Brush with Greatness
"Brush with Greatness" | |
---|---|
The Simpsons episode | |
Episode no. | Season 2 Episode 18 |
Directed by | Jim Reardon |
Written by | Brian K. Roberts |
Production code | 7F18 |
Original air date | April 11, 1991 |
Guest appearances | |
| |
Episode features | |
Couch gag | The couch tips over with the family sitting on it and Maggie sits in its place.[2] |
Commentary | Matt Groening Brian K. Roberts Al Jean Jim Reardon |
"Brush with Greatness" is the eighteenth episode of the second season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox Network in the United States on April 11, 1991. In the episode, Marge enrolls in an art class after Lisa encourages her to revive her former interest in painting. When she wins first prize in a local art competition for a portrait of Homer on the couch in his underwear, Mr. Burns commissions her to paint his portrait. In the subplot, Homer is determined to lose weight after getting stuck in a water slide at an amusement park.
The episode was written by
Since airing, the episode has received mostly positive reviews from television critics, who praised its central focus on Marge, as well as Starr's role. It acquired a
Plot
The Simpsons go to the Mount Splashmore water park. The park's rescue crew is forced to close the water slide ride after Homer is stuck inside. The crew remove the blocked section of pipe using a large crane, with Homer still stuck inside. That night, the news media poke fun at Homer's massive size during their coverage of his mishap at the water park.
After learning that he weighs 260 pounds (120 kg), Homer vows to go on a diet and get more exercise. While Homer is looking for his weights in the attic, Bart stumbles upon several old paintings of the drummer Ringo Starr that Marge had made as a high school student. Marge reveals she was scolded by her art teacher for painting Starr, on whom she had a crush. She sent a painting to Starr for his "honest opinion", but she never got a response back. After Lisa suggests that Marge take a painting class at Springfield Community College, she paints Homer asleep on the couch in his underwear, earning praise from her teacher, Professor Lombardo. The painting wins the college art show, earning Marge fame and newspaper headlines.
Mr. Burns asks Marge to paint his portrait for a new wing of the Springfield Art Museum. Marge agrees, although she resists Homer's plea to paint Burns as a beautiful man. While Burns is taking a shower at the Simpsons' house, Marge inadvertently sees him naked. Homer finds he has lost 21 pounds from his exercise regimen and now weighs 239 pounds (108 kg). After Burns disparages Homer's weight and his daughters, Lisa and Maggie, Marge throws Burns out of the house. She is ready to quit until she receives a response from Starr, who, though decades late, praises her portrait of him. Homer encourages Marge to finish the painting.
Marge's painting of a naked, frail and weak Burns is unveiled at the opening of the museum wing, much to the shock of both Burns and the crowd, causing Smithers to faint. She explains that the portrait shows that behind all of Burns' evil, he is a frail and vulnerable human being who is by extension just as beautiful as any other living creature in the world. With that in mind, the crowd praises Marge's portrait; even an impressed Burns does the same before thanking Marge for a job well done.
Production
Cultural references
The line for the H2WHOA! ride reproduces the staircases in the
Reception
In its original broadcast, "Brush with Greatness" finished thirty-seventh in the ratings for the week of April 8–14, 1991, with a
The episode received positive reviews from television critics. Many lauded the use of Starr; for instance, IGN ranked his performance in the episode, along with Paul McCartney's performance in "Lisa the Vegetarian" and George Harrison's performance in "Homer's Barbershop Quartet", as the tenth best guest appearance in The Simpsons' history. They added that "Although none of these appearances were really large, the fact that the most popular band of all time appeared on The Simpsons is a large statement on the popularity and importance of the show."[10]
Doug Pratt, a DVD reviewer and Rolling Stone contributor, wrote that "Brush with Greatness" has a "well thought-out" plot and he enjoyed the use of Starr and Marge's previously undiscovered talents.[11] Paul A. Cantor, author of the book Gilligan Unbound: Pop Culture in the Age of Globalization, said that "once again Brian K. Roberts proves his genius with 'Brush with Greatness' in a superb work where Marge cultivates her wonderful artistic side".[12] DVD Movie Guide's Colin Jacobson wrote: "From the opening at Mt. Splashmore through Homer's diet and the unveiling of Mr. Burns' controversial portrait, the episode packed a lot of great material. It also expanded Marge's character in a pleasing way, as it avoided any semblance of sappiness; we needed a break from sentiment after 'Old Money'. Overall, 'Brush with Greatness' provided a terrific episode."[13]
The authors of the book I Can't Believe It's a Bigger and Better Updated Unofficial Simpsons Guide, Warren Martyn and Adrian Wood, wrote: "A superb episode, with Marge rightfully centre stage. Despite his general unpleasantness, Mr. Burns' gratitude to Marge is both welcome and unexpected. And the dig at Water Parks is spot on."[2] In October 2008, Ringo Starr posted a video on his website in which he said he was too busy to answer fan mail and that all mail sent to him after October 20 would be thrown out.[14] Although Starr did not mention "Brush with Greatness" in the video, several media sources compared his announcement to his portrayal in the episode.[15][16]
References
- ^ OL 433519M.
- ^ a b c d Martyn, Warren; Wood, Adrian (2000). "Brush with Greatness". BBC. Archived from the original on April 19, 2013. Retrieved July 30, 2007.
- ^ ISBN 978-0062748034.
- ^ a b c Robert, Brian (2002). The Simpsons season 2 DVD commentary for the episode "Brush with Greatness" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
- ^ a b Jean, Al (2002). The Simpsons season 2 DVD commentary for the episode "Brush with Greatness" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
- ^ Jean, Al [@AlJean] (April 11, 2022). "When Ringo arrived to record and saw the part was longer he said "you've written me a bloody novel."" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ a b Groening, Matt (2002). The Simpsons season 2 DVD commentary for the episode "Brushing with Greatness" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
- ^ Reardon, Jim (2002). The Simpsons season 2 DVD commentary for the episode "Brushing with Greatness" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
- ^ "What we watch, what we don't...". Austin American-Statesman. April 21, 1991. p. 15.
- ^ Goldman, Eric; Iverson, Dan; Zoromski, Brian (January 4, 2010). "Top 25 Simpsons Guest Appearances". IGN. Archived from the original on October 14, 2012. Retrieved January 15, 2022.
- ISBN 978-1-932916-01-0. Retrieved January 14, 2021. page 1094-1096
- ISBN 978-0-7425-0779-1.
- ^ Jacobson, Colin. "The Simpsons: The Complete Second Season". DVD Movie Guide. Archived from the original on July 13, 2002. Retrieved March 23, 2009.
- Boston Globe. October 13, 2008. Archivedfrom the original on January 15, 2022. Retrieved January 15, 2022.
- ^ "Ringo Starr Doesn't Want to Answer Mail, Sign Photos for Fans". Fox News. October 14, 2008. Archived from the original on October 19, 2008. Retrieved January 15, 2022.
- ^ "Ringo Starr: I've got to get fans out of my life". CNN. October 14, 2008. Archived from the original on April 14, 2009. Retrieved January 15, 2022.
External links