Who Shot Mr. Burns? Part One (S06, E25-128)

Who would want to shoot such a cheeful face like that?

Plot Summary
After the holiday break, Principal Skinner finds one of the classroom's pet hamster dead, and requests that Groundskeeper Willie bury him.  Willie decides to bury "Superdude" in the basement, and upon doing so reveals an oil well.  The news travels fast, and Mr. Burns learns about it.  Unwilling to allow anybody else to have their hands on such financial security, he goes to trick Skinner into giving it to him, but when that doesn't pan out he just decides to tap the well himself.

Meanwhile, the school plans ahead and decides to increase its budget in preparation for the oil income, the music program is expanded under Lisa's suggestion to include Tito Puente, and Willie was gonna get himself a new crystal bucket, too.  However, the oil rig fails to produce, and then Burns is successful in building a slanted rig that pumps the oil first.  With no oil, plus costs to build, operate and then destroy the school's oil rig, Skinner is forced to make multiple cuts, including music and maintenance.  When the slanted rig shot off oil, it hit Bart's treehouse directly, destroying it and leaving Santa's Little Helper's hind legs broken.  The fumes from the rig also forces the nearby Moe's to close down, much to the anger of both Moe and Barney, and the oil well causes a sinkhole below the retirement home, forcing its residents to abandon it until it can be fixed.

As this is happening, Homer becomes increasingly frustrated that Burns can never remember his name.  On Marge's suggestion, he sends Burns a box of candy with a photo of him and his family.  Burns and Smithers remember each face they see in the box, but neither are willing to eat the last piece - a sour quince log - which still covers Homer's face.  Burns sends a thank you note to Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie, which sends Homer into a fury when he finally realizes his name wasn't included.  He tries to spray paint his name in Burns' office, but when Burns still doesn't know who he is, Homer attacks him in a vain attempt to get him to learn, saying Burns is "dead" when being dragged off by the guards.

Despite having crippled the school and closing down the tavern and the retirement home, Burns still isn't satisfied, as he knows that for most of the day people in town get free energy and light from the sun.  He reveals to Smithers, who wasn't particularly fond of the oil-stealing plan, his next plan which involves blocking out the sun, forcing Springfield to use Burns' electricity 24 hours a day.  Smithers refuses to go along with this fiendish plot, and as a result Burns fires him on the spot.

The town has a meeting to discuss Burns' plot, where many people are stroking guns.  As people tell their sob stories, Burns makes an appearance.  Before Bart can advance on him, Burns reveals he's carrying a gun after an attack from an "unidentified assailant".  Burns enacts his plan, and quickly the sun is blocked off.  The town becoming all the more frustrated, Burns scuttles off happy as a fly now that he has complete control of the town's energy.

As an odd series of occurrences are revealed, including Smithers leaving his coat behind, Skinner leaving his mother behind, a gun that Grampa brought to the Simpsons home that Marge buried only for it to be dug up, and no Simpson other than Marge or Maggie to be found.  Off screen, Burns gets into a struggle with an unknown person, and is soon shot thereafter.  He struggles to the sundial in front of town hall, his arms landing on "W" and "S", and the town gathers around to see the victim.  Marge realizes that this mystery may never be solved, and that everyone in town is a suspect.  The episode ends with Dr. Hibbert saying he couldn't solve this mystery only to wonder if YOU (by which he means Chief Wiggum) can solve it.

Quick Review
This episode is part of what is still the only real two-parter in the series (that whole "Nedna" nonsense a couple of years back never had an actual Part 2, just a mention in the next season's premier).  What's more, its an episode shrouded in mystery.  Clues are everywhere, there are shots to people which makes you suspect them even if just a little, and like 20 people are given motives to go and shoot Mr. Burns.  Its a mystery that was set up as a contest as well, where people could call in at one point in the summer between each part and guess who pulled the trigger, which nobody was able to guess correctly given the absurdity of the correct answer.

Its the shining moment that perhaps defines the quality of these early, "golden" years of the series, that takes everything people have come to know and love about these characters over six years and really makes them really think if any of them had the guts to shoot that fiendish old man.

As a lot of the episode was spent placing clues and setting up suspects, the quantity of jokes were lesser than they had been for many of the episodes for Season 6.  Even so, there's no question this episode along with its conclusion are some of the most well known and beloved episodes of these early season.  I-it just wasn't as funny.

Also, just to note, the list of suspects this episode set up:
Principal Skinner: Burns stole the oil that was under his school, essentially stealing financial security
Groundskeeper Willie: Lost his job because of the oil incident, because the school had to make cuts.
Mr. Largo (that music teacher): Same as Willie
Tito Puente: The oil incident robbed the school of Tito Puente
Homer Simpson: Burns can never remember his name, missing during the shooting
Bart Simpson: The slanted rig crippled his dog and destroyed his treehouse, missing during the shooting
Lisa Simpson: The oil incident robbed the school of music, missing during the shooting
Abraham Simpson: The slanted rig caused a sinkhole over his retirement home, he and his gun are also missing during the shooting
Moe Szyslak: The slanted rig forces his bar to close.
Barney Gumble: The slanted rig forced Moe to close the bar.
Waylon Smithers: Fired after trying to tell Burns that the latter's plan were diabolical, became a drunk.

I think that's most of them.  And then Part Two concludes in such a silly way.

Final Score: 8.7

Lemon of Troy (S06, E24-127)

Nothing like turnip juice to cure what ails you.

Plot Summary
Marge catches Bart etching his name into wet cement and is furious.  At dinner, she lectures Bart about town pride, a lesson that sticks in Bart's head.  The next day, Bart sees Milhouse selling lemonade just as his lemon supply runs out.  The two run off to acquire more, finally reaching a rather divine lemon tree on a hilltop on the edge of town.  As Bart remarks about how great it really is to live in Springfield, he's quickly countered by a batch of boys from the neighboring Shelbyville, who are there to take a batch of lemons from Springfield's lemon tree.  Bart and some other kids chase them away by throwing lemons at them, saving the other lemons from being stolen.

Grampa, who is also there for some reason, tells the kids there about the origins of the tree, which goes back to the town's founding.  Jebediah Springfield and another man, Shelbyville Manhattan, were ready to found a town right at that same hill, however the two come to blows over whether a man could marry his cousin or not, a right Shelbyville will refuse to give up.  The settlers decide to split up from there and the two men found their own towns right next to one another at which point the lemon tree was planted to mark the sweet occasion (lemons being the sweetest fruit available at the time).

The next day at school, Nelson interrupts an important lesson about Roman numerals to show the kids that the lemon tree had been stolen and dragged to Shelbyville.  Bart, still filled with that new hometown pride, decides to lead a team into Shelbyville to get it back.  Telling his parents he's "going to teach some kids a lesson", which they comprehend as Bart becoming a tutor, Bart quickly gathers a group consisting of him, Milhouse, Nelson, Martin, Todd Flanders and the oft-forgotten Database to enter Shelbyville.

The boys confirm that the tree was stolen by the same group of boys that gave them trouble the other day, but eventually the trail runs dry and the group splits up.  Nelson and Martin come across one of the boys during their search for the tree, and as Bart goes undercover to join up with the Shelbyville gang, the group's leader learns about the infiltration and has everyone go up to Shelbyville Bluffs to spray paint "Springfield Sucks" into a rock formation.  Bart is given this task somehow and instead writes "Springfield Rules, Suckers", revealing he's from Springfield.  He is given chase by the group's leader via skateboard, coming to an abrupt end when Bart ironically runs into wet cement.  He runs into the zoo, specifically a lion's den, where the rooms are numbered with Roman numerals.  Bart tries to contact Milhouse via radio for help, but Milhouse is interrupted by one of the Shelbyville kids though the two soon find out they have the same name and reconcile.  Bart eventually uses the Rocky movies to do Roman numeral addition and escapes.

Bart eventually does find the lemon tree, but its within a car impound lot, owned by the father of the group leader.  Before Bart's group can act, they are found by their fathers, who finally figured out what was going on and drove to Shelbyville in Flanders' RV to get them back.  However, when Bart tells them what happened, they agree to get the tree back.  However, the impound lot owner refuses to give it back, and with the lot locked up, its seems as though this is Springfield's defeat.

Bart, though, comes up with an idea.  He has Flanders park in a hospital zone, so that later in the day the impound lot owner will tow it away as its parked illegally.  The plan works and the group is in the lot ala the Trojan Horse.  As they sneak the tree away, Bart opens the gate, which sets off an alarm.  With some difficulty, the group is able to flee just in the nick of time, and the group is able to return the tree to Springfield in one condition or another.  Grampa revises his tale back at the hill to include the new tale of Springfield's heroes, meanwhile at Shelbyville an old man there praises the heroes of Shelbyville for having banished the lemon tree, as it was haunted.  Then everyone there enjoys a nice cool glass of turnip juice.  Good times.

