The Debarted

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"The Debarted"
The Simpsons episode
TheDebarted.jpg
The episode's promotional image featuring Bart, Donny (Topher Grace) and Milhouse.
Episode no.Season 19
Episode 13
Directed by Matthew Nastuk
Written by Joel H. Cohen
Production codeKABF06
Original air dateMarch 2, 2008 (2008-03-02)
Guest appearances
Topher Grace as Donny
Terry Gross as herself
Marcia Wallace as Edna Krabappel
Episode features
Chalkboard gag "The art teacher is fat, not pregnant"
Couch gag Two hands add to a Lite-Brite of the family on the couch.
Commentary Matt Groening
Al Jean
Joel H. Cohen
Matt Selman
Tom Gammill
Max Pross
David Silverman
Topher Grace
Episode chronology
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"Dial 'N' for Nerder"
The Simpsons season 19
List of episodes

"The Debarted" is the thirteenth episode of the nineteenth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons . It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on March 2, 2008. The episode was written by Joel H. Cohen and directed by Matthew Nastuk.

Contents

In this episode, a new troublesome student named Donny arrives at Springfield Elementary School, prompting a gleeful Bart to befriend him as his partner in pranks. Meanwhile, Marge wrecks the family car, and Homer gets a new luxury vehicle as a loaner car, which he grows attached to. [1] Topher Grace guest starred, and radio host Terry Gross made a cameo appearance. The episode is a parody of the 2006 film The Departed and received mixed reviews.

Plot

Marge is driving Bart and Lisa to school in Homer's car, when the children begin fighting. Distracted by them, she crashes into Hans Moleman's car. At school, Bart finds that a new student named Donny has taken his seat. After Donny throws garbage at the school to the delight of the children, Bart feels jealous. He tries to imitate Donny but embarrasses himself instead. Meanwhile, Homer goes to get his car fixed and is given a loaner car to use. Later, he encounters Bart, who tells Homer about his situation. Homer encourages him to be confident to win back his classmates. The next day, Bart adds metal plates to Principal Skinner's shoes and employs magnets to control his legs and humiliate him. Bart regains his popularity, but when Skinner asks who is responsible, Donny says he did it. Bart says he will remember his sacrifice. Skinner takes Donny to his office, whereupon Donny is revealed to be working with Skinner and Superintendent Chalmers to get Bart suspended.

Later, Bart invites Donny to his treehouse where Bart rewards him with blue licorice sticks, which turn the eater's tongue blue. At school, Bart is perplexed when Skinner begins to anticipate and foil his pranks. Groundskeeper Willie informs Bart that there is a spy amongst his friends, but Bart suspects Milhouse. With Nelson and Donny's help, Bart imprisons Milhouse in a locker. Meanwhile, Homer takes Marge on a romantic drive in the loaner car and impresses her. He receives a phone call telling him that his car is ready to be picked up, but he refuses to give up his loaner and tells them to keep his old car.

Later, Homer is driving with Lisa, and, as they pass the car dealership, Homer sees his car being sold. Homer is furious, realizing that loves his car, and takes it back, abandoning the loaner car. Meanwhile, Bart plans to egg Skinner's house with an ostrich egg. While helping Skinner hang up a banner, Bart notices that Skinner's tongue is blue and deduces the spy is Donny. Bart and Nelson ambush Donny and announce that they are going to force him to ingest enormous quantities of Diet Coke and Mentos. They are caught by Chalmers, Skinner, and Willie, who was also spying on Bart. Donny pushes the Diet Coke and Mentos together and escapes with Bart. He tells Donny they are even, and Donny leaves.

Production

Topher Grace guest starred as Donny. [2] Radio talk show host Terry Gross guest voiced as herself being heard over the car radio. When recording her part, the director asked that she "sound 'more cartoonish'" that her normal radio voice. [3]

Cultural references

The title and plot of the episode reference the 2006 film The Departed , and the episode contains several elements of the film, including the use of the Dropkick Murphys song "I'm Shipping Up to Boston". [4]

Reception

Viewing figures

The episode had an estimated 7.9 million viewers and received a 9 percent audience share. [5]

Critical response

Richard Keller of TV Squad enjoyed the episode and liked the fact that it focused on Bart. "I enjoyed this episode more than the usual ones that have aired during this post- Simpsons Movie season. There were plenty of good moments and a few of them that I actually laughed at." [4]

Robert Canning of IGN said, "This was a fun and funny episode." He thought Homer's loaner car scenes were "just silly enough to make an impact." Canning thought both Topher Grace and Terry Gross did great jobs with their parts. He gave the episode a 7.6 out of 10. [6]

Genevieve Koski of The A.V. Club gave the episode a B. She thought the episode did not have many jokes but liked that the plots did not involve anything outlandish. [7]

On Four Finger Discount, Brendan Dando liked the episode while Guy Davis did not. Both liked that the offering of the blue candy was not an obvious reveal for the audience. [8]

Awards and nominations

Joel H. Cohen was nominated for Writers Guild of America Award for Television: Animation at the 61st Writers Guild of America Awards for writing the episode. [9] He was also nominated for the Annie Award for Outstanding Achievement for Writing in an Animated Television/Broadcast Production at the 36th Annie Awards. [10]

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References

  1. ↑ "Primetime Listings (February 24 - March 2)". FoxFlash. February 11, 2008. Archived from the original on February 13, 2008. Retrieved February 11, 2008.
  2. ↑ Joest, Mick (April 25, 2019). "What Topher Grace Has Been Up To Since That '70s Show". CinemaBlend . Archived from the original on July 7, 2024. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
  3. ↑ "From NPR to 'The Simpsons'". The Morning Call . March 1, 2008. Archived from the original on October 7, 2024. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
  4. 1 2 Keller, Richard (March 2, 2008). "The Debarted". TV Squad . Archived from the original on February 18, 2009. Retrieved March 3, 2008.
  5. ↑ "ABC's 'Big Give' gets big love in Sun. debut". The Hollywood Reporter . March 4, 2008. Archived from the original on August 20, 2008. Retrieved March 3, 2008.
  6. ↑ Canning, Robert (March 3, 2008). "The Simpsons: "The Debarted" Review". IGN . Archived from the original on February 22, 2009. Retrieved March 10, 2008.
  7. ↑ Koski, Genevieve (March 3, 2008). ""The Debarted" / "The Accdental Terrorist" / "Play It Again, Brian"". The A.V. Club . Retrieved October 4, 2024.
  8. ↑ Davis, Guy; Dando, Brendan (August 29, 2024). ""The Debarted" Podcast Review (S19E13)". Four Finger Discount (Simpsons Podcast) (Podcast). Event occurs at 1:40. Archived from the original on October 7, 2024. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
  9. ↑ McNary, Dave (December 8, 2008). "TV trio rack up WGA nominations". Variety . Archived from the original on June 28, 2017. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
  10. ↑ "2008 Annie Award Nominations by Category". ASIFA-Hollywood. Archived from the original on February 17, 2009. Retrieved February 1, 2009.
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