Mars 1997
(Retourner au début de l'année)
My Sister, My Sitter
(#170 - 4F13 - Season 8 Episode 17 - Disc 3)
(Written by Dan Greaney, Directed by Jim Reardon)
Lisa wants to start babysitting, but Marge thinks she is too young. Flanders urgently needs a babysitter and Lisa gets her first job. When Flanders gives her a glowing review, she starts to get steady work. Then one evening, Lisa is put in charge of babysitting Bart and Maggie. Bart is outraged and embarks on a series of pranks. When Bart refuses to go to bed, Lisa accidentally knocks him down the stairs which dislocates his arm. Lisa tries to help him by transporting him in a wheelbarrow to Dr. Nick. Bart falls out of the wheelbarrow and rolls down a hill. The townspeople are mortified, but Lisa continues to get jobs the following day.
Homer vs. The Eighteenth Amendment
(#171 - 4F15 - Season 8 Episode 18 - Disc 3)
(Written by John Swartzwelder, Directed by Bob Anderson)
Alcohol is banned from Springfield after Bart accidentally gets drunk at a town parade. Rex Banner is appointed to replace Chief Wiggum as police chief to enforce the new laws and stop Fat Tony from smuggling. Rex is successful, but then Homer starts to smuggle alcohol. Eventually, Homer ends his bootlegging ends and approaches Wiggum with a plan to expose himself and restore Wiggum's good name. Homer is about to receive punishment by being catapulted, but he is saved by an impassioned speech by Marge. The liquor ban is then lifted and the town celebrates by getting drunk.
Guest stars: Joe Mantegna and Dave Thomas.
Avril 1997
(Retourner au début de l'année)
Grade School Confidential
(#172 - 4F09 - Season 8 Episode 19 - Disc 3)
(Written by Rachel Pulido, Directed by Susie Dietter)
Seymour Skinner and Edna Krabappel strike up a conversation at a party and take a romantic interest in each other. They try to keep their affair a secret, but Bart sees them kiss. The following day the couple hears Bart telling his classmates about and silences him by deleting his permanent records. Bart becomes their co between for exchanging love notes, but he gets tired of that and exposes Skinner and Krapappel in the janitor's closet locked in a passionate embrace. The word spreads all over time and Superintendent Chalmers gives Skinner an ultimatum. Either end the relationship or face dismissal. Skinner admits that he in fact is a virgin and the matter is cleared up.
The Canine Mutiny
(#173 - 4F16 - Season 8 Episode 20 - Disc 3)
(Written by Ron Hauge, Directed by Dominic Polcino)
Bart gets a credit card and buys a well trained new dog called Laddie. When Bart cannot pay the balance on the credit card the bank repossesses Laddie. Instead of giving them Laddie, Bart gives the repo men Santa's Little Helper. Feeling guilty Bart gives Laddie to the police and sets out to finds Santa's Little Helper and finds him at a blind mans house. Bart tries to kidnap his dog, but instead the blind man alerts the police. When they arrive, Laddie, who is now a police dog, sniffs out a bag of marijuana and the blind man gets arrested. Bart can then leave with Santa's Little Helper.
The Old Man and the Lisa
(#174 - 4F17 - Season 8 Episode 21 - Disc 4)
(Written by John Swartzwelder, Directed by Mark Kirkland)
Mr. Burns loses his fortune in a bad investment. He is not doing well alone and is committed to the Springfield Retirement Castle. Disgusted by his surroundings, he vows to get his fortune back. He then sees Lisa collecting recyclables and remembers her opposition towards him. He believes that the reason for losing his fortune was that he was surrounded by "yes men" and therefore asks Lisa to help him. Lisa introduces Burns to recycling and by collecting these he soon gets enough money to buy a recycling plant. In reality this recycling plant captures all aquatic life and grinds it into to all-purpose goo. Lisa is horrified, but Burns regains his fortune and buys back his power plant.
Guest star: Bret Hart.