Quick Review
This was another fun episode.  The differences between Springfield and Shelbyville, a place that creeps even Nelson out, was fun to see, and the rivalry between Milhouse and Shelbyville Milhouse was great as well, as was the dynamic between Nelson and Martin.  The episode serves as an excellent example of the rivalry between Springfield and Shelbyville, with their differences and similarities providing some comedic value as well.

Final Score: 9.2

The Springfield Connection (S06, E23-126)

Those cops are looking sharp in those shoddy jeans.

Plot Summary
Homer and Marge are walking through some slums one night, when Homer gets duped into blowing $20 on a rigged three-card Monty game.  When Marge exposes the fraud, the game runner, our criminal friend Snake, makes a run for it.  Marge gives chase, cornering him in an alleyway.  Though Snake brandishes a knife, Marge grabs a hold of a trash can lid - and all of her adrenaline, and slams the lid right into Snake's face, knocking him out cold.

The incident leaves Marge seeking more thrills, such as buying deviled ham instead of the regular kind, or buying magazines for death-defiers.  She eventually takes note of the police force, and quickly requests to join, met with laughter and eventually approval by Chief Wiggum.  After a weekend of training, Marge becomes a cop.

Things start off well enough for Marge, though the daily grind starts to wear her down a bit.  Homer, meanwhile, takes full advantage of being a cop husband by messing with Marge's police gadgets, and assuring a group of his friends that its okay to play poker and smoke Cuban cigars at his place.  One such 'friend', the one-armed Herman, frequently exits the game to 'get fresh air'.  Marge stumbles upon the game and chases everyone away, though.  Later, Marge finds that Homer parked his car across three handicapped spaces, and after Homer taunts Marge repeatedly she is forced to arrest him.

No longer finding Marge's gig "cool", Homer remarks as such at the next poker game at his house.  Herman, once again, takes his leave toward the garage (or as Moe calls it, a 'carhole'), which peaks Homer's curiosity.  Turns out, Herman is partaking in a deal that involves counterfeit jeans.  Homer stumbles upon this plan, but before Herman and his associates can do anything about it, Marge appears to arrest them.  Herman, though, escapes, taking Homer as a hostage up to Bart's treehouse with his gun aimed right at the entrance.  Marge sneakily enters the treehouse through a secret entrance, though, and Homer is freed.  Herman tries one last desperate escape, but his attempt to ride his jeans down a wire fails as the counterfeit pair falls apart.  The police can't hold them, though, as they "can't find the evidence" of the jeans, even though they're quite plainly wearing the jeans at that moment.  Marge, tired of the corruption, quits the force right then and there.  Meanwhile, Homer's pals are still in the kitchen, unaware of what's transpired, waiting to finish their poker game.

Quick Review
This was a fairly solid episode that picks up near the end when Herman reveals his counterfeit jeans scheme.  The oddities that Marge encounters on her patrol were worth a few laughs as well and Homer's poker brigade had a few humorous moments as well.

Final Score: 9.5

'Round Springfield (S06, E22-125)

"Ya see, the kids, they listen to the rap music, which gives them the brain damage.
With their hippin and the hoppin and the bippin and the boppin, so they don't
know what the JAZZ... is all about!  Ya see, jazz is like a Jello pudding pop-
no, actually its more like Kodak Film- no, actually, jazz is like the new Coke,
it'll be around forever, heh heh heh."

Plot Summary
On the day of a big history test, as Bart struggles to tell Marge anything that would imply he studied, he inadvertently eats a special jagged metal Krusty-O in his cereal.  The O tears him up inside, but both Homer and Marge think he's faking it to get out of taking the test, with only Lisa believing he's in real pain.  After taking the test in school, Bart barely makes it to the nurse's office, now run by lunchlady Doris, before passing out.  At the hospital, its learned that the O has inflamed his appendix and its promptly removed.  Bart's family and friends visit him, and as Bart shows off his new scar to the other kids (which, combined with the prospect of missing school, convinces the other kids to get their appendixes removed as well), Lisa overhears someone playing a saxophone.

Turns out, that person is Bleeding Gums Murphy, whom Lisa first some time ago.  Although its never explained why he's in there, the two reminisce and Bleeding Gums opens up about his life, including the one album he released in his career.  A short time later, Lisa is going to perform at a band recital at school.  She visits Bleeding Gums again, and the two play a saxophone duet.  Afterwards, Bleeding Gums gives Lisa his saxophone for good luck.  At the band recital, most of the band is unavailable after having their appendixes removed, and with only Lisa at sax, Martin Prince at triangle, and Ralph Wiggum playing a flute with his nose, the recital starts off poorly.  However, Lisa takes over and plays a passionate cover of Stars & Stripes Forever, which garners much praise.  Later, Lisa is thrilled to tell Bleeding Gums about the recital, but she learns that Bleeding Gums has passed away.  Saddened over the loss, Lisa tries to talk to other people about death, but nothing seems to help.  At the funeral, which only Lisa attends, she decides to vow that the entire town of Springfield knows the name Bleeding Gums Murphy.

Meanwhile, Bart has sued the Krusty Corporation over the metal O incident, and after some poor deflecting by Krusty, he and Bart's lawyer (Lionel Hutz) agree to a $100,000 settlement.  Hutz and his lawyer team take away much of the money, leaving Bart with just $500, which he's more than happy to get.

Lisa goes to the jazz radio station, but it doesn't possess Bleeding Gums' album.  What's more, even if Lisa found the album, the station has poor reception (albeit the best reception among jazz stations in the United States), and chances are not many people will be able to hear it.  Despite that, Lisa finds a copy of the album, but its priced at $250, soon bumped up to $500 when the owner learns Bleeding Gums had died.  A short time later, Bart enters the store with his $500 looking to blow it on something.  Almost ready to buy a massive Steve Allen pog, Bart notices the album and a sad Lisa walking by, and decides to buy to the album instead as Lisa was the only one who believed Bart was ill after he ate that O.  He's not even concerned about losing his $500, as the new batch of Krusty-O cereal now features flesh-eating bacteria.

With the album in hand, Lisa gives it to the jazz station to play as a tribute, noting that she's done all she's can. Suddenly, a bolt of lightning hits the station, vastly improving its reception so much so that radios all across town turn on and immediately switch to the jazz station somehow.  Lisa learns that this divine intervention was done by Bleeding Gums himself.  After chasing away two James Earl Jones characters that died in their respective franchises as well as James Earl Jones himself (who isn't dead), Bleeding Gums and Lisa partake in one last jazz session.

Quick Review
'Round Springfield is perhaps an underrated episode.  Granted, Bart's storyline provides the majority of the laughs throughout the episode, and the best bit during the main plot was when Bleeding Gums mentioned his appearance on the Cosby Show, but those moments along with a few others combined to make another excellent entry for the season.  Its marks the first time a recurring character died, and though people don't like Lisa-centric episodes at times, this episode shouldn't be looked down upon because of that.  Its a very good episode once you take the whole package in.

Final Score: 9.1

The PTA Disbands (S06, E21-124)

"Talkin' out of turn... that's a paddlin'.  Lookin' out the window... that's a paddlin'.
Starin' at my sandals... that's a paddin'.  Paddlin' the school canoe...
oh, you better believe that's a paddlin'."

Plot Summary
Springfield Elementary has always been portrayed as a bit underfunded, but that fact gets shown to the extreme to start the episode.  Having their only two buses be so dilapidated that one explodes on contact while another has no brakes and possesses a big hole on its bottom, the school decides to take a field trip anyway.  However, they have no money for gas (forcing Otto to siphon it from another bus with only a single tube), and Principal Skinner wasn't even aware the historical fort they were going to now charges a fee per student thanks to new mouse-related management.  Getting caught trying to "learn for free", Skinner and the kids make a run back to the bus to escape the war reenactors, but not all of them make it back (poor Üter).

Fed up with budget cuts everywhere, Mrs. Krabappel gets into an argument with Skinner over conditions, which Bart and Lisa overhear.  Lisa worries aloud that this bickering could lead to a school-stopping strike.  Bart takes the idea and goes full throttle, spreading mistruths to both Skinner and Krabappel, and quickly gets the two so angry at one another Krabappel calls for the teachers to strike.

