Review of the Simpsons, Season Six, on DVD

Bart of Darkness- The Simpsons get a swimming pool during a particularly hot summer but Bart cannot enjoy it after a swimming accident leads to a broken leg. Bart, relegated to his bedroom all summer, has to watch the growing popularity of his sister Lisa and also thinks he witnesses wrongdoing by neighbor Ned Flanders but is comically mistaken.

Lisa’s Rival- Lisa’s unrivaled dominance in school is challenged by a bright newcomer who has all of the skills that Lisa has and more. Lisa tries to sabotage her diorama project but in the end realizes that both suffer from an obsessive need to be perfect.

Another Simpsons Clip Show- One of the more frustrating aspects of the Simpsons is that they have a clip show seemingly every season. While many people appreciate the funnier moments on the Simpsons, personally I could do without clip shows based on strained plot devices to show scenes from past seasons.

Itchy and Scratchy Land- The Simpsons go to Itchy and Scratchy Land, a malfunctioning Disney World knock-off that turns into a dangerous trap when the Itchy and Scratchy robots turn on the park’s patrons. This episode of the Simpsons is rife with theme park satire, including a poorly stocked gift shop (no Bart license plates, but plenty of Bort license plates), angry mascots, and tight security.

Sideshow Bob Roberts- Sideshow Bob (Kelsey Grammar) is freed from jail by a group of conservative leaders in Springfield and runs against Mayor Quimby. When Bob wins the election, Lisa and Bart explore voter fraud and convince the public that Quimby should have won the election.

Treehouse of Horror V- One of the best aspects of The Simpsons is their annual “Treehouse of Horror” series, with this season’s offering dealing with a “The Shining” spoof, Homer’s time travel using a souped up toaster, and a solution to detention gone wrong.

Bart’s Girlfriend- Bart meets Reverend Lovejoy’s daugther, a bad girl who discovers that Bart shares the same penchant for trouble. However, when Bart gets accused of stealing from the alms box, he discovers how mean this girl can be. In the end, everything is rectified yet no lesson is learned, which is a great departure of the Simpsons from traditional sitcoms.

Lisa on Ice- Bart and Lisa compete on ice to fulfill their sibling rivalry, while Marge worries about organized sports’ effects on her children and Homer pits the two against each other to win his love. This is only one example of one of the funnier themes in the Simpsons, the ugly side of youth sports.

Homer Badman- Homer and Marge attend a candy expo only to have Homer steal a gummy Venus de Milo. When Homer takes home the babysitter, he is accused of sexual harassment and the town is in an uproar about Homer’s actions. Luckily, Groundskeeper Willy’s penchant for voyeurism proves to acquit Homer of his supposed crime.

Grampa v. Sexual Inadequacy- Grampa Simpson’s rocky relationship with his only son Homer is revealed in this episode, when the father-son pair develops a medicine for impotence. The two travel around to different cities to sell it but their respective annoyance with each other leads to a realization that they have disappointed each other.

Fear of Flying- Marge’s fear of flying is exposed in this episode when Homer’s airline accident leads to a free tickets for the Simpsons. The best part of this episode of The Simpsons is the flashback to Marge’s realization that her father was an airline steward (and him screaming “Don’t Look At Me!” at a young Marge).

Homer the Great- Homer discovers a secret Masonic chapter in Springfield and a birthmark proves to be a key to the top of the Stonecutters. But his avarice and the frustration of his friends and followers leads to his downfall (he was also not helped any by his insistence that monkeys be collected to fight Civil War re-enactments).

And Maggie Makes Three- The Simpsons detail the story of how they had Maggie in a series of flashbacks (the one weak spot in the Simpsons armor) showing how having Maggie made their lives richer.

Bart’s Comet- When Principal Skinner takes Bart out stargazing as a punishment, Bart discovers a comet falling toward Earth. The town goes into a frenzy and everyone crowds into Ned Flanders’ bunker to await the end of the world, which doesn’t come because the comet breaks up in the atmosphere.

Homie the Clown- When Krusty the Clown faces financial difficulty, he opens a series of clown colleges, attended by many of the town folk including Homer. Homer, however, gets caught up in a mafia connection to the real Krusty and has to perform a difficult trick for the local mafia boss.

Bart v. Australia- Bart’s extensive phone bill to Australia leads the Simpsons to the land down under, where Bart insults the Australian flag and has to undergo an embarrassing punishment (a kick in the rear by the Prime Minister). The Simpsons, however, make their typical escape from responsibility and leave an angry group of Australians at the American embassy.

Homer v. Patty and Selma- Bart gets involved in ballet when he cannot sign up for any other gym activities and is surprisingly good. A loan from Patty and Selma to Homer leads to blackmail until Homer saves them from being fired from the DMV.

A Star is Burns- Jay Sherman (Jon Lovitz), star of the ABC cartoon “The Critic,” comes to Springfield to judge a film festival. Mr. Burns tries his best to bribe the panel but is faced with competition from Barney Gumble and Hans Moleman.

Lisa’s Wedding- Lisa runs into a fortune teller who gives her a detailed look at her future, where she marries a priggish British student and is engaged to marry but does not want to forsake her socially awkward family.

Two Dozen and One Greyhounds- When Santa’s Little Helper has twenty five puppies, the Simpsons realize they can’t take care of all of them and decide to sell them to Mr. Burns. However, the children know that Burns only wants to use the puppies for a new fur coat and are successful in stopping him before it is too late.

The PTA Disbands- Principal Skinner and the teachers go on strike over budget cuts as well as a war of words perpetuated by Bart. When locals like Marge and Moe start to teach classes, Bart and Lisa realize a solution needs to be found. Skinner eventually reconciles with the staff and finds a solution to the funding problem.

Round Springfield- The death of Bleeding Gums Murphy leads to woe and angst by Lisa, who eventually finds a way to commemorate his legacy with the help of her brother Bart (who purchased the only available copy of Murphy’s only record “Sax on the Beach”).

The Springfield Connection- A run-in with a street hustler leads Marge to take action and her strike against street crime leads to her joining the Springfield police force. But frustration with Homer’s attitude toward her new position and corruption under Police Chief Wiggum lead to her resignation.

Lemon of Troy- One of the funniest classic episodes of the Simpsons is Lemon of Troy, in which children from Springfield and neighboring Shelbyville compete over a vital lemon tree that is stolen from the Springfield countryside.

Who Shot Mr. Burns? (Part One): The first in a two-part series involving Mr. Burns’ theft of oil from Springfield Elementary and an angry meeting by the townspeople on how to fund their largess. The season finale leaves viewers hanging on the issue of who shot Mr. Burns, to be continued in the seventh season of the Simpsons.

Special Features: Matt Groening and the Simpsons people did a great job with this DVD, including great commentaries on all of the episodes, deleted scenes for most episodes, and a few original pieces such as “Springfield’s Most Wanted” and a feature on an unnecessary promotional shoot in front of an airliner with a Simpsons advertisement.