Rate/Review: The Bart of War (Season Finale Part 1, EABF16)

[Andy]

Cowboys and Indians AHEM (sorry, Lisa) Cowpersons and Native Americans take on a whole new meaning when Bart and Milhouse join rival after-school clubs, "Pre-Teen Braves" and "Cavalry Kids" Can't believe it's season finale time... here's the first R/R thread. Will open when ep ends.

[Cole]

'Meh' in every sense of the word. Some decent jokes like the 5 H's .. and some other jokes that I can't remember at the moment. But the plot just didn't interest me .. at all. I'll go easy on it and give it a 2.5/5.

[Eddie]

Oh, my God, this sucked! This was just so obnoxiously unfunny. This was bad in so many ways. It hurt to watch. 1.5/5

[RacistInsomniac]

What the hell kind of ending was that! Horrible. Besides that, glad to see Ralph for more then five seconds an episode.

"Will you be my mother?" :LOL:
Moe Baby better be better.

What the hell is with these used begininnings!

[Andy]

Pretty good. Lots of pretty funny jokes, and the fact that Homer took a backseat to Marge this time (mostly) was refreshing. Act 3 was a little off, and the ending seemed like a lame ripoff of a South Park resolution (hence their appearance at the beginning, which seemed neither horrible nor spectacular). First one was somewhat decent, but I'm hoping the second is better.

[Ignatius J. Reilly]

The show IS going to shit. My apologies for a post I made a while ago regarding people being too critical: this episode didn't make me smirk or anything. Oh Canada?

First Matrix Reloaded sucks, now this.

[HellBender]

A lame episode, I was about to give it a 2/5... but the ending was just so incredible, I have to give it a 3/5

[Hans Barber]

Pretty good episode. Some bad parts\dumb jokes, but also a lot of good parts\jokes. I'd give it a 3\5. Better than I thought it would be, though it was sort of redundant from other episodes...*cough*boyscouts n the hood*cough*. But still better than the past few episodes. Fast moving episode though.

[Moose of Doom!]

It was OK, but really odd. The South Park parody was good, the Beatles thing had some good jokes but Ned's excuse was kinda stupid.

The Canada ending was out of nowhere, but pretty funny.

4/5

Oh, and LXG COMMERCIAL! YES! GO CONNERY!
http://members.aol.com/jabberwocky381/images/modposter.jpg

[NoOneFamous]

This episode was great stuff, up until the very last 2 minutes. The ending felt rushed, and the riot and the odd "Canada" thing at the end were pretty stupid, but not bad or long enough to spoil an otherwise great episode! Why was it great? It felt like a classic episode in almost every way. Almost no lame jokes, nothing bad enough to make me cringe, great characterisation (I'm glad they've finally *fixed* Homer's characterization, hes not even annoying anymore!), it was all done well. 4.5/5, A-

Lenny's last name was revealed as "Leonard"!

So take THAT, people who bitched at me last week! (Note: I didn't take any "notes" this time either)

[Stackhouse]

I never knew Flanders was a Beatles fan :LOL:. Anyways, a really good episode with really good jokes and nothing in particular that made me cringe. And to add to all that, a tribute to Canada at the end (me being a Canadian boy, I appreciated it). Still haven't seen Moe Baby Blues though, and won't until tonight. 9 or a 9.5/10.

Oh, and to add to this, I really liked Ralph's 'You smell like dead bunnies' line when he was being carried off by the coyote. Actually, Ralph was alot better in this episode than he normally is. Bravo, Marc Wilmore, I look forward to your other upcoming eps.

[SpongeBob No Pants]

best episode ever i loved everything abpout it

this should win an emmy

love the micheal jackson joke, and the o canada ending was the best thing i have every seen in my life

man that episode was better than sex

[Mafia]

I really liked this episode. I was watching with my sister and we both found it hilarious. It felt more original than most episodes this year (Moe Baby Blues is probably more original though). I really enjoyed it and talked about all the things I liked. Non-stop... I usually only remember the bad things and all I can remember of bad was the riot being bad. 91/100, A-. One of the best of this season, imo.

[Kefka]

It was a pretty decent episode!!! The ending, was kinda... stupid. Singing the Canadian National anthem for no apparent reason. Can't remember any other funny moments.

[paul byers]

Another good episode. It gets a B from me.

[My Little Needle]

Originally posted by NoOneFamous
This episode was great stuff, up until the very last 2 minutes. The fight and the odd "Canada" thing at the end were pretty stupid, but not bad or long enough to spoil an otherwise great episode! Why was it great? It felt like a classic episode in almost every way. Almost no lame jokes, nothing bad enough to make me cringe, great characterisation (I'm glad they've finally *fixed* Homer's characterization, hes not even annoying anymore!), it was all done well. 4.5/5, A-

Lenny's last name was revealed as "Leonard"!

So take THAT, people who bitched at me last week! (Note: I didn't take any "notes" this time either)

I agree once again, except I thought the ending was semi-funny.

[brentholomew]

I thought the Canada thing was great..what's wrong with you guys, that was a great episode. Funny, and lame jokes to a minimum.

4.5/5

[Datoupee]

5/5 !!! I think this episode along with the following episode just goes to show everyone how amazing this season has been. Viva Mr. Jean.

[Scratchy]

I loved this episode, many laugh out loud moments. I was rolling with the laxative prank, that was one of the best laugh out loud moments of the season.

As for the ending, it really wasn't bad at all. It came out of nowhere but it set up the final joke at the end which was a hilarious shot at the Bush Administration.

5/5 Great ep.

[Simpson Purist]

6.5/10, A pretty good episode that went to hell in the 3rd act.

Pros
-The South Park parody = brilliant
-Ned's Beatles shrine
-Homer the Indian teacher
-Poisoning the candy

Cons
-The ending was absolutely disgusting and reeked of Scully-era nonsense. Springfield erupts in another pointless riot, Homer turned into a jackass, and Otto's line rubbed bad "Alligator" memories into my face. Marge's sobbing was an forced method of putting a face on the whole episode, which didn't work. Bart and Milhouse's comments about war at the end was good, I'll admit that.

Lame part I, thank God there was another episode (a classic in my book, I'll get to that in the other thread ;) ).

[Tibor]

Horribly boring, meandering, with questionable characterization. Is it just me, or have the kids lost their edge? Since when has Bart ever gave a damn about community service? Say it loud, say it... indifferent: M-E-H.

C

[Gabbo]

The plot was kinda dull, but some ok jokes saved it. 3/5

[Tomacco]

Exactly average in my eyes. Nothing THAT funny, but solid story, although the ending wasn't that satisfying. Good thing I'm Canadian so I enjoyed the moment for what it was. The Beatles moments were GREATLY appreciated by me though, since I'm a huge fan. I would say 3.5/5.

