Rate & Review “Lisa the Drama Queen (KABF22)”

[sung]

Episode description: Lisa meets an equally academic and creative new friend named Juliet (guest voice Emily Blunt), and together they construct a fantasy world that takes them both a little too far from reality. Fall Out Boy (The band, not the character) will play their version of the end credits theme.

[Ramier Wolfcastle]

Why is the Rate/Review up now? The episode hasn't aired yet!

[sung]

Why is the Rate/Review up now? The episode hasn't aired yet!

it's generally made before episode starts...

strange that mods haven't stickied it yet. i'll wait

[lionelhutz123]

Wow, Fallout Boy is promoting commercials for their new album between acts. That's smart, yet lame.

[Otaku X]

First post. Had to go SOMEWHERE after Toonzone banned me, and I figure a place mentioned on the DVDs all the time was the place.

Anyway. Anyone else getting a weird vibe from this episode? I thought Lisa was supposed to grow up to be the first strait female president?

Also, a band who got their name from the Simpsons will be ON the Simpsons? weird.

[|Mr.Sparkle|]

I have been craving a new episode and this one filled that hunger much better then those reruns. 5/5

I liked the Fallout Boy at the end too, oh and Headless Darth Vader

[NJ Pete]

Fall Out Boy ruinied the episode

[son of a wiggum]

That was crap.

The one single funny moment in the entire episode was "Bart, age 10"

Was I just imagining things, or were they making joking references to Lisa and Juliet being in a relationship?

[Thrillho]

Fall Out Boy ruinied the episode

So did they appear, or just do the credits?

[Otaku X]

That was crap.

The one single funny moment in the entire episode was "Bart, age 10"

Was I just imagining things, or were they making joking references to Lisa and Juliet being in a relationship?

Apparently, it's a reference to the film Heavenly Creatures. In that, though, the women DO become lesbians. And kill on girl's mother. Bit different here. And it just seemed creepy here.

[The Governor]

I've never seen the Chronicals of Narnia, so a lot of the jokes probably didn't work, but what I did like was how Juliet turned out mentally unstable and came from a less superficially perfect 'world.' Also, the "Homer" from Equallia dancing around was one of the funniest sight gags in recent memory and Fat Bald Kearny dragon beating up jimbo and dolph to Josh Grobin was also LOL funny.


I'd say 3/5.

[McClure]

I missed the first 10 minutes, but what I saw was pretty forgettable. The stuff with the bullies was better than normal, is there a reason why Dolph had Ralph-esque hair?

[lakme]

Wow, they've finally given us a character who's more annoying and pretentious than newer season Lisa.

And that girl's VA didn't sound remotely 8 years old.

[Gaz]

It's gets a 1/5 for Fall Out Boy

[Tomacco]

On Global they did not show a single second of the end credits, not even "Executive Producer Al Jean", so I didn't hear a note of the Fallout Boy theme. You guys can tell me if that's a good thing or not.

First of all - 4 act format. I'm not sure how I feel about this yet. On the one hand, the episode certainly felt longer than the vast majority of recent episodes have, but I thought the "third act" (before the last commercial break) felt really short, which it probably was.

As for the episode itself, it was an interesting one. It felt fresh, which is nice, and there were a few solid gags, but I had a few minor issues with it. I felt like there were some really good ideas in the episode, but they weren't expanded upon enough. Juliette being "troubled" was talked about a lot, but I didn't think there was enough of a foundation for it aside from her fulfillment from using her imagination with Lisa. The only clue we got was her father's obsession over Grisham novels and films driving her bonkers. It also would have been nice if we saw some direct negative effects of Lisa and Juliette's friendship and escape to Equalia. The only negatives we got were Skinner's sudden parent meeting explaining that Lisa has been drifting off at school. I think there could have been a better climax than the bully hostage scenario to make Lisa see that she needs to live in the real world too, not that it was bad, I just thought it could have been better or more exciting, and could have led to a more satisfying departure for Juliette.

Overall I thought it was a good episode which could have been a great episode had it lived up to the potential within the ideas. Maybe I'll write some more thoughts after a re-watch.

3/5

PS: People are complaining about Lisa and Juliette being lesbians? Geez. The relationship jokes were just that. Jokes. Nods to common relationship issues, but in a different context.

