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Difference between revisions of "Bart of Darkness"

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{{episode
+
{{Tab}}
|image=Bartofdarkness.png
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{{EpisodePrevNext|Secrets of a Successful Marriage|Lisa's Rival}}
|productionCode=1F22
+
{{Episode
|originalAirdate=4 September, 1994
+
|image=Bart of Darkness promo.png
|blackboardText="Beans are neither fruit nor musical."
+
|number=104
|couchGag=The couch builds itself on top of the Simpsons.
+
|season=6
|specialGuestVoices=
+
|snumber=1
|Written By=[[Dan McGrath]]
+
|prodcode=1F22
|Directed By=[[Jim Reardon]]
+
|airdate=September 4, [[1994]]
 +
|blackboard="Beans are neither fruit nor musical."
 +
|couchgag=The couch builds itself on top of the Simpsons.
 +
|showrunner1= David Mirkin
 +
|writer=[[Dan McGrath]]
 +
|director=[[Jim Reardon]]
 +
|DVD features = yes
 
}}
 
}}
 +
 +
"'''Bart of Darkness'''" is the first episode of [[Season 6]] of ''[[The Simpsons]]'' and the one-hundred and fourth episode overall. It originally aired on September 4, [[1994]]. The episode was written by [[Dan McGrath]] and directed by [[Jim Reardon]].
 +
 +
== Synopsis ==
 +
{{Desc|After breaking his leg, [[Bart]] spends the Summer at his bedroom window, spying on the neighbors with a telescope. Bart finds the view boring until he sees [[Ned Flanders]] murdering his wife.}}
  
 
== Plot ==
 
== Plot ==
On a hot summers day a pool mobile stops by the Simpsons’ house which makes Bart and Lisa develop a taste for it. Bart and Lisa agreed that getting a pool is the only way to go. They make an offer to Homer he could not refuse. "Now, before you respond, you must understand that your refusal will result in months and months of - Can we have a pool, dad? Can we have a pool, dad? Can we have a pool, dad? Can we have a pool, dad? Can we have a pool, dad? Can we have a pool, dad?" and so on  
+
At the start of a very hot summer vacation, the Simpsons' fridge breaks after a failed attempt to beat the heat. Fortunately, Otto comes to their salvation with the [[Springfield Pool-Mobile]]. Bart and Lisa and the rest of the neighborhood kids enjoy the pool time until Otto tells them that their time is up and that the city doesn't have enough money in the budget to come back. Upon hearing this, Bart and Lisa convince Homer, rather easily, to buy them a pool. The Simpsons buy a pool kit from [[Pool Sharks]]. On their first try, they mistakenly build a barn instead of a pool, which an [[Amish man]] admires, but which frustrates the family because they still can't go swimming. On the second try, the Simpsons build a proper pool and suddenly Bart and Lisa become the most popular kids in the neighborhood. All the kids at Springfield Elementary, as well as kids they don't know (and who also don't know them), show up at the Simpsons house every day to swim. However, when Bart is dared to jump from his treehouse into the pool, he gets distracted by Nelson ("Your ''epidermis'' is showing!") and falls and breaks his leg. Bart is forced to stay indoors with a cast on his leg while Lisa enjoys her newfound popularity with the other kids swimming in their pool. Marge and Lisa soon take notice that Bart is becoming isolated and weird. To suppress Bart's sudden paranoia, Lisa gives Bart her telescope for something to do. He first comes to the conclusion that the universe is boring and instead uses the telescope to spy on Springfield residents. He finds nothing even remotely interesting to spy on, until he hears a female scream and spots Ned Flanders burying something in his backyard.
  
The Simpsons agree to get their own pool which attracts many kids. While attempting to jump from the roof of the treehouse, Bart falls and breaks his leg. Bart has to miss the summer and stays in his room and starts acting strangely.  Lisa becomes popular but gives Bart a telescope. While spying on the neighbourhood, Bart sees various signs that Ned Flanders has killed his wife Maude. Martin gets a bigger pool than Lisa and all the kids leave. Lisa now has time for Bart and breaks into Ned’s house to find evidence of Maude's murder. Ned comes home with an axe and Bart tries to save Lisa. Maude is revealed to have been at bible camp and Ned actually killed Maude's plant.
+
After hearing a conversation between Ned and Rod and Todd, Bart thinks that Ned will kill them too. When Lisa becomes unpopular again when Martin Prince sets up a better pool in his backyard, Bart convinces Lisa to sneak into Flanders's house and snoop around for evidence. However, Bart sees Ned coming into his house with an axe. Certain that Ned intends to kill Lisa, Bart tries to call 911, but only gets an answer from an automated recording. Bart decides to save Lisa on his own and struggles to get down the stairs and out the door, encountering many setbacks on the way to Ned's house. Meanwhile, Lisa becomes aware that Ned has returned home and is carrying an axe. She hides in the attic and Ned follows her. Bart arrives just in time for Ned to put the axe on a mount on the wall. He is dumbfounded when he sees Bart, who demands to know why he killed his wife. Ned is shocked to hear Bart say that he murdered his wife and passes out.
  
