Bart fakes being traumatized from something that happened at Kamp Krusty to get out of school. Except after a bad dream, he realizes he is in fact traumatized.
While Homer discovers going to work early and learns more about the job. Due to a dry spell with Marge.
[4.5/10 on a post-classic Simpsons scale] As much as I love the classic seasons of The Simpsons, I’m not such a purist that I believe the modern day incarnation of the show can never revisit its golden years, but this was a waste of a return to Kamp Krusty, with lame plots for both the A-story and the B-story.
The A-story featured Bart pretending to have PTSD from his experience at Kamp Krusty from way back in Season 4, only to realize that after being pampered and getting to avoid school, he really did have a traumatic experience there that he didn’t get over. Lisa, naturally, was involved, and so the two uncover an unsatisfying mystery of a missing kid. There’s a minorly decent idea in Bart faking an ailment and then really having it, but the mystery plot is weak and there’s few, if any laughs from it. (Bart’s sound effects gag is particularly lame.)
The B-story features Homer suddenly becoming good at his job when Marge doting on Bart prevents them from snuggling. The “no sex = smart Homer” is dumb and out of character for him, and while seeing a sharp-witted Homer has some initial novelty, the whole “withholding to success” angle is foolish sitcom logic, and the excuse to get back to Kamp Krusty is strained at best.
The worst thing though is the humor. There’s tons of cartoony, not at all grounded gags clogging up the episode. I’m totally fine with the show stretching its reality once and a while for the sake of a good gag, but these jokes were neither funny and the show went to that well too many times. In the old days, stellar humor could save a weaker plot, but the current version of the show doesn’t have that luxury.
Overall, this isn’t bad because it’s an unsatisfying follow up to the classic “Kamp Krusty” installment of the show; it’s just a bad episode all on its own.
Shout by RothSothyBlockedParent2017-03-06T01:39:25Z
Barber's Adagio for Strings plays yet again in the show; this time with Homer playing it on violin.
Other times the piece has been played was in episodes "Strong Arms of the Ma", "Marge Gamer", "Little Orphan Millie"..