Rate & Review: "The Wandering Juvie" (FABF11)

[Patriot]

This episode was pretty funny. The warden was pretty funny but the ending was a bit of a letdown. 4/5

[DaRick]

The Wandering Juvie is a decent episode, but hardly a classic. The appearance of Sarah Michelle Gellar is nice, but nearly everything she is in appears to be somewhat mediocre. While this episode is better than mediocre, its still not much better than merely 'good'. While Sarah Michelle Gellar plays a bad girl with aplomb, the relationship between her character Gina and Bart seemed a bit flat. There were less funny jokes than I would have liked as well, although the first act, with Bart conning the townspeople, is actually pretty good and sets the story up nicely. Once Bart gets to juvie, however, the story starts to slide, with surprisingly few noteworthy moments. Also, while Charles Napier (Rambo II) is actually pretty good, Homer, Marge and Lisa are barely seen. That said and done, The Wandering Juvie is certainly watchable, but has few real highlights, much like the Italian Bob - the only difference is that The Wandering Juvie has a good first act. I will therefore be a little generous and give The Wandering Juvie a B-.

[Rest your giant head]

4/5 I saw it only once and that was few monts ago. I don't remember very well,but I know I liked it. Especialy the scenes in jail.

EDIT: Or maybe twice?

[TheForbiddenDonut]

B/B-. The girl's character wasn't fleshed out, so there wasn't much point behind her, but everything else was pretty good/funny.

[kylekool150]

`` FReakin awesome // i thought this episode was one of my favorite great story. the jokes could have been a bit better and good animation . i love this episode and the fact that bart goes to juvie and we get to see his struggles and ups and downs. 9/10 jokes could have been a bit better.

[Handsome Peter]

Better than a date with Sarah Michelle Gellar?

Eh, it's about even.

4/5

[sung]

In my opinion, this ranks as the best of S15 along with "The President Wore Pearls" for me... well this episode felt that it had more 'complete' plot though. Anyway, it has been awhile since I've watched the episode before today... now that I understand more lines/jokes, I say that the humor is pretty decent and some lines were pretty good ("And he called me fat!")
I liked the plot; nothing much to point out here, very touching, it had some changes in focus of the plot, but in this case, it wans't really anything to worry about. I think the episode shined in the characteristics department here. Gina, despite her uber agressive character, is kind of... lovable for her misery and often recoil of her mean character in hilarious way. Bart had his menace mask and was very sympathetic in a right situation during the episode also and I like it. Bart-Gina relationship was whole other view on 'Bart has a female companion' plot and imo, it was handled well. Chief Wiggum had his share of moments also, which I liked.
Overall, I really like the episode. One of the scarce Jean era episode I'd rate it in A-range. A-

[Moe Nopoly]

a really good episode for me too, the fact that Homer is working in the prison to watch after Bart is funny. Also the plot with Gina is entertaining.
Only the end was a little unsatisfying for me

B

[Simpsonsfan1981]

Meh...3/5 and I'm probably being slightly generous. It had some good moments in it but the quality of the episode fluctuated throughout and there were just as many misses as there were hits. Gina's character development was sloppy IMO and SMG could have been much better used as a guest star. One of those episodes that showed potential at times but never quite succeeded in getting it right

[lionelhutz123]

This episode aired tonight again. I forgot how funny the warden's last line is. Definitely one of the better jokes of the modern era, by far.

[Green Man]

Preety good episode--4/5

[WBadger]

Great episode, with a lot of funny stuff. Chief Wiggum and Homer in particular.

A

[Capt Hammer]

Good Episode, shows the Post-Classic era can still deliver (every now and again)

A

[Bella Drape 'er]

Fairly good episode, loved the animation, Chief Wiggum was put to good use, felt ever so near-classic, but the end was kind of messed up so I'll knock my grade down to B+

[Nauru-1]

It was fairly interesting as with most season 15 episodes. I didn't think it was funny though. 3/5

[J Dog]

The first act is okay, but they really butcher Bart's character once he enters juvie hall for the second act. I mean, "America's Bad Boy" looks like somebody's prison mate for a good portion of that act. And, act 3 didn't help out at all.

I gave it a 1/5, although I could've gone 2/5, but I voted 1/5.

