Bart Gets an F

Infobox Simpsons episode
episode_name = Bart Gets an F


image_caption = Martin teaching Bart
episode_no = 14
prod_code = 7F03
airdate = October 11, 1990
show runner = James L. Brooks
Matt Groening
Sam Simon
writer =
David M. Stern
director =
David Silverman
blackboard ="I will not encourage others to fly."cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/simpsons/episodeguide/season2/page1.shtml|title=Bart Gets an F|accessdate=2008-09-03|author=Martyn, Warren; Wood, Adrian |date=2000|publisher=BBC]
couch_gag =The couch falls through the floor as Homer says "D'oh!"
commentary = Matt Groening
James L. Brooks
Al Jean
Mike Reiss
David Silverman
season = 2

"Bart Gets an F" is the first episode of "The Simpsons"' second season. [http://www.thesimpsons.com/episode_guide/0201.htm "Bart Gets an F"] "The Simpsons.com". Retrieved on August 20, 2008] This was the first episode to feature the series' new, shorter opening sequence. This episode marked the first appearance of Mayor Quimby.

Plot

When Bart presents his book report at school on "Treasure Island", it is clear to everyone that he has not read the book. Mrs. Krabappel proves her suspicion when Bart is unable to answer her question about the name of the pirate in the book (the name actually came to him while brainstorming, but he chose "Bluebeard" instead). After school, Mrs. Krabappel tells Bart his grades have steadily gotten worse and warns him about an upcoming exam on Colonial America; Bart does not pay attention. At home, Bart tries to study but procrastinates instead. The next day at school, Bart "collapses" in class to get out of taking the test, and the nurse sends him home after diagnosing him with amoria phlebitis.

At home that night, Bart again fails to study, instead calling Milhouse for the answers. The next day at school, Bart takes the test but fails; Krabappel tells him his effort is "worse than Milhouse's exam." Homer and Marge are called in to meet with Krabappel and school psychiatrist Dr. J. Loren Pryor. They are told that Bart is an underachiever and that they recommend holding him back.

Bart finds out he may flunk fourth grade and, in desperation, asks Martin for help. He helps Bart study, and Bart reciprocates by showing him how to be more popular, which encourages him to take on some of Bart's bad attitudes. Bart reminds the "new" Martin about the test, but he ignores it, preferring to hang out with his new friends and play practical jokes. Left with little time to study on his own, Bart prays to God that something will happen to make him miss school the next day so he can have more time to study. That night, Springfield is hit with a massive blizzard, and the schools are closed.

After receiving word of the school closures, Bart excitedly prepares for a fun snow day. However, Lisa reminds him of his prayer, and he decides to study for the rest of the day while everyone is outside having fun. Bart actually concentrates while he is studying, and after he finishes the test, he asks Mrs. Krabappel to grade it immediately. She gives it back to him, and he sees that he got 59%, another F. Extremely upset at this failure after his honest effort, Bart breaks down shocking Mrs. Krabappel who thought he was used to failing. As she tries to comfort him, he mentions that now he knows how George Washington felt when he surrendered Fort Necessity to the French in 1754. Mrs. Krabappel, stunned at this obscure historical reference, realizes that Bart did study after all. She gives Bart an extra point for demonstrating applied knowledge, pushing his grade up to a D-. Bart is proud of this, and he tells everybody he actually passed before realizing he had kissed the teacher. Homer proudly displays Bart's new personal best on the refrigerator.

Cultural references

The scene where everyone in Springfield gathers around the town circle, holds hands and begins singing is a reference to "How the Grinch Stole Christmas!". Bart's claim, "As God is my witness, I can pass the fourth grade!" is a reference to a similar quote from "Gone with the Wind". ("As God is my witness, I will never go hungry again!"). The sled Benjamin Franklin is carrying in Bart's daydream about the Continental Congress reads "Don't sled on me", a reference to the legend on the historical Gadsden flag: "Don't Tread on Me".

Reception

The episode was ranked 31st on "Entertainment Weekly"' list of the 100 Greatest Moments in Television. [cite news | author = Bruce Fretts | title = The 100 Greatest Moments In Television/1990s | publisher = "Entertainment Weekly" | date = 1999 | url = http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,274576_2,00.html | accessdate=2008-01-25] Todd Doogan, another reviewer, added, "The Simpsons: The Complete Second Season is overall a superior experience to the first season, but some nagging problems really keep it from attaining high-end perfection". [cite web|url=http://www.thedigitalbits.com/reviews2/simpsonsseason2.html|title=The Simpsons: The Complete Second Season|accessdate=2008-09-03|date=2002|author=Doogan, Todd|publisher=The Digital Bits] David Grelck, another reviewer, quoted it as a "classic". [cite web|url=http://www.wdbgproductions.com/cinerama/reviews/simpsonsseason2.htm|title=The Simpsons: The Complete Second Season|accessdate=2008-09-03|date=2004|author=Grelck, David B|publisher=WDBG Productions]

It marked the first time that "The Simpsons" aired at the same time as "The Cosby Show" on NBC. It averaged an 18.4 Nielsen Rating and 29% of the audience. In the weeks ratings, it finished tied for eighth behind "The Cosby Show" which had an 18.5 rating. However, an estimated 33.6 million viewers watched the episode, making it the number one show in terms of actual viewers that week. At the time, it was the most watched episode in the history of the Fox Network. [cite news|title=Don't have a cow, man! More viewers watch 'The Simpsons' than 'Cosby'! |date=1990-10-18|accessdate=2008-02-09|page=C5|publisher=The Deseret News|author=Scott D. Pierce] At the time, NBC had 208 television stations, while Fox only had 133. [cite news|title=" The Simpsons ,' "Cosby' square off in second round |date=1990-10-18|accessdate=2008-02-09|page=6F|publisher=The Tampa Tribune|author=Walt Belcher] It is still the highest rated episode in the history of the show. [cite web |url=http://television.aol.com/feature/the-simpsons/3 |title='The Simpsons' Best Episodes: No. 15 - 11
accessdate=2008-09-03 |work= |publisher="www.aol.com" |date= ]

References

External links

*snpp capsule|7F03
*imdb episode|id=0763024|episode=Bart Gets an F