Rate and Review: "Bart Stops to Smell the Roosevelts" (NABF17)

[lionelhutz123]

You don't need to push a message in order to create substance and interpret from it. It's vivid and IMO the subtleties in the way i'ts animated accomplishes many things at once, that you can't get from simply writing.

[SUPERFOX5]

4/5
I thought the couch gag was a bit creepy. It haunted my head for a while though. (I can't remember the last time I watched Ren and Stimpy)
Other than that, it was an interesting episode IMO.
Homer and the invisible money was a funny part I thought.

[Alex_Of_Darkness]

Before seeing this episode, I expected something even worse than last week but I enjoyed this episode more than the Falcon and the d'ohman even though it is far from a masterpiece. My rating is not too high but may still be above the average! Also, I had not really liked the couch gag, but today I took the time to analyze it more seriously and it is still not bad even if it is ultimately not the Simpsons style for the couch gag.

Bart stops to smell the Roosevelts is an episode that is not very original it is largely because of this that the note of the episode will not be very high on my side. There are lots of thing that sounds like another episode in it and I may be repeating what quia already been said but I'll try to do this my way. First is the fact that Chalmers is returned because it looks like a "Sweet Seymour Skinner's Baadasssss Song" even if it was Skinner in this episode instead of Chalmers. And of course the end of the episode that is almost the same as the end of the episode "grade school confidential" of the season 8 because in both, there are people who locks himself in school and refuses to leave. So, an episode not very original even if it is not in the same circumstance that these non-original stuff coming.

For the scenario, it is still not too bad although I find the beginning of the episode is very slow but otherwise it's great for rhythm. But I must admit that I love especially the second act when in the forest. I would say why but I love this scene and I find it really very well done. However, is it that someone could explain to me why our dear Kearney is not with Bart, Chalmers, Jimbo, Nelson, Dolph is Milhouse? The only time we see it is when he pretends to be cut in two part but I do not think he is spoken. The episode ends with Gary quite well who finds his position as inspector and I do not have anything negative to say about the end of the episode.

As for the gags, I took note of the gags as I watched the episode and there are a lot more than I thought. Here are the gags that I noted:

-Marge buying the T-shirt from another school
-Homer, who takes money in an imaginary bank
-The reason why Chalmers stopped teaching
-Bart gives names to each of U.S. presidents
-Chalmers says to Bart that this is a national park created by Theodore Roosevelt but Bart said that he was think that all create by the god
-Bart puts Buzz Cola in his milk
-The bus that goes into the tree
-Chalmers and his "Fish, do you want to be my DDDDIIIIII-NNNNEEERRR
-Homer trying to do his job as a parent when the guy in the tree house
-Milhouse, who rebels against a little Bart
-The invisible helicopter from Fox

To conclude, this episode was pretty good but not great. I give a score of 2,75/5

[bovine_university]

Not bad, though not that great either.

This was just kind of average overall, though there were some moments that had me laughing pretty hard. Alot of it had to do with timing, like the Breakfast Club joke, Otto crashing the bus, and Wiggum accidentally shooting the guy, fast and outrageous enough to be really funny and not dwell too long on the joke. It was kind of interesting to see Chalmers teaching, mostly because we find out he's really not just full of hot air and empty threats, and for all the bullying he gives Skinner and the rest of the faculty, he actually does have what it takes to be a mentor and teacher. I wish they had done a little more with his whole idea that the school system is too geared towards hands-off education, that could have been the rest of the episode, but it kind of peeters out.

On top of that, Bart's turnaround was pretty quick. I was convinced at first that Bart was actually just putting on an act just to fool Chalmers, but no, he was genuinely interested. In that vein, I almost wish the episode had been a little wackier with it's plot. I'm not one to complain heavily when a plot is too down to earth, and heck it works reasonably well here, but every time it seemed like things were going to get wackier or funnier, they just didn't. Bart reveals his prank at the auction, but it just ends there. Chalmers takes the kids on a field trip, but not a whole lot ends up actually happening. The kids take over the school, but it mostly just devolves into a bunch of negotiation scenes. On top of that, plotting seemed choppy some of the time. After Chalmers gets fired, he tells the kids he lost his job, awkward cut to him leaving the school and getting a ride from Otto. The final scene with Chalmers and Bart felt like it was a deleted scene that got shoehorned back in at the last minute.

