bleeding Gums Murphy is alive
- Marvin Monroe is alive
- The retirment home is made nice
Minimum Time Spanned: 1 month and 5 days
Canon: Grampa seems to be barely familiar with Burns, despite their history in WWII together. Also, I forsee issue with the fixed date. Those two things may not be canon.
Favorite Moment:
- Homer rushing through the Krusty Burger is amusing, but the garbled response he gets always cracks me up.
Review: This episode starts slow, but really picks up half-way through. It is amusing seeing all the characters wishes. And the trip to the casino is frantic and funny. The dramatic scenes and the moral of the story balance well with the funny moments. It is the best look into the lives of the old folks, without making any jokes at the expense of senior citizens. It's also nice to see Grampa before he evolves into a blithering old coot. A-
Episode Timeline:
Sunday, August 19, 1990:
- The family drops off Grampa after their visit to the liquor store
- The family decides that their next trip should be to Discount Lion Safari
- Grampa's medication is switched with Bea Simmons'
- Abe and Bea get to talking
- Abe prepares for his date
- Abe and Bea go dancing
Over the span of a month:
- Abe and Bea go to the park
- Abe and Bea drink milkshakes
- Abe and Bea go to the beach
- Abe and Bea play the piano
Saturday, September 15, 1990:
- Grampa shops at Herman's for a gift for Bea's birthday
- Grampa shops at Grandma's World
Sunday, September 16, 1990:
- Homer drags Grampa away from the home
- The family goes to Discount Lion Safari and gets trapped by lions all night
Monday, September 17, 1990:
- Grampa arrives back home to find Bea has died
Tuesday, September 18, 1990:
- At Bea's funeral, Abe says he has no son
- Lionel Hutz drops off Abe's inheritance from Bea
- Grampa calls Homer to tell him the news
- Grampa buys Napoleon's hat
- Grampa visits a mud-wrestling show
Wednesday, September 19, 1990:
- Grampa goes para-sailing
- Grampa goes to Diz-Nee Land
- Grampa comes by for dinner
- Grampa announces he'll give his money away
Thursday, September 20, 1990:
- Folks line up for Grampa's money
- Otto wants to revamp the bus
- Burns begs for the money
- Moe has a treasure map
- Monroe wants a baby for his Monroe Box
- Bart treats Grampa like Santa
- Frink needs to fund his death ray
- Lisa tells Grampa that the less fortunate need the money
- Grampa walks around the impoverished city
- Jasper suggests Grampa double his money gambling
Friday, September 21, 1990:
- Grampa heads to the Casino
- Homer tries to stop Grampa
- Grampa almost loses it all
- Grampa spruces up the retirement home with his money
References to Time:
- The third Sunday of every month is when the family spends a day with Grampa
- The family's already been to Olde Springfield Towne
- Herman says that Bea shares her birthday with the Battleship New Jersey. This ship was completed September 16, 1940, launched December 12, 1942, and commissioned May 23, 1943. When referring to a ship's birthday, usually the launch or commission date is observed. However, neither of those days could be "the third Sunday of a month." Therefore, I'm sticking with September 16, 1990 as my reference point.
- Frink has a wife
- Lisa wants a pony named Princess
- It's the 20th century
References to Other Episodes:
- Kent Brockman married Stephanie the weather lady (they we're rumored to be dating in "Bart vs. Thanksgiving")
SLH Presence:
- SLH is not present
- Bleeding Gums Murphy is alive
- Marvin Monroe is alive
- The retirment home is made nice
Minimum Time Spanned: 1 month and 5 days
Canon: Grampa seems to be barely familiar with Burns, despite their history in WWII together. Also, I forsee issue with the fixed date. Those two things may not be canon.
Favorite Moment:
- Homer rushing through the Krusty Burger is amusing, but the garbled response he gets always cracks me up.
Review: This episode starts slow, but really picks up half-way through. It is amusing seeing all the characters wishes. And the trip to the casino is frantic and funny. The dramatic scenes and the moral of the story balance well with the funny moments. It is the best look into the lives of the old folks, without making any jokes at the expense of senior citizens. It's also nice to see Grampa before he evolves into a blithering old coot. A-
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
7F16 - Oh Brother, Where Art Thou? (February 21, 1991)
Summary: Homer learns he has a successful half-brother who creates cars.
Episode Timeline:
The past (Over 31 years ago):
- While dating Mona, Abe had an affair with a carny girl
One Year Later:
- The carny girl comes back with a new son
One Year Later:
- Abe and Mona get married
- Homer is born
Present Day, Wednesday:
- Grampa and Jasper watch "McBain"
- Grampa has a heart attack
- Meatloaf night, the family eats dinner
- At the hospital, Grampa tells Homer about his half-brother
- Bart sings about bastards
Thursday:
- Homer looks for the orphanage
- Homer learns Herb lives in Detroit
- Homer calls all Herbert Powells in Detroit
- Herb invites Homer to Detroit
Friday:
- On the way to Detroit, Homer gets pulled over and recognized for his brother
- Herb yells at his employees
- Herb meets the Simpsons
- Herb shows off his house
Saturday:
- The kids play in the pool
- Herb, Homer, and Bart skip rocks
- Homer calls Grampa
- Herb, Homer, and Bart fly in a balloon
- Homer calls Herb's cook at night
Sunday:
- Herb wants Homer to design a car
- Homer meets the engineers
- Bart and Lisa go on a boat/pony ride
- The engineers get Homer out of the room
- Herb tells Homer to get self confidence
Monday:
- Homer starts making demands
- Bart and Lisa play croquet while Herb watches
Tuesday:
- Homer makes more demands
- Bart, Lisa and Herb watch Itchy and Scratchy
Wednesday:
- Homer's build is tested
- Bart and Lisa go to the zoo
- Homer draws his concept
Thursday:
- The Homer is unveiled
Friday:
- Herb loses everything
- Grampa arrives
- Bart thinks the car was cool
References to Time:
- The next McBain movie is called "You Have the Right to Remain Dead"
- The Shelbyville Orphanage was torn down 30 years ago
- Herb worked his way through Harvard as a janitor
- Maggie still has that new baby smell, yet can stand on her own
- The Homer is the car of the 90's
References to Other Episodes:
- Grampa may be watching the McBain movie reviewed in "The Way We Was"
SLH Presence:
- SLH is not present
- Homer meets his half-brother
Minimum Time Spanned: 10 Days, assuming it doesn't take long to design a car. It appears to be summertime.
Canon: Yes
Favorite Moment:
- While the kids play Marco Polo, Homer shouts "Will you kids shut up?" as if they are being rowdy
Review: Another okay episode. Homer's car design is pretty funny and pitiful, and Bart and Lisa enjoying the rich life is nice. Danny Devito does a good job as Homer's brother. This episode could've easily fallen into the trap of having Herb be just another Simpson, but it didn't. However, there were no really memorable, exciting moments. B
Episode Timeline:
The past (Over 31 years ago):
- While dating Mona, Abe had an affair with a carny girl
One Year Later:
- The carny girl comes back with a new son
One Year Later:
- Abe and Mona get married
- Homer is born
Present Day, Wednesday:
- Grampa and Jasper watch "McBain"
- Grampa has a heart attack
- Meatloaf night, the family eats dinner
- At the hospital, Grampa tells Homer about his half-brother
- Bart sings about bastards
Thursday:
- Homer looks for the orphanage
- Homer learns Herb lives in Detroit
- Homer calls all Herbert Powells in Detroit
- Herb invites Homer to Detroit
Friday:
- On the way to Detroit, Homer gets pulled over and recognized for his brother
- Herb yells at his employees
- Herb meets the Simpsons
- Herb shows off his house
Saturday:
- The kids play in the pool
- Herb, Homer, and Bart skip rocks
- Homer calls Grampa
- Herb, Homer, and Bart fly in a balloon
- Homer calls Herb's cook at night
Sunday:
- Herb wants Homer to design a car
- Homer meets the engineers
- Bart and Lisa go on a boat/pony ride
- The engineers get Homer out of the room
- Herb tells Homer to get self confidence
Monday:
- Homer starts making demands
- Bart and Lisa play croquet while Herb watches
Tuesday:
- Homer makes more demands
- Bart, Lisa and Herb watch Itchy and Scratchy
Wednesday:
- Homer's build is tested
- Bart and Lisa go to the zoo
- Homer draws his concept
Thursday:
- The Homer is unveiled
Friday:
- Herb loses everything
- Grampa arrives
- Bart thinks the car was cool
References to Time:
- The next McBain movie is called "You Have the Right to Remain Dead"
- The Shelbyville Orphanage was torn down 30 years ago
- Herb worked his way through Harvard as a janitor
- Maggie still has that new baby smell, yet can stand on her own
- The Homer is the car of the 90's
References to Other Episodes:
- Grampa may be watching the McBain movie reviewed in "The Way We Was"
SLH Presence:
- SLH is not present
- Homer meets his half-brother
Minimum Time Spanned: 10 Days, assuming it doesn't take long to design a car. It appears to be summertime.
Canon: Yes
Favorite Moment:
- While the kids play Marco Polo, Homer shouts "Will you kids shut up?" as if they are being rowdy
Review: Another okay episode. Homer's car design is pretty funny and pitiful, and Bart and Lisa enjoying the rich life is nice. Danny Devito does a good job as Homer's brother. This episode could've easily fallen into the trap of having Herb be just another Simpson, but it didn't. However, there were no really memorable, exciting moments. B
Monday, August 10, 2009
7F15 - Principal Charming (February 14, 1991)
Summary: Principal Skinner dates Patty while Selma looks for love.
Episode Timeline:
Sometime in the recent past:
- Stanley meets Selma at lunchtime at the DMV
Friday:
- 8am, Barney calls Homer to tell him about a barbecue joint
- Marge does morning exercises, and Homer plans for a Saturday night dinner
- Marge calls Patty and Selma at work to ask if they can babysit
- Patty cancels Hans Moleman's license
Saturday:
- 2:00, Patty and Selma attend Stanley and Martha's wedding
- Selma sings Lisa to sleep
- Homer and Marge come home from dinner
- Selma asks Marge to help her find a man
- Homer has to help Selma find a husband
Sunday is skipped
Monday:
- Bart learns about a herbicide in chemistry class
- Homer searches for a man at work
- Bart vandalizes the school grounds at recess
- On his lunch break, Homer continues to search for a man at the Kwik-E-Mart
- Skinner notices Bart's vandalism
- After school, Bart has to call Homer to deal with his punishment
- Homer invites Skinner to dinner that night
- Skinner arrives at the Simpson residence
- Skinner falls for Patty
- Skinner asks Patty out to see Space Mutants tomorrow night
- Patty and Selma drive home and stop at the Kwik-E-Mart
Tuesday:
- Bart resods the field, but Skinner lets him off the hook
- Patty removes her lip hair
- Skinner picks up Patty
- They eat at the revolving restaurant
- Selma clips coupons with Marge
- Skinner and Selma watch Space Mutants
- Skinner tries to arrange another date. Patty says he can join her Thursday.
Wednesday is skipped
Thursday:
- Bart throws eggs at Skinner at school
- Skinner doesn't get a kiss from Patty
- Selma looks at pictures of her and Patty
Friday:
- Skinner takes Patty to the school playground
- Skinner gets to kiss Patty
Saturday and Sunday are skipped
Monday:
- The kids run amuck at school, and Skinner reveals his plans to marry Patty
- 5pm, Barney agrees to date Selma
- Skinner and Bart ring shop
- Selma learns of Skinner's intentions and decides to date Barney
- Barney picks up Selma
- Skinner proposes and is denied
- Skinner rues to get the school back from Bart's control
- Patty rescues Selma from Barney
Tuesday:
- Bart resods the entire schoolyard
References to Time:
- Homer promised to limit pork intake to 6 servings a week
- Homer once made the family take a trip to see a car shaped like a bowling pin
- Patty and Selma went to Egypt recently
- Space Mutants 5 is being released
- Patty hasn't dated for 25 years
- Skinner recognizes the waiter as being from the class of '71. Since Springfield Elementary goes up to 6th grade, we can assume the waiter was in 6th grade from 1970-1971 and Skinner was principal then. The waiter is nearly 30.
