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For the location, see Kamp Krusty (location).

"Kamp Krusty"

Episode Information Showrunner: [[{{{showrunner}}}]] DVD features

Kamp Krusty is the sixtieth episode of The Simpsons and the first episode of the fourth season.

Synopsis

Bart and Lisa spend six weeks at Kamp Krusty. However, the camp is not what it seems, as Bart and Lisa quickly find out.

Plot

Act I

Bart dreams of the last day of school before summer vacation, whereby he, his fellow students, and the teaching faculty tear down Springfield Elementary School with chainsaws, flamethrowers, a bulldozer, and a wrecking ball. He is awoken by Homer who informs him that it really is the last day of school, much to Bart's joy.
Shortly after, at the breakfast table, Marge reminds Homer of his promise to the children; If they get a report card of at least a C average, the two of them can spend their summer at Kamp Krusty, a camp run by Krusty the Clown. While Lisa is certain her report card will be glowing, Bart is less than confident. "Now listen boy," Homer begins, "We have an understanding and you better keep your end of it. I don't think I'd be any kind of a father if you got D's and I let you go to Kamp Krusty."
Later that day, Lisa receives her report card, which contains all As except for a B+ in conduct. She brings this to Miss Hoover's attention and rather forcefully tries to get her to change it.
Meanwhile, across the hall, Bart is prancing back and forth as he waits for Mrs Krabappel to complete his report card. Bart tries to flatter her with compliments but fails to woo her enough to reconsider changing his final grades. She hands him his report card and Bart is horrified to see that he has got a D- in every subject. He explains to her that unless he gets a C average he won't be able to attend Kamp Krusty, to which Krabappel replies, "Have a D-elightful summer!" and chuckles.
It nears the end of the day, and both staff and students begin counting down the seconds until the bell signals the start of summer vacation. The bell rings and the students rush out of the school screaming and shouting excitedly. On the bus ride home, Bart attempts to alter Krabappel's grades from a D- to an A+. Lisa, who is sitting besides him, watches on and tells him to "at least forge plausible grades."
Now at home, Bart watches an advertisement for Kamp Krusty on the TV, in which Krusty promotes such activities as archery and wallet-making, as well as the fact that attendees get to spend the entire summer with himself. Bart gathers enough courage to show the report card to Homer, who quickly spots Bart's grade forgery, but allows Bart to attend Kamp Krusty regardless, adding, "I didn't want you hangin' around all summer anyway."

Act II

The next day, a group of parents send off their children as they board the bus for Kamp Krusty. Marge and Homer bid farewell to Bart and Lisa. As the bus begins to pull away, Bart warns his parents to avoid going in his room, while Lisa adds, "If the pets die, don't replace them. I'll know!" The parents wistfully watch the bus vanish into the distance. Once it disappears over the horizon, they jump for joy and pop open bottles of champagne.
The bus arrives at Kamp Krusty (after crossing an extremely unstable bridge) and the kids gather around to watch an introduction video. Shortly after, Kamp Krusty's director, Mr. Black, introduces himself and after a brief question-and-answer session, he presents the kids with their camp counselors, school-yard bullies Dolph, Jimbo and Kearny.
Kearny presents the kids with their grime-covered cabin, which is partially collapsed and home to various assorted wildlife, including chickens and snakes. "Here's your cabin. If you don't like it, T.S," Kearny exclaims, as he slams the door behind him. Lisa and her other campers look concerned, but Bart isn't worried, for the cabin contains a (dirt-covered) Krusty Brand Seal of Approval.
Later, the kids gather around a campfire, where the counselors make them roast pine-cones instead of marshmallows. Just then, Kearny throws another rubber tire onto the campfire and douses it with petrol, causing a huge flame to roar up into the air. The next morning, Lisa and several other kids in their swimming costumes stand at the edge of a nearby pier, looking down at a ragged canoe. Lisa asks if the canoe is safe, to which Kearny replies, "Well it ain't gettin' any safer." Just as she is about to step into the canoe, a vicious current of water breaks the canoe in two. Meanwhile, on the other side of the camp, at the secure "Chief Starving Bear Weight Loss Center", a drill sergeant gives his charges (pull-up bars) to a group of the overweight kids. Later, Dolph, Jimbo and Kearny force the campers to sing the camp song (which provides an over-generous representation of what the camp is really like). It's meal-time at the camp, and while the kids are fed gruel ("This is Krusty Brand Imitation Gruel. Nine out of ten orphans can't tell the difference"), in Mr. Black's cabin, a lavish feast is underway for just himself and his three counselors.
Back at the Simpson home, Homer reveals to Marge that since the kids have been away, he has lost five pounds and is beginning to grow new hair. The two embrace and dive under the bed sheets.
Meanwhile, Krusty the Clown is at Wimbledon. He enjoys a bowl of strawberries and cream as he watches the tennis match from what we learn to be the Royal Box. Her Royal Highness is not amused.
At Kamp Krusty, Kearny intercepts a letter from Marge addressed to Lisa and quickly munches down the jellybean cookies inclosed. Lisa composes a letter of her own to be sent home, in which she begins with, "I no longer fear Hell because I have been to Kamp Krusty." She goes on to describe the grim death marches and how their Arts n' Crafts centre is, in reality, a Dickensian work house. Lisa concludes, "SAVE US! SAVE US NOW!" and slips her letter to a man on horseback who accepts a flask of alcoholic beverage as payment.
The letter arrives home, where Homer and Marge enjoy the letter, and predict that, although she complains now, when they go to pick her up, she won't want to leave.
However, back at the camp, the cabin roof is blown off by forcefully strong winds and the campers cling on desperately to their beds to prevent being blown away. Bart announces, "Lisa, I've been thinking it over and next summer I'm getting a job."

Act III

Production

As described in the DVD commentary, the Kamp Krusty script was suggested by James L. Brooks as a possible Simpsons movie. However, due to problems with making the story long enough for an 80-minute film, the idea was dropped.^[1]

References

Wikisimpsons has a collection of images related to "Kamp Krusty".