Rate & Review: "I'm Spelling As Fast As I Can" (EABF07)

[Cole]

Once tonight's 'bonus episode' airs, this thread and poll will be open for review.

[Moleman...Hans]

Not great but still hella better than the last one 4/5. A little bit of jerkass Homer though but he saved himself in the end from becoming 100% jerkass. Happy to see drunken Barney. Coffee Barney sucks ass.

[Sam]

I'm Spelling as fast as I Can

Pros

Skinner and Willie (Willie with the knife)
Milhouse
The planet mars
Lisa in character
Homer in character
"Mars...eh?"
Ribwich mascot
What I THINK was a snatch reference (Homer eating all the ribwichs with the sound effects)
Homer's cheering section
Homer in character
The ribheads were Simpsons animation style (fat, like all the Springfield men)
"The spell-ympics has been spelled by the olympics for usings the suffix 'lympics'"
Lisa running around town
George Plimpton wasn't animated in "new-Simpsons" style
Use of music ("I've put a spell on you" and classical)
"hot plate"
"piano lessons"
Otto's "guy from the drive through" comment
Plimpton pushing the button, and the "whether, weather" sequence
"rigged"
The two plots came together somewhat
Fairly concise story (about as concise as a season 9er)
Really good, and happy ending

Cons

Spacecamp jokes
Homer tasting the mascot
Releasing the bees
Carving in the mountain

In the end, I really really liked this episode. 5/5. Best of the season so far, IMO, just for the school sequence.

[Simpsonian]

Atleast we see the return of drunken Barney!

[defrocked]

Much better than Barting Over. Ending sucked, but the first half was very good. 4/5

[ShadowBun]

WOW!! Best episode of the season! I loved the art direction (Homer eating all the Ribwiches for the first time), I loved the excellent use of music, I loved the lines, and I loved how the subplot tied into the main plot! EXCELLENT! 5/5

[doyle]

this one had everything. a plot that went right to the end a conflict great humor no pathetic attempts at jokes drunk barney i loved the part where lisa ran to city hall and had to spell ac/dc

5/5

[Drayken II]

I really liked it.

[joe]

DRUNKEN BARNEY!!!!!!!!!!! yeh

3/5 better then Barting Over

[nowhere]

The best episode of the season, in my opinion.

4.5/5

[Hans Barber]

3.5\5...realpse..thank god.

[Andy]

The drunk Barney thing was actually very welcome... but is it permanent?

Okay, I'll stop with that. But it was better than Barting Over, very down to earth, the Ribwich subplot was very well done and very well tied in (the commercial lampooned McDonald's patriotic ads, so that was good). So I liked this one more.

[Discokev]

Haha i liked this episode for one reason , where Lisa went for the Spell-ympics or whatever , that was my home town Calgary. Me and my brother started to laugh because Calgary doesn't have an area , not nearly close to the one in the episode!!

[Toxic Monkey]

finally, the return of good old drunk barney. today was a great day for the show.

4/5...great episode.

[Moleman...Hans]

Originally posted by Lawnboy
DRUNKEN BARNEY!!!!!!!!!!! yeh

3/5 better then Barting Over

I knew this would happen. Barting Over would suck and this would be great.

[Token]

4/5

Overall pretty good. The Ribwich subplot was kind of stupid, but drunk Barney back.. even if it's just one episode... was a beautiful sight :)

[eddie]

Much better than "Barting Over"! I really enjoyed this one.

The Good:

--Ray Romano
--Skinner was funny
--the Mars kickball
--basic plot was good
--reminded me of "Mr. Lisa Goes to Washington"
--the double-wide locker
--Kent Brockman and his slow news day
--Otto and Cletus were funny
--Barney was drinking!
--Marge's quotes about "living in a dictionary" and "I'd like to tuck that in at night"
--Lisa's fantasy where she married Milhouse
--There was a sweet ending

The Bad:

--Homer's plot didn't develop to being much
--Marge's whales comment
--the original ribwhich sequence was weird
--Chalmers sounded weird
--what was with the bees?
--Lisa's dream was sort of dumb
--the Lisa mountain carving

[ShadowBun]

By the way, on a commercial, it showed a short clip of Bart kissing some girl. Anyone know which episode this was from?

[HellBender]

Yes yes, Barney's drunk everybody's happy

As for the episode... M-E-H, meh! Not really funny... but it had an alright plot to compensate. So I'm giving this a 3/5... but I found Barting Over a bit better

[Zero the Hero]

I thought it was Vary God 4/5

grate speeling buy tha whey

[binky the doormat]

apparently, no one here has seen requiem for a dream.

[Simpson Purist]

8.5/10, great episode. No need for pros/cons here since Slappy and ComixFan15 already pointed them out.

[nathan]

5/5, my favorite from season 14 so far. "Maybe I should just skip college and mary Milhouse" was the greatest quote and barny is no longer sober!

[lisa_the_greek]

Okay... It's a Lisa episode. It's hilarious. It had a wonderful plot and sub-plot.

5/5, MUCH better than the mediocre 300th. Why wasn't this the feature presentation?!

[Stina]

Cute episode. 5/5 ^_^

[HellBender]

What was the Requiem for a Dream reference?

[Mafia]

okay episode.

I sadly found Barting Over to be a tad better. This episode had better emotion. I gladly had some good lol moments. I dunno why I found Lisa's college dream funny. The ribiwich plot, although stupid, was good. Lisa's spelling error was very human of her. She has felt "too good" for people in the past. I M P was okay. Shut up, P. Ending was semi-rushed. Mount Lisa was... okay. I hope I don't see it in future episodes.

For the night, the laughing was pretty good. I didn't pay as much attention to Spelling as episode 302.

Georgie wasn't too bad either. I enjoyed him. I also enjoyed Chalmers and George's examples "Rigged as in "This contest is rigged."

Skinner was funny. YAY! I liked it when he made fun of Milhouse after Milhouse screwed up.

4/5, 8/10

[Gagnonsux]

I had high expectations for this one and it sorta let me down. The entire Ribwich thing was just a waste of time for the most part and the SPellypics conflict was uninteresting. THe jokes were alright, and the charactors were is in charactor though. Mainly the pros and cons in this episode averaged out and made an average episode. 3/5

[Sam]

Originally posted by Simpson Purist
8.5/10, great episode. No need for pros/cons here since Slappy and ComixFan15 already pointed them out.

heh. I typed it all up at the computer while watching.

Thats how much of a simp nerd I am. :p

(Beep)

[Fat Whitey]

4/5 Not a bad episode, I'll give the cons and pros

Pros
We're able to see the Springfield kids again
Janey and students "fruit" cheer
Homer in character
The Ribwich plot

Cons
Bees
Lisa Carving

Probably more dinnt catch all of the episode

[Tomacco]

VERY good episode, and really seemed to go well with "Barting Over", which was also a good one.
These two episodes felt very old-school Simpsony. A few duds, but the goods far outweigh the bad. The only glaring issue I had was that I was expecting some joke upon the ending pan-out.

And I CAN'T believe they did a Requiem for a Dream parody (Homer's first ribwich eating)! THAT WAS FANTASTIC! They've been so great with the parodies this year, and all in all I love the feeling this season's developed this past month. The stories are very focused and the scenes have gotten faster and jokes fly quicker. Again, some emotion mixed in, which is always good.

