Mr. Lisa Goes to Washington
"Mr. Lisa Goes to Washington"
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Episode Information
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Mr. Lisa Goes to Washington is the second episode of The Simpsons' third season which aired on September 26, 1991.
Synopsis
After a free copy of Reading Digest magazine is sent to the Simpson residence, Homer gets very interested in the magazine. When he sees the kids are loafing in front of the TV, he shuts it off and orders them to read a book instead. He also encourages Lisa to enter a contest in which an essay must be written about what makes America great. Lisa takes a trip to Springfield National Forest and is inspired to write her essay when she sees the forest's natural beauty and when a bald eagle lands right by the branch she is sitting under. Lisa's article is approved for entry in the national finals in Washington, DC after the contest judge observes Homer's poor vocabulary and realizes that he could not have written Lisa's essay for her.
While Bart and Homer abuse the all expense-paid perks of their trip, Lisa visits famous monuments for inspiration. At one particular monument, she overhears a bribe taking place about demolishing Springfield National Forest. Heartbroken and disillusioned by the dishonesty of government officials, Lisa tears up her essay and writes a more painful yet truthful essay to show the patriotic judges.
The new essay, entitled "Cesspool on the Potomac" disdains and condemns the government system, and mentions the names of those involved in the bribery. Lisa's essay causes a ruckus and elicits a hostile reaction from the judges and audience.
Of course, everyone is shocked by her speech, except for Bart, who likes it and wants Lisa to win the contest. Messages are quickly sent around the capital regarding Lisa's speech and the corrupt congressman is arrested and expelled from Congress. Lisa's essay does not win because of its content, but with the congressman arrested, her faith in government is restored. The episode ends with Bart slingshotting the pianist that he had found annoying.
Trivia
- In keeping with the mystery of which state Springfield is in, this episode gives misleading clues. The map shown during the essay reading montage shows Springfield's state as being NT. The junk mail Homer receives shows the state as TA, and an enigmatic 6-digit zip code of 192005.
- The office of the congressman from the state that Springfield is in sports a state seal. It depicts an ear of corn, a star, a beaver and a nuclear power symbol.
- Barbara Bush wears a pearl necklace in the bathtub.
- In Dulles Airport, there is a sign reading "Bus Info" and then a phone number. This was the real phone number of the Simpsons' Art Director, and was drawn there without his knowledge.
Cultural References
- The plot (and title) of this episode is a play on Frank Capra's Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.
- Among the Washington DC landmarks visited are Dulles Airport (which is actually located in Chantilly, Virginia), the Watergate Hotel (where the family stays), the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the IRS Building, the National Air and Space Museum, the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial and the Jefferson Memorial.
- Truong Van Dinh had already won both the Westinghouse Talent Search and the NFL Punt, Pass, and Kick competition.
- The piano-playing satirist at the end of the episode is a reference to Mark Russell and Tom Lehrer. The song "The Deficit Rag" is very similar to Lehrer's "The Vatican Rag".
- The woman's suffrage display Lisa visits is likely a parody of Susan B. Anthony. When Lisa mentions "she later appeared on the highly unpopular 75¢ piece" this is a reference to the Susan Anthony dollar coins, which were often mistaken for quarters by vending machines and cashiers.
- The banner that reads "Brevity is... wit" is a reference to a line in Hamlet where Polonius says: "brevity is the soul of wit". The joke is that the banner is applying greater wit by increasing the brevity of the original Shakespeare line.
- Bob Arnold tells Lisa that there are quite a few women senators, but Lisa asserts that there are only two. At the time of airing there were indeed only two female senators: Nancy Kassebaum of Kansas and Barbara Mikulski of Maryland.
- Then-President George H.W. Bush is featured briefly in this episode, and is portrayed in a positive, albeit hokey, light. Shortly after this episode aired, Bush disparaged The Simpsons in a speech. Thus, Bush appears in four later episodes (one of which is the season seven episode Two Bad Neighbors) in a much more negative light.
