[3F13] Lisa the Iconoclast
Lisa the Iconoclast Written by Jonathan Collier
Directed by Mike B. Anderson
=======================================================================
Production Code: 3F13 Original Airdate in N.A.: 18-Feb-96
Capsule revision D, 10-Jun-96
"TV Guide" Synopsis {sp}
Donald Sutherland is the voice of the curator of the Springfield
Historical Society, where Lisa's research on patriarch Jebediah
Springfield turns up some unknown -- and unpopular -- facts.
Other Voices: Yeardley Smith, Harry Shearer, Phil Hartman
Opening Sequence
COUCH SCENE
A Brady Bunch-esque opening with OFF, the pets, and Grampa,
and the couch in the middle. They all run to it.
(Recycled from 3F01.)
Did you notice...
... Hans Moleman at the front of the tryout line?
... one of the pictures at the historical society is a silhouette
with a Marge-like bouffant?
Ricardo A. Lafaurie Jr.:
... the girl with the big red hair (who grabs my fancy) sitting
to Jimbo's left in the film presentation?
... Hurlbut's mustache wiggling when Lisa confronts him?
Dale G. Abersold:
... in "Young Jebediah Springfield," Troy McClure seems very young?
... Mrs. Krabappel is not a Springfield native?
... Kearney is at least 20 years old?
... Lisa's class has only 20 pupils?
... as town crier, Homer is actually pretty damn good?
... Jebediah wrote down "Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!"
... Lisa is an unconvincing liar?
... Marge's family is not native to Springfield?
... Adlai Stevenson is buried in Springfield?
... while talking to the George Washington of 1781, Lisa addressed
him correctly as "General Washington"?
... in the parade, Marge is dressed as a comely lass (of virtue
true)?
Benjamin Robinson:
... the watery sound of the film's music?
... the hand on the buffalo -- excuse me, land cow -- as Jebediah
tries to subdue it?
... the boom microphone interlopes on the frame for a few seconds?
... Hans Sprungfeld/Jebidiah Springfield bothers to write down his
laughter ("ha ha ha ha")?
... the loops at the base of the prosthetic tongue attach over the
molars?
... even though Lisa got with the program, Quimby's sniper tries to
take her out?
Oliver Dueck:
... that Ralph Wiggum actually got an A on his essay?
... the bullet hole in the stage after Lisa left?
Mark Richey:
... Troy McClure doesn't remind us of previous educational
biographies he's been in?
... Kearney's older than I am (I was born on 1/17/77)?
... Homer knows what an apprentice is (and wants to be one anyway?)
... that the Jubilee Committee is made up of Dr. Hibbert, Rev.
Lovejoy, Mayor Quimby, Chief Wiggum, and Principal Skinner?
... Lisa knows who Chester A. Arthur is, while Hurlbut doesn't?
... Ralph gets an "A" on his Jeb paper?
... Homer knows which key will open the case?
... the comic book guy has written a screenplay?
... Apu is cleaning the spot where Lisa tried to put the flyer up?
... Adlai Stevenson is buried in Springfield?
... Wiggum shows an awful lot of disrespect to Jeb's skull?
... the Washington painting at the Historical Society is the exact
same size as the original?
... the guy scratching his head during Lisa's speech?
... the Chinese float?
... the sharpshooter tries to kill Lisa anyway (and misses)?
... Homer jumps out in front of the Flanders?
... Mrs. Lovejoy protests Homer?
John Murray:
... when Troy is shown ridding the "wild" buffalo you can see some
one pushing it?
... the comic store guy wrote a movie about computers, and personal
liberty?
... the sponsors from Long John Silver, refuse to sponsor a pirate?
... the Chinese Dragon in the parade?
Jason Hancock:
... Kearney is old enough to shave?
... Springfield's state flag has a red, a white, and a blue stripe?
... Ralph gets an "A" on his paper even though he asked if he could use
illustrations?
... Homer calls Lisa the "littlest _guy_ I know?"
Don Del Grande:
... Miss Hoover and Mrs. Krabappel smoke left-handed?
... Kearney uses a Norelco three-head rotary razor?
... Lisa isn't wearing a bicycle helmet when she rides to the
Historical Center?
... nobody ever bothers to look in the fife in the decades since
the message was put there, despite the fact that the fife is a
hollow tube and anything inside it would have been rather
conspicuous?
... when Lisa first discovers the confession, the back of it appears
to be part of the George Washington painting?
... Hollis Hurlbut mentions that Jebediah is easily as great as
William Dawes, who rode with Paul Revere to warn of the British
invasion (and made it farther than Revere)?
... Lisa takes Jebediah's confession at face value?
... no historians ever noted that Jebediah spoke with a speech
impediment, yet he had a silver tongue? (There are some sounds
that cannot be made with a "solid" tongue)
... apparently, nobody through history ever saw Springfield's silver
tongue shine, or if they did, they never mentioned it?
... when Homer opens the case, he gets the correct key from the ring
on his first attempt?
... Homer shows butt cleavage when he opens the case?
... Lisa asks that some of her leaflets be done in goldenrod, which
is a lot closer to gold than yellow, yet they're all yellow?
... in Lisa's dream, George Washington doesn't wear shows, but
Jebediah Springfield does?
... Grampa's uniform has three chevrons (stripes) of different
colors, but they should all be the same color - yellow?
... Maggie only appears for about one second in this episode, when
Lisa is making her speech at the parade?
Sarah Trombley:
... that the antiquarian, Hollis Hurlbut, is obviously named after
two of the Harvard Yard dorms?
Rick Senger:
... Homer's hat size is larger than Ned's?
... Lisa takes the same hat size as Jebediah Springfield?
... Moe's bar has a cigarette machine by the door? [This is usually
hideously illegal, but... --ed]
... Jebediah Springfield's coffin was _purple_?
... Jebediah Springfield is responsible for the famous portrait of
George Washington being incomplete?