While the kids free to do whatever now that school has stopped (except Milhouse, who was instantly given a tutor), Lisa however begins to have withdrawal symptoms, slowly going mad over being unable to be properly educated.  Bart in the meantime enjoys his newfound freedom, causing chaos throughout town and making the teachers even angrier at Skinner.  Worried about how her kids have been acting, Marge demands something be done about the strike.  Soon a PTA meeting is held (though I'm not sure if Marge had anything to do with it despite the implication).  Led by Ned Flanders, he tries to get the two sides to work together, but neither Skinner nor Krabappel will even agree to disagree.  With panic that the PTA is disbanding, Flanders reveals an emergency plan in case of a prolonged strike: using super-intelligent cyborgs.  Since they have yet to be invented, an alternate solution is included: letting townspeople teach instead.

It doesn't work out so well.  Lisa's class is taught by Jasper who, to say the least, is ineffective.  Bart drives off multiple substitutes in his class, but his fun comes to an abrupt halt when Marge takes over his class.  Now becoming the subject of bullying over his mom being the teacher, Bart finally decides to find a way to end the strike, using Milhouse's tutor-improved booksmarts and Bart's ability to exploit the booksmart.

The plan was simply to trick Skinner and Krabappel into the same room, then lock them in.  They slam on the door and yell at Bart to open the door for what ends up being five hours, but ultimately they cave in and start talking.  With money still the biggest issue, the two realize they feel like prisoners in their own school, when suddenly they both get a grand idea to get extra revenue to the school: by renting out closet space to host convicted criminals, turning the school into a school/prison hybrid.  Though Skinner hopes it will also provide a "scared straight" influence on kids, soon Bart and our felon friend Snake work out a plan to bust the latter out.  Good times.

Quick Review
This was one of Season 6's better episodes, a fun romp through the otherwise serious matter of teacher strikes.  The jokes were plentiful, many minor characters get in a good laugh or two, and several bits, like the scenes at the field trip were excellent.

Final Score: 9.7

Two Dozen and One Greyhounds (S06, E20-123)

"I really like the vest."
"I gathered you."

Plot Summary
Santa's Little Helper is feeling rather frisky, tearing or burying all kinds of stuff.  Attempts to wear the dog out also fail, and going to the pet store to get a diagnosis ended up being a scam as well.  At that point, though, the dog slinks his way out of the car and runs back to the old dog racing track, where Homer and Bart found him oh so long ago.  Though intending to find the dog, Homer takes the opportunity to bet on a race, specifically for the dog "She's the Fastest".  While watching that race, in which She's the Fastest is winning, Santa's Little Helper comes into the racetrack, runs down She's the Fastest, and mounts her rather effortlessly.  The two dogs fall in love, and the owner of She's the Fastest gives up the dog to the Simpsons, as once its in love it can't really race anymore.  The two dogs do all sorts of stuff together, including each other, and soon enough She's the Fastest is super pregnant, so much so that she ultimately gives birth to 25 puppies.  Talk about frisky.

With the Simpsons enamored, the 25 pups begin their lives at their new home.  Soon, though, it becomes a hassle, as 25 dogs chewing up socks, sniping chips and plopping waste isn't an easy task.  A breaking point is reached when two of the dogs find their way into an already cooked turkey during a dinner featuring Homer's old drill sergeant, an IRS agent and Reverend Lovejoy.  Homer and Marge decide to give the puppies away, but people are reluctant to snatch any up as the 25 dogs don't want to be separated.  Soon, Mr. Burns appears, eager to acquire the dogs.  Amidst concerns as to what Burns would do with them, Homer doesn't allow Burns to take them, though Burns "finds a way" to acquire them anyway.

Now with the puppies gone Bart and Lisa hear from Chief Wiggum that Burns somehow acquired 25 puppies last night (not being able to connect 2 and 2 together, of course).  The two sneak into Burns' manor and are shocked to find Burns giving the puppies a bath.  One of them even stands up, like Rory Calhoun.  As Burns picks up that puppy to be his personal favorite, he soon reveals his true motive via a catchy tune: he plans to turn the dogs into a tuxedo in an effort to complete his animal-skin wardrobe.  Quickly, Bart and Lisa attempt to rescue the dogs, but are trapped by Burns in the basement.  Ultimately, though, Burns finds himself unable to kill any of the dogs, as Bart strategically placed some socks so that every puppy stands up, and both the dogs' and the kids' cries stay Burns from pulling the trigger.  Burns learns his lesson and promises to never kill another animal for the purposes of clothing (or at least any animal that can perform tricks).

Some time later, the 25 dogs have grown up and each become dog racing champions, earning yet another $10 million for Mr. Burns.  Unable to cope with giving up those dogs, Homer hangs himself up with his arm in the basement so he can bat a lightbulb around for amusement, at least until it crashes into his head.

Quick Review
This episode is a good episode, it can hold its own and it has plenty of good moments, most notably the "see my vest" routine near the end, but it doesn't compare to any of the other non-clip episodes this season has provided thus far.  The humor starts off rather slow as it builds up the storyline with Santa's Little Helper, and though the puppy storyline is pretty good it isn't fully able to help the episode recover from that slow start.

Final Score: 8.0

Lisa's Wedding (S06, E19-122)

Its way past 2010.  Where are the humanoid robots who malfunction and melt
when trying to grasp love, already?  I mean, come on!

Plot Summary
We've reached the first of what is just a few "flash-forward" episodes where storylines are based in a possible future.  This episode begins at a renaissance festival in the present time, where Lisa separates from Homer as he talks about having eaten eight kinds of meat at said festival.  She goes into Chief Wiggum's mythical creatures tent, a rather lazy attempt as such where the "creatures" are just common animals.  The "Esquilax", a horse "with the head of a rabbit... and a body of a rabbit" catches Lisa's eye, but escapes its cage and "gallops" away.  While chasing it, Lisa stumbles upon an odd tent at the edge of the woods, with a fortune teller within.  Gathering Lisa's attention, the teller begins to describe to Lisa her first love...

The story advances 15 years, all the way to the futuristic year of 2010.  Lisa, now a college student, finds herself constantly annoyed with one Hugh Parkfield, but after the two are forced to speed read a research book together, something sparks and the two fall in love.  After engaging in some activities together, Lisa goes to England to meet Hugh's parents.  While there, Hugh proposes to Lisa, who happily accepts.

Agreeing to have the wedding in Springfield, Lisa and Hugh take a flight back to stay at Lisa's parents' house, however Lisa is deathly afraid that Hugh will be unable to deal with the antics of her family, Homer in particular.  Sure enough, upon reaching the house, an attempt to salute Hugh with the British flag goes haywire when a nearby bug zapper burns the flag.  While Marge doesn't seem to annoy Hugh at all, Homer, destruction worker Bart and the rebellious Maggie who keeps getting interrupted before getting a chance to talk all get on Hugh's nerves one way or another which to Lisa's relief he is able to deal with.  One night, Homer requests that Hugh wear one of Homer's few family traditions to the wedding: a pair of cuff links shaped like two cartoon pigs. a sight that slightly disgusts Hugh.

On the wedding day, August 1st 2010, Homer visits Lisa beforehand, telling Lisa how much he cares for her, how she was able to make him a better person and how she's his crowning achievement.  While Lisa is happy to hear all that, she notices the pig cuff links are still with Homer and not Hugh.  While Homer tries to dismiss the issue, Lisa grabs the links and confronts Hugh about them.  Hugh reluctantly agrees to do so, but in a mild rant reveals that after the wedding he and Lisa are going back to England, away from her family (though Marge could visit every once in awhile).  The prospect of being shut away from her family offends Lisa, and though while she finds them just as annoying, she still loves them and Hugh's inability to understand that forces Lisa to cancel the wedding.  She runs off, and Hugh goes back to England the next day never to be seen again.

In the present day, Lisa remarks that the story wasn't really about her "true love", and the fortune teller reveals she just likes predicting future relationships where people get "jerked around".  Creeped out, Lisa takes her leave, retrieves the "Esquilax", and catches back up to Homer, happy and eager to hear his stories of eating fudge and going on the teacup ride.

Quick Review
With these futuristic episodes, there are two things (besides humor) that really need to happen in order to make it work: interesting outcomes for characters and a strong main plot.  This episode happens to feature both of these things.  While it didn't work out for Lisa's love life, the episode does serve as another example and the bond between her and Homer and does it in a subtle way at the very end that if you can pick it up, you can really appreciate it.  And yes, the fates of many characters 15 years down the road were interesting and mostly funny to learn as well.  It makes for a strong first attempt at future-based storytelling.

Note: In this episode, future Lisa reveals she's a vegetarian, on a "I'm right about this and you aren't" level, too.  Lisa the Vegetarian, the episode in which 8 year old Lisa becomes a vegetarian isn't until episode 133, in Season 7.

