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The Simpsons: The Boy Who Knew Too Much

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We begin with Bart and Lisa heading to school. Bart is bored in class, so he forges a note from Marge to cut class and goes to see "Boobarama." Meanwhile, Skinner is trying to track him down after becoming suspicious of the note. Bart narrowly escapes his grasp by stowing away in Quimby's nephew's car. At a Quimby party, the nephew gets in an argument with a waiter. Bart witnesses the waiter clumsily injuring himself. No one else sees it, so the waiter claims Quimby's nephew assaulted him. The trial is a media event, but Bart cannot come forward or Skinner will give him detention. The jury consists of Homer, Skinner, Apu, et cetera. Homer is an incompetant juror and wants to be sequestered at the city's nicest hotel. After watching "MacArnagle," Bart decides to come forward to the Judge. Bart's testimony frees the innocent Quimby, but gets him four months of detention. Add a recap »

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Writers:: John Swartzwelder

Director:: Jeffrey Lynch

Stars:: Yeardley Smith (Lisa Simpson); Dan Castellaneta (Homer Simpson, Grampa Simpson, Barney Gumble, Krusty the Clown, Groundskeeper Willie, and others); Hank Azaria (Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, Moe Szyslak, Chief Wiggum, Comic Book Guy, Lou, and others); Harry Shearer (Mr. Burns, Ned Flanders, Principal Skinner, Waylon Smithers, Kent Brockman, and others); Nancy Cartwright (Bart Simpson, Nelson Muntz, Ralph Wiggum, Todd Flanders, and others); Julie Kavner (Marge Simpson, Patty Bouvier, and Selma Bouvier)

Recurring Role:: Phil Hartman (Lionel Hutz, Troy McClure and Additional Voices); Pamela Hayden (Milhouse Van Houten, Rod Flanders, Jimbo Jones, and others); Maggie Roswell (Maude Flanders, Helen Lovejoy, Miss Hoover, and others); Russi Taylor (Martin Prince, Sherri, Terri and others); Marcia Wallace (Edna Krabappel)

Matt Groening is the court-appointed artist. edit »
Other purely coincidental parallels between German-accented and occasionally miscast action film star Rainier Wolfcastle and Arnold Schwarzenegger, revealed in this episode:
- Both have wives named Maria.
- Both drive a Humvee. edit »
When Bart is running away from Principal Skinner, one of the scenes is of Bart running down a hill, which was cut directly from episode 4-1, "Kamp Krusty." edit »
This is the first episode to feature Bart's "Lil Bastard" prank kit. edit »
The episode plot is similar to that of "Huckleberry Finn" by Mark Twain edit »

Blackboard Joke: There's plenty of businesses like show business.
Couch Gag: The living room is the set of The Late Show With David Letterman. edit »

Bart: See Lisa, they don't need my help proving Freddy innocent.
Lisa: That's because Mayor Quimby is buying his nephew's freedom.
Bart: The system works. edit »
Homer: Marge, it was horrible. Everyone was against me in that jury room. But I stood by the courage of my convictions and I prevailed. And that's why we had Chinese food for lunch. edit »
Principal Skinner: You're stealing a table?
Homer: I'm not stealing it. Hotels expect you to take a few things. It's a souvenir!
Principal Skinner: Ah. Is that my necktie you're wearing?
Homer: Souvenir. edit »
Homer: I'm only doing what I think is right. I believe Freddy Quimby should walk out of here a free hotel. edit »
Homer: What does "sequestered" mean?
Principal Skinner: If the jury is deadlocked they're put up in a hotel together so they can't communicate with the outside world.
Homer: What does "deadlocked" mean?
Principal Skinner: It's when the jury can't agree on a verdict.
Homer: Uh huh. And "if"?
Principal Skinner: A conjunction meaning "in the event that" or "on condition that".
Homer: So if we don't all vote the same way, we'll be deadlocked and have to be sequestered in the Springfield Palace Hotel--
Patty: That's not going to happen.
Jasper: Let's vote. My liver is failing.
Homer: --where we'll get a free room, free food, free swimming pool, free HBO� ooh! Free Willy! edit »

Ferris Bueller's Day Off
Principal Skinner goes through extensive measures to prove Bart is skipping school much like Rooney in the 1986 film Ferris Bueller's Day Off. edit »
Kent Brockman: This reporter suggested "Waitergate," but was shouted down in the press conference.
This is a pun on Watergate, a scandal with Richard Nixon that led to his resignation from the presidency of the United States. edit »
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Reiner Wolfcastle (a parody of Schwarzenegger) drives a Humvee and his wife's name is Maria, just like Arnold Schwarzenegger. edit »
French Waiter: I am not some clumsy, Clouseau-esque waiter!
This is a reference to Inspector Clouseau of the 1963 film The Pink Panther. Clouseau is a bumbler, and the waiter uses this comparison when Bart says that the waiter tumbled through various objects in a clumsy, Clouseau-type manner. edit »
Westworld
The chase scene between Skinner and Bart parodies the 1973 film Westworld. edit »

8.6
00
Iverson82094
member since: Aug 23, 2007
The Boy Who Knew Too Much
The Bottom Line: "Exciting"
The Simpsons are rounding out the season and as I said before they still are going strong, and they don't look like they are goin to stop this great humor anytime soon. ...Continue »
01/23/08 03:43pm | report abuse
8.7
00
meathead704
member since: Jun 15, 2005
The Boy Who Knew Too Much
The Bottom Line: "Average"
Bart, after forging a note to get out of school, sneaks into the Quimby family home and watches a clumsy waiter injur himself. Believing there were no witnesses the waiter falsely accuses Mayor Quimby's nephew Fred of assault. Will Bart come forward? ...Continue »
11/08/07 05:47am | report abuse
9.4
00
EZR07
member since: Jan 3, 2007
The Boy Who Knew Too Much
The Bottom Line: "Well written"
Don't cut school or make up excuses to get out of school. ...Continue »
04/20/07 05:37pm | report abuse
8.8
00
GerMan666
member since: Jul 31, 2005
The Boy Who Knew Too Much
The Bottom Line: "Pivotal"
Bart skipping school, and witnesses the beating of a Clouseau-esque waiter. ...Continue »
01/15/07 05:45pm | report abuse
8.2
00
ozziefan
member since: Sep 26, 2005
The Boy Who Knew Too Much
The Bottom Line: "Average"
Bart wrestles with his conscience ...Continue »
03/03/06 12:15am | report abuse