Bart Sells His Soul vs. Radioactive Man

[stip]

Bart Sells His Soul

During a church service, Bart tricks the congregation by distributing the lyrics to a hymn titled "In the Garden of Eden" by "I. Ron Butterfly", which is actually the psychedelic rock song "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" by Iron Butterfly,[3] that the unwitting parishioners and organist proceed to perform for 17 minutes, after which the elderly organist passes out from exhaustion. Reverend Lovejoy demands that the perpetrator step forward, with threats of fire and brimstone, at which Milhouse snitches on Bart. Lovejoy sentences Bart (as well as Milhouse for tattling) to clean the pipe organ. Bart is indignant with Milhouse, who apologizes but was fearful of losing his soul. Bart proclaims that there is no such thing as a soul and for $5 agrees to sell his to Milhouse in the form of a piece of paper saying "Bart Simpson's soul". Lisa warns that Bart will regret selling his soul, but he dismisses her fears. However, Bart soon finds that Santa's Little Helper and Snowball II seem hostile towards him, automatic doors fail to open for him, when he breathes on the freezer doors at the Kwik-E-Mart no condensation forms, and he can no longer laugh at Itchy & Scratchy cartoons. Suspecting he literally lost his soul, he sets out to retrieve it.

Bart attempts to retrieve his soul from Milhouse, who agrees to sell it...for $50, then laughs at Bart for being the fool. That night, Bart has a nightmare about being the only child in Springfield who does not have a soul. Lisa torments Bart with a dinnertime prayer leading him to make a desperate, all-out attempt to get the piece of paper back. Bart crosses town to where Milhouse and his parents are staying with his grandmother while their house is being fumigated. The visit turns out to be fruitless; Milhouse had traded the paper to Comic Book Guy at the Android's Dungeon. A frustrated Bart runs off into the night. He encounters Ralph Wiggum in his father's police cruiser and attempts to buy his soul. When Ralph refuses he hisses and disappears in a vale of smoke and haze.

The following morning, an annoyed Comic Book Guy tells Bart that he no longer has the piece of paper but refuses to reveal to whom he sold it. Bart walks home in the rain, then in his room he prays to God for his soul. Suddenly, a piece of paper with the words "Bart Simpson's soul" floats down from above. Bart discovers that Lisa had purchased the piece of paper. While she explains philosophers' opinions on the human soul, Bart happily devours the piece of paper. Realizing how uninterested Bart was in about her lecture about the human soul, Lisa tells him that she hoped he learned his lesson from this. At night when Bart goes to bed, he and his soul are having fun with their quirks, proving that Bart did learn his lesson in the consequences of selling his soul.

In the subplot, Moe attempts to expand his customer base by converting his tavern into a family restaurant called "Uncle Moe's Family Feedbag", after numerous unhelpful concept ideas from Homer. The restaurant turns out to be a T.G.I. Friday's-style restaurant full of tacky decorations and gimmicks, including one where a special French Fries dish is served with the basket strapped to Moe's head. However, the stress of running a family restaurant by himself ultimately starts to drive him unhinged, especially his ill-conceived policy of voiding the bill for anyone he does not smile for when he gives it to them. Finally, driven over the edge, he yells at a little girl who complained that the soda was too cold. The family patrons are outraged and abandon the restaurant, forcing Moe to return the restaurant to the run-down tavern.

Radioactive Man

Bart and Milhouse are thrilled to hear that a film version of their favorite comic book series, Radioactive Man, is in production. Rainier Wolfcastle, the star of the McBain films, is chosen to play Radioactive Man, and even more excitingly for the Springfield Elementary School children, the production moves to their town. A search is launched for a young actor to play Radioactive Man's sidekick Fallout Boy, and Bart auditions. Bart does well, but is rejected because he is an inch too short. Milhouse gets the part, albeit reluctantly, under pressure from his greedy parents.

