Rate and Review: "Beware My Cheating Bart" (PABF11)

[Homer I Am]

[Food Blog]

Hmm. Couch gag was good, storylines not bad. I was impressed that they actually acknowledged that Lost is an old show (usually they just forget their idea is out of date and say nothing). The characterisation was not bad and in places it felt like an older episode (again wondering if parts were a few years old, it's not impossible that it was updated recently). I found that it felt badly/unresolved even though they must have done. It just felt like, "Oh, few minutes left - wind it up guys!"

[NoOneFamous]

the Lost parody was awful and comes across as old, out of touch writers with a vague grasp on Lost attempting to make comedy out of it and mirroring the complaints about it heard from everyone else who DIDN'T ACTUALLY WATCH IT. But what else should I expect from the show that gives us such comedy gold as "Mapple"?

As for rest of the episode, nothing offensively bad, but it was completely bland and forgettable and Homer and Marge fight for the 250th time or whatever. Also I hate how they either have no grasp on the characters anymore or just gave up long ago and have them be whatever the plot calls for. In this episode, Bart was regarded as a reject or a nerd. Other times he is well liked and popular.

[Matlock]

. I already found the long running gag of Kearney having a kid a little weird/disturbing, I guess the joke is that they are such bad students that have spent more years than we'd think in school or something but I wouldn't abuse of this kind of thing.

According to the Simpsons Wiki Kearney is 23, although this could something from the Jean era where his age is exaggerated for a joke, I always thought he was meant to be a teenager.I never thought about how strange it was to have the bully characters still in elementary school until a few years ago, I began thinking what age are they actually supposed to be?Are they meant to be large sixth graders or teenagers?

And another thing, the high school in Springfield isn't referenced much at all considering how many stories/jokes have revolved around the school system.Except in the flashback episode where Homer recounts when he met Marge.

[D DEBBS]

Just saw it on Hulu (last week, my older brother's TV satellite box 'died'): good ep...even though I never saw an episode of 'Lost' (and who's Bill Plymton? Never heard of him and I'm aware of the cartoon world)).

[Comicshow MolemanBob]

According to the Simpsons Wiki Kearney is 23, although this could something from the Jean era where his age is exaggerated for a joke, I always thought he was meant to be a teenager.I never thought about how strange it was to have the bully characters still in elementary school until a few years ago, I began thinking what age are they actually supposed to be?Are they meant to be large sixth graders or teenagers?

[biffwestwood]

The ages of the bullies are often inconsistent. I often thought Nelson was much older than Bart or Milhouse since he is much bigger but in "The Haw-Hawed couple" he is clearly celebrating his 10th birthday which would put him at around the same age as those other two kids. Later in "500 Keys" we find out Nelson has been held back some grades which would suggest he is older than 10 (maybe at least 12).

[zach]

pretty bad 1/5

[TriforceBun]

Mm...no, sorry. I just couldn't get over the creepiness factor of this episode. It's a similar gap to Little Big Girl, but Shauna felt even older, and throwing in sexual stuff like the flashing and Bart's sudden lust for tongue-kissing gave everything a rather unpleasant vibe. Like another user said, if the roles were reversed, with a 14 year old showing Lisa his junk and making out with her, it'd be horrifying. As it is, it's merely distractingly disturbing.

I like the idea of Homer having to exercise to see a compelling show, but they went in a weird direction with it and it got pretty stupid after his and Marge's argument.

The premise was too much of a hurdle for me. The writers need to remember that Bart's ten, and not a teenager.

2/5

[lionelhutz123]

It felt like one of the writers had just caught up on lost and felt super-cool that he now knows what his friends have been raving about all this time.

What annoyed me though is that (lost spoiler)   they treat the biggest spoiler of Lost as if "hey, it's been two years since the series ended, so if you haven't seen it by now, it's your own fault!" It's not like not knowing the twist to the sixth sense after over a decade, which is a MOVIE. Here though, we're talking about people needing to invest time into an entire 6 season television series in order to learn a twist that's revealed in it's finale. How scummy do you have to be to include that into the episode?

It was even worse how they let slip of that spoiler in the first scene with the cat, and in a failed attempt to be subtle made it seem like the joke spoiler Marge told would distract people from the fact that they heard the real spoiler previously.

It just reminds me of those lame people who saw a movie or read a book that you haven't yet, and tell you the main character dies, but then go "nah man I'm just throwing you off". Then you see or read it for yourself, and the MAIN CHARACTER DIES. Just shut up  

Anyway, as for my more general criticism of that plot, I hate how it ends. Marge spoils the show for Homer, and she makes up for it by being seductive? Back up. You just spoiled an entire television series for him, because he was too ignorant to watch it with you when you wanted to? Yeah, it's lame that he did that and he was becoming obsessed, but under no circumstance can you EVER spoil an entire series for someone. I don't care how angry you are, you just. don't. do. that. You can't undo it. It's just as bad as cheating in my opinion (I don't care how nerdy that sounds).