- Selma wears a Springfield University sweatshirt, implying she went there
- It is dark at 5pm, implying it is late fall or winter
- Barney was in "the service" followed by a few years of something
References to Other Episodes:
- Bart's graffiti reads "I am still a wiener," referencing his graffiti from "Bart the Genius"
SLH Presence:
- SLH is not present
- A woman named Ms. Finch works at the Power Plant (Mindy Simmons was supposedly the first female to work at the power plant in quite a long time)
- Bart prank calls Moe
- Skinner is single (not dating Krabappel)
Minimum Time Spanned: 12 days
Canon: Yes
Favorite Moment:
- In the Australian themed Space Mutant movie, the Space Mutant has a baby in its pouch
Review: This episode is okay. The story is decent and realistic, but nothing really blows me away. It's a pretty average episode. Bart and Skinner's relationship is better explored in the 100th episode. Here, it's just blah. B-
Episode Timeline:
Sometime in the recent past:
- Stanley meets Selma at lunchtime at the DMV
Friday:
- 8am, Barney calls Homer to tell him about a barbecue joint
- Marge does morning exercises, and Homer plans for a Saturday night dinner
- Marge calls Patty and Selma at work to ask if they can babysit
- Patty cancels Hans Moleman's license
Saturday:
- 2:00, Patty and Selma attend Stanley and Martha's wedding
- Selma sings Lisa to sleep
- Homer and Marge come home from dinner
- Selma asks Marge to help her find a man
- Homer has to help Selma find a husband
Sunday is skipped
Monday:
- Bart learns about a herbicide in chemistry class
- Homer searches for a man at work
- Bart vandalizes the school grounds at recess
- On his lunch break, Homer continues to search for a man at the Kwik-E-Mart
- Skinner notices Bart's vandalism
- After school, Bart has to call Homer to deal with his punishment
- Homer invites Skinner to dinner that night
- Skinner arrives at the Simpson residence
- Skinner falls for Patty
- Skinner asks Patty out to see Space Mutants tomorrow night
- Patty and Selma drive home and stop at the Kwik-E-Mart
Tuesday:
- Bart resods the field, but Skinner lets him off the hook
- Patty removes her lip hair
- Skinner picks up Patty
- They eat at the revolving restaurant
- Selma clips coupons with Marge
- Skinner and Selma watch Space Mutants
- Skinner tries to arrange another date. Patty says he can join her Thursday.
Wednesday is skipped
Thursday:
- Bart throws eggs at Skinner at school
- Skinner doesn't get a kiss from Patty
- Selma looks at pictures of her and Patty
Friday:
- Skinner takes Patty to the school playground
- Skinner gets to kiss Patty
Saturday and Sunday are skipped
Monday:
- The kids run amuck at school, and Skinner reveals his plans to marry Patty
- 5pm, Barney agrees to date Selma
- Skinner and Bart ring shop
- Selma learns of Skinner's intentions and decides to date Barney
- Barney picks up Selma
- Skinner proposes and is denied
- Skinner rues to get the school back from Bart's control
- Patty rescues Selma from Barney
Tuesday:
- Bart resods the entire schoolyard
References to Time:
- Homer promised to limit pork intake to 6 servings a week
- Homer once made the family take a trip to see a car shaped like a bowling pin
- Patty and Selma went to Egypt recently
- Space Mutants 5 is being released
- Patty hasn't dated for 25 years
- Skinner recognizes the waiter as being from the class of '71. Since Springfield Elementary goes up to 6th grade, we can assume the waiter was in 6th grade from 1970-1971 and Skinner was principal then. The waiter is nearly 30.
- Selma wears a Springfield University sweatshirt, implying she went there
- It is dark at 5pm, implying it is late fall or winter
- Barney was in "the service" followed by a few years of something
References to Other Episodes:
- Bart's graffiti reads "I am still a wiener," referencing his graffiti from "Bart the Genius"
SLH Presence:
- SLH is not present
- A woman named Ms. Finch works at the Power Plant (Mindy Simmons was supposedly the first female to work at the power plant in quite a long time)
- Bart prank calls Moe
- Skinner is single (not dating Krabappel)
Minimum Time Spanned: 12 days
Canon: Yes
Favorite Moment:
- In the Australian themed Space Mutant movie, the Space Mutant has a baby in its pouch
Review: This episode is okay. The story is decent and realistic, but nothing really blows me away. It's a pretty average episode. Bart and Skinner's relationship is better explored in the 100th episode. Here, it's just blah. B-
Sunday, August 9, 2009
7F14 - Bart's Dog Gets an F (March 7, 1991)
Summary: Santa's Little Helper must pass obedience school or else the family can't keep him/
Episode Timeline:
Monday:
- SLH rips the morning paper
- SLH eyes Homer's breakfast
- Lisa is sick and SLH eats Homer's food
- SLH digs in the yard
- Marge arranges a doctor's appointment for 2:00, Bart heads off for school
- SLH follows Bart to the bus
- SLH eats a bug
- SLH goes to the Kwik-E-Mart
- SLH frightens ducks at the park
- Mrs. Winfield calls Homer about SLH in her pool
- Homer checks out Flanders's new shoes
- 2:00, Lisa visits Dr. Hibbert and will miss a week of school
- Lisa calls Homer at work to pick up some magazies for her. He leaves early.
- Marge shows Lisa the Bouvier Family Quilt
- Homer buys the magazines at the mall, then looks at the tennis shoes
- Marge shows her patch, Bart returns with homework and Homer with new shoes
- SLH chews up Homer's new shoes at night
Tuesday:
- Marge looks in the yellow pages for a dog school
- Bart takes SLH to Winthrop Academy
Wednesday:
- Marge and Lisa watch a soap opera, SLH chases Snowball II
- Montage of SLH struggling to learn
- Homer tries to return the shoes, then buys a big cookie
- Homer places the cookie on top of the cookie jar, SLH eats it
- Lisa finishes her patch
- SLH destroys the quilt
- The destroyed quilt and cookie are discovered
- Homer says the dog has to go
- SLH must pass dog school
Thursday:
- At dog school, SLH won't roll over
- Homer and Marge write the flyer for SLH's sale
Friday:
- SLH won't sit at dog school
- Homer tries to sell SLH over the phone
- SLH won't stay
Saturday:
- The prospective buyer checks out SLH
- Bart goes back to the academy to convince Winthrop to pass SLH
- Lisa starts a new quilt
- Bart has fun with SLH in his remaining hours, and SLH finally learns
Sunday:
- SLH passes
References to Time:
- Lisa is in Miss Hoover's class
- Lisa "wasted" the chicken pox by doing homework while sick
- 5 Generations of Bouviers worked on the quilt, apparently going back to pioneer times, with patches from WWI and the Great Depression
- Marge's patch is from 1973 at the earliest
- The family has never had a family meeting before
References to Other Episodes:
- Botz from "Some Enchanted Evening" has escaped from prison
SLH Presence:
- SLH is present
- The Simpsons live next to the Winfields (they moved out in "New Kid on the Block")
- Marvin Monroe is alive
- Lisa has met Bleeding Gums Murphy
Minimum Time Spanned: 7 days, assuming SLH takes all his classes in one week
Canon: Yes, although I'm not sure what is up with the first day. Homer doesn't go to work when Bart goes to school, has enough time to deal with SLH's antics, then is at work by the time Lisa comes home from the doctor and leaves early. Usually Homer goes to work when the kids leave for school, so on this day, Homer both came in late and left early. Maybe safety inspecting isn't as important on Mondays. Also, this episode would make the most sense if it immediately followed the Christmas episode.
Favorite Moments:
- The way Flanders keeps saying "Spoy yourself" in Homer's mind
- One of the dog training ads claims, "We taught a dog to drive"
- The end of the soap opera, with the minister coming back from the dead
- Lisa explaining the musical inspiration behind her patch, including how Mr. Largo ruins classical pieces
Review: I put four favorite moments because those are the only four moments of the episode I like. I'm not very attached to the storyline, and the resolution with SLH "suddenly" learning the commands isn't very well thought out. I do like Marge and Lisa bonding over the quilt, and Bart's dedication to his dog, but Homer seems very obsessed with stupid things (Since when does he care about shoes? And why didn't he just eat the cookie himself?). I also find the character of Winthrop to be annoying and boring to watch. C-
Episode Timeline:
Monday:
- SLH rips the morning paper
- SLH eyes Homer's breakfast
- Lisa is sick and SLH eats Homer's food
- SLH digs in the yard
- Marge arranges a doctor's appointment for 2:00, Bart heads off for school
- SLH follows Bart to the bus
- SLH eats a bug
- SLH goes to the Kwik-E-Mart
- SLH frightens ducks at the park
- Mrs. Winfield calls Homer about SLH in her pool
- Homer checks out Flanders's new shoes
- 2:00, Lisa visits Dr. Hibbert and will miss a week of school
- Lisa calls Homer at work to pick up some magazies for her. He leaves early.
- Marge shows Lisa the Bouvier Family Quilt
- Homer buys the magazines at the mall, then looks at the tennis shoes
- Marge shows her patch, Bart returns with homework and Homer with new shoes
- SLH chews up Homer's new shoes at night
Tuesday:
- Marge looks in the yellow pages for a dog school
- Bart takes SLH to Winthrop Academy
Wednesday:
- Marge and Lisa watch a soap opera, SLH chases Snowball II
- Montage of SLH struggling to learn
- Homer tries to return the shoes, then buys a big cookie
- Homer places the cookie on top of the cookie jar, SLH eats it
- Lisa finishes her patch
- SLH destroys the quilt
- The destroyed quilt and cookie are discovered
- Homer says the dog has to go
- SLH must pass dog school
Thursday:
- At dog school, SLH won't roll over
- Homer and Marge write the flyer for SLH's sale
Friday:
- SLH won't sit at dog school
- Homer tries to sell SLH over the phone
- SLH won't stay
Saturday:
- The prospective buyer checks out SLH
- Bart goes back to the academy to convince Winthrop to pass SLH
- Lisa starts a new quilt
- Bart has fun with SLH in his remaining hours, and SLH finally learns
Sunday:
- SLH passes
References to Time:
- Lisa is in Miss Hoover's class
- Lisa "wasted" the chicken pox by doing homework while sick
- 5 Generations of Bouviers worked on the quilt, apparently going back to pioneer times, with patches from WWI and the Great Depression
- Marge's patch is from 1973 at the earliest
- The family has never had a family meeting before
References to Other Episodes:
- Botz from "Some Enchanted Evening" has escaped from prison
SLH Presence:
- SLH is present
- The Simpsons live next to the Winfields (they moved out in "New Kid on the Block")
- Marvin Monroe is alive
- Lisa has met Bleeding Gums Murphy
Minimum Time Spanned: 7 days, assuming SLH takes all his classes in one week
Canon: Yes, although I'm not sure what is up with the first day. Homer doesn't go to work when Bart goes to school, has enough time to deal with SLH's antics, then is at work by the time Lisa comes home from the doctor and leaves early. Usually Homer goes to work when the kids leave for school, so on this day, Homer both came in late and left early. Maybe safety inspecting isn't as important on Mondays. Also, this episode would make the most sense if it immediately followed the Christmas episode.
Favorite Moments:
- The way Flanders keeps saying "Spoy yourself" in Homer's mind
- One of the dog training ads claims, "We taught a dog to drive"
- The end of the soap opera, with the minister coming back from the dead
- Lisa explaining the musical inspiration behind her patch, including how Mr. Largo ruins classical pieces
Review: I put four favorite moments because those are the only four moments of the episode I like. I'm not very attached to the storyline, and the resolution with SLH "suddenly" learning the commands isn't very well thought out. I do like Marge and Lisa bonding over the quilt, and Bart's dedication to his dog, but Homer seems very obsessed with stupid things (Since when does he care about shoes? And why didn't he just eat the cookie himself?). I also find the character of Winthrop to be annoying and boring to watch. C-
Saturday, August 8, 2009
7F13 - Homer vs. Lisa and the 8th Commandment (February 7, 1991)
Summary: Homer acquires illegal cable television and Lisa worries that the family will go to Hell for stealing.
Episode Timeline:
1220 B.C.
- At Mt. Sinai, Homer the Thief sins with his friends, until Moses reads the 10 Commandments
Saturday
- Flanders throws a sleazy cable guy off his property, and Homer chases him down
- The cable guy hooks up illegal cable for Homer
- Homer shows off the cable TV to his family. Marge brings in a baby plant.
- Homer and Lisa watch Mexican wrestling. The plant grows a bit.
- The family watches Jaws. The plant grows.
- The family watches Die Hard. The plant grows.
- The family minus Lisa watches Wall Street. The plant grows.
- At night, Homer switches from C-SPAN to cockfighting.
Sunday
- Homer watches Davey and Goliath. The plant is dead. It's time for church.
- The parents sit through Lovejoy's sermon.
- The kids learn about Hell in Sunday School
- The family drives home.
- The family watches an infomercial. Lisa imagines her family in Hell.
- At the grocery store, Marge eats two grapes.
- Marge gets a price check on two grapes.
- Lisa and Homer discuss stealing. A boxing match is advertised for Friday.
Monday
- Homer invites his co-workers to watch the big game at his house. Burns decides to stop by.
- At Moe's, Homer invites his buddies to come watch the game.
