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Difference between revisions of "The Secret War of Lisa Simpson"

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{{Episode
 
|image=The Secret War of Lisa Simpson promo.png
 
|image=The Secret War of Lisa Simpson promo.png
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|productionCode= 4F21
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|number= 178
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|originalAirdate= May 18, [[1997]]
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|season=8
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|blackboardText=
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|snumber=25
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|Episode Number= 178
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|prodcode= 4F21
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|couchGag= The room is upside-down. The family runs in on the ceiling and sit down on the couch, until they fall to the "real" ground.
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|airdate= May 18, [[1997]]
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|Show Runner= [[Bill Oakley]] <br/> [[Josh Weinstein]]
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|blackboard=
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|specialGuestVoices= [[Willem Dafoe]] as [[Military school commandant]]
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|couchgag= The room is upside-down. The family runs in on the ceiling and sit down on the couch, until they fall to the "real" ground.
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|Written By= [[Richard Appel]]
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|showrunner1= Bill Oakley
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|Directed By= [[Mike B. Anderson]]
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|showrunner2= Josh Weinstein
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|guests= [[Willem Dafoe]] as {{ap|The Commandant|The Secret War of Lisa Simpson}}
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|writer= [[Richard Appel]]
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|director= [[Mike B. Anderson]]
 
|DVD features=yes
 
|DVD features=yes
 
}}
 
}}
  
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"'''The Secret War of Lisa Simpson'''" is the twenty-fifth episode of [[season 8]] that aired on May 18, 1997. The episode was written by [[Richard Appel]] and directed by [[Mike B. Anderson]]. [[Willem Dafoe]] guest stars.
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"'''The Secret War of Lisa Simpson'''" is the twenty-fifth and final episode of [[season 8]] of ''[[The Simpsons]]'' and the one-hundred and seventy-eighth episode overall. It originally aired on May 18, [[1997]]. The episode was written by [[Richard Appel]] and directed by [[Mike B. Anderson]]. It guest stars [[Willem Dafoe]] as {{ap|The Commandant|The Secret War of Lisa Simpson}}.
  
 
== Synopsis ==
 
== Synopsis ==
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After [[Bart]] smashes everyone's windows in town at once with a speakerphone, he is sent to military school. [[Lisa]] decides she wants to go and is determined to stick it out as the only girl at boot camp.
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{{Desc|After [[Bart]] destroys the windows in town with several megaphones, he is sent to military school. [[Lisa]] decides she wants to go and is determined to stick it out as the only girl at boot camp.}}
  
 
== Plot ==
 
== Plot ==
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Lisa confronts Principal Skinner at school, concerned that lessons spent watching videos aren't helping her realize her full potential, but is rebuffed by Skinner telling her that if he did make it harder other students would be in his office about the curriculum like she is. Meanwhile, Bart manages to link up several police megaphones together and then says "testing" into one. The word is amplified by the megaphone which is further amplified by the next and so on until a sonic shockwave is realised that's powerful enough to shatter every piece of glass in town and renders the population temporarily deaf, [[Homer]] and [[Marge]] decide to take [[Chief Wiggum]]'s advice and put him in [[Rommelwood Military School]] (luring Bart into the car with the lie that they're going to {{W|Disneyland Park (Anaheim)|Disneyland}}). Bart does not want to be there from the get-go, but [[Lisa]] sees the education the cadets receive and decides to stay there with him. Marge tells Lisa that if she wants to quit and come home at any time she can, while ignoring Bart's please for just that
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The [[Springfield Elementary School]] fourth grade class goes to the [[Springfield Police Station]] for a class field trip, but finds that the station is locked. [[Chief Wiggum]] then pulls up in a [[police car]], still getting ready for work. Wiggum then shows the class around the station, including the Museum of Crime. Meanwhile, at school, [[Miss Hoover]]'s class are watching videos instead of doing anything productive. When [[Lisa]] goes to complain about this to [[Principal Skinner]], her complaints are dismissed.
  
