Lisa's Pony


Lisa is participating in a school talent show and is in need of a new saxophone reed as the one she owns is broken. She calls Homer, who agrees to buy one before heading to the show. However, he decides to visit Moe's Tavern first, and when he arrives at the music shop, it has closed down for the night. Dejected, Homer goes back to Moe's where the music shop owner is enjoying a drink. Moe helps him convince the man to re-open his store. Homer is happy that he remembered exactly which reed he needs to get; however, he then forgets which instrument Lisa plays. After going through many of the instruments in the store, Homer finally remembers that Lisa plays the saxophone and rushes to the school. However, he is too late, arriving in time to hear Lisa humiliate herself by butchering the song she chose to play. After that, she wants nothing to do with Homer, refusing to forgive him. Going through family videos, Homer realizes the extent of how much she hates him for every time he has ignored her in the past because he was either too busy watching TV or dealing with Bart's shenanigans.

Marge encourages Homer to mend his relationship with Lisa by spending time with her. This is unsuccessful, and Homer worries he'll go fruity doing activities suited to little girls(evident when Bart and Milhouse made him a laughingstock). He gets the idea to buy her the pony she's always wanted. Marge is aghast and warns Homer against using the easy way out in purchasing a pony because they cannot afford it. He decides to purchase a pony regardless of Marge's feelings. To afford the pony, he applies for a loan through the Power Plant Credit Union. Mr. Burns personally reviews the loan, and approves it only after determining that Homer does not intend to eat the pony and has no knowledge of the "state's stringent usury laws." Homer buys the pony (named Princess) for Lisa, who, after waking up to find it lying next to her (in a parody of The Godfather), gallops into her parents' bedroom happily telling Homer she loves him. While he is happy that Lisa is no longer angry with him, Homer faces an enraged Marge and she berates him for making such an extravagant purchase even after she warned him against it. Bart is also disappointed with Homer and demands a moped. He is quickly silenced by Homer for it.

In order to pay the rent for Princess's shelter, Homer takes a second job working for Apu at the Kwik-E-Mart. Homer becomes extremely exhausted after trying to work both jobs. Finally, Marge admits to the children that their father has been working two jobs to pay for the pony. Lisa is expecting Marge to say she must give up the pony, especially when Bart aggressively says he can make her do so. But Marge firmly rebukes Bart, explaining that it's something Lisa needs to decide for herself. After watching a meek, sleep-deprived Homer being bullied by his own son at the Kwik-E-Mart, Lisa agrees to give up the pony, and she shares a heart-breaking goodbye with Princess. Lisa tells Homer that there is a "big dumb animal" she loves even more than her horse: that being Homer himself. Homer happily quits his job, much to Apu's dismay and yet admits he was one of his better workers despite his crude nature.

Girly Edition

After Groundskeeper Willie takes away Bart's skateboard for destroying his leaf pile, Bart fills up Willie's shack with creamed corn as he is sleeping, causing the shack to explode. As Willie is being taken away for medical attention, he swears revenge on Bart. Meanwhile, Krusty the Clown's show comes under criticism by the FCC for not being educational enough for children. The Channel 6 executive proposes that Krusty cut ten minutes from his three-hour show to make room for a kids' news program, Kidz News, where children deliver and report news items. Lisa is recruited as a news anchor along with other Springfield Elementary School children. Bart is not chosen at first, but is made sportscaster after he complains to Marge.

Lisa is deemed to be boring by the channel's staff, though they are impressed by Bart's performance. Bart is then promoted to be the co-anchor, which leads to jealousy from Lisa. However, after Bart hears Lisa talking behind his back, he tries to improve being an anchor. After failing to read an article concerning a U.S. Supreme Court decision, he goes to Kent Brockman for advice, who teaches him about the power of human interest stories. Bart becomes successful after creating a segment called "Bart's People", which Lisa immediately disapproves of due to its sappy, emotionally manipulative content. Out of jealousy, Lisa attempts to copy it, but her filming is twice hampered by Crazy Cat Lady. She eventually sends a letter acting as an immigrant who lives in a landfill who pleads to be on Bart's People, causing Bart to rush to the landfill for a live broadcast. However, he learns that the immigrant is Groundskeeper Willie, wanting revenge on Bart. Lisa saves Bart by changing Willie's mind about killing him, using similar techniques Bart used in his stories to stir up emotions. The two decide from then on to make a good educational news program, resulting in Kidz News being canceled and replaced by The Mattel and Mars Bar Quick Energy Chocobot Hour, an action cartoon which advertises toys and chocolate.

In the subplot, Homer obtains a monkey helper named "Mojo" after learning Apu has gotten one following the latest robbery at the Kwik-E-Mart, which has left him in a wheelchair. Homer is initially refused one after openly admitting to the animal shelter clerk that he needs a helper monkey because he is lazy, but is able to use Grampa to get one. Homer initially uses the monkey to do housework, which frightens and disgusts Marge (after she drinks the orange juice Mojo made), but then uses the monkey to steal doughnuts from Lard Lad Donut Shop. Eventually, Mojo becomes tired, weak, and overfed from eating junk food and drinking beer with Homer. Marge pleads with Homer to take the monkey back to the shelter so it can be rehabilitated. Homer leaves Mojo on the doorstep, where the sickly simian is only able to type "Pray for Mojo" on a special computer the animal shelter clerk gives him.

I voted for Girly Edition in the first round simply because of Mojo, but I think Lisa's Pony is better start-to-finish.

staying open for another round