[Merbert Moover]

No complaints except for the Michael Jackson joke, and Marge's unnecessary "I can see why he left" line after Nelson runs for his papa the second time.

Bart didn't play second banana to Homer, psychedelic Milhouse was pretty funny, and even the Rich Texan had a funny line. A pleasant surprise; this episode was a lot better than I thought it would be.

"They must have come back for their souls"-Mr. Burns :LOL:

[Mr. Plow]

A fairly decent episode, though the ending felt a bit odd and rushed. I liked how the episode showed another side to Ned with his Beatle's shrine. 3/5

[Handsome Pete]

Hmmm...there was some to like, but some not to. First off, the plot was passable, if not terribly creative, and characters seemed to be fairly well done. Some of the jokes also struck me well, including: the angel show being on PAX (awful station...), Milhouse's encounters with the lamp, Bart's hallucinations of Milhouse (the one with Ono was priceless), the Monkees line, Homer comparing the groups "heritage" with football, the Wisconsin line (I really don't like Wisconsin), and, for some reason, the whole O Canada/anti-war thing at the end. Something weird like that seemed very acceptable under the circumstances, and it's good that they didn't completely botch it.

Well...with the good comes the bad. The acts seemed to progressively get worse, with the third act coming close to the point of disgusting. The competition scenes between the two young groups seemed very forced (especially the part with the old folks home...ick), and most of the third act really put down this episode. Still, there was enough in it to constitute at least some memorable scenes. 3/5. Sorry I can't be more specific, but it's getting harder to remember these newer episodes.

[|RABiD|]

A solid episode overally tonight. Excellent story and a weird ending that I surprisingly appreciated. The South Park parody was excellent! A 4/5 for me!

[PhthaloType]

I usually hate it when people say this, but in this case I'm gonna make an exception. I'm usually pretty lenient on the ones others hate, but since so many of you have apparently lost your minds...

Worst episode ever.

[huh?]

Pretty good episode, mainly because of the jokes. The South Park and PAX TV parodies were brilliant and the Canada joke at the end was hilarious. Had lots of other funny parts and carries this episode, although the plot was also good.
5/5

[Urts]

Fairly forgettable episode, but with a lot of laughs.

The Beatles references were great, as was most of the first act. It took a rather bizarre turn when the episode became Braves vs. Cavalry. Still, some good things came out of it. The ending was strange, but worked pretty well in my opinion. Singing the Canadian national anthem was obviously random, but I rather liked it for some odd reason.

Rating: 3.5/5

[Jolly Bengali]

Bah! From site...

Sometimes, you can really see how intelligent the makers and writers of "The Simpsons" are. Compared to the rest of television, the wit and insight this show displays on a regular basis really is stunning, and it's something I forget sometimes. I was reminded just how smart this show is by the first act of this episode. In addition to a great little jab at South Park (in return for an episode mocking them) and a fairly funny Bart-and-Milhouse storyline, I, a Beatles fan, was treated to an extended, hilarious riff on the Fab Four with the gags revolving around Flanders' Beatles memorabilia. The references (and there were too many even to count) were hilarious, and I felt like I was watching an episode from the fourth season given the sheer amount of satire thrown around. After that first act, I honestly don't think I could have possibly hated the episode, yet still the plotline, jokes, and characters all worked fairly well. A lot of the quips about Native Americans were funny, and the ending riot, as well, was a nice scene of slapstick and randomness. Overall, I have to say that I really can't say anything wrong about an episode with such a great opening. It may not have lived up to the standards it set for itself, but this episode still made me amazed in a way I haven't felt watching the show for a long, long time. Grade: A

For once, disagree with Tomacco... :/

[Thrillhouse24]

i rated 4/5 i liked the flanders beetle collection it was a pretty good episode

[Tomacco]

Originally posted by apu628
Bah! From site...

Sometimes, you can really see how intelligent the makers and writers of "The Simpsons" are. Compared to the rest of television, the wit and insight this show displays on a regular basis really is stunning, and it's something I forget sometimes. I was reminded just how smart this show is by the first act of this episode. In addition to a great little jab at South Park (in return for an episode mocking them) and a fairly funny Bart-and-Milhouse storyline, I, a Beatles fan, was treated to an extended, hilarious riff on the Fab Four with the gags revolving around Flanders' Beatles memorabilia. The references (and there were too many even to count) were hilarious, and I felt like I was watching an episode from the fourth season given the sheer amount of satire thrown around. After that first act, I honestly don't think I could have possibly hated the episode, yet still the plotline, jokes, and characters all worked fairly well. A lot of the quips about Native Americans were funny, and the ending riot, as well, was a nice scene of slapstick and randomness. Overall, I have to say that I really can't say anything wrong about an episode with such a great opening. It may not have lived up to the standards it set for itself, but this episode still made me amazed in a way I haven't felt watching the show for a long, long time. Grade: A

For once, disagree with Tomacco... :/

Well, actually you didn't. I mentioned that I loved the Beatles references. The only thing is it seems those scenes made up about 80% of the reason why you liked the episode, where as for me it only accounted for about 10% of my thoughts on the episode (if that much).

[henry]

3.5/5

Pretty good, but could have been better.

[Hal_9000]

I wasn't too fond of it, the storyline was pretty bland and the ending didnt make sense. It wasn't the worst but it definatly wasn't the best!

[Pmc325]

I thought the episode was good (Not as great as the Season Finale, though!) It had some laughs, and it was cool to get two episodes this night, that weren't wincing kinda episodes. From the comments I noticed most people didn't like the riot scene. I thought it was actually pretty good. I liked Moe and Drederick Tatum's little blurb in there.

Moe: How'd I get myself into this

Or something of that variant. I gave it a 3.5/5. Not too shabby!

[Tibor]

On a second viewing, I found some jokes that I had missed first time out. Stupid family, talking over the show, can't they just sit back and watch TV instead of, like... trying to talk about stuff? Sheesh, what are we, the Waltons?

Anyway, it brings my grade to a C+.

[I Am Lion-O]

2/5, I think its one of the season's worst, the only good part really was the Beatles collection, Flanders and the Beatles, funny stuff. Otherwise it stank.

[HomertheGreat]

it was all right. I probably would have graded this higher but Moe's Baby Blues was so much better. The Beatles scenes were all great as was the Homer explaining football in Native American language. The only thing that brought this episode down was the third act which wasn't very good. I didn't get the Canadian joke. It still squeezes out a B-

[Dennis]

Pretty good. It seemed a little like it could be from the classic seasons. The only problem is, it lacked the funny. 3.5/5. Should be rated lower because I dont even remember laughing but I already voted for 4/5. Moe Baby Blues was better.

[Sultan of Seltzer]

4/5 I really liked this one. It was one of the better episodes this season. I loved the bit with Nelson's dad and the whole first act was brilliant.

