The meaning of life and second grade have Lisa playing the blues solo, until she jams with a kindred spirit; Homer seeks tutelage to beat Bart at video boxing.
Early Simpsons balances sadness with 49 jokes—character work outweighs punchline precision here.
Directed by Wes Archer · Written by Al Jean, Mike Reiss
WAR
51
Wins Above Replacement
“Moaning Lisa” ranks #92 of 226 The Simpsons episodes on the Humor Index, scoring 81.1 — Elite. The episode packs 49 scored jokes at 2.7 per minute, averaging 7.3 on craft and 6.8 on impact, with Lisa landing the most laughs. Every joke is ranked below with its individual craft and impact scores.
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Top Jokes
I'm too sad.
Lisa Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement ★ Rewatch Take all your bad feelings and push them down. All the way down, past your knees, until you're almost walking on them.
Marge Character Comedy Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch The blues isn't about feelin' better. It's about makin' other people feel worse and makin' a few bucks while you're at it.
Doh!
Homer Character Comedy Reaction Beat ★ Rewatch Lisa! Get away from that jazzman! / But Mom! Can't I stay a little longer? / Come on. We were worried about you. Nothing personal. I just fear the unfamiliar.
All Jokes — 49 analyzed
Show all ↓ Hide ↑ Sorry, Dad. Women and children first.
Oh, Homer, you'd lose your head if it weren't securely fastened to your neck.
Warm. No, cold. Colder. Ice cold.
Doh!
Homer Character Comedy Reaction Beat ★ Rewatch Well, Mom, one of us has scarfed down more than enough cupcakes over the past three decades to--
Bart Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort A simple cupcake will bring me no pleasure.
Lisa Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement La da da da da dee
Lisa Visual Gag Character Comedy But Mr. Largo, that's what my country's all about.
I'm wailing out for the homeless family living out of its car. The Iowa farmer whose land has been taken away by unfeeling bureaucrats. The West Virginia coal miner, coughing up--
Lisa Character Comedy Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch That's all fine and good, but none of those unpleasant people are going to be at the recital next week.
Mr. Largo Dark/Subversive Character Comedy ★ Rewatch And we sit around like cattle, chewing our cuds, dreading the inevitable--
Lisa Observational Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch I choose not to participate.
Lisa Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement I'm too sad.
Lisa Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement ★ Rewatch Battling Bart Simpson! And in the lavender trunks, with a record of zero wins and 48 defeats-- Oh, correction. Humiliating defeats, all of them by knockout--
Bart Character Comedy Escalation Must you do this every time?
Homer Reaction Beat Character Comedy Homer 'The Human Punching Bag' Simpson!
Bart Character Comedy Dark/Subversive I didn't do it. Nobody saw me do it. There's no way they can prove anything.
Bart Character Comedy Callback ★ Rewatch It isn't? There must be some mistake.
Bart Character Comedy Reaction Beat Oh, sure, I would, princess. I have feelings too, you know, like, 'My stomach hurts.' Or 'I'm going crazy!'
Homer Character Comedy Observational ★ Rewatch Come on, Lisa. Ride the Homer horsey! Giddyap. Whee!
Homer Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort Gee, Homer. Looks like you got yourself a real problem on your hands. Yeah, right. Uh, Bart, vacuum this floor.
Thinks he's some big stupid Homer. Oh, man. I'll show him. He thinks he's so big.
Bart Character Comedy Wordplay/Pun Maggie. Come to the one you love best. / No, Maggie. Come here, girl. Come to me.
Oh, no! Come on! Don't let the-- Aaah! Oh, no, not again.
Homer Physical/Slapstick Running Gag Callback Gee, Dad, you're really bad at this. I am not. It's just that I... couldn't concentrate with that infernal racket.
I was just playing the blues, Dad.
Lisa Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm ★ Rewatch Unless my fingers clacking on the keys is too loud for you.
Oh, it's a little tune that I call... the 'I Never Had an Italian Suit Blues.'
Before you go out that door, let's put our happy face on, because people know how good a mommy you have by the size of your smile.
Marge Character Comedy Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch I am going easy on you, but you're so old and slow and weak and pathetic.
Bart Character Comedy Escalation I think the saddest day of my life was when I realized I could beat my dad at most things. And Bart experienced that at the age of four.
Homer Character Comedy Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch Oh, so that's it. This is some kind of underwear thing.
Homer Character Comedy Misdirection My friends call me Bleeding Gums. / Eww. How'd you get a name like that?
Well, let me put it this way. You ever been to the dentist? / Yeah. / Not me.
You know, you play pretty well for someone with no real problems.
The blues isn't about feelin' better. It's about makin' other people feel worse and makin' a few bucks while you're at it.
Lisa! Get away from that jazzman! / But Mom! Can't I stay a little longer? / Come on. We were worried about you. Nothing personal. I just fear the unfamiliar.
Don't make me say it. I know the answer. You know the answer. He knows the answer. Let's just drop it. Okay?
Yeah. Moe's Tavern. Moe speaking. / Is Jacques there? / Who? / Jacques. Last name Strap.
Aw, wait a minute. Jacques Strap? It's you, isn't it, you cowardly little runt! When I get a hold of you, I am gonna gut you like a fish and drink your blood.
Moe Escalation Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Howie! I thought I told you to stop wasting your money in this stupid place! / Sorry, Mom. / And you! A man of your age. You should be ashamed of yourself.
Take all your bad feelings and push them down. All the way down, past your knees, until you're almost walking on them.
Marge Character Comedy Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch I feel more popular already.
Lisa Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm You know, I used to think you were some brainiac, but I guess you're okay.
Classmate Irony/Sarcasm Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Lisa, I apologize to you. I was wrong. I take it all back. Always be yourself. You wanna be sad, honey, be sad.
Marge, how could you? I was so close. / I'm sorry, but this is more important than that silly, loud game.
My game, my game! I could have beat the boy.
Homer Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort ★ Rewatch Callback You're right, Mom. I'd just like to use this occasion to announce my retirement, undefeated, from the world of video boxing.
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