Simpsons To Give Edna Krabapple Proper Closure in "Diary Queen". February 14th

[ZariusTwo]

Yeah, doesn't look like they were content with that brief dream/mourning scene with Ned and Nelson some seasons ago when Edna's voice actress Marcia Wallace died, for one thing we never got to see Bart's reaction...now we will, as Bart uncovers Edna's diary at a junk sale and discovers some of her more surprising secrets

http://www.thefutoncritic.com/listings/20210122fox16/

Marcia is credited with a post-humous appearance as Edna, so are they using archive clips, or using material from deleted scenes she recorded?

[Jephael]

I was just watching some classic season 2 episodes that had me feeling nostalgic for the good old days... I'm definitely looking forward to this episode.

[ZariusTwo]

The episode ended up airing on the 21st due to Nascar coverage

Spoiler:

That twist about the cat really didn't do it for me, and it again played with the idea Bart is bone-dead stupid. Were it not for the need to pad out the running time, the episode should have ended right at the treehouse when Lisa reads the diary...failing that, they should have saved Lisa's confession in the third act as the moment to reveal what the twist was.

We know from Flander's reveal at the end Edna cared about Bart, so the diary entries still make sense even if you take out the cat.

I liked that Lisa's whole motivation was due to her not wanting Bart hurt, but they had an opportunity here to subvert expectations and not have a big twist ...they could have played with the audience a little more and then ended the episode with the simple fact Edna meant every word of it and Bart kept ascending.

Why do I say this? Because I just completed a fandedit which removes the entirety of the twist

[Wildcat]

The episode was great imo. Very well written. My only complaint is...

Spoiler:

I thought Edna’s comments during Flanders video was too direct. Her wording was way too specific in relation to episode itself.

She should have said something like - even though they get on my nerves I still care about my students...yes even Bart. I enjoy being their teacher.

[ZariusTwo]

Originally Posted by Wildcat

Spoiler:

She should have said something like - even though they get on my nerves I still care about my students...yes even Bart. I enjoy being their teacher.

Spoiler:

I thought that was fine actually, it's been proven many times in both classic and modern episodes that Bart and Edna, while at times antagonistic, did have a lot of respect and love for one another (even if Bart bizarrely forgot about most of that here), it'd make sense for Edna to cite Bart as an example since by that point she lived right next to him and understood he wasn't a bad child at heart

[Wildcat]

Originally Posted by ZariusTwo

Spoiler:

I thought that was fine actually, it's been proven many times in both classic and modern episodes that Bart and Edna, while at times antagonistic, did have a lot of respect and love for one another (even if Bart bizarrely forgot about most of that here), it'd make sense for Edna to cite Bart as an example since by that point she lived right next to him and understood he wasn't a bad child at heart

I know they grew closer over the series

Spoiler:

but her comments in this part were so on-the-nose it came off convenient and unnatural imo. They made her say word for word what Bart wanted hear.

All she had to make clear is she actually enjoyed teaching and believed in her students. Maybe have Rod or Todd interrupt and ask even Bart Simpson? To give her a reason to compliment him.

[Leo656]

I can't believe we're Spoiler-tagging stuff related to goddamn Simpsons episodes. There's only three or four people here who even still watch it, anyone who'd be affected by "spoilers" already watched the episode. Come on!

[Wildcat]

Haha, I guess that’s true. It just aired 2 days ago though and it’s one of the more serious episodes.

[ZariusTwo]

After watching it a couple of times, I realised it could work without the twist, Lisa's anxiety could have been explained by at least two other things, so I decided to make a fanedit of the episode which removes all references to the cat.

I made at least two versions with two different endings. Out of the two, I think the first one is 'truer' to what you would expect in a Nu Simpsons episode, while the other is a lot closer in tone to the "Dark Simpsons" Youtube videos as well as the classics (think a "Mother Simpson" style ending), if anyone wants them, drop me a PM.