- Homer invites Apu
- Lisa speaks with Reverend Lovejoy about stealing cable
- At night, Bart tries to watch the adult channel, and Lisa announces her abstinence from watching cable
- Marge asks Homer to cut the cable, Homer refuses
Tuesday
- The cable guy stops by the house to sell more illegal wares and possibly rob Flanders
Wednesday
- Homer installs multiple locks and window bars on the house
Thursday
- Bart invites the neighborhood kids over to watch the adult channel
Friday
- Homer's guests start arriving, they watch the pre-show entertainment, Moe arrives, Burns arrives, and the police arrive
- Lisa non-violently protests outside, Homer's guilt catches up with him, and he takes Bart to go join Lisa
- Tatum wins the fight, the guests leave, Homer cuts the cable
References to Time:
- Tatum was in prison for 5 years for manslaughter, and was recently released for the fight
- Burns once watched a fight that lasted 113 rounds, but back then, fights usually lasted over 50 rounds
References to Other Episodes:
- One of the cable channels is showing the wholesome, lemonade Itchy and Scratchy episode from "Itchy & Scratchy & Marge"
SLH Presence:
- SLH is present
Minimum Time Spanned: 7 days, Saturday - Friday, assuming Marge bought one of those fast-growing magic plants. If not, the montage of cable watching could last days, weeks, or months
Canon: Yes, although, once again, Homer and Apu's relationship is presented as being casual acquaintance. Also, Tatum appears much different in future episodes.
Favorite Moments:
- When Lisa and Lovejoy discuss when it is okay to steal, and a hypothetical situation involving a loaf of bread for a starving family. When Lovejoy asks if Homer is stealing bread, Lisa wouldn't put it past him.
- Watson and Tatum both dedicating the fight to Watson's deceased manager
- The whole scene of Homer hiding his stolen items as the guests arrive and Lisa constantly staring at him in her non-violent protest is excellently directed
Review: A pretty good episode. Lisa's moral plotline is classic, and there are some wonderful moments of humor along the way. The cable TV aspect kind of loses its punch in today's digital age, so it's hard to imagine a whole community bonding over the illegal cable hookup of one man. But it just sets this episode in a certain time, when cable channels were still new and impressive. The dated feel lowers my overall score of the episode, though. B+
Episode Timeline:
1220 B.C.
- At Mt. Sinai, Homer the Thief sins with his friends, until Moses reads the 10 Commandments
Saturday
- Flanders throws a sleazy cable guy off his property, and Homer chases him down
- The cable guy hooks up illegal cable for Homer
- Homer shows off the cable TV to his family. Marge brings in a baby plant.
- Homer and Lisa watch Mexican wrestling. The plant grows a bit.
- The family watches Jaws. The plant grows.
- The family watches Die Hard. The plant grows.
- The family minus Lisa watches Wall Street. The plant grows.
- At night, Homer switches from C-SPAN to cockfighting.
Sunday
- Homer watches Davey and Goliath. The plant is dead. It's time for church.
- The parents sit through Lovejoy's sermon.
- The kids learn about Hell in Sunday School
- The family drives home.
- The family watches an infomercial. Lisa imagines her family in Hell.
- At the grocery store, Marge eats two grapes.
- Marge gets a price check on two grapes.
- Lisa and Homer discuss stealing. A boxing match is advertised for Friday.
Monday
- Homer invites his co-workers to watch the big game at his house. Burns decides to stop by.
- At Moe's, Homer invites his buddies to come watch the game.
- Homer invites Apu
- Lisa speaks with Reverend Lovejoy about stealing cable
- At night, Bart tries to watch the adult channel, and Lisa announces her abstinence from watching cable
- Marge asks Homer to cut the cable, Homer refuses
Tuesday
- The cable guy stops by the house to sell more illegal wares and possibly rob Flanders
Wednesday
- Homer installs multiple locks and window bars on the house
Thursday
- Bart invites the neighborhood kids over to watch the adult channel
Friday
- Homer's guests start arriving, they watch the pre-show entertainment, Moe arrives, Burns arrives, and the police arrive
- Lisa non-violently protests outside, Homer's guilt catches up with him, and he takes Bart to go join Lisa
- Tatum wins the fight, the guests leave, Homer cuts the cable
References to Time:
- Tatum was in prison for 5 years for manslaughter, and was recently released for the fight
- Burns once watched a fight that lasted 113 rounds, but back then, fights usually lasted over 50 rounds
References to Other Episodes:
- One of the cable channels is showing the wholesome, lemonade Itchy and Scratchy episode from "Itchy & Scratchy & Marge"
SLH Presence:
- SLH is present
Minimum Time Spanned: 7 days, Saturday - Friday, assuming Marge bought one of those fast-growing magic plants. If not, the montage of cable watching could last days, weeks, or months
Canon: Yes, although, once again, Homer and Apu's relationship is presented as being casual acquaintance. Also, Tatum appears much different in future episodes.
Favorite Moments:
- When Lisa and Lovejoy discuss when it is okay to steal, and a hypothetical situation involving a loaf of bread for a starving family. When Lovejoy asks if Homer is stealing bread, Lisa wouldn't put it past him.
- Watson and Tatum both dedicating the fight to Watson's deceased manager
- The whole scene of Homer hiding his stolen items as the guests arrive and Lisa constantly staring at him in her non-violent protest is excellently directed
Review: A pretty good episode. Lisa's moral plotline is classic, and there are some wonderful moments of humor along the way. The cable TV aspect kind of loses its punch in today's digital age, so it's hard to imagine a whole community bonding over the illegal cable hookup of one man. But it just sets this episode in a certain time, when cable channels were still new and impressive. The dated feel lowers my overall score of the episode, though. B+
Friday, August 7, 2009
7F12 - The Way We Was (January 31, 1991)
Summary: Homer and Marge tell the story of how they first met in high school.
Episode Timeline:
1974, Tuesday:
- Homer listens to the car radio, driving to school. He meets Barney outside, late for English.
- Marge and a friend discuss equal rights for women, then pass by the boys room, where the shop kids are smoking
- Those kids are Homer and Barney, who are late for Wood Shop, then get 3 days detention when the principal catches them
- Marge burns a bra in protest and also gets detention
- In detention at 3pm, Barney gets rejected to the prom, then Marge walks in and Homer falls for her
- Homer talks to Marge and gets 6 more days of detention
- At dinner, Homer and Abe discuss girls
1974, Wednesday:
- Homer meets with the guidance counselor to discuss Marge. The counselor gives Homer a pamphlet for the new power plant opening soon.
- Homer in a Power Plant? "Heh, heh, KABOOM!"
- Homer signs up for the debate team
- That evening, Homer researches for the speed limit debate
1974, Thursday:
- During the debate, Homer presents his rebuttal
- On the track field, Homer asks out Marge.
- Marge talks to Homer's shot putting coach
- Marge talks to Homer's shop teacher
- Marge talks to Barney at lunch, but still decides not to date Homer. But she tutors French part-time.
- Homer prepares for his "date"
- Marge arrives at 6:18pm
- At 9:22pm, Marge tries to finish the study session (she has a big forensics meet tomorrow)
- Marge and Homer do the hustle
- At 1:07am, Homer asks Marge to the prom, then blows it by telling her the truth
1974, Friday:
- Marge is too tired during the meet
- Artie Ziff asks Marge to the Prom
1974, 3 weeks later, Saturday:
- Marge's mother helps Marge get ready for prom
- Patty and Selma let Homer in, he meets Marge's father, then Marge comes down surprised, and Artie Ziff arrives
- Homer tells the limo driver to take him to the prom
- Homer arrives at prom
- Prom pictures are taken
- Barney streaks, Marge and Artie are crowned, Homer leaves when they dance
- Homer talks with Marge, but she says she's with Artie for good
- The limo takes Homer to a make out point
- Artie gets physical, Homer decides to walk home at 1:00am
- Artie and Marge drive past Homer
- Marge arrives home, listening to her family badmouth Homer
- Marge picks up Homer
A day in the past, about 9 Months before Bart is born:
- A young, afro'd Dr. Hibbert congratulates Homer and Marge on Marge's morning sickness
One Night (Present Day):
- The family watches a movie review show, but the TV stops working. After Homer fails to fix the TV, the family starts talking. Lisa asks how Homer proposed to Marge.
- Marge would rather tell the story of how she and Homer met.
- Lisa and Bart comment on the love at first sight
- The family reacts to Homer's rebuttal
- Bart tries to continue fixing the TV.
- Lisa is enthralled, Bart quickly sums up the rest of the story
- Bart gags at the end of the story
References to Time:
- The new "McBain" movie is reviewed on television
- Before they got married, Homer and Marge would shoot pool and go dancing instead of watch TV
- Homer and Marge were both seniors in high school when they met
- Artie Ziff uses an article from the January 8, 1974 issue of TIME as a source
- Marge had known Artie for 8 years before he asked her to prom
- Homer skipped school for 3 weeks, and hoped he could graduate that summer
References to Other Episodes: None
SLH Presence:
- SLH is not present
Minimum Time Spanned: The main story lasts 4 days in 1974, then continues 3 weeks later on prom night. This part probably occurs during May. There is a brief flashback that occurs before Bart is born. The story is being told on one night.
Canon: Yes, although there is something strange about Homer and Marge's age. They are both seniors at the same time, yet Homer is usually mentioned as being older than Marge. I shall assume that at some point in Homer's education, he was held back a year. Also, 1974 is the first fixed year referenced in the show. This year will always be the class of Homer and Marge.
Favorite Moment:
Every moment with Artie Ziff is wonderful. From him quoting TIME Magazine when he asks out Marge, to his belief that everyone at the school loves him, Artie steals every scene he's in. Jon Lovitz created a unique character by having fun with the educated way Artie speaks. His final "Good night!" is especially inspired.
Review: This is the first "flashback" episode and it set the tone for those to follow. It's interesting seeing the backstory of the characters we are familiar with, and it tells a good story as well. Later flashbacks will be funnier, but this one had a heartwarming, realistic story that is rarely touched on in The Simpsons. High school life is not often represented in the series, so it's a nice change of pace. A
Episode Timeline:
1974, Tuesday:
- Homer listens to the car radio, driving to school. He meets Barney outside, late for English.
- Marge and a friend discuss equal rights for women, then pass by the boys room, where the shop kids are smoking
- Those kids are Homer and Barney, who are late for Wood Shop, then get 3 days detention when the principal catches them
- Marge burns a bra in protest and also gets detention
- In detention at 3pm, Barney gets rejected to the prom, then Marge walks in and Homer falls for her
- Homer talks to Marge and gets 6 more days of detention
- At dinner, Homer and Abe discuss girls
1974, Wednesday:
- Homer meets with the guidance counselor to discuss Marge. The counselor gives Homer a pamphlet for the new power plant opening soon.
- Homer in a Power Plant? "Heh, heh, KABOOM!"
- Homer signs up for the debate team
- That evening, Homer researches for the speed limit debate
1974, Thursday:
- During the debate, Homer presents his rebuttal
- On the track field, Homer asks out Marge.
- Marge talks to Homer's shot putting coach
- Marge talks to Homer's shop teacher
- Marge talks to Barney at lunch, but still decides not to date Homer. But she tutors French part-time.
- Homer prepares for his "date"
- Marge arrives at 6:18pm
- At 9:22pm, Marge tries to finish the study session (she has a big forensics meet tomorrow)
- Marge and Homer do the hustle
- At 1:07am, Homer asks Marge to the prom, then blows it by telling her the truth
1974, Friday:
- Marge is too tired during the meet
- Artie Ziff asks Marge to the Prom
1974, 3 weeks later, Saturday:
- Marge's mother helps Marge get ready for prom
- Patty and Selma let Homer in, he meets Marge's father, then Marge comes down surprised, and Artie Ziff arrives
- Homer tells the limo driver to take him to the prom
- Homer arrives at prom
- Prom pictures are taken
- Barney streaks, Marge and Artie are crowned, Homer leaves when they dance
- Homer talks with Marge, but she says she's with Artie for good
- The limo takes Homer to a make out point
- Artie gets physical, Homer decides to walk home at 1:00am
- Artie and Marge drive past Homer
- Marge arrives home, listening to her family badmouth Homer
- Marge picks up Homer
A day in the past, about 9 Months before Bart is born:
- A young, afro'd Dr. Hibbert congratulates Homer and Marge on Marge's morning sickness
One Night (Present Day):
- The family watches a movie review show, but the TV stops working. After Homer fails to fix the TV, the family starts talking. Lisa asks how Homer proposed to Marge.
- Marge would rather tell the story of how she and Homer met.
- Lisa and Bart comment on the love at first sight
- The family reacts to Homer's rebuttal
- Bart tries to continue fixing the TV.
