The Simpsons (TV Series) Bart the Murderer (1991) User Reviews

Fantastic Episode!

[g-bodyl · 10/10 · 9 August 2014]

This is the fourth episode in the third season of the Simpsons and it's one of the best episodes this season. Not only it's funny, but it's cool to see how Bart gets involved in the mafia and this episode is very Goodfellas-esque. But this episode also spoofs our justice system and basically claims the American justice system is imperfect as shown in the court scenes of this episode.

In this episode, "Bart the Murderer," Bart decides to join the Mafia as a job and one day Bart is late for work because Principal Skinner made him stay after school. The mafia, led by Fat Tony decides to talk to Skinner and Skinner ends up missing. The mafia blamed the disappearance on Bart and now Bart is in very big trouble....

Overall, this is an excellent episode. I always like these kind of episodes that involves the mafia, so I knew I would like the episode. But this turns out to be one of the best episodes so far in the series. Great guest stars by Neil Patrick Harris, Joe Mantegna, and Phil Hartman helps as well. I rate this

Blood on the Blackboard: The Bart Simpson Story

[RainDogJr · 10/10 · 26 April 2009]

Fat Tony makes his first appearance and probably his most memorable. We get to know him and his pals after Bart Simpson experienced pretty much everything that could went wrong during his day so certainly Bart may thought that nothing worse could happen however to have several gangsters pointing him with their guns wasn't something he expected and definitely takes the prize for the worst thing that happened to Bart during a really f***** up day. However happens that Bart's day after all wasn't that bad, sure he meet Fat Tony but also by the end of the day Bart has a job, good pay, fun on Chief Wiggum, tasty Manhattans, Bart is now a good fella.

Truly great jokes, as the episode continues Bart continues to be a better good fella and those are hilarious jokes with Bart dressed in suit, bribing Skinner and stuff. On the other hand we have a worried Marge and that delivers one of the funniest moments of this episode that is when Homer goes to check, as Marge wanted, the place in which Bart is now working. Fat Tony and pals are certainly clever persons but for sure they didn't have to think that much about how they were going to convince Bart's father that Bart was good working for them, is a funny scene however what is truly hilarious is what Homer says after seeing the place, having fun and winning money and what he says is about Lisa ("if you need a hatcheck girl, I've got a daughter") and is quite hilarious what Fat Tony says to Homer ("Homer, you're a hell of a father). In that way, Homer delivers another of the greatest and most hilarious moments not only of this episode or of Season 3 but probably ever and that is when answers to the question "do you really think Bart could be the leader of a murderous criminal syndicate?", Homer says "well, not the leader, I mean…OH IT'S TRUE, IT'S TRUE! ALL THE PIECES FIT!". And yes the good fellas will have to answer for the disappeared Skinner and Homer practically confirms wat fat Tony and company said about Bart, certainly that Bart was the Capo di tutti i Capi.

Season 3 is a very memorable Season, I think the classic episodes Saturdays OF THUNDER, RADIO BART, HOMER AT THE BAT, SEPARATE VOCATIONS, THE OTTO SHOW and FLAMING MOE'S are the very best episodes of Season 3 then some of the best ever. BART THE MURDERER is as fantastic as those mentioned episodes, I would say it gets a 10 out of 10 and did I mention that Joe Mantegna provides not only the voice of Fat Tony but also of himself playing Fat Tony and that Neil Patrick Harris appears as himself playing Bart?

"High explosives and school don't mix"

"Bart the Murderer" is excellent... it portrays one boy's decision to work for the mafia... and the eventual error in his judgment. Awesomeness.

[Zabon · 10/10 · 8 June 2011]

This one's fairly good since it's from the earlier seasons... Bart skips out from a school trip and starts working for the Springfield Mafia, including Fat Tony. In classic "A Bronx Tale" style, the organized criminal syndicate decides to recruit Bart as their personal bartender. Eventually, due to another day at detention, Bart complains about Skinner to Fat Tony and his crew. Soon, Skinner disappears and the town believes that the Mafia is responsible for killing him. They are brought to court... and Fat Tony, along with the rest of his crew, blame Bart for what may have happened to Skinner. Bart is treated as the head of their organization, and all their crimes are pinned on Bart. Just as Bart was to be held responsible for Skinner's disappearance, Skinner walks into the courtroom and tells everyone that he was trapped under a pile of newspapers in his garage for the entire week. As a result, Bart is set free... but he loses trust in his mafia friends... refusing to continue working for them. In one extremely memorable and noteworthy scene... there is a documentary rendition of events that never actually took place... where actors portray Bart and the mafia crew (who fearfully follows his commands) into killing his principal. Bart is portrayed as a murderous maniacal knife-wielding criminal. Although this isn't what actually took place, the rendition is very hilarious in the sense that people actually believed that a little boy could run the Springfield Mafia organized crime syndicate. Very well written.

Forgive me Don Bartholomew

[erolacimen · 10/10 · 11 August 2022]

The funniest episode I've seen, laughed the whole way through.

Bart is actually a likeable character in this, unlike any episode I've seen in 4 to 9 that I can remember.

Next episode is really good - "I couldn't afford a drum" birthday card was so funny.

Bart in the Workplace

[Hitchcoc · 10/10 · 14 April 2022]

Bart stumble into a den of organized criminals and is soon working for them. He is making a bundle doing some dirty work. In the process, Principal Skinner goes missing and murder is suspected. Well done. Funny.

Soo-poib!

[snoozejonc · 10/10 · 12 July 2022]

Bart gets a part-time job at a gangster's nightclub.

This is one of my favourite episodes due to the humour, story and genre parody.

The 'Goodfellas', 'A Bronx Tale', and 'Godfather' tributes are excellent and the structure of the Principle Skinner plot are great ways of delivering some brilliant humour.

There are so many moments and lines that still make me laugh over twenty years later that it feels like a classic.

Demonstrates that the show always played fast and loose with continuity

[CubsandCulture · 9/10 · 23 August 2021]

I like this episode for its Goodfellas parody as well as Fat Tony being one of my favorite side characters. I also like how the start of the episode is a common experience of having a bad day where everything goes wrong. But if think about the text of this episode with most other episodes about, dealing with Skinner the plot doesn't make since. How did Agnes Skinner miss the person she lives with for about a week?

It is clear the writers didn't conceive of Skinner living with his mother in this episode otherwise they would have at least done a throwaway gag that explained where she was. (i.e. Have Skinner call out for hi mother and do a 2 sec cut to her playing bingo, or whatever, and cut back to Skinner saying "oh right Los Vegas") But later episodes retcon the living arrangements.

Bart's in trouble

[safenoe · 9/10 · 13 January 2024]

Bart the Murderer, from season three of one of the greatest sitcoms of all time, is quite hilarious with reference to Bart being set up to take the fall for the mob and all. Of course, Bart wouldn't really bump off Principal Skinner despite their rocky relationship and all, but overall this episode really elevated The Simpsons to another level.

For me, in my humble opinion, the first ten seasons are the golden era of The Simpsons without a doubt, although some episodes beyond that are worthy to watch over and over again. I'm enjoying the new year catching up on imdb user reviews for The Simpsons.