[Screaming Editor]

Thought it was decent, Things worked (Bart, Age Ten; Homer using Flanders' coffee mug; paint me twenty laps!) Fallout boy was a nice break from just a pointless celebrity cameo.
On the other hand, I just can't seem to enjoy Comic Book Guy anymore, and yes, they did seem to hint at a lesbian relationship (god forbid that foreshadows an upcoming plot)
3.5/5

[lionelhutz123]

I missed the first 10 minutes, but what I saw was pretty forgettable. The stuff with the bullies was better than normal, is there a reason why Dolph had Ralph-esque hair?

There was a joke about Dolph getting a terrible hair cut. Anyway, this episode definitely gets an average 3/5. There were many flaws that bothered me but the animation still was great and there were some great gags. I'll review in more detail later.

[arii]

I enjoyed it, for the most part, although there were a few awkward moments (specifically when some jokes went on too long, like Lisa and Juliet first dancing or whatever they were doing to Josh Grobin, or Nelson playing with his toys). Still pretty good though, and entertaining enough, even without htat many really funny moments or anything. Solid 4/5.

I liked Juliet's character and they did a good job of showing how quickly her and Lisa became friends, and why they remained that way (Lisa never really having had a really close friend before - and Marge's encouraging her actually was pretty funny). Their friendship was actually a little endearing, at least before it was evident that Juliet was a little bit nuts, and I do kind of wish that-- They broke it off a little quickly, really. I mean, for the supposed closeness that these two had - which WAS well-portrayed - they did just end it really abruptly. I think it could have been done better then "oh, well, bye I guess I'll never see you again." Especially because, I know there are some characters like Allison or Janey that are occasionally Lisa's friends (and a mention of them would have been nice - maybe they weren't best friends, but something that could have been nice to see would have been Juliet taking a dislike to Lisa's other friends, maybe for not being creative enough or something, and drawing her away from them, which would show Lisa far too immersed in a fantasy world as well so that when something as signifcant as being caged up would snap her out of her senses, she'd be more willing to break it off with Juliet, realizing how much she'd just dominated her life, and then combine that with Juliet's obsessive pension for fantasy worlds, it would have felt more even and a smoother end to their friendship... or something), but it could have been nice to see someone else added to that. Actually, just roughly on that sort of note, but we've seen more episodes dealing with Lisa trying to find friends, I think, so bringing up Bart's previous popularity from the earlier seasons with some of the other boys like Wendell and Richard and Louis would be nice, rather than it always just being Milhouse and Nelson and the bullies... Just a non-related thought.

A lot of the sequences that showed Lisa and Juliet "travelling" to Equalia were very well-done and pretty fun to watch. There were some good jokes along it, as well, such as when Kearney himself got enveloped in the fantasy world (and here the bullies really were well-used, for once - also the fact that Dolph had a jar specifically labelled "Cream for Peaches" was great) and then it revealed that Jimbo and Dolph were the ones actually beating him up. Also, the immersion of the Homer-like character (can't remember its name) into Equalia was funny - especially the part with him dancing. That was wonderfully done.

But yeah, you couple some of that stuff against some awkward moments and a far too abrupt ending to Lisa and Juliet's friendship that did not fit with the pacing of the rest of the episode, and there wasn't really anything outstanding to this one, or anything to really warrant it a 5/5, though it was pretty enjoyable. And Juliet was actually a pretty good character, or so I felt, for the episode. And I do tend to enjoy episodes based on Lisa and her trying to find friends or equals of some sort, though I do wish continuity could be a little stronger in regards to past episodes dealing with that sort of thing, aaand I already talked about that so I'll just leave it off here. Pretty good episode. Nice to see the show back.

[WBadger]

I seemed to like this a lot more than early opinions.

I thought it was well done, and Bart and Homer had some funny lines in this one.

B+

[Gatorgod]

This is IT! Finally! This is my first post review where I promised I'd over Analise an episode!! *Glee*
uhmmm, ookay, .. .. ? hmmm
To do this right I guess I should've been taken notes as the episode aired!
Is that how its done? Phooey on That!
I'll just fall back on my weak recall and love it unconditionally like I always do!
5/5 ..Perfect!
Juliet!! Take me with you!!

[Jims]

Gawd almighty, I don't know where to begin.

I'm just utterly flabbergasted by this episode.

100% flabbergasted.

This episode has destroyed my brain or something. I'm still picking up the pieces on the floor, so please bear with me in my ramblings.

1. In twenty years of The Simpsons, I have never seen them do an episode like this. There's just something wrong with it, and I can't figure out what it is. It's not like the plot is overly experimental or anything, a la "22 Short Stories." The episode had this weird vibe throughout. Maybe the best word for it is "trippy." It was a little like watching the remake of "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory." Even the non-fantasy scenes just felt a little surreal. It's weird.

