A Test Before Trying
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"A Test Before Trying"
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Episode Information
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"A Test Before Trying" is the tenth episode of The Simpsons' 24th season. It first aired on January 13, 2013. This episode is dedicated to Huell Howser, who died on January 7, 2013 of prostate cancer. The episode won the Writers Guild Awards 2014 in the category of Animation.
Synopsis
Mr. Burns hikes up electricity prices, leaving most of Springfield unable to afford to use it as much as before. Springfield's schools cannot afford to use it as much either, and they decide to test every single student, and whichever school has the lowest test scores will close. Springfield Elementary gets the lowest test scores, but Lisa discovers that one student did not take the test and the school's fate will rely on his test scores: Bart's to be precise. Meanwhile, Homer uses a parking meter he found at the dump to fleece unwitting parkers of their quarters.
Plot
Mr. Burns raise electricity prices by 17%. Several residents and businesses in Springfield needs to start saving their power. The Simpson family is one of those that throw some of their household electrical items. The Springfield Elementary School also have problems with their economy after the increase the electricity prices and it is decided that the students of Springfield's district must doing a test and the school with the worst results forced to close. Homer is on the dumptser to the electrical itmens where he find an old parking meter that he brings Homer. The students at Springfield Elementary doing their test and after they the test was corrected was it concluded that school is the worst in the state. The students at Springfield Elementary are starting to sending to other schools in the area when Lisa finds out that Bart did not take the test. If he makes the test and pass it, he can raise the result and svaed the school.
Homer begins to skim the residents of Springfield on money by placing his parking meter. Bart is studying for the test he will doing the next day but he fell asleep and has not learned anything, he tells Seymour Skinner who makes so he gets an extra study day. Homer watching the news where they report that the police are chasing a person who had did parking scames and Homer realizes that the police are after him. The evening sees Lisa at Bart not studying and she yelling at him for being selfish. Bart falls asleep and dreams that the resident in Springfield are stupid and after he wakes up, he asks Lisa for help. Lisa tell him to answer what he thinks first if he not think of something he should answer B. Marge visit the Kwik-E-Mart while the Department of Standardized Testing proctor is there and she talks to her about how important the school is for the children. Homer continues walking the streets with their parking shame but get caught by the police and accidentally destroy his parking meters. He goes home where Marge discovers the coins which he amassed, and she gets him to throw the money into a wishing well. Bart doing the test but do not have time to answer the last question but an insect is sitting on the right answer when they checking his test on the last question and Bart get's right for it and make the test and the school does not close. Marge thanks the testing proctor for what she now did and she tell her that this was a test of her humanity.
Production
The music for the couch gag for this episode was left extremely late in production. On Thursday, January 10 (only 3 days before the episode was set to air), music editor Chris Ledesma was asked to come up with a new soundtrack for a new couch gag, which was replacing the current couch gag. Chris Ledesma had to start to score the music and get it ready for dubbing in only a few hours.[1]
Reception
The episode gathered 5.06 million viewers.[2]
"A Test Before Trying", along with "YOLO" and "Hardly Kirk-ing" was nominated for the Writers Guild of America Award in Animation in the 2014 awards.[3]
Promotional images
- A Test Before Trying promo 1.jpg
- A Test Before Trying promo 2.jpg
- A Test Before Trying promo 3.jpg
References
- ↑ Simpsons Music 500 - "It’s a Poor Workman Who Blames His Tools"
- ↑ TV By the Numbers - TV Ratings Sunday: 'Golden Globes' Up From Last Year, 'Once Upon a Time' Falls + 'Happy Endings', 'Revenge' & 'Don't Trust the B' Hit Lows (UPDATED)
- ↑ E! Online - "Breaking Bad and Orange Is the New Black Top Writers Guild TV Nominations"
