"The Simpsons" Lisa Simpson, This Isn't Your Life (TV Episode 2010) Poster

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7/10
A Weaker Moment for the 22nd Season,
lesleyharris3021 November 2010
Lisa Simpson, This Isn't Your Life is a good Simpsons episode with a well written storyline and plenty of funny scenes. It's enjoyable, we see Lisa abandon her family and social life in return for her education, it's certainly one of the most serious positions we have ever seen any character on the show in, and it provides great conflict between herself and Marge. It's definitely a weaker moment of the twenty second season, this season has offered some very entertaining and memorable moments, but you sadly will not see any of those here, and it's a perfect example that Lisa's shows are normally the most mediocre Simpsons episodes, although in defense of the character, she did have some great episodes centred on her in this season (Elementary School Musical, Loan-a Lisa, the Great Simpsina). I think the story for the episode had good potential but they certainly didn't take advantage of it, it lingers for a long time where nothing really happens, Lisa should have moved to the new school much earlier in the episode as it was an important plot device, but was only seen for about five minutes at best, and it should have dealt with Marge's struggles to afford the fees for the school much more. It's nothing special, but Lisa Simpson, This Isn't Your Life has many funny moments and is an enjoyable episode.

Lisa tries to find how Marge's grades suffered as a child so she won't destroy her own education. Meanwhile, Bart puts himself in huge trouble after standing up to Nelson.
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10/10
Simpsons in a rut? I don't think so!
stakleni0017 November 2010
I will start in a simple way: I have seen episode 5 of the 22:nd season of The Simpsons, titled "Lisa Simpson, This Isn't Your Life", and I can say that it is quite good. No, it is actually BRILLIANT!

Over the last few years, there has been a lot of talk about The Simpsons kind of being in rut, i.e. they are not even close as funny now as they were about ten years ago. The latest Halloween special, "Treehouse of Horror XXI", is a good example of that. It just wasn't funny enough. Even though The Simpsons of the last few years lack some of the direct and simple humor from the show's earlier days, the animation is better, the storytelling is better and the stories feel much more creative than before: the stories are not incorporated in the characters' every-day lives as they were earlier; every episode now-days is like a little adventure.

Well, what about the jokes in episode 5 of season 22? What about the humor? Is it funny? Well, it's all in the details, mostly. First of all, the story is very well written. It flows and unfolds perfectly throughout the episode, and ends just perfectly in a simple The Simpsons way. I personally didn't expect it to be very funny, even though I enjoy watching The Simpsons, so I was sort of caught by surprise. I feel that this is definitely the funniest episode of The Simpsons in a long time! I laughed often, I laughed hard. Perhaps it is a little early still, but this episode might even become a classic. I highly recommend watching it, and I wish you will enjoy it as much as I did. Now I am again looking forward to the next episodes (and the next season), though now with less patience! Simply brilliant work!
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10/10
Feels like classic Simpsons
kellielulu19 September 2022
Warning: Spoilers
An episode that feels like seasons four through nine. I don't dislike later seasons like many do but I can see different phases. This one feels like a vintage Simpsons episode.

This episode basically has three plots all get enough time and work equally well.

The main plot is about Lisa . She learns Marge was academically on Lisa's level until Homer came along. Lisa swears no boy will do that to her . Homer explains it could be anything ( including scrapbooking!) Principal Skinner further tells Lisa children inevitably turn out like their parents. When Marge learns Lisa doesn't want to be like her mother it's very hurtful to Marge who becomes cold and distant towards Lisa . Homer picks up the slack as best he can filling in the Marge void for Lisa .

Marge turns her attention to Bart who is having a bully problem with Nelson. Marge gives Bart advice on how to get Nelson to stop and get them to a friendlier place. It takes a while but eventually it works. Bart finds a sincere way to compliment Nelson.

Lisa sees an elite school she wants to attend but it's obviously expensive Marge isn't keen on it but talks the head of the school into it . It appears Lisa has some sort of scholarship. Homer is still the one giving Lisa emotional support and understanding. Meanwhile he's also trying to help Maggie get the one remaining elf from a collective promotion from a service station. This is the funniest plot in the episode as Homer stops at nothing to get that elf! This includes buying gas numerous times a day just to get an elf!

Eventually Lisa realizes there is no scholarship and Marge is doing everyone's laundry at the school for free in exchange for Lisa's education. She can't do it to Marge realizing what her mother was willing to do for her even after deeply hurting Marge. They reconcile . Lisa misses the school but hides that from her mom.

Homer also gets the elf for Maggie even if it was in a less than honest way.

A funny, sweet, poignant episode.
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