Lisa the Greek

Last updated

"Lisa the Greek"
The Simpsons episode
Episode no.Season 3
Episode 14
Directed by Rich Moore
Written by Jay Kogen
Wallace Wolodarsky
Production code8F12
Original air dateJanuary 23, 1992 (1992-01-23)
Guest appearances
Episode features
Couch gag Homer accidentally sits on Santa's Little Helper.
Commentary Matt Groening
James L. Brooks
Al Jean
Mike Reiss
Julie Kavner
Nancy Cartwright
Yeardley Smith
Jay Kogen
Wallace Wolodarsky
Rich Moore
Episode chronology
← Previous
"Radio Bart"		Next →
"Homer Alone"
The Simpsons (season 3)
List of episodes

"Lisa the Greek" is the fourteenth episode of the third season of the American animated television series The Simpsons . It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on January 23, 1992. In the episode, Homer bonds with Lisa when he discovers her ability to pick winning football teams. When Lisa learns her father is only using her talent to help him gamble, she thinks he does not care for her.

Contents

The episode was written by Jay Kogen and Wallace Wolodarsky, and directed by Rich Moore. The episode was written to satirize the Simpsons staff members' "love affair with gambling, particularly on football". [1] "Lisa the Greek" references both the Super Bowl and the National Football League (NFL). It aired only days before Super Bowl XXVI, and correctly predicted that the Washington Redskins would win.

Since airing, the episode has received mostly positive reviews from television critics. It acquired a Nielsen rating of 14.2, and was the highest-rated show on Fox the week it aired.

Plot

When Lisa complains to Marge that Homer does not share her interests, Marge suggests doing something he likes, so Lisa watches a televised football game with him. After being cheated by a premium rate betting advice hotline, a desperate Homer asks Lisa to pick a winner. She picks the Miami Dolphins, so Homer calls Moe's Tavern to place a $50 bet. Homer and Lisa celebrate the Dolphins' victory.

Since Lisa is adept at picking winning teams, Homer declares every Sunday during football season Daddy-Daughter Day. Lisa sustains her winning streak for eight weeks, earning her father more money as the Super Bowl approaches. Homer buys his family expensive gifts and meals with his gambling earnings. When Lisa asks Homer if they can go hiking the Sunday after the Super Bowl, he tells her that Daddy-Daughter Days are over until next football season. Lisa realizes that Homer only wanted her to help him gamble and does not treasure her company.

Meanwhile, Marge arranges a Mother-Son Day with Bart by taking him clothes shopping. She forces him to try on unfashionable clothes and humiliates him by flinging open the fitting room door, causing Sherri and Terri and the other customers to laugh at him in his underwear. Bart spends the rest of the day locked in the car to avoid getting beaten up by bullies for Marge’s poor fashion choices while Marge herself remains oblivious.

After a nightmare in which her childhood sports betting with Homer caused her to grow up to become a compulsive gambler, Lisa, completely heartbroken, gives away all the toys Homer bought her with his betting stash. She tells Homer who will win the game, but she warns him that she is so distraught she might unconsciously want him to lose. She makes a cryptic prediction: if she still loves him, Washington will win; if she does not, then Buffalo will. As Homer anxiously watches the game at Moe's, Washington scores at the last second and wins. Overjoyed that his daughter still loves him, Homer cancels his bowling date with Barney and goes hiking with Lisa the next weekend.

Production

Al Jean enjoys working on Homer-Lisa episodes. Al Jean by Gage Skidmore.jpg
Al Jean enjoys working on Homer–Lisa episodes.

The episode was written by Jay Kogen and Wallace Wolodarsky, and directed by Rich Moore. According to show runner Al Jean, it was designed to satirize the staff members' "love affair with gambling, particularly on football". [1] Kogen, Wolodarsky, Jean, George Meyer, Sam Simon, and James L. Brooks were all frequent gamblers. [2] Many of the staff members were also football fans, particularly Kogen and Wolodarsky. [3] In "Lisa the Greek", the writers wanted to further develop Lisa's character, and so they decided to make it about Lisa's relationship with her father. [3]

