YMMV / The Simpsons S 6 E 7 Barts Girlfriend

• Alternative Character Interpretation:
  • Why does Skinner look sad when Willie chastises him for his "Scotchtoberfest" setup? Was he embarrassed, or does he feel guilty about lying to Willie?
  • Did the Lovejoys really believe Bart was responsible for the church money being stolen, or did they know he was innocent and merely use him as a scapegoat so they wouldn't be guilty by association? The reveal that Timothy was aware of Jessica's behavior but chose to turn a blind eye, as well as the Lovejoys' pretentious nature in general, suggests the latter.
• Ensemble Dark Horse: Jessica Lovejoy — aside from the occasional silent cameo appearance, this episode is currently her only major role on the show.
• Harsher in Hindsight: When Jessica frames Bart for stealing from the collection plate, the entire town shuns him in a matter eerily similar to "The Boys of Bummer" twelve seasons later.
• Hilarious in Hindsight: Ralph Wiggum drawing Jesus with wheels is hilarious since online preachers in the 2000s have been coining the term "Jesus take the wheel."
• Jerkass Woobie: Yeah, Jessica is such a bad seed, but it's hard to not feel bad for her at the end when she tries to get attention from her father, who instead runs away from her.
• Love to Hate: Jessica. Her unfazed, passive-aggressive smile while Lisa is shaming her to her face is infuriating.
• Values Dissonance: The episode opens with the kids playing Cowboys and Indians, but at least Milhouse remembers he's supposed to be calling them Native Americans now.

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