Rate/Review Brother's Little Helper

[Dr Zaius]

I don't think this episode has ever been mentioned or reviewed before. It probably has, I dunno, can't be bothered to check.
Anyway, I'd says it's a "Meh" by least.

[ShadowBun]

It started off somewhat funny and the first effects of Bart's medicine are interesting to watch, but when he gets paranoid the episode pretty much falls to pieces. Like many other episodes of the Scully era, the third act is a wacky, rambling seven minutes that wraps up things in a very poor fashion. Add in an unnecessary and unfunny guest star, and you've got yourself a 5.5/10 episode (3/5, C-).

[Wezzo]

3/5, Great first act, 'meh' second act, TERRIBLE third act.

[Mike Scully]

Worth watching mainly too see Bart acting attentive, which I thought was fairly well-written. Good enough, despite some major flaws in the end. Grade: C+

[squishee lady]

Awesome episode. In my top 25. The jokes were top Notch, I was laughing all the way through. A-. The - is for the tacked on "major league baseball" ending.

[Charmy]

The ending killed this deader than my cold, cold heart. B-/C+.

[SideshowTim]

Shit 3rd act. C+

[doyle]

This had pretty much any elements of an episode I hate. You name it, this episode has it. Poor characterization, and I'm being generous by saying poor. I don't know what it is, but while watching episodes from season 7 when they first aired, I never envisioned Bart wrapping himself in aluminum foil and putting a garbage can lid on his head. Of course, the concept of Major League Baseball spying on citizens was ridiculous to begin with. Progression was terrible. I must say that some of the Bart we saw in the first act was classic Bart behaviour, which while being a bit extreme, still had him doing things he should be doing. By the end of this one, he had aimed a tank towards the sky and shot down a satellite, which brings us to the guest role. The dingers line was a stupid way for the writers to avoid coming up with reasons to explain the crap they had created, and he did nothing to contribute to the episode otherwise. This plot also seemed promising to begin with. You would think some nice satire could be done on what happens to people on medication, as in side effects. Of course, any attempts at this were pathetic, obvious, in-your-face jokes too common during the Scully years. During any time where any emotion was attempted, Bart would respond with some perplexing cynical remark. The episode closed with a strange Popeye parody having nothing to do with anything, an action paralleled in Jaws Wired Shut. D+

[Rnymd]

I agree with everyone, the 3rd act spoiled what could of been a pretty good episode - C-

[y2dave2004]

3.5/5 alot of funny jokes

[Simpson Purist]

6/10

I liked the episode up until Bart stole the tank, then it got really stupid.

[mohammed jafar]

slightly less generous version of what Mike Scully said. I felt Bart's bad behaviour in the first act was far too crass, unfunny and, to quote the great man himself, "just senseless destruction, with none of (his) usual social commentary". Plenty of Scully hallmarks - immensely irritating Homer, IV druggings (what the hell was it with Scully and IV druggings?). However, Bart becoming "good" in the second act is well-written. However the episode bombs horribly in the third act for reasons which I don't think need reiterating. C

[George Cauldron]

Terrible. Just terrible. OK, well from the third act onwards, terrible. The first two acts were quite decent themselves, with some classic Bart, and it was intriguing to see him in "clever" mode, with Lisa being slightly irritated. Then it all bombs, with Bart thinking up crazy conspiracy theories, therefore stealing a tank in order to shoot down a satellite. Major League Baseball spying on people? WHY? To add insult to injury, no reason is given, and Mark McGuire's cameo is nothing short of useless. The little sing-song by Bart at the end was pathetic and embarrassing to watch. End transmission.

[simplysimpsons]

If the whole third act (and maybe portions of the first and second act) was rewritten, this episode would be so much better. As it stands though, the first act is pretty good. Semi-tasteful jokes, including the Flanders fire safety thing which was one of the funniest parts of this ep. The second act was alright, especially the beginning - Homer trying to fire the pills into Bart's mouth was a small glimpse of classic Homer, imo. The third act crashed at 200mph - tanks, wacky baseball plots, stupid ending - the hallmarks of Mr. Scully! Overall, C, and that's being generous!

[wee raging wilie]

D- it was pretty much crappy in my thoughts.