2. The relationship between Lisa and Juliet was kinda creepy after awhile. At first, it seemed like they were just best friends. You know, like Bart and Milhouse. But then Juliet asks Lisa to run away with her, which gave off weird lesbian vibes to me. It's really weird to say that about two characters that are eight years old, because they're obviously not lovers or anything. Their closeness just got kinda weird/creepy toward the end. I don't know if this was intentional on the part of the writers or if I have a warped brain. It just seemed like that was the way it was written.

3. The fantasy sequences were just completely cuckoo bananas crazy. And it's completely Josh Groban's fault. Completely and totally his fault.

Storybook fantasy + Josh Groban + Colorful visuals = Acid trip

It's like a weird Dada-esque blend of visuals and music. I was just completed stunned at what I was looking at. It is just so ridiculously stupid that it's amazing.

C'mon, a dragon fighting two trolls to Josh 'Frickin Groban music? It's like watching a trainwreck. And I just can't turn away.

4. Another weird thing. Did I miscount, or were there four acts to this episode? There was no commercial break after the opening and then three act breaks, I think.

5. There were some really amusing lines throughout. Lisa's comment about Equalia still needing a ruler was clever. Also, Homer's request to go to the bathroom to not wash his hands. The art school teacher was a really funny character as well. I wouldn't mind seeing her again. The pacing of that opening scene was just perfect. Same with the Comic Book Guy kung-fu class.

6. Emily Blunt was a great fit for Juliet because she has such a unique voice to listen to. A refreshing voice to hear on this series than some bland-sounding mega-celebrity.

Overall, it's tough to grade this episode. I guess I'll give it a 3/5. Most of the episode was typical post-classic average-ness. It gets a slightly higher grade than average, just for the sheer sake of being unique and interesting. It had its highs and lows but it was memorable, I guess.

(...You know, it's actually kinda sad that I'm basing my final score on the fact that it wasn't a bland episode. That's post-classic Simpsons for ya.)

This is definitely an episode I need to watch again.

[Charlie]

4. Another weird thing. Did I miscount, or were there four acts to this episode? There was no commercial break after the opening and then three act breaks, I think.

You are correct, and it's been mentioned both in this thread and the Season 20 thread (before the episode even aired); new episodes will now consist of four acts.

[Jims]

You are correct, and it's been mentioned both in this thread and the Season 20 thread (before the episode even aired); new episodes will now consist of four acts.

Geez dood, stop harshing my mellow.

(This is what I get for taking a long time to write long-winded posts. You end up repeating what other people said by accident.)

[Maggaggie]

3/5

I thought it was just okay. I really enjoyed the animation, especially when it turned into Equalia. Also, seeing Homer as that ogre-type creature was a great sight gag. The Josh Groban thing was a little too much for me! I thought the part where Lisa and Juliet are singing his song on the turnstile went on too long. (Personally, I do not like Josh Groban as an artist...pop-opera is not my cup of tea! Lisa, how could you?) I found the relationship between Juliet and Lisa to be quite endearing before the end of act 1...afterward, especially after we find out that Juliet is "nuts," I thought it was just weird.

The change from 3 acts to 4 acts was surprising, but it seemed to make the episode longer and therefore not rushed. Although, I thought the parting between Lisa and Juliet was a little abrupt.

I, too, didn't see/hear Fall Out Boy at the end because of stupid Global.

[lakme]

Yeah, I thought Lisa liking Josh Groban when she's such a music snob was weird.

[OfficerWriter]

My rating: 3/5.

Nice episode, with some good developing stories -- but because of a lack of any development on those stories, that's where this episode fell short.

The worst couch gag ever couch gag was cute, and short, so I was hoping for more. Typically, when the couch gag is long, it's because they needed filler to play to a storyless episode.

I liked how they brought in Lisa's new best friend, in a painting class where the painting teacher was just as creepy as Emily Blunt's character and her family.

The building of Lisa's relationship was well done, with the folk art festival, leading them to create a "Queendom" of their own folklore. As they built their fantasy realm, the unbalanced nature of Lisa's new best friend's inability to cope with reality slowly started to unfold.

But the writers left it at that -- they didn't show us enough of the downfall of the friendship. They did try to bolster it with the family dinner, where we see some of the potential issues embedded within the family causing this psychosis. But it was only a taste of what this episode really needed, to create the tension and eventual ending of the friendship.