[Moleman...Hans]

FOr some reason I thought it was funny. 4/5.

I think I have gone insane for liking that.

[Milhouse Van Houten]

The first 10 minuets of this episode where sheer brilliance, so much so that had it continued at the rate of awesomeness it was at it would probubly be my favorite episode of season 14 but half way through it took a very harsh turn that just continued to get worse until it all went to hell with an ending that brought me back to the Scully era.

2.5/5

[Channel Surfer]

Read Me Read Me Read Me Read Me Now!!! (http://www.tvtome.com/tvtome/servlet/EpisodeReviewPage/showid-146/epid-196017/blockid-79455/)

The plotting was a bit iffy. Not as bad as last week, but it shows with the final couple of minutes.

However, am I the only one who felt the ending was sorta like "Itchy and Scratchy and Marge" and "Mr. Lisa Goes to Washington", where the writers purposefully wrote the ending to say what they didn't really mean? In this case, the way the riot abruptly ended, and the jokes revolving around American arrogance. It wasn't as clever (none of it had any relevance to the first half of the episode), but funny enough in its own way.

"Moe Baby Blues" was much better though.

Grade: C+

[lindsay]

This episode wasn't too bad. I loved bart's hallucination w/ milhouse and the beatles. The thing w/ Nelson's dad and the trees was a little strange, but kind of funny. The whole war thing between the 2 groups was sort of enjoyable. The ending was alright too. I didn't really like it when marge started to cry. I thought it was a little too much. I thought the riot was pretty good and the whole canada wasn't too bad either. I don't really remember too much it, because moe baby blues was more rememberable, but overall 7/10

[Tomacco]

I just realized during Homer's drum solo, he hits Bart's and Nelson's heads which makes a thudding noise, and when he hits Ralph's, it makes a hallow sound. :LOL:

[DotheBartman]

This was an episode that looked iffy to me, and in some ways it really was kinda iffy, but I liked it anyway. Here's my review.

Humor was definetely the best thing about this episode. Every act was full of great stuff, starting with the hilarious South Park scene, which was SOOO spot on(amazing they've kept it consistant for 43 episodes!) and was one of the best gags all season, right down to plenty of other great moments (Nelson and his "dad", all the Ralph stuff, even Ned thinking the Beatles were bigger then Jesus). It seemed to decline a bit in the last act, but was overally pretty consistant, and the only really lame thing I can think of is Homer thinking the headress was too tight.

Story wise, it suffered a little more, but was still pretty good, and the episode was obviously targeted more for fun anyway. How Milhouse and Bart got into Flanders' house in the first place was kinda asinine, and was the only thing that really bugged me (the rest of the scenes in there were classic though), while the rest flowed well enough and just moved us from joke to joke as it was obviously meant to (I can't complain about a "just funny" episode when its funny anyway). Plus, there was the nice bit of emotion with Marge crying, which I ught was pretty well done. And the episode even maybe made a few social points, like Apu's scene with the Pre-teen braves possibly being stereotypical, and the stuff about americans destroying the environment.

Overall, not the deepest episode, and it seemed to decline a bit in the end, but it didn't need to be deep for what it was, and was overall a good episode, that even for once really showcased Bart well. I'd say: B

Edit: Btw, who was the fourth kid in the cavalry kids (there was Martin, Jimbo, Milhouse, and one other, who I've seen before for sure, but I can't remember his name)? I also think I saw Chester J. Lampwick among the bums.

[Tomacco]

I actually think the episode would have been spot-on if it wasn't for the very last minute. Watching it again right now (I'm near the end) and it's a pretty dang good episode. I think my view is starting to edge towards 4/5 now.

[NoOneFamous]

I agree, Tomacco, everything was good until the last minute or two. It felt.. inconclusive.

[brancely]

Not ging to do a long review this week, but I will say that it was an outstanding episode! I loved so much in this one that it earns a 5/5 from me. South Park, PAX, the Beatles, Ralph, Nelson and his dad, Burns' line, and even the wacky Canada ending. Plus Homer was really great in this one, in my opinion, both in being funny and in not being a jerkass. Great job, writers! 5/5

Lenny Leonard, eh?

[Mayor Quimby]

4.5/5 rounded up. Simply loved it.

[Crotis Jivefunk]

Agreed. This had one of the best first acts in awhile, IMO. And a nice meta-reference too. 4.5/5

[Capitol City Goof]

Hoooorible © Bill Walton. Bad first act, stupid ending, although the second act somewhat redeemed it. Ralph was funny for the first time in a while, and I'll admit the Nelson "Papa!" stuff made me laugh. Thanks to the middle, this gets a 2/5.

[DotheBartman]

Ya know, on second thought, I think this episode might be deeper then I thought, and that there was a real theme in there. Let me explain:

Let's start with the South Park scene, which was one of the funniest scenes in a long time, but also worked on several levels:

Just plain being brilliant in its parody of the show itself
Making fun of South Park's lazy production values (43 episodes)
Pointing out who its audience often really is (kids who like cartoon violence)
The possible influence of the show itself. Bart and Milhouse chant "cartoon violence", and when they're forced away from it, they go on a destruction spree. Hmm...

That in itself seemed to be the theme: violence. After (possibly) being influenced by other sources, be it "South Park" or each other, they go on a destruction spree, and then end up paying for it. They each go into youth groups meant to take away that destructive nature. But do they? As Apu pointed out, the groups themselves are hypocritical. But rather then truly caring, they try to one up each other and perform some tasks (selling candy, riding around a giant ball with bicycles) that don't really help anyone (the elderly even have heart attacks), and that eventually leads to them fighting each other. As things escalate, it even leads to the parents themselves becoming fierce, and they (as well as the town) get into the pointless rivalry that defeats the original purpose, and they all end up fighting as well. I'd agree with Channel Surfer that the ending may be a little sarcastic, in that it was meant to be unrealistic, similarly to the "child utopia" scenes in "Itchy and Scratchy and Marge". This paints the picture that no matter what violence you inflict, the damage can be fixed. But can it? Obviously the ending itself (everyone singing "Oh Canada", which I thought was classic personally) is entirely unrealistic. We then get the jab at the Bush administration, which is doing the same thing essentially. Will attacking Iraq REALLY lead to peace down the road? Ask Springfield when they're back to rioting or what have you in the next episode. In fact, at this point we've seen a whole culture of violence in this episode that show's a lot of possible influences: tv, parents, each other, even the presidental administration, which Bart and Milhouse think are doing a perfectly acceptable thing. I'd go so far as to say the ending was MEANT to be inconclusive, similarly to the mentioned "Itchy and Scratchy and Marge".

Wow, writing that, I'd have to up my rating a little, but wont until I've watched the episode again, hopefully soon. But they really did give me something to think about, which is rare these days. I think this episode really deserves more credit then its getting, including maybe from me.