The ending just champions the idea that it's "just a tv show" so lets have sex and forget about it. It comes off so much that Marge thinks very low of Homer and she knows that she can just manipulate and distract him with one of his stereotypical desires (not being donuts, sleep, or tv).

My main point though is why is it whenever Homer likes something it's stupid, but when Marge like it, it's a hobby that must be respected? Most of the time, these hobbies last an episode, but watching tv is a reoccurring characteristic for Homer. Let the man enjoy his show that is for once better than the likes of "Animal Survivor" or "Touch the Stove". The conflict for the episode should have been Marge trying to tone Homer's obsession down in a reasonable manner, not dropping an atomic bomb on the problem. Seriously, Homer ought to go up to the attic and set fire to those Ringo Starr paintings to make things even.

[The Governor]

Good point, but Homer would manage to burn down the house while the painting magically survive.

[Cartoonnetwork]

Anyway, as for my more general criticism of that plot, I hate how it ends. Marge spoils the show for Homer, and she makes up for it by being seductive? Back up. You just spoiled an entire television series for him, because he was too ignorant to watch it with you when you wanted to? Yeah, it's lame that he did that and he was becoming obsessed, but under no circumstance can you EVER spoil an entire series for someone. I don't care how angry you are, you just. don't. do. that. You can't undo it. It's just as bad as cheating in my opinion (I don't care how nerdy that sounds).

The ending just champions the idea that it's "just a tv show" so lets have sex and forget about it. It comes off so much that Marge thinks very low of Homer and she knows that she can just manipulate and distract him with one of his stereotypical desires (not being donuts, sleep, or tv).

My main point though is why is it whenever Homer likes something it's stupid, but when Marge like it, it's a hobby that must be respected? Most of the time, these hobbies last an episode, but watching tv is a reoccurring characteristic for Homer. Let the man enjoy his show that is for once better than the likes of "Animal Survivor" or "Touch the Stove". The conflict for the episode should have been Marge trying to tone Homer's obsession down in a reasonable manner, not dropping an atomic bomb on the problem. Seriously, Homer ought to go up to the attic and set fire to those Ringo Starr paintings to make things even.

I never thought about any of this, but you have a point. The part about spoilers being as bad as cheating is definitely too nerdy but you still have a point.

I think it would have made more sense if Homer's behaviour had became more obnoxious but let's look at what he did: investing time on watching the series by himself and joining other friends to discuss it. Yeah, the horn part was a little obnoxious I guess, but he wasn't really doing anything bad to Marge. It's like she demands so much attention that Homer can't have any hobby.

They should have either focussed the conflict on the treadmill thing , with Marge finding the secret much later, which would have felt closer to classic era material, Homer inventing excuses, Marge being confused about him not losing weight, then Marge gets angry only because he spent too much money and he lied to her, not because of him being interested on that particular series or because he watched it without her.

The other option would have been Homer becoming completely obsessed about the series, bringing it at every inopportune moment, maybe even when they were about to have sex. Then it would have been more reasonable for Marge to explode and tell the spoiler.

But yeah, the way it happens, it does look like Marge being too harsh on Homer having any hobby. Even if it's supossed that she's angry because he bought an expensive treadmill and he didn't use it, it's not clear enough. If that was the reason then they should have had the discussion earlier. But once he had abandoned the treadmill thing whatsoever it doesn't make sense for Marge to appear when he's just discussing his favourite tv show with his friends and telling him the spoiler just because he's not spending time with her or because he dared to watch the show without her, as if that was some kind of horrible sin.

[Üter]

Was alright.. 3/5

[lionelhutz123]

Honestly, in new episodes like this, Homer and Marge's marriage feels so creepy and deluded to me. They're supposed to be television's iconic cartoon couple, and there was a time without question, where you can kind of look up to them, as a symbol of hope for that ideal relationship. They always had issues, but they worked through them, giving their marriage a sense of depth and substance.

Now though, geez... it's uncomfortable and disturbing how they can't even behave like husband and wife. Any argument is just them yelling non-sequitors back and forth. Basically, the lesson that gets through to me after an episode like this, is that they're all crazy. No matter what nonsense occurs, it will get resolved even if it's the cheapest explanation for how they overcame it. They love each other in the end, but THEY'RE CRAZY. That's the theme here, and if you can get on board with that, you're set for the next season.

[The Governor]

No matter what nonsense occurs, it will get resolved even if it's the cheapest explanation for how they overcame it. They love each other in the end, but THEY'RE CRAZY. .

Kinda fits the old saying: "if you can't win them over with brilliance, baffle'em with absurdity."

[Shaunbadia]

BAH HA...AH HAHAHAHAHAHA! THE COMPUTER! HIS FRUSTRATION! IT WORKS ON SO MANY LEVELS!

[NoOneFamous]

I didn't think much about the other issues addressed in this thread until now, like the age gap between Bart and the girl, and Homer and Marge's weird and condescending resolution "lets just forget about it and have sex."

