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Bart vs. Thanksgiving

Wikisimpsons - The Simpsons Wiki
Season 2 Episode
019 "Dead Putting Society"
020
"Bart vs. Thanksgiving"
"Bart the Daredevil" 021
"Mom, I poured my heart into that centerpiece! [which Bart destroyed] Things like that always happen in this family."
Lisa Simpson
"Bart vs. Thanksgiving"
Bart vs Thanksgiving.png
Episode Information
Episode number: 20
Season number: S2 E7
Production code: 7F07
Original airdate: November 22, 1990
Chalkboard gag: "I will not do that thing with my tongue."
Guest star(s): Carol Kane as Maggie Simpson
Showrunner(s): James L. Brooks
Matt Groening
Sam Simon
Written by: George Meyer
Directed by: David Silverman
DVD features


"Bart vs. Thanksgiving" is the seventh episode of Season 2 of The Simpsons and the twentieth episode overall. It originally aired on November 22, 1990. The episode was written by George Meyer and directed by David Silverman. It guest stars Carol Kane as Maggie Simpson, although she was uncredited.

Synopsis[edit]

"It's Thanksgiving at the Simpsons place-with Homer betting on football and Marge's mother criticizing everything. Bart gets the entire family mad at him and he runs away from home. When he sees what life is like on the seedy side of town (and ends up on the evening news), he realizes how good things are for him and returns home."


Plot[edit]

It is Thanksgiving, and Lisa is making a centerpiece for Thanksgiving which honors the women Georgia O'Keefe, Susan B. Anthony and Marjory Stoneman Douglas (who worked her whole life to preserve the Florida Everglades). Meanwhile, Bart gets in Marge's way in the kitchen while she is trying to cook Thanksgiving dinner, while Homer watches Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and football on TV.

When the guests -– Abe, Patty, Selma, and Jacqueline Bouvier –- assemble at the table, Lisa brings in her carefully-crafted centerpiece and then shows it off. Bart brings in the turkey, and he complains that the centerpiece is blocking the only space for the turkey. Bart and Lisa get into a fight, and in the ensuing chaos, the centerpiece gets thrown in the fireplace and quickly burns up. Lisa runs to her room as she bursts into tears, and Bart's parents send him to his room as punishment. After Marge consoles Lisa, she tells Bart he can come downstairs to dinner on the condition he apologize. Bart scoffs and is told to stay in his room. Bart decides he does not have to take her punishment and decides to run away. Homer throws out Santa's Little Helper when he tries to eat the turkey, and Bart takes the dog with him.

First, Bart sneaks into Burns Manor, where he attempts to grab a baked pumpkin pie. However, Bart gets caught. He and Santa's Little Helper then wander to the seedy part of town, and Bart donates his blood-plasma at a blood bank for $12. Bart then goes to a soup kitchen, which is serving Thanksgiving dinner to homeless people. There, Kent Brockman is doing a report on the dinner, where he delivers a self-serving commentary on how the patrons – vagrants, the homeless and alcoholics – are forgotten on Thanksgiving. Later, Brockman interviews Bart, where – on live TV – he mocks his family and refuses to apologize. The family sees the report on TV, and Homer immediately calls the police, by calling the operator asking, "Get me the number for 9-1-1!".

As Bart walks out of the shelter, one of the bums asks Bart if he has got a home. Bart reveals he stays with his own home, and seeing how the bums need the money more than he does, offers the money he got from his blood donation to the bums. A remorseful Bart, realizing how he has more than the bums he shared Thanksgiving with, decides to return home. But once he arrives home, Bart considers what his family might say to him. He imagines himself being greeted warmly and offering an apology, but then they scornfully mock him and laugh in his face as he grovels an apology. Bart decides to wait outside a little bit longer to sort out his feelings.

Meanwhile, as Homer and Marge are interviewed by the police, Lisa is upstairs, writing in her diary and conceding defeat. She begins to cry, after which Bart – who is on the roof – calls her outside. They both discuss what happened, and Bart still refuses to apologize at the belief that he has done nothing wrong. Lisa tells him to look deeper. Bart comes to realize that he hurt her feelings by destroying something that she had considered. Bart apologizes and Lisa happily accepts and kisses him. Homer and Marge watch them from the window feeling pleased.

Finally, Homer leads the family in prayer, as they thank God for "one more crack at togetherness," as they enjoy an 11 p.m. Thanksgiving of leftovers and displaying the thankful spirit that was absent.

Production[edit]

Carol Kane voiced Maggie Simpson's line "It's your fault I can't talk.", although she wasn't credited.[1][2] She was uncredited because she did not want a credit.[3]

When Bart goes to donate blood to raise money, the scene was originally supposed to be longer and show the interior, with Bart having his blood taken. The scene was cut in the final version.[4]

In other languages[edit]

Language Name Translation
Germany.png Deutsch "Bart bleibt hart" Bart stays tough
Italy Flag.png Italiano "Bart sfida la festa del Ringraziamento" Bart challenges Thanksgiving's day
Brasil Flag.png Português "Bart Contra a Ação de Graças" Bart vs. Thanksgiving
Hungary flag.png Magyar "Bart és a Hálaadás" Bart and Thanksiving
Flag of Japan.png 日本語 "感謝祭の出来事" The Thanksgiving Incident

References[edit]


The Saga of Carl - title screen.png Wikisimpsons has a collection of images related to "Bart vs. Thanksgiving".
Season 2 Episodes
Bart Gets an "F" Simpson and Delilah Treehouse of Horror Two Cars in Every Garage and Three Eyes on Every Fish Dancin' Homer Dead Putting Society Bart vs. Thanksgiving Bart the Daredevil Itchy & Scratchy & Marge Bart Gets Hit by a Car One Fish, Two Fish, Blowfish, Blue Fish The Way We Was Homer vs. Lisa and the 8th Commandment Principal Charming Oh Brother, Where Art Thou? Bart's Dog Gets an "F" Old Money Brush with Greatness Lisa's Substitute The War of the Simpsons Three Men and a Comic Book Blood Feud