[Tomacco]

Originally posted by DotheBartman
Ya know, on second thought, I think this episode might be deeper then I thought, and that there was a real theme in there. Let me explain:

Let's start with the South Park scene, which was one of the funniest scenes in a long time, but also worked on several levels:

Just plain being brilliant in its parody of the show itself
Making fun of South Park's lazy production values (43 episodes)
Pointing out who its audience often really is (kids who like cartoon violence)
The possible influence of the show itself. Bart and Milhouse chant "cartoon violence", and when they're forced away from it, they go on a destruction spree. Hmm...

That in itself seemed to be the theme: violence. After (possibly) being influenced by other sources, be it "South Park" or each other, they go on a destruction spree, and then end up paying for it. They each go into youth groups meant to take away that destructive nature. But do they? As Apu pointed out, the groups themselves are hypocritical. But rather then truly caring, they try to one up each other and perform some tasks (selling candy, riding around a giant ball with bicycles) that don't really help anyone (the elderly even have heart attacks), and that eventually leads to them fighting each other. As things escalate, it even leads to the parents themselves becoming fierce, and they (as well as the town) get into the pointless rivalry that defeats the original purpose, and they all end up fighting as well. I'd agree with Channel Surfer that the ending may be a little sarcastic, in that it was meant to be unrealistic, similarly to the "child utopia" scenes in "Itchy and Scratchy and Marge". This paints the picture that no matter what violence you inflict, the damage can be fixed. But can it? Obviously the ending itself (everyone singing "Oh Canada", which I thought was classic personally) is entirely unrealistic. We then get the jab at the Bush administration, which is doing the same thing essentially. Will attacking Iraq REALLY lead to peace down the road? Ask Springfield when they're back to rioting or what have you in the next episode. In fact, at this point we've seen a whole culture of violence in this episode that show's a lot of possible influences: tv, parents, each other, even the presidental administration, which Bart and Milhouse think are doing a perfectly acceptable thing. I'd go so far as to say the ending was MEANT to be inconclusive, similarly to the mentioned "Itchy and Scratchy and Marge".

Wow, writing that, I'd have to up my rating a little, but wont until I've watched the episode again, hopefully soon. But they really did give me something to think about, which is rare these days. I think this episode really deserves more credit then its getting, including maybe from me.

The violence theme occured to me when watching it the second time, although I'm not ENTIRELY convinced it was intended. Although it might be underestimating the writers, I think if that was the theme, it would have been more obvious. But I can't be sure. It is a definite possibility.

[Channel Surfer]

Originally posted by DotheBartman
Ya know, on second thought, I think this episode might be deeper then I thought, and that there was a real theme in there. Let me explain:

Let's start with the South Park scene, which was one of the funniest scenes in a long time, but also worked on several levels:

Just plain being brilliant in its parody of the show itself
Making fun of South Park's lazy production values (43 episodes)
Pointing out who its audience often really is (kids who like cartoon violence)
The possible influence of the show itself. Bart and Milhouse chant "cartoon violence", and when they're forced away from it, they go on a destruction spree. Hmm...

That in itself seemed to be the theme: violence. After (possibly) being influenced by other sources, be it "South Park" or each other, they go on a destruction spree, and then end up paying for it. They each go into youth groups meant to take away that destructive nature. But do they? As Apu pointed out, the groups themselves are hypocritical. But rather then truly caring, they try to one up each other and perform some tasks (selling candy, riding around a giant ball with bicycles) that don't really help anyone (the elderly even have heart attacks), and that eventually leads to them fighting each other. As things escalate, it even leads to the parents themselves becoming fierce, and they (as well as the town) get into the pointless rivalry that defeats the original purpose, and they all end up fighting as well. I'd agree with Channel Surfer that the ending may be a little sarcastic, in that it was meant to be unrealistic, similarly to the "child utopia" scenes in "Itchy and Scratchy and Marge". This paints the picture that no matter what violence you inflict, the damage can be fixed. But can it? Obviously the ending itself (everyone singing "Oh Canada", which I thought was classic personally) is entirely unrealistic. We then get the jab at the Bush administration, which is doing the same thing essentially. Will attacking Iraq REALLY lead to peace down the road? Ask Springfield when they're back to rioting or what have you in the next episode.

Wow, writing that, I'd have to up my rating a little, but wont until I've watched the episode again, hopefully soon. But they really did give me something to think about, which is rare these days. I think this episode really deserves more credit then its getting, including maybe from me.

You know, you might be right. I was trying to figure out the significance of those last couple of minutes in regards to the rest of the episode in my review. It was clear to me they were trying to make some sort of social commentary in regards to violence with the super abrupt ending to the riot and the comments about America's warmongering attitude. But trying to piece it together with stuff like Ned's Beatles collection, gags revolving around Nelson's dad, ect, I did have trouble trying to find a focus for the ending, which you may have connected. Especially considering the turn the episode took in the 3rd act, with Homer and Bart sabotaging "The Cavalry Kids" candy sales, and the entire "bad boy" contest.

Maybe I'll raise my grade to a B- for now, as the point of the episode seems a bit clearer.

[DotheBartman]

There was some distracting stuff (the Beatles), but I think otherwise this might just have been in the classic style of not making its message so clear. After all, at first glance "Itchy and Scratchy and Marge" seems to say "violent cartoons are bad" if nothing else, but on closer inspection it leaves things more open ended, and doesn't make it particularly clear what the message would be without the person watching really disecting it more then one normally would watching tv, or even more then us Simpsons geeks normally would when preparing to write a review. I myself thought it seemed a bit chaotic and strange, but hey, that might've been the point.

[homer5000]

Did anyone notice that they got South Park's episode count wrong (42 episodes instead of 103 episodes), like how South Park got Simpsons' episode count (132 episodes instead of 278 [or something like that] episodes, at the time) last year?

And how Marge made a reversal from "Homer Defined" (saying Milhouse is a bad influence on Bart, instead of Luann saying Bart is a bad influence on Milhouse)?

Oh, and how out of character and cruel Ned was? HE even admits the Beatles were bigger than jesus. I bet the real Ned wouldn't say that.

Overall, the episode was...meh. Very meh. The tribute to Canada was hilarious, but WTF was with the riot?? Milhouse beating up Bart??? 3/5...just very meh...

[Channel Surfer]

Originally posted by DotheBartman
There was some distracting stuff (the Beatles), but I think otherwise this might just have been in the classic style of not making its message so clear. After all, at first glance "Itchy and Scratchy and Marge" seems to say "violent cartoons are bad" if nothing else, but on closer inspection it leaves things more open ended, and doesn't make it particularly clear what the message would be without the person watching really disecting it more then one normally would watching tv, or even more then us Simpsons geeks normally would when preparing to write a review. I myself thought it seemed a bit chaotic and strange, but hey, that might've been the point

Well, that's the reason I come here. To find new ways to appreciate "Simpsons" episodes. Not additional reasons to hate them.