I didn't hate this episode though, it actually was fairly entertaining, it just wasn't all that special either. And kudos to John K. for a great couch gag animation. 3/5

[Cartoonnetwork]

I'm sorry, but I think the John K. couch gag is genius. It's littered with social commentary on how ironic the simpsons family is. It shows how disturbing the beloved choking gag is as an almost maniacal Homer squeezes the life out of Bart who is hopelessly struggling to breathe. All of this occurs due to Homer's inability to take a joke on himself, while at the same time portrays this unlikably devilish side of Bart that has no respect for his father. It's like he knows his dad will choke him, but he can't help his nature to have fun in his own way. Marge is just a bimbo housewife who will fetch her husband beer like the word triggered her role to serve the ogre. It's sexist how she's viewed as an object with her breasts and ass flopping about. Her shoes are clunky, giving you the idea that she's this clumsy housewife that will walk anyway, despite any dignity and self-resect she loses by allowing all this abuse and shenanigans to continue going on in her home or out in public for 500+ episodes. I mean, it's an exaggeration, but it still makes you think.

It's creepy and well-animated. So much is happening on screen at once. I also noticed how Lisa, who's usually the most expressive one in the family, is just sitting there, in a very obscure position. I interpreted it as her always having a thought on the matter, but having to submit to the family she's eternally a part of. It's dark how she just sits there like this is normal. Honestly the couch gag could have went on for 5-10 more seconds and I still probably would have admired it. I don't see how anyone could not like it, but if you think it was unfunny then that's probably why. It really wasn't trying to be funny at all. It's more entertaining than so.

I also thought showing the creepy consequences of the choke gag was pretty funny in a vitriolic way and in that sense close to Groening's sense of humor in the original Tracey Ullman shorts. But I'm not sure about the portraits of Marge and Lisa, they don't really resemble their personalities too much so I don't see the irony in that. I thought Marge's movements were funny at first (I'm not a big fan of the butt cheeks animation cause he could have done it at least a little more sexy), but I still don't see what's so clever about portraying her like this.

[lionelhutz123]

But I'm not sure about the portraits of Marge and Lisa, they don't really resemble their personalities too much so I don't see the irony in that. I thought Marge's movements were funny at first (I'm not a big fan of the butt cheeks animation cause he could have done it at least a little more sexy), but I still don't see what's so clever about portraying her like this.

Marge isn't a bimbo in the series, but I think John K. portrayed her as so and less sexy because it was his way of saying she has no class. She has no class if she's allowing herself to follow whatever order her husband barks at her. Now obviously, like I said this is an exaggeration, because Homer never treats her like that at all, but I think it symbolized how it's similar how she goes along with all of Homer's crazy antics over the course of 23 seasons. She always sticks with him no matter what.

Whether it speaks any sense of truth or not, that's completely subjective, but overall I think the goal was just to put a negative spin on the always positively percieved themes. It's meant to be agreed or disagreed with, and I think it's daring that he broke some rules that pertained to the heart of the show and threw the question out there to begin with. It's not that clever, but still pretty intriguing and got my attention.

[Zombies Rise from the Sea]

she goes along with all of Homer's crazy antics over the course of 23 seasons. She always sticks with him no matter what.

I don't think that's true; I mean there are times when she objected or got as far way from Homer as possible; that sticking with him part is true enough.

[lionelhutz123]

I don't think that's true; I mean there are times when she objected or got as far way from Homer as possible; that sticking with him part is true enough.

Now obviously, like I said this is an exaggeration, because Homer never treats her like that at all, but I think it symbolized how it's similar how she goes along with all of Homer's crazy antics over the course of 23 seasons. She always sticks with him no matter what.

To be clear, I didn't mean that just Homer's behavior towards Marge is an exaggeration, but pretty much all of John K's interpretation. I'm not even saying he thinks this personally, but it was all for the sake of putting a negative spin on these particular elements of the show.