In Marge We Trust
(#175 - 4F18 - Season 8 Episode 22 - Disc 4)
(Written by Donick Cary, Directed by Steven Dean Moore)
Marge is concerned that Reverend Lovejoy does not meet the needs of his parishioners and becomes the new advice giver at the Church. When Marge gains a loyal following, Lovejoy gets concerned that he has become "shepherd without a flock". Meanwhile, Homer finds an old Japanese product, "Mr. Sparkle", a dishwashing detergent, with a logo that oddly resembles him. When he calls up the company behind the product, he finds Mr. Sparkle is a composite of two company logos. Marge is unable to help Ned Flanders in a crisis and calls up Lovejoy for help. Lovejoy solves the crisis and gets his congregants' interest in his next sermon telling the story.
Guest stars: Denise Kumagai, Karen Maruyama, Sab Shimono and Gedde Watanabe.
Mai 1997
(Retourner au début de l'année)
Homer's Enemy
(#176 - 4F19 - Season 8 Episode 23 - Disc 4)
(Written by John Swartzwelder, Directed by Jim Reardon)
Frank Grimes, a new employee at the Nuclear Power Plant, is a hard-working man who has never been given a break in his life. At work he meets Homer and takes an instant dislike to his poor job performance and attitude. Meanwhile, Bart steps into a tax auction and buys an abandoned factory for a dollar, which he uses to play factory with Milhouse. Homer tries to win Grimes approval by inviting him over for a family dinner, but when Grimes sees Homer's accomplishments and home, he becomes even more bitter. Imitating Homer's behavior at work, he runs amok and electrocutes himself.
The Simpsons Spin-Off Showcase
(#177 - 4F20 - Season 8 Episode 24 - Disc 4)
(Written by David S. Cohen, Dan Greaney, Steve Tompkins & Ken Keeler, Directed by Neil Affleck)
Troy McClure hosts a show which features three ideas for spin-offs to The Simpsons:
Chief Wiggum, P.I. – Chief Wiggum and Seymour Skinner are detectives in New Orleans.
The Love-Matic Grampa – Grampa's soul is contained in Moe's Love Tester machine.
The Simpson Family Smile-Time Variety Hour – The Simpsons host a 70s variety show, with Lisa replaced by an adult bimbo.
Guest stars: Tim Conway and Gailard Sartain.
The Secret War of Lisa Simpson
(#178 - 4F21 - Season 8 Episode 25 - Disc 4)
(Written by Richard Appel, Directed by Mike B. Anderson)
Bart is enrolled in a military school because of one big prank he played. After seeing the school Lisa decides she wants to join too. Lisa is the first female cadet and therefore gets to stay in her own private barrack. This move creates resentment among the boys at the facility and Bart refuses to speak to his sister. Later, Bart secretly apologizes and helps her train for a test. When Lisa has trouble completing the test Bart publicly encourages her and she passes the test.
Guest star: Willem Dafoe.
Septembre 1997
(Retourner au début de l'année)
The City of New York vs. Homer Simpson
(#179 - 4F22 - Season 9 Episode 1 - Disc 1)
(Written by Ian Maxtone-Graham, Directed by Jim Reardon)
Homer allows Barney to use his car when Barney is picked to be the designated driver for that night at Moe's Tavern. However, Barney disappears for two months with the car, and returns without it. Homer searches for his car, and eventually receives a letter from the City of New York. The family is excited to go there to obtain the car, but Homer, who had had a bad experience in New York when he was younger, is reluctant. After reaching New York City, Homer sees the car parked near the World Trade Center, where he must wait by so that an officer can remove the wheel clamp. He is distracted from standing watch for the police when he has to pee, and causes him to miss the police officer. Homer gets angry, and leaves the city with the clamp on.
