dual personalities

Happy birthday to Matt Groening, creator of The Simpsons (1989–present) which, you well know, is the longest-running U.S. primetime-television series in history, as well as the longest-running animated series and sitcom.

Our family watched The Simpsons together during its “Golden Age,” i.e. seasons one through nine. We thought the sitcom family bore an amazing ressemblance to our family–two girls, one boy; a neglected third child; a clueless, oafish father who nevertheless always seemed to come though in the end; and a long-suffering, mostly-together mother. They even go to church, although they are not Episcopalians. Sometimes we wondered if the writers weren’t looking over our shoulders at our lives. Remember the “Boy-Scoutz ‘n the Hood” episode?

Daughter #1 really identified with Lisa: “I don’t get it: straight A’s, perfect attendance, bathroom timer – I should be the most popular girl in school.” Daughter #2 was, of course, the baby Maggie.

Marge: Bart’s grades are up a little this term. But Lisa’s are way down.

Homer: Oh, why do we always have to have one good kid and one lousy kid? Why can’t both our kids be good?

Marge: We have three kids, Homer.

Homer: Marge, the dog doesn’t count as a kid.

Marge: No, I mean Maggie.

Homer: Oh, yeah.

And the boy, although never as “bad” as Bart, frequently felt a kinship with him. Remember the episode where Bart thinks he may have to repeat 4th grade (“Bart Gets an ‘F'”).

Bart, pushed to his limit, prays for help and then there is a massive snowstorm in Springfield, causing there to be a snow day. Bart could study, but does he?

Tonight we should all watch our favorite episodes and toast Matt Groening. Mine are:

1. “Lisa’s Substitute” with Mr. Bergstrom (Dustin Hoffman) as the substitute teacher who actually understands and appreciates Lisa.

Marge: Lisa, tell your father.

Lisa: Mr. Bergstrom left today.

Homer: [uncaring] Oh?

Lisa: He’s gone. Forever.

Homer: [still uncaring] And?

Lisa: I didn’t think you’d understand.

Homer: [even more uncaring than before] Hey! Just because I don’t care doesn’t mean I don’t understand.

Lisa: [snaps at Homer] I’m glad I’m not crying, because I would hate for you to think that what I’m about to say is based on emotion, but you, sir, are a baboon!

Homer: (gasp) Me?

Lisa: Yes, you! Baboon! Baboon! Baboon! Baboon!

Homer: I don’t think you realize what you’re saying…

Lisa: BABOON!! [She breaks down crying and runs upstairs to her room]

Bart: Whoa. Somebody was bound to say it one day, I just can’t believe it was her.

Homer: Did you hear that, Marge?! She called me a baboon, the stupidest, ugliest, smelliest ape of them all!

2. “A Streetcar Named Marge” when Marge is cast as Blanche DuBois in a musical version of the play, and Maggie has to go to the Ayn Rand School for Tots. She leads the tots in an elaborate “Great Escape.”

3. “Marge vs. the Monorail” with Phil Hartman providing the voice of Lyle Lanley, and Leonard Nimoy making a guest appearance.

The cultural and film references in these three episodes are many and perfect.

“I’ve sold monorails to Brockway, Ogdenville and North Haverbrook, and by God, it put them on the map!”

What is your favorite Simpsons episode? Here’s a list of the top 10 episodes–I guess everyone’s entitled to an opinion.

What is your most repeated Simpsons line? Doh!