[Air Homer]

Pretty crap 3/10

[4 Alarm Chilli]

I actually thought this was quite a good episode, at least for season 11 standards, a wacky plot, but with some funny parts.
The 3rd act seemed to let it down a little, but it won't stop me from giving it a 4/5, or B

[The Real Brian McGee]

I just watched this episode like 20 minutes ago---
I liked the whole Idea of bart going crazy on drugs. crazy and drugs are funnnny. I liked most of the episode but what I didnt like was homer trying to shoot the focusin into barts mouth while he was playing video gamed and when he did all the dancing around after he took the focusin. homer wasnt very good in this episode.

[Xt'Tapalatakettle]

Some of my favorite lines come from the 3rd act, e.g. "The frames store! You monster!" First two acts are solid as well. I've always taken a liking to this episode. One of my personal favorites from an overly-maligned season 11. This and Grift of the Magi are probably the only 5/5s from this season.

[Sniper Squirrel]

The third act just ruined it, 3/5 C+

[J-Spot]

I haven't seen this probably since it first reran, but I remember liking it okay. Despite the ridiculous third act, it was still one of only about 5 episodes in the AABF run that I enjoyed. The potential of Bart being put on ADD meds was squandered, but at least it wasn't another Homer gets a new hobby episode. I'd probably give it a B-, which just barely rounds up to 4/5.

[Dewey Finn]

Just watched the whole episode.

Actually, I was heard a lot of people saying Season 11 is the worst. Now let me say that act 1 and act 2 was great with Bart showing effects of drugs. Then the third act was a disaster. Why would Major League Baseball inspect on our lives??? I know that was the time (1999) when the baseball was getting alive again (Mark McGwire and his corked biceps was the factor), but this is just a thought that's worse than sunday funnys.

The good:

+The first 2 acts
+It's good to see Maude again in clean animation
+The characterization was good until the third act

The bad:

-the orange/testicle joke, ugh
-disastrous third act that made no sense.

Grade: C+

Conclusion: In the future when I become a major leaguer, I'm going to stalk on some famous... girl celebrities with my amazing abilities! Haha

[Hiphopopotamus]

*deleted

[Philip Cheesesteak]

The whole thing is rather unfunny, maybe with a standout joke here or there (most notably "The frames store! You monster!"), but I really hate the way Bart is portrayed throughout the episode. His line "Sure, I can do something destructive" said to Skinner shows how Scully turned him from a mischevious under-achiever with an occassional meaningful side (Bart Gets An F, Bart Sells His Soul), into a one-dimensional obnoxious and malevolent ten year old. The turn at the end of the second act is awful as well, but seeing Bart acting studious was mildly entertaining - D

[Ivan]

Unlike some people I think this is a great Simpsons episode. The 3rd Act is so bad, it's hilarious. I always get a laugh out at Mark McGwire, when he tucks the satellite's records under his hat and looks around. Most of the other jokes are great too. One of the best. 5/5

But...that's a stupid reason! If the 3rd act is bad, then it's bad. Even if you think it's funny due to it's badness...it's still bad. If you can actually confess that you know part of this episode is awful, then there's no reasonable way you can seriously give it a 5/5.

I agree that the third act ruined what seemed to be an incredibly promising episode. The first two acts were really well done, and I thought that it was really quite funny seeing Bart acting the way he did once he was taking the Focusyn.

C+

[Swartzweldian]

This really kicked off the modern Simpson guest star appearances.

More or less.. "Hi Simpson fans. My name is Mark Mcgwire. I am a baseball player"

UGgghhhhh

[Chuckles Manson]

2/5
yech

EDIT: oops, I posted on the wrong thread. I thought this was another R&R thread.
Meh, it still get's a 2.5/5 from me.

[Speedy Boris]

It was a good episode until Bart shoots down the baseball spying satellite from the sky. This is just personal opinion but I have a feeling it would've been funnier to have Bart's mission fail, have everyone convince him that the pills were making him think crazy thoughts, and then we learn that there actually IS a spy satellite. But for Bart to actually shoot it down, have Mark McGwire show up out of nowhere and take the secret info right in front of everyone without so much as a protest... makes no sense. It was funny when he sloppily stuck the paper under his cap, but it was so stupid it was funny.

