Lisa the Simpson
"Lisa the Simpson" is the seventeenth episode of The Simpsons' ninth season. The episode first aired on March 8, 1998.
Contents
Plot
Lisa tries to solve a brain teaser, and she fails. She also cannot solve a proper math question, and loses her saxophone technique. These things point to evidence that Lisa fears she is losing her gift of intelligence. When she tells about this to Grampa, he tells her that all the members of the Simpson family—including himself, Homer, and Bart—started smart at first, but later became dumber, as part of the "Simpson genes". Eventually, Lisa becomes dumb like the rest of the family, but she rejects her newfound idiocy.
She appears on Smartline and demands that the citizens of Springfield treasure their brains. As she does this, Homer brings all the Simpson family relatives to come to the house as an indication that the whole family is not a bunch of idiots. Lisa actually learns that when the relatives visit, all the men are stupid, and all the women are smart, and realizes that the "Simpson Gene" only exists on the Y chromosome. She regains her confidence in being smart, and solves the brain teaser that she could not solve before.
Meanwhile, Jasper visits the Kwik-E-Mart because he wants to freeze himself in the walk-in cooler so he can survive to see the future. Apu sees a money-making opportunity and advertising the frozen Jasper as "Frostilicus" renames the Kwik-E-Mart the Freak-E-Mart, which becomes a tourist trap. The Freak-E-Mart lasts briefly until the freezer fails, and Jasper thaws and emerges alive and well. Fearing he will lose his customers, Apu makes the Kwik-E-Mart into the Nude-E-Mart, a combination of a convenience store and a strip club.
Trivia
- Although many of the Simpsons' relatives appear in the episode, absent is Homer's half-brother Herb Powell, who appeared in the earlier episodes Oh Brother, Where Art Thou? and Brother, Can You Spare Two Dimes?. Most likely because he seems unaffected by the Simpson gene defect (he was born from a different mother, which would make him Homer's half-brother). His appearance would spoil the theory that all male members are affected.
- This episode also contradictes the episode Itchy & Scratchy: The Movie as the epilogue of said episode reveals that Bart becomes the Chief Justice of the Supreme court.
- Just before Lisa replies to the editorial on the news, Kent Brockman is shown with white hair, a blue tie, a tan shirt and a red jacket. When they cut back to him after the report, he has grey hair, a red tie, a white shirt and a brown jacket.
Quotes
- Apu: Come one, come all! See the amazing frozen man! Also gaze at the Frito found in a bag of Doritos. Marvel at the floor that just won't come clean!
- TV announcer: We now return to When Buildings Collapse on Non-Stop Fox!
- Television: Man has always loved his buildings, but what happens when the buildings say "no more".
(Images of buildings collapsing appear on the screen,set to the 1812 Overture. Bart and Homer cheer)
Homer: I didn't think it was gonna fall over!
(A castle explodes and the show ends)
Bart: The best part was when the buildings fell down!
Lisa: Yeah. Maybe people got hurt.
Homer: Hey, you're right. - Speaker: See the haunted ATM machine give out pictures of dead presidents!
- Guy: I'm sorry little girl, we just dont put people on TV, unless of course you're replying to an editorial...
Lisa: Uuh..I am! I'm strongly opposed to..proposition ah 3...0...5.
Guy: You're against discount bus fares for war widows?
Lisa: Uh..you bet I am! - Rod and Todd Flanders: Show me your...hey! (Ned covers their eyes)
Ned Flanders: It says, "Show me your tie." It's cute. Let's go!
- Grampa: Ah, she's just upset 'cause I told her her brain's turning to mush...on account of the Simpson gene.
- Unnamed Simpson cousin: I play millionaires at parties...at least I'd like to.
- Unnamed Simpson cousin: My legs hurt.
- Unnamed Simpson cousin: Um, I shoot birds at the airport.
- Great Uncle Chet: I run an unsucessful shrimp factory.
