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Bart's Inner Child

Wikisimpsons - The Simpsons Wiki
Season 5 Episode
087 "Marge on the Lam"
088
"Bart's Inner Child"
"Boy-Scoutz 'n the Hood" 089
"You see, folks, we're all trying to please someone else. And as soon as you're not a human be-ing, you're a human do-ing. Then what comes next?"
Brad Goodman, self-help guru
"A human go-ing!"
Bart Simpson, self-help critic
"Bart's Inner Child"
Bart'sInnerChild.png
Episode Information
Episode number: 88
Season number: S5 E7
Production code: 1F05
Original airdate: November 11, 1993
Couch gag: The couch is already occupied by a morbidly obese man, who slides over, giving the family little room to sit.
Guest star(s): Albert Brooks as Brad Goodman
James Brown as himself
Phil Hartman as Troy McClure
Showrunner(s): David Mirkin
Written by: George Meyer
Directed by: Bob Anderson
DVD features


"Bart's Inner Child" is the seventh episode of season 5 of The Simpsons and the eighty-eighth episode overall. It originally aired on November 11, 1993. The episode was written by George Meyer and directed by Bob Anderson. It guest stars Albert Brooks as Brad Goodman, James Brown as himself and Phil Hartman as Troy McClure.

Synopsis[edit]

"Bart accidentally has the entire town emulating his actions, thanks to a feel-good therapist. James Brown guest stars as himself."


Plot[edit]

Promo image for the episode

Homer sees an add for a trampoline in the Springfield Shopper and 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).

Kent Brockman does what he feels.
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 McGarnigale, a show about a cop who solves crimes in his spare time.

In other languages[edit]

Language Name Translation
Germany.png Deutsch "Bart, das innere Ich" Bart, the inner self
Italy Flag.png Italiano "Il fanciullo interiore di Bart" Bart's inner child
Ukraine flag.png Українська "Внутрішній голос Барта" Bart's inner voice
Flag of Japan.png 日本語 "バートを見ならえ!?" Imitate Bart!?


The Saga of Carl - title screen.png Wikisimpsons has a collection of images related to "Bart's Inner Child".
Season 5 Episodes
Homer's Barbershop Quartet Cape Feare Homer Goes to College Rosebud Treehouse of Horror IV Marge on the Lam Bart's Inner Child Boy-Scoutz 'n the Hood The Last Temptation of Homer $pringfield (Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Legalized Gambling) Homer the Vigilante Bart Gets Famous Homer and Apu Lisa vs. Malibu Stacy Deep Space Homer Homer Loves Flanders Bart Gets an Elephant Burns' Heir Sweet Seymour Skinner's Baadasssss Song The Boy Who Knew Too Much Lady Bouvier's Lover Secrets of a Successful Marriage