The Principal and the Pauper
(#180 - 4F23 - Season 9 Episode 2 - Disc 1)
(Written by Ken Keeler, Directed by Steven Dean Moore)
When a celebration is held at Springfield Elementary to honor his 20 years as principal, Seymour Skinner is revealed to be an impostor when the real Seymour, Sgt. Seymour Skinner, shows up. The principal's real name is revealed to be Armin Tamzarian, an orphan from Capital City. Armin soon leaves to return to Capital City, and Sgt. Seymour Skinner takes over as principal. However, many, including Agnes Skinner, soon decide they preferred the old Seymour. After persuading him to come back from Capital City to be Principal Skinner again, the townspeople send Sgt. Skinner out of town on a railroad.
Guest star: Martin Sheen.
Octobre 1997
(Retourner au début de l'année)
Lisa's Sax
(#181 - 3G02 - Season 9 Episode 3 - Disc 1)
(Written by Al Jean, Directed by Dominic Polcino)
After being disrupted by Lisa's saxophone practice, Bart gets into a fight with Lisa, ultimately causing her saxophone to be thrown out the window and run over by a truck, flattening it. Trying to console her, Homer shares the story of how she got her saxophone: With Bart struggling to fit in at school, Homer and Marge go to the school's psychologist. While doing little to help Bart, the doctor notices Lisa's "gifts" and recommends a private school, though the family cannot afford it. Instead, Homer decides to buy a saxophone with the money he was saving for an air conditioner because of the hot summer. After finishing the story, Homer once again decides to not spend the money on an air conditioner and buys a new saxophone for Lisa instead.
Guest star: Fyvush Finkel.
Treehouse of Horror VIII
(#182 - 5F02 - Season 9 Episode 4 - Disc 1)
(Written by Mike Scully, David S. Cohen & Ned Goldreyer, Directed by Mark Kirkland)
A Halloween special which is divided into three short stories:
The HΩmega Man – After the French strike Springfield with a nuclear bomb, Homer discovers that he is the only one who survived the attack, until mutants come after him.
Fly Vs. Fly – Bart uses Professor Frink's teleporter to turn himself into a fly.
Easy Bake Coven – In a 1600s Puritan town, Marge is accused of being a witch, which turns out to be true. She flees to her sisters' cave, where the three become the inventors of Halloween.
Novembre 1997
(Retourner au début de l'année)
The Cartridge Family
(#183 - 5F01 - Season 9 Episode 5 - Disc 1)
(Written by John Swartzwelder, Directed by Pete Michels)
After a large soccer riot leads to break-ins into people's homes, Homer decides to buy a gun when he cannot afford a home security system. As Marge disapproves of a gun in the house, Homer takes her to an NRA meeting to show her that the household needs a gun. Marge concedes but, after an accident, pleads to Homer to get rid of the gun, which he claims to do. After Bart and Milhouse discover it again, Marge takes the kids and leaves Homer. Eventually, Homer finds them after getting kicked out of the NRA and takes them home after giving Marge the gun, which she decides to keep for herself.
Bart Star
(#184 - 5F03 - Season 9 Episode 6 - Disc 1)
(Written by Donick Cary, Directed by Dominic Polcino)
When the children of Springfield are deemed to be overweight, many parents place their children in the peewee football team, including Bart. Ned is the coach of the team, until he quits after Homer's heckling, which ultimately leads to Homer being the new coach. While being tough on Bart originally, Homer realizes how rough his father was on him when he played sports. This leads Homer to make Bart the quarterback instead of the more skilled Nelson, causing the team to lose a few games and Bart to become angry at his father. Unwilling to make Nelson the quarterback again initially, Homer finally apologizes to Bart for pressuring him and replaces him with Nelson, thus allowing the team to win the championship.
Guest stars: Joe Namath, Roy Firestone & Mike Judge.
