Episode 4F24
Written by Ned Goldreyer
Directed by Susie Dietter
Also starring: Pamela Hayden, Tress MacNeille, Maggie Roswell, Russi Taylor
Special guest voice: Phil Hartman (as Troy McClure)

Premise: Lisa has started making mistakes at school and realises, with a little prompting from Grampa, that the Simpsons' gene is kicking in and her brain is going. Before too long she'll be like Homer and Bart. Apu, meanwhile, decides to capitalise on an incident at the Kwik-E-Mart where Jasper tries to place himself into cryogenic suspension.

Features: Carl, Grampa, Jasper, Kent Brockman, Chief Wiggum, Skinner, Ms Krabappel, Miss Hoover, Groundskeeper Willie, Otto, Lunchlady Doris, Milhouse, Martin, Nelson, Jimbo, Dolph, Sherri and Terri, Lewis, Wendell, Ralph, Janey, Helen Lovejoy, Ned Flanders, Todd, Rod, Mr van Houten, Mrs van Houten, Ruth Powers, Dr Hibbert, Apu, Sanjay, Dr Nick Riviera.

Couch: The Simpsons blossom into fruits on a tree.

Trivia:

• Homer and Bart try to interest Lisa in their current favourite TV show When Buildings Collapse (the House of Usher explodes, of course).
• They also like watching When Surgery Goes Wrong.
• There are a number of Simpson relatives living in the tri-state area.
• These include Great Uncle Chad (runs an unsuccessful shrimp company); Second Cousin Stanley (shoots birds at airports) and assorted others whose occupations range from getting hit by cars and claiming insurance to impersonating millionaires at parties.
• On the female side, however, are a surgeon, an architect, and an enviromnental lawyer.

Hi, I'm Troy McClure, you may remember me from: Such medical films as Alice Doesn't Live Anymore and Mommy, What's Wrong with That Man's Face?

Look out for: The Kwik-E-Mart going through various changes as Frostillicus becomes an attraction. It starts off as the Freak-B-Mart, offering such other delicacies as The Incredible Siamese Hot Dog; The Astonishing Rubber Check from Mysterious Unknown Bank; The Offensive Baseball Cap - Dare You Read It? (for the record it seems to say Show me your Tits). When the freak show is over, Apu and Sanjay open the Nude-E-Mart which does the same - if not better - business. Best bit of the episode is Lisa's dream of becoming an overweight hillbilly with eight kids (one is called Wesley), their father being one Ralph Wiggum. Brrrr.

Notes: A terrific episode, with a good mix of pathos (Lisa's farewell to the Springsonian and her favourite jazz club are inspired) and fun (her Homeresque 'woo-hoo') which comes together to make a refreshing and exciting look at Lisa's life. For us, though, it's the sight of her lying in the hammock with Ralph as her hubby that is the icing on a delightful cake.