Bart Gets an "F"

"Bart Gets an F" is the first episode of The Simpsons' second season, airing on October 11, 1990. It managed over 33 million viewers, as the second highest rated to date, second only to "Who Shot Mr. Burns?".

Synopsis

When Bart presents his book report at school on Treasure Island, it is clear to everyone that he has not read the book. Mrs. Krabappel tests Bart by asking him to name the main pirate in the book. He cannot. She warns him that his grades have gotten steadily worse since the beginning of the term, and warns Bart of an exam on Colonial America tomorrow, but he does not pay attention to a word she says. Bart tries to study, but he frequently procrastinates in his time intended for studying.

When he wakes up the next day, he is worried he will flunk. He looks to Sherri and Terri for help while riding to school, and they offer him false answers in hopes that he will fail the test. Before the test, he "collapses" and sees the nurse, who suggests that Bart stay home because she believes he has amoria phlebitis. At home, Bart procrastinates again and calls Milhouse to see what answers he got. When he takes the test, Mrs. Krabappel tells him that he did worse than Milhouse. Homer and Marge have an interview with Mrs. Krabappel and the school's psychiatrist, Dr. J. Loren Pryor, who sees Bart as an underachiever and suggests that Bart be held back against his wishes. However, Bart is strongly against this idea, exclaiming "As God is my witness, I can pass the fourth grade!"

With Bart worried he might be held back, he looks to Martin for help. He helps Bart study, and Bart reciprocates by showing how to be more popular, which encourages him to take on some of Bart's bad attitudes. Bart reminds the "new" Martin about the test, but he ignores it, and now Bart must study on his own. He prays to God that something will happen to make him miss school the next day so he can have more time to study. It snows, and schools are closed, and after Lisa reminds him, he decides to study for the rest of the day, while everyone is outside having fun. Bart actually concentrates while he is studying, and as after he finishes the test, he asks Mrs. Krabappel to grade it now. She gives it back to him, and he sees that he got 59%, another F. Extremely upset at this failure after his honest effort, Bart breaks down over the fact that now he knows how George Washington felt when he surrendered Fort Necessity to the French in 1754, and the stunned Mrs. Krabappel realizes that he did study after all. She gives Bart an extra point for demonstrating applied knowledge, pushing his grade up to a D-. Bart then becomes so joyful about passing that he gives his teacher a kiss on the cheek. Homer proudly hangs it on the fridge, and Bart feel that "part of this D- belongs to God."

Trivia

• Mr Burns and Smithers are now in the introduction scene.
• When told to stay after class Bart must write " I will not fake my way through life" on the chalkboard.
• The name of the Itchy and Scratchy cartoon is " Let them eat Scratchy"
• Bart pretends to be sick so he doesn't have to write the test and the Nurse believes he has Amoria Phlebitis.
• Mayor Quimby proclaims that it is snowday, the funnest day in the history of Springfield.
• Benjamin Franklin's sled says Don't Sled on Me.
• Mrs Krabappel refers to her red marker as "Old Red".
• When the FOX network decided to show The Simpsons on Thursday at 8:00 P.M. EST against NBC's highly-rated The Cosby Show, many were expecting this to be a war for ratings. Surprisingly, this episode of The Simpsons drew higher ratings in its first airing than The Cosby Show, and it would lead to The Cosby Show's eventual cancellation in 1992.
• This is Mayor Quimby's first appearance.
• In 1999, Entertainment Weekly named this one of 100 moments in TV history of the 20th century.
• Despite passing the fourth grade, Bart, of course, remains in Mrs. Krabappel's class in all subsequent episodes, since virtually no time ever really passes on the show.
• This is the first episode with the show opening we know today.

Cultural References

• Bart gives Treasure Island (whose copy was "published by the good people at McGraw-Hill") a 9 on the Simpson scale of 1 to 10.
• The "gorilla-film" that Homer and Bart are watching is an obvious spoof on King Kong.
• Bart claims that, "As God as my witness, I can pass the fourth grade!" This is a reference to Gone with the Wind when Scarlett O'Hara says, "As God as my witness, I'll never be hungry again!"

Quotes

• Bart: Look at my eyes! See the sincerity? See the conviction? See the fear? As God is my witness, I can pass the fourth grade!
  Homer: And if you don't, at least you'll be bigger than the other kids. audio clip
• Bart: Good morning, girls.
  Sherri and Terri: Good morning, Bart.
  Bart: Say, who's up for a little cram session? I'll go first. What was the name of the Pilgrims' boat?
  Sherri: The Spirit of St. Louis.
  Bart: And where'd they land?
  Terri: Sunny Acapulco.
  Bart: And why'd they leave England?
  Sherri: Giant rats.
  Bart: (writing down the information in a notebook) Cool, history's coming alive. audio clip
• Nurse: What's the matter, son?
  Bart: Sharp, stabbing pains in my stomach.
  Nurse: Oh Dear, I've heard of this. (Scrambles up and pulls medical book from shelf. Opens book to Amoria Phlebitis, reads from symptoms) Do you feel a shooting pain in your arm?
  Bart: Both arms, ma'am.
  Nurse: Temporary loss of vision?
  Bart: Um...who said that? Come closer.
• Martin: The potential for mischief varies inversely with one’s proximity to the authority figure. (Holds up cue-card with the formula <math>M \propto \frac 1 {PA}</math>)
• Lisa: Prayer. The last refuge of a scoundrel.
• First Continental Congress Delegate: Hey, look everybody! John Hancock's writing his name in the snow!
• Homer: We're proud of you, boy!
  Bart: Thanks, Dad. But part of this D- belongs to God.