The Two Mrs. Nahasapeemapetilons
(#185 - 5F04 - Season 9 Episode 7 - Disc 2)
(Written by Richard Appel, Directed by Steven Dean Moore)
After Marge enters Apu into a bachelor auction, many women find an interest in him. However, Apu soon receives a letter from his mother, regarding the arranged marriage he is supposed to have. He does not want to marry the stranger, and following the advice of Homer, tells his mother that he is already married. Curious, his mother comes to America to see his wife, which Homer says Marge can pretend to be. But his mother soon realizes that she is not actually his wife, making the plans for the arranged marriage to continue. Apu becomes depressed until he learns at his wedding that his arranged wife, Manjula, is beautiful.
Guest Stars: Jan Hooks & Andrea Martin.
Lisa the Skeptic
(#186 - 5F05 - Season 9 Episode 8 - Disc 2)
(Written by David S. Cohen, Directed by Neil Affleck)
Lisa discovers that a shopping mall is going to be built at a site where prehistoric fossils were found. Afraid of there being more prehistoric items at the site, Lisa complains to the developers and starts an archaeological survey at the site. Late into the dig, Lisa unearths a skeleton with bones that resemble wings, similar to an angel's. Despite the whole town believing it to be an angel, Lisa takes a sample of the skeleton and has it tested to see if it is one of a human. The results are inconclusive, leaving Lisa still skeptical. After an interview about her beliefs, there is a town riot against the science community. During the riots, the skeleton is stolen. The town finally discovers it on a hillside with the message, "The End Will Come at Sundown" carved into it. However, the entire ordeal turns out to be publicity stunt that was pulled off by the mall's developers. Surprisingly, the town is not angry, but is instead fascinated by the low prices at the mall.
Guest star: Stephen Jay Gould.
Décembre 1997
(Retourner au début de l'année)
Realty Bites
(#187 - 5F06 - Season 9 Episode 9 - Disc 2)
(Written by Dan Greaney, Directed by Swinton O. Scott III)
Homer takes Marge to a police-seized property auction, where he buys a sports car that was formerly Snake's. On the ride home, Marge decides to walk because of Homer's erratic driving in the new car. She runs into Lionel Hutz, who is now a realtor. Interested, Marge takes a test to become one, and soon works for a realtor company, Red Blazer Realty. However, after being threatened to be fired for failing to sell any houses, Marge must lie to the Flanders to sell them a house where murders had once taken place. Feeling guilty, Marge tells them the truth after they stay there for a night, which only seems to make them more fascinated in living in the home. Meanwhile, Snake hears about the auction of his car and is so angry that he breaks out of jail to get it back. As he and Homer fight, the car crashes into the house, causing the Flanders to move back to their home, and Marge to get fired.
Miracle on Evergreen Terrace
(#188 - 5F07 - Season 9 Episode 10 - Disc 2)
(Written by Ron Hauge, Directed by Bob Anderson)
On Christmas morning, Bart wakes up earlier than the rest of the family and goes to open his presents. After playing with a remote control firetruck, Bart accidentally starts a fire, causing the plastic Christmas tree and the presents to melt. Bart hides the melted mess, but the next morning, reports to the family that there had been a robber. The news media soon reports this, and the community rallies to their aid and donates $15,000, which Homer spends on a car he soon crashes. However, Bart soon tells the truth to his family; that there never was a robber. The community soon finds out, and demands their money back. Marge decides to go on Jeopardy! to make the money back, but does not succeed. When the family comes back home, they find that the town has looted their entire house of everything except a washcloth.
Guest star: Alex Trebek.
Janvier 1998
(Retourner au début de l'année)
All Singing, All Dancing
(#189 - 5F24 - Season 9 Episode 11 - Disc 2)
(Written by Steve O'Donnell, Directed by Mark Ervin)
Homer goes out and rents a western movie to watch with his family on the VCR. However, the movie turns out to be a musical, which disgusts Homer. The family reminds Homer of the past times that he has sung and danced in enjoyment, and soon, the family is singing and dancing themselves. Snake enters the house through a window and threatens the family, but decides they would not be good hostages. The family sings once more, and later, Snake comes back, threatening to kill them for putting an annoying tune in his head, but realizes he is out of ammunition and leaves. The family continues to sing, until Snake returns to kill them, but the family tells him they are finished singing. The episode ends with Marge humming nearby the living room window, causing Snake to shoot through it.
