'Moaning Lisa' is still one of the best portrayals of mental illness/depression

[Opposable]

Which is sad as this episode of The Simpsons is approaching 30 years old.

- here is an excellent video analysis of the episode if you're interested or would like a recap.

Basically:
-Lisa feeling upset and lethargic despite having no reason to.
-She's withdrawn and does things to spite herself, such as refusing herself a muffin as Homer and Bart want it, which deprives her of happiness and makes her feel worse.
-Lisa accepting criticism, not standing up for herself, putting herself down.
-Homer shouts at Lisa to stop playing her saxophone and when he quicly understands that she is really upset, he gives up, accepting that he does not have the knowledge or skills to help her, despite clearly wishing he was able to (this is actually inctedibly poignant).
-Bart, though initially reluctant, proving that he loves his sister as she is upset.
-Marge projecting her own awful parenting onto Lisa. About how to just smile even if you are feeling awful, else it makes the parents look bad.

I always remember this episode, but after watching the recap I'm honestly blown away by how they have covered nearly every angle in a 20 min episode. At a time when (I'm guessing) depression was still not really understood or considered 'a thing'.

 

[munchie64]

I've never really thought about this episode that way (maybe cause Season 1 is something I don't go back to often) but that is an extremely interesting angle. I've grown to love the writing on classic era Lisa pretty dramatically since I was a kid, and it's because of the exploration of serious family stuff like this.

 

[feyder]

This is why I've always loved Lisa. Episodes centered around her are typically the most real and emotionally resonating ones.

 

[beelzebozo]

This is why I've always loved Lisa. Episodes centered around her are typically the most real and emotionally resonating ones.

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the real heart of the show.

Why Lisa Simpson Matters

The relationship between Homer and Lisa—the pairing of diametrical opposites in Lisa's sensitivity and sincerity and Homer's buffoonery—is also arguably the richest and most affecting relationship in the show. It can be emotional for the performers, too: Smith admits to breaking down while recording the scene in "Lisa's Substitute" in which Lisa lashes out and calls Homer a baboon.

"Speaking very personally, I had a sometimes-wanting relationship with my own father," she says. "So, to be able to play these scenes with Homer, where she actually feels like he gets her, really ticks a very personal box for me. I always feel that they write that stuff really beautifully. There have been so many episodes where they have a meeting of minds, when Homer goes out of his way to at least try to understand Lisa—and often admits, 'I still don't understand you, but I love you deeply. I'm really happy to be here with you and that's enough for me.' What's better than that, really?"

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and it's true--when lisa connects with homer, it is beautiful and devastating, and speaks to our ability as humans to connect to people grossly unlike us and even disparate in their faculties. they call forth the better parts of each other.

 

[SHØGVN]

Yeah that ep was something else. I remember the scene where Marge gets mad at Lisa's music teacher and basically says if you want to be sad dont let anyone fucking stop you. Almost brought me to tears.

 

[LegendofJoe]

Intelligence and mental health struggles often go hand in hand. The Simpsons were way ahead of the times with this episode.

 

[Jesse_and_the_rippers]

Thanks for sharing. I remember watching this episode when it first aired, and thinking "wow, a kid like me". There was nothing else like this on TV.

It's probably hard for people to understand now, but when The Simpsons came out it was counter culture. The President of the United States name dropped them in a speech about how families should not be like them. And during the early seasons Lisa was just as much of a rebel as Bart, just in different ways. The opening scene of every episode is Lisa getting kicked out of band practice for refusing to play the music as it's written.

I think the biggest sin this show ever commited wasn't "jerk ass" Homer, it was Lisa turning into a shrill parody of herself. She was the heart and soul of the show. Listening to Talking Simpsons really cemented for me how many of the best episodes are Lisa episodes.

 

[Creamium]

One of the reasons why the first season is still firmly part of the golden age. Every family member already has a classic ep in this season and this is definitely one for Lisa.

 

[PSqueak]

This is why I've always loved Lisa. Episodes centered around her are typically the most real and emotionally resonating ones.

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Back in the day they did, newer Lisa episodes don't do that anymore.

They did this back in the day, modern Lisa episodes are things like "Lisa's new friend, who is also 8 years old, is a Republican" or "Lisa invents facebook".

 

[Anaron]

You can always tell what kind of person someone is if they hate her.

 

[patientzero]

Back in the day they did, newer Lisa episodes don't do that anymore.

They did this back in the day, modern Lisa episodes are things like "Lisa's new friend, who is also 8 years old, is a Republican" or "Lisa invents facebook".

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As much as people might not believe it, there are a couple great Lisa episodes that aired a couple years ago in season 27.

The first was "Halloween of Horror" which has a great Homer and Lisa story that really enforces that she is 8 and the world can be scary. It ends on a wonderful note.

Then they put out "Gal of Constant Sorrow", where Lisa befriends a homeless woman who happens to be a talented musician (echoes of Bleeding Gums), but ends on a simultaneously beautiful but heartbreaking moment.

 

[PSqueak]

The first was "Halloween of Horror" which has a great Homer and Lisa story that really enforces that she is 8 and the world can be scary. It ends on a wonderful note.

