"Bart Gets Hit by a Car" | |
---|---|
The Simpsons episode | |
Episode no. | 23 |
Directed by | Mark Kirkland |
Written by | John Swartzwelder |
Showrunner(s) |
James L. Brooks Matt Groening Sam Simon |
Production code | 7F10 |
Original air date | January 10, 1991 |
Chalkboard gag | "I will not sell school property". |
Couch gag | Homer bumps everybody off the couch. |
Commentary |
Matt Groening Mike Reiss Mark Kirkland |
Guest appearance(s) | |
Season 2 episodes
|
|
Seasons | |
"Bart Gets Hit by a Car" is the tenth episode of The Simpsons' second season. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on January 10, 1991. At the start of the episode, Bart is hit by Mr. Burns' car. Prompted by ambulance-chasing lawyer Lionel Hutz and quack doctor Dr. Nick Riviera, the Simpsons sue Mr. Burns, seeking extensive damages for Bart's injuries. Hutz and Dr. Nick exaggerate Bart's injuries so they can gain sympathy at the trial. Marge is against the whole thing and grows concerned with the fact that Homer is asking Bart to lie.
"Bart Gets Hit by a Car" was written by John Swartzwelder and directed by Mark Kirkland. The episode's plot was based on Billy Wilder's 1966 film The Fortune Cookie. Much of the ending of the show was pitched by executive producer James L. Brooks, who felt the episode needed a more emotional ending. The episode includes the debuts of three recurring characters, Lionel Hutz, Dr. Nick and the Blue-Haired Lawyer. The Devil also appears on the show for the first time. Recurring guest star Phil Hartman makes his first appearance as Hutz. The show's then-script supervisor Doris Grau also voices a character in the show for the first time.