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Livin' La Pura Vida |
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"Livin' La Pura Vida" is the seventh episode of Season 31.
Synopsis[]
The Simpsons join other Springfield families on the Van Houtens' annual trip to Costa Rica, which they obviously can't afford. While there, Homer befriends Patty's new girlfriend, Evelyn, and Lisa tracks down the real reason the Van Houtens can go on this trip every year.
Full Story[]
The episode starts off with Marge picking up Bart from his sleepover at the Van Houten Residence, Luann invites Marge and her family for their yearly trip to Costa Rica. Marge quickly speeds home to propose the vacation and rest of the family quickly accept, Marge really wants a good picture for her instagram as her pictures are all of her house work. Later that night, Lisa overhears her parents discussing how expensive the cost will get and starts becoming worried at the cost herself that she starts twisting her hair.
At Springfield International Airport, the Simpsons meet up with the Van Houten family, the Hibbert family, Chalmers and his daughter Shauna, as well as Patty and her new girlfriend Evelyn, to go on the vacation. Marge asks Homer to be nice to Evelyn for Patty's sake, especially because the dating apps have blocked her. While Evelyn openly starts to speak badly of Homer after what she heard from Patty but Homer keeps cool. After arriving in Costa Rica, Lisa become even more worried about the expenses of the trip. Meanwhile, Kirk keeps track of all the expenses upfront and will divide the checks up at the end of the trip.
At dinner at the Van Houten vacation home, Lisa sees all the expenses of the trip they have to pay for. Homer and Evelyn discover that they have a lot in common. The next morning, Homer and Evelyn chose to stay at the home, while everyone else goes shopping. However, when everyone else returns to the home they find the two drunk and sunburned, having numerous monkeys trashed the place. Marge is furious with Homer's behavior, and makes him promise to behave for the remainder of the trip in order to get a perfect photo of them for their trip, despite Homer pointing out that he and Evelyn are getting along which is what Marge wanted.
Bart finds Lisa upset and reveals her financial worries to him, this makes Bart suggest they show their parents Kirk's expenses book. They sneak into Kirk and Luann Master bedroom for evidence, they don't have to worry about Milhouse since he ditched Bart for Dr. Hibbert's son J.J.. While in the bedroom the two siblings uncover a bunch of secrets that they wish they could unsee. Underneath their bed, the two find what Lisa believes to be rare priceless artifacts. Seconds later Kirk returns after having drank some river water and then the two kids escape. Homer and Marge are able to take a perfect photo of their vacation at the waterfall (although Marge learns about his secret drinking), but a wave from Evelyn's splash knocks the phone into the water. At dinner, Patty blames a depressed Marge for making her girlfriend reduced to his level. Marge fires back at Patty by saying how Evelyn ruined everything for her and is a bad influence on Homer because she acts just like him, telling Patty she is "dating a Homer". Patty is horrified and abruptly ends her relationship with Evelyn that night. Seconds later Lisa attempts to expose the Van Houtens for the stones they are selling back home to pay for their vacation every year at dinner and now they are going to live in their car, but Kirk tells her off, pointing out that they are just salt and pepper holders: they were meant to be a gift for the families who are staying at the vacation home. This leaves the rest of the families disappointed at the Simpsons.
The next morning the Simpsons chose to leave their trip and quickly given a bill by Kirk, after seeing the final amount Homer is shocked, it turns out Lisa was right to be worried. In revenge for charging them extra for ruining their trip, the family sneak back into the home to get the salt and pepper holders they didn't get but inadvertently discover a painting. They meet the other families on the zipline course revealing to everyone what's going on: they found a painting of the explorer Kirkedemious Van Houten who after starting a cracker trade built the vacation house the Van Houtens own. As it turns out, the Van Houtens are making people pay for the trip with their own money while they get the house for free. They are furious to hear this and while Luann acts shocked, Kirk reveals this was her idea. The families chase after Kirk before he can endorse the checks. In the middle of the commotion, Marge has a heart to heart talk with Patty, saying sorry for causing the break up between her and Evelyn. She tells that while Homer hates her (he secretly feels sorry that Selma has to live with her), Evelyn loves her more than anything else in the world. After learning all of this, Patty then agrees to restart her relationship with Evelyn.
Kirk bitterly refunds everyone their money back so they can live the vacation like they intended to. Homer wants to go back to the waterfall to retake the perfect photo of him and Marge, but she convinces him that their vacation is not about being perfect, it is about living in the moment, just as a reconciled Patty and Evelyn kiss on the zipline.
On the plane back home Marge gets her perfect picture; the family together on the plane, meanwhile Shauna Chalmers and Jimbo are not getting married after all as his parents flipped and cancelled the wedding. While Bart left his mark in the jungle with El Barto, everyone had a great time.
Behind the Laughter[]
Reception[]
The episode itself did receive praise for being well written and having some good jokes.
Videos[]
