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Context Recap / TheSimpsonsS1E6MoaningLisa

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1[[quoteright:320:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/7g06_018.jpg]]
2
3->''I got a bratty brother, he bugs me every day.''\
4''And this morning, my own mother, she gave my last cupcake away.''\
5''My dad acts like he belongs, he belongs in the zoo.''\
6''I'm the saddest kid in Grade #2.''
7-->-- '''Lisa Simpson'''
8
9'''Original air date:''' 2/11/1990
10
11'''Production code:''' 7G06
12
13Lately, Lisa is feeling depressed about life, but doesn't want to talk about it, as no one truly understands what she's going through. She runs away and befriends "Bleeding Gums" Murphy (Creator/RonTaylor), a homeless black saxophonist.
14
15Meanwhile, Bart repeatedly beats Homer at a two-player boxing video game. Homer really wants to beat Bart at the game, so he gets help from Howard (Creator/SusanBlu), a video game master, at the local arcade.
16----
17!!This episode contains examples of:
18
19* AlmightyMom: Even Homer is scolded by Howard's mom for playing video games with little children.
20* {{Bowdlerization}}: A lot of the violence in the boxing video game (including Homer's nightmare of Bart beating him) was edited when shown on BBC Two in the UK.
21* CallBack: The chalkboard gag "I will not instigate revolution" references [[Recap/TheSimpsonsS1E5BartTheGeneral the previous episode]] where Bart uses war-like tactics to fight back against Nelson.
22* CatapultNightmare: Homer wakes up from his dream screaming when Bart beats him in a boxing match.
23* CharacterisationClickMoment: Lisa for the large part in the early shorts and episodes was just a slightly more savvy version of [[BrattyHalfPint Bart]]. This episode established a more precocious, self-aware, and melancholy side to her (as well as her passion for jazz music), that would slowly transform into the insecure TVGenius characterisation she had in seasons after.
24* CharacterizationMarchesOn: This episode helped set [[DivergentCharacterEvolution Lisa apart from being a female Bart]] as a more introspective, soulful and creative type. But later episodes she became more of an overachiever obsessed with school grades and social causes, with her apparent issues with depression shown in this episode rarely, if ever, shown again. It also hints that [[MiddleChildSyndrome she feels overlooked and ignored]], while later episodes more focus on Lisa getting all the attention for being a prodigy and Bart feeling overshadowed.
25* ComicallyMissingThePoint: Marge only has two cupcakes to give to the other family members, and Bart and Homer are getting ready to plead their cases when a despondent Lisa tells them they can have hers, as "a simple cupcake will bring me no pleasure." They look at each other in confusion before cheering and high-fiving.
26* CoolShades: "Bleeding Gums" Murphy wears sunglasses.
27* CouchGag: The family sits, but Maggie gets squashed into the air and is caught by Marge.
28* DivergentCharacterEvolution: The first appearance of Lisa as the brainy, wise sibling rather than a troublemaking female clone of Bart.
29* DontYouDarePityMe: Lisa says this to Bart after he's ordered by Marge to cheer Lisa up.
30-->'''Bart:''' Hey.
31-->'''Lisa:''' I don't want your pity.
32* EarlyInstallmentCharacterDesignDifference: Ralph Wiggum first appears in this episode, but he's just a regular kid instead of TheDitz he would become.[[note]]WordOfGod says that Ralph was originally going to be a tough, boorish kid and he would basically be a miniature version of Homer.[[/note]]
33* EpicFail: Bart beats Homer so badly in the boxing video game that it shows Homer's boxer being lowered into a grave. Bart's boxer [[CrossTheLineTwice dances on his opponent's grave]].
34* FictionalVideoGame: ''Super Slugfest'', a boxing game that Homer becomes obsessed with beating Bart at; it has arcade and console versions (the latter with single button Platform/Atari2600-style controllers).
35* {{Flashback}}: Marge's dream is a memory of her childhood, where Jacqueline tells her to smile so that people will know how good a mother she has.
36* FoodFight: Bart starts one in the school cafeteria. Lisa just sits there sadly as she's pelted with food.