A despondent Bart is told by Lisa that he is still needed as Milhouse's friend and confidant, and Bart eagerly accepts this new role. However, Milhouse finds his own job intolerable and disappears, right during the filming of the most expensive scene in the movie. The film is suspended while the townspeople search for Milhouse. Eventually Bart finds him in the tree house, and despite encouragement from former child star Mickey Rooney, Milhouse gives up on his acting career. Mickey Rooney tried to take over as Fallout Boy; however, all production on the film is aborted, with the project bankrupt, thanks to price gouging and other unscrupulous conduct by the people of Springfield. Despite Rooney's stern lecture about their greed, Mayor Quimby insists the townspeople can not give any of the directors' money back to them, so with their film cancelled, the directors return to Hollywood — "where people treat each other right".

[Simple Torture]

Real tough, but I'm going with Bart Sells His Soul. Alf!

[stip]

Radioactive man, but both are great.

The goggles do nothing!

[tragabigzanda]

Bart Sells His Soul live blog:

In-a-Gadda-da-Vida is classic. "Wait a minute, this sounds like rock and/or roll!"

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"...strewn upon a parade of murderers and single mothers..."

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"Why would they lie? What would they have to gain?" ask Milhouse, as Rev. Lovejoy is sorting the collection money in his office. Man, this beginning of this episode is really sticking it to the church.

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Spoiler: show

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"Daddy, this place smells like tinkle!"

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"You ain't thinkin' of gettin' rid of the dank, are ya Moe? ... The dank, the dank!"

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This bit hits close to home. I feel like a lot of my childhood toys were underwhelming in the same way:

Spoiler: show

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"Way to breathe, No Breath."

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"I am familiar with the works of Pablo Neruda."

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Bart's soul dream is surprisingly touching.

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"An alligator with sunglasses? Now I've seen everything."

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"Please take the basket off my head, kid, the fries are extremely hot."

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"That was funny, that was funny, taking away my dignity like that...:

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"You didn't finish your spaghetti and Moe-balls."
("Quiet you fool, it can be ours.")
"Run! Run, boy! Run for your life!"

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"Here I go / Here I am / Eat your fries / Eat 'em."

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Odd that the girl on whom Bart once had a crush now talks like a three-year old.

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The best part is:

"A caller at this hour? I'll dial 9-1, and then when I say so, dial 1 again."

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"ALF pogs! Remember ALF? He's back...in pog form."

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This is a great moment between Bart and Lisa:

"There's no change in your piggy bank."
"Not in any of the ones you know about."

[tragabigzanda]

So that is still a very good episode, but I think the philosophical moments are the standouts. I didn't find myself laughing a whole lot, more of a sustained smile throughout. Radioactive Man next.

[tragabigzanda]

Radioactive Man liveblog:

Intro scene at The Android's Dungeon is a strong start.

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ZUFF! PAN! SNUFF! BORT! POOO! NEWT! MINT! ZAK!

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The second air conditioner gag is great.

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WHO WILL BE FALLOUT BOY?
Who Will Be Fallout Boy?

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"William Faulkner can write an exhaust pipe gag that will really make you think."

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It's odd that they'd have Moe kill Alfalfa, when in reality the actor who played Alfalfa died under dark circumstances:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Switzer#Death

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"Now is the winter of our discontent."
"Oh no! Run!"

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"What's for lunch today?"
"Next!"
"Chicken necks?"

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Spoiler: show

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Spoiler: show

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I always loved this:

Spoiler: show

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"But we already did it...It took seven hours, but we did it. IT'S DONE."

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I love the cobbled-together version of the film the editor throws together.

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I forgot the Spirograph factory scene was in this ep. I love this bit.

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"Quiet. Maybe I can get my citizenship."

[tragabigzanda]

I'm voting Radioactive Man, but it's personal preference. I enjoy the laughs more than I do the introspection of Bart Sells His Soul. But these are really both excellent.

[stip]

im hoping for more of these liveblogs