Kogen commented that Lisa and Marge episodes "tend to be the better episodes", because they are more thought-out and have more emotional depth. However, they are harder to write than other episodes because they are "less jokey". The writers therefore made the decision to replace Marge's role with Homer, who tends to be funnier than Marge. [3] Jean commented that because he has a daughter, Homer–Lisa episodes are easier for him to write and he "always want[s] to work on them". [1] Moore said they are his favorite episodes to direct, because "the two most opposite characters in the cast finding some kind of common ground [...] That was always interesting." [4] In one scene, Homer makes Lisa sit on the end of the sofa so she will not interrupt the game. Yeardley Smith, the voice of Lisa, recalls that many people at the table-read thought Homer was "too harsh" in the scene, but it ended up being included in the episode anyway. [5]

Cultural references

"Lisa the Greek" references both the Super Bowl and the NFL. [6] The episode aired just days before Super Bowl XXVI and correctly predicted that the Washington Redskins would defeat the Buffalo Bills. [7] When a repeat of the episode re-aired the following year (only days before Super Bowl XXVII), the staff redubbed it to mention the Dallas Cowboys instead of Washington; the Cowboys won, making the episode accurate once again. It continued to be accurate through Super Bowl XXIX and Jean commented that he would always bet against Lisa's predictions, causing him to think "Why didn't I take Lisa's advice?" when he lost. [1] As Lisa studies football at the Springfield library, she goes through the card catalog and finds an entry on Phyllis George, an American sportscaster. [8] The title of the episode refers to the American bookie and sports commentator Jimmy "the Greek" Snyder. [1] "Smooth" Jimmy Apollo is based on Snyder and Brent Gunsilman is based on Brent Musburger. The program on which Apollo and Gunsilman appear, Inside Football Today, is based on the CBS pregame show The NFL Today , which featured Musburger, George, and Snyder as co-hosts and panelists (Musburger from 1975-1990, George from 1975-1978 and again from 1980-1983, and Snyder from 1976-1988); the program's intro with a defensive player decapitating the ball carrier on a CGI gridiron is based on the intro for The NFL Today used between 1983 and 1988. The Duff Bowl commercial that airs during halftime is a reference to Bud Bowl ads for Budweiser. [1]

In addition to the football references, the episode references Apocalypse Now (1979). Homer tells Moe, who keeps his wallet in his boot, "I used to hate the smell of your sweaty feet. Now it's the smell of victory," a play on Kilgore's line "I love the smell of napalm in the morning. It smells like victory." [8] In a commercial for his new television show, celebrity Troy McClure says that he plays "Jack Handle, a retired cop who shares an apartment with a retired criminal. We're the original Odd Couple!", referencing the television show The Odd Couple . [8] His new sitcom, Handle with Care (starring a retired cop who resides with a retired convict) is a sitcom patterned after the 1970s series Switch starring Eddie Albert and Robert Wagner, a detective series about an ex-police officer partnered with a reformed con artist. With his gambling winnings Homer buys Marge a bottle of perfume, Meryl Streep's Versatility. The bottle is shaped like an Academy Award. [8]

Reception

Yeardley Smith received a Primetime Emmy Award for her performance in the episode. Yeardley Smith 2012.png
Yeardley Smith received a Primetime Emmy Award for her performance in the episode.

In its original American broadcast, "Lisa the Greek" finished 27th in the ratings for the week of January 18–24, 1992, with a Nielsen rating of 14.2, equivalent to approximately 13 million viewing households. It was the highest-rated show on Fox that week. [9] Yeardley Smith, received a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance in 1992 for her performance in the episode. [10] [11] "Lisa the Greek" is one of Dan Castellaneta's favorite episodes along with season two's "Lisa's Substitute". [12] [13]

Since airing, the episode has received mostly positive reviews from television critics. John Carman of the San Francisco Chronicle called it his favorite episode of the show. [6] Warren Martyn and Adrian Wood wrote that "it's nice to see [Homer] and Lisa getting along so well for once." [14] Nate Meyers of Digitally Obsessed rated the episode a 5 (of 5) and commented that "any football fan will love this episode, but the reason why it is so good is the relationship between Homer and Lisa. The two truly are a father and daughter to one another, causing both laughter and touching emotion in the audience." [15]

