[The long of it]
I can identify the moment when "Jazzy and the Pussycats" won me over. It's when Lisa walks home from the animal shelter, accompanied by two dogs and a bird she rescued from euthanasia. On the way, she keeps running into other animals in distress. Resigned, she motions them to come along with her, until she's trailing a menagerie that would do a circus -- or Noah -- proud. There's a cool song (which, alas, I couldn't identify) on the soundtrack for atmosphere. I was pleasantly struck by the absurdity of one good deed leading to another, then to another, and another, until it snowballs out of control.
I don't think I would have liked this episode as much if it had aired, say, ten years ago. Then, what I valued most in the show was the way it could find humor in everyday situations, making real life seem funnier. I also liked episodes that explored "darker" emotions and situations, such as Lisa's disastrous turn as baby sitter in "My Sister, My Sitter (4F13)," or her existential crisis in "Lisa the Simpson (4F24)." (Lisa was good for a lot of those moments, come to think of it.)
"Jazzy" isn't one of those, quickly establishing a surreal tone. After Bart's misbehavior has his parents fed up, they take him to a child psychologist who recommends that he work off his excess energy by playing the drums. As he practices, he moves a few feet on each beat, leaving a "trail" of bass drums behind him. He even collides with the White Stripes, who are doing the same thing. It's fun to watch, but it comes across like a scene from a good episode of "Family Guy."
Don't expect much emotional depth, either, at least not in the way you'd expect. Bart is almost instantly good on the drums. So good, he attracts the attention of two local jazz musicians, who, to Lisa's chagrin, make him part of their trio. In the olden days, I'd have loved to see an in-depth exploration of what would happen if Bart surpassed Lisa in something that she considered her domain. I imagine she'd be supportive at first, then gradually more jealous before finally accepting it, and that the script would somehow make this funny. That doesn't happen in this episode. Lisa is instantly crushed (which I suppose is understandable), and later she's rather quickly bought off with the promise of a new puppy from the animal shelter. Her best emotional scene is the one in the jazz club gift shop, when Bart asks her to teach her more about "juzz." "You don't even know what to call the thing you're stealing from me," Lisa wails, in a plaintive and effective moment.
Even without the deep imaginings, this is still a funny episode and, once you accept its nutty approach, a good one. Aside from the scenes already mentioned, I dug the one where Lisa is haunted by a spectral dog from the shelter. There's also a great moment when Marge tries teaching Bart about empathy. Some of the absurdist scenes clicked with me too: the shot Lisa in the attic, surrounded by her animals, and Bart's drum audition after an arm injury. As befitting a musical episode, all the goings-on are accented by a good score, drawing from both jazz and pop music.
Just as in drumming, timing is everything. My tastes are constant enough where I would have appreciated it if this show *had* been a realistic one that explored the darker shades of Lisa's personality. But now they're broad enough where I can enjoy a show that refuses to take itself too seriously. That's progress -- or at least an enjoyable half-hour of television.
[The short of it]
Just as in drumming, timing is everything. There was a time when I would have judged this show too shallow and off-the-wall. Today, I'm more accepting; "Jazzy and the Pussycats" eventually won me over with it charmingly absurd take on its subject matter. Scenes like Bart's drum "video" and Lisa's abandoned animal menagerie may not make much sense realistically, but they're fun to watch. I still would have liked a few more emotionally "deep" scenes, like the one where Bart mispronounces "jazz," but this episode is good enough to make me go along with its unconventional approach. (B)
[DYNs]
... Amber's funeral service wasn't held in Las Vegas? ... anti-goof: At the service, people's positions in close-up matched their positions in the wide shot? ... Bart has a C+ paper tacked to his bulletin board? (You can see it when Homer is giving him mixed messages.) ... Marge doesn't seem to mind Bart's absence from the dinner table? ... the first two act breaks end with Lisa gasping in horror? ... Chief Wiggum leading Snake away on an ostrich?