37* HardTruthAesop:
38** Marge tells Lisa to shove down her sad feelings and [[StepfordSmiler fit in by always smiling no matter what]] because that's what her mother taught her even though it made her miserable, but she changes her tune once she sees Lisa smiling through the regular pains of her day within a few seconds of getting to school: bullying from other kids and derision from teachers who won't let her express herself in her music. Marge then tells her to just feel however she wants and her family will be there for her regardless, with the lesson ending up "Learn the difference between parenting and parroting, because parents can be wrong in ways that will destroy their children emotionally."
39** Issues with depression have no easy answers, nor do they have an obvious cause that can be addressed directly. Lisa sings about her annoyance with Homer and Bart, and expressing herself with music helps a little, but even she admits she doesn't really know why she's sad.
40* HiddenHeartOfGold: Bart gets to demonstrate a kinder side to two of his family members:
41** Marge asks Bart if he loves Lisa. Bart says they all know the answer, but he doesn't want to have to actually say it. Marge still urges him to try cheering up Lisa, so Bart decides to put in a prank call to Moe, something they both enjoy. Unfortunately, it doesn't work, but it says a lot about Bart that he still tried.
42** Surprisingly, in spite of gloating about his multiple victories against Homer in the boxing video game, Bart briefly feels very sorry towards him for his lack of skills:
43--->'''Bart:''' ''[feeling distraught towards Homer over his lack of skills]'' Gee, Dad, you're really bad at this.
44* HopeSpot: Just when Homer is about to finally beat Bart at the game, Marge unplugs it so she can talk to both of them.
45* ItsAllAboutMe: Both Homer and Marge are shown to be incredibly neglectful in this episode. Homer cares more about a video game and the fact that the bowling alley is closing down than his daughter’s depression, while Marge tells Lisa to [[StepfordSmiler suppress her sadness and smile]] because it makes her look better. At least Marge learned the error of her ways.
46* ALessonLearnedTooWell: Marge tries to give Lisa a tip to handle her depression by repeating a lesson her own mother gave to her: be a StepfordSmiler and shove it all deep inside. Lisa instead becomes an ExtremeDoormat who allows people to step on her and accepts making their homework with a smile on her face. Marge, [[MamaBear however, defies this after a few seconds of seeing how Lisa is gonna take her lesson by pulling her back into the car]] and telling her that [[BeYourself it's okay for Lisa to act however she feels like]] and [[YouAreNotAlone Marge will support her every step of the way]].
47* LimitedAnimation: There's a strange moment at the beginning of the episode when Bart stands perfectly still and [[https://frinkiac.com/video/S01E06/7JoQq74NbS9WiusMGAi3tle8O6s=.gif his pupils are digitally moved downward.]]
48* MamaBear: Marge immediately puts a stop to Lisa suppressing her feelings when she sees Lisa being bullied.
49* TheManyDeathsOfYou: The Super Slugfest game has several different death animations when one of the boxers is knocked out. One has Bart's boxer hitting Homer's boxer so hard Homer's boxer's bloody head goes flying off and lands in the ring. Another animation has Bart's boxer knocking Homer's boxer out, Homer's boxer being counted out by the referee and then Bart's boxer dancing on Homer's boxer's grave.
50* MisplacedRetribution: Lisa is in such a depressed state that the school takes notice and sends a note home to her parents, and even then out of worry rather than her being in trouble. Homer's so used to Bart being in trouble with the school instead that, in response, [[ReflexiveResponse he punishes his son anyway by making him vacuum the entire house]], despite Bart not doing anything wrong. Bart understandably is less than pleased with this and also makes sure to vacuum up a deck of Homer's playing cards in retaliation.
51-->'''Homer:''' In times of trouble, you've gotta go with what you know. Now, hop to it, boy!
52* NeverMyFault: A minor example. In her song, Lisa mentions that Marge gave her last cupcake away, even though Lisa told her to because "A simple cupcake will bring me no pleasure." Bart even tried to point out that [[FatSlob Homer]] clearly didn't even need more cupcakes.