- Lisa is enthralled, Bart quickly sums up the rest of the story
- Bart gags at the end of the story
References to Time:
- The new "McBain" movie is reviewed on television
- Before they got married, Homer and Marge would shoot pool and go dancing instead of watch TV
- Homer and Marge were both seniors in high school when they met
- Artie Ziff uses an article from the January 8, 1974 issue of TIME as a source
- Marge had known Artie for 8 years before he asked her to prom
- Homer skipped school for 3 weeks, and hoped he could graduate that summer
References to Other Episodes: None
SLH Presence:
- SLH is not present
Minimum Time Spanned: The main story lasts 4 days in 1974, then continues 3 weeks later on prom night. This part probably occurs during May. There is a brief flashback that occurs before Bart is born. The story is being told on one night.
Canon: Yes, although there is something strange about Homer and Marge's age. They are both seniors at the same time, yet Homer is usually mentioned as being older than Marge. I shall assume that at some point in Homer's education, he was held back a year. Also, 1974 is the first fixed year referenced in the show. This year will always be the class of Homer and Marge.
Favorite Moment:
Every moment with Artie Ziff is wonderful. From him quoting TIME Magazine when he asks out Marge, to his belief that everyone at the school loves him, Artie steals every scene he's in. Jon Lovitz created a unique character by having fun with the educated way Artie speaks. His final "Good night!" is especially inspired.
Review: This is the first "flashback" episode and it set the tone for those to follow. It's interesting seeing the backstory of the characters we are familiar with, and it tells a good story as well. Later flashbacks will be funnier, but this one had a heartwarming, realistic story that is rarely touched on in The Simpsons. High school life is not often represented in the series, so it's a nice change of pace. A
Saturday, January 31, 2009
7F11 - One Fish, Two Fish, Blowfish, Blue Fish (January 24, 1991)
Summary: After eating potentially poisonous sushi, Homer learns he has one day left to live.
Episode Timeline:
Thursday:
- The family has meatloaf for dinner, Lisa wants a change of pace
Friday:
- The family goes to the sushi restaurant
- The family orders
- The chefs prepare the food
- Homer likes the sushi
- A guy sings karaoke
- Homer orders more food
- Bart and Lisa sing the theme from Shaft at the karaoke bar
- Homer orders Fugu
- Bart and Lisa continue to sing
- The Master Chef leaves to make out with Krabappel, leaving the sous-chef in charge
- The sous-chef has trouble cutting the non-poisonous part of the fish
- Homer likes it
- The Master Chef notices the Fugu platter
- Homer is told he's ingested poison
- Hibbert tells Homer he has 22 hours to live (he apparently waited in the hospital for 2 hours after dinner)
- Homer makes a list of things to do before he dies, and promises to wake up at 6 am and watch the sunrise
Saturday:
- At 6 am, Homer hits the snooze button and goes back to sleep
- At 11:30am, Homer wakes up
- Homer rushes through breakfast and doesn't get a hearty one like he wanted
- Homer has man-to-man with Bart
- Homer teaches Bart how to shave
- Homer listens to Lisa play her saxophone
- Homer borrows a camcorder from Ned and promises to go to his barbeque tomorrow
- Homer makes a videotape for Maggie
- Homer makes peace with Grampa (after having made funeral arrangements)
- Homer goes fishing with Grampa, so he doesn't have time to go to Moe's
- Homer plays catch with Grampa, so he doesn't have time to plant a tree
- Homer wrestles with Grampa, so he doesn't have time to go hang gliding
- Homer gets pulled over for speeding
- 6:37pm: Homer is in jail
- Homer calls Barney, who has to find $50 for bail
- The family waits for Homer to come home for dinner
- Barney bails Homer out
- Homer and Barney drive by Burns, so he can tell him off. Burns wants Simpson in his office at 9am Monday morning.
- At Moe's, Homer tries to call Marge with no luck, then tells the barflies he loves them and sees that its 7:30pm
- Barney stops to fix a tire, and Homer has crossed all but one thing off his list, so he runs home
- Homer returns home and quickly tells his kids that he loves them
- Marge reads Homer a poem
- After sex, Homer says goodbye to his sleeping family
- Homer listens to the Bible audio book and falls asleep
Sunday:
- 7:00am: Marge wakes up
- She wakes up an alive Homer
- Homer spends the day eating pork rinds and watching bowling on TV
References to Time:
- Lisa says Thursday is Meatloaf Night
- Homer says Friday is Pork Chop Night, which they haven't missed since the Great Pig Scare in '87
References to Other Episodes: None
SLH Presence:
- Lisa has a picture of Bleeding Gums Murphy
- Bart makes a prank call to Moe
- SLH is not present
Minimum Time Spanned: 4 days
Canon: Yes, although the family's themed dinner nights may cause some issue
Favorite Moment: Bart and Lisa singing the theme from Shaft. It's an odd scene, but it makes me smile.
Review: This one delicately walks the balance between hilarious, slice-of-life antics and heart-wrenching drama extremely well. I feel like this would have been a good episode for a later season when we were more familiar with the characters, but it is still great. Larry King as the audio book is a truly inspried guest voice choice. The pain of not being able to complete half of his last-day-on-Earth list really grounds Homer in reality. A
Episode Timeline:
Thursday:
- The family has meatloaf for dinner, Lisa wants a change of pace
Friday:
- The family goes to the sushi restaurant
- The family orders
- The chefs prepare the food
- Homer likes the sushi
- A guy sings karaoke
- Homer orders more food
- Bart and Lisa sing the theme from Shaft at the karaoke bar
- Homer orders Fugu
- Bart and Lisa continue to sing
- The Master Chef leaves to make out with Krabappel, leaving the sous-chef in charge
- The sous-chef has trouble cutting the non-poisonous part of the fish
- Homer likes it
- The Master Chef notices the Fugu platter
- Homer is told he's ingested poison
- Hibbert tells Homer he has 22 hours to live (he apparently waited in the hospital for 2 hours after dinner)
- Homer makes a list of things to do before he dies, and promises to wake up at 6 am and watch the sunrise
Saturday:
- At 6 am, Homer hits the snooze button and goes back to sleep
- At 11:30am, Homer wakes up
- Homer rushes through breakfast and doesn't get a hearty one like he wanted
- Homer has man-to-man with Bart
- Homer teaches Bart how to shave
- Homer listens to Lisa play her saxophone
- Homer borrows a camcorder from Ned and promises to go to his barbeque tomorrow
- Homer makes a videotape for Maggie
- Homer makes peace with Grampa (after having made funeral arrangements)
- Homer goes fishing with Grampa, so he doesn't have time to go to Moe's
- Homer plays catch with Grampa, so he doesn't have time to plant a tree
- Homer wrestles with Grampa, so he doesn't have time to go hang gliding
- Homer gets pulled over for speeding
- 6:37pm: Homer is in jail
- Homer calls Barney, who has to find $50 for bail
- The family waits for Homer to come home for dinner
- Barney bails Homer out
- Homer and Barney drive by Burns, so he can tell him off. Burns wants Simpson in his office at 9am Monday morning.
- At Moe's, Homer tries to call Marge with no luck, then tells the barflies he loves them and sees that its 7:30pm
- Barney stops to fix a tire, and Homer has crossed all but one thing off his list, so he runs home
- Homer returns home and quickly tells his kids that he loves them
- Marge reads Homer a poem
- After sex, Homer says goodbye to his sleeping family
- Homer listens to the Bible audio book and falls asleep
Sunday:
- 7:00am: Marge wakes up
- She wakes up an alive Homer
- Homer spends the day eating pork rinds and watching bowling on TV
References to Time:
- Lisa says Thursday is Meatloaf Night
- Homer says Friday is Pork Chop Night, which they haven't missed since the Great Pig Scare in '87
References to Other Episodes: None
SLH Presence:
- Lisa has a picture of Bleeding Gums Murphy
- Bart makes a prank call to Moe
- SLH is not present
Minimum Time Spanned: 4 days
Canon: Yes, although the family's themed dinner nights may cause some issue
Favorite Moment: Bart and Lisa singing the theme from Shaft. It's an odd scene, but it makes me smile.
Review: This one delicately walks the balance between hilarious, slice-of-life antics and heart-wrenching drama extremely well. I feel like this would have been a good episode for a later season when we were more familiar with the characters, but it is still great. Larry King as the audio book is a truly inspried guest voice choice. The pain of not being able to complete half of his last-day-on-Earth list really grounds Homer in reality. A
Saturday, January 24, 2009
7F10 - Bart Gets Hit By a Car (January 10, 1991)
Summary: Bart gets hit by a car.
Episode Timeline:
Sunday:
- Bart gets hit by a car, has an experience in Heaven and Hell, wakes up at the hospital, meets Hutz, and is checked on by Hibbert
Monday:
- Homer has donuts at the plant
- Burns tells Homer not to tangle with him and his lawyers, Homer decides to contact Hutz
- Homer visits Hutz's office and is promised a big cash settlement
Tuesday:
- The Simpsons visit Dr. Nick
Wednesday:
- Burns receives the demands for the settlement
- Hutz teaches Bart how to act injured
Thursday and Friday are skipped
Saturday:
- In court, Bart tells his side of the story
- Burns tells his side
- Burns yells at his lawyers
- Homer and Marge meet with Burns at his house and are offered $500,000. Homer doesn't take it and Marge lets it slip that Dr. Nick is a fraud.
Sunday:
- Burns's lawyer calls Marge to the stand, she reveals the truth
- Burns offers Homer $0.00. Homer takes it.
- Homer sulks through dinner
- Homer goes to Moe's, Marge comes, Homer might not love her, but then he does
References to Time:
- Bart sees angels of Aunt Hortense, Great-Grandpa Simpson (strangling a child who must be Abe's brother) and Snowball
- Bart isn't supposed to die until the Yankees win the pennant (nearly a century from now)
- The Simpsons meet Hutz for the first time
- Bart played baseball the morning he visited Dr. Nick
- Dr. Hibbert has been with the Simpsons ever since Marge became a mother
- Marge says Bart missed 3 days of school
- Marge once washed Homer's pants with $20 in the pocket
- Marge and Homer have been married for 10 years
References to Other Episodes: None
SLH Presence:
- SLH is not present
Minimum Time Spanned: 8 days
Canon: Burns says "At last we meet," and Homer, confused, says "Nice to meet you too, sir." Just thought it was worth mentioning. All canon.
Favorite Moment: Burns in court: "I should be able to run over as many children as I want."
Review: The fact that I had trouble coming up with a favorite moment sticks out as a sign to me. The story is alright, and the introduction of Hutz and Dr. Nick is great, but then the episode ends with yet another Homer-Marge conflict/resolution. I'm starting to get tired of those, especially since this one was set up and finished in a minute. B-
Episode Timeline:
Sunday:
- Bart gets hit by a car, has an experience in Heaven and Hell, wakes up at the hospital, meets Hutz, and is checked on by Hibbert
Monday:
- Homer has donuts at the plant
- Burns tells Homer not to tangle with him and his lawyers, Homer decides to contact Hutz
- Homer visits Hutz's office and is promised a big cash settlement
Tuesday:
- The Simpsons visit Dr. Nick
Wednesday:
- Burns receives the demands for the settlement
- Hutz teaches Bart how to act injured
Thursday and Friday are skipped
Saturday:
- In court, Bart tells his side of the story
- Burns tells his side
- Burns yells at his lawyers
- Homer and Marge meet with Burns at his house and are offered $500,000. Homer doesn't take it and Marge lets it slip that Dr. Nick is a fraud.
Sunday:
- Burns's lawyer calls Marge to the stand, she reveals the truth
- Burns offers Homer $0.00. Homer takes it.
- Homer sulks through dinner
- Homer goes to Moe's, Marge comes, Homer might not love her, but then he does
References to Time:
- Bart sees angels of Aunt Hortense, Great-Grandpa Simpson (strangling a child who must be Abe's brother) and Snowball
- Bart isn't supposed to die until the Yankees win the pennant (nearly a century from now)
- The Simpsons meet Hutz for the first time
- Bart played baseball the morning he visited Dr. Nick
- Dr. Hibbert has been with the Simpsons ever since Marge became a mother
- Marge says Bart missed 3 days of school
- Marge once washed Homer's pants with $20 in the pocket
- Marge and Homer have been married for 10 years
References to Other Episodes: None
SLH Presence:
- SLH is not present
Minimum Time Spanned: 8 days
Canon: Burns says "At last we meet," and Homer, confused, says "Nice to meet you too, sir." Just thought it was worth mentioning. All canon.
Favorite Moment: Burns in court: "I should be able to run over as many children as I want."
Review: The fact that I had trouble coming up with a favorite moment sticks out as a sign to me. The story is alright, and the introduction of Hutz and Dr. Nick is great, but then the episode ends with yet another Homer-Marge conflict/resolution. I'm starting to get tired of those, especially since this one was set up and finished in a minute. B-
Friday, January 23, 2009
7F09 - Itchy & Scratchy & Marge (December 20, 1990)
Summary: Marge gets upset with the violence portrayed on "Itchy & Scratchy."
