After disappointing Lisa, Homer buys her a pony, solving one problem, but creating others, requiring a second job--at Apu's Kwik-E-Mart.
Steady character work sustains mid-tier humor through Lisa's pony subplot arc.
Directed by Carlos Baeza · Written by Al Jean, Mike Reiss
WAR
30.2
Wins Above Replacement
“Lisas Pony” ranks #440 of 552 The Simpsons episodes on the Humor Index, scoring 74.2 — Great. The episode packs 61 scored jokes at 3.7 per minute, averaging 6.7 on craft and 6.3 on impact, with Homer landing the most laughs. Every joke is ranked below with its individual craft and impact scores.
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Top Jokes
Mr. Burns · Mr. Burns: Shut up, Simpson. / Smithers, let's not be so cold. His spirit is my collateral.
Homer: I know you love me, so you don't get squat.
Homer Character Comedy Setup/Punchline ★ Rewatch Mr. Burns · Homer · Mr. Burns: Are you acquainted with our state's stringent usury laws? / Usury? / Silly me. I made up a word that doesn't exist.
Apu: Here's a pointer. Try taking it in the shoulder.
Apu Dark/Subversive Deadpan/Understatement ★ Rewatch Lisa · Homer: That's illegal. / That's for the courts to decide.
Lisa Homer Setup/Punchline Character Comedy ★ Rewatch All Jokes — 61 analyzed
Show all ↓ Hide ↑ Lisa: I called her. She's not home. I also tried Mr. Flanders, Aunt Patty, Aunt Selma, Dr. Hibbert, Reverend Lovejoy... and that nice man who caught the snake in our basement.
Lisa Escalation Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Homer: Wow. And after them... out of all the people in the world... you chose me.
Homer Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm ★ Rewatch Principal Skinner: Let me caution the people in the first five rows-- You will get wet.
Principal Skinner: The doors are now locked, so you parents can't sneak out after your own child has performed.
Homer: Just in the nick of-- Mmm. Beer.
Homer Character Comedy Misdirection ★ Rewatch Homer: This is a whole lot of nothing. I'd rather watch the boilers.
Homer Character Comedy Observational Homer: D'oh! D'oh! D'oh! D'oh!
Homer Physical/Slapstick Running Gag ★ Rewatch Homer · Music Store Owner: The moron next door closed early. / I happen to be that moron. / Oh, me and my trenchant mouth!
Bart: I'd like to open with my impression of... Principal Skinner.
Bart Setup/Punchline Character Comedy Bart: Duh, look at me. I'm Principal Skinner.
Bart Character Comedy Physical/Slapstick Principal Skinner: That young man just became... the boy of a thousand days detention.
Bart: I wonder what lunch lady Doris has for us today. / Today's special is refried... dog poop.
Bart Setup/Punchline Character Comedy Shop owner: Let me think about it. Uh... no.
Homer: Come on,Jer. Open up. I pulled you out of that burning car.
Homer Character Comedy Escalation ★ Rewatch Music Store Owner · Homer: What instrument does she play? / I don't know.
Homer: Lisa, stop playing that stupid-- Saxophone! That's it!
Homer Setup/Punchline Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Music Store Owner · Homer: Alto or tenor? / D'oh!
Principal Skinner · Lisa: I'd like to put this filth behind us... and let's all enjoy... Lisa Simpson's rendition... of 'Stormy Leather.' / Uh, 'Weather.'
Groundskeeper Willie: Sounds like that gopher I caught in me lawn mower.
Audience Member: Ew, I'd hate to be that kid's father.
Homer Reaction Beat Deadpan/Understatement Principal Skinner · Homer · Audience Member: Let's hear it for Lisa Simpson... and her wacky sax. / Yeah! Whoo! / Must be her father.
Homer · Lisa: Oh! That cost $88! / I don't feel much like eating.
Lisa · Homer · Lisa: I forgive you. / D'oh! You didn't mean that. / No, I didn't.
Homer · Marge · Homer: You're taping it? / Yes. / I'll watch it later.
Homer: No wonder she hates me. Oh, I never even noticed she was alive.
Homer Character Comedy Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch Homer: Maybe I should give up on Lisa... and make a fresh start with Maggie.