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Both of them get a hard time from the other cadets: Bart starts to fit in after a while, the others calling him a "natural solider," while Lisa, the first female ever to join the academy, remains an outcast despite enduring the same hazing as her brother. Bart tries to keep her spirits up, while keeping the fact that he cares about her a secret from the others.
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[[File:Cheer Up Lisa - The Secret War of Lisa Simpson.png|thumb|left|Bart tries to cheer Lisa up.]]
 +
At the police station, the class is shown around the communications room. As they move onto the next room, Bart notices a wall with nothing but megaphones hanging on it. Bart then lines up all the megaphones and says "testing" into them, which creates a shockwave that spreads through [[Springfield]]. Bart is taken home by Chief Wiggum, who then suggests military school as an option to deal with Bart's bad behavior. [[Homer]] and [[Marge]] like this idea and decide to take him to [[Rommelwood Military School]].
  
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At the end of term, a final challenge awaits all the students; they must pass a physical test called "The Eliminator." In the Commandant's own words, it's a "150 foot hand-over-hand crawl across a 60 gauge Hemp-Jute line with a blister factor of 12. The rope is suspended a full 40 feet over a solid British acre of Old Growth Connecticut Valley Thorn Bushes." Bart helps Lisa to train in secret. The others cheer when she nearly falls off, and Bart starts calling out helpful thing such as, "C'mon, you can do it!" and "I believe in you Lisa!" They both pass, and Lisa receives a medal for "Satisfactory Completion of the Second Grade."
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As the family is shown around the military school, Lisa decides that she wants to attend too. She asks {{ap|The Commandant|The Secret War of Lisa Simpson}} if she could attend, and he agrees to let her be the first female cadet the school has. Marge tells Lisa that she can quit anytime she wants, but doesn't let Bart have the same option. Due to Lisa being female, the cadets are kicked out of their dorm and moved to L company's dorm so that a girls' dorm can be made. This annoys the other cadets who decide they will haze Bart and Lisa to get them to quit.
  
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Homer and Marge pick up Bart and Lisa from school, and agree to take them to Disneyland for real. But it turns out they've been tricked agan, as they're being taken to a dentist—which makes Bart and Lisa sad, but Homer and Marge find to be funny.
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Bart and Lisa are made to do pushups in the mud, clean the school's statue with toothbrushes, and are strapped to the propellers of a plane. After going through the hazing, Bart is accepted as one of the cadets, whilst Lisa is still left as an outcast. Lisa also struggles with some of the more physical lessons at the school. When Lisa starts to get sick of everything, she calls home, but Homer doesn't answer the phone. She then calls [[Grampa]] just to talk to him. After calling Grampa, Lisa checks the mail and finds that she got a tape from Marge. She tries to get Bart to listen to it with her, but Bart stays with the other cadets instead. Lisa listens to the tape alone as she falls asleep.
 +
 
 +
The next day, Bart apologizes to Lisa for shutting her out and tells her that he'll help her in secret to train for The Eliminator, the final challenge before graduation. Bart and Lisa train at night in secret so Bart doesn't let the other cadets know he's helping her. Eventually, the day of The Eliminator comes along and every cadet makes it until it's Lisa's turn. Lisa starts to struggle and loses her grip on the rope, which excites the other cadets as they want to see her fall. Bart then decides to cheer Lisa on and encourage her to do it. With Bart cheering for her, Lisa manages to make it across the rope. The cadets then vow to make the rest of the school year hell for Bart and Lisa, but realize that graduation is in three hours. After graduation, Lisa is given a medal by The Commandant and Homer and Marge pick up Bart and Lisa to take them to [[Disneyland]]. However, they take the kids to the dentist instead.
 +
 
 +
== Production ==
 +
The idea of Bart and Lisa going to military school had been around since [[1991]], but the episode wasn't made as they didn't think the idea worked at the time. The plot about Lisa joining the military school was partly based on the fact that real-world military schools were being made to accept female students at the time the episode was written. This was reflected in The Commandant's speech before he accepted Lisa as a student.<ref name="Weinstein">{{Com|Weinstein, Jeff|The Secret War of Lisa Simpson|Eighth|(2006).|link=Josh Weinstein}}</ref>
 +
 
 +
A short of Lisa blinking had to be added the Friday before the episode aired because there was an error with the scene which they only noticed that close to airing. The shot was animated, painted and shot all within the day and was edited into the final episode by that night.<ref name="Anderson">{{Com|Anderson, Mike B.|The Secret War of Lisa Simpson|Eighth|(2006).|link=Mike B. Anderson}}</ref> The cadet [[Franklin]] had more lines in the episode. However, the producers cut most of his scenes as they thought they were too weird and creepy.<ref name="Smith">{{Com|Smith, Yeardley|The Secret War of Lisa Simpson|Eighth|(2006).|link=Yeardley Smith}}</ref>
 +
 
