Bart's Dog Gets an F

Infobox Simpsons episode
episode_name = Bart's Dog Gets An F


image_caption = Bart desperately attempts to train a hapless Santa's Little Helper
episode_no = 29
prod_code = 7F14
airdate = March 7, 1991
show runner = James L. Brooks
Matt Groening
Sam Simon
writer = Jon Vitti
director = Jim Reardon
blackboard = "I will not sell school property"
couch_gag = All the family sit on the couch and fit, including the pets.
guest_star = Tracey Ullman as Emily Winthrop
commentary = Matt Groening
Jon Vitti
Al Jean
Jim Reardon
season = 2

"Bart's Dog Gets an F" is the sixteenth episode of "The Simpsons"' second season, airing on March 7, 1991. The music video for Do the Bartman aired afterward.

Plot

Lisa has the mumps and has to spend a few days home from school. While Marge teaches her sewing, Homer goes to the mall to buy some magazines for her. There he sees and purchases some expensive shoes known as 'Assassins', which he saw Ned Flanders with earlier. The next day, he buys a giant cookie.

Marge shows Lisa a patchwork quilt, which is a family heirloom. Lisa makes her own contribution to it, but then Santa's Little Helper (Frank Welker in his first appearance) rips it up, also destroying the shoes and cookie. Homer wants to get rid of the dog, but Lisa convinces them to take him to an obedience school first.

Santa's Little Helper does not do well at the Obedience School as Bart is unwilling to use a choke chain. The night before the final exam, Bart and Santa's Little Helper play, thinking it will be their last few hours together. This bonding breaks down the communication barrier, allows Santa's Little Helper to understand Bart's commands, and to pass obedience school. Lisa marks the occasions by creating a new quilt to replace the one destroyed.

Cultural references

*When we switch to Santa's Little Helper's point of view, we hear a little explosion sound. The same sound is used in the movie, "Predator", when we switch to the Predator's point of view.
*Dr. Hibbert's home and family bear a more-than-coincidental similarity to "The Cosby Show", a program that competed with "The Simpsons" for the Thursday 8:00 PM time slot.
*The second frame in the Bouvier Family Quilt is Buffalo Bill's "Wild West Show".
*"Death of a Loyalist Soldier" (photograph by Robert Capa) is the third frame in the Bouvier Family Quilt.
*The dramatic music from "Jaws" is used just before Santa's Little Helper attacks something.
*The high tech and expensive sneakers "Assassins" are likely reference to athetic shoes which had been incredibly expensive, multiple times more than most athetic shoes and were expected to sell on the basis of brand loyalty and celebrity endorsements, namely the Nike Air Jordan and Reebok Pump.
*The dog obedience school have different categories named after famous dogs, which are Rin Tin Tin, Benji, Toto and the one in which Santa's Little Helper attends, Cujo.
*One of the dogs seen in the graduation ceremony is named after Lao Tzu.
*When Lisa shows Marge her finger, the music from the film "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial" plays. Lisa touching Marge's finger is reference to the final scene of the film.

External links

*snpp capsule|7F14
*imdb episode|id=0701063|episode=Bart's Dog Gets an F