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I heard about this one, need to see it because it sounds a lot like my fave "modern" Lisa moment, it's the B-Plot of some other episode that involves Homer and Lisa reading together a Harry Potter spoof, Homer becomes impatient and reads the book ahead of Lisa, finding out the Dumbledore Parody (his fave character) dies and feels that Lisa will be heart broken, so when it's time to read the book to Lisa he makes up a happy ending where the character doesn't die, after Homer leaves Lisa pulls out a second copy of the book and reads the real ending, adding at the end "Nah, Dad's ending is much better."

 

[sibarraz]

The other day I read an article of someone who watched the 629 episodes of the Simpsons in one sitting. He noticed something as the series progress (or regress in this case) The writers really hate Lisa Simpsons

https://antihumansite.wordpress.com...the-simpsons-in-a-month-heres-what-i-learned/

And there is a direct correlation between the quality of the show vs how Lisa Simpson was treated. The second that they made a caricature of her the show went to shit

 

[SchuckyDucky]

It's one of the best episodes from Season 1. I still dont understand how people dislike the Lisa episodes from the classic era. Also, shout out to TheRealJims. His channel is one of my favorites on YouTube.

 

[Deleted member 23850]

Fantastic episode.

 

[Relic]

The other day I read an article of someone who watched the 629 episodes of the Simpsons in one sitting. He noticed something as the series progress (or regress in this case) The writers really hate Lisa Simpsons

https://antihumansite.wordpress.com...the-simpsons-in-a-month-heres-what-i-learned/

And there is a direct correlation between the quality of the show vs how Lisa Simpson was treated. The second that they made a caricature of her the show went to shit

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What does 'one sitting' mean to you?

 

[sibarraz]

What does 'one sitting' mean to you?

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Hyperbole, is was just a way to say that the author did a marathon of all the episodes of the simpsons

 

[Jims]

This feels kind of strange to reply to since I made the video in the OP, but yeah, it really is an amazing portrayal of depression on TV. Glad you enjoyed the review and revisited the episode, it really is a gem from Season 1. I reviewed it because I was working on a Pixar review of Inside Out... And when I rewatched Moaning Lisa, I was struck by how unique its message is to television. It's so simple, but so completely unsaid in television in general. It is kind of a miracle the episode was made in 1990.

-Homer shouts at Lisa to stop playing her saxophone and when he quicly understands that she is really upset, he gives up, accepting that he does not have the knowledge or skills to help her, despite clearly wishing he was able to (this is actually inctedibly poignant).

Click to shrink...

I think the Marge stuff gets all the love (as it probably should), but I feel like this scene is the crux of the episode. I really like Homer's portrayal, in that they don't demonize him or portray him as being completely uncaring. I think in Homer's mind, he thinks he is being a good parent by "compromising" and giving into Lisa's suggestion to practice her saxophone fingering silently. In his mind, he's like, "This is okay because Lisa was the one who suggested it." He's, so to speak, giving her what she wants! He immediately takes the path of least resistance instead of stopping and wondering what he can actually do. This sort of complacency really feeds into the loop of depression that Lisa is in.

I think about all the times I have messed up an emotional situation and can kinda relate to how Homer botches it. People can be so closed off with each other.

 

[BorkBork]

the real heart of the show.

Why Lisa Simpson Matters



and it's true--when lisa connects with homer, it is beautiful and devastating, and speaks to our ability as humans to connect to people grossly unlike us and even disparate in their faculties. they call forth the better parts of each other.

Click to shrink...

Read this a few weeks ago. It's a great piece, touching on the emotional dynamics between Homer and Lisa, which were always the strongest for me. I haven't seen the show in like a decade though, so I'm not sure if there've been any great episodes featuring their relationship with any depth or nuance since.

 

[jph139]

I never really had much appreciation for the earliest seasons, probably because I was so young when I watched them. I'm able to appreciate the themes of some of the well-known, classic "sad" episodes upon rewatches, but I don't really have fond memories of Season 1 and all. This has sort of encouraged me to revisit it - if only on a historical basis.

That being said, the strange, ephemeral meeting with Bleeding Gums has always stuck with me. Even if the message mostly didn't.

This feels kind of strange to reply to since I made the video in the OP, but yeah, it really is an amazing portrayal of depression on TV. Glad you enjoyed the review and revisited the episode, it really is a gem from Season 1. I reviewed it because I was working on a Pixar review of Inside Out... And when I rewatched Moaning Lisa, I was struck by how unique its message is to television. It's so simple, but so completely unsaid in television in general. It is kind of a miracle the episode was made in 1990.

Click to shrink...

Ha ha, you're one of the only like... dozen channels I follow on YouTube, so this is like a celebrity sighting for me. Your reviews really rekindled my Simpsons love. I guess it makes sense you'd post here... what with all the OCRemix music.

 

[It’s Time To Go]

S1-8 of the Simpsons is some of the greatest tv in history.

 

[angel]

At a time when (I'm guessing) depression was still not really understood or considered 'a thing'.

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Every generation thinks they invented everything. No, depression was not unknown 30 years ago.