[9.0/10 on a post-classic Simpsons scale] I’d forgotten that the show could be this funny so long after its heyday. There’s plenty of great, classic-feeling laughs here, from Skinner’s passing off a kickball as the planet Mars, to Moe declaring that he can’t listen to Lisa spell because he’s got a bar to run, to George Plympton singing the praises of a hotplate.
Plympton is a big part of the comedic success of this one. It’s rare that a guest star playing themselves can bring such laughs, but Plympton is not only willing to be self-deprecating, but they write him with such a banal and mercenary stuffiness, to the point of absurdity, which makes him click here. He’s the vanguard for all the fun gags about spelling bees, which range from Milhouse choking on the word “choke,” to Skinner bristling at how Chalmers makes every example about him, to Marge cheerfully declaring that it’s like living inside a dictionary. The show takes the already kind of silly world of professional spelling and takes it to even more absurd extremes.
It’s also a great Lisa episode. While the throughline is a little thin, I like the idea that she starts the episode worried that she won’t be popular and ends it with Springfield cheering her on and carving a mountain statue in her honor. Her joy at succeeding at the various spelling bees, her moral dilemma over whether to take a dive for a ticket to college or stick to her principles, and her Rocky-like training montage are all great elements in the episode.
I even enjoy the barely-there B-plot, which centers on Homer following the “ribwich”, a thinly-veiled spoof of the McRib sandwich. It’s a nice excuse for some Requiem for a Dream homages, some loose hippie humor, and more of the show’s usual fast food poke-funnery. Even there, Homer has a good emotional throughline, eventually choosing to support his daughter over his fast food sandwich addiction. Hey, it’s not much, but it’s still a nice beat.
All the while, there’s all kinds of great, off-the-wall humor to hold everything together. Marge kicking Lisa’s “prize” onto the mantle is silly, but a big laugh. Kent Brockman tiring of a slow news day and being overjoyed to report the destruction of Paris is a fun bit of satire. The running gag of Willie planning dark things is some solid black comedy. And the whole spelling bee conspiracy, olympic spoof, and allegorical Seven Sisters dream are all full of out there laughs.
Overall, this one has some duds and its ending feels like it shortcuts to a conclusion that doesn't quite fit the setup, but there’s too many good jokes, solid character moments, and great turns from side characters and guest stars to care.
Review by Andrew BloomVIP 9BlockedParentSpoilers2020-05-21T04:47:42Z
[9.0/10 on a post-classic Simpsons scale] I’d forgotten that the show could be this funny so long after its heyday. There’s plenty of great, classic-feeling laughs here, from Skinner’s passing off a kickball as the planet Mars, to Moe declaring that he can’t listen to Lisa spell because he’s got a bar to run, to George Plympton singing the praises of a hotplate.
Plympton is a big part of the comedic success of this one. It’s rare that a guest star playing themselves can bring such laughs, but Plympton is not only willing to be self-deprecating, but they write him with such a banal and mercenary stuffiness, to the point of absurdity, which makes him click here. He’s the vanguard for all the fun gags about spelling bees, which range from Milhouse choking on the word “choke,” to Skinner bristling at how Chalmers makes every example about him, to Marge cheerfully declaring that it’s like living inside a dictionary. The show takes the already kind of silly world of professional spelling and takes it to even more absurd extremes.
It’s also a great Lisa episode. While the throughline is a little thin, I like the idea that she starts the episode worried that she won’t be popular and ends it with Springfield cheering her on and carving a mountain statue in her honor. Her joy at succeeding at the various spelling bees, her moral dilemma over whether to take a dive for a ticket to college or stick to her principles, and her Rocky-like training montage are all great elements in the episode.
I even enjoy the barely-there B-plot, which centers on Homer following the “ribwich”, a thinly-veiled spoof of the McRib sandwich. It’s a nice excuse for some Requiem for a Dream homages, some loose hippie humor, and more of the show’s usual fast food poke-funnery. Even there, Homer has a good emotional throughline, eventually choosing to support his daughter over his fast food sandwich addiction. Hey, it’s not much, but it’s still a nice beat.
All the while, there’s all kinds of great, off-the-wall humor to hold everything together. Marge kicking Lisa’s “prize” onto the mantle is silly, but a big laugh. Kent Brockman tiring of a slow news day and being overjoyed to report the destruction of Paris is a fun bit of satire. The running gag of Willie planning dark things is some solid black comedy. And the whole spelling bee conspiracy, olympic spoof, and allegorical Seven Sisters dream are all full of out there laughs.
Overall, this one has some duds and its ending feels like it shortcuts to a conclusion that doesn't quite fit the setup, but there’s too many good jokes, solid character moments, and great turns from side characters and guest stars to care.