Episode Timeline:
Monday:
- Homer decides to build Marge a spice rack, the kids watch I&S, Homer begins building
- After finishing the spice rack, Maggie hits Homer with a mallet
- As Homer rests, Marge realizes Maggie learned to be violent from I&S
Tuesday:
- Milhouse suggests Bart watch cartoons at his house
- Homer tells work he won't be in for the rest of the week, Bart watches I&S at Milhouse's, Lisa watches it at Janey's, Marge watches at home, Marge writes a letter of complaint
Wednesday:
- Krusty has trouble reading the letter
- An I&S animator throws the letter away
- Roger Meyer's writes a response
Thursday:
- Marge reads the response
- 4:00 - Marge starts protesting outside the animation studio
- The protest grows
- The family eats TV dinners
Friday:
- Marge and protesters attend the Krusty show
- Meyer's tries to figure out what to do
- As Marge protests outside of the studio, an animator gets an idea
Saturday:
- Marge and Homer watch a cartoon with a Marge-inspired squirrel
- Marge appears on Smartline
Sunday is skipped
Monday:
- Meyers reads hate mail
Tuesday:
- Meyers calls Marge to help him write a non-violent cartoon
Wednesday:
- The kids watch the new I&S and decide to go outside
Thursday:
- No one comes to the Krusty show
- Homer and Marge enjoy their new kids
- In Italy, Michaelangelo's David prepares its American tour
Friday:
- Protesters try to get Marge to help them protest David but Marge refuses
- The protesters appear at the airport
- Marge appears on Smartline again
Saturday:
- Outside is empty of kids
- The kids watch I&S, Maggie imitates them again
- Homer and Marge go to see David
References to Time:
- The schools will soon be taking field trips to see David
References to Other Episodes: None
SLH Presence:
- SLH is not present
- Sideshow Mel is on the Krusty Show
- Dr. Marvin Monroe is alive
Minimum Time Spanned: 13 days
Canon: Yes
Favorite Moment: There were some good lines but the whole "kids playing outdoors" sequence is magical.
Review: It's a nice episode. Not hilarious. I enjoy the message about art at the end and, as I said, the montage of kids playing outside. It makes me want to go play outside. B
Episode Timeline:
Monday:
- Homer decides to build Marge a spice rack, the kids watch I&S, Homer begins building
- After finishing the spice rack, Maggie hits Homer with a mallet
- As Homer rests, Marge realizes Maggie learned to be violent from I&S
Tuesday:
- Milhouse suggests Bart watch cartoons at his house
- Homer tells work he won't be in for the rest of the week, Bart watches I&S at Milhouse's, Lisa watches it at Janey's, Marge watches at home, Marge writes a letter of complaint
Wednesday:
- Krusty has trouble reading the letter
- An I&S animator throws the letter away
- Roger Meyer's writes a response
Thursday:
- Marge reads the response
- 4:00 - Marge starts protesting outside the animation studio
- The protest grows
- The family eats TV dinners
Friday:
- Marge and protesters attend the Krusty show
- Meyer's tries to figure out what to do
- As Marge protests outside of the studio, an animator gets an idea
Saturday:
- Marge and Homer watch a cartoon with a Marge-inspired squirrel
- Marge appears on Smartline
Sunday is skipped
Monday:
- Meyers reads hate mail
Tuesday:
- Meyers calls Marge to help him write a non-violent cartoon
Wednesday:
- The kids watch the new I&S and decide to go outside
Thursday:
- No one comes to the Krusty show
- Homer and Marge enjoy their new kids
- In Italy, Michaelangelo's David prepares its American tour
Friday:
- Protesters try to get Marge to help them protest David but Marge refuses
- The protesters appear at the airport
- Marge appears on Smartline again
Saturday:
- Outside is empty of kids
- The kids watch I&S, Maggie imitates them again
- Homer and Marge go to see David
References to Time:
- The schools will soon be taking field trips to see David
References to Other Episodes: None
SLH Presence:
- SLH is not present
- Sideshow Mel is on the Krusty Show
- Dr. Marvin Monroe is alive
Minimum Time Spanned: 13 days
Canon: Yes
Favorite Moment: There were some good lines but the whole "kids playing outdoors" sequence is magical.
Review: It's a nice episode. Not hilarious. I enjoy the message about art at the end and, as I said, the montage of kids playing outside. It makes me want to go play outside. B
7F08 - Dead Putting Society (November 15, 1990)
Summary: Bart and Todd enter a miniature golf tournament.
Episode Timeline:
Saturday, November 4:
- 1:00pm - Homer mows the lawn, Bart's potatoe is still just a potatoe, Flanders invites Homer in for a beer
- Homer gets his first look at the Flanders household, storms out when it's clear that his family is worse than Ned's
- At night, Homer gets upset that Marge thinks Ned is perfect
- As Homer takes a walk, Ned gets upset for throwing Homer out of his house, calls Reverend Lovejoy for advice
- Ned writes Homer a letter of apology
Sunday, November 5:
- Homer reads the letter to the family, then decides to go miniature golfing with Bart and Maggie
- At the first hole, Homer's put ends up in the parking lot
- Maggie walks around the course, and passes by Flanders and Todd
- Homer can't make it in the ape's mouth, Flanders and son join up and Todd makes it
- Homer and Ned decide to pit their sons against each other in the upcoming tournament
- While having milkshakes, Homer tells Bart he can't lose
Monday, November 6:
- Bart and Homer practice in the backyard
- Bart names his putter and has to start hating Todd
- Marge and Homer discuss putting Bart in the competition
- Lisa decides to help Bart
Tuesday, November 7:
- Lisa takes Bart to the library
- Bart and Lisa meditate
- Lisa asks Bart unanswerable questions
- Bart makes a hole in one on the dinosaur hole
- Bart hits the ball through the sphinx hole
Wednesday, November 8:
- On a rainy day, Bart practices on the alligator hole
- Bart practices on a billiards table, Krusty kicks him off
Thursday, November 9:
- Bart sinks a put blindfolded
- Homer and Ned make bets
- Marge puts their bet in writing
- Ned has regrets
Friday, November 10:
- Homer joins Bart and Lisa on their next golf practice
- Homer picks out which dress he'll have to wear
Saturday, November 11:
- After watching Bart sleep all night, Homer wakes him up in the morning
- Lisa complains about Bart's breakfast
- The golf course prepares for the big day
- At the end of the matches, it is down to Bart and Todd
- Homer and Ned get competitive
- Bart and Todd both get holes-in-one on the alligator hole
- Bart hits the ball through the windmill
- Todd doesn't quite make it on the graveyard hole
- Bart hits it through the Itchy and Scratchy hole
- Todd makes it in the Nuclear Power Plant hole
- On the Abe Lincoln hole, Bart and Todd call it a draw
Sunday, November 12:
- Homer and Ned mow the lawns
References to Time:
- Bart started his science experiment at 11:00am
- Homer says he's only been Ned's neighbor for 8 years
- Lisa needs to study for the upcoming math fair
- Todd is 10 years old
- The prize checks say Nov. 11, 1990
- Ned was in a frat
References to Other Episodes: None
SLH Presence:
- SLH is present
Minimum Time Spanned: 9 days (November 4th - 12th)
Canon: Hopefully future episodes won't contradict the definite time set in this episode
Favorite Moment: "Wow, free balloons for everyone who enters!" Or the whole naming of the putter scene.
Review: Before watching this episode, I remembered it as being very good. Now after watching it, I realized that there are only three good scenes: the putter-naming scene, the one-hand-clapping scene, and the letter-reading scene ("bosom"). Everything else seems very bland, and the neighborhood's reaction to Homer and Ned mowing lawns in dresses seemed as weird as the "Homer's Night Out" photo debacle. B-
Episode Timeline:
Saturday, November 4:
- 1:00pm - Homer mows the lawn, Bart's potatoe is still just a potatoe, Flanders invites Homer in for a beer
- Homer gets his first look at the Flanders household, storms out when it's clear that his family is worse than Ned's
- At night, Homer gets upset that Marge thinks Ned is perfect
- As Homer takes a walk, Ned gets upset for throwing Homer out of his house, calls Reverend Lovejoy for advice
- Ned writes Homer a letter of apology
Sunday, November 5:
- Homer reads the letter to the family, then decides to go miniature golfing with Bart and Maggie
- At the first hole, Homer's put ends up in the parking lot
- Maggie walks around the course, and passes by Flanders and Todd
- Homer can't make it in the ape's mouth, Flanders and son join up and Todd makes it
- Homer and Ned decide to pit their sons against each other in the upcoming tournament
- While having milkshakes, Homer tells Bart he can't lose
Monday, November 6:
- Bart and Homer practice in the backyard
- Bart names his putter and has to start hating Todd
- Marge and Homer discuss putting Bart in the competition
- Lisa decides to help Bart
Tuesday, November 7:
- Lisa takes Bart to the library
- Bart and Lisa meditate
- Lisa asks Bart unanswerable questions
- Bart makes a hole in one on the dinosaur hole
- Bart hits the ball through the sphinx hole
Wednesday, November 8:
- On a rainy day, Bart practices on the alligator hole
- Bart practices on a billiards table, Krusty kicks him off
Thursday, November 9:
- Bart sinks a put blindfolded
- Homer and Ned make bets
- Marge puts their bet in writing
- Ned has regrets
Friday, November 10:
- Homer joins Bart and Lisa on their next golf practice
- Homer picks out which dress he'll have to wear
Saturday, November 11:
- After watching Bart sleep all night, Homer wakes him up in the morning
- Lisa complains about Bart's breakfast
- The golf course prepares for the big day
- At the end of the matches, it is down to Bart and Todd
- Homer and Ned get competitive
- Bart and Todd both get holes-in-one on the alligator hole
- Bart hits the ball through the windmill
- Todd doesn't quite make it on the graveyard hole
- Bart hits it through the Itchy and Scratchy hole
- Todd makes it in the Nuclear Power Plant hole
- On the Abe Lincoln hole, Bart and Todd call it a draw
Sunday, November 12:
- Homer and Ned mow the lawns
References to Time:
- Bart started his science experiment at 11:00am
- Homer says he's only been Ned's neighbor for 8 years
- Lisa needs to study for the upcoming math fair
- Todd is 10 years old
- The prize checks say Nov. 11, 1990
- Ned was in a frat
References to Other Episodes: None
SLH Presence:
- SLH is present
Minimum Time Spanned: 9 days (November 4th - 12th)
Canon: Hopefully future episodes won't contradict the definite time set in this episode
Favorite Moment: "Wow, free balloons for everyone who enters!" Or the whole naming of the putter scene.
Review: Before watching this episode, I remembered it as being very good. Now after watching it, I realized that there are only three good scenes: the putter-naming scene, the one-hand-clapping scene, and the letter-reading scene ("bosom"). Everything else seems very bland, and the neighborhood's reaction to Homer and Ned mowing lawns in dresses seemed as weird as the "Homer's Night Out" photo debacle. B-
Monday, January 19, 2009
7F07 - Bart vs. Thanksgiving (November 22, 1990)
Summary: Bart ruins Thanksgiving and runs away from home.
Episode Timeline:
Thursday (Thanksgiving):
- Maggie walks around observing the family, Bart and Lisa fight over glue, Bart and Homer watch the parade, Lisa shows the centepiece she is making
- Bart helps his mom with the cranberry sauce
- Homer and Maggie watch the Dallas Cowboys, Patti and Selma arrive
- Homer picks up Grampa
- Marge's mother arrives
- Maggie watches the rest of the halftime show
- Homer tries to make a fire, dinner begins, Lisa presents her centerpiece, Bart needs room for the turkey, Bart ruins Thanksgiving
- Homer says grace, Lisa plays some blues, Bart runs away
- Bart and SLH end up at Burns Manor
- Lisa writes a poem about Bart
- Bart crosses the tracks and sells some blood
- The family waits for Bart to apologize
- Bart passes out, some homeless folk take him to a rescue mission for food, Kent Brockman is doing a story on the homeless, Lisa wants to read her poem, Bart's on TV
- Bart gives his money to the homeless
- Homer and Marge talk to the police about Bart
- The relatives leave, Grampa must be back home by 9 or else he'd be considered legally dead
- Bart returns and considers the negative consequences
- Bart climbs on the roof, Lisa meets with him, Bart apologizes
- The family eats turkey sandwiches
References to Time:
- The security guard says Bart appears to be age 9 - 11
- According to Grampa, Homer was never stubborn and folded instantly to everything
- Brockman's dating the weather girl
References to Other Episodes: None
SLH Presence:
- SLH is present
Minimum Time Spanned: 1 day
Canon: Lou and Eddie's voices are switched
Favorite Moments: Where to begin?