AND BARNEY'S DRUNK AAAAGGGGAAAAAAAAIIIIIN!!!!!

[Moleman...Hans]

Originally posted by ShadowBun
By the way, on a commercial, it showed a short clip of Bart kissing some girl. Anyone know which episode this was from?
Yes, who the hell was that strange looking girl?

[NoOneFamous]

4/5

This is what every episode should be! A believable, down-to-earth plot you can relate to, with all the character acting the way they should. After several mediocre episodes, I finally felt that after watching this episode, I had watched an actual story, and not "a bunch of wacky, crazy stuff happening." The only thing bring it down from a 5/5 is the pointless subplot with Homer and the Ribwiches, which was overall a big "WTF?" Especially the first sequence of him eating them, and the fact that they made them seem gross. Still, the Ribwich plot tied in with the main one at the end, and Homer chose Lisa over a sandwich, which was cool.

GOOD JOKES:
"Like a Rib" = Like a Rock!
Krusty: "Mmm, I don't mind the taste!"
The Mars dodge ball
"3M and M&M have murged to form (some normal name, instead of 5M or something)"
"This has got to be the slowest news day ever! Oh, thats better! Paris is no more!"
"Spell AC/DC!... you forgot the lightning bolt!"
"I was just k-i-d-d-i-n-g!" *confused crowd... yay!*
"And a Hot Plate!"
"Anthwax!" "Awwww!"
"Some of us still enjoy scripted comedy!"
Krusty speeding away, only to get stopped at the stop light
"You're the number one speller in this car.. this car... uh, don't look at that car."

BAD JOKES:
"I M P"
"Will cause early death"
Cletus and his wife... they're becomming overused now.
Release the Bees!
Lesbians kissing
Otto talking into Krusty's mouth
The Lisa mountain carving

[binky the doormat]

Originally posted by HellBender
What was the Requiem for a Dream reference?

the sequence where homer is eating all the ribwiches i'm pretty sure is a parody of the drug taking sequences in requiem.

[Moleman...Hans]

Originally posted by lisa_the_greek
Okay... It's a Lisa episode. It's hilarious. It had a wonderful plot and sub-plot.

5/5, MUCH better than the mediocre 300th. Why wasn't this the feature presentation?!

Because Fox thinks pointless celebirties are better than episodes that have plots.

[brentmoney]

4/5. Not perfect, but pretty damn good. I could imagine this being an average episode in one of the earlier seasons.

[Warren]

4.5/5

Best of the season so far.

[theboywhocriedshee]

"What I THINK was a snatch reference (Homer eating all the ribwichs with the sound effects)"

It was actually a "Requiem for a Dream" reference. A very good one too. Good episode.

[Tomacco]

I can imagine people thinking Homer eating the ribwich for the first time was confusing, but if you had seen Requiem for a Dream (a great film about drug abuse), you would have busted a gut like I did.

[irv]

4.5/5 can't go wrong with a lisa episode. you kids are too stupid to understand the seven sisters reference, but it was enjoyable, especially to my family for specific reasons.

[joe]

I thought it was a Ring reference...but since I haven't seen Requiem for a Dream I know I am probably wrong

[Blue Phoenix]

4.5/5

Best of the season. A coherant plot for the most part, comedy that was funny and Homer redemes himself. Great parody as well.

[FlexMasterFunk]

I give this episode 4/5

I was impressed... I felt this episode to be a lot better than the 300th episode, but that's how it always seems to work out...

Things I liked

act 1
the elvira/late night movie satire, Apu's "please don't beat me up anymore" holding the flag, the Krusty's Ribs commercial was funny, Nelson's "Shut Up!!... commander", Milhouse's choke joke was pretty good... The I-M-P joke didn't make me laugh, but when it came back around and Nelson said "shut up Pee!" it was funny...

act 2
kicking the Mars award (ball) on the mantle, the Aranosky (requiem for a dream) drug references when eating the rib sandwich, Lisa's cheering section was Blah but when Homer's cheering section showed up it was a little less than blah and then when Moe was so resentfull I finally found it funny, "Philly Fudge Steak, Whatchamachicken" (forgot the middle one) , the Ribwich tour was pretty funny...Ribheads! LOL, Otto's "Spell AC/DC..." "Nope, you forgot the lightning bolt," and I ran to grab a coke, but was that Barney Drunk?? I Hope so... and I liked the "release the bees" joke.

act 3
Marge's, "I just gotta stay one lesson ahead of the kid" joke (on pianos), Krusty saying goodbye then being stopped at the light, Homer saying that he has come to the Dance Recital, and then Homer's "you can spell better than everyone in this car... and that car... and that car... uh oh, don't look @ that car?

overall I enjoyed this episode...

[Datoupee]

5/5 from me....as always. Did anyone notice that the song "I put a spell on you" was used in The PJs way before this episode ? I wonder if Marc Wilmore mentioned it to anyone in the production room. But who am I to say the Simpsons copies off of other productions.... considering these movie skits used this season have been amazing.

[irv]

that's all fine and good, but one must remember, the PJ's is the second worst thing ever created by man, the first being your username

[Incognito, Guy]

Good episode. The ending wasn't very smooth. Good night for the Simpsons.

[ShadowBun]

I really liked the ending. It wrapped everything up sensibly without some wacky adventure...I mean, Homer shows up and Lisa decides to spell for real...and then misses it! But the town still congratulates her. If it was a Season 11 episode or something, some crazy explosion or something would happen, I dunno. The ending seemed to be possibly the best of the season.

Now...WHO WAS THE GIRL BART WAS KISSING AND WHAT EPISODE WAS THAT FROM!?

[Handsome Pete]

If you are already aware, I have not found season 14 to be all that favorable. However, I have decided that this episode is easily the best of the season. Incredible, isn't it? Especially considering that "Barting Over" was pretty bad, in my opinion...but let me get on with my review.

"I'm Spelling As Fast As I Can" shared the one good thing with "Barting Over", and that was its good type of plot. Having participated in such things as spelling bees (I admit it!), I can understand the working of the episode's competition much more, and thus appreciate what jokes and events they are using.

Compared to "Barting Over", the jokes fared much better. Some good examples were Nelson and Martin going to space camp ("Yes, commander."), most of the dream sequences ("And a hotplate!"), and Lisa's imagining what it would be like if she married Milhouse, among many, many other things. The subplot was pretty good, too, and for once, the townspeople seemed very down to earth. The reactions of most people in this episode worked very well the jokes. If they didn't, well...you'd have most of this season. George Plimpton also seemed to be put to good use.

Overall, a very strong and hilarious episode. It is very worthy of the 4/5 it receives from me. Although there were a few minor quibbles with a few small details (the car Homer got, for example), they didn't bother me one bit.

Heh heh...Ralph was actually put to good use for once...and I liked his line. And I just remembered the return of a drunken Barney! When he appeared, I felt like applauding.

[Moleman...Hans]

Originally posted by ShadowBun
Now...WHO WAS THE GIRL BART WAS KISSING AND WHAT EPISODE WAS THAT FROM!?
Someone answer him. I am very vurious as well.

