They Saved Lisa's Brain
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"They Saved Lisa's Brain" is the twenty-second episode of The Simpsons' tenth season. The episode aired on May 9, 1999.
[edit] Synopsis
A low-fat pudding, Grandma Plopwell's, is the sponsor of a Springfield contest that celebrates stupidity. Many Springfield residents enter the contest, but things do not go well, and the contest leads to a fight among participants. Lisa denounces Springfield for its anti-intellectualism, and writes a letter that impresses Springfield's population of intellectuals, particularly their Mensa chapter, which Lisa joins after she brings a pie.
She joins Mensa alongside Comic Book Guy, Dr. Hibbert, Principal Skinner, Professor Frink, and Lindsay Naegle. They fear that Springfield's quality is down because of the less brilliant having power over their civic institutions. The Mensa group goes to confront Mayor Quimby, until he escapes from the city by plane when he thinks the group wants to arrest him for his acts of corruption. They now have control of Springfield, and hope that things become better in town.
However, at a meeting, the members disagree on their ideas for a plan. A riot breaks out and continues on until Stephen Hawking comes in to end the fight. He and Homer have a friendly talk, until Homer imitates him in an attempt to make him pay the tab, and is punched.
Meanwhile, Homer attends an erotic photo session and gets pictures for Marge done.
[edit] Cultural references
- The episode title is a joke off the odd Brazilian science fiction movie, They Saved Hitler's Brain.
- The scene where the Mensans decide to hold a Renaissance-themed meeting in the park, in costume and in character, is possibly based upon the Society for Creative Anachronism: a historical reenactment group devoted to studying the Middle Ages. SCA members not only have a strong reputation for being intellectuals, but their gatherings are often held in public parks. This can and does lead to the occasional conflict with a 21st-century lout who adopts a hostile towards the group's presence and activities -- such as when Lenny and Carl refuse to give up the gazebo.
[edit] External links
- "They Saved Lisa's Brain" episode capsule at The Simpsons Archive
- "They Saved Lisa's Brain" at the Internet Movie Database