Girly Edition

"Girly Edition" is the twenty-first episode of the ninth season of the animated television series The Simpsons, which originally aired April 19, 1998.^[2] It was written by Larry Doyle and directed by Mark Kirkland.^[2] The episode is about Lisa and Bart being in a news program, though when Bart is seen as a more successful news anchor, she becomes jealous and seeks revenge.

1 Plot
2 Production
3 Reception
4 References
5 External links

[edit] Plot

After Groundskeeper Willie takes away Bart's skateboard, Bart fills up Willie's shack with creamed corn as he's sleeping, causing the shack to explode. As Willie is being taken away for medical attention, he swears revenge on Bart. Meanwhile, Krusty's show comes under criticism for not being educational enough, causing the channel to make a news program on the show. Lisa is recruited as a news anchor along with other Springfield Elementary School children. Bart is not chosen at first, but is made sportscaster after he complains to Marge.

As a subplot, Homer obtains a monkey helper after learning Apu has gotten one. He is initially refused one, but is able to use Abraham Simpson to get one. Marge is upset that Homer obtained the monkey, though Homer persuades her to let him keep it. However, after Homer allows the monkey to eat and lounge around as he does, the monkey soon becomes overweight and lazy, as well as weak. Homer finally returns the monkey and rushes off from the shop.

Lisa is deemed to be boring by the channel's staff, though they are impressed by Bart's performance. Bart is then promoted to be the co-anchor, which leads to jealousy by Lisa. However, after Bart hears Lisa talking behind his back about being stupid, he tries to improve being an anchor. He goes to for advice, who teaches him about human interest stories. Bart becomes successful after creating a segment called "Bart's People", though this only leads to more jealousy to Lisa. She eventually sends a letter acting as an immigrant who lives in a landfill who pleads to be on Bart's People, which causes Bart to rush to the landfill to do a live "Bart's People". However, once he's doing the cast, he learns that the immigrant was Groundskeeper Willie, who wants to get revenge on Bart. Lisa sees that what she did was wrong, and rushes off to save him. She is able to reach him, and is able to change Willie's mind about killing him, using the similar techniques Bart used in his stories to stir up emotions. The two decide from then on to make a good educational news program, though it is soon canceled.^[2]^[3]

[edit] Production

The episode was pitched by Larry Doyle to the writing staff. He came up with both the idea of the main plot and the subplot, and this was also the first episode he wrote for the show.^[4]

One of the scenes involving the monkey and Homer that Eric Stefani animated.

The monkey that was in the subplot was inspired by the film Monkey Shines, as show runner Mike Scully had asked the staff to reference to the film when they were making the episode. The staff also studied the behavior of monkeys from other resources and researched the behavior of the animal to learn about the movements and how the animal reacts to humans.^[5] Eric Stefani, who had then been a former show animator and was then with the band No Doubt, was called by episode director Mark Kirkland to come back and animate the scenes with Homer and the monkey. This was the final work Stefani did for The Simpsons.^[5]

The Crazy Cat Lady was first introduced in this episode.^[4]

[edit] Reception

The authors of the book I Can't Believe It's a Bigger and Better Updated Unofficial Simpsons Guide, Warren Martyn and Adrian Wood, thought well of the episode, calling it, "A great episode, full of more than the normal quota of good jokes, but best of all is Lisa's revenge on Bart, and the mad cat-lady who goes around chucking her cats at people."^[1]

This episode is one of Yeardley Smith's favorite episodes. She claims that "I don't actually remember a lot of the episodes because they all blend in together for me, and I don't have a really good memory anyway, but I do remember this one and thinking that it was terrific."^[6]

[edit] References

^ ^a ^b Martyn, Warren; Wood, Adrian (2000). Girly Edition. BBC. Retrieved on 2007-10-28.
^ ^a ^b ^c Gimple, Scott (1999). The Simpsons Forever!: A Complete Guide to Our Favorite Family ...Continued. Harper Collins Publishers, p. 37. ISBN 0-06-098763-4.
^ "Girly Edition" The Simpsons.com. Retrieved on October 28, 2007
^ ^a ^b Mike Scully. (2006). The Simpsons season 9 DVD commentary for the episode "Girly Edition" [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.
^ ^a ^b Mark Kirkland. (2006). The Simpsons season 9 DVD commentary for the episode "Girly Edition" [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.
^ Smith, Yeardley. (2006). The Simpsons season 9 DVD commentary for the episode "Girly Edition" [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.