[qwertyuio]

Why was Bart butchered as a character when he entered to prison? If anything that was what the episode tried to transmit, a helpless Bart in a whole new context where his "bad boy" reputation seems to be useless. The bullies in the juvie hall are not obviously Jimbo or Nelson; they actually represent a menace for him.

And that idea is taken for the rest of the episode-3rd act included. Bart is nothing but a mere burden for Gina, she is indeed who takes the initiative. They finally develop some friendship, though, and I liked that idea. It was maybe a bit flat but the script managed to be good enough IMO, and the ending was one of the best in years. That, with a great first act starring the classic yob Bart, and a solid amount of jokes overall (Wiggum and Homer were specially hilarious here), made a great episode in my book, slightly flawed but still in no way punishable in terms of entertainment. I also loved Gina's character. 9/10

[Jesse Pinkman]

A pretty fun episode with an actually pretty decent plot. Some good gags about, but not one of their all-time best of the season, just above average. 4/5

[Snaked]

Preety Good considering the minor obscurities (such as the Retarded homer bits where he constantly turned his head on the Family and the X-mas bit in the end), but ignore such bits and you got yourself a preety decent episode.

7.5/10

[Oh, that's raspberry!]

Season 15 continues with Bart going to juvie! But first, we have a scene with the family at Costington's. Homer starts the episode off well by humorously asking where the fat guy clothes are, but then gets trapped in the escalator...yeah...eventually Bart gets the idea in his head to hold a phony wedding and cash in with all the gifts he'll receive. After a musical montage that seems pretty unnecessary Bart hatches his plan. We get a scene involving many springfieldians panicking as usual with the funniest bit involving Willie trying to suck all the air out of Moe's lungs. The bit goes on for too long though, and Chief Wiggum catches Bart while making his getaway. Another appearance by Judge Harm finds Bart entering juvenile hall, a plot which I'm frankly surprised took this long for them to finally use. Anyway, an adequate act 1 which gets the job done storytelling wise but is lighter on the jokes than I'd like.

Bart enters juvie in act 2 and several interesting bits fallow. Krusty behind the glass and the cut Itchy and Scratchy cartoon are decent enough to deserve mentioning. Eventually Bart meets Gina played well by Sarah Michelle Gellar. I really like this character's umm...character. She delivers quite a few nice one liners. Eventually, at a prison dance Gina decides to break out while taking Bart as her hostage/accomplice. This ends act 2 but I guess I should also mention a little story involving Homer working as a prison guard to watch over Bart. Its strange that whenever I think of this episode this is what I remember most about it yet it really doesn't last long at all and leaves no real impact on the story. It feels like filler. It does have one good scene and that involves Homer's "training" but otherwise its really just there...for better or worse.

Bart and Gina are on the run and Bart is wondering why she kissed him. The two share a few nice scenes together while the police look for them. My favorite joke of this episode involves Chief Wiggum being mauled by a bear, and the setup we get for it here involving Cletus, actually used pretty well here. Eventually Bart and Gina are separated from their handcuffs but Bart notices Gina's life isn't as great as he thought. The two end up fighting with a family guy jab (that doesn't really work well in hindsight) being used as an insult. The police recapture them and Gina takes the blame so Bart can go free. To make it up to her the family visits her in juvie at the end and share a meal.

This is probably one of the better recieved episodes of Season 15 and I can see why. It has some good humor, a basic and well told story, and two great guest appearances. Gellar's Gina is a very cool character. I love how she shoots down Lisa in the end calling her a nerd;that's the kind of thing I'd expect a character like that to say really. The other guest is Charles Napier, back again as the prison warden first seen in Pokey Mom. He is probably the funniest character in this episode. His back and forth with Homer as I mentioned before is great, and I love the way he tells Bart and Gina how they'll dance. These lines are not inherently funny, but his readings are really great. Read my Fat and Furriest review if you want to see more of me praising Charles Napier. I think this character also appears in yet another episode where Homer becomes a prison snitch, but I don't think Napier voices him in that one, a pity if true.

Overall on my recent rewatch I found more wrong with this episode than ever before, but I still like it. Its a good episode for this season and I'll give it a 4/5.

[Handsome B. Wonderful]

Good episode in a pretty good post-classic season. I always liked the ending, and the fact that it's not a girlfriend episode. 5/5.