Justin Paluska:
... when Lisa went into the historical society, she introduced
herself as MRS. Simpson, as if she was married, instead of Miss
or Ms. Simpson?
Damian Penny:
... Herman is in the crowd during the parade? (I guess he never
went to jail for the counterfeit-jeans ring after all.)
Frederic Briere:
... Lisa doesn't care about Homer (or anybody else) getting infected
by the fife?
... Lisa doesn't look in Jebediah's shoes after all?
... when opening the coffin, everyone gasps for absolutely nothing?
... there's no mention of Jebediah's previous feats, such as his
famous bare-handed fight with a bear?
Cast
Starring
- Dan Castellaneta (Homer, Quimby, Washington, Long John Silver's
representative, Barney)
- Julie Kavner (Marge)
- Nancy Cartwright (Bart, "How can I be as great as you?", Kearney)
- Yeardley Smith (Lisa)
- Hank Azaria (Wiggum, comic book guy, Apu, Moe)
- Harry Shearer (narrator, guy in video, Rev. Lovejoy, Principal
Skinner, Jebediah/Hans)
Also Starring
- Pamela Hayden (Milhouse, Jimbo)
- Tress MacNeille ("some kind of land cow", Mrs. Glick)
- Maggie Roswell (Ms. Hoover, Helen)
Special Guest Voice
- Phil Hartman (Troy McClure)
- Donald Sutherland (Hollis Hurlbut)
- Marcia Wallace (Ms. Krabappel)
Movie, Music, and other References
+ "The Brady Bunch"
- couch scene
+ The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson {bjr}
- "Here's jonnycakes" is like the introduction, "Here's Johnny!"
+ Lucky Charms
- the red hearts, yellow moons, and green clovers on the
flag
~ Communications Decency Act {jm}
- The plot of the comic store guy's movie.
+ The assination of JFK {db}
- the "Wanted for Treason" on Lisa's papers were the same as
that written on the wanted posters for Lee Harvey Oswald
passed out in New Orleans with JFK's face on it
~ "Psycho II" {dga}
- A body is exhumed
+ Zachary Taylor, 12th president of the United States {dga}
- Body exhumed by historians a few years ago (see below)
"Day of the Jackal" {hl}
- Sniper's bullet narrowly misses victim when his head suddenly
turns
+ "National Lampoon's Animal House" {dm}
- Homer rams Flanders aside and catches his bell when it falls back
down just like when one of the frat brothers does the same to
the drum major and catches his baton.
Freeze Frame Fun
Goofs from Class Film {mar}
- The settlers came across the buffalo in a wooded area. The
buffalo were almost entirely out on the Great Plains, which had a
noticable lack of trees.
- It's quite obvious that Troy isn't really riding the bucking
buffalo. The stunt double in long shots is clean shaven, and in
the close ups, we can see a hand shaking it.
- When Jeb rides the buffalo back to the other settlers, it's quite
obvious he's being pushed on a stuffed buffalo. When the camera
pulls back right after they stop, you can see the two guys that
had pushed it striaghtening themselves up.
- Right before Jeb's big speech, a boom mike drifts into view.
Identifier at End of Film {jh}
YOUNG JEBEDIAH SPRINGFIELD... RENTAL FILMS
Newspaper
PARADE TO DISTRACT
JOYLESS CITIZENRY
Bicentennial commission board (left to right) {jh}
Principal W. Seymour Skinner
Police Chief Clancy Wiggum
Mayor "Diamond" Joe Quimby
Reverend Timothy Lovejoy
Dr. Julius Hibbert
Historical center
SPRINGFIELD HISTORICAL SOCIETY
"Where the dead come alive!"
(metaphorically)
Copy Center
THE
C O P Y J A L O P Y
We tried to make copying fun
At the grave (from the left of Jeb's head, counterclockwise) {mar}
Hollis Hurlbut
W. Seymour Skinner
Diamond Joe Quimby
Homer J. Simpson
Lisa Simpson
Julius Hibbert
Timothy Lovejoy
Chief Clancy Wiggum
Groundskeeper Willie
At the parade {mar}
(* means wearing a coonskin cap)
First crowd shot:
Ms. Hoover
Rod Flanders*
Todd Flanders*
Maude Flanders
Lunch Lady Doris
Charles Montgomery Burns
Waylon Smithers*
Sylvia Hibbert
Dr. Julius Hibbert
Herman {dp}
Right after Lisa yells stop:
1st shot:
Moe Szyslask*
W. Seymour Skinner* (wearing buckskin)
Agnes Skinner*
street shot:
Barney Gumble*
wagon:
Martin Prince* (driving)
Bart Simpson
Milhouse van Houten
Sherri & Terry
Wendell Borton (not seen until later)
Shot during Lisa's speech:
Crazy old man (Smitty?) }
Abraham Simpson } all in army uniforms
Jasper }
Apu Nahassapeemapetilam* (waving large flag)
2nd shot:
closeup of Marge [dressed as a lass --ed] and Maggie*
After "great":
Kearney
Richard
Dr. Nick Riviera
Homer Simpson
Helen Lovejoy
While Helen frets and Wiggum lets: {jl}
Mr. and Mrs. Hibbert
Allison Taylor
woman
Lunch Lady Doris
Black version of Mrs. Winfield
Charlie
one of Marge's social climber friends from 3F11
Technical Credits (if you care)
Overseas Animation: Akom {ddg}
Assistant Directors: Adam Kuhlman and Neil Affleck
Storyboard: Christian Roman, Jeff A. Myers, Mike Anderson
Previous Episode References
- Lucky Charms references:
- 1F10: Marge wants Apu to buy Lucky Charms
- 2F06: Bart bemoans that Lucky Charms should be all marshmallows,
and Lisa tells him to throw non-marshmallow pieces away
- 3F10: Mr. Burns thought Hans Moleman was Lucky the Leprechaun,
and drilled his head for Lucky Charms {jh}
- 3F13: George Washington wanted red hearts, green clovers, and
yellow moons on the flag
- Animal House references:
- 7F14: the captioning of the fates of the dogs (also many other
films)
- 7F20: the motorcyclist at Bart's party looks like V Day
- 9F10: Homer sings "I Gave My Love a Chicken/Cherry" to Marge {br}
- 1F22: the guy playing a John Denver song gets punched
- 3F13: Homer's pushing of Flanders and catching his bell
- [7G07], [9F18], [2F22] Jebediah Springfield referenced {hl}
- [7G11] The moon takes a suggestive shape {fb}
- [7F03] Long John Silver mentioned {jh}
- [7F23] Homer speaks like Flanders
- [8F04], [9F19] Lisa visits Moe's Tavern
- [8F16] Mrs. Krabappel and Ms. Hoover smoke in the auditorium during a
presentation {jh}
- [8F16], [8F22], [3F03] Those crappy educational films {fb}
- [8F24], [9F14], [2F05] Lisa gets a less-than-adequate grade {vm}
- [9F02] Homer gives up Duff blimp tickets for Lisa (cf. the town
crier) {hl}
- [9F04] Willy fills up a grave {fb}
- [9F07] Quimby strips a city item from Homer {fb}
- [9F13] Chester A. Arthur is mentioned {jh}
- [9F14] Barney doesn't know there's an exit (cf. "I'd never leave!")
