Bart on the Road

Episode	References	Gags	Appearances	Gallery	Quotes	Credits

◄ A Fish Called Selma

Bart on the Road

22 Short Films About Springfield ►

Bart on the Road
Episode Number	148
Production Code	3F17
Original Airdate	March 31, 1996
Chalkboard Gag	Teacher is not a leaper (edited version)
Couch Gag	Bowling Pins couch gag (unedited version) Circus Line couch gag (edited version)
Written By	Richard Appel
Directed By	Swinton O. Scott III

“We got no car. We got no money. And no one knows we're here. We're stranded!”

―Bart, Milhouse and Martin

"Bart on the Road" is the twentieth episode of Season 7. It originally aired on March 31, 1996. The episode was written by Richard Appel and directed by Swinton O. Scott III.

Synopsis

With fake drivers ID in hand, have Bart will travel. In this case, Nelson, Martin and Milhouse come along for the ride when Bart hits the wide open road. Meanwhile, Lisa spends some quality time with Homer at the power plant.

Full Story

It's the last week of school before Spring Break at Springfield Elementary. Principal Skinner is planning on spending the break in Hong Kong, but he discovers that the airline has mistakenly booked him for a flight that leaves on Friday instead of Saturday. Unable to pay the huge fee that the airline would charge to change the flight date, Skinner decides to promote a "Take your kids to work day" on the Friday before Spring Break. Bart very reluctantly goes to the DMV with Patty and Selma (his first choice was staying at home with Marge but founds that housewife doesn't count as a job because you don't get paid), Lisa goes to the nuclear power plant with Homer, Milhouse discovers the exciting world of Crackers, and Martin makes a million dollars trading commodity futures (although seconds later, he loses all but $600).

At the DMV, Bart makes himself a fake driver's license. He, Nelson, and Milhouse are unsatisfied with its local uses, such as admitting them to see the film version of Naked Lunch, which they assumed to be  pornography. They eventually decide to use some money that Martin has to rent a car and go on a road trip. As a cover story, Bart, Martin, and Milhouse tell their parents that they have been selected by their school to attend the National Grammar Rodeo in Canada. Lisa, who has never heard of such an event, can easily see through Bart's lie, but Marge believes that Lisa is trying to get attention. Martin and Milhouse have no problems convincing their parents. Nelson just tells his mother that he is going away for a week.

The boys rent a vehicle and head out, but soon stop when they suddenly realize they have no idea where they are going. Finding an old brochure in the glove box of the car, they decide to go to the World's Fair in Knoxville, Tennessee. But first Nelson makes them stop in Branson, Missouri (Bart: "Dad says it's just like Vegas... if it were run by Ned Flanders"), where he can see his hero, Andy Williams.

Martin,Milhouse,Bart and Nelson after visiting the Wig Sphere

Back in Springfield, Homer asks if Lisa would like to come spend her spring break at work with him and she enjoys herself there; meanwhile, Marge becomes bored at home. Finding out that the World's Fair was over 10 years ago (the Knoxville World's Fair was held in 1982, nearly 14 years before the episode originally aired), and the aging Sunsphere has been turned into a wig shop. Bart tries to optomistic and point's out that they still have a car and a lot of money. To which Martin responds saying they don't have any more money and that he spent their last ten dollars on an Al Gore doll. Out of extreme anger Nelson throws a rock at the Sunsphere, which eventfully topples it over and destroy's their car. Now, every one points out that they have no car or money and nobody actually knows that they're in Tennessee. Martin says that it should be time to spill the beans to they're parents, but Bart objects saying that they'd kill them for taking off throught the country.

They go to a local pawn shop to make money. Nelson grabs Milhouse's glasses and gives them to the register. The register says that they're perfect for rebottling some antique coke bottles, but takes back the money after Milhouse blindly and accidently knocks down and shatters all of the coke bottles. The kids try to catch a train that leads through Springfield, they succeed in tossing their luggage onto the train but fail to get on themselves, (after the train out-sped them, leaving them with no luggage).

Bart calls Lisa and tells her the truth, which confirms her earlier suspicions. She gleefully states he will be in so much trouble when he gets home, however one story from Bart about how much trouble he is 'already' in convinces her to help without telling Homer or Marge. She suggests that he become a Courier as a possible way to get home. Bart manages to get a job (even with his un-laminated, unsigned license). His first job takes him to Hong Kong to deliver eyeballs, while his friends stay behind (during the trip, Principal Skinner sees Bart at the airport). After several more deliveries, Bart calls Lisa and mentions that she needs to help him find a way to get a package shipped to Springfield, and big enough to hold Martin, Milhouse and Nelson.

The next time Lisa meets with Homer, she explains just what Bart has been up to. Homer becomes unbelievably angry and vents his displeasure by yelling into one of the plant's safety helmets. Homer plans to send Bart the money to get home before killing him, but can't otherwise he will ruin Lisa's trust in him by relealing she broke her promise to her brother not to say anything. After causing his nuclear console to malfunction (by pouring a can of Buzz Cola on the controls), Homer orders the plant a new nuclear console from the Oak Ridge Nuclear Facility in a crate. Bart forces Nelson, Milhouse, and Martin to get in the crate while flying home, and everyone knows about the trip except Marge, who receives a call from Skinner asking if Bart traveled to Hong Kong, a call asking whether her son's car was abandoned in Tennessee, and a call inquiring about Bart's availability to make another international delivery. Homer laughs. Marge asks him if he's laughing at her.

Citations

◄ Season 6	Season 7 Episodes	Season 8 ►
Who Shot Mr. Burns? (Part Two) • Radioactive Man • Home Sweet Homediddly-Dum-Doodily • Bart Sells His Soul • Lisa the Vegetarian • Treehouse of Horror VI • King-Size Homer • Mother Simpson • Sideshow Bob's Last Gleaming • The Simpsons 138th Episode Spectacular • Marge Be Not Proud • Team Homer • Two Bad Neighbors • Scenes from the Class Struggle in Springfield • Bart the Fink • Lisa the Iconoclast • Homer the Smithers • The Day the Violence Died • A Fish Called Selma • Bart on the Road • 22 Short Films About Springfield • Raging Abe Simpson and His Grumbling Grandson in "The Curse of the Flying Hellfish" • Much Apu About Nothing • Homerpalooza • Summer of 4 Ft. 2