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"Bart of Darkness" is the first episode of The Simpsons' sixth season. When Bart breaks his leg, his resultant isolation causes him to believe that Ned Flanders has committed murder.

Synopsis

Template:Spoiler A heat wave in Springfield leads Bart and Lisa to pester Homer for a swimming pool. After several seconds of their relentless nagging, Homer gives in. When Bart tries an ambitious dive from the treehouse, he breaks his leg, forcing him to remain in his bedroom. His isolation slowly makes him more and more irritable and paranoid. Lisa loans him her telescope, so Bart will have something to take his mind off things, Bart hears a scream next door, and witnesses Ned Flanders digging a grave. He becomes convinced that Flanders has murdered his wife, Maude, and vows to reveal the truth. It is soon discovered that Maude is alive and well, having gone to Bible camp for the weekend, and the only thing Ned killed was her favorite plant. Ned Flanders himself was the source of the high-pitched scream which Bart heard.

Once all the children in the neighborhood learn of the Simpson's new pool, they come in droves. Lisa basks in the glow of her new popularity. However, Martin Prince gets a pool, causing everyone to abandon Lisa, leaving her alone in the bottom of the pool as all of the water has drained out. However, Martin's newfound popularity is shattered when his pool is filled with one person over capacity, causing it to burst. Martin stands alone his dreams of popularity in shreds as the other children run off in search of a new pool; the last to leave is Nelson who before he goes rips off Martin's bathing suit. Naked and alone, Martin begins to sing the song "Summer Wind".

Trivia

• While in his room, Bart plays Stratego by himself.
• At one point while looking through his telescope Bart sees Jimmy Stewart, who also has his leg broken and watching people from his window, while wearing the same pyjamas he wore through almost the entirety of Rear Window. He even calls out to "Grace", an obvious reference to Stewart's leading lady Grace Kelly.
• This episode, along with many in Season 6, was produced during the Northridge earthquake of 1994.
• Nelson's comment about epidermis is close to the fact, but not correct; epidermis is actually the skin, not hair.
• Some think that Jimbo Jones refers to Dolph as "Buzz" in this episode when he says "Buzz has it that some even wussier kid has an even better pool." "Buzz" is actually slang for gossip, since Dolph just told Jimbo about the pool.
• The content of Bart's play further reinstates his bizarre obsession with the Cockney accent and Victorian England (he previously expressed a desire to live as a bootblack and frequently slips into Nadsat.
• While Bart and Lisa are in Ottos's pool, if you look closely you will see a young Marge in the pool as well.

Cultural references

• The episode's title refers to the novella Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad, the inspiration for the 1979 movie, Apocalypse Now. The Simpsons has also spoofed Heart of Darkness in "Kiss Kiss, Bang Bangalore".
• The part in the beginning where the hippie sings "Sunshine on My Shoulders" and gets punched by a passerby is similar to a scene in National Lampoon's Animal House during the toga party where a hippie singer performs "The Riddle Song" and gets his guitar wrecked by Bluto (played by John Belushi).
• The plot of the episode, as well as several visual and musical cues, parody the Alfred Hitchcock film, Rear Window.

Goofs

• The wall of Dr. Hibbert's workout room (seen through Bart's telescope lens) features white (yellow in the Simpson world) family portraits.

Quotes

• Lisa: Dad, as you know, we've been swimming, and we've developed a taste for it. We both agree that getting our own pool is the only way to go. Now before you respond, you must understand that your refusal would result in months and months of...
  Bart & Lisa:(very fast) Canwehaveapooldad? Canwehaveapooldad? Canwehaveapooldad? Canwehaveapooldad? Canwehaveapooldad? Canwehaveapooldad?
  Homer: I understand. Let us celebrate our new arrangement with the adding of chocolate to milk.

• Homer: All right, everybody in the pool!
  Amish Man: 'Tis a fine barn, but sure 'tis no pool, English.
  Homer: D'oheth!

• L.B. Jeffries (from Rear Window): Grace, come here. There's a sinister lookin' kid I want ya to see.

• Chief Wiggum: Do not be alarmed, continue swimming naked. (Eating popcorn) Aw come on! Continue! (To Lou) All right Lou, open fire.

• L.B. Jeffries: Oh no! That sinister lookin' kid is comin' to kill me! Help! Help!

• Bart: All right, you're right, you're right, let's, let's just forget about that. Here: let me read to you from my play. Ahem. (In a Cockney accent): "`Kippers for breakfast, Aunt Helga? Is it St. Swithun's Day already?' 'Tis,' replied Aunt Helga".

• Lisa's Brain: They're only using you for your pool, you know.
  Lisa: Shut up, brain, I got friends now, I don't need you anymore!

• Lisa: I need to figure a way out of here!
  Lisa's Brain: Well, well, well! Look who came crawling back!

• Bart's Brain: Well, well. It looks like it's just you and me for the summer, Barty Boy.
  Bart: Oh great, I have to spend the summer with my brain.

• Ned Flanders: I wish there was some other explanation for this. But there isn't. I'm a murderer. I'm a murderer.
  Bart: Then, that's not the real Ned Flanders.
  Flanders: I'm a mur-diddly-urd-ler!
  Bart: If that's not Flanders, he's done his homework.

• Martin: Ah, my plan has come to fruition. Soon, I'll be queen of summertime...er, king, king!

• Nelson Muntz: Hey Bart, your epidermis is showing.
  Bart: It is? (Bart stumbles and falls out of the treehouse)
  Nelson: See, epidermis means your hair. So, technically it's true. That's what makes it so funny. Pardon me a moment (Goes over to the unconscious Bart) Haw! Haw!
  Milhouse: Hey Nelson, he's really hurt! I think he broke his leg!
  Nelson: I said Haw Haw.

• Homer: There is still the mystery concerning the disappearance of your wife.
  Maude: I'm right here.
  Homer: I see. Then everything's wrapped up in a nice little package.
  Long Pause. Everybody stares at Homer.
  Homer: Really, I meant that. I'm sorry if it sounded sarcastic.

External links

• "Bart of Darkness episode capsule". The Simpsons Archive.
• Bart of Darkness summary at TV.com

• The Simpsons episodes, season 6