{jl}
- [9F18] Lisa tries to wreck a local historical event {jh}
- [1F02] Homer gets obsessed on a detail {fb}
- [1F04] Someone flies through Lisa's window {fb}
- [1F05] Bart rides in a float
- [1F09], [2F09] Homer's brain makes a mental note {fb}
- [1F10], [2F12] Minimal role for Bart (4 lines in 1F10, 5 in 2F12)
- [2F03] "Here's Johnny!" (cf. Here's jonnycakes!) {hl}
- [2F08] Homer gets banned from Moe's Tavern {jh}
- [2F15] Medieval clothes and tongue are brought back to life {fb}
- [2F15] Homer talks Old English
- [2F16], [2F20] The "Taps" style Simpsons theme is used
- [2F22] Springfield's history is recalled {fb}
- [3F03] Watery sound for a cheap educational film (with Troy McClure)
- [3F10] Moe's prejudices {fb}
Animation, Continuity, and other Goofs
= The state flag here doesn't match the state flag shown in 7F01.
(with "NOT JUST ANOTHER STATE")
- The three corner hat starts to rip before Homer puts it on for the
first time. {mar}
+ When Lisa reads Jeb's confession, there are a couple of sentences
after the Ha's. However, when the paper is layed out by Hurlbuck,
the ha's are at the very end. {mar}
+ Wouldn't the comic book store guy have a copier at his own place?
{mar}
- Simpsons are having breakfast but the clock says one o'clock? {hl}
* How did Quimby get out of his chair so quickly to silence Homer?
{jh}
= Lisa's coonskin hat disappears between Act I and Act II.
+ Lisa claims there's no mention of Jebediah Springfield in history
prior to 1795, yet in 9F18 there's "evidence" he (supposedly) fought
in the Battle of Ticonderoga in 1775. {ddg}
+ A real historian would never throw away a document (as Mr. Hurlbut
does), since even forgeries have great historical value. {dga}
* When Sprungfeld attacks Washington, the flag that's brought in has
a white stripe on top and at least 17 stripes. {ddg}
* The flag in Miss Hoover's classroom has 25 stars and 15 stripes.
{ddg}
* Why shouldn't Jebediah care about Springfield? Regardless of his
former name, didn't he found the town and create the word "embiggen"?
{fb}
= The buttons on Moe's phone are arranged four across, and three down,
rather than the usual three across and four down. {bjr}
+ Groundskeeper Willie says that he is too superstitious to work in a
cemetery in 2F16. {hl}
+ I'm pretty sure that there's no eternal flame at Adlai Stevenson's
grave. {mar}
* There is not enough smoke when Jebediah's coffin is opened to allow
anybody to see the tongue, stare at it, and then pick it up. {fb}
= After the reaction shot at the open coffin, Willie disappears until
he reburies Jebediah {mar}
+ When everyone is laughing at Ralph, Lisa's desk isn't seen. {mar}
+ The city would not take back Homer's bell and hat, since they belong
to Ned Flanders.
= When Hurlbut throws away the confession, he crumples it up, but when
Lisa takes it out of the trash can, it's not crumpled, just rolled?
{mar}
= When Lisa runs out of the crowd, Smithers is wearing a cap and Burns
isn't, but when Lisa gives her speech, Burns has the cap instead.
{ddg}
+ Lisa could have devised a better way of backing out of her speech at
the parade; if nothing else, she could have publicly recanted her
earlier story. {bjr}
+ In the first shot of the parade, there are no barricades, but after
Lisa's speech, they suddenly appear (including in front of Lunchlady
Doris, and the Flanders, who didn't have one the first time we saw
them). {mar}
+ Lisa ignores all of the good things Jebediah Springfield actually
did; in 8F01, it never bothered her that Thomas Jefferson was a
slaveholder when she went to his memorial for "advice". {ddg}
= When the Chinese float passes, the crowd on the other side of the
street is completely motionless. {mar}
= The bullet hits the platform long after the gunshot is heard. {ddg}
Comments and other observations
Y'ello, I'm Donald J. Sutherland
One of Sutherland's roles that is pretty much talked about a lot in
this newsgroup is his role in "The Day of the Locust" as a
character named... Homer Simpson! Pretty strange choice.
Body Exhumation (or, What _is_ that awful SMELL?!)