Final Score: 9.2

A Star is Burns (S06, E18-121)

Burns: "Are you saying 'boo' or 'boo-urns'?"
Crowd: "BOOOOOOOO!  BOOOOOO!"
Moleman: "I was saying 'boo-urns'..."

Plot Summary
Its learned that Springfield is the least popular city in the nation, ranking dead last in science and culture.  Worried that what little tourism the city actually has will diminish, the town has a meeting to determine how to fix this problem.  Marge, much to everyone's chagrin, has a suggestion but unlike past suggestions people like this one: a film festival where Springfield's locals can submit films to judging.  The town takes to the idea and soon everyone in town starts filming.  Needing someone to help judge the event, Marge along with Lisa look for viable film critics on TV, finally settling on one Jay Sherman for how smart and sensitive he is.  Marge writes to Jay and asks him to visit Springfield, and decides to go, if only because Rainier Wolfcastle wants his blood for insulting him on TV.

As Bart senses "another cheap cartoon crossover" approaching, he meets Sherman, The Critic, as he stays at the Simpsons place up until after the festival.  Homer is quickly put off by Sherman, as he seems more capable than Homer in everything, including belching, and especially including the ability to recite the entire Oscar Meyer song.  With Marge not particularly defensive of Homer's intelligence, Homer insists Marge put him on the film jury, a list that includes Marge, Jay, Mayor Quimby and Krusty the Klown.  Marge relents, and puts Homer in.

As the festival nears, Mr. Burns decides to take part, as he learns profits are dropping because he's seen as an ogre-like individual.  With Steven Spielberg unavailable, Burns calls upon Señor Spielbergo, Spielberg's non-union, Mexican equivalent to direct the film and opts to play the role of himself after finding no suitable actors.

The day of the festival arrives, and things start well enough.  One movie, aptly named "Man Getting Hit by Football" features Hans Moleman getting hit in the groin with a football, a movie that quickly becomes Homer's favorite.  Next, Barney Gumble made a film that chronicles the pain and sorrow of his alcoholism.  The powerful film quickly becomes a crowd favorite, though Homer was getting a beer and missed the film.  The final film is Burns' movie, a seemingly epic film that has him bringing in factory jobs from America to Mexico, filling the role of ET for some reason, and giving water to Judah Ben-Hur somehow.  Everyone hates the movie, booing (or in one case, 'boo-urns'ing) the film and Burns.

During judging, though, Burns was able to bribe both Krusty and the Mayor, and thus the two of them vote for Burns' film.  While Jay and Marge both vote for Barney's rather poorly titled "Pukeahontas", Homer is insistent on voting for "Man Getting Hit by Football".  With the judging in recess, Marge shows disgust towards Homer, while Jay comments that there must be more to life then guys getting hit in the groin by footballs (just before getting hit by one himself).  Homer decides to finally see the film, and agrees it to be the best of the festival, giving Barney the award and its prize: a lifetime supply of Duff beer.  The festival is a success, and Jay heads back to New York offering the Simpsons a chance to be on his show (which Bart quickly declines).  Marge notes that Burns had learned his lesson, though six months later an attempt to get his film an Oscar via bribing fails when it loses to George C. Scott's "Man Getting Hit by Football".

Quick Review
This episode is a controversial one, in that, well, its a crossover.  Now, its not the only crossover the show would do (see: Season 8's The Springfield Files featuring the X-Files crew or Season 22's Elementary School Musical featuring the cast of Glee), but unlike those other episodes, this episode features a crossover with The Critic, a show that was produced by Al Jean and Mike Reiss, showrunners of the Simpsons for Seasons 3 and 4 before leaving to work on The Critic.  Furthermore, its the only crossover that featured a mix between two animated comedies, which I think is the sticking point.  Series creator Matt Groening was not pleased with that, so it was reported, and left his name off the credits for this episode.  The Critic, funny as it was, lasted a total of two seasons, only one of which was on FOX, as the show never really caught on, so having a show that wasn't very popular crossover with the Simpsons at the time must've raised a few eyebrows as well.

Despite all of that, the episode is still very funny.  Wolfcastle's new film, McBain: Let's Get Silly, featuring lines such as "Do you ever notice how men always leave the toilet seat up?  That's the joke." was the best part of the episode, I believe, but many of the films or the productions thereof really gave the episode the meat of its comedy.  Say what you will about the crossover, but Jay Sherman fit right into the episode (even if most of his comedic failings from The Critic didn't transfer over), and Jon Lovitz again provides an excellent voice over.  Even if you're not a fan of the concept, the quality of the jokes and humor in this episode make it one of the best of the season regardless of whether the crossover enhanced or detracted from your experience.

Final Score: 10

Homer vs. Patty and Selma (S06, E17-120)

For a guy who just became indebted to his sisters in law, he sure is happy.

Plot Summary
Homer invests in pumpkins, noticing that its stocks go up during October, but doesn't realize exactly why that is.  Upon failing to sell his shares before Halloween, Homer loses his investment and goes broke.  With a mortgage payment due up, Homer's misery only grows when Patty and Selma visit his house, each celebrating a promotion at the DMV.  Homer quickly throws them out, but later hears a conversation between them and Marge where Marge defends Homer under the belief he'll always be able to take care of the family.  Desperate for money, Homer tries multiple avenues to either get money or extend his mortgage payment, but gets absolutely no help.  With no other options left and in danger of losing his house, Homer swallows his pride and goes to his last-ditch option: asking Patty and Selma for money, which they happily - and sinisterly - oblige.

In a subplot, Bart takes his sweet time getting to school, not knowing that today is P.E. signup day, with the best sports being filled up quickly.  By the time Bart finally gets to school, only one activity is left for him to join: ballet.  Bart is less than thrilled, but learns he has a bit of talent towards ballet, and quickly grows to appreciate it.  However, he learns that his ballet group will be performing for the school (and a bunch of detention kids from this and other schools).  Attempting to avoid being laughed at by girls and beat up by boys, Bart dons a ski mask to hide his identity during the show.  His moves are a big hit with the crowd, and Bart is celebrated.  Believing the crowd to be with him, Bart reveals himself, which brings Jimbo, Nelson and the like to quickly turn on and chase after Bart.  Bart runs to a ditch that he can't jump over, but decides to try ballet to make the leap.  He fails, and hurts himself bad falling into the ditch, which the bullies are okay with.

Now in debt to Patty and Selma, Homer is forced to follow their orders so that Marge doesn't learn about his financial failings, flaunting an I.O.U. paper to ensure his obedience.  However, Homer attempts to either burn or acquire the paper, and Marge is able to find out Homer owes them money.  Patty reveals Homer's failed investment, and Homer angrily throws them out, saying he doesn't want to see either of them again.

Despite that, he still owes them money for the mortgage payment.  He sees a commercial for a limousine driver gig which requires no experience, so Homer takes that up.  With his first passenger being Mel Brooks, Homer is pulled over for a tail light that was blinking when Homer made a turn.  Revealing he has no chauffeur's license, Wiggum directs Homer to get one at the DMV, specifically via Patty and Selma, much to Homer's horror.

With Marge accompanying him, Homer attempts to take the chauffeur's license test.  However, as expected, neither Patty nor Selma are the least bit lenient with Homer, and he's unable to pass the test, much to their pleasure.  Smoking cigarettes in celebration, the two are busted by their supervisor for smoking in a government building.  Homer takes glee in their newfound misery, but notices Marge distraught and sad over this turn of events.  Swallowing some more pride, Homer decides to take the fall, and declares both cigarettes to be his (he is in flavor country, its a pretty big country).  The sisters are spared punishment, and though Homer only did it for Marge, Marge points out that this is the kind of Homer the sisters never get to see.  To thank Homer, the sisters are willing to let Homer pass the license test, but Homer "convinces" them to drop the debt instead.

Quick Review
Encounters between Homer and his two sisters in law usually make for good television, and having an entire episode dedicated to that struggles would make for an excellent episode, and that's the case here.  The ballet subplot had its moments, particularly in how it ended, but it was otherwise unremarkable.  Meanwhile, Homer's mannerisms throughout the episode, which go through a variety of changes depending on the situation, really make this a good episode.  Patty and Selma were particularly devious this time around which only enhanced the episode's quality.

Final Score: 9.0

Bart vs. Australia (S06, E16-119)

I imagine in this canon New Zealand's flag is also the same but with red stars.

Plot Summary
There is something called the Coriolis Effect that, among other things, is believed to affect the direction in which water drains in a toilet or tub.  In truth, the water quantity is just too small to be affected, but this episode presumes it does, so lets pretend that the Coriolis Effect really does make water drain counter-clockwise in the northern hemisphere and clockwise in the southern hemisphere.