Homer Character Comedy Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch Homer: If I spend any more time doing girl things... I'm going to, you know, go fruity.
Homer Character Comedy Observational Homer: With today's gasoline prices, we can't afford not to.
Homer Absurdist Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Homer: When you yell at me, I see love in your eyes.
Homer Character Comedy Absurdist ★ Rewatch Marge · Homer · Marge · Homer: Was that a yes or a no? / Baa. / Those aren't even words. / Sna.
Homer · Pet Store Owner: 'Scottish Deer Hound.' Hey, this is a dog! / My friend, you're smarter than I gave you credit for.
Pony Farm Owner · Homer: That stunning creature over there... is half a million dollars. / Half a million dollars?! / He was sired by Seattle Slew. His mother won the Kentucky Derby. His likeness graces a stamp in Tanzania.
Pony Farm Owner · Homer: This check is dated January 1, 2054. / Is there a problem with that?
Homer: Isn't there like a pound... where you can pick up cheap ponies... that ran away from home?
Homer Setup/Punchline Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Mr. Burns · Homer · Mr. Burns: Are you acquainted with our state's stringent usury laws? / Usury? / Silly me. I made up a word that doesn't exist.
Mr. Burns · Homer: You're not planning to eat it? / It's for my little girl because she doesn't love me.
Mr. Burns · Mr. Burns: Shut up, Simpson. / Smithers, let's not be so cold. His spirit is my collateral.
Smithers · Mr. Burns: I didn't do anything funny, sir. / Shut up.
Homer: Sounds like someone's angling... for a pony of her own.
Homer Character Comedy Misdirection ★ Rewatch Homer: I know you love me, so you don't get squat.
Homer Character Comedy Setup/Punchline ★ Rewatch Homer: This is Princess. Please don't exclude her because she's different.
Homer Character Comedy Absurdist Homer: By day, it will roam free around the neighborhood... and at night, it will nestle snugly... between the cars in our garage.
Homer Character Comedy Absurdist ★ Rewatch Lisa · Homer: That's illegal. / That's for the courts to decide.
Lisa Homer Setup/Punchline Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Grandpa · Bart · Grandpa: Wait! Where's the hyperspace? / Grandpa, you're the spaceship. / I thought I was this guy.
Grandpa: I got down on the floor for this?!
Grandpa Character Comedy Reaction Beat Homer: We're always buying Maggie... vaccinations for diseases she doesn't even have.
Homer Character Comedy Absurdist ★ Rewatch Marge · Homer: We could cut down on beer. / We're not going to do that.
Marge Homer Setup/Punchline Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Apu: Oh, Mr. Homer... what has reduced you to such cheap chicanery?
Apu Character Comedy Wordplay/Pun Homer · Apu: Three liberty bells! / That will be $10,000, Apu. / If I could see the ticket-- / There it is. / Please to be removing your thumb.
Homer Apu Physical/Slapstick Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Apu: If you need money... you should have jammed a gun in my ribs... or inquire about my help wanted sign.
Apu Setup/Punchline Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Apu · Homer: These hot dogs have been here for three years. They are strictly ornamental. There is only one bozo who comes in and buys them. / But I eat-- / Oh.
Apu Homer Setup/Punchline Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Apu: Here's a pointer. Try taking it in the shoulder.
Apu Dark/Subversive Deadpan/Understatement ★ Rewatch Homer: Oh, my God, she killed him.
Homer Reaction Beat Visual Gag Apu: While I'm here with you... my store is going down the tubes.
Apu Character Comedy Observational Marge · Homer: 30 years. / D'oh.
Homer: I heard Milli Vanilli was arrested... for impersonating a McNugget.
Homer Absurdist Wordplay/Pun ★ Rewatch Stable Owner: Although there is no change in my patrician facade... my heart is breaking.
Apu: The young man you replaced is rolling over in his grave.
Apu Dark/Subversive Character Comedy Lisa · Homer: There's a big dumb animal... I love more than that horse. / What is it, a hippopotamus?
Lisa Homer Setup/Punchline Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Apu: He slept, he stole... he was rude to the customers. Still, there goes the best damned employee... a convenience store ever had.
Apu Setup/Punchline Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Top Episodes — The Simpsons