- Radio personality Bill talking about the parade and saying how Bullwinkle got taste of his own medicine when his balloon sprung a leak, then saying he knows how the Pilgrims felt when he realizes his first sentence didn't make sense
- Maggie scribbling on Lisa's centerpiece
- Bart "helping with" the cranberry sauce, although Marge does all of the work
- Maggie sitting on the couch, watching TV
- Marge's mother: "Leave me alone."
- Maggie: "It's your fault I can't talk"
Review: This is my favorite episode of all time. I have a lot of favorite moments, especially from the first act, because the whole episode feels so real. The family does not act in a cartoonish way. And I like how the conflict of Bart running away doesn't occur until the second act. Until then, we are just allowed to see a typical Thanksgiving with the Simpsons. The whole cranberry sauce scene feels especially real, with a child wanting to help make dinner, yet not really knowing what to do, and singing "Mom, it's broken" when he can't work the can opener. The pace is slow, and there is no need for a joke every second. I put Maggie sitting on the couch as one of my favorite moments because it's just so simple. Nothing particularly funny happens; it's just a little slice of life. No other episode has the heart and soul of this episode, in my opinion. A+
Episode Timeline:
Thursday (Thanksgiving):
- Maggie walks around observing the family, Bart and Lisa fight over glue, Bart and Homer watch the parade, Lisa shows the centepiece she is making
- Bart helps his mom with the cranberry sauce
- Homer and Maggie watch the Dallas Cowboys, Patti and Selma arrive
- Homer picks up Grampa
- Marge's mother arrives
- Maggie watches the rest of the halftime show
- Homer tries to make a fire, dinner begins, Lisa presents her centerpiece, Bart needs room for the turkey, Bart ruins Thanksgiving
- Homer says grace, Lisa plays some blues, Bart runs away
- Bart and SLH end up at Burns Manor
- Lisa writes a poem about Bart
- Bart crosses the tracks and sells some blood
- The family waits for Bart to apologize
- Bart passes out, some homeless folk take him to a rescue mission for food, Kent Brockman is doing a story on the homeless, Lisa wants to read her poem, Bart's on TV
- Bart gives his money to the homeless
- Homer and Marge talk to the police about Bart
- The relatives leave, Grampa must be back home by 9 or else he'd be considered legally dead
- Bart returns and considers the negative consequences
- Bart climbs on the roof, Lisa meets with him, Bart apologizes
- The family eats turkey sandwiches
References to Time:
- The security guard says Bart appears to be age 9 - 11
- According to Grampa, Homer was never stubborn and folded instantly to everything
- Brockman's dating the weather girl
References to Other Episodes: None
SLH Presence:
- SLH is present
Minimum Time Spanned: 1 day
Canon: Lou and Eddie's voices are switched
Favorite Moments: Where to begin?
- Radio personality Bill talking about the parade and saying how Bullwinkle got taste of his own medicine when his balloon sprung a leak, then saying he knows how the Pilgrims felt when he realizes his first sentence didn't make sense
- Maggie scribbling on Lisa's centerpiece
- Bart "helping with" the cranberry sauce, although Marge does all of the work
- Maggie sitting on the couch, watching TV
- Marge's mother: "Leave me alone."
- Maggie: "It's your fault I can't talk"
Review: This is my favorite episode of all time. I have a lot of favorite moments, especially from the first act, because the whole episode feels so real. The family does not act in a cartoonish way. And I like how the conflict of Bart running away doesn't occur until the second act. Until then, we are just allowed to see a typical Thanksgiving with the Simpsons. The whole cranberry sauce scene feels especially real, with a child wanting to help make dinner, yet not really knowing what to do, and singing "Mom, it's broken" when he can't work the can opener. The pace is slow, and there is no need for a joke every second. I put Maggie sitting on the couch as one of my favorite moments because it's just so simple. Nothing particularly funny happens; it's just a little slice of life. No other episode has the heart and soul of this episode, in my opinion. A+
7F06 - Bart the Daredevil (December 6, 1990)
Summary: Bart wants to become a daredevil.
Episode Timeline:
Friday:
- The kids watch wrestling on TV at home while Homer watches it at Moe's bar
- A commercial for the Truckasaurus airs
- Homer rushes home to celebrate with Bart
- At dinner, Homer proposes the family goes to the monster truck rally and learns about Lisa's recital
Saturday:
- 5:00 - Lisa's recital begins
- 7:23 - Todd has a solo
- The family leaves the recital and drives fast to the rally, where they nearly get crushed
- The family gets paid for the damage done to their car
- The family watches a female monster truck driver and Homer gets concessions
- Lance Murdock performs his death-defying stunt
- Bart falls asleep on the car ride home and wants to be a daredevil
Sunday:
- Bart attempts to jump a car on his skateboard
- Bart winds up in the hospital with stitches
- Dr. Hibbert shows Bart children who have been injured by imitating television stunts
Monday-Friday:
- Bart jumps a car
- Bart jumps a swimming pool
- Bart jumps a line of dogs
- Bart jumps his sleeping father
- On a field trip to Springfield Gorge, Bart gets inspiration to jump it
- Bart announces his plans to jump the gorge while on the bus ride home
- Lisa takes Bart to see Murdock in the hospital, who approves of Bart's stunt
Saturday:
- At breakfast, Homer forbids Bart to jump the gorge and makes him promise he won't
- Noon - Bart arrives at the gorge
- Homer arrives to stop him and jumps the gorge himself
- Homer falls down the gorge a second time
- Homer winds up sharing a hospital room with Murdock
References to Time:
- Lisa's recital is the first in a series of Saturday evening concerts
References to Other Episodes: None
SLH Presence:
- Moe's TV is black and white
- SLH is present
- Bleeding Gums Murphy is alive
Minimum Time Spanned: 9 days
Canon: Yes
Favorite Moment: Homer falling down the gorge is a Simpsons classic, but I really enjoy Otto humming/beat-boxing into the bus microphone
Review: Okay episode. Everyone regards it as one of the best, especially for the gorge moment, but I feel it isn't as amazing as everyone says. Still, the whole episode is full of classic Simpson charm. B+
Episode Timeline:
Friday:
- The kids watch wrestling on TV at home while Homer watches it at Moe's bar
- A commercial for the Truckasaurus airs
- Homer rushes home to celebrate with Bart
- At dinner, Homer proposes the family goes to the monster truck rally and learns about Lisa's recital
Saturday:
- 5:00 - Lisa's recital begins
- 7:23 - Todd has a solo
- The family leaves the recital and drives fast to the rally, where they nearly get crushed
- The family gets paid for the damage done to their car
- The family watches a female monster truck driver and Homer gets concessions
- Lance Murdock performs his death-defying stunt
- Bart falls asleep on the car ride home and wants to be a daredevil
Sunday:
- Bart attempts to jump a car on his skateboard
- Bart winds up in the hospital with stitches
- Dr. Hibbert shows Bart children who have been injured by imitating television stunts
Monday-Friday:
- Bart jumps a car
- Bart jumps a swimming pool
- Bart jumps a line of dogs
- Bart jumps his sleeping father
- On a field trip to Springfield Gorge, Bart gets inspiration to jump it
- Bart announces his plans to jump the gorge while on the bus ride home
- Lisa takes Bart to see Murdock in the hospital, who approves of Bart's stunt
Saturday:
- At breakfast, Homer forbids Bart to jump the gorge and makes him promise he won't
- Noon - Bart arrives at the gorge
- Homer arrives to stop him and jumps the gorge himself
- Homer falls down the gorge a second time
- Homer winds up sharing a hospital room with Murdock
References to Time:
- Lisa's recital is the first in a series of Saturday evening concerts
References to Other Episodes: None
SLH Presence:
- Moe's TV is black and white
- SLH is present
- Bleeding Gums Murphy is alive
Minimum Time Spanned: 9 days
Canon: Yes
Favorite Moment: Homer falling down the gorge is a Simpsons classic, but I really enjoy Otto humming/beat-boxing into the bus microphone
Review: Okay episode. Everyone regards it as one of the best, especially for the gorge moment, but I feel it isn't as amazing as everyone says. Still, the whole episode is full of classic Simpson charm. B+
Sunday, January 11, 2009
7F05 - Dancin' Homer (November 8, 1990)
Summary: Homer becomes a baseball mascot.
Episode Timeline:
Sunday:
- One the Nuclear Power Plant Baseball Night for Families, Otto drives the families to the stadium, evading the police
- The family walks through the stadium, discussing baseball
- Burns greets families as they find their seats
- Bart wants Flash Bailer to sign his baseball, Homer gets caught with his fly down on the Jumbo-Tron, Burns fails to throw the first pitch, Bleeding Gums Murphy sings the National Anthem from 7:30 - 7:56, the announcer starts the game, Burns sits next to Homer, Burns orders two beers for Homer and himself
- At the fourth inning, Burns and Homer shout at the players and order another large beer
- At the sixth inning, Burns and Homer do another wave
- Homer riles the crowd up by dancing to Baby Elephant Walk, and the Isotopes win the game
- Burns bans Homer from all company outings
- Homer gets offered to be the Isotopes mascot
Monday:
- Homer shows off his new costume at home
- Homer dances at the next ball game, 'Topes win
Tuesday:
- Springfield vs. Burlington game
- Bart dances with Homer, Marge comments on the Dancin' Homer t-shirts
- Homer tries to psyche out a player
- 'Topes win
Wednesday:
- Springfield vs. Salem game
- Homer asks for a reggae Baby Elephant walk from the organ player
- The Jamaicans approve
Thursday:
- Springfield vs. Shelbyville game
- Homer spells SPRINGFIELD with his body
- 'Topes lose
- The owner of the Isotopes tells Homer that he's been asked to fill in for the Capitol City Goofball for a few innings
- Homer discusses the move to Capitol City with his family, they finally approve
Friday:
- Homer's supervisor at the plant allows him to leave for 4 or 5 years
Saturday:
- The Simpsons have a yard sale, Flanders says goodbye
- Bart and Milhouse become spit brothers
- Lisa says goodbye to the girls at the playground, except they all agree that they weren't really friends
- Marge says goodbye to her sisters as the family is ready to head out
- Homer makes a goodbye speech at the stadium
- The Simpsons reach Capitol City
- Homer stays up nervous about the big game tomorrow
Sunday:
- Homer checks out the stadium and meets the Goofball
- Homer and the Goofball discuss the night in the locker room
- The family sits with the players' ex-wives
- Homer ignores the game, too worried
- Homer's dance does not win the crowd over
- Homer gets fired
- The kids don't want to go home, but they have to support their dad
Monday:
- Homer begins his story about Capitol City at Moe's Bar at night
- Homer continues his story and says he should've listened to his kids
- Homer finishes his story, and the barflys want to hear it again
References to Time:
- Lisa mentions that it's a summer night at the ball park
- At last year's Family Night, Homer got drunk and mooned the umpire
- Burns calls Maggie "Expecting," because his note cards are out of date (but they were up to date in There's No Disgrace Like Home)
- Burns used to "rile Connie Mack at old Shyde Park"
- Homer apparently ruined 2 company luaus, 2 company picnics, 4 company banquets, and 3 company baseball games
- Lisa says that everyone in Springfield knows the family and has forgiven them
- The Duff Brewery is in Capitol City, and Homer sees it for the first time
References to Other Episodes:
- I think I recognized the guy who got fired at Burn's picnic back in There's No Disgrace Like Home. I'll need to check this.
