Bart the Daredevil
The Simpsons family attends a monster truck rally featuring Truck-o-Saurus, a giant robotic dinosaur which ultimately crushes the Simpson family car. The rally's grand finale features a death-defying stunt by "the world's greatest daredevil", Lance Murdock. Despite the fact that the act leaves Murdock badly hurt and hospital-bound, Bart is enamored by his performance and dreams of becoming a daredevil. Bart quickly injures himself during his first skateboard stunt by trying to jump over the family car. At the hospital, Dr. Hibbert shows Bart a ward full of children who have been hurt from attempting stunts. Nonetheless, Bart is persistent and continues to pursue his daredevil interest by jumping over a swimming pool and Homer on his hammock. On a class trip to Springfield Gorge, Bart announces that on Saturday, he will jump the gorge on his skateboard. Lisa talks Bart into visiting the hospital to see Murdock, hoping that the daredevil will talk him out of the dangerous stunt. Unexpectedly, however, Murdock encourages Bart to continue on his legacy. Bart plans to do it against the wishes of Homer, who insists that it is too dangerous.

Even after a punishment, several orders, and a "heart-to-heart talk" with Homer, Bart still goes to the gorge and tries to jump it. He is stopped at the last second by Homer, who decides to jump the gorge himself to show Bart what it is like to see a family member needlessly risk their life for no good reason. Bart, not wanting to see his father injured on his account, promises to never jump the gorge and never try to be a daredevil again. However, when Homer goes to hug Bart to make up their misunderstanding, the board rolls down a hill and flies over the gorge, with Homer on board. Although it briefly appears as though Homer will make it safely across, he loses momentum near the middle and plummets to the bottom, progressively becoming severely injured with each fall towards the jagged rocks, and receiving multiple fractures and wounds. A helicopter winches Homer out, slamming his head against the side of the gorge several times in the process before he is loaded into a waiting ambulance, which immediately crashes into a tree as it starts to leave for the hospital. The gurney carrying Homer rolls out of the back, and Homer once again falls to the floor of the canyon. Having arrived at the hospital he is put in the same ward next to Lance Murdock, where he tells him, "You think you've got guts? Try raising my kids!"

The Old Man and the Lisa
Mr. Burns speaks with the Springfield Elementary School "Junior Achievers Club" and after a conversation with Lisa, he realizes that he does not have nearly as much money as he thought he did. He decides to invest in the stock market to earn his money back. However, in doing so, he makes more questionable investments and becomes bankrupt. The bank forecloses on the plant and puts Lenny in charge, and sells Mr. Burns' house to pro wrestler Bret Hart.[1]

Mr. Burns moves in with Smithers and, wanting to be of use, decides to do Smithers' grocery shopping. However, he is unfamiliar with grocery stores and becomes confused by the ketchup and catsup, causing the grocer to send Burns to the Springfield Retirement Castle. While at the home, Mr. Burns meets Lisa again, and begs her to help re-build his empire. She eventually agrees on the condition that he drop his evil ways, and the two begin earning money through recycling.

Whilst at first he is confused at the practice Mr. Burns enthusiastically begins grabbing every can he can find, causing Lisa to believe that he has changed. Eventually, Burns earns so much money that he is able to open his own recycling plant. Burns gives Lisa its opening tour, showing her that it is environmentally sound and made of recycled materials. At first, Lisa is impressed, but then Burns shows her "the best part". He has taken a cue from a demonstration Lisa had given him earlier, and attached millions of six-pack holders together into a net which he uses to catch tons of sea life, in order to make "Li'l Lisa's Patented Animal Slurry", a multi-purpose edible compound. Lisa is horrified, proclaiming Burns not only still evil, but even more evil when he tries to be good, and begins running through the streets, helplessly trying to get the seemingly indoctrinated citizens to stop the recycling program she herself started.

Mr. Burns later visits Lisa and tells her that he sold the recycling plant for US$120 million to a fish stick company, and that he has decided to give her, being his advisor, a 10% share of the profits. Lisa refuses the money and rips up the check. This causes Homer to have four simultaneous heart attacks. While in the hospital, Lisa apologizes to Homer for not accepting the money. He tells her that he understands what she did, but says that the $12,000 would have been a big financial help. Lisa replies that 10% of $120 million is actually $12 million. The hospital's public address system announces a code blue, signifying that Homer has entered cardiac arrest

Bart the Daredevil is one of the best episodes ever.

Meh. Old Man and the Lisa for me.

you're so weird

I really don't think the early-era episodes hold a candle to the mid-era episodes.

The old Man and the Lisa is definitely in the early part of the decline.

Well, you know I disagree with that, since I don't think the decline starts until somewhere around seasons 12-14.

Last year I watched all of season 3, which was spectacular, then immediately jumped to season 9. The change in writing is pretty jarring. It suddenly felt like Family Guy. I think Bart (the poster, not the character) mentioned something about how they changed the head writer around that time.

Yeah that's when mike scully took over.