 +
The police arrive to the scene with both families, including Maude. Maude explains that she was actually at Bible camp for a week, learning how to be more judgmental. When Bart asks Ned about the "murder" that he saw, Ned breaks down and says that he accidentally overwatered Maude's favorite ficus plant, panicked, and then buried the remains; he had planned on replacing it before Maude got home. Bart then asks about the woman that he heard scream, and Ned says that he can't explain that. When Lou digs up Maude's dead ficus, Ned lets out a shrill-like scream. Bart then concludes that everything is normal.
 +
 +
Meanwhile at Martin's house, his pool becomes too overcrowded and bursts. Everyone leaves and Martin becomes unpopular again. Before the credits roll, Nelson rips his swimming trunks off.
 +
 +
== Production ==
 +
Dan McGrath wrote the episode and Jim Reardon directed. Originally produced and planned to air as part of [[Season 5]], this plan fell through when the Film Roman studio (who animate the show) was damaged in Northridge earthquake of 1994. Because of this, the writers and animators had to move to a temporary studio, which delayed production. The episode was later broadcast as part of [[Season 6]].
 +
 +
It should be noted that Ned Flanders' (rather feminine) scream was performed by voice actress Tress MacNeille and not his regular voice actor Harry Shearer - one of the few times in the series where such a thing has happened.
 +
== In other languages ==
 +
{{LanguageBox
 +
|de=yes
 +
|deName=Ein grausiger Verdacht
 +
|deTrans=A terrible suspicion
 +
|es=yes
 +
|esName=Bart de Oscuridad
 +
|esTrans=Bart of Darkness
 +
|la=yes
 +
|laName=El diabólico Bart
 +
|laTrans=The devilish Bart
 +
|fr=yes
 +
|frName=Bart des ténèbres
 +
|frTrans=Bart of Darkness
 +
|qu=yes
 +
|quName=Bart des ténèbres
 +
|quTrans=Bart of Darkness
 +
|it=yes
 +
|itName=La finestra sul giardino
 +
|itTrans=The window on the garden
 +
}}
 +
== Reception ==
 +
The episode received positive reviews from critics and was generally named "a great start to the season". Warren Martyn and Adrian Wood, authors of the book I Can't Believe It's a Bigger and Better Updated Unofficial Simpsons Guide, called it a "fine episode" and found that the "eventual explanation for Flanders' murderous behavior is hilarious."
 +
 +
{{Images|ep=yes}}
 
{{Season 6}}
 
{{Season 6}}
  
[[Category:Episodes]]
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[[Category:1994]]
[[Category:Season 6]]
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[[Category:Season premieres]]
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[[Category:Lisa episodes]]
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[[Category:Bart episodes]]
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[[Category:Ned Flanders episodes]]
 +
[[Category:Episodes written by Dan McGrath]]
 +
[[Category:Episodes directed by Jim Reardon]]
 +
 
 +
 
 +
[[sv:Bart of Darkness]]

Latest revision as of 11:10, August 30, 2024

Season 6 Episode
103 "Secrets of a Successful Marriage"
104
"Bart of Darkness"
"Lisa's Rival" 105
"Bart of Darkness"
Bart of Darkness promo.png
Episode Information
Episode number: 104
Season number: S6 E1
Production code: 1F22
Original airdate: September 4, 1994
Chalkboard gag: "Beans are neither fruit nor musical."
Couch gag: The couch builds itself on top of the Simpsons.
Showrunner: David Mirkin
Written by: Dan McGrath
Directed by: Jim Reardon
DVD features


"Bart of Darkness" is the first episode of Season 6 of The Simpsons and the one-hundred and fourth episode overall. It originally aired on September 4, 1994. The episode was written by Dan McGrath and directed by Jim Reardon.

Synopsis[edit]

"After breaking his leg, Bart spends the Summer at his bedroom window, spying on the neighbors with a telescope. Bart finds the view boring until he sees Ned Flanders murdering his wife."


