The Secret War of Lisa Simpson

"The Secret War of Lisa Simpson"
The Simpsons episode
Episode no.	178
Directed by	Mike B. Anderson
Written by	Richard Appel
Showrunner(s)	Bill Oakley Josh Weinstein
Production code	4F21
Original air date	May 18, 1997
Couch gag	The living room is shown upside down. The Simpsons sit down, but fall to the floor (the true ceiling).
Commentary	Matt Groening Josh Weinstein Yeardley Smith Mike B. Anderson
Guest appearance(s)
Willem Dafoe as the Commandant
Season 8 episodes October 27, 1996 – May 18, 1997 "Treehouse of Horror VII" "You Only Move Twice" "The Homer They Fall" "Burns, Baby Burns" "Bart After Dark" "A Milhouse Divided" "Lisa's Date with Density" "Hurricane Neddy" "El Viaje Misterioso de Nuestro Jomer (The Mysterious Voyage of Homer)" "The Springfield Files" "The Twisted World of Marge Simpson" "Mountain of Madness" "Simpsoncalifragilisticexpiala(Annoyed Grunt)cious" "The Itchy & Scratchy & Poochie Show" "Homer's Phobia" "Brother from Another Series" "My Sister, My Sitter" "Homer vs. the Eighteenth Amendment" "Grade School Confidential" "The Canine Mutiny" "The Old Man and the Lisa" "In Marge We Trust" "Homer's Enemy" "The Simpsons Spin-Off Showcase" "The Secret War of Lisa Simpson"
Seasons
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Willem Dafoe as the Commandant

"The Secret War of Lisa Simpson" is the twenty-fifth and final episode of The Simpsons' eighth season. It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on May 18, 1997. Bart gets sent to a military academy as punishment for bad behavior. While visiting the academy, Lisa sees that the school is far more challenging than hers and she decides that she wants to attend as well. It was directed by Mike B. Anderson, written by Richard Appel and featured Willem Dafoe in a guest spot as the school's commandant.

After a day watching mind-numbing videos in class, Lisa becomes concerned that her education is not challenging enough. Meanwhile, Bart's class goes on a field trip to the Springfield Police Department, where Bart finds a room with several megaphones. After placing them end to end and increasing their amplification, he inadvertently creates a sonic shockwave that shatters all the glass in Springfield. Chief Wiggum suggests sending Bart to military school to correct his behavior. When the family visit the school, Lisa is impressed by the challenging curriculum and decides to attend with Bart.

Lisa stirs discontent among the students, as she is the first female student and gets her own barracks. She and Bart are subjected to hazing; Bart is eventually accepted and distances himself from his sister. Lonely, Lisa considers going home, but decides to see it through. As the school year comes to a close, the Commandant reveals the final test for the students: the "Eliminator", a hand-over-hand crawl across a rope suspended high above thorn bushes. Lisa fears she will not be able to complete the task, but Bart helps her train in secret.

On the day of the test, Lisa is the last to cross the Eliminator. She is about to fall and the students jeer, but Bart cheers her on and she makes it across safely. The other students vow to make the rest of the semester a living hell for him, but realize they graduate in three hours. The Commandant awards Lisa a special medal "For Satisfactory Completion of the Second Grade".

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Wikipedia