[bhartman36]

I thought the Teddy Roosevelt connection was clever. I think it would make sense to reach out to Bart with a president like that. Sure, it was rushed, but it's a half-hour show. It would've been a much better episode if it hadn't fallen apart at the end with the bullies and taking over the school, etc.

Overall, I give it 3/5

[Diversity Pumpkin]

Anybody like this idea better? Instead of focusing the episode entirely on the Roosevelt, Chalmers expands into teaching Bart about other cool historial figures that involve crime and violence (which to me makes sense - why is learning about one guy going to improve his school work?). Anyway, Bart enventually becomes influenced by all of these people, and is the one who breaks Nelson's arm in a fit of immitation. Chalmers is expelled, and the parents make a fuss that education is a bad influence on children, in a parody of video games and movies are a bad influence.

Just an idea I thought would be funny.

[The Governor]

Anybody like this idea better? Instead of focusing the episode entirely on the Roosevelt, Chalmers expands into teaching Bart about other cool historial figures that involve crime and violence (which to me makes sense - why is learning about one guy going to improve his school work?). Anyway, Bart enventually becomes influenced by all of these people, and is the one who breaks Nelson's arm in a fit of immitation. Chalmers is expelled, and the parents make a fuss that education is a bad influence on children, in a parody of video games and movies are a bad influence.

Just an idea I thought would be funny.

The writers could try this...if they gave a shat about actual satire, plot, characterization, etc. Maybe you should pitch this to the writing staff, but make the towns/criminals/heroes names convenient so they can be parodied by changing the first letter of their names to "m".

Like Bart watching that badass during Moe-abition, Mal Mapone.

[Jeff Vader]

Couch gag dissected by John K.
Part 1:
http://johnkstuff.blogspot.com/2011/...ongwinded.html

Part 2:
http://johnkstuff.blogspot.com/2011/...odels-and.html

And for fun, John's catholic school girls:
http://johnkstuff.blogspot.com/2008/...ls-models.html

[Zombies Rise from the Sea]

Matt Groening and Al Jean asked me to do it. They showed me an opening that Banksy did that satirized the animation production assembly line system in Korea and told me it was really popular, so they wanted to do something similar with me.

I wouldn't say it satirized as much as it did prove that The Simpsons could still act as if they were edgy even though they already satirized it before. But still, it's nice that they asked John K to animate a Simpsons couch opening on the basis that they can make it as edgy as that "Banksy" opening before it, and the name that tended to be overused in recent Simpsons episodes...

Nothing like that had ever been done before right? I mean we haven't seen a John K animation outside of Ren & Stimpy, unless anybody forgot about the stuff he did for NBC, Old Navy and some other companies...

And on a side note: It's nice to see that he and The Simpsons made up after a minor feud they had in the 90's.

[Mr. Krikt]

Anybody like this idea better? Instead of focusing the episode entirely on the Roosevelt, Chalmers expands into teaching Bart about other cool historial figures that involve crime and violence (which to me makes sense - why is learning about one guy going to improve his school work?). Anyway, Bart enventually becomes influenced by all of these people, and is the one who breaks Nelson's arm in a fit of immitation. Chalmers is expelled, and the parents make a fuss that education is a bad influence on children, in a parody of video games and movies are a bad influence.

Just an idea I thought would be funny.

The fact that Bart only learned about one political figure for his expanded education bugged me. Not only does this fix it but it actually contains some satire.
At the very least it sounds less like a string of tangentially related events.

[That Don Guy]

Sorry this is late - I was in Australia for three weeks and just got back a couple of days ago.