53* NightmareSequence: After losing to him so often in the game, Homer dreams about engaging in a ''Super Slugfest'' boxing match with Bart. Bart mercilessly beats him and gives him a ReasonYouSuckSpeech as he does it; with Homer [[CatapultNightmare waking up screaming]] just as Bart finishes him off with a huge windmill punch.
54-->'''Bart:''' Put up your dukes, Homer! ''[swings a left hook at him]''
55-->'''Homer:''' ''[screams and ducks the punch]'' [[OhCrap Bart...!]] ''[cowers]'' [[AintTooProudToBeg Go easy on me, I'm your Dad!]]
56-->'''Bart:''' I ''am'' going easy on you. ''[[[NoHoldsBarredBeatdown begins laying into Homer with a barrage of punches]]]'' But you're just so old. ''[[[PunctuatedPounding punches him hard each time]]]'' And ''slow!'' And ''weak!''
57-->'''Homer:''' ''[is sent flying backward]'' No!
58-->'''Bart''': And ''PATHETIC!'' ''[winds up for his finishing punch]''
59-->'''Homer''': NO! BART! '''''[[BigNo NOOOOOOOOOO!]]'''''
60-->''[Bart throws the final punch; right as it hits, Homer wakes up screaming loudly]''
61-->'''Homer''': '''''[[ScreamsLikeALittleGirl AAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!]]'''''
62* NoHoldsBarredBeatdown: Bart does this to Homer in the video game so often that he has a nightmare about it. He's the boxer getting pummeled and his pleas for mercy are ignored.
63* NotMeThisTime: Marge tells Homer about a note she received from school, and the latter immediately thinks that Bart is the one in trouble like usual. However, Marge correctly states that Bart isn't in trouble this time as the note is actually about Lisa refusing to play dodgeball because of her depression.
64* PacmanFever: Bart and Homer play a contemporary-looking game using Atari 2600-style controllers.
65* PopCulturePunEpisodeTitle: The title is a pun on ''Art/TheMonaLisa''.
66* ShoutOut: Video games: [[VideoGame/PunchOut Mike Tyson's Punch Out]] takes center stage, as "Super Slugfest" is patterned directly off the legendary game. Other games in the arcade are "Eat My Shorts" (an early ''Simpsons'' Shout Out), Itchy & Scratchy and "Pac Rat" (a parody of VideoGame/PacMan).
67* SpecialGuest: Ron Taylor as "Bleeding Gums" Murphy.
68* StepfordSmiler: Marge encourages Lisa to be this, as her mother had enforced upon her beforehand. She takes it back when it only makes her a doormat to people around her.
69* StrangerDanger: Marge taking Lisa away from "Bleeding Gums" Murphy, even though the two of them were getting along.
70-->'''Marge:''' ''[to Murphy]'' Nothing personal, I just fear the unfamiliar.
71* SuperiorSuccessor: Homer dreads how Bart keeps beating him at that video game.
72-->'''Homer:''' Y'know, Marge, getting old is a terrible thing. I think the saddest day of my life was when I realized I could beat my dad at most things. And Bart experienced that at the age of four.
73* SuspiciouslySpecificDenial: When Marge says they got a note from school, Homer immediately accuses Bart of misbehavior.
74-->'''Bart:''' I didn't do it. Nobody saw me do it. There's no way they can prove anything.
75* TakeAThirdOption: Bart and Lisa stand on opposite sides of the living room and ask Maggie to walk to the one she loves the most. After looking at both of them, she just walks over to the TV and hugs it.
76* VengeanceDenied: Homer manages to get ''this close'' to finally beating Bart at the boxing game just once, and then Marge pulls the plug on the console right at the very nanosecond before Homer's character knocks out Bart's, followed by Bart deciding to quit playing the game ever again to maintain his unbroken streak. Homer is pretty much reduced to tears.
77* YankTheDogsChain: After getting tips from a kid at the Noiseland Arcade, Homer goes to face Bart one more time in the boxing game. He had the winning advantage and he would've won after so many beatings if Marge hadn't come in and unplugged the game to get the boys' attention. And then Bart says he's giving up on the game to make sure his winning streak remains unbroken.

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