[Simpson Purist]

I'm pretty sure the girl Bart kisses is the third Spelling Bee finalist.

[Mafia]

when is the bart kissing thing? During what big events?

[ShadowBun]

It was in a commercial featuring a quick montage of Simpson moments, and as far as I know, Bart's never kissed anyone on the lips (I could be wrong). It couldn't have been from the episode, because we just saw it!

[eric]

4/5 to 4.5/5, nice to see that a lot of people also felt that this episode was really enjoyable

[Ken Krabapple]

I could be wrong, but wasn't that a clip from last season's "The Bart Wants What it Wants"? If I'm right, I have no idea why they put that in there but that's where I thought it was from.

[bhlaab]

The bart kiss was probably cut, just like Bart's star going supernova (or even existing) in Barting Over.

[huh?]

It was in a preview of this episode between the two new episodes.

Anyway, this was the better new episode of the night. George Plimpton was very well used. That "And A Free Hot Plate!" in Lisa's dream just cracked me up. Also good that comes to mind was the ripoff of the NBC Olympic song and someone(was it Homer?) holding up that ESPN sign. 4/5

By the way, I like sober Barney better. There, I've said it.

EDIT: whoops, your question was already answered.

[joe]

I find it amazing no one has even voted 1/5 or 2/5 even once...a new record for the show...probably the first time since Season 9...

[Moleman...Hans]

Originally posted by bhlaab
The bart kiss was probably cut, just like Bart's star going supernova (or even existing) in Barting Over.
But it had nothing to do with the episode.

[ShadowBun]

Hmm...I wonder...

I have a big favor to ask. Did anyone manage to tape both episodes and catch the commercial on tape? If so, maybe you could put up a framegrab of the smooch so we can see who that was.

BTW, King of the Hill was a little strange tonight, but decent. I haven't seen it in awhile...

[bhlaab]

But it had nothing to do with the episode.

Then it was probably a short gag that didn't make any sense.

[henry]

5/5

Brilliance.

"And a Hotplate!"

[Moose of Doom!]

Such a better episode. Pity FOX thinks everyone wants to see "KeWl aN HIp CelEBz" :uhh: Oh well, this ep was much better.

Good-
-Nice use of guest voice (and not a "KeWL aN HIp" one)
-301st episode in the sky (I just found that funny, don't know why)
-MINOR Homer subplot (which connected to the main story)
-Drunk Barney! (Need I say more?)
-Hilarious dream sequence (two back to back eps with Lisa dreams? Interesting...)
-Good parodies (2nd Rocky parody in the past two weeks? Interesting...)
-Odd choice use of music (which makes it great)
-Good characterization (Lisa's no longer a PC thug. Rejoice! REJOICE!)
-Wonderful ending...

Bad-
... except for the whole giant Lisa head-thing. I know it was a parody, but it was just too odd.
-Ralph's line (it just felt wrong)

Ugly-
For one of the first times... NOTHING! NOTHING INCREDIBLY WRONG ABOUT THIS EPISODE! HIDE, FOR THE TIME OF EMINENT DOOM IS UPON THEE! THE APOCOLYPSE IS COMING,THE APOCOLYPSE IS COMING...

[Citizen Kang]

4/5

Funny Stuff.

[Mafia]

it can only be assumed that the supernova junk in barting over was rewritten after the OJ dangled the baby. Maybe they knew most people would hate it (maybe they visit here).

This episode is one of the perfect examples of how episodes should be. I wasn't pay so much attention as I was typing up my review for Barting Over, but this episode felt good. I too laughed out loud so much at Plimpton.

[Beyerstein]

I liked when Lisa ran up the stairs like Rocky

[Tibor]

Two solid outings for The Simpsons this Sunday. I M Impressed. I figured the surreal Homer/Ribwich clip was a parody, but I haven't seen Requiem For A Dream- It was pretty cool on it's own though.

Anyway, we're starting to see a good use of dream/fantasy sequences, and solid supblot tie-ins. Kudos.

[skittlebrau]

Lisa episodes are my favorite, and this one didn't disappoint. All 3 acts were great with nothing wrong, but the Homer subplot, although also well done, was pretty worthless. That's my only gripe about this episode, and it's only a petty one, so I'll give this one a 4/5. Quite possibly the best of the season. We'll see...

[Thrillhouse24]

i liked it. i thought it was good though nothin better. pretty good for new episode both new episodes tonight were good but 300th was better.

[Lard Lad Donuts]

I thoroughly enjoyed this episode! When this season started, I thought it would be really crappy but now I can see that they're really pulling their act together!!! Good job!

[Bob Underdunk T]

5/5
*"301st Episode" appearing in the beginning the way "300th Episode" did on "Barting Over."
*The whole news broadcast. "Speaking of news stories, here's another!"

[PAZterofPuppets]

Im glad somebody picked up on the Requiem parody! This was definately a good episode. Simpsons are on the upittie up!

[DotheBartman]

Here we go again (for the second time tonight):

I thought from the beginning that I'd like this better then the (IMO pitiful) Barting Over, and I guess I do, but to be honest I'm not really sure what to think. The entire thing just felt.....strange. I could sense that the plot was trying to get me into it, but I just didn't care...(I think this episode ties as well as almost any episode into Tomacco's theory about needing a better focus to be a classic, since Lisa's "dillemma" didn't come til the last act). I dunno....most of it felt plastic and rushed, and I just didn't care. To add to that, I'd say most of it really wasn't that funny, either. Sure, as usual there were some isolated good gags ("Requim for A Dream" was admittingly fantastic), but overall I felt like there were a lot of jokes that just fell flat, were overdone, didn't make any sense, etc, with some being plain disgusting (the lesbian joke mainly)., and in general I just wasn't laughing. I was just saying "what the hell?" and hoping it would get better...

So, again, I'm not really sure what to think about this one, but I'll try: a really dull episode that left me wanting to leave the room from boredom, but nothing offensively bad I guess.
Grade: C/C- (maybe D+?)

Oh, and am I the only one not thrilled about Barney being drunk again? I guess going back to "Professor Barney" is what most people wanted, but when I first saw that I just thought it was lazy continuity. It might've been better to at least develop him again like they did in "Day of Whine...".

[Mr. Plow]

4/5. I enjoyed this much more than "Barting Over". Lisa episodes are usually good as always.

[Simpson Purist]

Ouch DotheBartman, just ouch. ;)

It'll be interesting to see what FarScapeR has to say, given that he's seen tonight's double-dose.

[Urts]

I don't feel great animosity towards this episode, simply mild disdain. Homer being so obsessed with the sandwich that he ignores Lisa was repulsive to me. Still, this episode certainly had some funny jokes and enjoyable scenes.

The third act was actually the best one, for the first time in ages. I almost fell asleep during some parts of the second act, but I didn't hate the whole act.

Sorry for the vague review, I just can't seem to put my feelings about this episode into words.

Rating: 3/5

[Handsome Pete]

You know something? My brother is one of the most critical people I know when it comes to new Simpsons episodes (This side of DoTheBartman and FarScapeR, anyway), and he usually hates most new episodes that come out. He just doesn't find them that funny.

