Whacking Day (S04, E20-079)

That tractor sure tricked Bart good.

Plot Summary
The episode begins with Principal Skinner sorta in a panic.  This episode features the first appearance of Superintendent Chalmers whose appearances at the school always give Skinner the worst anxiety.  In an attempt to keep things from going haywire, he tricks the school's problem kids (Bart, Nelson, Jimbo, Kearney and Dolph) in a mountain bike scam, locking them in a supply closet.  While trapped, Bart notices an air duct that only he can fit through, and with the others cheering and bullying him on, he escapes.  He gets outside when he finds a tractor that Groundskeeper Willie has left both on and alone.  Bart decides to ride it, but is unable to control the tractor and it ultimately rams right into Chalmers' ass.  As punishment, Skinner finally decides to expel Bart from the school.

Meanwhile, May 10th is approaching, which is when "Whacking Day" takes place.  A local holiday supposedly dating back to the town's founding, the day is spent just beating up snakes with clubs or similar blunt objects.  While the whole town seems to love the day, Lisa absolutely hates it.  As that day approaches, Marge decides to teach Bart herself, given other alternates did not work out.  While the process starts off slow, Marge is able to convince Bart to read Johnny Tremain once he learns it features disfigurement.  Bart finishes it by the next day, and Marge decides to capitalize on the opportunity by taking Bart to a Colonial town.  There, Bart finds a historical inaccuracy where there's no way town founder Jebediah Springfield could've started the first Whacking Day when he did, at which point he and Marge are escorted out of the town.

Much to Lisa's dismay, Whacking Day arrives, and the town is ready to whack some snakes.  Barry White is there to greet the crowd but upon learning what the day is actually about, disgustedly chides them instead.  Meanwhile, Bart reads more about Whacking Day in a tell-all book, which tells him that snakes are attracted to deep noises, such as bass.  When Lisa can find no such music, Barry White fortunately walks about.  He gladly helps the two lure all the snakes to the Simpsons house.  When the snake-whacking mob follows the snakes to the house, Bart lets them know the true origin of Whacking Day: it was created in the 1920s as an excuse to beat up the Irish.  With the truth known and Mayor Quimby calling the town out on its fickleness, the snakes are let free.  Skinner is impressed with Bart's independent learning and decides to let him come back to school, when he remembers Nelson, Jimbo and the others are still trapped in the supply closet.  Rushing back to school with mountain bikes in tow, Skinner and Willie try to avoid getting sued or its off to Mexico they go!  Good times.

Quick Review
Whacking Day ends up being another superb episode.  The introduction of Chalmers and Skinner's overall demeanor around him is an excellent dynamic that will continue for years to come, with this episode as a strong base for it.  Barry White provides a strong guest appearance as well.  Other things from the episode, like the true origin of Whacking Day and the Colonial town's conspiracy to keep it quiet, to Quimby calling everyone one on their nonsense, to Grampa's story about him having to disguise himself as a cabaret in Nazi Germany who garnered the affection of Hitler ("Ach du lieber!  Das ist nicht eine booby!!") , there's a lot of fun going on with this episode and its a classic.

Final Score: 9.8