- Lisa remains alert throughout Bleeding Gums's entire performance, implying she remembered him from Moaning Lisa
SLH Presence:
- Bleeding Gums Murphy is alive
- SLH is present
Minimum Time Spanned: 9 days
Canon: Sure, although I feel it'll be hard to place
Favorite Moment: I love every line in Tony Bennett's Capitol City song
Review: I'm not a huge fan of this episode. It seems like a story that has been redone again in future, funnier episodes (Homer gets famous for some reason). The plot feels a little silly, and there aren't a lot of hilarious moments. The first baseball game is nice though, and has some good "family at a baseball game" moments. C+
Episode Timeline:
Sunday:
- One the Nuclear Power Plant Baseball Night for Families, Otto drives the families to the stadium, evading the police
- The family walks through the stadium, discussing baseball
- Burns greets families as they find their seats
- Bart wants Flash Bailer to sign his baseball, Homer gets caught with his fly down on the Jumbo-Tron, Burns fails to throw the first pitch, Bleeding Gums Murphy sings the National Anthem from 7:30 - 7:56, the announcer starts the game, Burns sits next to Homer, Burns orders two beers for Homer and himself
- At the fourth inning, Burns and Homer shout at the players and order another large beer
- At the sixth inning, Burns and Homer do another wave
- Homer riles the crowd up by dancing to Baby Elephant Walk, and the Isotopes win the game
- Burns bans Homer from all company outings
- Homer gets offered to be the Isotopes mascot
Monday:
- Homer shows off his new costume at home
- Homer dances at the next ball game, 'Topes win
Tuesday:
- Springfield vs. Burlington game
- Bart dances with Homer, Marge comments on the Dancin' Homer t-shirts
- Homer tries to psyche out a player
- 'Topes win
Wednesday:
- Springfield vs. Salem game
- Homer asks for a reggae Baby Elephant walk from the organ player
- The Jamaicans approve
Thursday:
- Springfield vs. Shelbyville game
- Homer spells SPRINGFIELD with his body
- 'Topes lose
- The owner of the Isotopes tells Homer that he's been asked to fill in for the Capitol City Goofball for a few innings
- Homer discusses the move to Capitol City with his family, they finally approve
Friday:
- Homer's supervisor at the plant allows him to leave for 4 or 5 years
Saturday:
- The Simpsons have a yard sale, Flanders says goodbye
- Bart and Milhouse become spit brothers
- Lisa says goodbye to the girls at the playground, except they all agree that they weren't really friends
- Marge says goodbye to her sisters as the family is ready to head out
- Homer makes a goodbye speech at the stadium
- The Simpsons reach Capitol City
- Homer stays up nervous about the big game tomorrow
Sunday:
- Homer checks out the stadium and meets the Goofball
- Homer and the Goofball discuss the night in the locker room
- The family sits with the players' ex-wives
- Homer ignores the game, too worried
- Homer's dance does not win the crowd over
- Homer gets fired
- The kids don't want to go home, but they have to support their dad
Monday:
- Homer begins his story about Capitol City at Moe's Bar at night
- Homer continues his story and says he should've listened to his kids
- Homer finishes his story, and the barflys want to hear it again
References to Time:
- Lisa mentions that it's a summer night at the ball park
- At last year's Family Night, Homer got drunk and mooned the umpire
- Burns calls Maggie "Expecting," because his note cards are out of date (but they were up to date in There's No Disgrace Like Home)
- Burns used to "rile Connie Mack at old Shyde Park"
- Homer apparently ruined 2 company luaus, 2 company picnics, 4 company banquets, and 3 company baseball games
- Lisa says that everyone in Springfield knows the family and has forgiven them
- The Duff Brewery is in Capitol City, and Homer sees it for the first time
References to Other Episodes:
- I think I recognized the guy who got fired at Burn's picnic back in There's No Disgrace Like Home. I'll need to check this.
- Lisa remains alert throughout Bleeding Gums's entire performance, implying she remembered him from Moaning Lisa
SLH Presence:
- Bleeding Gums Murphy is alive
- SLH is present
Minimum Time Spanned: 9 days
Canon: Sure, although I feel it'll be hard to place
Favorite Moment: I love every line in Tony Bennett's Capitol City song
Review: I'm not a huge fan of this episode. It seems like a story that has been redone again in future, funnier episodes (Homer gets famous for some reason). The plot feels a little silly, and there aren't a lot of hilarious moments. The first baseball game is nice though, and has some good "family at a baseball game" moments. C+
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
7F04 - Treehouse of Horror (October 24, 1990)
Summary: Bart and Lisa tell scary stories to each other on Halloween night, one about a haunted house, one about an alien abduction, and The Raven by Edgar Allen Poe.
Episode Timeline:
Oct. 31st, Could be any night from Monday - Sunday:
- Homer returns from trick-or-treating, the kids are in the treehouse finishing a scary story, Bart begins "Bad Dream House"
- Homer gets spooked by the first story, Bart shows Lisa a "severed finger," then he proceeds to tell "Hungry are the Damned"
- Bart pretends to be choked, Lisa ignores him and starts to read "The Raven"
- Bart interrupts the story, while Homer listens on, saying anything would've been scarier than nothing
- Bart interrupts again to say "Eat my Shorts"
- Bart complains that the story wasn't scary and will sleep peacefully tonight, while Homer shivers with fear
- The children sleep soundly while Homer wants to sleep with the lights on and sees a raven out the window
References to Time:
- Bart heard the "call coming from inside the house story" when he was in 3rd grade
- Marge and Homer played Pong before they were married (within "Hungry are the Damned", may not be canon)
References to Other Episodes: None
SLH Presence:
- SLH is not present
Minimum Time Spanned: One night
Canon: The main stories in Halloween episodes are not to be considered canon. However, early Halloween episodes have a framework surrounding the tales. This framework is canon.
Favorite Moment: Watching "Hungry are the Damned" after knowing the twist ending. It makes the behavior of the aliens seem very odd. (Why do they weigh the Simpsons and marvel at Homer's girth if they didn't want to eat him?)
Review: A classic Halloween episode that sets the tradition in motion. The stories are all good. I love how the haunted house "breathes," how the aliens talk about the upcoming feast, and how The Raven is told with proper inflection, making it the best version of the poem that I know of. A
Episode Timeline:
Oct. 31st, Could be any night from Monday - Sunday:
- Homer returns from trick-or-treating, the kids are in the treehouse finishing a scary story, Bart begins "Bad Dream House"
- Homer gets spooked by the first story, Bart shows Lisa a "severed finger," then he proceeds to tell "Hungry are the Damned"
- Bart pretends to be choked, Lisa ignores him and starts to read "The Raven"
- Bart interrupts the story, while Homer listens on, saying anything would've been scarier than nothing
- Bart interrupts again to say "Eat my Shorts"
- Bart complains that the story wasn't scary and will sleep peacefully tonight, while Homer shivers with fear
- The children sleep soundly while Homer wants to sleep with the lights on and sees a raven out the window
References to Time:
- Bart heard the "call coming from inside the house story" when he was in 3rd grade
- Marge and Homer played Pong before they were married (within "Hungry are the Damned", may not be canon)
References to Other Episodes: None
SLH Presence:
- SLH is not present
Minimum Time Spanned: One night
Canon: The main stories in Halloween episodes are not to be considered canon. However, early Halloween episodes have a framework surrounding the tales. This framework is canon.
Favorite Moment: Watching "Hungry are the Damned" after knowing the twist ending. It makes the behavior of the aliens seem very odd. (Why do they weigh the Simpsons and marvel at Homer's girth if they didn't want to eat him?)
Review: A classic Halloween episode that sets the tradition in motion. The stories are all good. I love how the haunted house "breathes," how the aliens talk about the upcoming feast, and how The Raven is told with proper inflection, making it the best version of the poem that I know of. A
Monday, January 5, 2009
7F03 - Bart Gets an F (October 11, 1990)
I'm adding a new feature that will help me a lot on this project called Episode Timeline. It'll help you figure out how I come up with the Minimum Time Span for each episode, as well as help me chronicle scenes for easy reference. I'll be sure to edit old posts so that they include this feature.
Summary: Bart learns he may have to repeat fourth grade if he fails his next test.
Episode Timeline:
Monday:
- Bart fails to give an adequate book report after Martin's rousing version of "The Old Man and the Sea"
- After school, Bart has detention and is lectured by Krabappel
- After detention, Bart plays "Escape From Grandma's House" at the arcade, promising to study after a couple more games
- Bart watches Itchy and Scratchy with his sisters, promises to study after dinner
- Lisa got an A on a vocab test, Homer covers Bart's first grade cat drawing with it
- Bart and Homer watch "Gorilla the Conqueror"
- Bart falls asleep while trying to study
Tuesday:
- Marge wakes up Bart, who is going to be late for the bus
- Bart gathers answers about American History from Sherri and Terri on the bus
- Martin tells Bart that the answers were lies as the bell rings for class
- Bart collapses out of his seat as the test is about to be handed out
- Bart fakes some symptoms to the school nurse
- Bart has apparently stayed home the rest of the day eating ice cream, and he orders the TV from Homer, who is watching another gorilla-themed movie
- Bart calls Milhouse to get the answers for the history test
Wednesday:
- After school (or maybe during lunch), Bart makes up his test, and does worse than Milhouse, failing
- Bart, his parents, Krabappel, and Pryor have an after school meeting about Bart
Thursday:
- Bart chats with Otto on the morning bus
- During class, Bart fantasizes about repeating the 4th grade until he's an adult
- During recess, Bart asks Martin for tutoring, and he'll make Martin more popular in return
- Back at home, Martin tells Bart to clean his room
Friday:
- On the morning bus, Bart tells Martin to sit in the back with the cool kids
Friday afternoon - Sunday:
- After school, Bart and Martin do bike tricks
- Martin and Bart marvel at Bart's clean room, and Martin presents a plant
- Martin and Bart play with a slingshot
- Bart and Martin read textbooks/comic books under a tree
- Bart and Martin spray paint
- Bart and Marting make faces in the bathroom mirror
- Martin whips Bart while he falls asleep "studying"
Monday:
- After school, the boys push another boy into the girls room, Martin snaps with glee
- Bart stays up late doodling in his textbook
- Bart prays for a miracle, it then begins to snow
Tuesday:
- It's a snow day, schools are closed
- Bart prepares to play outside, but Lisa reminds him that he has to study
- Bart sees all the fun people have on their snow day while he is inside
- Bart studies in the basement and imagines himself at the signing of the Declaration of Independence
Wednesday:
- Bart finishes his final test, fails, but demonstrates applied knowledge and Krabappel passes him
- Homer puts Bart's D- on the fridge
References to Time:
- Bart's in Krabappel's class, and his grades have gotten steadily worse since the beginning of the term
- Maggie walks
- It's Big Gorilla Week on Million Dollar Movie
- Dr. Pryor knows the Simpson family
- Bart has failed his last four history exams
- Bart may have to repeat the fourth grade
- Otto repeated fourth grade twice
- Mayor Quimby declares the snow day "Snow Day - The Funnest Day in the History of Springfield"
- The citizens of Springfield sing Winter Wonderland, implying that it maybe around Christmastime or winter
References to Other Episodes: All the characters introduced in the first season are seen singing on Snow Day, but that does not necessarily mean the first season absolutely has to proceed this episode.
SLH Presence:
- SLH is present
- Bleeding Gums Murphy is alive
- Dr. Marvin Monroe is alive
- Sideshow Bob is not in prison
Minimum Time Spanned: 10 days (Monday - next Wednesday)
Canon: All canon, although Krabappel cares less about her students as the series progresses.
Favorite Moment: Bart crying after he fails the final test, then mentioning George Washington's defeat to the French and Krabappel giving him an extra point for the obscurity of his remark.
Review: This is a delightful episode. I always feel that it's like a better version of Bart the Genius, for some reason. And once it actually made me cry (when Bart cries). There are still some kinks that could be worked out, but it's a nice story that feels very truthful. A-
Summary: Bart learns he may have to repeat fourth grade if he fails his next test.
Episode Timeline:
Monday:
- Bart fails to give an adequate book report after Martin's rousing version of "The Old Man and the Sea"
- After school, Bart has detention and is lectured by Krabappel
- After detention, Bart plays "Escape From Grandma's House" at the arcade, promising to study after a couple more games
- Bart watches Itchy and Scratchy with his sisters, promises to study after dinner
- Lisa got an A on a vocab test, Homer covers Bart's first grade cat drawing with it
- Bart and Homer watch "Gorilla the Conqueror"
- Bart falls asleep while trying to study
Tuesday:
- Marge wakes up Bart, who is going to be late for the bus
- Bart gathers answers about American History from Sherri and Terri on the bus
- Martin tells Bart that the answers were lies as the bell rings for class
- Bart collapses out of his seat as the test is about to be handed out
- Bart fakes some symptoms to the school nurse
- Bart has apparently stayed home the rest of the day eating ice cream, and he orders the TV from Homer, who is watching another gorilla-themed movie
- Bart calls Milhouse to get the answers for the history test
Wednesday:
- After school (or maybe during lunch), Bart makes up his test, and does worse than Milhouse, failing
- Bart, his parents, Krabappel, and Pryor have an after school meeting about Bart
Thursday:
- Bart chats with Otto on the morning bus
- During class, Bart fantasizes about repeating the 4th grade until he's an adult
- During recess, Bart asks Martin for tutoring, and he'll make Martin more popular in return
- Back at home, Martin tells Bart to clean his room
Friday:
- On the morning bus, Bart tells Martin to sit in the back with the cool kids
Friday afternoon - Sunday:
- After school, Bart and Martin do bike tricks
- Martin and Bart marvel at Bart's clean room, and Martin presents a plant
- Martin and Bart play with a slingshot
- Bart and Martin read textbooks/comic books under a tree
- Bart and Martin spray paint
- Bart and Marting make faces in the bathroom mirror
- Martin whips Bart while he falls asleep "studying"
Monday:
- After school, the boys push another boy into the girls room, Martin snaps with glee
- Bart stays up late doodling in his textbook
- Bart prays for a miracle, it then begins to snow
Tuesday:
- It's a snow day, schools are closed
- Bart prepares to play outside, but Lisa reminds him that he has to study
- Bart sees all the fun people have on their snow day while he is inside
- Bart studies in the basement and imagines himself at the signing of the Declaration of Independence
Wednesday:
- Bart finishes his final test, fails, but demonstrates applied knowledge and Krabappel passes him
- Homer puts Bart's D- on the fridge
References to Time:
- Bart's in Krabappel's class, and his grades have gotten steadily worse since the beginning of the term
- Maggie walks
- It's Big Gorilla Week on Million Dollar Movie
- Dr. Pryor knows the Simpson family
- Bart has failed his last four history exams
- Bart may have to repeat the fourth grade
- Otto repeated fourth grade twice
- Mayor Quimby declares the snow day "Snow Day - The Funnest Day in the History of Springfield"
- The citizens of Springfield sing Winter Wonderland, implying that it maybe around Christmastime or winter
References to Other Episodes: All the characters introduced in the first season are seen singing on Snow Day, but that does not necessarily mean the first season absolutely has to proceed this episode.