Now, I was laughing a lot during this one, and imagine my surprise when he started laughing with me! He actually seemed to like this one, and agreed with me that "I'm Spelling As Fast As I Can" was a very good and funny episode. It's nice to see him laughing about as much as he does at some his old favorites.

[Tomacco]

Yeah, DotheBartman, I'm now officially concerned. I'm worried you'll never be pleased. You know I love hearing your views, although always negative, because you back them up well, but I can't figure out why you didn't really like this episode.

I thought my focus issue was actually corrected in both episodes tonight. The Bart vs Homer dilemma was constant throughout all of "Barting Over". The Lisa spelling and ribwich things both started in act 1 and ran throughout the episode in EABF07. Overall, I think EABF05 may have been slightly more focused, and I thought it had a nice "Burns Heir" feeling to it.

[FlexMasterFunk]

Originally posted by PAZterofPuppets
Im glad somebody picked up on the Requiem parody!
Actually and infact the drug reference is initially from Pi, which was Aranofsky's first film... but who's nitpicking....

...oh, i guess i am... sorry...

[|RABiD|]

Excellent! best episode of the season!! 5/5

[Tibor]

The only glaring issue I had was that I was expecting some joke upon the ending pan-out.

You too? I don't know exactly what I was expecting, maybe the carving to collapse, or Quimby say it was made of styrofoam or something... I hope it doesn't turn up again, anyway.

[FlexMasterFunk]

I hope bart's lucky red hat that was destroyed in Barting Over isn't gone permanently either ... I felt sad when his hat got shredded... poor hat and all the memories that it holds...

::sobbing::

[I Am Lion-O]

How does a 4/5 becomne a 5/5???
DRUNK BARNEY!

[DotheBartman]

Tomacco:

As I said, I just felt a lot of the jokes fell flat, and overall it was just....boring. I think the problem with the plot, going by your theory before, was that Lisa's dillemma again doesn't show up until the third act (correct me if I'm wrong), whereas I think it should've AT LEAST shown up in the second act, so it could be built upon. Plus, the Homer thing (which wasn't that funny either) was distracting, and in general I just didn't feel it was developed that well. Maybe in a "we're doing this to please the crazy internet whiners" kind of way, but not in the true, engaging way I would've prefered.

I dunno. To be fair I may just need to watch this one I again, as it again just kind of left me confused. Maybe I was just tired, or in a bad mood from "Barting Over" (which I'm not giving a second chance), and therefore had trouble paying attention. If I watch it again, maybe I'll post a second review, depending on whether or not my review changes.

Oh, and for the hell of it:

THOH: D-
Strummer: D-
Third Grade: C+
Large Marge: F
Helter Shelter: C+
Great Louse: A-/B+
Special Edna: C+
Too Little: D+/C-
Strong Arms: D
Pray Anything: F
Barting Over: D
Spelling: C/D

[ILikeTheSimpsons]

4/5 This seemed like a Season 10 episode with a little more emotion to me. Maybe the hippie thing reminded me of D'oh-In In The Wind.

[Simpson Purist]

Originally posted by DotheBartman
Tomacco:

As I said, I just felt a lot of the jokes fell flat, and overall it was just....boring. I think the problem with the plot, going by your theory before, was that Lisa's dillemma again doesn't show up until the third act (correct me if I'm wrong), whereas I think it should've AT LEAST shown up in the second act, so it could be built upon. Plus, the Homer thing (which wasn't that funny either) was distracting, and in general I just didn't feel it was developed that well. Maybe in a "we're doing this to please the crazy internet whiners" kind of way, but not in the true, engaging way I would've prefered.


I think the conflict was more like "will Lisa win the big title?" The contest being fixed was just another plot device/obstacle for Lisa not to mention a way to end an act on a climatic note, which brings me to my next observation. I swear, the first acts are getting shorter with each passing episode that they feel more like the teaser before the opening credits. At times, I feel like I'm watching Michael Bay direct a Simpsons episode. Both episodes' first act were very short (the 1st act to Barting Over ended so fast and abrupt, the act ended once I blinked). The show still has some problems with pacing (quick set-up act, long middle, short and abrupt end). I think the writers need to better structure their plots for better balance. Sorry if I sounded like a nitpicking bastard for a moment ;).

[Bubble Crum]

4/5 Don't kill me, but in both episodes the emotion felt a bit forced.

The girl Bart was kissing was probably cut or from an upcoming episode- they showed The Great Louse Detective scenes in the wrong commercial a week before it aired.

Good showing but it all went by so fast I have to rewatch it soon.

[DotheBartman]

Originally posted by Simpson Purist


I think the conflict was more like "will Lisa win the big title?" The contest being fixed was just another plot device/obstacle for Lisa not to mention a way to end an act on a climatic note, which brings me to my next observation. I swear, the first acts are getting shorter with each passing episode that they feel more like the teaser before the opening credits. At times, I feel like I'm watching Michael Bay direct a Simpsons episode. Both episodes' first act were very short (the 1st act to Barting Over ended so fast and abrupt, the act ended once I blinked). The show still has some problems with pacing (quick set-up act, long middle, short and abrupt end). I think the writers need to better structure their plots for better balance. Sorry if I sounded like a nitpicking bastard for a moment ;).

I'd definetely agree with that, particularly about the first acts, (I forgot to mention it myself). In general both episodes felt rushed and plasticky to me, but MAN. It feels like the first act is more commercials then episode these days. These days, whenever an act ends, I think "that was it?".

[mintjellyonthelam]

Originally posted by binky the doormat
apparently, no one here has seen requiem for a dream.
Never saw it,but I got it right away due to the movie poster and knowing what it's about.

5/5
Everything mentioned before

THE RETURN OF BARNEY AND THE SUBPLOT!

THANK YOU !

[Tibor]

I thought it was revealed that the contest was to be rigged at the end of the second act, do correct me if I am incorrect.

[Sultan of Seltzer]

milhouse not wanting lisas dream to end was awesome. i laughed more at that than anything else in either of tonights episodes. i really have been enjoying milhouse latley. this was a very solid episode. 4/5

[ShadowBun]

To be fair, Barney appeared drunk in "The Blunder Years", but everyone counted it against the episode.

So the Bart kissing thing is from a future episode? Hmm...interesting...

It seems that this and "The Dad Who Knew Too Little" are my two favorites of the season, both Lisa/Homer episodes. That said, I'm looking forward to "Scuse Me While I Miss the Sky."

And DoTheBartman, you liked "Helter Shelter" more than "Spelling"? :-O

[Frank Grimes Jr.]

I think Barting over was just slightly better than ISAFAIC...


I gave it a 3/5..

I didn't really like the Willie/Skinner scene...kind of pointless I guess
And I hate Ray Romano in the first place, so I didn't like his scene at all...

"I made Bart in my pants" or something along that lines said by Ralph was cracking me up. You can always count on Ralph to bust you out of an awkard moment...

all the ribwiches was hilarious, and the first scene where he ate like 15 of them and you can see his arteries cloggin up or something...that was nice

I liked the new character, that little boy who won the spelling B, i forgot his name

I thought he bees were alright

and hooray for drunken Barney!


