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The Boys of Bummer |
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This article contains a controversy. We absolutely take no responsibility for any controversial topics (including this page). Read at your own risk should you continue.
The reason given is: A character is mistreated, driven to a mental breakdown, and attempts suicide.
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Notice: Audience Discretion Advisory
This episode, and this Fandom page, contains material that may not be suitable for some audiences. It covers themes regarding to emotional abuse, physical abuse, verbal abuse, anxiety, lingering depression, self-harm, and suicide. While The Simpsons is a fictional animated sitcom series that usually jokes around and makes fun of such situations, these issues in real life are no laughing matter. We highly advise viewer discretion in regards to such presented themes to everyone and discussion about it. (regardless of viewership age, gender, ethnic background, race, sexual identity, religious affiliation, etc). |
 NOTE: Please remember that there is always help available if you or somebody else are struggling with suicidal thoughts. Do not hesitate to call or text 988, or send a message on 988lifeline.org. International lifelines are also available on the suicide prevention resources page on Community Central. You may also reach out to Fandom Staff on the support page to let them know that you are concerned about your friends and/or someone's safety.
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The Boys of Bummer is the eighteenth episode of Season 18, being the 396th episode overall. It originally aired on April 29, 2007. The episode was written by Michael Price and directed by Rob Oliver.
Synopsis[]
A missed catch at the Little League Championship game costs the Springfield Isotots the win, and turns Bart into a town pariah. Meanwhile, Homer's attempts to talk his way out of being caught sleeping in a department store bed lands him a job as a mattress tester/salesman.
Full Story[]
The Simpsons attend a Little League Baseball game, and Bart catches a fly ball, pushing the Springfield Isotots into the championship. The next day while shopping at Costington's, Homer gets tired but can't find a place to sit, so he lies down on a mattress and ends up falling asleep. However, when he wakes up, everyone is staring at him, so he gets up and exclaims his love for the mattress and manages to sell five; he is promptly hired as a mattress salesman. At the championship, Springfield is against Shelbyville, and is leading 5-2 in the bottom of the ninth with two outs, but Shelbyville has the bases loaded. When their batter hits the ball that could win or lose the game, it heads towards Bart. He drops an easily caught pop up and repeatedly fails to pick it up, allowing all four runners to score on a walk-off inside the park grand slam, giving Shelbyville the victory.
The entire crowd turns against Bart and throws beer at him, to the point where Chief Wiggum hurries him into his patrol car, only to drive back to the stadium and open the car roof so the crowds can continue to throw beer at him after fleeing from the stadium. Bart is totally humiliated and is now the town outcast.
At Homer's new job, he assists Apu successfully. Then the Lovejoys approach him with a sex problem, so Homer sells them a new mattress made by Matrimonix. The Lovejoys buy it, but return it to the Simpson home next day, their problem unimproved. As Homer is writing them a refund check, the Lovejoys make out on Homer and Marge's mattress, and trade their new mattress for it. That night, when Homer and Marge are unsuccessfully trying to have sex, Homer admits he traded their mattress away. Also, that he spent the money they kept in it on a chain for Elvis. The next day, Tim and Helen are singing joyfully at the Church.
Bart's humiliation goes on as Bill and Marty tell everyone on the radio. The town continues to angrily mock Bart for losing the game. Lisa, feeling remorseful, tries to cheer him up by taking to see an old baseball star (Joe LaBoot) who dropped a fly ball and still grew up to be rich and famous. Unfortunately, it only makes Bart feel worse after the baseball player learns who he is and makes everyone in the building sneer him, making Bart burst into tears.
The next morning Springfield awakes to find a deranged Bart has spray-painted "I HATE BART SIMPSON" on everything in town (including a passed-out Barney). While he is painting the message on the water tower (with Marge viewing him using glasses), he lets go of the rope that was holding him up in an attempted suicide which the citizens of Springfield actually encourage.