SLH Presence:
- SLH is present
- Bleeding Gums Murphy is alive
- Dr. Marvin Monroe is alive
- Sideshow Bob is not in prison
Minimum Time Spanned: 10 days (Monday - next Wednesday)
Canon: All canon, although Krabappel cares less about her students as the series progresses.
Favorite Moment: Bart crying after he fails the final test, then mentioning George Washington's defeat to the French and Krabappel giving him an extra point for the obscurity of his remark.
Review: This is a delightful episode. I always feel that it's like a better version of Bart the Genius, for some reason. And once it actually made me cry (when Bart cries). There are still some kinks that could be worked out, but it's a nice story that feels very truthful. A-
Sunday, January 4, 2009
7F02 - Simpson and Delilah (October 18, 1990)
Summary: Homer uses the plant's insurance to buy a hair-regrowth formula and his new head of hair earns him a promotion.
References to Time:
- Homer hasn't been to the barbershop in 20 years and he used to have sideburns
- Homer gets promoted to executive
- Homer forgets his anniversary, Karl remembers
- Every Tuesday, the plant serves fish sticks
- Accidents are down, due to Homer's promotion (similar to when he took a vacation)
- Homer offers to get Lisa a pony
- Burns is only 81 years old (may present a canon issue)
- Burns went bald his senior year of college
- Homer gets his old job back
References to Other Episodes:
- Homer reaches into Marge's hair for "rainy day" money (she kept money there in Simpsons Roasting On an Open Fire)
SLH Presence:
- SLH is present
Minimum Time Spanned: 1 evening, 17 days (Saturday - Tuesday)
Canon: Maybe Burns's age will not be canon
Favorite Moment: Bart shouting "I love you, Dad," to prevent Homer from strangling him
Review: This is a cool episode. It's not hilarious, but the story is fun. Karl as Homer's guardian angel/secretary is a magnificent character and it's a shame we never got to see more out of him. B+
References to Time:
- Homer hasn't been to the barbershop in 20 years and he used to have sideburns
- Homer gets promoted to executive
- Homer forgets his anniversary, Karl remembers
- Every Tuesday, the plant serves fish sticks
- Accidents are down, due to Homer's promotion (similar to when he took a vacation)
- Homer offers to get Lisa a pony
- Burns is only 81 years old (may present a canon issue)
- Burns went bald his senior year of college
- Homer gets his old job back
References to Other Episodes:
- Homer reaches into Marge's hair for "rainy day" money (she kept money there in Simpsons Roasting On an Open Fire)
SLH Presence:
- SLH is present
Minimum Time Spanned: 1 evening, 17 days (Saturday - Tuesday)
Canon: Maybe Burns's age will not be canon
Favorite Moment: Bart shouting "I love you, Dad," to prevent Homer from strangling him
Review: This is a cool episode. It's not hilarious, but the story is fun. Karl as Homer's guardian angel/secretary is a magnificent character and it's a shame we never got to see more out of him. B+
7F01 - Two Cars in Every Garage and Three Eyes on Every Fish (November 1, 1990)
Summary: Burns runs for governor so that the state cannot shut down his dangerous plant.
References to Time:
- Bart and Lisa meet Dave Shutton
- A few newspapers go by, revealing the passage of days
- It'll take $56 million dollars to get the plant up to code, Mr. Burns doesn't have that much to spend on the plant
- Homer sleeps at work, wakes up at 9:30 pm
- Burns can drive
- Grampa calls Burns "young blood"
References to Other Episodes: Bart has a newspaper clipping about the statue of Springfield's head from The Telltale Head.
SLH Presence:
- SLH is present
- Blinky is eaten
Minimum Time Spanned: 14 days (Tuesday - Monday, October - first week of November)
Canon: So far, so good.
Favorite Moment: Burns's dinner with the Simpsons, especially the part in which Marge serves Blinky on a platter and everyone in the room has a dropped jaw, then one person's jaw drops even further
Review: Alright, it definitely picks up during the last act. We get to see a lot of the evil Burns that we grow to love over the course of the series. This is the first episode that makes a comparison between Burns and Charles Foster Kane. This is a great moment in the life of Burns, especially him smashing the meager possessions in the Simpson residence. B+
References to Time:
- Bart and Lisa meet Dave Shutton
- A few newspapers go by, revealing the passage of days
- It'll take $56 million dollars to get the plant up to code, Mr. Burns doesn't have that much to spend on the plant
- Homer sleeps at work, wakes up at 9:30 pm
- Burns can drive
- Grampa calls Burns "young blood"
References to Other Episodes: Bart has a newspaper clipping about the statue of Springfield's head from The Telltale Head.
SLH Presence:
- SLH is present
- Blinky is eaten
Minimum Time Spanned: 14 days (Tuesday - Monday, October - first week of November)
Canon: So far, so good.
Favorite Moment: Burns's dinner with the Simpsons, especially the part in which Marge serves Blinky on a platter and everyone in the room has a dropped jaw, then one person's jaw drops even further
Review: Alright, it definitely picks up during the last act. We get to see a lot of the evil Burns that we grow to love over the course of the series. This is the first episode that makes a comparison between Burns and Charles Foster Kane. This is a great moment in the life of Burns, especially him smashing the meager possessions in the Simpson residence. B+
Friday, January 2, 2009
Season 1, in Summary
By looking at the first season as a whole, the chronology fits quite well together. Every thing could logically happen over a year starting in the fall and going to next summer. Through the little clues here and there, this should make an accurate chronology for the first season:
7G06 – Moaning Lisa
7G11 – Life on the Fast Lane
7G01 – Some Enchanted Evening
7G02 – Bart The Genius
7G04 – There’s No Disgrace Like Home
7G03 – Homer’s Odyssey
7G05 – Bart the General
7G07 – The Telltale Head
7G08 – Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire
7G10 – Homer’s Night Out
7G12 – Krusty Gets Busted
7G13 – The Crepes of Wrath
7G09 – Call of the Simpsons
And just for fun, the top 5 episodes of Season 1 are:
5) Life on the Fast Lane
4) Bart the General
3) There's No Disgrace Like Home
2) The Telltale Head
1) Krusty Gets Busted
So, since I like these episodes, their canonity ranks higher than the other episodes. I make the rules.
7G06 – Moaning Lisa
7G11 – Life on the Fast Lane
7G01 – Some Enchanted Evening
7G02 – Bart The Genius
7G04 – There’s No Disgrace Like Home
7G03 – Homer’s Odyssey
7G05 – Bart the General
7G07 – The Telltale Head
7G08 – Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire
7G10 – Homer’s Night Out
7G12 – Krusty Gets Busted
7G13 – The Crepes of Wrath
7G09 – Call of the Simpsons
And just for fun, the top 5 episodes of Season 1 are:
5) Life on the Fast Lane
4) Bart the General
3) There's No Disgrace Like Home
2) The Telltale Head
1) Krusty Gets Busted
So, since I like these episodes, their canonity ranks higher than the other episodes. I make the rules.
7G13 - The Crepes of Wrath (April 15, 1990)
Summary: Bart goes to France as part of a student exchange program.
References to Time:
- Bart has a frog
- Bart has his lucky red hat
- Homer has a trick back
- Bart thought he had used all of his cherry bombs
- Bart meets Skinner's mother
- Bart will spend 3 months in France
- Homer says non of his kids never wanted to see him at work
- Maggie hasn't said her first word yet (at least, in the family's presence)
- Bart alerts the policeman after 2 months in France
- The FBI breaks into the Flanderses' house searching for Adil
- Bart brings gifts (his first unselfish act)
References to Previous Episodes: None
SLH Presence:
- SLH is present
Minimum Time Spanned: 3 days, 3 months (Maybe it starts on a Sunday?)
Canon: Agnes is very sweet towards Skinner and calls him Spanky. For the rest of this episode to makes sense with the episodes that follow, Bart will have to have studied abroad during 5th grade. But I sense trouble due to Agnes's non-canon presence.
Favorite Moment: When Homer falls down the stairs and winds up on his back, and the pets and Maggie just sleep around him.
Review: Eh, this episode isn't the greatest. It has a few funny moments, and we feel sorry for Bart, but I don't see it as a huge triumph. B-
References to Time:
- Bart has a frog
- Bart has his lucky red hat
- Homer has a trick back
- Bart thought he had used all of his cherry bombs
- Bart meets Skinner's mother
- Bart will spend 3 months in France
- Homer says non of his kids never wanted to see him at work
- Maggie hasn't said her first word yet (at least, in the family's presence)
- Bart alerts the policeman after 2 months in France
- The FBI breaks into the Flanderses' house searching for Adil
- Bart brings gifts (his first unselfish act)
References to Previous Episodes: None
SLH Presence:
- SLH is present
Minimum Time Spanned: 3 days, 3 months (Maybe it starts on a Sunday?)
Canon: Agnes is very sweet towards Skinner and calls him Spanky. For the rest of this episode to makes sense with the episodes that follow, Bart will have to have studied abroad during 5th grade. But I sense trouble due to Agnes's non-canon presence.
Favorite Moment: When Homer falls down the stairs and winds up on his back, and the pets and Maggie just sleep around him.
Review: Eh, this episode isn't the greatest. It has a few funny moments, and we feel sorry for Bart, but I don't see it as a huge triumph. B-
Thursday, January 1, 2009
7G12 - Krusty Gets Busted (April 29, 1990)
Summary: Krusty the Clown is accused of armed robbery, but Bart believes he is innocent.
References to Time:
- Patty and Selma visit to bring slides from their trip to the Yucatan
- Homer knows Apu
- Homer kind of knows Krusty from TV
- Krusty began as a street mime in Mississippi
- Krusty has a pacemaker after a triple bypass
- Krusty is illiterate
- Bart and Lisa sent Krusty a get well card after his heart attack
- Maggie walks
References to Other Episodes: None
SLH Presence:
- SLH is not present
- Sideshow Bob is arrested for the first time
Minimum Time Spanned: 1 afternoon/evening, 5 days (Let's say Friday - Wednesday)
Canon: Krusty says "I didn't do it," like it's his catchphrase. Homer said Krusty had big red hair. Krusty's makeup comes off. Other than that, it can all be canon.
Favorite Moments:
- "Why did the clown cross the road? To rob a Kwik-E-Mart. The news story behind that engimatic half-joke, right after this commercial message."
- Krusty's lawyer, after Krusty is found guilty: "Gah! I knew it! This happens to me every time!"
Review: Great episode. I really like Sideshow Bob, and I love his introduction as an educated scholar, rather than buffoonish sidekick. There are a lot of great lines in this episode, so it was hard picking a favorite moment. And it was a nice "Bart and Lisa team up and solve a mystery" story. I can forgive the flaws of this episode. A+
References to Time:
- Patty and Selma visit to bring slides from their trip to the Yucatan
- Homer knows Apu
- Homer kind of knows Krusty from TV
- Krusty began as a street mime in Mississippi
- Krusty has a pacemaker after a triple bypass
- Krusty is illiterate
- Bart and Lisa sent Krusty a get well card after his heart attack
- Maggie walks
References to Other Episodes: None
SLH Presence:
- SLH is not present
- Sideshow Bob is arrested for the first time
Minimum Time Spanned: 1 afternoon/evening, 5 days (Let's say Friday - Wednesday)
Canon: Krusty says "I didn't do it," like it's his catchphrase. Homer said Krusty had big red hair. Krusty's makeup comes off. Other than that, it can all be canon.
Favorite Moments:
- "Why did the clown cross the road? To rob a Kwik-E-Mart. The news story behind that engimatic half-joke, right after this commercial message."
- Krusty's lawyer, after Krusty is found guilty: "Gah! I knew it! This happens to me every time!"
Review: Great episode. I really like Sideshow Bob, and I love his introduction as an educated scholar, rather than buffoonish sidekick. There are a lot of great lines in this episode, so it was hard picking a favorite moment. And it was a nice "Bart and Lisa team up and solve a mystery" story. I can forgive the flaws of this episode. A+
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