Episode 8: O Brother Where Bart Thou?

In our 4-episode streak, we hit the best of the streak with this episode. Now at this point in the series I actually had hope that if this show were to end after this season, there could be a good chance that it would end with dignity. As I would find out though, those dreams were taken to the woodshed and beaten with a baseball bat. Let's begin this review.

We start our episode with a snowstorm going on while Homer and Lisa watch TV (on their three-seater couch which now seems like a two-seater). We see them watching a show that delves into how candy is made as the show goes south after seeing how gelatin is made (Two things, 1: Why is Lisa shocked by how gelatin is made? Shouldn't she know something like this? And 2: I'm pretty sure they use the hooves of already dead horses instead of killing a horse just for its hooves). After Homer bumbles around with the remote, they finally get to another show; The Creative Arts Emmy Show *screams* (I really just love the expression by Homer and Lisa, it's just priceless).

This is what the old Simpsons had to say about these recent episodes

After that bit of padding, Homer insults Lisa's knowledge of global warming saying that it'll melt all the snow so he doesn't have to shovel. As he's skipping away mocking her, Lisa puts it aside in a way that I swear is just breaking the 4th wall a little *just seems like her reaction when told that this show gets another year*. After Bart goes through listening Skinner and Chalmers yank his chain about school closings (I thought that radio hosts did that, what are they doing there?) he celebrates like any kid would, not being able to go outside and instead stay indoors *Wait what?* After he is forced indoors, the power goes out leading into some okay jokes until you realize that in two years they've probably made more Obama jokes than they did Clinton Jokes in his entire administration (Seriously, I swear the writers are just getting lazy in terms of jokes so they just throw in an Obama joke to keep the episode going). After failing to be entertained by his balloon-powered TV (Seriously, there's snow outside you don't want to go outdoors?) he find Lisa and Maggie playing "runway" with Maggie as the Model and Lisa as the "Not-so-British" announcer.

The secret life of JonBenet Ramsey

When Bart asks to play, Lisa takes full advantage of this by putting Bart in girly clothes. Lisa exposits that Bart wanted to play because Lisa and Maggie share a bond stronger than friendship: "Sisterhood", and he doesn't have a brother so nyah, nyah. This does raise a good question that's bugged me for a while: since when have Lisa and Maggie been good friends? Last major episode between them, Lisa had homicidal thoughts involving her. This just seems to really come out of nowhere but it does make our plot so let's move on. As Bart is convinced that he doesn't need a brother we see a semi-montage of famous brothers including the Marx Brothers, the Blues Brothers, the Mario Brothers, Sideshow Bob and Cecil, the Wright Brothers, the Smith Brothers, the Mannings, and the Smothers Brothers.

Ah brotherly love, mock the oldest

My favorite scene has to be Eli and Peyton playing keep-away from Cooper *the oldest*, while I felt that the arguments for the Smothers Brothers just droned on a little too long. Bart wakes up, realizing he wants a brother as Lisa insults him yet again *it's a long way to go to get even there Lis*. After Homer and Bart clear the sidewalk and driveway, we get our South Park reference *which I love* as Bart *Stan*, Milhouse *Kyle*, Nelson *Cartman*, and Ralph *Kenny* talk to Bart about his parents having another boy (OMG Otto killed Kenny!! YOU BASTARD!).

All: Schooldays! Schooldays! Teacher's golden rules days.....

Bart puts his plan in motion as he cooks a five course romantic dinner (How he was able to cook all that is a mystery but I turn my suspension of disbelief up a notch for this scene). It backfires as Homer and Marge get too full and can't have sex, Bart enacts plan B which includes Milhouse giving Bart the Kama Sutra DVD to leave in Homer's TV in his room *Sure why not, Bart has his own TV* that backfires as they are middle age white people so they hurt themselves. Bart then gets the idea from the bullies to change out Marge's birth control pills with tic-tacs *See "Itchy and Scratchy Movie"* as Marge tells Bart that if she does get pregnant it could be with a girl *Cue the Sex and the City images*. Bart decides because of all this he'll go with a plan that cannot backfire; adopt a boy. It backfires as he cannot adopt and is kicked out, however a boy named Charlie follows him home to be his new brother.

Oh dear God! How much did I drink last night?!

After a pointless scene of Bart showing the school Charlie *as if he were a dog* we get our montage of the episode. You know, montages can be okay, if you use them sparingly; this season, I swear, is trying to average a montage an episode and it pisses me off. Afterward, we cut to Bart telling Lisa about Charlie and why she shouldn't say anything (We also get a nice red herring as Lisa looks at him weirdly but nothing ever comes of it; the scene sets up for Charlie to be evil or for Lisa to take him away herself). Bart and Charlie then go to a Saw parody *which is probably better than the recent Saw movies* and they are then jumped by Wiggum after the movie. Bart and Charlie escape as they hide in a snowbank in the middle of town to avoid everyone else. Lisa manages to find them, convince Bart to let Charlie go, and they all get encased by the Plow King *nostalgic feeling*. Bart and Charlie pee a hole open to free them (Wow that sounded better on the screen). Charlie is re-adopted by a new family and we end with Homer taking Bart to a movie.

Final Judgment: This episode does have some annoying features but in the greater picture, it is a very well written episode that I really like and I think you should watch more than once to appreciate it.

Final Grade: 7.8/10 Best episode of the season and almost worth buying the season DVD, ALMOST.