[Simpson Purist]

I don't think subtle satire can be used to explain Otto's "show me your boobs" line. :-/ I can see the rest of your points, right now my score stands at 7/10

[DotheBartman]

Btw, the "chaotic and strange" comment was referring to this episode, not "Marge". Just to clarify.

Homer5000: I think the 43 episodes thing was more or less a satirical exxagaration, as they make so few episodes and so sporadically (despite that the aninamation is so cheap to make) and then rerun them ad nauseum. Course, it could've also been meant to be similar to the 132 episodes thing. Funny how both shows have lampooned each other, and both in a rough yet loving manner. As for Ned's comment, that was also a joke I think, since obviously Ned wouldn't say something like that. But it wasn't a bad out of character joke by any means, and didn't sacrifice his character in my eye, since it wasn't THAT out of character and was funny.

[brancely]

I think I agree with DotheBartman and co. above. I think this episode was incredibly clever, with the underlying theme mentioned very prevalent. I stick by my praises of this fantastic episode, which I thought was a perfect foil to Moe Baby Blues. This one was topical, with the kind of upper-class humor we got in episodes from seasons of olde. Moe Baby Blues had some slapstick, and was overall not an epsode for a thinking man. It was very straightforward, with no really subtle humor or things to pick apart and commentate on. Fabulous end to an above average season.

[DotheBartman]

Originally posted by Simpson Purist
I don't think subtle satire can be used to explain Otto's "show me your boobs" line. :-/ I can see the rest of your points, right now my score stands at 7/10

That line honestly didn't bug me, since I think it was more to be about Otto's character then to be a boob joke. Plus, it actually could be argued that it was to help keep the entire scene in check. The Springfieldians may briefly be holding hands and loving each other, but at the end of the day, they're still themselves, and will riot again and do what they always do, including wanting to look at womens' boobs in some cases.

One other, unrelated thing I noticed: Mel took the bone out of his hair. Guess the gum wore off. ;) And I think Nelson's dad was designed wrong (compared to past eps), but oh well. Wizard did it.

[Simpson Purist]

Yeah I guess your right, it just felt to me like the writers wanted to remind me of Kill the Alligator and Run.

[chumpbender]

Pretty good, not bad at all. A few really good jokes. Not as good as moe baby blues, but still good.

[DotheBartman]

I know I've posted here a lot, but I have another random thought:

At the end everyone suddenly praises Canada, which seems to confuse a lot of people, including myself. But perhaps we all missed the point itself. Canada is known for being very peaceful and doesn't start wars, unlike the american administrations Bart and Milhouse cherish. But, in our current war, Canada hasn't been a particularly stark rival to the actions of the U.S. unlike France, etc. Everyone in Springfield apparently worships them for the nonviolence, but perhaps by specifically using our neighbor to the north as an example, the writers were attacking Canada for largely keeping quiet and not helping to sway things? Or perhaps its the opposite: by not attacking our policy ala France, they actually act as a better example, as they don't get into pointless rivalry (ala all the groups in this ep), and therefore set an example in their own way?

Man, this episode keeps getting better.

[Tibor]

I noticed some of the same things upon contemplating the episode, DtB. Reviewing some of my other grading this season (especially comparing with my grade for Brake My Wife), it's a B- turnout.

I think what happened was that Baby Blues outshined it, and affected my grading.

[Tomacco]

Originally posted by DotheBartman
I know I've posted here a lot, but I have another random thought:

At the end everyone suddenly praises Canada, which seems to confuse a lot of people, including myself. But perhaps we all missed the point itself. Canada is known for being very peaceful and doesn't start wars, unlike the american administrations Bart and Milhouse cherish. But, in our current war, Canada hasn't been a particularly stark rival to the actions of the U.S. unlike France, etc. Everyone in Springfield apparently worships them for the nonviolence, but perhaps by specifically using our neighbor to the north as an example, the writers were attacking Canada for largely keeping quiet and not helping to sway things? Or perhaps its the opposite: by not attacking our policy ala France, they actually act as a better example, as they don't get into pointless rivalry (ala all the groups in this ep), and therefore set an example in their own way?

Man, this episode keeps getting better.

I strongly doubt they were bashing Canada, that's for sure. If anything, as they said, they were pointing out how they jump to violence too quickly in the US to resolve problems.

[DotheBartman]

Originally posted by Tomacco
I strongly doubt they were bashing Canada, that's for sure. If anything, as they said, they were pointing out how they jump to violence too quickly in the US to resolve problems.

Yeah, I'm leaning more toward that, and Canada being a REAL example of, well, a good example, unlike other countries like France that are well meaning, but ultimately perhaps add fuel to the fire.

[chiefdan]

Originally posted by Clown without Pity
I never knew Flanders was a Beatles fan :LOL:.

Well, in that THOH segment that featured Y2K, when everyone was in church fearing the end of the world, Flanders says something like, "I resisted this for 36 years, why did I have to wear these Beatle Boots today?"

[Tibor]

A lot of it seemed to be commentary on how violent the national psyche seems to be... How we "declare war" on everything, springs to mind (War on Cancer, War on Drugs, War on Terrorism).

[Maddog53]

I found this episode to be very, very funny and in the end quite satirical. I found Homer's Indian chief to be the best part, but what made this episode shine was the satirizing of America's foreign policy. As DoTheBartman and others have already been discussing, I took the comments made at the end, as well as singing the Canadian national anthem to be a comment on war (Not this war, but war in general) being an opiate for the masses. It gives them something to root for, and take their minds off of things the same way cartoon violence does (which ties into the beginning with the great South Park parody). Even though it was quite funny, I still found it to drag in the middle causing me to grade this episode a 4/5 (which I seem to give a lot).

Maddog.

[okayagain]

I liked it. It had an alright story, nothing spectacular. And the jokes didn't have me bursting with laughter, but it had a lot of good quick laughs to make up for it. Nelson just wasn't right though, he's shown a lapse in his bully character before, but this sort of crossed something. The South Park spoof was pretty weak (though I did enjoy how it was Cartman who got killed. Although I'm not sure if it was on purpose, it looked like an in-joke for South Park fans). Homer's jealousy was pointless at the beginning, but got some meaning during the end when he helped get their revenge. Could've ended better, but it was enough.
Enjoyable. 3/5

[IdRathaHavaBeer]

Ralph: "I'm a brick"

I cracked up when I saw the way he flew through that window! :LOL:

Another classic episode.