I still hated the Lost parodies more than anything else though. It wasn't done with love, it reeked of an attitude of "we're the Simpsons, so we're a better TV show by default, so much that we don't even have to really even know what Lost is about to parody it!" Like, look, the plot of Lost will obviously sound insane if you try to explain to anyone who hasn't watched. Here they decided "haha! lets just do the most random, off the wall shit possible and call it a Lost parody!"

[Mr.]

FINALLY SEEN IT and I found this episode to be cute... until last few minutes when the conclusions felt way too quick.
Yhe, Bart had many girlfriends... but hey, who dosen't? I wish they would finally got him a girlfriend that would stay with him for more then one episode and beacome a racruting character. This one would be a Ok choise since I found her funny and she and Bart did make a cute couple.

As for the LOST sub-plot... I found LOST (the show) to be more silly then clever and to be honest the part when Marge say that "at the end all characters went to hell even if writers clame they didn't" remind me my reaction too the way LOST ended. THEY WHERE IN PURGATORY DAMM IT! You can call it all you want but by deffinision this is still a purgatory... Ufff... Any way subplot was ok until the endig which once agian felt lazy.

It's like the writer had fun untill the last two pages of the script and went - aw, scew it I just write the first thing to pop-up in my head.

Still - I like this epsode, very pleasant.
AND YES - CARL'S LINE WAS SWEET

[Matlock]

Yeah I know Kearney has a kid,was talking more about Dolph and Jimbo,theres also scene in some episode where Kearney is shaving with an electric razor.And ive met people who were 17 and disturbingly had a 2 yr old.

[Jims]

Just caught this on Hulu. I agree with the general sentiments of the thread that I thought it was pretty decent, probably around 3.5/5 territory. I liked the premise of it, but there were some issues with the execution.

They handled the whole "Bart being shown tits" thing surprisingly well. They didn't characterize Bart as being a horny teenager going around looking for them, he just kind fell into seeing them. And him being kinda weirded out by them (like during the breakfast scene) seems realistic for a ten year old. It does feel a little artificial, in that the writers are looking for some kind of shock value here, but considering how long the series has run by now, they have to think of something I suppose.

Like others, I don't really buy the Shawna/Bart romance. It would have played better for me if 1) Shawna was just doing it to get back at Jimbo, and that 2) Bart was in over his head in the relationship. It was a weird shift from Bart being weirded out, to suddenly getting to second base in Skinner's office. They justify why Shawna would be interested in Bart, but I still don't buy it. The more realistic response would be her just leaving Jimbo for another 14 year old (or however old). But, then again, there's no plot if she does that!

Found the Lost parody to be extremely, extremely, extremely lazy. I've didn't really watch Lost myself (just one episode in S1), but it seemed like all the jokes were basically what I (and everyone else) have been making fun of for years now. Granted, there is some interesting stuff about the plight of someone trying to catch up years later (which is interesting), but they still make us sit through the not-relevant-anymore Paint-By-Numbers Lost parody. They also seemed to mirror their parody a little too closely to the show, just copy/pasting one element for another. I want the parody to be recognizable, but they don't have to stick quiiiite as close to the script. Just a little looser and it would have been perfect.

I did kind of like the Homer/Marge fight, although the ending was indeed garbage. I do enjoy that they kept the conflict pretty light, and they kept underlining that, yeah, this is a stupid argument. This didn't turn into phony high drama, "WHY DON'T YOU RESPECT ME?!?!?!?!" nonsense that they like to do so much. They kept it very petty, very small, and very non-marriage-threatening. As silly as the argument is, this is indeed the kind of thing married couples do fight about and get resentful over.

Even with the Bart story, they keep it kind of light and ironic, with Lisa basically throwing her hands in the air and getting tired of watching the mess. It demonstrates that the show is still self aware and can distinguish between high drama and pre-teen love triangles.

So, yeah, a lot of promising stuff in this one in terms of setup... Just a little off in the execution in a few places.

[uruguayo]

Good episode, but nothing special. Lots of laughs.
4/5

[Malaise Forever]

Surprised by how much the episode is liked.

I watched it again,trying to find jokes I might have missed and I still had the same feeling for this episode, that the jokes weren't on par with what they usually have. It felt like the episode wanted to have the feeling of this season's episodes but at the same time wanted to be harmless, innocent. Most of the story was decent and I laughed harder at the same good jokes (The lifeguard's rules, Marge giving the bullies Bart's undies) and there was a nice reference at Futurama but the episode felt lame overall and had too many weak gags.

Maybe the rating isn't so surprsing since there are still 3 awful episodes this season.

2/5

[Handsome B. Wonderful]

Yeah, watched this again yesterday and it held up better than usual for a season 23 episode, but it's still goin' down a little. Shauna is a pretty awful character. 3/5.

"NO ONE'S EVER DID THAT FOR ME BEFORE."

^ THAT MAKES ME FEEL ANGRY