And I think they were waaaayyyyy over doing the congratulations for Lisa...really, it was a bit much. the banner..the crowd....the MOUNTAIN! ?

[davidshirt]

I can't believe Barney relapsed!

Good episode, much better than Barting Over.

[Jason]

4/5 one of the best of the season.

[DotheBartman]

Originally posted by ShadowBun


And DoTheBartman, you liked "Helter Shelter" more than "Spelling"? :-O

I was probably being to generous...but yes, I did. Helter Shelter's last act was mostly pretty bad, and there were some other jokes that fell pretty flat, but overall I enjoyed it more, mainly because it...actually made me laught AT ALL. Don't get me wrong, this episode did have its moments, but I don't think I REALLY laughed out loud at either episode tonight, just kinda chuckled, wheras Helter Shelter at least had some legitimate laugh out loud jokes (like the KOTH parody).

[Paranoid Android]

Not bad. I laughed out loud a few times. I saw some improvements from previous episodes. Still doesn't have that old Simpsons "feel" to it, but an overall pretty good episode from what we could expect from the show these days.

[DotheBartman]

Weird thing I noticed: both episodes had jokes about Cletus and Brandine's bad parenting, right down to the baby Homer accidentally bring home appearing again in the second episode. Interesting bit of continuity if intended.

[ShadowBun]

Hmm...refresh my memory, where did the baby appear in the second episode?

[|RABiD|]

Originally posted by ShadowBun
Hmm...refresh my memory, where did the baby appear in the second episode?

When Lisa is jogging and she meets Otto ("spell AC-DC")...Cletus asks lisa to spell scabies. And Brandine says they found a middle name for the baby!

[ShadowBun]

Oh yeah, hahaha! Thanks then, RABiD.

[ryan o]

Whoo-hoo! 5/5 ALL THE WAY!!! The only episode this season that was better than this was "Special Edna"! The EABFs are kicking ass, as this was a great, great, GREAT episode. "And a hotplate!" The Requiem for a Dream parody was well-called for, and considering I just saw the movie two months ago for the first time, it was even funnier. Again, 5/5...

[Stackhouse]

Mighty well and good. A notch down from Barting Over because for some reason I had more fun watching it. I'd say 9.8/10. Second Place this Season, followed by Special Edna.

[Le Jake]

What the hell...IMO, this was the most enjoyable episode in five years and everyone around here knows I'm hard to please! Keep this up and I'll forget the Scully years ever existed. Likeable characters and a decent plot...Huzzah!

I give it a 5.5/5!

Jake

[ShadowBun]

"Mighty well and good. A notch down from Barting Over because for some reason I had more fun watching it. I'd say 9.8/10. Second Place this Season, followed by Special Edna."

W...wait...so you mean, Barting Over is better than...wait...or Special Edna...wait...huh? I am confused. ;)

[ryan o]

Oh no! Jake gave a new episode 5.5/5! The world's ending is near!...

[Channel Surfer]

I liked it. I must say I did. But the way the writers tried to shove an underdeveloped Homer/Lisa relationship problem was the most contrived emotional conflict since "The Sweetest Apu". Not once did I give a rip about their father/daughter relationship in this episode, as the scenes were so brief and out of sync with the rest of the episode. It shows up rarely in the episode (3 very short times by my count), and has little relevance to the main conflict (until the very end). It doesn't help that this conflict is caused by a jerkish Homer either. It would've been better had they never introduced this conflict at all.

In fact, the emotional aspect of "Barting Over" was much better then this Homer/Lisa conflict, even with the Tony Hawk/Homer competition at the end.

As for the main conflict, Lisa deciding if she should throw the Spelling Bee, showed up too late in the episode to have little meaning to me, and unfortunately ended predictably. Her moral conflict was more interesting in "Lisa Gets an A", where either decision had its own repercussions (plus the Homer subplot was a bit more interesting story wise in "Lisa Gets an A" too). Maybe the writers should've dropped the cheating aspect of the Spelling Bee entirely, and focused more on the Spelling Bee itself, developing the tension of losing the Spelling Bee with a more dramatic angle.

However, most of the jokes did work, and they didn't fizzle out as badly as in "Barting Over" (and the guest star was better played here too). The ending itself was pretty sweet (maybe a bit too sappy, but still good). And it’s nice to see that I didn't catch every parody ("Requiem For A Dream"), so this episode may grow on me over time.

4/5, or a B (I know I focused on the negatives, but most of the positives were already mentioned)

And my rankings for the season:

"Special Edna" B+
"Treehouse of Horror XIII" B
"I'm Spelling as Fast as I Can" B
"Strong Arms of the Ma" B-
"How I Spent My Strummer Vacation" B-
"The Dad Who Knew Too Little" C+
"The Great Louse Detectives" C+
"Barting Over" C+
"Large Marge" C
"Pray Anything" C
"Bart vs. Lisa vs. the 3rd Grade" C-
"Helter Shelter" D

[ShadowBun]

I hear you, Jake. I've been doing nothing but rave about this episode on these forums all night. I seriously think it could fit right in with Season 7 or 8. To pick out a few quotes (non-exact, these are all from memory from a single viewing)...

THE SPELLING GUY: "Weather, as in 'Whether the weather...'"

THE SPELLING GUY: "Rigged, as in, 'This contest is rigged.'"

LISA: "I was just K-I-D-D-I-N-G!" (pause)

BRANDINE: "Well, we have a new middle name for our baby."

THE SPELLING GUY: "...and a hot plate!"

HOMER: "Mmm...I could lick you all day..."

MARGE: "I just have to stay one lesson ahead of the student!" :LOL:

BART: "Well, I got my laugh, I'm done here."

RALPH: "I made Bart in my pants!"

NELSON: "Shut up, Pee!"

THE TV VAMPIRE: "Stay tuned to see more of my BOOOOOOOOOMS!"

HOMER: "You're the best speller in this car! And that car! And that car! And...oop, don't look over there..."

KRUSTY: "Think smaller...and with more legs." (Krusty waves goodbye but a traffic light stops him)

SKINNER: "Schoooool's back in session..." (I forgot the rest)

MILHOUSE: "No! This's the happiest I'll ever be!"

(edit)OTTO: "Hey, I've seen one of these before!" (something like that. He then proceeds to order from Krusty's mouth :LOL:

Look at all those diverse quotes...plus the best use of art direction (Homer's Ribwich experience) and music I've seen in awhile.

[Frank Grimes Jr.]

Can somebody refresh my horrible memory of what that little boy's name was, that won the spelling B?

Thanks..

[Stackhouse]

Originally posted by ShadowBun
"Mighty well and good. A notch down from Barting Over because for some reason I had more fun watching it. I'd say 9.8/10. Second Place this Season, followed by Special Edna."

W...wait...so you mean, Barting Over is better than...wait...or Special Edna...wait...huh? I am confused. ;)

I believe my statement made perfect sense :)

:uhh:

Oh, and guy up above me.. I think his name was Andy. or Billy. or some Generic Name like that.