Bill Gibron of DVD Verdict said "Lisa the Greek" is "a chance for Homer and Lisa to bond under less than ideal, but always amusing, circumstances. Oddly, for a show relying on actual events like the Super Bowl to guide its plotline, it doesn't have [a] retread feeling. [16] DVD Movie Guide's Colin Jacobson, however, did not think the episode developed Lisa's and Homer's relationship, but it "tosses in some good pokes at the NFL and the culture that surrounds the sport". [17] Jacobson added that although the episode "echoes the neglectful father theme seen not long ago in 'Lisa's Pony', the show doesn't feel like just a retread. [...] It's not a classic, but it remains an above average program." [17]

The San Jose Mercury News 's Daniel Brown said NFL gambling "seems to be a crew-wide addiction, which is why 'Lisa the Greek' is filled with sophisticated gags about point spreads and bookies". [18] The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette named it seventh best episode of the show with a sports theme. [19]

The Globe and Mail 's Liam Lacey noted the similarities between the episode and Imagine That (2009) in a review of the film. He said the "message in each case is about the dangerous confusion of love and money. Naturally there's a turning point [...] where the child begins to wonder whether her father really loves her or just her profitable talent." [20]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lisa Simpson</span> Fictional character from The Simpsons franchise

Lisa Marie Simpson is a fictional character in the animated television sitcom series The Simpsons. She is the middle child of the Simpson family. Voiced by Yeardley Smith, Lisa was born as a character in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987. Cartoonist Matt Groening created and designed her while waiting to meet James L. Brooks. Groening had been invited to pitch a series of shorts based on his comic Life in Hell, but instead decided to create a new set of characters. He named the older Simpson daughter after his younger sister Lisa Groening Bartlett. After appearing on The Tracey Ullman Show for three years, the Simpson family were moved to their own series on Fox, which debuted on December 17, 1989.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Krusty the Clown</span> Fictional character from The Simpsons franchise

Herschel Shmoikel Pinchas Yerucham Krustofsky, better known by his stage name Krusty the Clown, is a recurring character on the animated television series The Simpsons. He is voiced by Dan Castellaneta. He is the long-time clown host of Bart and Lisa's favorite TV show, a combination of kiddie variety television hijinks and cartoons including The Itchy & Scratchy Show. Krusty is often portrayed as a cynical, burnt-out, addiction-riddled smoker who is made miserable by show business but continues on anyway. He has become one of the most frequently occurring characters outside the main Simpson family and has been the focus of many episodes, some of which also feature Sideshow Bob.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dr. Hibbert</span> Fictional character and singer from The Simpsons franchise

Dr. Julius Michael Hibbert, M.D. is a recurring character on the television animated sitcom The Simpsons. He is Springfield's most prominent medical professional. Although he has a kind and warm persona, he is also often characterized as greedy and lacking in empathy. His signature character trait is his often-inappropriate chuckling, which is generally cued by misfortune rather than something genuinely amusing. The character was voiced from his 1990 debut by Simpsons regular Harry Shearer, and since a recasting of all of the show's non-white characters, by Kevin Michael Richardson from 2021.

"Homer's Odyssey" is the third episode of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox Network in the United States on January 21, 1990. In this episode, Homer becomes a crusader for safety in Springfield and is promoted to safety inspector at Springfield Nuclear Power Plant. The episode was written by Jay Kogen and Wallace Wolodarsky and was the first Simpsons script to be completed, although it was the third episode produced.

"There's No Disgrace Like Home" is the fourth episode of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on January 28, 1990. In the episode, Homer is ashamed of his family's behavior at a catastrophic company picnic and enrolls them in therapy. The therapist, Dr. Marvin Monroe, struggles to solve their problems − culminating in a shock therapy-based showdown between the family members − before eventually giving up and refunding their money.

"Moaning Lisa" is the sixth episode of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on February 11, 1990. The episode was written by Al Jean and Mike Reiss, and was directed by Wes Archer. Ron Taylor guest stars in the episode as Bleeding Gums Murphy. The episode deals with Lisa's depression and her attempts to sublimate it by playing her saxophone.

