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The Simpsons Guy
Clown in the Dumps
The Wreck of the Relationship

"Clown in the Dumps" is the first episode of Season 26. It aired alongside The Simpsons Guy.

Synopsis[]

After being insulted at a Comedy Central-style roast and having his father die before he can tell him whether or not he was ever funny, Krusty decides to, once again, leave show business (this time out of heartbreak). Meanwhile, Lisa worries that Homer's destructive antics may cost him his life (even though it hasn't so far and probably never will).

Plot[]

Crustysfather

Rabbi Krustofsky dies in front of Krusty.

Krusty is roasted by fellow comedian Sarah Silverman. He feels offended, hurt, heartbroken by the jokes told about him, so he chooses to go to his father, Rabbi Hyman Krustofsky, for comfort. When he asks him if he thinks he is hilarious, the rabbi just replies, "Eh," and unexpectedly passes away.

At Rabbi Krustofsky's funeral, Krusty talks about how hard it is to lose a father, which worries Lisa, as she observes Homer's lazy and unhealthy lifestyle. She begins to become obsessed with protecting him from harm.

Meanwhile, Krusty stresses out over the fact that his father did not find him funny, and apparently favored another rabbi's sense of humor over his. He retires from show business after watching a cruel Itchy & Scratchy cartoon he produced. Bart tries to cheer his hero up by showing him reruns of his show, but Krusty notices that his jokes are overly repetitive and sinks deeper into depression.

Krusty is visited by his father in a dream, who tells him to be more productive with his life. He tries to open an animal shelter (which was the former Krusty Burger slaughterhouse), but still feels he has unfulfilled his father's request. Bart then tells Krusty to follow him.

At the Simpson home, Lisa wraps Homer in bubble wrap as he sleeps. When he wakes up, Lisa tells him she just wanted to protect him, to which Homer replies that she can't always save him from harm, and that he could live a long life, or he could be hit by a bus and there would be nothing she could do about it. He then gets hit by the school bus driven by Otto, but is saved due to the bubble wrap Lisa put him in.

Bart takes Krusty to the synagogue featuring the rabbi Krusty's father liked over him. Krusty then notices that his jokes are identical to his and realizes that his dad liked his sense of humor all along and is happy once again. Bart then points out that he may have liked his jokes but hated his delivery of them, to which Krusty shouts that, "He liked my jokes!"

Reception[]

The A.V. Club gave the episode a C, commenting "Fresh off a summer of Simpsonsmania, thanks to the phenomenally successful FXX marathon of every episode ever, The Simpsons returns for its 26th season with a nondescript, anti-climactic premiere whose overstuffed cameos and would-be big character death amount to little more than a dispiriting confirmation that its best days are, indeed, long gone."

IGN rated the episode 5.8/10, concluding "Between an anticlimactic death and a redundant conflict, The Simpsons didn't start Season 26 off on the right foot."

Citations[]

Krusty The ClownKrusty the Clown Show Characters, Locations and Key Episodes
Krusty the Clown | Sideshow Bob | Sideshow Mel | Sophie Krustofsky | Mr. Teeny

Krusty Burger | Clown College | Kamp Krusty
Krusty Gets Busted | Itchy & Scratchy & Marge | Like Father, Like Clown | Kamp Krusty | Krusty Gets Kancelled | Bart Gets Famous | Homie the Clown | Bart the Fink | The Itchy & Scratchy & Poochie Show | The Last Temptation of Krust | Insane Clown Poppy | Day of the Jackanapes | Mr. Spritz Goes to Washington | Today, I Am a Clown | Yokel Chords | All About Lisa | Once Upon a Time in Springfield | The Ten-Per-Cent Solution | Clown in the Dumps | The Nightmare After Krustmas | Fears of a Clown | Krusty the Clown (episode) | The Clown Stays in the Picture

Season 25 Season 26 Episodes Season 27
Clown in the DumpsThe Wreck of the RelationshipSuper Franchise MeTreehouse of Horror XXVOpposites A-FrackSimpsoramaBlazed and ConfusedCovercraftI Won't Be Home for ChristmasThe Man Who Came to Be DinnerBart's New FriendThe Musk Who Fell to EarthWalking Big & TallMy Fare LadyThe Princess GuideSky PoliceWaiting for DuffmanPeeping MomThe Kids Are All FightLet's Go Fly a CootBull-EMathlete's Feat
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