After an very solid Christmas episode, we get our first normal Simpsons episode in early 1990. This episode is mostly about Bart, another fan favourite character that will spark the Simpson-mania in the later parts of the year.
The episode begins with the very first chalkboard gag, which illustrates the pointlessness and stupidity of making children write lines on the chalkboard with Bart writing "I will not waste chalk", and quickly transitions into the continued introduction of Bart: a boy who is truly a little hellion, causing troubles here and there in the playground, but really just doing all that not with bad intentions, but just for fun. When Martin Prince sells him out to Principal Skinner for vandalising school property, he is sent to detention. But before all of that, we get our very first look at Martin Prince, another character who, in the later years will become a mere robot spewing one liners, but in the classical era portrayed as a smart, learnt genius child who never intended to be pretentious, but just merely doing what he thinks is right and saying what he feels like.
During an aptitude test, which is portrayed just as pointless and stupid as writing lines on the chalkboard (This test will merely determine your future career and financial status, if any), Bart is completely overwhelmed by the confusing wording of the test and falls off the chair. In a petty vengeance against his natural enemy Martin Prince for selling him out to Principal Skinner, he switches his aptitude test with the genius boy. During the detention, Homer and Marge is told that Bart has 216 IQ and transferred to another "school for geniuses".
The genius school is truly as pretentious as its name. The "Enriched Learning Centre For Gifted Children" is a great criticism of some of the private schools in today's society. From 10 years old wearing ties, to teaching fourth graders calculus and speaking in backward gibberish, the kids in the new school are both smart and snobbish. Unlike Martin, who is also smart but much more genuine and honest, the kids there merely tricks Bart out of his lunch.
Between all this school fiasco, we also see Homer for once truly proud of his son, and probably at his most attentive and caring towards his son compared to the whole of the series. Homer literally pampers his son, playing baseball with him, going to opera with Bart, and just being overtly nice to Bart. We also see Bart's increasing uneasiness about his deceiving scheme in getting into the pretentious school and his continuous lying to Homer about it. With Bart becoming more and more anxious with the children at school and with his father at home, the breaking point comes when Bart is finally discovered to be a "dumb kid" when he apparently causes an explosion by mixing acid and bases together, and turning himself green.
Back at home, Homer is still completely unaware and gives Bart a bath. In what is a very heartfelt speech, Bart tells Homer that his insanely high IQ is all a lie and that he loves him. In a more moral oriented but unrealistic show, we would probably see Homer forgiving and hugging his son. But on the Simpsons, there is no moral to be had. Homer just goes into a blinding rage and chases his naked son around the house. It may seem to be bad parenting, but that's impulsive Homer for you.
This episode really gives us further insight into the Simpsons family, but most importantly Bart. Bart may seem to be a malicious phantom who causes major disasters everywhere he goes, as seen by his principal, but at heart he merely is a kid who just want to have fun his way, and that happens to include drawing Principal Skinner saying "I am a weiner". Bart is merely mischievous, not malicious in anyway. His mischief at the opera with his fart noises and comments are something that his family even enjoys at times. Compared to the snobbish kids at the "Enriched Learning Centre For Gifted Children", Bart is so much more personable and genuine in many ways.
Bart The Genius further defines the realms of the Simpsons family. We see Bart being put in an environment which doesn't fit him, and we see all the consequences of it. Bart may be in constant detention and cannot do everything he likes when at Springfield Elementary compared to the pretentious school, but Springfield Elementary is where he belongs and where he feels at ease. In many ways, it is also reflective of the Simpsons family. The Simpsons may not belong in an opera house like Martin Prince's family and understand opera, or understand derivatives like the kids in the snobbish school, but that is just who they are and they are perfectly happy without them.
Characterisation: 5/5
Plot: 3/3
Subjective: 1/2
Overall: 9/10
No comments:
Post a Comment