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| Sometimes I wonder why people get so mad at athletes. Then I realized that if there weren't any athletes, people would just get mad at politicians. Now it all makes sense. |
The little league's Springfield Isotots, led by its pitcher Nelson and its other star, Bart, have won their way to the championship game, and Springfield has full-fledged Isotot fever. As Marge bores someone about Bart at a store, Homer falls asleep in the mattress area. He wakes up after the owner of the store finds him, but quickly gets his out of the situation by using his enjoyment of the mattress to procure a sale. The owner takes a liking to Homer's unique approach and hires him to sell mattresses. The next day, the championship game is played. Its the bottom of the 9th, Springfield is ahead 5-2, but Shelbyville has the bases loaded with two outs. Nelson is able to force the batter to pop up, right to Bart, but Bart drops the ball, kicks it away in a fumbled attempt to retrieve it, and makes so many errors on the play all four runners for Shelbyville come in to score, and Springfield loses the game. The crowd quickly turns on Bart, who boo and throw crap on him constantly.
Homer's new job as a mattress salesman is going along smoothly, when he sells a mattress to the Lovejoys with the promise that it'll help their sex life. It doesn't, so they go to Homer's house for a refund. They go upstairs so Homer can angrily write a check, but the Lovejoys learn that the Simpson mattress just lights a fire for them, and the three agree to swap mattresses. Of course, now Homer and Marge have difficulties in bed, while the Lovejoys are refreshed in more ways than one. Desperate, Homer and Marge sneak into the Lovejoy home to get their mattress back but miss it so much they make love on it again. The Lovejoys return home just in time to witness this and, after the initial shock, decide to cut the mattress in half (diagonally for some reason) so that both couples can share the love. Homer gets turned on enough over what kinds of sandwiches the bed now looks like that they return to their honeymoon spot - behind a billboard where a friendly bum lives - and make out.
Meanwhile, Bart continues to get lambasted all across town for his miscue. Lisa tries to help him out by taking him to see an old baseball player who also committed a major error way back in Game 7 of the 1943 World Series (for those wondering, its not really true). However, the guy then learns he's talking to Bart and leads another stream of hate towards him. Bart eventually cracks, and in a delusional state starts spray painting "I hate Bart Simpson" all over town. The town witnesses Bart trying to paint the phrase on the water tower when his crazed recklessness gets the better of him and he takes a steep fall.
In the hospital, Bart's detractors continue to chant outside that he sucks. Marge finally has enough and goes out to scolds everyone for their mindless hate. The crowd settles, but the damage has been done... or has it, ponders Lisa. Marge and Lisa decide to stage a recreation of the final out - somehow coercing the other team and the stadium announcer to go along with it, under a faulty premise to justify it being replayed. Bart is thrilled to get another chance, but fails to make the catch on the redo. Hastily, an excuse is made for another attempt, but that doesn't work either. In total, 78 attempts are made, going to day break of the next day, but Bart finally makes the catch to the lethargic cheers of the few remaining. Sixty years later, an elder Bart continues to gloat of his 'accomplishment' to an elder Milhouse, and Milhouse just can't bring himself to tell the truth to Bart (and stick with it). Ghosts of Homer and Marge lament both how Bart has turned out as well as their inability to have sex as ghosts.
Quick Review
Well, well, we have a hidden gem in the rough with this episode. The main storyline has several good moments, notably the scenes featuring the old baseball player and the town's desperate attempt to keep the ruse going for Bart (rather than just apologize for their behavior, mind you). The mattress subplot had its moments as well, particularly with Homer's grumbling, and it all makes for Season 18's best episode thus far.
Final Score: 8.0
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