Bart Carny
(#190 - 5F08 - Season 9 Episode 12 - Disc 2)
(Written by John Swartzwelder, Directed by Mark Kirkland)
While the family is at a traveling carnival, Bart accidentally crashes Adolf Hitler's car. To pay off the debts, Homer and Bart get jobs at the carnival by helping with the booths and exhibits, where they befriend Cooder and Spud, a father-and-son carny team. Unfortunately, Homer causes their booth to get shut down, when he does not recognize the bribe Chief Wiggum was asking for. Homer decides to allow the two carnies to stay at his home. The next day, the family goes to a glass bottom boat ride with the tickets Cooder gave them, only to discover their house has been taken over by the two carnies when they return. After brainstorming on how to get the house back, Homer decides to make Cooder a deal: If Homer can get a hula hoop around the house's chimney, he can have his house back, but if he does not, he will sign the deed of the house to Cooder. However, the family fools the two carnies, and rushes back into the house before the two can do anything.
Guest star: Jim Varney.
Février 1998
(Retourner au début de l'année)
The Joy of Sect
(#191 - 5F23 - Season 9 Episode 13 - Disc 2)
(Written by Steve O'Donnell, Directed by Steven Dean Moore)
After encountering two recruiters of a sect called "The Movementarians", Homer attends a session that teaches about their sect, where he is brainwashed to join. Homer moves the entire family to their compound, where the entire family, except Marge, is brainwashed. Marge escapes through a dangerous getaway, and finds Reverend Lovejoy, Ned Flanders and Groundskeeper Willie for help. The four manage to kidnap the family back. They are able to persuade Lisa and Bart to not believe in the sect anymore, but are unable to get Homer back, as the sect's lawyers take him back before they are able to. However, Homer no longer believes in the sect when he arrives, and manages to expose them as fake. The group then disbands, and the family goes back home.
Das Bus
(#192 - 5F11 - Season 9 Episode 14 - Disc 3)
(Written by David S. Cohen, Directed by Pete Michels)
As the students of Springfield Elementary are being driven to a model UN conference, Otto drives the bus off a bridge after his brake pedal is blocked by a grapefruit. To obtain help, Otto swims off, while the kids are still in the bus. Soon, when the bus is nearly full of water, the kids manage to escape and swim to an island. Once there, the kids find no food, causing Bart to swim back to the sunken bus to get the cooler full of food. Lisa advises everyone to not eat much, as it may be the only food they could have for some time. However, the cooler is found empty the next morning, with the food wrappings discarded around Milhouse, who claims a monster ate it. After a trial that proves Milhouse to be innocent, the other kids become angry at the verdict, chasing Bart, Lisa and Milhouse, persuasively to kill them. The three hide in a cave, but are chased out by a boar, which is soon found out to be the "monster". The kids kill the boar and eat it, and a narration assures that Moe saves the kids. Meanwhile, Homer starts his own internet company, but it is eventually destroyed by Bill Gates.
Guest star: James Earl Jones.
The Last Temptation of Krust
(#193 - 5F10 - Season 9 Episode 15 - Disc 3)
(Written by Donick Cary, Directed by Mike B. Anderson)
After learning that his joke is out dated and offensive at a comedy benefit show, Krusty does some heavy drinking and wakes up in front of the Flanders' house. Bart takes him inside his house and into his room, where Krusty, looking at all the Krusty merchandise, realizes that he has sold out instead of focusing on comedy. Bart invites Jay Leno to help clean up Krusty, and modernize his jokes. However, Krusty's attempts fail, causing him to announce his retirement. During his announcement, the group of reporters find his tirade against modern comedians hilarious, influencing Krusty to try being a comedian again. Although he becomes a popular comedian again, Krusty ends up selling out once more when some advertisers bribe him to endorse a car, in return for a free one.