[References]
"Josie and the Pussycats" (comic and TV series) - title of episode a spoof
"King Kong" (movie) - couch gag cast Homer as the giant ape, and Marge as Fay Wray
Amber alert (child-abduction alert system) - Carl references this rapid-response system in his eulogy for Las Vegas Amber
Clyde Beatty & Cole Brothers Circus - closed circus is called "Shameful Brothers"
The Chubb Group - one of the acts in the benefit has the name of this frequent sponsor of PBS shows
"CSI: Miami" (TV series) - one of the jazz musicians has the same name
[Previous Episode References]
[AABF06], [DABF01] Homer's "Vegas wife" appears [FABF04] Lisa picks a new pet from the Springfield Animal Shelter
[FFF]
Church sign:
FUNERAL TODAY:
HOMER SIMPSON'S
VEGAS WIFEIn the pews for the service:
Homer's side --
Back row: Otto, Milhouse, Kirk, Brandine, child, Cletus, and
some of their kids
Row 5: Willie, Kearney, Geeky-Voiced Teen, Moleman, Dr. Nick
Row 4: Chief Wiggum, Ralph, Sarah Wiggum, Cap'n McAllister,
Disco Stu, Sunday School Teacher [*]
Row 3: Lenny, Carl, Mrs. Glick, Johnny Tightlips, Sarcastic
Middle-aged clerk
Row 2: Moe, Barney, Ms. Hoover, Mr. Largo, Superintendent
Chalmers
First row: Sideshow Mel, Ruth Powers, Ned, Rodd, Todd [*] At least I think she's Bart's Sunday school teacher. I know
I've seen this woman before. Amber's side (back to front) --
Assorted showgirls, Cirque du Soleil members, the Blue Man Group,
and Sigfried & Roy (or maybe Gunter & Ernst)Psychologist sign:
CHILD PSYCHOLOGIST
WHERE IMAGINARY FRIENDS
COME TO DIEJazzy Goodtimes sign:
THE JOINT IS ...
JUMPIN'
DISAPPOINTING
CLOSED FOR
INVENTORYBart's jazz act poster:
THE SKINNY TRIO
PALMER
---------------------------
FEATURING TICK TOCK SIMPSON
---------------------------Local jazz magazines:
BLOWIN' The
Sugar Sheet We ask BART
the questions
"BLOWIN'"
wouldn't
or couldn't!Lisa's magazine cover:
DREAM DENIED
------------
MAGAZINE DOWNBEAT
SIMPSONAnimal shelter sign:
SPRINGFIELD
ANIMAL SHELTER WE'RE A PET STORE
FOR POOR PEOPLEStore for blind people:
SUPPLIES
FOR THE
BLINDCircus marquees:
SHAMEFUL BROS.
CIRCUS CLOSED
BY POPULAR DEMANDBox of Christmas decorations:
XMAS
DECORATIONS / RATSYard sign:
ADOPT A DOG
GET A
FREE ELEPHANTJazz club marquee:
8-HOUR JAZZ
BENEFIT
2 SONGS WILL BE PLAYEDAnimal park sign:
LISA SIMPSON HOME FOR
ABANDONED ANIMALS[Personal Comments & Observations]
Lisa says she never thought her story (saving the animals) would interact with Bart's (burgeoning jazz career). In reality, screenwriters usually prefer to have subplots join together before the show ends.
At least two of the jazz musicians, "Bad Check" Mazurski, and Richie Sakai, are named for behind-the-scenes personnel on the show. They didn't even bother to disguise Sakai's name, and the photograph we see is supposedly a good likeness of him. I wouldn't be surprised if "Ray Ray" Takamura was another member of the show's production staff.
Phil Collins -- He was the drummer for Genesis. After Peter Gabriel left the band, he took on the lead vocalist role, as well. Later, Collins had a remarkably successful solo career, with a string of middle-of-the-road rock hits. He was also a frequent contributor to movie soundtracks, with songs like "Against All Odds."
The limos in front of the jazz club are Cadillac stretch limousines. Curiously, these are pretty old limos, based on the 1979 - 1991 (or so) generation bodyshell.