[Walter Sobchak]

Kurt Vanhoueten had the best line of the episode.
"Looks like i woke up on the wrong side of the futon."
A classic divorced male line. (even though before he slept on a race car.) ;)
5 out of 5 for me. I went into viewing happy and came out happier.

[cired]

I thought both episodes were pretty decent tonight however Ned's Beatles shrine made it all worth while for me. All the actual memorabillia in the background was awesome. I'm a huge Beatles fan so each different refence was great. Seeing Milhouse go through the Lennon stages was hilarious. I'm sure that room will never be seen again, however it would be terrific if it made another appearance in the future.

[Tibor]

Agreed. That set piece, and the gags from it really is the humor standout of the episode. Bart and Milhouse trying to sneak away in the Yellow Submarine had me in tears.

[homer989]

i give it 3 because its not bad but the storyline could be improved

[comicbookgoy]

I thought the mix of humor and social commentary made it one of the best episodes of the year. The Beatles stuff was great and the comments about Indians and war made good points. The Moe episode was good, but completely predictable, and it was purely emotional, no real commentary. I was actually surprised by the ending of Bart of War.

[Merbert Moover]

Originally posted by comicbookgoy
The Moe episode was good, but completely predictable, and it was purely emotional, no real commentary.Golly, it's a cartoon, not a discourse by Marx & Engels.

[|RABiD|]

Hey! Get your hands off my wife's ex-husband! :LOL:

[doyle]

i thought it was a decent episode with some great humor throughout, spaced more or less equally over the course of the episode, and there was also some good emotion with marge crying. the plot i thought was pretty solid and flowed well for the most part. 4/5

now for my opinion on the ending. i may be the only one who thinks this, but in addition to it being a funny joke aimed at the bush administration and its warlike ways, i saw it as al jeans way of apologizing for last season's The Bart Wants What It Wants, which disappointed many canadians. he may have been pushed more to do this with thoughts that he would make up for the trip to Toronto.either way i felt the ending was a bit way out there with the riot that definitely felt like something from Scully.

[Tommy Vercetti]

pretty good episode featuring BART,the couch scene was pretty good too.4/5

[Wavy Gravy]

A fabulous episode! The opening scenes were great, especially Flanders' Beatles memorabilia. The scenes with Homer as the leader of the Pre-Teen Braves were great ("I will bet no more forever"), as well as Marge taking over. Ralph had some of the best lines ("You smell like dead bunnies""I'm a brick!"), and the last act brought things to a nice end (I loved the Canada bit). In all, great penultimate episode to Season 14. 4/5

[Peacefrog22]

4/5. VG ep. I loved how it took a self-referent approach. The laxative joke was just brilliant. Looks like the writers are starting to use their noggins again.

[MaxpowerAK79]

Yeah,

Some good jokes, but the plot and the middle of the ep. really were kinda lame.

I did like learning new stuff about Ned, his beattle boots reference in the past is now validated. "They were bigger than Jesus!".

The violence in this ep. was hilarious as well. I really liked it when Ralph got kicked in the head. He went down like a sack of potatoes, I can tell you that much.

The fight at the end was great...Tatum vs. Moe, Homer kickin' ass on Kirk was excellent.

Did anybody love the way Barney stepped up and kicked Pyro's ass when Pyro jumped Homer...what a good friend.

Did like it okay, but there were many flaws.

[Roarke]

4.5/5. -0.5 for a little problem I had with plot flow.

As far as the ending, I didn't notice anything wrong at all, and felt similar to what DTB was saying about it in his last post

Still, Moe Baby Blues was better

[Hamiltonhabs32]

Great Episode, one of my favs for sure, My fav part was when tatum was sizing up moe "aw how did this happen"

[Hapablap]

4/5 good plot great jokes, many of which were rather subtle, I'm lovin' it. The whole Beatles thing was completely unexpected and very much welcome. I have nothing to complain about except the brawl at the end was a bit much, even that had its funny moments though especially Moe standing in front of Tatum. I especially liked the, scuse the term, "tounge in cheek" ending, thinking wow, thats probably gonna rustle some feathers. Viva Simpsons!

[necrulez]

Although not as great as Moe baby blues, still very good. It really felt like an episode from the "good ol'days". Not terrible funny, but down to earth storyline, and imo a very nice ending....

[Stina]

It was okay, kinda lame in some parts..I liked the beginning when Milhouse & Bart were watching Southpark, lol.

3/5

[Pukahontas]

Just watched this episode for the second time, and it was very good, but nothing compared to Moe Baby Blues. The first act was basically the same as "Parent Rap" if you think about it, nothin special bout this act. The rest of the episode was MUCH better, but the Homer drum solo went on way too long. Thank God Marge became the group leader, cuase I couldn't really take anymore Homer. Besides that I couldnt see anything else wrong with this episode. And a great line out of Homer, "People do anything signs tell them" sees Duff sign and drinks a Duff, see another drinks another...funny stuff! Singing the Candian anthem was a good ending to a good episode.

7.5/10
4/5

[NoOneFamous]

The riot at the end of this episode is probably one of the best riot scenes they've ever done. Most of the time, the riot just breaks out randomly for no real reason (like almost all of them in the Scully era), and they just show random people punching each other.. but in this one, they had a reason to fight and took the time to have each character "defined" by how they were fighting (Barney helping Homer, etc).

[HomertheGreat]

Moe and Dredrick Tatum was especially funny...

[brancely]

Was this the first one of Season 14 to be completely guest star free? It was nice not to have a line like, "Hey, it's (insert reason for fame) (insert star's name)!"

[homer5000]

Originally posted by lance
Was this the first one of Season 14 to be completely guest star free? It was nice not to have a line like, "Hey, it's (insert reason for fame) (insert star's name)!"

Well, Bart vs. Lisa vs. The Third Grade and C.E.D'oh didn't have one. And I don't think Moe Baby Blues (even though it was after this one) had one either...that's, like, three episodes. Ouch...

[Rowdy]

The Beatles references and a few funny scenes near the end saved this one. 2.5/5

I can't see how people seemed to enjoy an episode that had Marge declare war on a rival group for only one small reason.....a lot of it was nonsensical and just didn't really fly well at all....are we supposed to believe that Nelson and Bart would enjoy being Pre-Teen braves?

Btw, wasn't Homer's drum solo strikingly close to the one from The Beatle's "The End"? Also, I would have loved to had seen the look on 99% of Americans who didn't get the Brian Epstein joke....

[Splashmore]

Easily the worst episode ever. A prime example of how the Simpsons now suck.

[Stackhouse]

Originally posted by Splashmore
Easily the worst episode ever. A prime example of how the Simpsons now suck.

Originally posted by PhthaloType
I usually hate it when people say this, but in this case I'm gonna make an exception. I'm usually pretty lenient on the ones others hate, but since so many of you have apparently lost your minds...

Worst episode ever.

