Mr. Lisa Goes to Washington
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Mr. Lisa Goes to Washington is the second episode of The Simpsons third season.
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[edit] Episode Summary
Lisa Simpson enters a contest in which an essay is written about why the United States is great for Reading Digest magazine (a take on Reader's Digest), after a free copy is sent to the Simpson home. Lisa's article is approved for entry in the national finals in Washington, DC after the judge sees her father, Homer.
While Bart and Homer abuse the all expense-paid perks of their trip, Lisa visits famous monuments for inspiration. At one particular monument, she overhears a bribe taking place about demolishing Springfield Forest. Distraught at the dishonesty of government officials, Lisa tears up her essay and writes a new one to present at the finals.
The new essay, titled "Cesspool on the Potomac", disdains the government system, and mentions the names of those involved in the bribery. Lisa's essay causes a ruckus and elicits a hostile reaction from the judges and audience. Messages are quickly sent around the capital regarding Lisa's speech and the corrupt statesman is arrested. Lisa's essay does not win because of its content, but with the congressman arrested, her faith in government is restored.
[edit] Trivia
- One essay writer looks like an early Ralph Wiggum
- This is the first episode to be presented in Dolby Surround.
- This is the first episode with a sax solo in the opening credits that is different from the one used throughout the first two seasons.
- This episode also shows a shot of a state map, showing four states divided by two intersecting lines at right-hand angles, with Springfield in the top left hand state. The only state that this could be is Utah, although, as the shot fades out, the initials of the state can be seen as NT.
- Many sources list this episode as being broadcast after the following one, When Flanders Failed.
- At the beginning of the episode when Homer is sorting through the mail, the home address is seen as
94 Evergreen Terrace, Springfield, TA 192005.
In later episodes it is stated that the street address is 742 Evergreen Terrace and zip codes are always five-digit numbers.
- It is rumoured that the second airing of this episode, on December 12, 1991, features a scene excluded from the first. While the Season 3 DVD boxset was rumored to have a "loggers' controversy" featurette, this was not on the disc; this may have included the extra scene.
- Then-President George H.W. Bush is featured briefly in this episode, and is portrayed in a positive, albeit hokey, light. Ironically, he is ruthlessly satirized in the Season 7 episode Two Bad Neighbors.
[edit] Cultural references
- The plot (and title) of this episode is a play on Frank Capra's Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.
- Among the Washington DC landmarks visited are Dulles Airport, the Watergate Hotel (where the family stays), the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the IRS Building, the National Air and Space Museum, the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial and the Jefferson Memorial.
- Trong had already won both the Westinghouse Talent Search and the NFL Punt, Pass and Kick competition.
- The piano-playing satirist at the end of the episode is a reference to Mark Russell.
[edit] External links
- Episode Capsule on "Simpsons Archive"
- [1] The Museum of Broadcast Communications page on The Simpsons includes further reading, including a reference to Lauren Berlant's "The Theory of Infantile Citizenship," an extended reading of this episode (also included in The Queen of America Goes to Washington City).