 +
The waxwork of a hippie eating a baby in a sandwich was a reference to an urban legend that the producers had heard where a person supposedly got stoned and ate a baby in a sandwich.<ref name="Weinstein"/> Cadet {{ap|Anderson|The Secret War of Lisa Simpson}}'s design was based on and he was named after director [[Mike B. Anderson]].<ref name="Anderson"/>
 +
 
 +
== Reception ==
 +
Zack Handlen of ''{{W|The A.V. Club}}'' praises the episode's "simplicity and fundamental sweetness". He also calls the ending of the episode where Bart cheers for Lisa "a sweet, satisfying conclusion". However, he also says that the relation arc between Bart and Lisa "doesn't hold much in the way of surprises".<ref>[https://www.avclub.com/the-simpsons-classic-the-secret-war-of-lisa-simpson-1798183582 The A.V. Club - "The Simpsons (Classic): "The Secret War Of Lisa Simpson""]</ref>
 +
 
 +
As of May [[2023]], the episode has a 7.8 rating on {{W|IMDb}}.<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0701259/ IMDb - "The Secret War of Lisa Simpson"]</ref>
 +
 
 +
== References ==
 +
{{Reflist}}
  
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== Gallery ==
 
 
{{Images|ep=yes}}
 
{{Images|ep=yes}}
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<gallery>
 
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File:Cheer Up Lisa - The Secret War of Lisa Simpson.png|
 
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</gallery>
 
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{{season 8}}
 
{{season 8}}
 
{{DEFAULTSORT:Secret War of Lisa Simpson, The}}
 
{{DEFAULTSORT:Secret War of Lisa Simpson, The}}

Latest revision as of 12:24, April 14, 2024

Season 8 Episode
← 177 "The Simpsons Spin-Off Showcase"
178
"The Secret War of Lisa Simpson"
"The City of New York vs. Homer Simpson" 179 →
"The Secret War of Lisa Simpson"
The Secret War of Lisa Simpson promo.png
Episode Information
Episode number: 178
Season number: S8 E25
Production code: 4F21
Original airdate: May 18, 1997
Couch gag: The room is upside-down. The family runs in on the ceiling and sit down on the couch, until they fall to the "real" ground.
Guest star(s): Willem Dafoe as The Commandant
Showrunners: Bill Oakley
Josh Weinstein
Written by: Richard Appel
Directed by: Mike B. Anderson
DVD features


"The Secret War of Lisa Simpson" is the twenty-fifth and final episode of season 8 of The Simpsons and the one-hundred and seventy-eighth episode overall. It originally aired on May 18, 1997. The episode was written by Richard Appel and directed by Mike B. Anderson. It guest stars Willem Dafoe as The Commandant.

Synopsis[edit]

"After Bart destroys the windows in town with several megaphones, he is sent to military school. Lisa decides she wants to go and is determined to stick it out as the only girl at boot camp."


Plot[edit]

The Springfield Elementary School fourth grade class goes to the Springfield Police Station for a class field trip, but finds that the station is locked. Chief Wiggum then pulls up in a police car, still getting ready for work. Wiggum then shows the class around the station, including the Museum of Crime. Meanwhile, at school, Miss Hoover's class are watching videos instead of doing anything productive. When Lisa goes to complain about this to Principal Skinner, her complaints are dismissed.

Bart tries to cheer Lisa up.

At the police station, the class is shown around the communications room. As they move onto the next room, Bart notices a wall with nothing but megaphones hanging on it. Bart then lines up all the megaphones and says "testing" into them, which creates a shockwave that spreads through Springfield. Bart is taken home by Chief Wiggum, who then suggests military school as an option to deal with Bart's bad behavior. Homer and Marge like this idea and decide to take him to Rommelwood Military School.

As the family is shown around the military school, Lisa decides that she wants to attend too. She asks The Commandant if she could attend, and he agrees to let her be the first female cadet the school has. Marge tells Lisa that she can quit anytime she wants, but doesn't let Bart have the same option. Due to Lisa being female, the cadets are kicked out of their dorm and moved to L company's dorm so that a girls' dorm can be made. This annoys the other cadets who decide they will haze Bart and Lisa to get them to quit.