Lisa tries to say as much to Bart, but Bart refuses to believe Lisa on the matter.  Attempting to prove her wrong, Bart tries to call multiple places in the southern hemisphere on long distance, but doesn't get anywhere.  After Lisa informs him that such calls are expensive (the later bill Homer pays without argument because he can't remember if he made those calls or not), Bart decides to call collect (remember that?) on one more locale: Australia.  A small boy picks up and informs Bart the drains flow clockwise there.  Bart tries to have the boy check the neighbor's drain, but with Bart being distracted elsewhere and the neighbor's house several hours away, the collect call charges pile up, ultimately costing $900 for a six-hour call.  The boy's father attempts to confront Bart about it, but Bart refuses to pay up, mocking him in the process.  Furious, the man takes it up with a farmhand, who is also his representative, and the two take it up with the prime minister who is relaxing naked in a pond.

Soon, Bart gets hit with letter after letter from Australia, which he ignores.  Soon, the US State Department has to intervene, as mid-90s relations with Australia were low this incident has only made things worse.  Ultimately its decided that Bart and the family fly down to Australia so that Bart can make a public apology.  As they arrive, Bart is informed by Lisa that foreign plants and animals aren't allowed.  Not willing to cause anymore damage, Bart drops off his pet bullfrog intending to pick him back up upon departure, but the bullfrog escapes and runs off with a kangaroo.

As Marge and Lisa tour the area, Homer and Bart go to court for Bart's apology.  He does so with apparent sincerity, but it turns out there's additional punishment in store to Bart much to both his and Homer's surprise.  Now, it seems, Bart must be punished by booting, using a rather gigantic boot.  Though booting is apparently one of Australia's proudest traditions, Homer is able to snatch the boot and make his escape with Bart.  They with the rest of the family just barely get back to the American embassy.

After some more deliberation, its agreed that Bart will still face a booting, but from a wing-tipped shoe from the prime minister at the embassy gate.  Marge objects, but Bart begins to fill with American patriotism and decides to agree to those terms.  At the gate, the prime minister readies his kick, but Bart dodges it and moons the crowd with the phrase "Don't tread on me" written rather well on his ass.  The Australians are outraged and break down the gate.  The Simpsons are able to escape via helicopter to be taken to a laundry ship on its way home.  The Simpsons notice the bullfrogs have since multiplied and are wreaking havoc on Australia's crops.  They laugh at how Australia's environment was unable to deal with a new species, unaware that a koala has latched onto the helicopter.

Quick Review
Bart vs. Australia is one of Season 6's weaker episodes, but still very solid in its own right.  The intentional inaccurate portrayal of Australia and its denizens didn't bother me any though I didn't really find too many of the jokes based on that portrayal all that funny either.  Some of the episode also seemed pretty dated which might've affected my enjoyment of the episode as well.  Still, a lot of the episode was well done and a few missteps shouldn't detract from the viewing experience.

Final Score: 8.5

Homie the Clown (S06, E15-118)

Homer is shocked to learn he can't just escape unharmed with his diploma.

Plot Summary
Homer and Krusty the Klown have similar builds and appearances and are voiced by the same person.  You would think that at some point there'd be a storyline where Homer becomes or disguises himself as Krusty or something at some point.  Well, here it is!

Krusty spends a ton of money, either on rare expensive stuff to burn as a cigarette lighter, or on various gambles on sports or the opera that never pan out for him, so much so that he's in debt to the mafia.  In an attempt to get more money, Krusty is advised to franchise, but there's only one thing left he has yet to franchise: a clown college, oddly enough.

Some time later, its the first of the month, which means new billboard day for Homer.  Eager to see all of the new billboards for food and such, Homer is turned off by a billboard for Krusty's clown college as it can't be eaten.  Still, Homer can't shake the thought from his mind, and soon enough he begin hallucinating about clowns, finally deciding to attend the college.  Homer does fine there, but he is unable to grasp Krusty's "ride the tiny bike through a loop and then eat the bike" technique.  Still, he is able to graduate the college, his best and perhaps only clown-related skill is squirting water from a flower.

Homer, now dressed up as Krusty, begins to attend various functions and low-tier awards shows around Springfield in Krusty's name but with it comes no glory or satisfaction and Homer begins to wear down.  However, one night, Homer gets pulled over while still wearing the clown outfit, when Chief Wiggum mistakes Homer for Krusty and, because the two are apparently pals, Wiggum lets "Krusty" off the hook.  Realizing what this means, Homer quickly takes full advantage by using Krusty's name to get all sorts of perks everywhere.

Meanwhile, Krusty's debts are getting worse, having bet all of his franchising money on the Harlem Globetrotters losing to the Generals for once, insisting "they were due".  Unable to pay up, Krusty flees before the mafia can kill him.  Now on a search for Krusty, the mafia instead finds Homer, still loudly insisting he's Krusty, and try to kill him, though nobody in the mafia can aim well apparently.  With that fact, they just end up kidnapping Homer.  The mob don appears and decides to spare "Krusty" only if he performs the bike trick.  Homer tries to do so, but fails once again.  Just in time, though, the real Krusty appears, ready to face the mafia, but when he tries to trick the mafia into not being able to tell him and Homer apart, the don threatens to kill both of them unless they do the bike trick, together.  Despite some difficulties and other neat tricks along the way, the two are able to pull it off, and both lives are spared.  Krusty, though, still has to pay what he owes to the mafia for all of his gambling losses: $48.

Quick Review
Homie the Clown was a fun episode, full of laughs and hilarious situations.  Homer beating up the Krusty-burglar, Krusty's wasteful spending, Dick Cavett, there's a lot of good this episode offers and it makes for another stellar entry into this season.

Final Score: 9.5

Bart's Comet (S06, E14-117)

I always though the sound Moe made was that of a dying horse.

Plot Summary
On the last day of a science fair, Principal Skinner sets loose an odd looking weather balloon, however its learned Bart tampered with it where with a few alterations it looks like Skinner with a big butt.  Skinner's attempts to bring down "Big-butt Skinner" fail, and upon quickly realizing Bart is behind the scheme, "punishes" him by forcing him to help Skinner with his astronomy work early the next morning.  There, in an attempt to find a star or constellation or something to have himself named after, Skinner instead relocates the weather balloon and runs off to retrieve it.  In the meantime, Bart messes around with the telescope, and finds a comet, calling it into the observatory with a phone Skinner had around.  Upon his return, Skinner is met with a trio of terror: Bart discovered a comet instead of Skinner, the shock of the news has Skinner let go of the balloon to let Big-butt Skinner fly free again, and the newspaper comes in with the tag line: "Prez Sez: School is for losers".

Having some pride in discovering the comet, Bart is met by a small group of nerds at lunch who wish to have Bart join because of his discovery.  The group, which includes Lisa, is terrified when Bart is able to point out the comet in broad daylight, now believing the comet is headed straight for Springfield, which is later confirmed.  The mayor returns to town to give its citizens hope: a plan has been devised which will shoot a missile at the comet, destroying it.  The plan leaves the townsfolk cocky and confident, but sure enough the missile misses the comet, and on the way down destroys the only bridge out of town.

Now stuck in Springfield, with political action not doing much, the town has about six hours left to live.  Homer tries to comfort the family by saying the comet will likely fall apart and reach the plant the size of a Chihuahua's head, but decides to take his family to the bomb shelter anyway, which is just Flanders' bomb shelter and big enough for both families.  Apparently, its the only bomb shelter in town as nearly everyone in town decides to stuff themselves into it.  However, now its too stuffed, and the door won't close.  Upon deciding who should leave to make room, Homer takes the opportunity to kick Flanders out, with the reasoning that there would be no need for left-handed stores in the future.  Flanders relents and walks out.  One tense barn animal guessing game later, and nobody can stand the thought of Flanders dying alone, and thus everyone leaves the bomb shelter to join Ned in their likely demise.  However, the comet breaks up in the polluted atmosphere, pops a hole in Big-butt Skinner, and flies into the bomb shelter, destroying it but nothing else.  It's small enough to fit in Bart's pocket and the town is relieved.  However, the Simpson family isn't, because the event way exactly as Homer predicted, meaning that Homer was right all along.  How scary.

Quick Review
Bart's Comet was a fun episode.  Skinner was the star of the episode at the start though later on as the comet's threat as known the town's reaction to all the events, while not the best thing about the episode, holds its own.

Final Score: 9.3

And Maggie Makes Three (S06, E13-116)

Truly, one of the most memorable images of the early seasons of the show.