Dale G. Abersold says "From time to time, the bodies of historical
figures are exhumed by historians. I tend to believe this occurs
not to prove any hypothesis, but to bring publicity to the
historian, an otherwise unglamorous profession. The most famous
recent exhumation was that of American president Zachary Taylor,
to determine whether or not he was assassinated. The conclusion?
Inconclusive!"
Chester A. Arthritis -- Catch It!
Benjamin Robinson says, "Chester A. Arthur became President when a
disappointed job-seeker shot James Garfield in the 1880's. That
incident led to his most noteworthy achievement: the civil service
exam, which (theoretically) gave government jobs to the best-
qualified applicants, rather than to the best suck-up. President
Arthur is also known for really funky facial hair. He had a really
distinctive sideburn-and-mustache combination not seen before, or
since, his tenure in office."
Historical Fakery (or, Make a Fortune by Changing the Past)
Benjamin Robinson says, "This episode mentions two famous forgeries.
"Howard Hughes was a famous reclusive billionaire. (Think of Monty
Burns in `$pringfield (1F08)' and you get an idea of what he was
like.) After his death, some guy claimed to have a will entitling
him to the Hughes fortune. Supposedly, the man saw Hughes
hitchhiking -- this would have to be before Hughes wigged out
completely -- and gave him a lift. Hughes was so grateful that he
included the man in his will. Howard Hughes was crazy, but nobody
believed he was THAT crazy, and a court determined the will was
fake.
"The Hitler diaries were a big thing among historians, since no
genuine Hitler journal existed at the time. As it turns out, no
genuine diary exists at this time, either; it was a clever forgery.
Chemical analysis showed that the ink (or the paper, I forgot
which) didn't exist until several years after Hitler's demise.
"So far as I know, no one had the audacity to foist an
`Emancipation Retraction' (presumably a retraction of Lincoln's
Emancipation Proclamation) upon the historical community.
One Guy Who Didn't Like Ike
Benjamin Robinson says, "Adlai Stevenson was a well-respected Democrat
who had the unfortunate task of running against one of World War
II's most popular generals: Dwight "Ike" Eisenhower. Stevenson
was trounced, although he is one of the least obscure losing
Presidential candidates."
Jason Hancock gives us a description that looks right out of Encyclo-
pedia Britannica ;-): "Adlai Stevenson II (1900-1965) was governor
of Illinois in the early 1950s and ran for President as a Democrat
in 1952 and 1956, losing to Dwight Eisenhower both times. He was
also the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations from 1960 until his
death. Stevenson came from a strong political family. His
grandfather was Vice President under Grover Cleveland's second term
and his son, Adlai Stevenson III, was a former U.S. Senator who ran
for governor of Illinois twice in the 1980s but failed both times."
The Mysterious Disappearing Family
Benjamin Robinson says, "A number of episodes feature nearly non-
existent roles for Marge, Lisa, or Maggie. In "Lisa the
Iconoclast," it's Bart's turn to be a bit player in his own show.
He had precisely three lines:
- Well, I hope they show the time where they traded guns to the
Indians for corn, and then the Indians shot them, and took the
corn.
- Well yeah, dad, you're a big fat loudmouth and you can walk when
you have to.
- "I want to help you, George Washington," -- pfff -- even your
dreams are square.
"Bart also shows up on the "Community Spirit" float at the end of
the story, but that's it. Well, at least he got more screen time
than Maggie; she didn't appear at all until the parade!"
What's an "Iconoclast"?
Mark Richey ponders, "I'm sure I'm not the only one who had no idea
what an iconoclast was when they first saw the title (and if I am,
don't I feel stupid?) According to the Dictionary of the English
Language, an iconoclast is "one who attacks and seeks to overthrow
traditional or popular ideas on institutions." Jim Smith, aka
"Epigram Man" has an iconoclast page on his homepage. However,
I prefer Brain's definition: "a defiant radical who marches to
the beat of his own drum". How's that for classiness?
Where is Springfield? (As if.)
Mark Richey says, "Now I'm really confused. We know it's not in
Maryland. The 1796 founding date would seem to put it somewhere
between the Appalachian Mountains and the Louisiana territory,
probably in the Kentucky/Ohio/Indiana region. However, as far as I
know, they didn't have buffalo that far east. Once again, it could
be anywhere."
Jason Hancock adds, "If Springfield was founded in 1796, it would have
to be in a state east of the Mississippi since the western states
were under foreign rule at the time. Much of the West (from the
Rockies to the Mississippi) was given to the U.S. in the Louisiana
Purchase of 1803."
Mystery solved, now we can look at Washington in his glory
Mark Richey says, "I've been racking my brain all night, and I can't
remember for the life of me who painted that portrait of
Washington. However, I'm pretty sure it wasn't in Trenton NJ, in
1781. That was in the middle of the Revolution, and I seriously
doubt Washington would have time to pose for a portrait. Nor was
the bottom half ripped off. As I recall, the painting was simply
never finished."
Chemical Dumping Fill, aka Lucky Charms
The writers won't stop bagging on Lucky Charms. Mark Richey says,
"The other things Washington wanted on the flag is an obvious ref
to Lucky Charms cereal, which has a truly disgusting grain part, as
well as some pretty tasty marshmallows, as long as you don't put
milk on them." I beg to differ, though -- the marshmallows suck,
the grain sucks... it sucks! A piece of chemical tripe.
From Benjamin Robinson: "red hearts, yellow moons, green clovers, and
orange (not white) stars were the original ingredients of this
cereal (since then, General Mills has added blue diamonds, purple
horseshoes, rainbow-colored rainbows, and replaced the yellow moons
with yellow and orange pots of gold. Also, I think there's some
cereal in there, somewhere.)"
A Seafood Company Run By a (Cannibalistic) Fish
This is a famous American fast food seafood chain. Mark Richey says,
"I try to avoid them as much as possible." I beg to differ --
the fish is pretty good for fast food, which I like better than
any dresscoded, long waiting restaurant which will always give
you steak rare, every time.