Written by Tim Long
Directed by Steven Dean Moore
Billboard: LEARN TO SPEAK PARROT (Captain MacAllister, with a parrot)
Blackboard: IT'S NOT TOO EARLY TO SPECULATE ABOUT THE 2016 ELECTION
Couch: The Simpsons, as if it was drawn by John Kricfalusi (which it was - he was even listed in the closing credits)
Special Guest Voice: Theodore Roosevelt, Marcia Wallace
Also Starring: Chris Edgerly, Pamela Hayden, Tress MacNeille, Maggie Roswell
Excerpt from "The Right of the People to Rule" provided by The Motion Picture, Broadcasting, and Recorded Sound Division, Library of Congress
Overseas Animation: Rough Draft
TV Rating: TV-PG-LV

Things at the auction:
Second-graders bench
One Shirtless Lawn Mowing by Groundskeeper Willy
McBain movie poster autographed by Ranier Wolfcastle
Isotopes (baseball) uniform
Atoms (football) uniform
(what, no Ice-otopes stuff?)
Krusty doll
Mayor for a Day
Get Out of Jail Free certificate
painting (not sure of what, or by whom)
$5 gift certificate from Luigi's Pizza
Itchy & Scratchy cel
muffin basket from Edna's Edibles

How old is Skinner? Even if he enlisted when he was 18 in 1975 and somehow managed to end up in a North Vietnamese POW camp despite US troops having all pulled out by then, that would make him 54 now. Pretty soon, they're probably going to have to retcon Skinner's past and claim he served in Operation Desert Storm.

The "other" schools on the T-shirts were Springfield Andover, Phillips Springfield Academy, and Waverly Hills Elementary; at least two other elementary schools from the show (West Springfield, from "Trilogy of Error," and Springfield's school for the "gifted and troublesome" from "The President Wore Pearls") were not included.

Apparently, Lisa is not the only person who knows how to play multiple instruments; one of Sherri/Terri plays violin (in the old couch openings, both play the flute), Martin plays the trumpet (he played triangle in "'Round Springfield" and lute in "Girls Just Want to Have Sums"), and Ralph plays the triangle (he played flute - well, "nose flute," sort of - in "'Round Springfield").
Speaking of the band, the Sousaphone is far too small, especially compared to what I assume is a euphonium (also known as a "bass clef baritone horn") next to it.

Did John Wilkes Booth ever say "Death to Tyrants" to Lincoln? "The version I heard was," he may have said "Sic Semper Tyrannis" ("Thus Always to Tyrants," the state motto of Virginia - some witnesses claim he said "The South is Avenged"; it is possible he said both), but it was after he shot Lincoln, so he didn't exactly say it "to" him.

One of the photographs of Theodore Roosevelt has him in a boxing ring, wearing what appears to be a Harvard top, punching Mr. Burns (wearing a Yale top).

Bart says that his desktop was sticky with soda from the kid that used it before him - but Bart is the only person that uses that desk.

There is a "Ralph for Student Body President" poster.

For some reason, while the front shots of the tractor appear to be computer-generated graphics, the side shots appear to be human-based.

[bhartman36]

How old is Skinner? Even if he enlisted when he was 18 in 1975 and somehow managed to end up in a North Vietnamese POW camp despite US troops having all pulled out by then, that would make him 54 now. Pretty soon, they're probably going to have to retcon Skinner's past and claim he served in Operation Desert Storm.

Unfortunately, the writers destroyed Skinner's character with "The Principal and the Pauper". It barely matters what his backstory is anymore.

[irvine_11]

I would also like to add that this episode isn't the first time Bart became interested in being educated. That theme was touched on in Whacking Day and it was MUCH more believable in that episode.

[lionelhutz123]

It was more believable, but this episode wasn't terrible in that area as a result either. It kind of jumped right into it, but I didn't find myself questioning it and I still don't.

[J Dog]

This was an episode that didn't have the energy it needed to be enjoyable.

It wasn't an off-the-wall episode, and I did like that they tried showing Superintendent Chalmers as more than some guy who only appears to yell at Skinner, because he did want to give a shot at teaching Bart and prove that it was possible for this hellion to learn actual factoids, who was being his usual self at the beginning of the show and screwed over a charity event, and was successful at teaching him something.

But then that was forgotten in favor of a quick camping trip, and that in turn led to Bart and the bullies taking over the school and locking the teachers out until Chalmers got his job back.