Plot Summary
As the family watches another thrilling installment of Nightboat, the crime solving boat, Marge turns off the TV as the family had agreed to one hour of "family time".  With the hour moving along at a crawl, Marge decides to look in the family album, specifically baby pictures, specifically pictures of baby Bart sleeping.  However, there seems to be no pictures of Maggie in the album.  The story behind that, as Homer tells, takes about the length of an episode.

Two years prior (no longer setting solid dates for these things), Homer finally pays off all of his debt, enabling him to begin his grand plan.  He quits his job at the nuclear plant, making a public mockery of Mr. Burns and literally burning the bridge on his way out.  Next, he easily gets a job at his dream place: the bowling alley.  Working as a pin monkey, Homer doesn't make nearly as much money as before but with no debt he is able to set up a budget that will work for him, Marge, Bart and Lisa.  To celebrate, he and Marge have a night out, which results in the ever successful act of procreation.

As Marge quickly becomes pregnant, Homer has the time of his life at the bowling alley.  Not only is he enjoying his work, he's actually good at it, too.  Still, Marge decides not to tell Homer about the new baby until the time is just right, which may as well be never.  Patty and Selma learn about this, and while promising not to tell Homer about it, they instead tell two of the biggest gossips in town, who quickly spread the news.  Despite being congratulated for "hard work", "a bundle of joy" and "way to get Marge pregnant", Homer takes these all to refer to his work at the bowling alley - even the last one - and remains ignorant of what's happened.  He comes home to a baby shower held by Marge's sisters, still not figuring out what's going on.  Maude finally actually congratulates Homer for his work at the alley, and only then does Homer figure out that Marge is pregnant.

Distraught, Homer knows that his current salary at the alley isn't enough to pay for the new baby.  He tries to get a raise at the alley, actually deserving one for once, but business at the alley isn't busy enough for Homer to get one.  One failed attempt at getting business later, and Homer has no choice but to quit his dream job and literally crawl back to his old job at the nuclear plant.  As punishment for Homer's previous departure, Mr. Burns has a plaque placed in Homer's work station that says "Don't forget: you're here forever."

Complete demoralized, Homer finds himself unable to bear the burden or even get excited about the baby.  Soon enough, Marge goes into labor, and though Homer remains lethargic about it, once the baby is born he perks up and shows love and care towards the newborn Maggie.  Back to the present, Bart points out that the original query of where Maggie's pictures are remains unanswered.  Homer remarks that those pictures do exist, but are at his workstation to remind him that he's working at the plant for Maggie, having covered up the plaque to read instead: "Do it for her".

Quick Review
This episode, a rather compelling tale of tragedy and triumph, is one of the season's best episodes.  Its funny enough on its own, but its the touching ending that really gives the episode its cherry on top, another heartwarming spectacle that really showcases the best of what the series has to offer.

Final Score: 10

Homer the Great (S06, E12-115)

One of these days, Homer will get into a No Homers Club before Glumpet.

Plot Summary
With a pipe in the basement leaking, traffic a mess and parking at the plant so bad he can only park in a spot just past his backyard, Homer's day starts off pretty much like most other days.  Then, he notices odd things about Lenny and Carl, both having great parking spots, both having luxury chairs instead of the budget stool Homer's been using, and both being unavailable on Wednesday for some mysterious reason.  Curious, Homer decides to stalk Lenny and Carl that night, and follows them to a strange, guarded building.  There he sees a bunch of men doing seemingly secret stuff, most of which comprise of Springfield residents.  Homer confronts Lenny and Carl the next day about it, and Lenny blabs that what Homer saw was the Stonecutters.  Lenny then tells Homer that there's only two ways to become a member: be a son of a member, or save the life of a member.

Being unable to save anyone's life, Homer gets angry that he is again left out of a club (remembering, as a kid, that he was also excluded from a club called "No Homers Club", which because of the technicality of its named, was still allowed to have one Homer: Homer Glumpet).  Grampa later reveals, though, that he's a member of, among other things, the Stonecutters, and Homer has his ticket in.  After a frat-level initiation, Homer becomes a member of the Stonecutters.

Using his newfound privileges, Homer gets the pipe fixed quickly, circumvents the nasty traffic, and is given roller skates to glide into work from his terrible parking spot.  Although the Stonecutters seem to be an ancient society that has its foot in how society works, like the Illuminati, its really just a secret place for men to play pool and get drunk, like the Freemasons.  To celebrate their supposed 1500th anniversary, the Stonecutters are going to have ribs.  Afraid of getting barbecue sauce on himself, Homer tries to find a bib or a napkin of some sort, and upon failing to do so uses the closest paper he can find: the "sacred parchment" of the Stonecutters, enraging everybody.  Stripped of his title and privilege, he is about to be punished by walking home naked while dragging along a "stone of shame" when everyone notices a strange birthmark on Homer shaped like the Stonecutters logo.  Now claiming Homer to be the "chosen one" meant to lead the Stonecutters into a new age, Homer is instead allowed to drag the larger "stone of triumph" to the coronation of him becoming the new leader.

While initially thrilled at the prospect of being the leader of a club, Homer soon finds its not so fun when everyone in it is so obviously kissing his ass and letting him win every game in such obvious manners.  Feeling unfulfilled, Homer gets help from Lisa, who suggests Homer uses his position to have the Stonecutters get involved in the community.  After just a few exercises in community work, the Stonecutters are so disgusted with this turnabout they think about having Homer killed.  Instead, Moe suggests a different course of action.  Soon, every Stonecutter has become a member of a new "No Homers Club", including Homer Glumpet, and Homer is left without a club yet again, though Marge is able to convince him that the 5-member Simpson club is just as great.

Quick Review
This was a fun episode given some of the absurdity of what was going on.  The Stonecutters song was a fun song, and Patrick Stewart who played the role of the leader before Homer took over did a great job as well.  With lots of jokes and humorous scenarios, Homer the Great is, well, great.

Final Score: 9.3

Fear of Flying (S06, E11-114)

"Homer?  Who is Homer?  My name is Guy Incognito."

Plot Summary
Homer tries to join in the fun when his bar mates pull dangerous pranks on Moe including putting a snake in the cash register and setting his alcohol-soaked clothes on fire.  However, Homer unscrews the cap of a sugar container a bit, which spills over when Moe tries to put some in coffee.  That act is apparently too far, and Moe quickly bans Homer from the bar.  Homer attempts to find another place to drink (while Moe and the others beat up Homer look-alikes that come into the bar mistaking them for Homer), but none of the places work out.  Homer's last attempt takes his to a pilot bar outside an airport.  Claiming to be a pilot to get service, the plan backfires when Homer is unable to back out of flying a plane to Chicago.  After promptly ruining the plane before it even takes off, the head of the airport promises to give Homer and his family a free plane ride to anywhere in the 48 continental states in exchange for his complete silence.

The family is excited about the unnamed trip, except for Marge who quickly shows anxiety towards the idea.  On the plane, she reveals she has a fear of flying and has a panic attack, forcing the family to leave the plane before it departs.  The experience gets to Marge, causing her to bottle up her fear in weird ways, like cooking at night, or fixing the roof at night.  Homer tries to help by having Marge watch airplane crash survival movies, but that only makes things worse.  Lisa suggests Marge sees a therapist, though Homer is afraid that said therapist will only seek to split Homer up from, well, everyone, Marge especially.  With Marge's condition worsening, though, there is no other option.

The therapist, a Dr. Zweig, tries to find a traumatic moment in Marge's childhood that could be responsible for Marge's fear.  Although that doesn't turn up any leads, Marge then mentions a recurring dream she's been having where she's the mother from Lost in Space, a sequence that ends with the rocket somehow flying away and Marge imploring her father to not leave.  Dr. Zweig presses the issue of Marge's father, and she "reveals" that he was a pilot, but then another memory comes back to Marge where she, as a child, recalls that her father was actually an airplane steward.  In tears over the moment, Marge is reassured somewhat when she is told that male stewards are now commonplace.  With Marge's fear of flying having its roots located (though Marge then recalls several other bad memories involving planes), Homer swiftly takes Marge away before Dr. Zweig can take on the "far more serious problem" of Homer.  Marge and Homer attempt to fly again afterward, with Homer trying to calm Marge just as the plane's engine stalls and the craft glides into a nearby lake or ocean or whatever.

Quick Review
Fear of Flying turns out to be a great episode, which one may not expect from a Marge-centric episode, but the plot works very well.  The beginning part featuring Homer's quest for a new bar was well done, and the references to Cheers and Lost in Space were excellent even if a bit lost on today's generation.  Regardless, this episode is another strong entry in Season 6's superb run.