Bart and Lisa are made to do pushups in the mud, clean the school's statue with toothbrushes, and are strapped to the propellers of a plane. After going through the hazing, Bart is accepted as one of the cadets, whilst Lisa is still left as an outcast. Lisa also struggles with some of the more physical lessons at the school. When Lisa starts to get sick of everything, she calls home, but Homer doesn't answer the phone. She then calls Grampa just to talk to him. After calling Grampa, Lisa checks the mail and finds that she got a tape from Marge. She tries to get Bart to listen to it with her, but Bart stays with the other cadets instead. Lisa listens to the tape alone as she falls asleep.

The next day, Bart apologizes to Lisa for shutting her out and tells her that he'll help her in secret to train for The Eliminator, the final challenge before graduation. Bart and Lisa train at night in secret so Bart doesn't let the other cadets know he's helping her. Eventually, the day of The Eliminator comes along and every cadet makes it until it's Lisa's turn. Lisa starts to struggle and loses her grip on the rope, which excites the other cadets as they want to see her fall. Bart then decides to cheer Lisa on and encourage her to do it. With Bart cheering for her, Lisa manages to make it across the rope. The cadets then vow to make the rest of the school year hell for Bart and Lisa, but realize that graduation is in three hours. After graduation, Lisa is given a medal by The Commandant and Homer and Marge pick up Bart and Lisa to take them to Disneyland. However, they take the kids to the dentist instead.

Production[edit]

The idea of Bart and Lisa going to military school had been around since 1991, but the episode wasn't made as they didn't think the idea worked at the time. The plot about Lisa joining the military school was partly based on the fact that real-world military schools were being made to accept female students at the time the episode was written. This was reflected in The Commandant's speech before he accepted Lisa as a student.[1]

A short of Lisa blinking had to be added the Friday before the episode aired because there was an error with the scene which they only noticed that close to airing. The shot was animated, painted and shot all within the day and was edited into the final episode by that night.[2] The cadet Franklin had more lines in the episode. However, the producers cut most of his scenes as they thought they were too weird and creepy.[3]

The waxwork of a hippie eating a baby in a sandwich was a reference to an urban legend that the producers had heard where a person supposedly got stoned and ate a baby in a sandwich.[1] Cadet Anderson's design was based on and he was named after director Mike B. Anderson.[2]

Reception[edit]

Zack Handlen of The A.V. Club praises the episode's "simplicity and fundamental sweetness". He also calls the ending of the episode where Bart cheers for Lisa "a sweet, satisfying conclusion". However, he also says that the relation arc between Bart and Lisa "doesn't hold much in the way of surprises".[4]

As of May 2023, the episode has a 7.8 rating on IMDb.[5]

References[edit]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Weinstein, Jeff (2006). Commentary for "The Secret War of Lisa Simpson", in The Simpsons: The Complete Eighth Season.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Anderson, Mike B. (2006). Commentary for "The Secret War of Lisa Simpson", in The Simpsons: The Complete Eighth Season.
  3. ↑ Smith, Yeardley (2006). Commentary for "The Secret War of Lisa Simpson", in The Simpsons: The Complete Eighth Season.
  4. ↑ The A.V. Club - "The Simpsons (Classic): "The Secret War Of Lisa Simpson""
  5. ↑ IMDb - "The Secret War of Lisa Simpson"


The Saga of Carl - title screen.png Wikisimpsons has a collection of images related to "The Secret War of Lisa Simpson".
Season 8 Episodes
Treehouse of Horror VII • You Only Move Twice • The Homer They Fall • Burns, Baby Burns • Bart After Dark • A Milhouse Divided • Lisa's Date with Density • Hurricane Neddy • El Viaje Misterioso de Nuestro Jomer • The Springfield Files • The Twisted World of Marge Simpson • Mountain of Madness • Simpsoncalifragilisticexpiala(Annoyed Grunt)cious • The Itchy & Scratchy & Poochie Show • Homer's Phobia • Brother from Another Series • My Sister, My Sitter • Homer vs. the Eighteenth Amendment • Grade School Confidential • The Canine Mutiny • The Old Man and the Lisa • In Marge We Trust • Homer's Enemy • The Simpsons Spin-Off Showcase • The Secret War of Lisa Simpson
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