Either that, or abandon the conspiracy plot entirely and offer a potentially interesting plot of Bart trying to quit the pills entirely, and show the side-effects of being Focusyn-less. They only -briefly- touched on that at the end, when they ease him onto Ritalin, and even then we don't see any withdrawal symptoms, just a Popeye parody.

Up until act three, I'd actually say it was "A" range. But act three dropped it to "B" range.

[Lisa Is A Nut]

4/5-
I do like this episode, and have never really disliked it. But it seems a bit far fetched and crazy towards the end. I can't remember the episode too much, but it had some good jokes and a fun plot. Not too bad, but not the best episode of the season. Good-A-

[Hiphopopotamus]

But...that's a stupid reason! If the 3rd act is bad, then it's bad. Even if you think it's funny due to it's badness...it's still bad. If you can actually confess that you know part of this episode is awful, then there's no reasonable way you can seriously give it a 5/5.
You're right. And it's definitely not one of the best episodes in the entire series either. I retract my review.

[Green_Peaness]

Laughless episode that is filled with the kind of childish jokes that you expect mostly in late season 10 and season 11. A particularly bad moment was Bart riding in the tank singing that Fleetwood Mac song. That's my vote for worst Scully staple...characters singing while doing something wacky. I don't know why I'm the only one that really HATES this episode. F

[kid_presentable]

Very funny through most of the episode, and it has an interesting commentary on the drugging of children in society. However, as we all know it throws all the satire out the window at the end and we're treated to some dingers. I'd like to give this episode a higher grade, but the ending forces me to give it a C+

[tom cody]

2/5, awful episode.

[TheForbiddenDonut]

2/5.

One of the first I ever saw. Not surprising it took me a while to get into the series.

[Semaj]

"That's the end of your Looney Tune, Drugs Bunny!"

One of the funniest out there, though the ending could've been handled better. To have Mark McGuire distract everyone from "the truth" with one of his sluggers felt kinda lazy.

4.5/5

[Sideshow Jay]

I rather like this episode. It's not a classic, but it's one of the better episodes from Season 11. B-

[Mr. President]

Meh, one of Scully's weaker episodes. Although I did get a kick out of Skinner and the punching bag.

[MikeAaronB]

I forgot this episode even existed. 1/5, I didn't like it.

[Starman]

As an episode, it's a piece of rotten, fossilized dung.

It's waaaaaaaaaaaay too out-of-character for Bart. We'd seen his inner madness all the way back in Season 6's Bart of Darkness; but at least that was believable.

I can't remember if I laughed in this one; it wouldn't really matter anyway.

6/10.

[JM1878]

These days, I get irritated when the show abandons or squanders concepts like Homer filing for bankruptcy. This issue was much more pressing and much more important, and it's a case where the staff came painfully close to a legitimate point before pissing all over it. I can sympathize with the desperate reach for a joke when you're talking about a national epidemic as horrifying as this one, but man, Oakley and Weinstein would have nailed this story.

[Sideshow Jay]

After reviewing the episode again... eh, I'll drop the rating to a C-. I forgot about that whole thing with him stealing an army tank and blowing up an MLB satellite... that whole thing was stupid. Still, I thought it was a decent episode that had its moments.

[jonnymack]

Not bad -- for a season 11 outing.

It kept me entertained and the Popeye parody made me laugh out loud.

I'm popping and sailing man. WOO WOO.

How about a good solid 3 out of 5.

[Moe Nopoly]

for me it was ...mh ok episode. Definitely not one of my favourite episodes from season 11. 3/5

[Whip-Smart]

It started off pretty fun and intresting but the final act just kills it.
C

[ThatAsianGuy]

Pretty bad, the MLB conspiracy wasn't necessary or probable and the whole episode just added more to the reasons against Skully. 2/5

[|Mr.Sparkle|]

kinda funny, but really stupid

[granto1990]

One of the top 3 episodes from Season 11. Entertaining and fun with a good enough storyline. The MLB bit takes it down a bit but overall, not that bad an episode.

3/5

[Jimbo77]

I liked this episode, had some pretty funny party

4/5

[troymclure17]

I can relate to part of it because i have ADD and had lots of trouble concentrating in school and even became zombie-ish after i was prescribed a new medication (ridillen ironically). B-