The thing that bothers me is that you have ideas that can encompass three distinct episodes (or at least have been used for a full act or two) that were all used up in the matter of a few minutes, and really that was a waste. Granted, the whole "taking over the school/school lockdown" idea was used twice prior, but the other things (Chalmers being an effective teacher and the camping field trip) should've been used more than what they were for this portion of the series.

There was also a lot of moments that were low-energy and dragged, such as "the Order of the Spector" or whatever that group was called that Bart devised with Homer coming up and down the treehouse every time his ice cream melted, and you could easily feel the slow pace, and that in turn would distance yourself from trying to laugh or have an enjoyable time... and this was the episode that was followed by the McFarlane "Hurricane" trilogy, which seemed to try and do four different things every minute, which also failed.

At least I'm glad to review an episode without explaining how things sucked, because this one had so much potential when I look back at it.

2/5

[Peachy]

The thing that bothers me is that you have ideas that can encompass three distinct episodes (or at least have been used for a full act or two) that were all used up in the matter of a few minutes

I think this is a big problem with recent episodes in general. And it's frustrating, because sometimes, there is great potential for the individual plot threads that could easily be their own episodes and they get abandoned after only a few minutes. Meanwhile, they'll also have blatant attempts to pad the running time with filler and jokes that go on far too long.

And to be honest the only thing that couch gag did for me is remind me of why I hate John K's art style so much.

[Bleedin' Gums Murphy]

5/10

The Homer 'invisible bank' bit and the Millhouse ending was CRINGEWORTHY but the "DINNEEEEEEEEER" bit was amusing. I reckon that if they had included Skinner in the trip also, cut out the horrible auction bit at the start and focused on many "interesting and manly" historical figures, not just Teddy, then it could have been alot more memorable.

[bhartman36]

5/10

The Homer 'invisible bank' bit and the Millhouse ending was CRINGEWORTHY

I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought so. That was something worthy of Family Guy, in my opinion.

but the "DINNEEEEEEEEER" bit was amusing. I reckon that if they had included Skinner in the trip also, cut out the horrible auction bit at the start and focused on many "interesting and manly" historical figures, not just Teddy, then it could have been alot more memorable.

I think the episode would've lacked focus if they did that. And I though the auction was a little lame, but it was just a setup for Chalmers to chastise Skinner. The part that didn't work for me was Skinner going off on Chalmers. That was entirely outside of his character. And of course, the kids taking over the school. Been there, done that, several times.

[HMS pinafore]

I decided to do a laugh count for this season(how many times i laughed)

so far it is at 3

[uruguayo]

Good episode, I liked it, began well. 4/5

[MDB]

"Bart Stops To Smell The Roosevelts"

VERY GOOD
+ Chalmers' past as a teacher
+ Bart thinking the forest was created by Roosevelt
+ Jimbo -School failed me? Does school have to go to summer Jimbo?
+ Homer' scene in treehouse
+ The end

GOOD
+ Nelson - Cuba si! Castro no!
+ The bears in the woods
+ Otto "just driving"
+ Nelson blocking the door with Martin
+ Wiggum -if the Muppets can take Manhatten

This episode hadn't any particularly horrible scene, and maybe its only defect is everything happens very fastly. Well First time I watched it I thought it was a B, but I have rewatched it and I will change my note

GRADE: B+

[Bleedin' Gums Murphy]

MDB

You didn't think the 'invisible bank' bit was cringeworthy?

[MDB]

I didn't think It was funny but I don't see it as a cringeworthy.

[The Angry Animated Comedy Nerd]

This was a by the numbers story... nothing we haven't seen done with other characters... but after 23 years we finally got a Chalmers episode.

I give this one a 5/5 b/c after watching it I was over-joyed that an episode could still make me laugh this hard and just feel so happy in general afterwards.

Simply put: it felt like I just watched a new 1990's Simpsons episode after I got done with this one.

Say what you will.. I also thought it was about damn time Skinner grew a little back-bone and stood up for himself for once at least!

[Bleedin' Gums Murphy]

I agree that it also felt like a new 1990's Simpsons episode...'Another Simpsons Clipshow'

[The Angry Animated Comedy Nerd]

Those 90's clip shows are so good compared to most new episodes today that I think you just agreed with me by accident.