Bart Gets an F

Bart Gets an F is the first output by memorable writer David M. Stern. It is the first episode of the second season and it really shows. This is also the highest rated episode ever in Simpsons history. It was the episode in the middle of the Bill vs. Bart rivalry in which it actually defeated the Crosby show. The episode that brought Bartmania further and further to the forefront of the show and I'm glad the episode gets more than just praise for its high ratings as it is the first real masterpiece of The Simpsons and sets the bar really high for the second season.

The episode basically starts off where Bart the Genius left off. Both episodes reveal Bart as a character who constantly will fight against the rigors of the public school system. While somewhat dim in the light of scholars he is still a smart kid in many other ways. But in this episode it takes everything Bart has to pass the test to not repeat the fourth grade. The episodes first scene is a well done one with Martin's hilarious while well done book report of Hemmingway and of course Bart being chosen to follow the genius Martin. Bart of course fails but is given a chance to pass in the form of a colonial American test. This is where the true character of Bart comes through. He is a character who is constantly bombarded by media of the new world whether it is TV/the arcade or being forced to watch an ape movie with Homer. Bart of course at the start of the day(after his book report failure) says he'll shape up but instead become a slave to his desires like most of us would and doesn't study for the test. He wakes up the next morning knowing he is doomed to failure but he thinks quickly and is able to fake a sickness in the classroom to get out of doing the test. He is then bed ridden for the next day but he thinks of a genius plan(or at least he thinks it is) and gets the answers from Milhouse. This of course leads to the funniest moments of the episode with Bart failing the test worse than Milhouse.

After Bart fails this test they bring in Dr. Pryor(the same one who said Bart was a genius not too long ago)who says Bart in an underachiever and "proud of it"(a saying that would become a staple of Bart's merchandise selling point). But you can truly see that Bart isn't proud of his stupidity and why would he be he isn't that clueless of a kid. That moment with Bart admitting he is stupid is on of the most emotional scenes of the episode and of the early seasons thus far. In the end Bart is given one final chance to pass the next test or be doomed to repeat the fourth grade. So Bart begins a journey to find a way to pass the test. He enlists the help of his playground foe Martin to help him become a better student and in turn will be taught by Bart how not to care about school so much. This plan predictably fails because Martin becomes prey to the very things that took Bart down i.e arcade and refuses to help Bart any further. Bart with nowhere else to go prays to god to somehow help him pass the test. Just the aspect that prayer is the place that Bart would turn says so much not only about Bart but about ourselves and how we use deities only for merely selfish reasons.

In true Simpsonian form Bart's prayer is answered with a snow day. While he thinks he can act like he normally does Lisa catches him. She knew he prayed to the lord and in turn must repay him by studying. The most pivotal scene of this episode is the tight juxtaposition between Bart's attempts to study and the wonderful bliss that is snow the most fun day ever. It really is a nice look at Bart's character with the cuts between the two scene because while for the most part TV etc are Bart's scapegoats for his failures he moves down to the basement and till is unable to study because of his wondering mind(the day dream sequence is really beautiful ) and it leads to the question of whether Bart's inabilities at school are in deed because of his over use of TV etc or is just because he simply can't do well in school because of more genetic reason.

The final scenes of this episode are what I really think make this episode so special. Not only does Bart fail the test yet again he bursts into a really moving set of tears. These tears are not tears he is faking this is real this is the real Bart with his defenses down and nowhere else to go. Bart through all sorts of divine interventions is able to finally pass through referencing an obscure history reference for bonus points and although he may not deserve it this is the first reference of some sort of divine intervention helping an undeserving person in the zany town of Springfield. The end of the episode with Bart giving his mere D- to God as some sort of thanks for the help is a great cap to the episode.

Grade A+ and overall #15 on my list of favourite Simpsons episodes.