I Love Lisa

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<tr><th width="33%">Show Runner(s)</th><td>Al Jean & Mike Reiss</td></tr> <tr><th width="33%">Chalkboard</th><td>'I will not call the principal "spud head."'</td></tr><tr><th width="33%">Couch gag</th><td>The family dances along with elephants and various circus performers.</td></tr><tr><th width="33%">Guest star(s)</th><td>None</td></tr>

The Simpsons episode
"I Love Lisa" <tr><th style="font-size: 100%;" align="center" colspan="2"></th></tr>
Episode no.	74
Prod. code	9F13
Orig. Airdate	February 11, 1993
Writer(s)	Frank Mula
Director	Wes Archer
SNPP capsule
Season 4 September 24 1992 – May 13 1993
Kamp Krusty A Streetcar Named Marge Homer the Heretic Lisa the Beauty Queen Treehouse of Horror III Itchy & Scratchy: The Movie Marge Gets a Job New Kid on the Block Mr. Plow Lisa's First Word Homer's Triple Bypass Marge vs. the Monorail Selma's Choice Brother from the Same Planet I Love Lisa Duffless Last Exit to Springfield So It's Come to This: A Simpsons Clip Show The Front Whacking Day Marge in Chains Krusty Gets Kancelled
List of all Simpsons episodes...

"I Love Lisa" is an episode from the fourth season of The Simpsons, in which the dim-witted and socially-awkward Ralph Wiggum plays a prominent role.

1 Synopsis
- 1.1 Valentine's Day in Springfield
2 Trivia
3 Memorable Quotes
4 Cultural references
5 External links

[edit] Synopsis

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

On Valentine's Day in Springfield, Lisa's class begins constructing paper mailboxes for all the cards they are about to receive. When Ralph gets no cards and begins to cry, Lisa hastily gives him a card out of sympathy. Ralph immediately cheers up, and develops a romantic interest in his classmate.

Ralph begins to annoy Lisa at every turn, following her home and discussing his medical maladies. Lisa tries to escape the situation, but Ralph uses his position as the police chief's son to get her tickets to Krusty's upcoming 29th Anniversary Special, as well as a leading part for himself in a President's Day Pageant in which Lisa also stars. In a dramatic upset, Ralph received the role of George Washington in a segment about that president's life, beating out an obviously more talented classmate, who complained to no avail. Conveniently, Lisa as Martha Washington will be Ralph's "wife."

With Homer having convinced Lisa that nothing can go wrong at Krusty's show, Lisa and Ralph go together. On live air, Krusty begins interviewing audience members, and Ralph takes the opportunity to declare that Lisa is the love of his life and that he intends to marry her. Lisa finally loses her temper and angrily tells Ralph they are not boyfriend and girlfriend, and that the only thing she feels for him is pity.

Ralph is humiliated, and Lisa soon regrets her actions, particularly after Bart replays the incident on videotape. Ralph bemoans his situation to his father, but the only way Chief Wiggum can respond is to break out Homer's taillight after a traffic stop.

On the night of the play, students sing about the lesser-known U.S. Presidents, and Bart plays John Wilkes Booth, perhaps modelling his performance after The Terminator. Surprisingly, Ralph proves to be a very good actor, inspiring the school bullies to study American history. He even moves Groundskeeper Willie to tears. The play ends with an animatronic Mount Rushmore singing "From sea to shining sea."

Afterward, Ralph signs autographs and greets well-wishers. Lisa also approaches, and gives him a new card, reading "Let's bee [be] friends." Ralph accepts the offer.

[edit] Valentine's Day in Springfield

Grampa scoffs at the holiday, until he sees Jasper enjoying a card from his granddaughter.
Bart paints insults on candy hearts. Principal Skinner catches on and reminds the school that Valentine's Day is no joke, and in the process lapses into a Vietnam flashback where his best friend, Johnny, was shot by the Viet Cong while addressing a Valentine to his girlfriend.
Moe receives a Valentine's Day card from a "secret admirer", who turns out to be Barney.
The radio station accidentally plays "Monster Mash" by Bobby "Boris" Pickett instead of a love song; they make the mistake again on President's Day.
Lunchlady Doris serves beef hearts for lunch, despite their being dumped on the dirty school kitchen floor.

[edit] Trivia

This episode establishes Ralph as Chief Wiggum's son.
Al Jean, (show runner for this episode), really did receive a Valentine from a girl in third grade that read "I Choo-choo-choose you." Subsequently, his wife had it enscribed on his wedding band.
Willie mentions that his father was sentenced to death and executed. However, his father is seen alive in a later episode in Scotland.
In this episode, Ralph is wise. :O

[edit] Memorable Quotes

(Ralph has shown up at the Simpsons' door, saying he'll do anything to see Lisa. Homer takes advantage of this by making him brush the tar from his roof)

Ralph: "Mr. Simpson, the tar fumes are making me dizzy." Homer: (lying in a hammock) "Yeah, they'll do that."

Ralph: "Ms Hoover, my parents wont let me use scissors"

( kids laugh at him) Ms Hoover: "The children are right to laugh at you Ralph, these scissors couldn't cut butter. Now take out your red crayon." Ralph: "Uh Ms Hoover I dont have a red crayon." Ms Hoover: "Why not, Ralph?" Ralph: "I ate it." (kids laugh again)

Ralph: "The doctor said I wouldn't have so many nosebleeds if I kept my finger outa there."

Bart: "Look, Lisa, you can actually pinpoint the exact moment when his heart rips in half... and... there!"

[edit] Cultural references

I Love Lucy — The episode's title is inspired by the classic sit-com.
Sweethearts candy — Bart paints his trademark phrases (e.g., "U Stink", "Eat my shorts") on candy hearts, just like the conversational candies.
Valentine's Day cards — The Valentine's Day cards Ralph gets from Lisa — "I Choo-choo-choose you!" and "Let's Bee Friends" — are just like those children trade with each other in school. Ralph makes both cards points of conversation with Lisa.
The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson — Krusty's set of his talk show (shown in archived clips) is just like the legendary late-night talk show. One of his guests is a Joan Embry-like zoologist, whose exotic creature relieves itself on Krusty's head (just like the marmoset did on The Tonight Show).
Star Trek — Groundskeeper Willie does his best impression of Scotty when complaining about having to water down the drinks ("My God man. I've watered it down as far as she'll go, I cannot water it no more!")
The Terminator — Bart does his best Arnold Schwarzenegger impression while portraying John Wilkes Booth in the school play.
The Doors — Krusty sings The Doors song "Break On Through" during the seventies look-back.
My Bloody Valentine — This is both the name of a British rock group, a horror movie, and the Itchy & Scratchy episode featured. All of them are a play on the jazz standard song "My Funny Valentine".
Apocalypse Now - Skinner's Vietnam flashback is similar to the film. Some of the characters from the film appear as well.
Paul Reubens/Pee-Wee Herman - Krusty getting caught by Chief Wiggum while at an X-rated theater mirrors the incident when Paul Reubens (known as his man-child character Pee-Wee Herman, from the films Pee Wee's Big Adventure, Big Top Pee-Wee and the CBS kids show Pee-Wee's Playhouse) was caught by Sarasota police for indecent exposure while at a porno theater.
Walking Tall - Chief Wiggum smashes innocent driver's taillights.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt - When Ralph says he is here to play George Washington, he immediately proceeds to sit in a wheelchair (FDR had polio and thus had to sit in a wheelchair).