The PTA Disbands

Infobox Simpsons episode
episode_name = The PTA Disbands


image_caption = Krabappel announces her decision to strike to Principal Skinner
episode_no = 124
prod_code = 2F19
airdate = April 16, 1995
writer =
Jennifer Crittenden
director =
Swinton O. Scott III
blackboard = "I do not have power of attorney over first graders."
couch_gag = The living room is modeled after M. C. Escher's "Relativity" and the family runs in through the many complex and conflicting dimensions.
guest_star =
commentary = Matt Groening
David Mirkin
Swinton O. Scott III
David Silverman
season = 6 "The PTA Disbands" is the 21st episode of "The Simpsons"' sixth season. It originally aired on April 16, 1995.

Plot

's miserly spending on school supplies and activities.

The various student characters respond to the sudden turn of events in their own ways: Lisa becomes increasingly obsessive in her desire to be graded, Milhouse is forced by his parents to take private tutoring lessons, Jimbo Jones finds himself immersed in the intricacies of daytime soap operas with his mom, Dolph and Kearney become easily bored with video games, and Bart revels in his newfound afternoon freedom and annoys many Springfield citizens by imitating other people to make them angry or hurt each other. In particular, Bart does what he can to keep the union and Principal Skinner at odds with each other. The two sides are at an impasse; the union wanting a restoration of funding and Skinner maintaining that even with the spending reductions he has made, government budget cuts have squeezed the school dry.

After some prompting from an exasperated Marge Simpson, the parents of Springfield eventually decide to take matters into their own hands, and recruit volunteers from the community to take over as temporary teachers. This turns out to be even worse for the students than before the strike, especially as Marge becomes Bart's new teacher and Jasper becomes Lisa's new teacher and gets his beard stuck in a pencil sharpener. Due to her excessive mothering, Bart grudgingly resolves to force the strike negotiations forward. Together with Milhouse, he tricks both Ms. Krabappel and Principal Skinner into entering Skinner's office, which he then locks behind them. After spending several hours trapped together "like prisoners" in their own school, the two are mutually inspired with an idea to create extra revenue for more school spending. Things return to normal with the old teachers in charge, however with the school cloakrooms having been rented to the Springfield Prison. Each classroom now features several full prison cells at the back, which have the added benefit of keeping the more troublesome students in line (although it is clear from the last line that Bart intends to help free Snake Jailbird, who is in the cell directly behind Bart's desk).

Production

Despite the title of the episode, at no point does the PTA actually disband. The title was suggested by David Mirkin and was intended to poke fun at the episode writer, Jennifer Crittenden, who thought the most exciting part of the teachers going on strike would be that the PTA might disband. [David Mirkin (2005), DVD director's commentary for the episode "The PTA Disbands!"] In addition to this, Mirkin added a character to the episode who, on thinking the PTA has disbanded, jumps panicking out of a window. He jumps back in the same window when Ned tells him the PTA has not disbanded.

Cultural references

* The scene in which Üter is left behind at the end of the field trip is based on the death of Rafer Janders, a character played by Richard Harris in the 1978 film "The Wild Geese".
*The character at the bank who tells the angry crowd that their money's in "Bill's house, and Fred's house" is based on James Stewart's George Bailey character from "It's a Wonderful Life".
*The "that's a paddlin'…" speech by Jasper is a spoof of the "that's a night in the box" speech from "Cool Hand Luke".
*The phrase "purple monkey dishwasher" is uttered by Edna Krabappel, after a message originating with Bart is passed down a line of people. The nonsensical nature of the comment is similar to the end product of a game of "Chinese Whispers or "Telephone"), where a story or phrase passed sequentially from one member of a group to another is often grossly distorted once it reaches the intended recipient. The remark itself has achieved a notable amount of pop culture recognition as an inside joke between Simpsons fans. A Purple Monkey Dishwasher zine (Modbury North, S.A. : Purple Monkey Dishwasher, 1996-1999) was even published for a short time.
*The cannon pointed at the tower leg was a reference to F Troop. The lookout was even modeled after the lookout in the show.

Notes and references

External links

*snpp capsule|2F19