[lance]

best line:

homer: "that can only be good," when plimpton calls lisa aside

had me cracking up for a while

i taped the commercial between and paused it on the girl bart was smooching and she is no one from any episode i've seen (i've seen them all)

what's odd is that every other clip in that particular commercial was for "spelling" (minus one "take my wife")

sooooo, it could have been cut, but i can't figure out how bart kissing some girl on a bench could have possible fit in this episode

most likely, this will be in a future season 14 (15?) episode

edit: the spelling champ's name was alex

[ShadowBun]

Cool!

I missed the chalkboard/couch gag for this one...was it along the lines of "I WILL NOT CHOP UP THE CHALKBOARD"?

[ryan o]

There was no chalkboard, and the couch gag was recycled...

[Frank Grimes Jr.]

So his name is Alex for sure then?


Thanks

[chiefdan]

Originally posted by ShadowBun
Cool!

I missed the chalkboard/couch gag for this one...was it along the lines of "I WILL NOT CHOP UP THE CHALKBOARD"?

You're thinking of the chalkboard gag to "Barting Over", which showed Bart writing:
I WILL NOT
I WILL NOT

And then Bart stops writing, pulls out an axe, and chops the chalkboard in two. Very...unique.

[ryan o]

The problem with Barting Over's chalk gag was that the animation didn't flow well at all since it was new animation...

[ShadowBun]

"And then Bart stops writing, pulls out an axe, and chops the chalkboard in two. Very...unique."

I saw that one, I was just wondering if in the next episode ("Spelling," where I missed the opening sequence) he'd be writing on the board "I WILL NOT CHOP UP THE CHALKBOARD" or something to that effect.

[FlexMasterFunk]

upon second viewing, I enjoy this episode even more...
There are so many well placed jokes that it works fabulously well... not perfectly perfect, but fabulously well, and although the 3rd act seemed the worser of the 3 (they definitley should have thrown a little friction between homer and lisa in the 1st or 2nd act, that way, the emotion would have been more heartfelt @ the end when Homer showed up) overall I highly enjoyed this episode.... and I think I'll watch it a third time before I hit the hay...

[DotheBartman]

You know what? After reading all the good reviews here, and seeing that people DID make some pretty good points (as well as wondering if maybe the Barting Over disapointment had clouded my judgement), I decided to watchi this again and give it a second chance.

You know what else? I actually really enjoyed it the second time.

Okay, I still stick with some of my earlier complaints. The Ralph peeing joke was unneeded, I didn't care for the lesbian joke, and the developement still really could've been better, what with the incredibly short first act, and the Ribwich thing being a little distracting (though I enjoyed it much more this time). The ending was strange, and in general, it just could've been a little more engaging.

Still, I found that the second time it was not only a lot funnier, but the problems I had didn't seem so major, and in general I found it to be better developed and written then I remembered, even making me like and care about the characters a little bit again. The Homer and Lisa thing seemed a little less tacked on this time, and in particular I liked that Lisa's problem about wanting to go to college but possibly not being able to afford it was a REAL, everday problem, and seemed really...human.

Maybe I'l watch it again, and see it if gets a little bit better (I still don't think I'll give Barting Over that chance). But for now, an episode with some flaws, but an overall good package, that unfortunately, I think, got spoiled the first time around by the bad aftertaste of Barting Over's last act.
(New) grade: B/B+

[bauer]

How much better was this than Barting Over???!?!? 4/5

[Brian S.]

Well, i don't know what it was, but this episode just didn't do it for me, it was good, but not great.

The Ribwich gag seemed too extreme, and kept dragging on. I take it the meat was made of spiders or something similar? 'smaller and has more legs' is what was said by Krusty.

The spellympics was cool though. The Seven Sisters gag was entertaining, Vasser with the hairy armpits, heh heh. And two of them kissing.

Overall, I felt kind of lost watching the episode, watching it again would probably help, I'll give it a 3.5/5 for the moment though.

[kupomog]

4/5

Slightly better than Barting Over, as most Lisa episodes are great. This is my new favorite of the entire season.

[Anti-Everything]

I voted 1/5. i thought this episode, save a couple jokes was just awful. the entire ribwich thing could not have been more stupid. they just kept pushing it more and more, the tour information T-shirt, the whole "hippie craze" thing taht followed them, etc. what the hell prompted them to take that kinda shot...you can't call it dated humor, because the whole mcrib thing was never something to be joked at really. the spelling bee part was ok, but they pushed that "hot plate" joke way too far. it is good to see a drunk barney, but knowing the show's crappy writing in the last few years it is probably something over looked for one episode, and he will be drinking coffee in no time. the carving in the mountain seems something hard to work around later on in other episodes. overall, way too much hatred clouding me for the whole ribwich thing, just utterly lame and unfunny.

[*Waylon Smithers*]

4/5
Hooray for drunken Barney and boo to a fast resolution!

[necrulez]

Meh...i liked Barting Over better. Some good jokes though; 3/5

[Robbie]

I loved it, best one of the season if you ask me. :)

[Wavy Gravy]

Eh, not as good as EABF05, but still pretty good. The timeline of the season seems to be skipping all over the place (it was Spring last episode and now it's fall), but you don't really notice. The spelling bee scenes were great - classic Nelson, Milhouse, Bart, and Lisa. The "Requiem for a Dream" scene was really funny (even though I haven't seen the movie). Lisa's training sequence was good ("you forgot the lightning bolt!", and Barney's temporary relapse). George Plimpton did a lot for the episode, although I wonder if he's that much of a jerk in real life. The use of Screamin' Eddie's "I Put a Spell on You" was classic, and Lisa being accepted even though she blew it was a great way to finish. Not as many laughs as I'd expected, but still decent. A good 3/5.

[Frank Grimes Jr.]

Originally posted by GravyMaster3
How much better was this than Barting Over???!?!? 4/5


I think Barting over was slightly better, I rated that a 4/5, and ISAFAIC a 3/5...but it was probably more like 3.5

Lisa's training scene and the scene after she wins and comes back to town are seeming more and more corny, way overdone

[Maddog53]

"And a hot plate." One of the funniest lines ever said on the show. George Plimpton (whoever he is) is my new hero.

Anyways, I gave it a 4/5. I only had a few minor criticisms. You can read my full review here. (http://www.tvtome.com/tvtome/servlet/EpisodeReviewPage/showid-146/epid-181997/blockid-97961/)

Maddog "and a hot plate."

[Professor Frink Jr]

When Lisa was jogging and spelling, was that a Parody of something like Rocky. Because it is really bothering me.
And I give this episode a 5/5 Great how should I put it animation Camera work and BARNEY DRUNK BARNEY DRUNK WAHOOO. I knew we were going to have the #1 Bar Fly in America back.

[Interslice]

This episode sounds quite given the reviews.

I had to say this though: I'm stoked about the Requiem For A Dream reference.

[ShadowBun]

Good review, Maddog, just one problem: Lisa's dream sequence (the one with the ceremony) was actually in "Barting Over." "Spelling" started with Bart watching the vampire woman on TV.

Heheh...hot plate.

[tim_duncan2000]

Overall, it was pretty good. Here is the breakdown

What I liked:
- Drunk Barney!
- Groundskeeper Willie's line
- Most of the Spelling Bee Stuff
- Homer's ribwich stuff not getting too much of the focus
- He dream about Milhouse

What I didn't like
- Ralph's line
- How "tacked-on" the Lisa deciding whether to take a dive or not seemed
- Nelson and Martin didn't seem very believable
- Lisa's dream about the colleges
- The release of the bees. WTF?
- Lisa carved out of stone. It seemed like the townspeople cared too much about what Lisa did.

