Separate Vocations

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The Simpsons episode
"Separate Vocations"

Bart proves himself to be a worthy hall monitor
Episode no.	53
Prod. code	8F15
Orig. Airdate	February 27, 1992
Show Runner(s)	Al Jean & Mike Reiss
Written by	George Meyer
Directed by	Jeffrey Lynch
Chalkboard	"I will not barf unless I'm sick. I will not barf unless I" - at cutoff
Couch gag	Bart leaps into everyone's lap
Guest star	Steve Allen as Bart's Warped Courtroom Voice
DVD commentary by	Matt Groening Mike Reiss Jon Vitti David Silverman Al Jean (Easter Egg)
Season 3 September 19, 1991 – August 27, 1992
Stark Raving Dad Mr. Lisa Goes to Washington When Flanders Failed Bart the Murderer Homer Defined Like Father, Like Clown Treehouse of Horror II Lisa's Pony Saturdays of Thunder Flaming Moe's Burns Verkaufen der Kraftwerk I Married Marge Radio Bart Lisa the Greek Homer Alone Bart the Lover Homer at the Bat Separate Vocations Dog of Death Colonel Homer Black Widower The Otto Show Bart's Friend Falls in Love Brother, Can You Spare Two Dimes?
List of all Simpsons episodes...

"Separate Vocations" is the 18th episode of The Simpsons' third season.

1 Synopsis
2 Trivia
3 Cultural references
4 External links

[edit] Synopsis

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

After taking career aptitude tests (which were scored by a malfunctioning computer), Lisa discovers that the occupation she's best suited for is homemaker while Bart is pegged as a future police officer. Each takes the opportunity to explore their options as Lisa spends the day doing chores with Marge and Bart goes on a ride along with the police. Lisa hates her role and rebels by becoming a troublemaker at school. Police life fits Bart like a glove and he becomes a hall monitor, handing out demerits to his classmates for minor infractions. When Lisa secretly steals all of the teachers' manuals, it's up to Bart and Principal Skinner to figure out who did it. Realizing his sister is the culprit, Bart takes the rap and returns to his life as a bad student and detention regular, while Lisa goes back to playing her saxophone.

[edit] Trivia

Bart imagines himself as a Mafia narc who is shown with Steve Allen's voice. Allen would appear again in "'Round Springfield".
Dr. Pryor would not speak again until "Lisa's Sax".
The first reference to Principal Skinner having fought in the Vietnam War. This would later become an important character trait.
Skinner's Puma Pride belief would be seen again in the later episode "Pokey Mom".
Ralphs paste eating habit is mentioned again "Miss Hoover 'Ralph! Are you eating paste?' Ralph [with paste brush in mouth] 'No Miss Hoover'

[edit] Cultural references

The episode title is a play on the 1986 film Separate Vacations.
When Principal Skinner is questioning Lisa about her newfound sense of irresponsibility, he asks "What are you rebelling against?" She responds "Whaddaya got?" like Marlon Brando in the movie The Wild One.
Bart imagines he is a drifter who is thrown out of a town by a sheriff, just like Sylvester Stallone as John Rambo in First Blood.