Ahem... Long John Silver was also the name of the pirate in "Treasure
Island" (recall back to 7F03), which is why the joke is so funny.
Dawes & Otis (Who?)
Mark Richey says, "There is a Charles Dawes (a former Vice President)
and a James Otis (a colonial leader), but there was no record of
any other Dawes or Otis in the encyclopedia." Don Del Grande
discovered the reference to William Dawes, though (see above).
Speculation on what "embiggen" and "cromulent" mean
Haynes Lee notes, "There is no entry for `embiggen' or `imbiggen' in
the OED [I assume he means Oxford English Dictionary --ed] However,
there is one for `biggen', a 17th century word meaning `To increase
in size' or `To recover strength after confinement'." I observed
that it's made up of "em-", a prefix meaning "adding" (as in
`empower'), "big" (if you don't know what this means, call 1-800-
ABCDEFG), and "-en" (a suffix making a noun a verb, as in `wisen'),
so it could possibly mean "to make bigger". Then again, I have
waay too much time on my hands.
Also, it has been observed that "cromulent" might be a combination of
the words "common" and "prominent" in some ambiguous way.
Ridley Scott and James Cameron (or, Sci-Fi Wunderkinds)
... are directors of sci-fi films. Ridley Scott is well known for
directing "Alien", and James Cameron directed "Aliens", "The
Terminator" and its sequel "Terminator 2: Judgement Day."
Ralph calling Teacher "Mommy"
You know, I can really relate to that, because one time I... hwa.
Why don't I give you a ride home?...
Jonnycakes
John Lemme, a Rhode Island resident, tells us "Jonnycakes are thin
fried cakes made out of cornmeal. Picture a fried pancake made
from a squashed corn muffin. It's usually made with coarser grain,
however. They are a Rhode Island delicacy, so if you're not from
RI, you'll probably never know they exist. [until now --ed]
They're delicious with butter, warm from the pan. Yum!"
Reviews
Dale G. Abersold - Unlike "Lisa the Vegetarian," this portrayed Lisa's
independent spirit without making her shrill and unlikeable. The
ending, unfortunately, was a copout (couldn't the writers have come
up with anything better?) Lisa's portrayal and her relationship
with Homer were just right. So I'm a sucker for Lisa episodes; sue
me! A-.
Tom Baker - From me, a B. A real disappointment that our great Lisa
did not blow the lid off a cover-up. OTOH, her reasoning was
original and an accurate analysis of the situation, and left me
thinking about the relative value of "truth" and "myth".... Okay,
sorta just kidding, but the episode both was funny and left a bad
taste. So a B.
Frederic Briere - After Who Shot Mr. Burns and Bart the Fink, I'm
getting fed up with detective episodes; nonetheless, it can be an
enjoyable episode, despite Homer's obnoxious yelling. I wish
someday we could move on to the sarcastic side of the show.
Grade: C+
Don Del Grande - A good episode, albeit a good one-storyline episode.
Nothing particularly sidesplitting about it. B if you're a fan of
Lisa the PC Thug; C if "Stupid Lisa History Queen" episodes rate up
there with clip shows.
Oliver Dueck - Typical for this season. How low can it get? It just
wasn't funny enough, and it seemed like Lisa and Homer were the
only ones in existence; we hardly saw Bart or other characters. And
the ending...it was not only predictable, but it was also bad.
Rating: D+
Jeff Gustafson - This was a great episode compared to the last few
they've shown. Granted, it was slow at times, but it did have a
lot of good jokes in it. Hopefully this season will pick back up
in the next few episodes. I'll give this one a B+.
Jason Hancock - Solid, but unspectacular. The show started off too
slowly and Homer's "town crier" role was overdone. But this
episode had some great lines -- the Long John Silver's swipe,
Wiggum's ventriloquism, and Barney's "There's an exit?" stood out.
I was surprised that Lisa didn't have the guts to wreck this event
like she wrecked Whacking Day. Grade: B-
Jose Lafaurie - Pretty average episode, although there were some funny
parts that stood out. I really liked the character of Hollis
Hurlbut -- conniving, cynical, yet modest and well-meaning. The
Jebediah flashbacks were truly classic, as well as Lisa's detective
spirit as we previously saw in 2F20. The lowlight of the episode
was the end. I Want Riot! It would have added to the funny and
hypothetical Simpsons humor that I loved. They can be realistic,
but c'mon they're cartoons! Grade: B-.
Haynes Lee - Good episode but you think with all the knowledge Bart has
with the history of Springfield that he will be given more than a
few lines. Grade: B+
Adam Lipkin - This episode got off to a slow start but picked up by the
third act. The sordid history of Jebediah Springfield was neat, as
was the curator of the historical society museum. Seeing Donald
Sutherland's name under the Guest voice credit was a surprise. At
least he didn't play himself. Grade: B.
Veronica Marquez - It was Sappy, but Third season sappy, so it's better
than most. C+
Daniel McCoy - I felt this was a definite improvement over 3F09, 3F11,
and 3F12. The storyline was solid, and it seemed that the pacing
was back on track... best of all, the characters are back to acting
like themselves again. ...I liked Donald Sutherland's guest
voicing, especially his first appearence, talking into his coffee
cup. ... I give it a solid B+
John Murray - Grade: C+. I guess the trend of good episodes was only a
fluke, yet another bad episode. While some of the jokes helped
redeemed the show. This show had a half-decent plot but, lacked
some of the elements that have classically made the Simpsons a
great show, stuff such as a good number of good jokes, varying in
complexity (sight gag to obscure movie ref) and a good sub plot.
Episodes start to become boring with the shift of a good totally
separate sub-plot.