Add in the very obviously laced lesbian references sprinkled throughout, this just tore the plot away from further development and had no real point. Though it will be interesting to see if they try to make Lisa into a lesbian in later episodes.

Not being a fan of Josh Groban, I didn't care for much of the music and musical references tossed in, but that's my own personal bias.

Funny bits that I liked:

When Comic Book Guy challenges his class to attack him, and they beat the crap out of him.

When Lisa takes charge of the painting class.

Marge dotting over Lisa during her sleepover.

The Homer-like character in the fantasy world.

Homer and Bart trying to be nice during the family dinner.

When Kearney gets into the whole fantasy world.


Overal, I enjoyed the episode, though the plot wasn't develped enough, leaving us viewers to fill in the pieces.

[OfficerWriter]

The relationship between Lisa and Juliet was kinda creepy after awhile. At first, it seemed like they were just best friends. You know, like Bart and Milhouse. But then Juliet asks Lisa to run away with her, which gave off weird lesbian vibes to me. It's really weird to say that about two characters that are eight years old, because they're obviously not lovers or anything. Their closeness just got kinda weird/creepy toward the end. I don't know if this was intentional on the part of the writers or if I have a warped brain. It just seemed like that was the way it was written.

Life is often mirrored in art. More often than not the artsy, nerdy kid that has a hard time making friends ends up trying alternative lifestyles, to be with other people that have been displaced in society.

They already make Lisa's alternative choices stand out -- she's a vegetarian, a Budist, and who knows, a lesbian?

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

[Xt'Tapalatakettle]

If you want to know the back story to this episode and what it was actually mimicking (it wasn't the Chronicles of Narnia, that's for sure), check here (It helps having a girlfriend who is into crime stories):

http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/n...lme/index.html


The episode seems to follow a lot of it almost perfectly... except for the murder part. Some of the similarities are: 1) both young girls were "outsiders" who created a fantasy world that was so intense and real that they shared it together, 2) one girl came from a wealthy family and the other from a (semi) poor one, 3) they had an obsession with a famous person who would appear in their fantasies (Josh Grobin and James Mason), 4) They both had a parent tell them they couldn't see the other anymore (the murder happened in real life, it wasn't mentioned in the episode), and YES, allusions could be drawn to them being lesbian.

So, yes, the episode was roughly following "Heavenly Creatures," directed by Peter Jackson and starring Kate Winslet, which was based on this real life story.

Whether you want to read into it or not that they were alluding to a possible lesbian relationship is up to you. I'd say no, as they left out the "murder" part of the story, but there definitely was a moment or two where it felt it could go that way.


Ok, as for the actual episode, figuring that it might go into a murder plot made me anticipate to see how it would turn out. It didn't go that way, which sorta felt cheap. If I hadn't known it might go that way, I might have enjoyed it slightly more, but it still felt somewhat anti-climactic that Lisa just decides at the end to end their relationship. They seemed like friends just minutes before.

Anyway, it wasn't all that funny by any means, but it was enjoyable to watch as a whole. It was nice seeing Lisa have a best friend for a little while. The plot flowed pretty well and I thought the characters (including Marge) felt relaxed and normal, nothing really out of character. However, I wish it had the balls to add the murder plot, i.e.- that Juliet wanted to get rid of Marge because she forbid Lisa from seeing her. That would have further emphasized her craziness if she were drawing up plans of murder in her notebook.

As for the 4 acts, I think I liked it on the whole. I liked how the episode got started right away, and the episode as a whole felt longer. The ending did feel a bit rushed though, which I suppose can be a compromise when you're used to some of the longer final acts the show has had before.

I'd give it about a B-, or a low 4/5.

[The Governor]

PS: People are complaining about Lisa and Juliette being lesbians? Geez.

That's because some people on this board went in looking for Lisa to be a Lesbian.

Saying Lisa's a lesbian in this episode is like saying she's an future alcoholic because of the milk scene in The burns and the Bees.

[Gatorgod]

If you want to know the back story to this episode and what it was actually mimicking (it wasn't the Chronicles of Narnia, that's for sure), check here (It helps having a girlfriend who is into crime stories)

I thought the big parody this episode was based on the book & movie "Bridge to Terabithia"?
And whats all this lezbo bizness? Lisa & Juliet are okay friends.
Girls is always acting gay. It just seems natural to their gender. They are always kissing each other, dancing with each other, holding hands and stuff, Looks normal to me. Where I come from they (females) set the standards by which gayness is measured, especially when dudes act like them.
The gay rules don't apply as harshly to chicks as it does for dudes.