"The Telltale Head" is the eighth episode of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on February 25, 1990. It was written by Al Jean, Mike Reiss, Sam Simon and Matt Groening, and directed by Rich Moore. In the episode, Bart cuts the head off the statue of Jebediah Springfield in the center of town to impress Jimbo, Kearney and Dolph, three older kids he admires. The town's residents, including the three boys, are horrified and Bart regrets his actions. After telling Lisa and Marge, Homer and Bart head to the center of town, where they are met by an angry mob. After Bart tells the mob that he has made a mistake, the townspeople forgive Bart and the boy places the head back on the statue. The episode's title is a reference to the 1843 short story "The Tell-Tale Heart" by Edgar Allan Poe.

"Last Exit to Springfield" is the seventeenth episode of the fourth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on March 11, 1993. The plot revolves around Homer Simpson becoming president of the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant's trade union and leading the workers of the plant in a strike in order to restore their dental plan to avoid the family having to pay out-of-pocket for Lisa's new braces.

"Krusty Gets Busted" is the twelfth and penultimate episode of the first season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox Network in the United States on April 29, 1990. The episode was written by Jay Kogen and Wallace Wolodarsky, and directed by Brad Bird. In the episode, Krusty the Clown is convicted of armed robbery of the Kwik-E-Mart and imprisoned. Convinced that Krusty has been framed, Bart and Lisa investigate the crime and learn that Krusty's sidekick, Sideshow Bob, is the culprit.

"Treehouse of Horror III" is the fifth episode of the fourth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on October 29, 1992. The third annual Treehouse of Horror episode, it features segments in which Homer buys Bart an evil talking doll, Homer is a giant ape which is captured by Mr. Burns in a parody of the 1933 version of King Kong, and Bart and Lisa inadvertently cause zombies to attack Springfield.

"Bart vs. Thanksgiving" is the seventh episode of the second season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on November 22, 1990. In the episode, Bart runs away from home after destroying a centerpiece that Lisa makes for the Thanksgiving dinner table.

"Bart the Daredevil" is the eighth episode of the second season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on December 6, 1990. In the episode, Bart decides he wants to become a daredevil after watching famous stunt performer Lance Murdock at a monster truck rally.

"Sunday, Cruddy Sunday" is the twelfth episode of the tenth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on January 31, 1999, just after Super Bowl XXXIII and the premiere of Family Guy. In the episode, while buying new tires for his car, Homer meets a travel agent called Wally Kogen. After becoming friends, Kogen offers Homer a free bus ride to the Super Bowl, as long as he can find enough people to fill Kogen's bus. Several people, including Bart, tag along on what soon becomes a problematic trip. Meanwhile, Marge and Lisa set out to find the missing parts of "Vincent Price's Egg Magic", a celebrity-endorsed craft kit.

"Lisa's Substitute" is the nineteenth episode of the second season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on April 25, 1991. In the episode, Lisa's teacher Miss Hoover takes medical leave due to what she thinks is Lyme disease. Lisa finds the teaching methods of substitute teacher, Mr. Bergstrom, inspiring and discovers an entirely new love for learning. When Miss Hoover returns to class, Lisa is devastated to lose her most positive adult role model. Eventually, she realizes that while Mr. Bergstrom was one of a kind, she can find role models in other people, including her father Homer. Meanwhile, Bart runs for class president against Martin.

"Summer of 4 Ft. 2" is the twenty-fifth and final episode of the seventh season of the American animated television series, The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on May 19, 1996. In the episode, the Simpson family stay in Ned Flanders' beach house. Hanging around with a new set of children, Lisa becomes popular, while Bart is left out. Bart tries to sabotage his sister's newfound acceptance, but fails.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lisa's Date with Density</span> 7th episode of the 8th season of The Simpsons

"Lisa's Date with Density" is the seventh episode of the eighth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on December 15, 1996. It was written by Mike Scully and directed by Susie Dietter. The episode sees Lisa develop a crush on Nelson Muntz. When they start dating and Lisa is unable to reform him, she ends their relationship. In the subplot, Homer uses an autodialer in a telemarketing scheme that annoys all of Springfield's residents.

"In Marge We Trust" is the twenty-second episode of the eighth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on April 27, 1997. It was the first episode of the series written by Donick Cary and was directed by Steven Dean Moore. The episode guest stars Sab Shimono as Mr. Sparkle, Gedde Watanabe as the factory worker, Denice Kumagai and Karen Maruyama as dancers, and Frank Welker as the baboons. In the episode, Marge replaces Reverend Lovejoy as the town's moral adviser, while Homer investigates why his face appears on a Japanese detergent box.