Damian Penny - I really enjoyed this one - it doesn't surprise me that
Lisa would fall into PC/revisionist history, and I loved Homer's
attempts to be town crier. Best scenes: Ms. Hoover's PC Thug
line, Kearney's reminisce of the bicentennial, and the technical
flaws in the historical film. My only complaint is the ending,
which I found a bit maudlin (I knew that, when they showed the
"town spirit" stuff, that Lisa would back down. Grade: B+
Mark Richey - Finally! A terrific episode! Easily the best one since
3F06 (Mother Simpson). The jokes were very funny, the characters
stayed in character, and the sentiment was right on the money.
Donald Sutherland did the best guest spot since Glenn Close (and
that includes the usually relibable Kelsey Grammer). Lisa was on
another rightous crusade, like in 3F03, but unlike that episode,
she never became shrill and self-rightous. Kudos to Yeardley
Smith! The only problem was that the show wasn't quite as funny as
it could have been, but that's only a small quibble. Grade: A
Benjamin Robinson - An unusual episode on many fronts, and better than
many other recent "message" episodes. "Lisa the Iconoclast" was
interesting mainly for the nascent bond between Homer and Lisa, and
for the fact that the message delivered differed from the one you
were expecting. (B+)
Dan Ryazansky - Finally, an excellent episode! (although not the best
ending). I had more faith in Lisa than that. But Homer was great
once again. George Washington vs. Jebediah fight was excellent. And
Hans lives again! Easily the second best episode this year. (next
to Treehouse VI.) A-
Rick Senger - An interesting idea but a thin installment. We learned
about Jebediah, but it should have been the "B" plotline -- not the
basis for a whole 'sode! Homer's turn as town crier and the
Jebediah re-enactments were funny, but overall, a VERY low jokes
per minute ratio. Lisa's deduction of the silver tongue's
location made NO sense, either. Think about it. Weak C.
Jim Smith - Hmmm... I don't know what to think of this ep. The first
time I saw Bart the Fink, I thought it was terrible, but the second
time, I thought it was hilarious. At first, I thought this one too
horrible... however, right now I'm watching it again, and I'm
liking it more and more... who knows. It's been a great season so
far, hopefully I'll change my mind about this one. My grade as it
stands: A.
Yours Truly - Quite an embigenning episode. "Lisa the Iconoclast"
ventured back to the old days of OFS when the stories were
interesting and the Simpsons were characterized normally. Marge
was slightly OOC, but more "human", much like 3F11. Fave moment
for me -- the vocal talents of Jebediah's skull. I've been quoting
that all this week... Not a lot of quotables, though. I give it an
A.
AVERAGE GRADE: B (3.08)
Quotes and Scene Summary
Many of the class is assembled to watch a film, "Young Jebediah
Springfield".
I hope they show the time where they traded guns to the Indians for
corn, and then the Indians shot them and took the corn.
-- Bart watches "Young Jebediah Springfield", "Lisa the Iconoclast"
The film is cheaply made. After a "fight" with a "land cow",
Jebediah is asked by a boy how he can hope to achieve such
greatness.
Jebediah: [on film] A noble spirit embiggens the smallest man.
Edna: Embiggens? I never heard that word before I moved to
Springfield
Ms.Hoover: I don't know why. It's a perfectly cromulent word.
-- Nice supercalifragilisticexpialidocious word, "Lisa the Iconoclast"
Skinner addresses the class after the film is over.
Skinner: Now, as you all know, Springfield's 200th birthday is only a
week away. Every class will do its part to make our local
bicentennial just as memorable as our national bicentennial.
Of course, you children are too young to remember that, with
the possible exception of Kearney.
Kearney: [shaving] Those tall ships really lifted the nation's spirits
after Watergate.
-- Quit bugging me about that stupid pirate, "Lisa the Iconoclast"
Ms. Hoover tells the class that they are to do reports on Jebediah
and the top 18 essays will be put on file in the library. Ralph asks
if they can put pictures in it. At home, Homer reads the news, and
sees jobs available for the parade. He wonders if he'll be a water
churner, typhoid carrier, or an apprentice.
Lisa: How about town crier? You'd be great at that.
Homer: You think so?
Bart: Well, yeah, Dad, you're a big fat loudmouth and you can walk
when you have to.
-- Homer during the 200th anniversary of Springfield,
"Lisa the Iconoclast"
Homer decides he'll do it. Later, Lisa bikes to the Springfield
Historical Society and checks out a little mechanized thing about
river crossing.
Dangerous river crossings threatened life and limb but helped our
founding fathers save on bridge tolls.
-- Voiceover on a mechanized act of the founding of Springfield,
"Lisa the Iconoclast"
The voice turns out to be the curator, Hollis Hurlbut, talking into
a coffee mug.
Hurlbut: Sorry if I startled you, but I do love to talk Jebediah, even
when I'm drinking my chicory.
Lisa: Hi, I'm Lisa Simpson. I'm researching a report on Jebediah.
Hurlbut: Oh, you're in for a treat. You know, some historians consider
Jebediah a minor patriot, but I think you'll find he's easily
the equal of William Dawes or even Samuel Otis.
-- Come again?, "Lisa the Iconoclast"
Meanwhile, Homer runs ahead in line to audition for the town crier,
but finds out Ned got the role. Ned tries a pretty bad rendition.
Homer: You su-diddely-uck, Flanders! [grabs a bell from him]
Hear ye, hear ye! Ye olde town crier proclaimed crappy by
all! Chooseth Homer Simpson, and he shalt rock thy world!
Wiggum: Good God, he is fabulous.
Skinner: Yes, he's embiggened that role with his cromulent performance.
Quimby: Top-notch criering, I admit, but the hat and bell belong to
Ned Flanders, so no dice.
Ned: Oh, they're just family heirlooms. They shouldn't stand in
the way of Homer taking my job.
Homer: Less chat, more hat.
[Ned hands it over. Homer puts it on and it rips]
Woo-hoo! Hear ye, hear ye! The Homer Broadcasting System is
on the air! All hollering, all the time! I'm going to--
[Quimby stops him]
Quimby: You're going to restrict your criering to the parade and
selected pre-approved publicity events!