4/5

[Maddog53]

Originally posted by ShadowBun
Good review, Maddog, just one problem: Lisa's dream sequence (the one with the ceremony) was actually in "Barting Over." "Spelling" started with Bart watching the vampire woman on TV.

Heheh...hot plate.

Thanks! I know that I got the episode mixed up a bit with Barting Over (I was going to warn people about that). That's what happens when you have a bad short term memory and they show two new episodes in one night. By the way, I liked the part with the vampire woman gag. I've seen something similar to that on late night movie channels.

Maddog.

[Hans Barber]

the simpsons seem to be using parodies a lot more like they used to. that is def a plus. this season, though barting over was so so, has been the best in a while. reminds me of the goods of season 9 and 10.

[Mike Scully]

Hm, well, it wasn't a bad episode by any means. Other than the Lisa carving, and the bees being released, there were no lame jokes, and I thoroughly enjoyed some sequences like Homer's ribwich-eating (even though I didn't recognize the Requiem for a Dream parody) and Lisa's dream of the 7 Sisters. There was a real down-to-earth conflict as well, and it was resolved better than in Lisa Gets an A.

Still, this episode, sort of like Realty Bites, just didn't have an interesting idea to work with from the beginning, despite the best attempts to make the story interesting. Whereas the essay contest in Lisa Goes to Washington was a springboard for one of the best political satires on the show, there's not much material that can be done with a spelling competition.

Grade: C+/B-

[Mike Scully]

Grades so far this season.

How I Spent My Strummer Vacation (B-)
Treehouse of Horror 13 (C-)
Bart vs Lisa vs Third Grade (C)
Large Marge (C)
Helter Shelter (D+)
Great Louse Detective (C)
Special Edna (B)
The Dad Who Knew Too Little (B)
Strong Arms of the Ma (C+)
Pray Anything (D)
Barting Over (C-)
I'm Spelling as Fast as I Can (C+)

It seems like the last bit of magic left died after season 13. Practically every episode this season has strived to be nothing more than a bunch of obvious gags connected in rambling empty pointless storylines; this is really no better than seasons 11-12.

[Sam]

Originally posted by Channel Surfer
I liked it. I must say I did. But the way the writers tried to shove an underdeveloped Homer/Lisa relationship problem was the most contrived emotional conflict since "The Sweetest Apu".

In my opinion, on watching it I felt the conflict between Lisa and herself (whether or not to take the tuition) was more the main conflict.

(Beep)

[mintjellyonthelam]

I watched it again and I caught more great stuff like the 3M and M&M merge. Just great

Season 14 Rankings so far
THOH(C-)
Strummer(B+)
Third Grade (C)
Large Marge (B /B-)
Shelter(C)
Louse(B+)
Edna(A-)
The Dad(A-)
Strong Arms(A-)
Pray Anything (B)
Barting Over (B/B-)
Spelling (A)
It's really getting better
P.S.:Keep in mind I didn't like season 13 that much

[Matty]

When I saw the Barney scene, I didn't realize he was drunk on the street while he 'shouldn't' have been until the next shot... I guess I'm still used to the old Barney too much (which isnt a bad thing)

The episode itself was solid; great use of animation (noticed the 3D animation at the Spelllympics?) and music; nice plot development, funny jokes.. it had it all, but the ending knocked it down a knotch. It just ended weird and confusing to me =/

8/10

[Tomacco]

"It's nice to see a realistic depiction of a single woman on TV"
"Try the new Krusty Ribwich! I don't mind the taste!"

[ryan o]

I forgot to mention Lisa and Milhouse's "wedding" fantasy.
"No! Please! I won't be this happy anymore in my life!"...

[Blinky 3 nutz]

the fact that barney drinking again, is in 9 out of 10 posts is pretty sad, however its even sadder that i was going to put that until i saw that everyone else already has =/

[Kefka]

I thought was kinda useless and I bet this was a one shot thing seeing Barney drunk.

[Rowdy]

Would have been great if it actually had humor. Seriously though, the best episode of the night was the rerun of "Strummer" and they went downhill from there. "Barting Over" was good though.

[Channel Surfer]

Originally posted by Slappy
In my opinion, on watching it I felt the conflict between Lisa and herself (whether or not to take the tuition) was more the main conflict.

True, and that is probably why I found the Homer/Lisa relationship conflict so pointless, because it felt underdeveloped, and was presented in a way that I didn't care about their conflict. As I said above, it probably would've been best had they kept the plots separate, and tried not to intertwine them in this way (connecting the plots isn't always good, IMO. See "Lard of the Dance" or "Large Marge" for lazy parallel plot handling). The main conflict was fine, even if I felt the tuition angle was introduced too late. But this secondary conflict about Homer and Lisa's relationship should've been scrapped, IMO.

[chiefdan]

Originally posted by Professor Frink Jr
When Lisa was jogging and spelling, was that a Parody of something like Rocky. Because it is really bothering me.

It was indeed a parody of "Rocky".

[Miss Springfield]

i hate ray romano. from this episode, i like the We should rename it to everybody HATES raymond, comment.

[chiefdan]

Originally posted by brooke2003
i hate ray romano. from this episode, i like the We should rename it to everybody HATES raymond, comment.

You do know that Ray Romano didn't actually do the voice, right?

[Scotchtoberfest]

EXCELLENT! one of the best episodes that I have seen in a very very long time! I cheered for drunk Barney! The whole episode was great from start to finish, many great jokes, I didn't have a problem with anything. HIP HIP!

edit: I can not believe the people that have something bad to say about this episode. It seems to me that many people here enjoy putting down the new episodes just because they are new, and they hail the old episodes simply because they are old. Old episodes were not always gems, and they were not always 100%. There are many old episodes that I like half of, and not the other half.
Likewise, new episodes do not automatically suck. It is as if after all this time, there are people that sit down in front of the television with crossed arms and a stern look and challenge the television, "ok, make me laugh." If you are looking to criticize something, you will find something wrong with anything. Why not just try sitting there with no pre-conceived notions, and watch it and enjoy it. You might like these episodes a lot better.
And also, not all of the plots of the old episodes are above reproach. Saying that there was not enough conflict between Homer and Lisa to constitute the ending is silly. This is not serious drama here. It is an animated situation comedy. Plus, you know from the show's history that Lisa and Homer do not have the greatest father-daughter relationship. Homer is lax as a dad. He loves food. It is not surprising that he would follow a sandwich around the country.
I think this is what causes the downfall of a show, when people start to over judge it.

[StrideR]

Pretty okay plot... not brilliant, but excluding "Special Edna" and "The dad who knew too little," 2 eps which I haven't seen, I'll have to say this is the best of the season. It still suffered from the neo-culture humor that has plagued OFF for a while now, but it did redeem itself here and there.

How do you rescue yourself after you've painted yourself into a corner, character-wise? RELAPSE! In your faces, Dan Castellaneta and Deb Lacusta!

