This episode is a double edge sword. It's certainly not a bad episode, but it is hard to watch (for me personally). Since I use to think I identified the most with Bart when I was a kid, and hated Lisa as that same kid. But now that I'm an adult and have gotten wiser, I can now confront and discuss my shame. Then all of a sudden, the tables turned. Today Lisa Simpson is my favorite character on the show, and Bart is my least favorite. I know someone like my father or the like would say, "Adam you shouldn't think too hard on this show or be upset by it because it's a cartoon", to which I respond, "Quality matters, context matters, and something is dated to the point it becomes cringe worth and almost impossible to enjoy or even call it goofy escapist fun", while The Simpsons at this time are well indeed past their prime, I think it's important to remember that not all the early episodes were good, or would be considered "Timeless" according to some people like my dad. Bart vs. Thanksgiving is one of many episodes which encapsulate a time whenever one thought "being a rebel and a trouble maker was the way to be". Counter culture back then isn't the same as it was back then. Today someone like Bart, ruining thanksgiving or his parents yelling at him and Lisa running up the stairs crying because of what Bart did, would be considered hard hitting and true to life, and Bart refusing to apologize. It's clear there are a lot of flaws with this episode, and Bart showing no remorse what so ever for what he did to Lisa's cornucopia is pretty cold, and sadly the ending to this episode really feels forced. This is one of many Simpsons episodes where the writing, voice-acting, and direction becomes dramatic and true to life to the point it so hard hitting and almost like this will become the new status quo. But that's not what happens. Episodes like "Bart Get's an F", "Bart's Dog Get's an F", and then this one, have a very hard-hitting slice of life to them, and it's really frustrating that the character of Bart never grows or learns from them. Because if this were written like an ongoing live-action show that cared about pathos and long-term character actions, then I can see it working. Bottomline, this episode is problematic in that it's written too damn well, and it's ending feels forced and everything returns to the status quo by the end. The reason why I sympathize the most with Lisa now, is because I remember what it was like being ignored and insecure at that age, and having to deal with jerks, bullies and the like who didn't care if they made someone cry or got someone upset, so long as they were painted as the actual victims in the situation. That is something a lot of people like me grew up and had to deal with, and it still goes on. Which is another reason this episode is difficult to watch because it reminds me of true and terrible things which are still going on.
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