"Old Money" is the seventeenth episode of the second season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on March 28, 1991.

"Another Simpsons Clip Show" is the third episode of the sixth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on September 25, 1994. In the episode, Marge reads a romance novel in bed, and it prompts her to have a family meeting, where the Simpson family recall their past loves in form of clips from previous episodes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bart's Friend Falls in Love</span> 23rd episode of the 3rd season of The Simpsons

"Bart's Friend Falls in Love" is the twenty-third episode of the third season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on May 7, 1992. In the episode, Bart's best friend Milhouse falls in love with the new girl in school, Samantha Stanky. Milhouse and Samantha spend all their free time together, leaving Bart feeling jealous and excluded. To sabotage Milhouse and Samantha's relationship, Bart tells her strict father about it. Samantha is sent to an all-girls Catholic school as punishment, leaving Milhouse heartbroken. Meanwhile, Homer orders a subliminal cassette tape to help him lose weight, but instead receives one that helps him increase his vocabulary after the weight-loss tape sells out.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Jean, Al (2003). The Simpsons season 3 DVD commentary for the episode "Lisa the Greek" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
  2. ↑ Wolodarsky, Wallace (2003). The Simpsons season 3 DVD commentary for the episode "Lisa the Greek" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
  3. 1 2 3 Kogen, Jay (2003). The Simpsons season 3 DVD commentary for the episode "Lisa the Greek" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
  4. ↑ Moore, Rich (2003). The Simpsons season 3 DVD commentary for the episode "Lisa the Greek" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
  5. ↑ Yeardley, Smith (2003). The Simpsons season 3 DVD commentary for the episode "Lisa the Greek" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
  6. 1 2 Carman, John (June 30, 1997). "TV Guide Missed Some Great Shows". San Francisco Chronicle . p. E1.
  7. ↑ Nelson, John (January 23, 1992). "Plenty of hype on road to Super Bowl". St. Petersburg Times . p. 13D.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Groening, Matt (1997). Richmond, Ray; Coffman, Antonia (eds.). The Simpsons: A Complete Guide to Our Favorite Family (1st ed.). New York: HarperPerennial. p.  78. ISBN   978-0-06-095252-5. LCCN   98141857. OCLC   37796735. OL   433519M..
  9. ↑ "What we watch, what we don't...". Austin American-Statesman . January 31, 1993. p. 13.
  10. ↑ "Primetime Emmy Awards Advanced Search". Emmys.org. Archived from the original on July 15, 2009. Retrieved February 5, 2009.
  11. ↑ "Briefing–'Simpsons' score big in Prime-Time Emmys". Daily News of Los Angeles . August 3, 1992. p. L20.
  12. ↑ "Insider favorites". RedEye . Chicago Tribune. May 18, 2007. p. 50.
  13. ↑ Justin, Neal (May 20, 2007). "'Simpsons' insiders pick their favorite episodes". Star Tribune . Retrieved January 15, 2022– via Lewiston Sun-Journal.
  14. ↑ Martyn, Warren; Wood, Adrian (2000). "Lisa the Greek". BBC. Retrieved July 7, 2009.
  15. ↑ Meyers, Nate (June 23, 2004). "The Simpsons: The Complete Third Season". Digitally Obsessed. Archived from the original on March 13, 2016. Retrieved June 6, 2009.
  16. ↑ Gibron, Bill (December 15, 2003). "The Simpsons: The Complete Third Season". DVD Verdict. Archived from the original on June 29, 2009. Retrieved June 6, 2009.
  17. 1 2 Jacobson, Colin (August 21, 2003). "The Simpsons: The Complete Third Season (1991)". DVD Movie Guide. Retrieved June 6, 2009.
  18. ↑ Brown, Daniel (July 22, 2007). "Eat My Sports - A Retrospective". San Jose Mercury News . p. 1C.
  19. ↑ "Sports and The Simpsons". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette . November 26, 2002. p. C–2.
  20. ↑ Lacey, Liam (June 17, 2009). "Imagine That". The Globe and Mail . Retrieved July 24, 2009.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.