Homer: [meek] Okay.
-- Auditions for the part of town crier, "Lisa the Iconoclast"
Mr. Hurlbut continues to show Lisa around.
This case holds our most treasured exhibit: objects owned and used by
Jebediah [Springfield].
This is his fife, upon which he sounded the sweet note of freedom.
And his hatchet, with which he hacked at the chains of oppresions.
And his -- chamber pot.
-- Hollis Hurlbut, curator of Springfield Historical Society,
"Lisa the Iconoclast"
Mr. Hurlbut hears a ding. "Excuse me, my microwave jonnycakes are
ready." And leaves. Lisa tries on a coonskin hat, and tries to
sound a note on the fife. But she succeeds only in blowing something
out of the fife. It's Jebediah's secret confessions.
Know ye who read this there is more to my life than history records.
Firstly, I did not tame the legendary buffalo. It was already tame, I
merely shot it. Secondly, I have not always been known as Jebediah
Springfield. Until 1796, I was Hans Sprungfeld, murderous pirate, and
the half-wits of this town shall never learn the truth! Ha-ha-ha-ha-
ha! Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!
I write this confession so that my infamy will live on after my body
has succumbed to my infectious diphtheria.
-- The Secret Confession of Jebediah Springfield, "Lisa the Iconoclast"
Upon hearing this last bit, Lisa tries to get the diphtheria germs
off her body.
[End of Act One. Time: 6'08"]
Lisa remains dumbfounded until Mr. Hurlbut returns.
Hurlbut: Heere's jonnycakes. Is everything okay? You look a bit
flushed.
Lisa: It's just the excitement from studying Jebediah.
Hurlbut: Looks like you've come down with a serious case of Jebeditis.
Lisa: Just as I was getting over my Chester A. Arthritis.
Hurlbut: [laughs] You had arthritis?
Lisa: [chuckles nervously] No.
-- Lisa discovers Jebediah's confessions, "Lisa the Iconoclast"
Homer gets into his role of town crier the next morning.
Homer: [ringing bell] Hear ye, hear ye! What's for breakfast!
Marge: Toast.
Homer: I don't understand thee, Marge.
Marge: [sighs] Ye olde toast.
Homer: Ooh.
-- Homer gets his role as town crier, "Lisa the Iconoclast"
Lisa tells Homer the story of Jebediah/Hans.
Lisa: Jebediah Springfield was really a vicious pirate named Hans
Sprungfeld. His tongue was bitten off by a Turk in a grog house
fight.
Homer: No tongue, eh? How did he talk and eat [melodramatically] and
laugh and love?
Lisa: He had it replaced with a prosthetic tongue made out of silver.
Homer: Yes, that'll do.
-- "Lisa the Iconoclast"
Lisa tells the story of how Jebediah tried to kill George Washington.
And earns a reprimand from Marge. But Homer reassures Lisa that he
believes her.
In class...
Hoover: Ralph, A. Janey, A. And Lisa, for your, ahem, essay "Jebediah
Springfield: Super Fraud", F.
Lisa: But it's all true.
Hoover: [scoffs] This is nothing but dead, white male-bashing from a PC
thug. It's women like you that keep the rest of us from
landing a husband.
-- Ralph got an A?, "Lisa the Iconoclast"
Lisa comes home sobbing, and tells Homer that she got an F. Homer
decides to go and wreck the school with a baseball bat. But Lisa
would rather get the confession. Homer sticks with the bat idea,
though.
At the historical society, Homer and Lisa go after Jebediah's fife.
Mr. Hurlbut scans it briefly and dismisses it.
Hurlbut: I think, Lisa, that you've been taken in by an obvious
forgery. Unfortunately, historical research is plagued by
this sort of hoax -- the so-called confession. It's just
as fake as the Howard Hughes will, the Hitler Diaries, or the
Emancipation Retraction.
Lisa: But it explains why there's no record of Jebediah Springfield
before 1796. He was Hans Sprungfeld until then.
Hurlbut: That's preposterous. Get out! You're banned from this
historical society! You, and your children, and your
children's children -- for three months.
-- "Lisa the Iconoclast"
Lisa decides to make posters about the fact that Jebediah is a fraud.
Lisa: Okay, I'd like 25 copies in canary, 25 in goldenrod, 25 in
saffron, and 25 in paella.
Clerk: OK, 100 yellow.
-- At a copy center, "Lisa the Iconoclast"
Comic book guy: Question: is your name Ridley Scott or James Cameron?
Homer: No, it's Homer.
Comic book guy: Then I would thank you to stop peering at my
screenplay, _Homer_. And if I see a movie where
computers threaten our personal liberties, I will know
you have stolen my idea.
Homer: But I'm just waiting for my kid.
[thinking] Mental note -- steal his idea.
-- At a copy center, "Lisa the Iconoclast"
Lisa tries posting them in the Kwik-E-Mart.
Lisa: Hi, Apu. Can I put these posters up in your window?
Apu: Well, of course you can, you little pixy. You are just as sweet
as the stix which bear your name.
[Apu sees the poster]
No, no, no. Take that down. As a semi-legal immigrant, your
poster could land me in a predicament as red-hot as the candies
which bear that name.
-- Lisa posts signs of Jebediah the fraud, "Lisa the Iconoclast"
Lisa tries Moe's Tavern, with the help of her dad.
Homer: Hear ye, hear ye. My daughter has something to say about
Jebediah Springfield.
Moe: Aw, look. That cutie wants to say something cute.
[barflies murmur]
Shut up, you bums, shut up!
Go ahead, angel.
Lisa: Ahem. Jebediah Springfield was nothing more than a murderous
pirate who hated this town!
