Bart's Inner Child
"Bart's Inner Child"
| ||
Episode Information
|
Plot
Homer sees an add for a trampoline in the Springfield Shopperand takes it from Krusty. He charges admission for the neighborhood kids to jump on it. When the kids get on it, however, they get injured, so Marge makes Homer get rid of the trampoline. Homer tells her that she's no fun, so, offended, she goes to her sisters' apartment to vent. Patty and Selma show Marge an infomercial starring Brad Goodman, a self-help guru. Taking his methods into practice, Homer and Marge improve their relationship.
When Goodman comes to Springfield for a seminar, Marge and Homer decide to take Bart to improve his behavior. During the seminar, Bart speaks out and disrupts Goodman's speech. Rather than get angry, however, Goodman embraces Bart's willingness to speak his mind and tells the citizens to be like Bart so they could be with their inner child. Though initially enjoying his role as a trendsetter, Bart feels as though he is losing his identity when everyone starts imitating his behavior (such as by speaking out in class and spitting off an overpass).
The citizens of Springfield hold a "Do What You Feel Festival" where everyone does what they feel. Unfortunately, this results in workers not doing their jobs, culminating in an ungreased Ferris wheel coming off its hinges and crashing into the zoo whereupon the animals escape and run amuck through town. People begin arguing with one another until they all decide to blame Bart. They form a mob to attack him, but Homer rescues him in a parade float. Giving up, the crowd decides to go to the old mill to get some cider.
Back home, the Simpsons discuss what they've learned. Homer believes the entire thing was Bart's fault for being a bad role model, while Marge states that self help should be left to people in big cities. Lisa, however, corrects them by saying anyone can achieve self help, but it has to be through a long process of self exploration, not through quick fix ideas. With that sorted out, the family watches McGarnagle, a show about a cop who solves crimes in his spare time.
Appearances
Characters
- Bart Simpson
- Lisa Simpson
- Marge Simpson
- Maggie Simpson
- Homer Simpson
- Snowball II
- Santa's Little Helper
- Krusty the Clown
- Ralph Wiggum
- Milhouse Van Houten
- Wendell Borton
- Martin Prince
- Sherri and Terri
- Lewis
- Nelson Muntz
- Janey Powell
- Kearney Zzyzwicz
- Jimbo Jones
- Rod Flanders
- Todd Flanders
- Otto Mann
- Richard
- Snake Jailbird
- Patty and Selma Bouvier
- Brad Goodman
- Troy McClure
- Elizabeth Hoover
- Julius Hibbert
- Edna Krabappel
- Sideshow Mel
- Dr. J. Loren Pryor
- Hans Moleman
- Joe Quimby
- Charles Montgomery Burns
- Waylon Smithers
- Apu Nahasapeemapetilon
- Lenny Leonard
- Moe Szyslak
- Ned Flanders
- Maude Flanders
- Seymour Skinner
- Agnes Skinner
- Barney Gumble
- Carl Carlson
- Kent Brockman
- Reverend Timothy Lovejoy
- Ms Leech
- Groundskeeper Willie
- Marvin Monroe
- Clancy Wiggum
- Captain Horatio McCallister
- Jamshed Nahasapeemapetilon
- Pahusacheta Nahasapeemapetilon
- Sanjay Nahasapeemapetilon
- Dave Shutton
- James Brown
- Professor Frink
- Lionel Hutz
- Dewey Largo
Locations
- 742 Evergreen Terrace
- Springfield Community Center
- First Church of Springfield
- Springfield Elementary School
Quotes
- Moe: They're heading for the old mill. Get 'em.
Homer: No we're not.
Moe: Well, let's go to the old mill anyway. Get some cider.
- Homer: (confronting the trampoline with a buzzsaw) Checkmate, Mr. Trampoline.
(Homer charges at the trampoline, screaming in rage, but the cord snaps back, not long enough, pulling him off his feet. He inadvertently tosses the buzzsaw in the air and it coils around the trampoline, along with its cord. Elsewhere, in the kitchen, the plug at the end of the cord is pulled out in the process, taking the socket and a large section of the kitchen wall with it.)
Homer: (leaning against the trampoline in resignation) All right. All right, you win for now. But someday you'll RUST! RUST I TELL YA! (He starts laughing insanely and falls to his knees, Bart approaches)
Bart: Dad. Dad! (Homer stops laughing) Do you really wanna get rid of this trampoline.
Homer: (sober) Uh-huh.
