Bart the General is arguably the best Simpsons episode of the first season(although season one is full of classic gems). It's the first written by Mr. Swartzwelder and is a "classic Swartzwelder". While Simpsons Roasting was the foundation for emotional/comedic/satire mix and Bart the Genius was the first great character study Bart the General is the first gag fest mixed with some social satire. Anyone who says that the first season isn't funny need only watch this episode and eat some crow as this is almost as funny as any Simpsons episode is.The first act begins with a classic Bart and Lisa moment with the bus ride with Bart begging for a cupcake and Bart finally getting a cupcake after some funny dialogue although of course it had hit the ground first. What happens next is of course where the episodes conflict comes full out as a Bully attempts to steal Lisa's cupcakes. The bully is successful is ruining the cupcakes and Bart leaps to defend his sister and while he does defeat the weakest bully he is soon face to face with the playground tyrant known as Nelson Muntz. The episode soon makes a clever mockery of playground "constitutions and antics" as of course Bart must fully defend his sister against anybody and must fight Nelson despite his obvius physical disadvantage as he doesn't want to be seen as weak. Of course Nelson must fight Bart back after Bart makes him bleed his own blood. The first act ends with Bart getting thrown in a trash can and rolled to his house.
The second act begins with Bart getting advice from Homer to fight Nelson. Of courseit would have been much smarter to have gone to Marge for advice as she is the voice of reason and pacification. But as Homer states "I don't get in your way when your helping Lisa" the comment in itself a satire of masculinity. So Homer trains Bart and he loses the fight again as Homer being the parent he is didn't help the problem but is rather a statement of the want of masculinity in common America and decides to fight fire with fire. But Bart is much smaller than Nelson and of courses gets defeated. During the fight there is a great Star Wars reference(one of the best of the series).
During the third act Bart goes to the final member of the Simpsons male side of the family tree and that is Grandpa Simpson. Once again there is no realistic reason for Bart to go to Grandpa other than he and Lisa see him as a strong figure because he is old and experienced making him "tough". But the fact they're trying to find the toughest Simpson to defeat Nelson is a biting satire of the way most countries handle their problems etc. So Bart enlists Grandpa to help him and in turn they go to see Herman for some help. Herman gets Bart to rally every person harmed by Nelsons tyrannical reign of the playground to overthrow him. Of course there is some nods to some great movies ie Full Metal Jacket. But the real scathing satire is shown in the episodes parody of the film Patton in the infamous slapping scene and Bart being forced to apologize to the kid he slaps even though the kid could be just as easily as harmed in the fight against Nelson.
The end of the episode is really where the episode is a great satire on war with the two weaker bullies abandoning their leader once it gets hard and say the infamous lines "we were just following orders". The people overthrow Nelson and in one last piece of satire a treaty is drawn up one much like the Germans were forced to sign at the end of WWI.
So I do think that this episode is the one that sets the bar for where episodes were going to go because as much as I love character study episodes and emotional episodes most of the Simpsons episodes will be like Bart the General a great piece of satire in comparing playground antics to warfare and a hilarious gag fest filled with dream sequences and thought bubbles that the Simpsons would be famous for.
Overall grade: A and overall number 27 on my list of top Simpsons episodes
Just watched. Observations:
ReplyDeleteThe dead end disintegrating staircase is pretty nicely done, but it looks like they dropped the ball on the transition to Bart in his desk. I've heard from commentaries that sometimes these type of cuts were lost in translation when they were sent overseas to be animated.
Immediately after viewing Bart's body, Otto turns on his Walkman.
When Bart wanders into the house after rolling home, the layout of the house is not only off, but doesn't really make sense.
Love the animation of Bart and the hairdryer.
"Don't tattle, always make fun of those different from you, never say anything unless you're sure everyone feels exactly the same way you do."
"He's pretty dumb, he's in all the same special classes I am."
Homer's fighting techniques are pretty consistent with Brother from the Same Planet.
I love Bart sliding up to the reception desk at the Retirement Home (not yet called the Retirement Castle!) out of nowhere
"Number one: bra. Number two: horny. Number three: family jewels."
Is Elm Street ever mentioned again?
This is probably the funniest first season episode, but the cadences are pretty weak. An attempt to appeal to children? More likely they're just filler, especially since there's no b-story. They lend some structure to the training montage, but just really aren't funny.
The jungle-gym nod to Full Metal Jacket is gorgeous.
"Olajuwan!"
"I'd rather they say death from above"
"It can't fail against a ten year-old!"
"The tall grey-haired kid"
Thoughts?