Allison Taylor is a student at Springfield Elementary. Allison is just as smart as Lisa, but a year younger (having skipped a grade). Like Lisa, she too is a talented saxophone player.
Personality
In terms of personality, Allison is shown to be bright and intelligent. She is also an excellent saxophone player and has won enough trophies and awards to fill a room. She has proven to be as smart as Lisa, but in a diorama contest both girls easily lost to Ralph. After the contest, both girls invite Ralph to play with them. She's also friendly.
History
Official Artwork
When Allison Taylor first comes to Springfield Elementary, Lisa is happy to have a friend as smart as her. Eventually, Lisa becomes jealous of having a true rival in school. Regardless, Lisa tries to be her friend. To Lisa's chagrin, Allison wins first chair saxophone in the school band, Ralph starts asking her for answers, the other girls bully her instead of Lisa, and Allison's father thinks Lisa is juvenile in comparison. Tensions climax during Springfield Elementary's annual "Diorama-rama" competition. Allison makes a diorama of The Telltale Heart, by Edgar Allan Poe, showing the protagonist going insane while a section of the floor "beats" mechanically. With Bart's help and prodding, Lisa sabotages Allison's entry by switching Allison's diorama with one containing a cow's bloody heart. When Principal Skinner sees the result, he criticizes the diorama and questions Allison's overall qualifications. Lisa, overcome with guilt, confesses to the switch. However, Lisa and Allison still lose the competition to Ralph Wiggum, whose diorama consists of a box of Star Wars action figures still in their packaging – objects of sentimental value to Principal Skinner. In the end, Lisa and Allison put aside their differences and become friends (Lisa hopes they will be the best).[2]
Allison can be later seen as a background character in many episodes revolving around the Springfield children, particularly Lard of the Dance, Wild Barts Can't Be Broken, Last Tap Dance in Springfield, and Little Orphan Millie.
Friends?
It appears that sometime after "Lisa's Rival", she and Lisa have an on-off friendship similar to Lisa and Janey's. She is usually seen hanging out with Janey, Sherri and Terri, or Alex Whitney (during her brief cameos). She is also usually seen among those laughing at Lisa whenever she is ridiculed.
In addition to her underrated friendship with Lisa, her genius intellect and talent appear to be underrated as well, as she is rarely seen competing with Lisa or sharing a close friendship with her.
Behind the Laughter
Originally voiced by Winona Ryder, Allison Taylor has subsequently had a few small speaking parts, with her voice provided by Pamela Hayden.
She has appeared in different issues of The Simpsons Comics but is sometimes mis-colored to make her look a bit like Jessica Lovejoy.
Relations
Lisa Simpson
Allison and Lisa are both at the top of their class and are expert level players of the saxophone. She did show concern for Lisa when she was hyperventilating in her lunch bag (when her excuse was "I just like to smell my lunch"). After both Allison and Lisa lost the dioramma contest they finally accepted themselves as equals and started a true friendship.
When Lisa was introducing Alex Whitney to her friends and they took off Lisa thought that Allison and the others had ditch Lisa for Alex. When Lisa, Alex, Sherri, Terri, Janey and Allison were shopping for dresses for the school dance when Lisa discovered that each of them had dates Allison said "Don't worry Lisa, there's still plenty of time. You'll get a date" hinting that she was the only one who'd hope that Lisa would go to the dance.
Mr. Taylor
Mr. Taylor is Allison's father, and they seem to have a healthy relationship. In contrast with Bart and Lisa's relationship with Homer, Mr. Taylor and Allison don't argue or get into fights. They both seem to be smart and have a lot in common with each other. This is likely a contributing factor to Allison's superior intelligence.
Ralph Wiggum
They don't seem to be really friends, but have a small and minor friendship. Allison invited Ralph over to her house to play games at the end of the episode.
Bart Simpson
In The D'oh-cial Network, she is revealed to be one of Bart's SpringFace friends, and, in fact, Bart's only female online friend, as seen in his blog. Exactly why she became online friends with him is unknown.
Taffy
She is one of Taffy's online friends, as seen in Taffy's blog.
Notes
- Allison's facial symmetry is extremely similar to that of Laura and Ruth Powers. Though presumably coincidental, it has been a subject of many fan-made works.
Appearances
Note: Many of her appearances are brief background roles. Episodes where she has an actual role are in bold.
Episode – "Lisa's Rival" - Episode – "The PTA Disbands"
- Episode – "Summer of 4 Ft. 2"
- Episode – "The Principal and the Pauper"
- Episode – "Bart Star"
- Episode – "Lard of the Dance"
- Episode – "Wild Barts Can't Be Broken"
- Episode – "Last Tap Dance in Springfield"
- Episode – "Lisa the Tree Hugger"
- Episode – "Skinner's Sense of Snow"
- THOH – "Treehouse of Horror XII"
- Episode – "Future-Drama"
- Episode – "Homer's Paternity Coot"
- Episode – "My Fair Laddy"
- Episode – "The Mook, the Chef, the Wife and Her Homer"
- – The Simpsons Movie
- Episode – "Little Orphan Millie"
- Episode – "The Debarted"
- Episode – "Husbands and Knives"
- Episode – "How the Test Was Won"
- Episode – "Father Knows Worst"
- Episode – "Waverly Hills 9-0-2-1-D'oh"
- Episode – "Bart Gets a "Z""
- THOH – "Treehouse of Horror XX"
- Episode – "Rednecks and Broomsticks"
- Episode – "O Brother, Where Bart Thou?"
- Episode – "Once Upon a Time in Springfield"
- Episode – "The Color Yellow"
- Episode – "To Surveil With Love" (Opening Sequence only)
- Episode – "Stealing First Base"
- Episode – "Moe Letter Blues"
- Episode – "Elementary School Musical"
- Episode – "The Fool Monty"
- Episode – "The Scorpion's Tale"
- Episode – "The Great Simpsina"
- Episode – "Homer Scissorhands" (Avatar only)
- Episode – "The Ned-liest Catch"
- Episode – "Holidays of Future Passed" (Avatar only)
- Episode – "The D'oh-cial Network"
- Episode – "Moe Goes from Rags to Riches"
- Comic book – Bart Simpson 6 "24 Hours In The Life Of Ralph Wiggum"
- Comic book – Bart Simpson 13 "Little Buddy Day"
Gallery
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References
- ↑ Although she is in Lisa's class, (making her eight) she is reported to have been out up a grade in Lisa's Rival
- ↑ Lisa's Rival