Somehow, I liked the ending. In fact, I liked the whole 3rd act. Frell, I liked the whole episode, but it still won't get an A.

As a 22 minute presentation of Animated Comedy: 7.5/10
As a 22 minute presentation of The Simpsons: 5.5/10

[Mendoza!!!!]

Where can I find the Ribwich jingle?

[lance]

when carl and lenny supported homer out of the krustyburger when the ribwich was no more, was that a parody?

also, was there a point to apu's back-to-school sale?

[Gabbo]

Because the kids were going back to school and they needed supplies

[lance]

but it didn't have any bearing (sp?) on the rest of the episode

[Gabbo]

true

[The Sweetling]

So is this "Lisamore" gonna show up in every sweeping camera shot of Springfield now? If not, excellent! If yes, then I demand the Popcicle Skyscraper be shown as well as the Escalator to Nowhere.

[NoOneFamous]

Originally posted by lance
but it didn't have any bearing (sp?) on the rest of the episode

Neither does most of the stuff that happens in the beginning of any Simpsons episode.

[Sam]

Originally posted by Scotchtoberfest
EXCELLENT! one of the best episodes that I have seen in a very very long time! I cheered for drunk Barney! The whole episode was great from start to finish, many great jokes, I didn't have a problem with anything. HIP HIP!

edit: I can not believe the people that have something bad to say about this episode. It seems to me that many people here enjoy putting down the new episodes just because they are new, and they hail the old episodes simply because they are old. Old episodes were not always gems, and they were not always 100%. There are many old episodes that I like half of, and not the other half.
Likewise, new episodes do not automatically suck. It is as if after all this time, there are people that sit down in front of the television with crossed arms and a stern look and challenge the television, "ok, make me laugh." If you are looking to criticize something, you will find something wrong with anything. Why not just try sitting there with no pre-conceived notions, and watch it and enjoy it. You might like these episodes a lot better.
And also, not all of the plots of the old episodes are above reproach. Saying that there was not enough conflict between Homer and Lisa to constitute the ending is silly. This is not serious drama here. It is an animated situation comedy. Plus, you know from the show's history that Lisa and Homer do not have the greatest father-daughter relationship. Homer is lax as a dad. He loves food. It is not surprising that he would follow a sandwich around the country.
I think this is what causes the downfall of a show, when people start to over judge it.

I agree with you dude, totally...right up until the last comment. We aren't critiscizing Homer following the sandwich (in terms of him being out of character), we are critiscizing it in terms of, "how was it handled". There's a difference.

With that said, I DID give it 5/5. Look at the beginning of the thread.

(Beep)

[StrideR]

I even gave it a 5.5... out of 10.

[•ºMikè~Stẕ]

4/5, it wasnt that bad, kinda reminded me of a early episode

[Lady2Hotty]

Well, it is good to see the majority of this board actually happy with an episode. I must admit that in all the time that I have been coming to the boards here, it doesn't happen very often. I'm going to make the most of this opportunity while I can and give this episode a 5/5.

[MaxpowerAK79]

Very good episode indeed. Lots of funny stuff, lots of good sentimental, OFF moments, and some good parody.

Only bad parts: Bees, cletus.

I did get a huge laugh at Nelson's "Shut up P!" to bart, and Millhouse's Choke. That's easy. F. AHH!

[Mafia]

hmm... upon second viewing, I didn't like the ending as much. It was just "YOU LOSE" and Lisa had a look of shock on her face for a bit and then they were driving home.

Doesn't affect my grade as I liked the episode more on second viewing.

[Tibor]

I liked the Dead Head reference with the Ribwich followers. This was clearly no ordinary sandwich... God, I want a Ribwich.

I find it difficult to grade based on a letter system or even numerical value, because it winds up being subjective to a number of things, and ultimately biased somehow. So I judge episodes on the feeling I walk away from them with.

[Jimbo]

5/5 much better then barting over.

BARNEY IS FINNALY DRUNK AGAIN!!!

[George Cauldron]

A very good episode by "new episode" standards. Everyone's pretty much in character (except for Marge kicking a kickball and a few other isolated incidents), Lisa is at her best with her moral dilemma. I have absolutely no idea who George Plimpton is, but I don't care because he did a good job in his guest stint.

[Dark Homer]

Originally posted by ShadowBun
By the way, on a commercial, it showed a short clip of Bart kissing some girl. Anyone know which episode this was from?
BUMP FOR ANSWER


In a deleted scene, Bart has a list of things to do before summer ends, including "Have Summer Romance". When he and the girl (I forgot what her name was) kiss, he crosses this out from his list, and she crosses out "Kiss 100 Boys" from a list she takes out

[Crotis Jivefunk]

One of the season's best 5/5

[SideshowTim]

One of the better season 14 episodes I have seen this year, 8.5/10.

[Clarence]

4/5 very good. I didn't hate it as much as I hate other new episodes.

[Bella Drape 'er]

What nobody's posted in this since 2003?

This was an excellent episode, which although doesn't succeed into the classic era, for a Jean era, the jokes were good, the visuals were intriguing and the story was kept solid.

4/5

[Nauru-1]

Decent episode. A significant number of funny, pleasant, or sweet moments throughout and an engaging conflict. 4/5

[Moe Nopoly]

I'm not such a big fan of this episode. It seems to me just like many other Lisa episodes, the story doesn't over much new. Even when it's solid in general and has its moments too.

C+

[joe miller]

4/5, it was one of the better Lisa episodes IMO

[D'ohmer]

Great episode from my favorite season. The plot is good and interesting and it's well executed. There are also some greatr jokes and the subplot is funny and I like how the two of them come together at the end. Characterization is pretty good. Not much to complain about except for Lisa's dream. Still, 5/5

[alex_on_ice]

A good episode! I would probably put this one a little bit above the mid-ranking of all the episodes in Season 14 (giving it a 3.5/5). The beginning is very slow and quite horrible but then I find it gets much more entertaining. I really enjoyed the B story in this episode with the whole Ribwich situation (I really found that the scene where Homer takes a bite out of his first ribwich and gets all over excited was very well done).

Also the music that is played when Lisa is spelling out Words at the Spelling Bee was well chosen ("I put a spell on you" by Screaming Jay Hawkins). Overall, this episode is quite decent from a Season 14 standard.

[Oh, that's raspberry!]

Season 14 continues when Lisa enters the Spellympics! That's right, it is the start of another school year and Lisa is the top speller in her school. Meanwhile Homer experiences the glory of the Ribwich. The spelling contest is moderated by George Plimpton who asks Lisa to take a dive. She ultimately refuses, but loses anyway. Her family consoles her, including Homer who chooses her over the addictive sandwich in the end.

This one was pretty good. I liked Homer's story quite a bit more than the main one but they were both fun to watch with several humorous moments. George Plimpton was given several really funny lines but I particularly enjoyed the hot plate repetition. This was of course also the episode where drunk Barney officially returned and many celebrated. I guess this one originally aired on the same night as Barting Over. I can say that this was definitely superior to that episode. I don't really have much else to say though, 4/5.

PS: I believe the baby Cletus and Brandine have here is the same one Homer had in the previous episode.

[Blobulle]

One of my favorite episodes from the season 14 :) 4/5