Seeing what he has done, and recognizing that he has gone too far, a horrified and repentant La Boot desperately tries to catch Bart. Unfortunately, he trips over and misses, causing Bart to hit the ground hard. Grampa Simpson is on the scene and promptly tells La Boot he sucks.
Bart ultimately survives and is revived shortly afterwards by Dr Hibbert. The Doctor tells a worried looking Marge that Bart will pull through but that for the foreseeable future he needs plenty of bed rest, accompanied by peace, and quiet. No sooner does he say this, than a commotion is heard outside.
Marge looks out the window and sees an angry mob has gathered. Instead of showing sympathy, they bear slanderous signs and banners, whilst repeatedly chanting "Bart Sucks" over and over. Marge, infuriated and fed-up, confronts the mob and scolds them for what they had done to her son. When she calls everybody hypocrites, since they themselves participated in similar events when they were younger, and (with the exception of book writer Lenny) haven't gone on to accomplish anything, the crowd has absolutely no counter-response.
Marge stresses her outrage that the whole community was prepared to emotionally traumatize her ten-year-old son in such an unrepentant, brutal fashion to the point that it would actually drive Bart to try and commit suicide. She states that this unjustified treatment coupled with the memory of the game will haunt Bart for the rest of his life. Marge rounds off the whole fiasco by stating that in her opinion, this incident only emphasizes the negative assessment that Springfield really is the "Meanest City in America". Marge thought that a giant billboard with that slogan was meant to attract small business but realizes now that it is actually true about the residents of the town. Now feeling guilty, the entire town apologizes for insulting Bart and seeking to make amends, agrees to restage the game as suggested by Lisa.
After 78 tries (some flying into orbit, some stolen by Homer, one where Moe ran naked on the field), Bart catches the ball, winning the game, even though some of the crowd were tired watching it and went home. Homer and Marge sneak into the Lovejoys' home to steal back their mattress, but the Lovejoys return and excitedly rush up to bed, and Reverend solves the problem Solomon-style – he cuts the mattress in half diagonally. Homer convinces Marge to drive behind a billboard where they have sex, just as they did on their honeymoon – complete with the same bum watching them.
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The contents of this article or section are considered to be non-canon and therefore may not have actually happened/existed. |
Sixty years later, Milhouse nearly lets it slip to Bart that the game was faked to make up for his lack of talent, but then takes it back when Bart starts crying, prompting Bart to say that he rules and Milhouse drools. The episode finishes with the poltergeists of Homer and Marge watching Bart taunt Milhouse and voicing their disappointment, and Homer attempts to talk Marge in to having ghost sex with him, only for Marge to tell him that it is just not the same as when they were alive, although she still moans apparently (what with being a spirit and all).
Behind the Laughter[]
Airdate[]
Originally, this episode was planned to air on May 6, 2007. However, on April 16, the Virginia Tech massacre took place, less than two weeks before the airdate of "Stop or My Dog Will Shoot!", which prominently featured gunplay in some scenes. Out of sensitivity to the victims of the shootings, Fox moved this episode up in the schedule.
Reception[]
Critical response[]
Robert Canning of IGN gave a 4 out of 10 rating, criticizing it for losing heart when "the residents of Springfield are all incredibly cruel to Bart for his error." He adds the sounds "like a typical Simpsons storyline, and one the show is usually capable of pulling off with humor and heart, but the episode simply failed to find the funny in Bart's situation." He further wrote with the B-plot "dullest "B" storylines The Simpsons have ever had," and "the flash-forward to 60 years in the future only made the episode worse." He concluded: "This entire episode was poorly executed -- it lacked all warmth, heart and humor."[1]
The episode currently has a 5.9/10 rating (which puts it in the high end of "average") on IMDb.[2]
Fan Response[]
Since its release, The Boy of Bummer has been universally panned by most Simpsons fans. It has come under fire, especially in recent years (both in Internet discussions and reviews from critics) for how cruelly Bart is treated and its insensitive depictions of bullying, harassment, and suicide/self-harm brought on by anxiety and depression. To date, it is generally considered one of the worst Simpsons episodes ever made.