Final Score: 9.7

Grampa vs. Sexual Inadequacy (S06, E10-113)

Home sweet home.

Plot Summary
Homer and Marge are having problems in bed, mostly because Homer can't get, hm, "interested" enough, as it were.  Despite attempts to fix this, the two are left as lust-less as ever.  Grampa picks up on this and offers Homer a homemade remedy to spark Homer's drive.  As soon as Homer drinks it, he perks up and gives Marge the best time in recent memory.  Afterwards, Marge suggests that Homer and Grampa take the remedy and start selling it for profit, an idea Homer has mixed feelings towards as he doesn't like spending time with his dad.

While Homer and Marge were having those bedtime troubles, once such trouble led Bart to believe an alien presence was haunting him or the house or something.  Later on he picks up a paranoia book which only furthers drive Bart into the corners of conspiracy.  As Homer and Grampa begin selling their tonic in Springfield, with good success, Bart notices that the adults around town getting back home before nightfall to engage in "secret activities".  As he and Milhouse fight over the cause of this mystery, Lisa sarcastically suggests "reverse vampires", who stalk in the day but need to sleep at night, are the cause.  The kids eventually conclude that the adults, via the Rand corporation and aliens supervised by the reverse vampires, are being forced to go to bed early to allow for a complete takeover at night.  That grim panic never does get concluded.

With the tonic selling well in Springfield, Homer and Grampa decide to sell the product in other towns, which Homer isn't looking forward to as it means long drives listening to Grampa's rants and raves.  After an unsuccessful stop, the two stumble upon an old ranch they used to live in while Homer was still a boy.  As Homer's memories from that time begin to flood back, he recalls that Grampa really never game him motivation or confidence.  Homer tries to confront Grampa about it, but Grampa angrily replies that Homer was always a screwup and didn't deserve anything nice said about him, ultimately revealing that Homer was conceived when Grampa drank some tonic, thereby making Homer "an accident".  Homer immediately goes home without Grampa, mad beyond belief.

Grampa, sorry for his words, tries to apologize to Homer but Homer refuses to acknowledge it.  To make up for lost time, Homer tries to over parent his three kids, but that only makes them tired and uncomfortable.  Grampa continues to try and sell the tonic, with Barney in Homer's place, but the attempts have no success.  Soon, Homer and Grampa go back to the old ranch separately.  Homer finds an old picture of himself meeting Santa Claus, and upon just now realizing that it was his dad posing as Santa, Homer finds warm comfort that at some point his father did care, though that warmth is because he accidentally set the picture on fire from the match he was holding, setting half the ranch on fire.  On the other side, Grampa curses the tonic for all of his problems, in tosses it into the fireplace.  As the tonic is made from alcoholic components, it explodes, causing that half of the ranch to catch on fire.  The two meet up halfway outside, both sorry that they set the house on fire.  Grampa admits Homer wasn't an accident, and after some time comes up with something positive to say about Homer: that he is happy Homer didn't become a short man.  The two reconcile and then start rolling on the grass nearby because they were both on fire.

Quick Review
This was another excellent episode for Season 6, with a lot of good character development between Homer and Grampa.  The silly "Bart is paranoid and soon all the kids are except Lisa" subplot was well done, and I liked just how well the main plot tied into that sidestory.

Final Score: 9.2

Homer Badman (S06, E09-112)

"No, Mr. Simpson, don't take your anger out on me!
Get back, get back!  M-Mr. Simpson, nooooooooooooooooo!"
Dramatization: May not have happened

Plot Summary
Homer 'earns' two tickets to a candy convention and opts to bring Marge along, as she is the most capable of the rest of the family to store and hide loads and loads of candy; they hire a feminist graduate student, Ashley Grant, as a babysitter and off they go.  At the convention, Homer stuff tons of candy into an oversized trenchcoat featuring multiple huge pockets he had Marge wear.  Eventually, in the gummy section he spies a special piece of gummy carved to look like a miniature Venus de Milo.  Homer attempts to steal the candy, using a combination of soda and pop rocks as a bomb to ensure his and Marge's escape.  That night, though, Homer misplaces the Venus, but has to take the babysitter home in the meantime.  Ashley is disgusted by Homer's demeanor and demands he just drop her off wherever.  There, he sees the gummy Venus stuck right on Ashley's ass.  Homer pries it off but Ashley, unaware of any gummy, mistakes the act as Homer "making a move" as it were, and runs off screaming.  Homer, having enjoyed his sacred gummy, is content.

The next morning, though, the house is met with an angry mob.  Believing it to be the candy conventioneers, Homer is instead stunned to learn its a protest group led by Grant who accuses Homer of sexual harassment.  Though the family believes Homer when he tells them he was just grabbing the gummy, the attempt to tell this story to Grant and friends falls on deaf ears.  The protesters won't give up and continuously hound Homer throughout each day.  At one point, Homer receives a call from "Godfrey Jones" at a show called Rock Bottom willing to show Homer's side of the story.  Homer agrees to do the show, but the show warps Homer's story to make him seem like the pervert the grad students believe he is.  Now, Homer's got national media attention going against him, with every show making a theme or story around Homer's supposed act.  Even the kids are starting to hesitate around Homer with how much Homer-bashing TV is doing.

Lisa gets the idea to use public access television to get Homer's story across.  However, it is met with little fanfare, but one such viewer, Groundskeeper Willie, decides to help out.  Willie, like all Scotsmen apparently, enjoy taking amateur videos out at night, often of couples in cars.  Willie just happened to catch Homer and Ashley on tape, which clearly shows Homer grabbing the gummy, not any ass.  The family shows this to the grad students including Ashley, and all is forgiven, I guess.  You'd think Homer would've learned a lesson about trusting TV, but another Rock Bottom report about Willie being a "Rowdy Roddy Peeper" gets Homer against his savior as well.

Quick Review
As an aside, this episode has the first use of my favorite coach gag: the one where the couch and everything continuously goes backward and the Simpsons chase it indefinitely.  I always found it hilarious despite how simple it is.

Anyway, this episode could've gone wrong at a few different moments, and probably would have with a different creative staff.  However, keeping the focus on corrupted media and Homer's struggles really keeps Homer Badman together, so much so that it is one of the best episodes of the season.  Homer's "live under the sea" escape scenario, Willie, the candy convention and the makeshift bomb, there was so much that worked well in this episode there was hardly anything that could slow it down.

Final Score: 10

Lisa on Ice (S06, E08-111)

The Maple Leafs could use Milhouse's adequate blowing abilities.

Plot Summary
Bart mistakenly believes the next day to be a snow day based on a weather report, only to find the next day to be unseasonably warm.  With a book report due that day, Bart's ass is saved (for awhile I assume) by an assembly where Principal Skinner announces the use of "Academic Alerts", which inform parents right away if and when a child is failing a particular subject, such as Ralph in English ("Me fail English?  That's unpossible!"), or Bart on pretty much everything.  A shock occurs when Lisa gets an alert, as it turns out Lisa is failing gym due to her lack of physical capability.  She learns she can avoid failing the class if she picks up an extracurricular sport outside of school, but neither basketball nor volleyball work out.

At the same time, Bart is participating in peewee hockey, a star player on Chief Wiggum's Mighty Pigs team.  Homer showers all of his praise on Bart, though he also threatens to punish Bart mightily should Bart fail or his team even lose.  One night, the Pigs are playing against Apu's Kwik-E-Mart Gougers, and one of Bart's shots concusses the Gougers' goalie, the poor Milhouse.  Receiving more praise from Homer later on, Bart taunts Lisa further by shooting garbage at her.  Noticing Lisa deflect each and every shot, Apu decides to take Lisa on as his new goaltender, with Lisa only obliging due to her failing gym grade.

Lisa's first couple of games go alright, but she plays terrified.  As the games go on, though, Lisa picks up a competitive streak and turns into a fierce fighter in net, quickly receiving Homer's praise rather than Bart.  Bart is further put down when his friends start hanging out with Lisa instead, who also defends him from bullies.  Suddenly finding himself on the wrong end of the popularity and success spectrum, Bart begins to despise Lisa, and the two form a heated rivalry against one another.  Though Marge attempts to cool heads, Homer reveals that Bart's team and Lisa's team are due to play each other, pushing the rivalry to new heights.

