Tuesday, October 16, 2012

New Kid on the Block (S04, E08-067)

Its no wonder I don't see as many all you can eats these days...
Plot Summary
As I've said in another episode review (specifically Bart the Lover), these earlier episode rarely have Bart in a position where he's even infatuated with another girl.  In the Season 3 episode Bart's Friend Falls in Love, he even says to Milhouse that such things are not a concern to him at the episode's end.  It may or may not explain a lot that these later seasons have several episodes where Bart has a girlfriend.  In any case, New Kid on the Block is the first episode in which Bart actually finds himself in love with another girl.

It happens after the elderly couple the Winfields decide to move out.  Despite struggles to sell the house due to potential buyers seeing and being disgusted by Homer's antics, the house eventually does sell.  Shortly thereafter, Bart and Lisa sneak into the basement of that house from outside, and after Bart scares Lisa away with a horror tale, he is snuck up on by another person, scaring him so hard he passes out.  Upon coming to, he sees a girl somewhat older than her - Laura Powers - and instantly becomes infatuated with her.

Meanwhile, Homer sees a commercial for an "all you can eat" seafood restaurant and decides to go there with Marge (despite Marge having an allergy to fish).  Bart suggests Laura be their babysitter for the night, and with Homer eager to eat non-stop he agrees.  As Laura continues to unintentionally steal Bart's heart, Homer indeed eats non-stop at the restaurant, going late into the night.  Finally, the restaurant's owner, then named Captain McCallister, kicks Homer out after Homer practically ate everything.  Still, upset that he did not eat all he could eat, Homer decides to sue the restaurant (Lionel Hutz later calls Homer the greatest hero in American history).

The next day or so, Bart begins asking around for tips to get Laura to notice him.  Talks with Grampa and Homer are mostly fruitless.  Frustrated, Bart is surprised to see Laura call him to the treehouse.  There, Laura tells him shocking news: she has a boyfriend and, worse yet, its Jimbo Jones.  Devastated (and not too happy when he overhears Laura saying "he's just a kid" after leaving with Jimbo), Bart is determined to prove himself to her.

The day Homer's lawsuit goes to court arrives, and again Laura is babysitting.  This night, Laura has Jimbo come over for a "study session".  Needing to act quickly, Bart decides to prank call Moe, but afterwards tell Moe that he's Jimbo Jones, providing an address as well, knowing full well Moe would come rushing over to enact some kind of vengeance after all those prank calls.

Meanwhile, Homer's court case is moving along nicely.  It turns out Captain McCallister is not actually a sea captain, and Marge retells the story of that night, where after being kicked out they tried to find another all you can eat seafood restaurant and, upon failing to find one, going fishing instead.  Losing the favor of a rather overweight jury, the Captain decides to make a plea deal with Homer: Homer can indeed eat all he can eat at the restaurant, while the Captain advertises him as some kind of bottomless stomach monster to attract customers into that kind of horrific thing.

Finally, Moe comes rushing in, with a rusty, dull blade in hand, and goes right for Jimbo.  Jimbo quickly breaks down crying, killing Moe's blood lust and Laura's regular lust.  As Moe quickly leaves to limit Barney's beer-stealing opportunities, Laura sees Jimbo for what he really is and tells him they're through.  She tells Bart he was right about Jimbo, and notes that if Bart were older, she'd go out with him anytime.  They prank call Moe, who falls for it yet again.

Quick Review
This was a great episode.  The main story had a lot going for it as we see a new side to Bart we've barely seen in the past, and the whole thing with Moe was great to.  Like usual, though, its Homer's sidestory which steals the show in terms of pure hilarity.  The notion of him eating non stop for hours, then suing the restaurant for not letting him eat all he could eat afterwards is just so ridiculous, but then for him to actually get some justice for it... somehow it ends up being very hilarious.

Final Score: 9.4

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