Simpsons – Lisa the Greek (s3e14)

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Plot
Armed with high-cholesterol snacks, Homer sits down to another Sunday of football. Lisa enters the room to show her dad a shoebox apartment she made for her Malibu Stacy dolls. Homer is not really that interested, though, especially after Denver – on whom he has bet $20 – gives up a quick touchdown.

Lisa complains to Marge, who suggests spending some “quality time” with Homer by taking up his interests. Lisa decides to join her father on the couch, and an annoyed Homer reluctantly agrees. By now, New England is crushing Denver 35-7 and has just forced another Broncos fumble. In the end, Denver loses 55-10, and Homer angrily blames the TV (and sports anchorman “Smooth” Jimmy Apollo) for losing his bet.

Homer decides to try again on the Miami-Cincinnati game and calls a 1-900 “guaranteed pick” service for advice; however, it is soon revealed, by the fact that he talks at a very slow pace, that the only thing “The Coach” wants is the caller’s money. A desperate Homer turns to Lisa to pick a winner, and she picks the Dolphins, and Homer quickly calls Moe’s Tavern to place his $50 wager. Lisa questions Homer about the call, and likens sports betting to putting a lot of toppings on ice cream. In the end, the Dolphins win, and Homer and Lisa celebrate. Meanwhile, Marge has taken Bart shopping for new (dorky) clothes, but the bullies taunt him.

Lisa becomes very adept at choosing winners of football games, and Homer cleans up. Homer declares every Sunday “Daddy-Daughter Day.” With his new money, he starts buying expensive presents for the family and treating them to fine dining. Marge eventually wants to know where Homer’s extra income is coming from and gets the truth, but Homer says it’s not really a big deal.

The next day at breakfast, Lisa says she is looking forward to spending the “Daddy-Daughter Day” after Super Bowl XXVI going hiking at Mount Springfield. However, Homer announces he had already made plans with Barney to go bowling, and that “Daddy-Daughter Day” is over until the next football season. Lisa bursts into tears, realizing all Homer wanted was to exploit her prognostic abilities to help him gamble. Marge calls Homer a “very selfish man,” and Bart taunts him with the new swearing device that Homer bought for him. Lisa then gives up all the Malibu Stacy toys that Homer bought for her.

Homer realizes he needs to make amends with Lisa, but she is too hurt to even talk with him. In fact, she makes a cryptic prediction as to the winner of the game: If she still loves Homer, Washington will win; if she doesn’t, Buffalo. Homer becomes even more anxious over his relationship with Lisa as Super Bowl Sunday approaches. When he hears Lisa mournfully play her saxophone, he leaves for Moe’s Tavern to watch the game.

Homer mopes throughout the game, especially after Buffalo gets a 14-7 halftime lead. The game is highlighted by a corny halftime commercial for Duff Beer, an equally silly halftime show and Troy McClure’s promo for his new situation comedy, which premieres right after the Super Bowl. In the end, Washington rallies in the second half and scores at the last second to win the game. Homer becomes happy and Bart proudly says to Lisa that she still loves Homer, in which she agrees.

Homer cancels his bowling date with Barney and – on the Sunday after the Super Bowl – makes good on his promise to go hiking up Mount Springfield with Lisa.

Cultural references

1. Barbie — Malibu Stacy (and all related accessories) are based on the doll franchise.
2. Bud Bowl — The Duff Bowl is an obvious parody of the Super Bowl advertisements for Anheuser-Busch’s Budweiser family of beers.
3. “Justify My Love” — Homer’s comment, “Come on Denver, justify my love!” during the Denver Broncos-New England Patriots game makes use of the title of the Madonna song.
4. Jimmy “the Greek” Snyder — “Smooth” Jimmy Apollo is based on the American sports commentator, and the namesake of this show’s title.
5. Brent Musburger – Brent Gunsilman is based on the American Sports Commentator.
6. Switch — Troy McClure’s new sitcom, Handle with Care (starring a retired cop who resides with a retired convict) is a sitcom patterned after the 1970s series starring Eddie Albert and Robert Wagner (a detective series about an ex-police officer partnered with a reformed con artist).
7. Zorba the Greek — The episode title is a reference to the novel and title of the 1964 movie.