With glory, respect and Homer's adulation at risk, the game begins.  Bart gets a shot past Lisa for a goal, but Lisa stops one of Bart's later attempts.  The two get roughed up along the way as well, fueling an already bloodthirsty crowd.  With the score tied at 3 late, Bart is tripped on a breakaway and is given a penalty shot with time somehow expiring.  With the ultimate sibling showdown in place, and the crowd either chanting "Kill, Bart!"  or "Kill Bart!", Bart and Lisa begin to remember the good times they had with one another, and decide to take off their gloves and helmets, and hug each other, both claiming a good game had been played.  However, with time expired, the score remains 3-3 (which would've been the score had Lisa blocked the shot, mind you), inciting rage in the crowd, prompting a destructive riot.  Homer couldn't be more disappointed in his kids, but Bart and Lisa skate off the ice in good relations once more.

Quick Review
This is one of the most enjoyable episodes of the season.  Homer fills the role of the "projecting, over-competitive parent of sport-playing child", and he fills it very well as he somehow only has enough room in him to praise one child at a time.  The use of the many secondary characters throughout the episode was well done as well, and the episode ends on a warm note despite everything that happened leading up to it.  Its one of Season 6's best episodes.

Final Score: 10

Bart's Girlfriend (S06, E07-110)

"YA USED ME SKINNER, YA UUUUUUSED MEEEEE!!!"

Plot Summary
After being rounded up for church, Bart becomes greatly infatuated with Jessica Lovejoy, the young daughter of the Reverend just back from boarding school.  Bart tries to play the 'good boy' routine to try and appeal to her, but Jessica visually ignores him.  Bart eventually gives up and decides to air out his frustrations by pulling a prank.  Noticing Groundskeeper Willie celebrating "Scotchtoberfest" wearing tradition Scotsman wear including a kilt, Bart pulls up Willie's kilt, revealing his privates to the crowd.  Though Bart revels in a job well done, it turns out to be a setup by Skinner: there is no actual Scotchtoberfest (much to Willie's anger), and Bart gets three months of detention.  Jessica sees this happen and, perhaps out of pity, invites Bart over for dinner.

At that dinner, Bart's anecdotes about FOX programming do not sit well with the Lovejoy household, and he is thusly forbidden by the Reverend from seeing his daughter.  Waiting outside for him, though, is Jessica, who admits she likes bad boys, and the two hit it off, forcing the relationship to be secret given her parents' disapproval.  Soon, the relationship takes its toll on Bart, as Jessica proves to be an even bigger troublemaker than Bart ever was, which is too much for Bart to handle.  Bart decides to break off from Jessica at church, and though she admits she goes too far at times, she then steals the money from the church collection plate insisting she needs it for a new start.  Leaving Bart with the empty plate, Jessica leaves as Bart is the one blamed for the lost money.

Now hated across town for his supposed misdeed, Bart doesn't reveal who actually took the money.  Bart tries to confront Jessica over it, but Jessica would still rather have Bart take the fall, under the probably correct premise that nobody will take Bart's word over the Reverend's daughter.  At this point Lisa decides to step in and on the following Sunday is able to convince churchgoers that Jessica took the money, urging the mass to look in her room for the money.  Jessica's cry for attention goes ignored by the Reverend, and Bart is forgiven for the deed he never committed.  Bart visits Jessica again as she is cleaning the church steps as punishment, as showing that neither have learned their lesson, Jessica convinces Bart to finish her job as she runs off with another boy, though Bart gets a good laugh over the mess the boy is getting himself into, as well as the subpar job he'll be giving the steps he's cleaning.

Quick Review
Bart's Girlfriend was a solid episode, it had a nice premise but it didn't have the quantity of quality of jokes to make it one of the season's best.  In just two appearances, Willie sort of steals the show with his Scotchtoberfest act as well as his attempts to "save the wee turtles" after Jessica pulls the fire alarm, those were both great moments in the episode.  Jessica, voiced by Meryl Streep, was a wonderful one-time character as well.

Final Score: 8.6

Treehouse of Horror V (S06, E06-109)

"This is, indeed, a disturbing universe."

Plot Summary
The annual holiday tradition is back, with a few minor changes.  No more tombstones, with this year being the last year of that.  No more segways between stories, the only things between the three now are commercial breaks.  Also, these three stories are more graphic and bloody than your average Treehouse of Horror, but luckily its still as funny as the best.

The Shinning
An obvious parody of The Shining (but lets keep that on the down low, lest we wish to be sued), Homer and the family head to a winter mansion owned by Mr. Burns to maintain it during the cold months.  An odd, haunted mansion, Burns only complicates matters by cutting off TV and beer from the house and its residents, a move intended to keep them honest towards work but, as Smithers suggests, has driven previous tenants insane and murderous in the past.  Regardless, Burns only states that he'll owe Smithers a Coke if it happens again and the two make their departure.  Meanwhile, Bart messes up the hedge garden with Groundskeeper Willie nearby, and Willie soon realizes Bart has the "shinning", an ability to contact Willie telepathically.  Willie informs Bart of this and tells him to contact Willie in the inevitable case of Homer going on a murderous rampage.

Upon learning about the lack of TV and beer, Homer quickly goes mad.  At the bar, a ghost of Moe appears, telling Homer he'll only serve alcohol after Homer kills his family.  Homer scribbles "No TV and no beer make Homer go crazy" all over the walls in one room, and his tries to go after Marge, knocking himself out after looking at himself in a mirror and falling down stairs.  Marge puts him in a food locker, but Moe and the other ghouls get him out (after prying him away from the food there).  Grabbing an axe, Homer makes a more honest attempt at murder, prompting Bart to "shin" Willie over.  Willie runs from his shack during a snowstorm, dropping his portable TV along the way, but as soon as he arrives, Homer hits him in the back with an axe, killing him.  The family makes their way outside in the storm to escape Homer, when Lisa finds the TV and displays it to Homer.  Homer's urge to kill eventually fades, and the family gets back together to watch TV out in the frozen snow.  Then they freeze over and find themselves unable to change the channel when the Tony Awards come on.  True terror.
Individual Score: +1.5

Time and Punishment
After getting his hand stuck in the toaster - twice - Homer has to repair it.  Somehow, he fits the toaster with all sorts of weird gadgetry, and upon testing it out, Homer is sent back to pre-historic times.  Recalling now-vital advice from his father, who informed him to not touch anything on trips to the past, Homer still accidentally kills a bug.  Upon his return to the present (which happens when the toast is done), Homer finds out in horror that the world is now completely ruled by Ned Flanders, who forces obedience via lobotomies and "re-Neducation".  Homer is barely able to escape this world by returning to the past.  This time, Homer is forced to escape from a T-Rex, but falls onto a walking fish, killing it.  The new present has Bart and Lisa as giants, opening up the house to kill Homer, who they mistake as a bug.

A third return to the past really messes things up for Homer, as he sneezes on the T-Rex, causing it to die while spreading the cold all over the place, essentially killing the dinosaurs.  On the return trip this time, everything seems better than expected: the family and the house are extra classy, they own a top of the line car, and Patty and Selma are dead.  However, upon asking Marge for a donut only to learn she doesn't know what that is, Homer can't deal with that and goes back in time again, just as it starts to rain donuts.  Willie pops in the next time around offering to help, but is hit in the back with an axe by Maggie, who sounds disturbingly like James Earl Jones.

Angry and with nothing to lose, Homer's subsequent trips have his roughing up anything and everything in the past to return his former present.  Eventually he thinks he's done it, but there's just one glaring difference in this world: people have lizard tongues with which they eat.  Homer no longer cares.
Individual Score: +1.7

Nightmare Cafeteria
With detention rooms overstuffed and the low budget reducing lunches to Grade F meat, Principal Skinner has a big set of problems.  However, when a pot of some kind of sauce falls on Jimbo, Skinner takes a taste and likes what he finds.  Soon he lures Jimbo into a trap, and serves his remains as a burger to the faculty, who do not care and even like how the burgers came to be.

Soon, nearly every kid in school is going to detention for flimsy reasons so that Skinner and the staff can eat them.  Bart and Lisa try to get their mother to help, but she insists they solve the problem on their own.  With nearly every kid in detention, Bart, Lisa and Milhouse try to make their escape, but are caught by Lunch Lady Doris and are forced to flee.  Again, Willie tries to help, and again Willie is hit in the back by an axe, by Skinner this time.  The kids are cornered above a giant blender and are ultimately forced to fall into their liquefied fates.

Turns out, though, Bart was just having a nightmare, and Marge reassures him that he's safe... except for that fog that turns people inside out, which happens to seep into the Simpsons house.  Now with everyone inside out, they've got nothing better to do but to sing their way to the episode's conclusion.
Individual Score: +1.1

Quick Review
This is one of the best Treehouse of Horrors in the series, with all three parts bringing some good humor and horror to the table.  The joke about Willie getting axed in every segment was brilliant, and James Earl Jones' cameo was well done too.  An excellent episode from top to bottom.

Final Score: 10