Kill the Alligator and Run. Simpsons Safari. New Kids on the Blechh.

Explain.

[caribou]

The best thing about this episode? Marge, hands down. That was the best characterization of her since season 8. It was so nice to not have her chime in with some cheesy pop culture reference or simply be there to set up a joke for another character. While that hasn't always been the case in previous seasons, Marge's moments have still been less than stellar. But she was perfect in "The Bart of War," from her voice to her dialogue to her animation.

As for the episode as a whole, it's a solid 4/5 from me.

[DotheBartman]

Ya know, Splashmore (and some others here), I may be one of the more negative posters here, but its posts like that that really make me feel like the CBG stereotype is validated. You pop in and say one or two sentences, saying its the "worst episode ever" but giving no justification for it, despite that I and others have offered some reviews with actualy substance. I may have hated episodes like "Pray Anything", but at least I actually pointed out the problems with it. Its not constructive criticism, or even interesting for the rest of us to read, if you put that little thought into your post.

Sorry, but its getting a little frustrating when I and others post fairly lengthy reviews about why we disliked episodes (as well as sometimes lengthy reviews about why we DID like them), and other people just pop in with one or two sentences and no substance. If you "can't see" how people could like this one, at least read my comments on it. Your comment gives absolutely no counter argument, and doesn't help anyone.

[Tibor]

Easily the worst episode ever. A prime example of how the Simpsons now suck.

A prime example of why Itchy and Scratchy and Poochie is so funny.

You pop in and say one or two sentences, saying its the "worst episode ever" but giving no justification for it, despite that I and others have offered some reviews with actualy substance.

They have no justification; it's knee-jerk CBG-esqe episode bashing.

[mohammed jafar]

Woo-hoo!! I finally manage to see an episode in time to post a review in its original stickied thread!!!

Anyway, I liked this episode a lot. It was refreshingly hilarious all the way through, which immediately gives it a head start over some other amusing-but-not-hilarious S14 episodes like I'm Spelling As Fast As I Can. The humor involved here could have easily carried a much weaker, more empty storyline. Thankfully it didn't need to, as the plot, while fairly fun-orientated and not particularly serious, was engaging and very smart. Throughout the episode I noticed the overwhelming theme of violence/war being so deeply rooted in (possibly just American) society no matter how much we seem to abhor it - cartoon violence, Bart & Milhouse's subsequent behaviour, the groups designed to keep them away from being violent turning quickly to violence to solve problems (Marge's abrupt "this means war" solution to them having to share turf), Drederick Tatum, the riot, Lenny & Carl etc etc. The intertwining of the Native American stuff was also neatly combined with the overall theme, and it was never patronising or preachy either ("Indians don't sit around drinking beer and watching TV"). I have no doubts this was intentional, it's crazy to think that it wasn't. And I notice reading these reviews that some other people noticed the same themes/motifs that I did, and explained it a little better than I have just done too. I liked the ending, however I feel its proud surrealism let it down a bit. A weird, unclear, thought-provoking ending is good, but I felt this was perhaps a little too weird and a little too quick. I'm guessing Canada was put in there as a idealized representation of peaceful, superliberal values but I don't think it was necessarily tied in with the main plotline and satire of the episode as well as it could have been. It still works well nonetheless, and the episode as a whole is a fine piece of social satire. As for the riot, it wasn't "Scully type rubbish" or whatever, don't be silly, it had a point and it was well built up to. Homer didn't just suddenly stand up and go "let's go nuts!! YEAHH!!!" before everyone inexplicably started fighting each other, which is basically what would happen in the Scully era. Also, in the Scully era the riots or violence were played for crazy slapstick (A Tale Of Two Springfields, They Saved Lisa's Brain) - there was no emphasised crazy slapstick at all here. This was intelligent, had fine characterisation (Marge especially, but Homer & Bart were great too), and was very very funny (even the Family Guy style side gags, which bomb more often than not, all worked - Burns' comment about the smoke signals was classic) and I'd say it's the best yet this season (I haven't seen Moe Baby Blues or Dude Wheres My Ranch yet), better than Special Edna. B+ at the moment but pretty close to an A-. As for silly side concerns, I was disappointed that there wasn't much Lisa in this one, but the abundance of Kirk Van Houten stuff more than made up for it. Though the joke where he stabbed the turtle with the flagpole should not have gone on to the raccoon - one was fine, two was stretching it where it didn't wanna go......

[Homer G.]

I think it was okay. The "war is the answer to America's problems" was a great pun at the end. But what I loved was the musical quote from Call of the Simpsons when we first see Marge and the kids in the wilderness. Great job on that one.
While still mediocre at best, it looks like The Simpsons is starting to get some of its old shine back.

[Tomacco]

Originally posted by Homer G.
But what I loved was the musical quote from Call of the Simpsons when we first see Marge and the kids in the wilderness. Great job on that one.

Yeah, I noticed that too and appreciated it.

[Tomacco]

Need more votes to get this entered in the NHC official S14 ranking.

[Rowdy]

Originally posted by Tomacco
Need more votes to get this entered in the NHC official S14 ranking.

How about I vote another ten times? I feel that this episode is ridiculously overrated anyway.....

[davidshirt]

this was an okay episode. flanders saying the beatles are bigger than jesus is funny for all the reasons, well two. lennon said it on the radio when the beatles first came to america, and then there is the obvious reason why it's funny.

ralph was funny, and i am suprised he was used more than he normally is.

and that's all i can say.

[Merbert Moover]

Originally posted by davidshirt
this was an okay episode. flanders saying the beatles are bigger than jesus is funny for all the reasons, well two. lennon said it on the radio when the beatles first came to america, and then there is the obvious reason why it's funny.Thanks for clearing that up ;-/

[Friz]

I did not enjoy this episode at all.

Sure, it was fun in some places, mainly Flanders reaction to his house being "slightly askew", but it got really odd by the end of the second act. Act Three just never shoulda happened. Canada national anthem? That just got me saying "What?!!" to my computer screen.

2/5. Let's hope part wo is better...

[simplysimpsons]

Pros!
Flanders' Beatles collection!
"To the panic room!"
Animation was fantastic!
Ralph!
The rivalry was done well, especially at the start Retirement castle!
Laxative thing, especially when it lead to Grampa and the others - hilarious!
"Have another Duff!"
Good levels of emotion, especially Marge, thought that was pretty touching...

Cons:
Nelson
Sticking those spikes!
The ending, could have been better, could have been worse!

Overall, the plot flowed well and the characters were done nicely! Just a few cons, mainly pros though...No real stupid jokes, a very decent episode, looking forward to seeing Moe Baby Blues!

My rating: 4.5/5, exactly in the middle - grade A-

{EDIT} - that South Park take at the beginning was gold!