Guest stars: Jay Leno, Janeane Garofalo, Bobcat Goldthwait, Hank Williams Jr., Steven Wright & Bruce Baum.
Mars 1998
(Retourner au début de l'année)
Dumbbell Indemnity
(#194 - 5F12 - Season 9 Episode 16 - Disc 3)
(Written by Ron Hauge, Directed Dominic Polcino)
After several unsuccessful attempts at getting a girlfriend, Moe finally gets one after walking away from a disco with Homer. The woman, Renee, surprisingly finds Moe attractive, resulting in Moe treating her lavishly. After spending too much, Moe's credit card maxes out, causing him to become desperate for money. He soon devises a plan to have Homer steal his car and crash it to accomplish insurance fraud. Unfortunately, Homer gets caught and ends up in jail. With the insurance money, Moe decides not to bail Homer out of jail, but instead take a Hawaiian vacation with Renee. After finding out, Homer escapes and decides to find Moe for revenge. Meanwhile, Moe confesses the truth to Renee, who is happy at first, but is disgusted with him after his plans to free Homer involve lying again. Renee leaves Moe, then he accidentally starts a fire at his tavern. At the same time, Homer comes to fight Moe, but both faint due to the smoke. Finally, Barney comes and saves the two, and Homer allows Moe to temporarily run his bar at the Simpsons' house.
Guest star: Helen Hunt.
Lisa the Simpson
(#195 - 4F24 - Season 9 Episode 17 - Disc 3)
(Written by Ned Goldreyer, Directed by Susie Dietter)
Soon after being unable to solve a riddle that several others at school were able to solve, and forgetting some of her day to day tasks, Lisa learns from Grampa that every Simpson loses their intelligence in their late childhood. Lisa soon realizes that she cannot escape genetics, and accepts that she will soon be very unintelligent. But she decides to tell Springfield through a newscast to treasure their brains. After seeing this, Homer attempts to prove to Lisa that the Simpson family is intelligent by inviting the entire family to meet her. After a few of the Simpsons start to talk, it becomes apparent that the family is unintelligent. However, when the female half of the family is seen, Lisa learns that the unintelligent gene only runs in the male side of the family.
This Little Wiggy
(#196 - 5F13 - Season 9 Episode 18 - Disc 3)
(Written by Dan Greaney, Directed by Neil Affleck)
When Marge realizes that Ralph Wiggum has no friends, she volunteers Bart to be his friend. Initially unwilling, Bart discovers that Ralph's father, Officer Wiggum, owns a key that opens every lock in Springfield. The two go out at night and open many places to have fun, but soon encounter bullies Nelson Muntz, Dolph, Jimbo, and Kearney. The four pressure Bart and Ralph to sneak into an abandoned prison, but Bart decides not to when he sees that Ralph is scared. The key is thrown over into the prison by the trouble-makers, causing Bart and Ralph to go retrieve it. While in the prison, the two find an old electric chair, which they turn on to see if it still works, and later go home. The next day, Mayor Quimby announces the prison is reopened, and decides to demonstrate what criminals could face by sitting in the, unknown to the police and the mayor, active chair. Bart rushes to Lisa for help to tell the mayor that the chair is active, leading Lisa to fire a small rocket with a note attached to the prison. The rocket misses and crashes into the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant. Mr. Burns responds and, upon realizing the prison has been using free electricity, turns off the power, saving the mayor.
