Bart's labeled a genius and sent to a school for the gifted.
Simpsons pilot follow-up establishes Bart's voice with 49 jokes in 22 minutes, hitting 81.8 despite zero standout gags.
Directed by David Silverman · Written by Jon Vitti
WAR
51.7
Wins Above Replacement
“Bart The Genius” ranks #81 of 226 The Simpsons episodes on the Humor Index, scoring 81.8 — Elite. The episode packs 49 scored jokes at 2.3 per minute, averaging 7.2 on craft and 6.9 on impact, with Bart landing the most laughs. Every joke is ranked below with its individual craft and impact scores.
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Top Jokes
A big, dumb, balding, North American ape with no chin. And a short temper.
Bart Character Comedy Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch you may outsmart someone.
Homer Character Comedy Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch it doesn't take a Bart Simpson to figure out that something's wrong.
Ms. Melon Wordplay/Pun Meta/Self-Referential ★ Rewatch The preferred spelling of'wiener' is w-i-e-n-e-r... although 'e-i' is an acceptable ethnic variant.
Sort of a spare in case Bart's brain blows up.
Homer Dark/Subversive Character Comedy ★ Rewatch All Jokes — 49 analyzed
Show all ↓ Hide ↑ As in,'This game is stup-id.' - Hey, shut up, boy.
We got one? - I think it's under the short leg of the couch.
Kwyjibo. K-W-Y-J-I-B-O.
Bart Absurdist Setup/Punchline ★ Rewatch Callback A big, dumb, balding, North American ape with no chin. And a short temper.
Bart Character Comedy Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch Uh-oh. Kwyjibo on the loose.
Bart Callback Escalation ★ Rewatch Callback Student reports Bart for vandalism while Bart is actively spray-painting
The preferred spelling of'wiener' is w-i-e-n-e-r... although 'e-i' is an acceptable ethnic variant.
you might say you caught him red-handed.
Eat my shorts.
Bart Character Comedy Running Gag These tests will have no effect on your grades. They merely determine your future social status and financial success. If any.
Oof!
Bart Reaction Beat Cringe/Discomfort May I go outside and read under a tree?
Martin Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm That's exactly the kind of crapola that's lousing him up.
Homer Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm Hey, look at this. 'I am a wiener.' He sure is.
Yeah, it's a crummy system, but what are you gonna do?
Homer Character Comedy ★ Rewatch What do we need a psychiatrist for? We know our kid is nuts.
Homer Character Comedy Dark/Subversive Bart? This lunkhead? Impossible.
Homer Character Comedy Reaction Beat 912! - Uh, no, you have it upside down. It's 216.
Wow! It's like you're reading my mind, man.
Bart Irony/Sarcasm Character Comedy Although, in some cases, it's a total mystery.
Dr. Pryor Irony/Sarcasm Character Comedy ★ Rewatch It could be one of these chemicals here that makes him so smart.
Homer Character Comedy Absurdist Sort of a spare in case Bart's brain blows up.
Homer Dark/Subversive Character Comedy ★ Rewatch I don't care what that stupid test says, Bart. You're a dimwit.
Lisa Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm you may outsmart someone.
Homer Character Comedy Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch Make your own rules. If you feel sleepy, take a nap. If you get bored, feel free to take out a book and start reading.
O Memsahib, Bart. Rabbi has memo.
Ethan Wordplay/Pun Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Trabing norm doog. - What's your problem?
I wouldn't get too attached. We're dissecting him next week.
Cecile Dark/Subversive Deadpan/Understatement Free will debate with complex philosophical discussion
Well... you're damned if you do... and you're damned if you don't.
Bart Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort I'll trade you the weight of a bowling ball on the eighth moon of Jupiter from my lunch for the weight of a feather on the second moon of Neptune from your lunch.
Student Absurdist Character Comedy ★ Rewatch A rather mediocre genius. Yes, not very bright at all.
Os-os. - What? - That's backwards for so-so.
But I'm not a genius. Why should I suffer?
Homer Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Geez. No beer. No opera dogs.
Homer Character Comedy Observational Toreador, oh, don't spit on the floor, Please use the cuspidor, That's what it's for
Bart Wordplay/Pun Character Comedy No way a bull's gonna miss a target that big, man.
Bart Character Comedy Visual Gag It ain't over till the fat lady sings. Is that one fat enough for you, son?
Get lost, Poindexter. Yeah, beat it, Professor. Why don't you go build a rocket ship, brainiac?
'Course I do.
Bart Setup/Punchline Visual Gag ★ Rewatch it doesn't take a Bart Simpson to figure out that something's wrong.
Ms. Melon Wordplay/Pun Meta/Self-Referential ★ Rewatch Like Jane Goodall and the chimps.
Bart's confession note: 'I am a regular dumb kid. I cheated on my intelligence test.'
Bart Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm I bet Einstein turned himself all sorts of colors... before he invented the lightbulb.
Homer Character Comedy Absurdist And I think if something can bring us that close... it can't possibly be bad.
Bart Character Comedy Escalation Lisa: 'I think Bart's stupid again, Mom.' Marge: 'Oh, well.'
Lisa Marge Deadpan/Understatement Character Comedy I think Bart's stupid again, Mom. Oh, well.
Lisa Marge Deadpan/Understatement Character Comedy ★ Rewatch you think I'm dumb enough to fall for that? I'm insulted.
Bart Irony/Sarcasm Wordplay/Pun Top Episodes — The Simpsons