Plot[edit]

At the start of a very hot summer vacation, the Simpsons' fridge breaks after a failed attempt to beat the heat. Fortunately, Otto comes to their salvation with the Springfield Pool-Mobile. Bart and Lisa and the rest of the neighborhood kids enjoy the pool time until Otto tells them that their time is up and that the city doesn't have enough money in the budget to come back. Upon hearing this, Bart and Lisa convince Homer, rather easily, to buy them a pool. The Simpsons buy a pool kit from Pool Sharks. On their first try, they mistakenly build a barn instead of a pool, which an Amish man admires, but which frustrates the family because they still can't go swimming. On the second try, the Simpsons build a proper pool and suddenly Bart and Lisa become the most popular kids in the neighborhood. All the kids at Springfield Elementary, as well as kids they don't know (and who also don't know them), show up at the Simpsons house every day to swim. However, when Bart is dared to jump from his treehouse into the pool, he gets distracted by Nelson ("Your epidermis is showing!") and falls and breaks his leg. Bart is forced to stay indoors with a cast on his leg while Lisa enjoys her newfound popularity with the other kids swimming in their pool. Marge and Lisa soon take notice that Bart is becoming isolated and weird. To suppress Bart's sudden paranoia, Lisa gives Bart her telescope for something to do. He first comes to the conclusion that the universe is boring and instead uses the telescope to spy on Springfield residents. He finds nothing even remotely interesting to spy on, until he hears a female scream and spots Ned Flanders burying something in his backyard.

After hearing a conversation between Ned and Rod and Todd, Bart thinks that Ned will kill them too. When Lisa becomes unpopular again when Martin Prince sets up a better pool in his backyard, Bart convinces Lisa to sneak into Flanders's house and snoop around for evidence. However, Bart sees Ned coming into his house with an axe. Certain that Ned intends to kill Lisa, Bart tries to call 911, but only gets an answer from an automated recording. Bart decides to save Lisa on his own and struggles to get down the stairs and out the door, encountering many setbacks on the way to Ned's house. Meanwhile, Lisa becomes aware that Ned has returned home and is carrying an axe. She hides in the attic and Ned follows her. Bart arrives just in time for Ned to put the axe on a mount on the wall. He is dumbfounded when he sees Bart, who demands to know why he killed his wife. Ned is shocked to hear Bart say that he murdered his wife and passes out.

The police arrive to the scene with both families, including Maude. Maude explains that she was actually at Bible camp for a week, learning how to be more judgmental. When Bart asks Ned about the "murder" that he saw, Ned breaks down and says that he accidentally overwatered Maude's favorite ficus plant, panicked, and then buried the remains; he had planned on replacing it before Maude got home. Bart then asks about the woman that he heard scream, and Ned says that he can't explain that. When Lou digs up Maude's dead ficus, Ned lets out a shrill-like scream. Bart then concludes that everything is normal.

Meanwhile at Martin's house, his pool becomes too overcrowded and bursts. Everyone leaves and Martin becomes unpopular again. Before the credits roll, Nelson rips his swimming trunks off.

Production[edit]

Dan McGrath wrote the episode and Jim Reardon directed. Originally produced and planned to air as part of Season 5, this plan fell through when the Film Roman studio (who animate the show) was damaged in Northridge earthquake of 1994. Because of this, the writers and animators had to move to a temporary studio, which delayed production. The episode was later broadcast as part of Season 6.

It should be noted that Ned Flanders' (rather feminine) scream was performed by voice actress Tress MacNeille and not his regular voice actor Harry Shearer - one of the few times in the series where such a thing has happened.

In other languages[edit]

Language Name Translation
Germany.png Deutsch "Ein grausiger Verdacht" A terrible suspicion
Spain flag.png Español "Bart de Oscuridad" Bart of Darkness
Hispanic America.gif Español "El diabólico Bart" The devilish Bart
France.png Français "Bart des ténèbres" Bart of Darkness
Flag of Quebec.svg.png Français "Bart des ténèbres" Bart of Darkness
Italy Flag.png Italiano "La finestra sul giardino" The window on the garden

Reception[edit]

The episode received positive reviews from critics and was generally named "a great start to the season". Warren Martyn and Adrian Wood, authors of the book I Can't Believe It's a Bigger and Better Updated Unofficial Simpsons Guide, called it a "fine episode" and found that the "eventual explanation for Flanders' murderous behavior is hilarious."


The Saga of Carl - title screen.png Wikisimpsons has a collection of images related to "Bart of Darkness".
Season 6 Episodes
Bart of Darkness Lisa's Rival Another Simpsons Clip Show Itchy & Scratchy Land Sideshow Bob Roberts Treehouse of Horror V Bart's Girlfriend Lisa on Ice Homer Badman Grampa vs. Sexual Inadequacy Fear of Flying Homer the Great And Maggie Makes Three Bart's Comet Homie the Clown Bart vs. Australia Homer vs. Patty and Selma A Star Is Burns Lisa's Wedding Two Dozen and One Greyhounds The PTA Disbands 'Round Springfield The Springfield Connection Lemon of Troy Who Shot Mr. Burns? (Part One)