Simpson Tide
(#197 - 3G04 - Season 9 Episode 19 - Disc 3)
(Written by Joshua Sternin & Jeffrey Ventimilia, Directed by Milton Gray)
Homer is fired from the Nuclear Power Plant following a near meltdown, and decides to join the Naval Reserve. Meanwhile, Bart decides to get an earring. Homer graduates from basic training, and must go of on a mission of war games, but not before taking Bart's earring, which he disapproves of. Later, on the submarine, Homer befriends the Captain, who leaves him in charge when he goes to check a blocked torpedo. Homer believes the ship is being fired at, and launches a torpedo, accidentally ejecting the Captain. Homer eventually gets the submarine lost, and is considered a traitor by the media. The United States Navy fires at the submarine, causing a leak which Homer stops with Bart's earring. The submarine is soon surfaced, and Homer is taken into custody by the Navy. However, he escapes any trouble due to the Navy judges having to resign over various scandals that they are involved in. Homer then leaves the Navy with a dishonorable discharge.
Guest stars: Bob Denver & Rod Steiger.
Avril 1998
(Retourner au début de l'année)
The Trouble with Trillions
(#198 - 5F14 - Season 9 Episode 20 - Disc 3)
(Written by Ian Maxtone-Graham, Directed by Swinton O. Scott III)
Forgetting to do his annual income taxes until the night they are due, Homer rushes to fill out his forms with false information. Soon after, he is arrested for tax fraud, but makes a deal to work for the FBI for immunity from the IRS's prosecutions. After a successful operation made by Homer, the FBI decides to have Homer obtain a one trillion dollar bill that is in the hands of Montgomery Burns. Homer leads Mr. Burns to believe that he is a reporter, causing Mr. Burns shows him the bill. The FBI rushes into the mansion and arrests Mr. Burns, but Homer decides to rescue him. Mr. Burns gets the help of Waylon Smithers, and with Homer, the three escape in Mr. Burns's plane. Looking for an island to buy, Mr. Burns decides to land in Cuba, where the three meet Fidel Castro. Castro does not wish to sell Cuba, but is interested in seeing the trillion dollar bill. However, after he is handed the bill, he decides to not return it. The show ends with the three on a raft back to the United States.
Guest star: Paul Winfield.
Girly Edition
(#199 - 5F15 - Season 9 Episode 21 - Disc 4)
(Written by Larry Dole, Directed by Mark Kirkland)
Lisa becomes a news anchor of a children's news segment on the "Krusty the Clown Show" when the channel discovers that it requires some educational programming. Meanwhile, Bart destroys Groundskeeper Willie's shack after he takes away Bart's skateboard. Later, Marge makes Lisa allow Bart to be the sports anchor, but after the channel sees Bart's success, they promote him to co-anchor. To prove to Lisa that he is a good anchor, Bart starts to produce "Bart's People", which are human interest stories, a news segment that becomes extremely popular. Resentful of his success, Lisa sends Bart a fake letter. In it, she pretends to be an immigrant who lost his home. Seeing an opportunity, Bart rushes to the landfill to do a live "Bart's People", only to discover that the immigrant was actually Groundskeeper Willie, who goes after Bart. Seeing what she did, Lisa rushes to save Bart, and is able to persuade Willie to let Bart go, using the emotion striking techniques Bart used in his segments.
Trash of the Titans
(#200 - 5F09 - Season 9 Episode 22 - Disc 4)
(Written by Ian Maxtone-Graham, Directed by Jim Reardon)
When Homer is unable to take all of his trash to the curb, barely missing the garbage truck, Homer insults the garbage men, leading the family to have their garbage collection service cut off. After the house collects a huge amount of trash, Marge writes an apology letter to the sanitary commission, signing with Homer's name. However, Homer finds out and goes to city hall to rescind it. Following an angry meeting with the commissioner, Homer decides to run for his position. Homer's campaigning fails to win much support, until he promises the town that they will no longer need to do any garbage-related work. This causes Homer to win in a landslide. Initially, Homer is able is keep his promise, but he uses an entire year's budget in a month, causing the workers to go on strike, fearing they will not be paid. Homer makes a deal with neighboring towns to dump their trash in Springfield's abandoned mines to make money, but when the mines are filled, trash starts to burst out of the ground. The town is then forced to completely move five miles away.
Guest stars: U2 & Steve Martin