[barflies and Moe's jaws drop]
Moe: Good God! Homer, I support, you know, any prejudice you can
name, but this hero-phobia sickens me. All right, you and your
daughter ain't welcome here no more. Barney, show them the
exit.
Barney: There's an exit?!
-- Thought it was a portal of natural light, "Lisa the Iconoclast"
Moe snitches on the town jubilation committee, who place Homer and
Lisa under questioning.
Quimby: You are tampering with forces you cannot understand. We have
major corporations sponsoring this event.
Lisa: I hope you know you're sponsoring a celebration of a murderous
pirate.
Man: A pirate? Well, that's hardly the image we want for Long John
Silver's!
-- Respectable ship hijackers, "Lisa the Iconoclast"
Lisa suggests digging up Jebediah's grave and searching his body
for the silver tongue.
Can't we have one meeting that doesn't end with us digging up a corpse?
-- Mayor "Diamond" Joe Quimby, "Lisa the Iconoclast"
Groundskeeper Willie exhumes Jebediah's body, and Mr. Hurlbut opens
the coffin with a crowbar. When it opens, everyone gasps in
amazement...
[End of Act Two. Time: 14'09"]
Wiggum: Oh my God! Jebediah's body has been replaced with a skeleton!
Hurlbut: No, that's the skeletion _of_ Jebediah.
-- Jebediah Springfield's body is exhumed, "Lisa the Iconoclast"
Lisa suggests looking in his shoes, but Wiggum sticks to looking in
the skull. There is no silver tongue.
Wiggum: Well, that settles it. There is no silver tongue... is there,
bonesy?
[takes Jebediah's skull and uses it as a dummy]
[as skull] Oh, I wish chief. With that kind of dough, I could
buy me some eyeballs! [laughs]
That's the spirit, bonesy. Why don't you sing a song for
the nice people?
[as skull] Okay! Camptown ladies sing this song, doo-dah
doo-dah, Camptown races five miles long...
-- Jebediah Springfield's body is exhumed, "Lisa the Iconoclast"
Chief Wiggum blames the mess on Homer and Quimby strips him of the
role of town crier. At home, Homer uses a clock as a substitute.
Lisa and Homer exchange apologies.
Lisa dreams of Jebediah chastising him, but George Washington tosses
him out the window, and urges Lisa to keep on going. "There's only
one piece left in the puzzle." Lisa doesn't want to continue...
We had quitters in the Revolution, too. We called them Kentuckians!
-- George Washington (in Lisa's dream), "Lisa the Iconoclast"
Washington: Looks like I'm going to have to find another little girl
to be President. What's your friend Janey's number?
Lisa: No, not Janey! She'll pack the Supreme Court with _boys_!
-- Big change, "Lisa the Iconoclast"
Washington's visage fades away. Lisa talks in her sleep, "I want
to help you, George Washington..."
"I want to help you, George Washington"? Pfft, even your dreams are
square.
-- Bart to Lisa, "Lisa the Iconoclast"
At school, milk and cookies are handed out...
Ralph: Can you open my milk, mommy?
Hoover: I'm not mommy, Ralph. I'm Miss Hoover.
-- "Lisa the Iconoclast"
Everyone is right to laugh at Ralph, and do, except Lisa, who stares
at the incomplete portrait of George Washington and realizes the
answer. She runs to the historical society and Mr. Hurlbut protests,
but Lisa has deduced that Mr. Hurlbut stole the silver tongue.
After a while, he confesses. Then Lisa tells her part of the story:
the paper the confession is written on is the bottom half of the
portrait of George Washington. After the fight, that piece stuck on
Hans' shoe. Mr. Hurlbut and Lisa decide to stop the celebration,
but Lisa cannot. She succumbs, and tells Mr. Hurlbut that the myth
of Jebediah has brought out the good in everyone.
Homer looks at Ned with scorn as he takes on his role as town crier.
Finally, he has enough and confronts him mid-cry...
Ned: Well, hey, it's Homer. Good to see you, neigh--
[Homer pushes him and takes his bell]
Homer: Get lost!
[rings the bell]
Hear ye, hear ye, hear ye!
Helen: He is not the official town crier! Police, do something!
Wiggum: Well, I'd like to, ma'am, but he's too damn good!
Let him march, boys. Let the man march!
-- Homer replaces Ned as the town crier, "Lisa the Iconoclast"
Lisa runs up to her father, who holds the bell in his teeth tempor-
arily to grab Lisa up on piggyback. He hands Lisa the bell and Lisa
rings the bell, and they march through the parade.
[End of Act Three. Time: 21'25"]
The credits are superimposed over a shot of the bottom of Jebediah's
statue: "A noble spirit embiggens the smallest man." Pan up to
Jebediah as an old west tune plays:
Hitch that team up, Jebediah Springfield
Whip them horses, let them wagons roll
That a people might embiggen America
That a man might embiggen his soul
His soul
His soul...
Gracie tune is unchanged.
Contributions
{dga} - Dale G. Abersold
{fb} - Frederic Briere
{db} - Derrick Burson
{ddg} - Don Del Grande
{jh} - Jason Hancock
{jl} - Jose Lafaurie
{hl} - Haynes Lee
{dm} - Daniel McCoy
{jl} - Jose Lafaurie
{vm} - Veronica Marquez
{jm} - John Murray
{dp} - Damian Penny
{br} - Brendan Rivers
{mar} - Mark Richey
{bjr} - Benjamin Robinson
{sp} - Serge Polishchuk
Legal crud
The above compilation of observations, quote summaries, statistics, and
other miscellaneous information copyright 1996 Chips-Fey Productions.
Not to be used in a public forum without explicit permission from the
author (Ricardo A. Lafaurie Jr.) or his brother Jose Lafaurie.
Any quoted material above remains property of the original authors;
mainly, quoted material and episode summaries remain property of The
Simpsons, and copyright to Twentieth Century Fox. The compilation is
what I did. So don't sue.