Johnny Unusual
(He/Him)
Smart & Smarter
I've long felt a sense of jealousy of my sister's adult life. She has a pretty good life she worked very hard for. I don't think I would have enjoyed taking her career path that she's taken but she has a family and a very respectable career. I know I should be happy with what I have but it goes beyond what I have and more realizing what she was able to accomplish because of the way she applied herself. Now, I'm definitely proud of my work, particularly since my works means a lot of connecting and involvement with a person's development, which means a lot to me. But I can't help wonder if I was just bad at applying myself to do something amazing.
In this episode, The Simpsons decide to see about getting Maggie into a respected "pre-nursery school." Maggie fails the initial in interview due to her inability to talk but in the second, they try again and Maggie passes an intelligence test with flying colours. In fact, the school believes that Maggie has a higher IQ than Lisa, which makes Lisa question her sense of self. After a series of failed attempts recreating a new identity, she fails. When Marge catches Lisa attempting to teach Maggie wrong information, she feels a sense of shame and decides to run away. She begins living in a museum while her family desperately looks for her. They track her to the museum and end up getting trapped in one of the exhibits. Maggie has the ability to help with simple problem solving but cannot and Lisa saves the day. Soon after, the Simpsons learn Maggie passed the second test due Lisa subconsciously helping her sister.
Smart & Smarter is an OK episode but to me, I feel like my opinion of the episode is greatly hurt by a lot of time spent with Simon Cowell. I don't really have a strong opinion on American Idol and while I don't think I like Simon Cowell or his mean-spirited persona, I admit I cannot properly judge because I haven't seen the show. It's possible within the context of it, there's more too his "mean" persona. But here, Simon is clearly not a good actor and unlike some of the bad acting from guest stars, it's not charming because he isn't given fun dialogue to regurgitate. And hearing him talk over the credits is just insufferable.
But the show is also hurt by the fact that I don't think Lisa's journey is that compelling. It's funny, because I don't think it is phoning it in. I think the show wants us to feel concerned for Lisa, her integrity and her sense of self, which often make for good episodes. And there is definitely the seed of something in here that could be unique but I feel like we are stuck with an episode that feels like a pale shadow of better episodes. Lisa jealousy feels like "Lisa's Rival" and her sense of self have been better explored in "The Summer of 4 ft 6" and "Separate Vocations".
I guess I also don't buy the idea that Maggie isn't "gifted" at the episode's end when it is clear she is amazing at taking direction and figuring out what Lisa is communicating. SHE KNEW WHAT A CALIFORNIA CONDOR WAS BY SILHOUETTE! When the episode starts, it is about getting kids into nursery school and the pressure and frustration of trying to get your kid an education at a very early age, which is a much more interesting episode. I feel based on the beginning, a Marge episode wherein her fears are preyed upon feels like a much more emotionally interesting episode, especially since despite the fact they are often together, we don't have many Marge/Maggie episodes.
Other great jokes:
"So our kids keep getting smarter. If we have another one, it could build a time machine we could use to go back in time and not have any kids."
"Somewhat satisfied? Maybe I'll somewhat find your daughter."
"Some trees are big, some trees are small, but all trees have bark! Except for poplar, ash and maple."
"How did you get in her?"
"Your butler let us in."
"Play along, I'll explain later."
Other notes:
I like that Homer is successful at distracting Marge with dinner out.
No single joke related to it made me laugh but I love that Wiggum is SO into the museum."
I've long felt a sense of jealousy of my sister's adult life. She has a pretty good life she worked very hard for. I don't think I would have enjoyed taking her career path that she's taken but she has a family and a very respectable career. I know I should be happy with what I have but it goes beyond what I have and more realizing what she was able to accomplish because of the way she applied herself. Now, I'm definitely proud of my work, particularly since my works means a lot of connecting and involvement with a person's development, which means a lot to me. But I can't help wonder if I was just bad at applying myself to do something amazing.
In this episode, The Simpsons decide to see about getting Maggie into a respected "pre-nursery school." Maggie fails the initial in interview due to her inability to talk but in the second, they try again and Maggie passes an intelligence test with flying colours. In fact, the school believes that Maggie has a higher IQ than Lisa, which makes Lisa question her sense of self. After a series of failed attempts recreating a new identity, she fails. When Marge catches Lisa attempting to teach Maggie wrong information, she feels a sense of shame and decides to run away. She begins living in a museum while her family desperately looks for her. They track her to the museum and end up getting trapped in one of the exhibits. Maggie has the ability to help with simple problem solving but cannot and Lisa saves the day. Soon after, the Simpsons learn Maggie passed the second test due Lisa subconsciously helping her sister.
Smart & Smarter is an OK episode but to me, I feel like my opinion of the episode is greatly hurt by a lot of time spent with Simon Cowell. I don't really have a strong opinion on American Idol and while I don't think I like Simon Cowell or his mean-spirited persona, I admit I cannot properly judge because I haven't seen the show. It's possible within the context of it, there's more too his "mean" persona. But here, Simon is clearly not a good actor and unlike some of the bad acting from guest stars, it's not charming because he isn't given fun dialogue to regurgitate. And hearing him talk over the credits is just insufferable.
But the show is also hurt by the fact that I don't think Lisa's journey is that compelling. It's funny, because I don't think it is phoning it in. I think the show wants us to feel concerned for Lisa, her integrity and her sense of self, which often make for good episodes. And there is definitely the seed of something in here that could be unique but I feel like we are stuck with an episode that feels like a pale shadow of better episodes. Lisa jealousy feels like "Lisa's Rival" and her sense of self have been better explored in "The Summer of 4 ft 6" and "Separate Vocations".
I guess I also don't buy the idea that Maggie isn't "gifted" at the episode's end when it is clear she is amazing at taking direction and figuring out what Lisa is communicating. SHE KNEW WHAT A CALIFORNIA CONDOR WAS BY SILHOUETTE! When the episode starts, it is about getting kids into nursery school and the pressure and frustration of trying to get your kid an education at a very early age, which is a much more interesting episode. I feel based on the beginning, a Marge episode wherein her fears are preyed upon feels like a much more emotionally interesting episode, especially since despite the fact they are often together, we don't have many Marge/Maggie episodes.
Other great jokes:
"So our kids keep getting smarter. If we have another one, it could build a time machine we could use to go back in time and not have any kids."
"Somewhat satisfied? Maybe I'll somewhat find your daughter."
"Some trees are big, some trees are small, but all trees have bark! Except for poplar, ash and maple."
"How did you get in her?"
"Your butler let us in."
"Play along, I'll explain later."
Other notes:
I like that Homer is successful at distracting Marge with dinner out.
No single joke related to it made me laugh but I love that Wiggum is SO into the museum."