[brancely]

Originally posted by homer5000
And I don't think Moe Baby Blues (even though it was after this one) had one either...that's, like, three episodes. Ouch... Joe Mantegna. So two episodes.

[mohammed jafar]

Joe Mantegna doesn't count.

[brancely]

I consider Joe to be a guest star. Why wouldn't he be? We think of Kelsey Grammer as a guest star, so why not Joe?

[homer5000]

Wow. First time ever that I've disagreed aganist the majority. I just don't see what people SEE in the episode. I'll quote Rowdy...

Originally posted by Rowdy
I feel that this episode is ridiculously overrated anyway.....

...it is. The only hilarious thing is the South Park jab. Flanders was out of character ("Bigger than Jesus"?? WTF, Flanders WOULD NOT say that, even if it was a Beatles ref!), and the episode was just redicously full of itself. It THOUGHT it was witty and hilarious. Personally, it really felt like those rare and few Season Nine episodes that had those weird turns that thought they were funny...but they weren't ("This Little Wiggy", "Girly Edition", "Dumbbell Indemnity", "Bart Carny" and "Realty Bites" all suffered of this, IMO). Please watch it one more time and then tell me it's great...

[huh?]

Originally posted by lance
I consider Joe to be a guest star. Why wouldn't he be? We think of Kelsey Grammer as a guest star, so why not Joe?
I think that he's not much of a guest star because he has appeared a far greater amount of times than Grammer, and sometimes he just has one line or two. In short, Mantenga is as much of a guest star as Marcia Wallace.

[DotheBartman]

Ned's characterization didn't bug me. It was basically just a quick joke, anyway, and wasn't nearly as bad as say, him randomly having sex with a movie star out in the open, which was much farther out of character, and was done in the context of a full Ned episode (rather then just a quick joke), which hurt it even more. In this case the joke WAS that it was out of character, but at the same time ALMOST makes sense. As for plot turns, they're a staple lately anyway, and one you can't really get away from. And personally, if you read my comments, I think the first act fit the rest of the episode pretty well on a theme basis, and certainly wasn't more detached from it then bagboy strikes or the like, or even some other things this season, like going on random trips to disneyland...er, efcot, or going to the aquarium in Brake My Wife, Please.

[mohammed jafar]

Jesus Christ in a wheelbarrow, some of you kids obviously have no understanding of what "characterisation" or "out-of-character material" actually means, AT ALL....

[Misundaztood]

3/5

[Sorrydude]

At least the second episode wasn't as bad...though that it would be hard to sustain that level of badness for two consecutive episodes.

[mathias1979]

Meh. 3/5. I don't know...seems that everything good people have said about this episode I don't agree with. The whole Beatles thing was just wierd...although Bart's hallucination was defnitely a highlight of the episode. I wasn't amused by Ralph's antics, in face one of the gags made me cringe, although I forget which it was. I think the whole idea of the wolf carrying him off into the wild. Nelson's fatherhood issues, eh, somewhat amusing at first. Could've done without it the second time. But Homer's leadership abilities, classic. Loved his drum solo. I may give it another look in a day or two, perhaps I'll be more amused the second time. But as for now, it sits among the bottom half of my rankings for this season.

-Matt

[Simpson Purist]

I'm curious, did anyone think that Bart was slightly out-of-character when he said that something was "gay"?

[NoOneFamous]

Originally posted by Simpson Purist
I'm curious, did anyone think that Bart was slightly out-of-character when he said that something was "gay"?
Nope.

Moe: Have you ever been hunting before, Bart?
Bart: No, but I've heard about it. Something about a bunch of guys, alone, in the woods... sounds kinda gay.

[Simpson Purist]

Hmm...I asked this because this (along with the whole Canada thing) is causing an uproar at the ATS forums, I didn't really cringe at the line as those people did. Some people thought that Bart said "gay" as in "stupid," while the quote from Homer's Phobia is meant to say that Bart thinks hunting is a homosexual activity since it almost always involves men.

[DotheBartman]

It was using it as "stupid", but I don't think it was out of character. Sadly, a lot of kids nowadays find it perfectly acceptable to say that and use it often (equally disturbing: my mom, a middle school teacher, started hearing kids using "jewish" in the same vein). Plus, Bart had just been watching "South Park", which is somewhat infamous for using the term casually, so perhaps it was another hint at him being "influenced".

[Tibor]

Yeah, with young'uns these days, 'gay' and 'stupid' are interchangeable.

And besides that, the gag itself (with Flanders having a picture of OFF- 'God Bless Our Neighbors!') was hi-larious.

[Urath28]

it was good, not great, but good

as for the end it would have been funny if they did not have the newspaper in the store saying "President Shots Wife" That was funny but then mixing in real world problems... :(

[Sorrydude]

Originally posted by DotheBartman
It was using it as "stupid", but I don't think it was out of character. Sadly, a lot of kids nowadays find it perfectly acceptable to say that and use it often ...

I'm only 31 but I remember as a kid saying "That's gay" to mean "That's stupid" without any reference to sexual preferences. It goes back quite a way...

[Kuje]

Moe: Have you ever been hunting before, Bart?
Bart: No, but I've heard about it. Something about a bunch of guys, alone, in the woods... sounds kinda gay.

That 'gay' is supposed to mean homosexual, as Homer wants to take Bart hunting because he thinks it will make him 'not gay', but Bart thinks that spending time in the woods with a bunch of guys IS gay.

[Sorrydude]

Originally posted by davidshirt
this was an okay episode. flanders saying the beatles are bigger than jesus is funny for all the reasons, well two. lennon said it on the radio when the beatles first came to america, and then there is the obvious reason why it's funny.

John Lennon didn't say that on the radio, he said it during an interview in March 1966 with an English newspaper. The quote was reprinted in an American magazine later that year but out of context.

[Sorrydude]

It actually provoked controversy across the United States, not simply the so-called Bible belt. Some people don't like their religious figures disparaged...I hear people in another figurative Bible belt overseas share that opinion.

[George Cauldron]

Saw this episode for the first time. The first act was very good, with Bart and Milhouse in a classic prank-goes-wrong situation. Loved the Beatles references. The second and third acts were decidedly mediocre, and I felt that the whole cowboys/Indians thing had been loosely explored already in The Lastest Gun In The West and The Fright To Creep And Scare Harms, and Dude Where's My Ranch, without needing to be done here. And Marge's sobbing was one of the worst examples of forced emotion that I've seen in a long time.

[Glumplich]

I watched this episode again last night. I give it a solid B.

[Rococo Fox]

A mediocre episode, not of season 14's finest, but still a decent offering. Flanders was slightly overdone in his overbearingly Christian persona, not many of the jokes were very memorable, the Bart/Milhouse angle could have been developed more, and the ending was a bit abrupt, but it still produced a few good jokes and mostly accurate characterizations. 3/5