Lisa vs. Malibu Stacy

"Lisa vs. Malibu Stacy" is the fourteenth episode of Season 5.
==Synopsis==
Lisa is disappointed that the new Talking Malibu Stacy doll spouts phrases that make girls and women out to be vapid, shallow sex objects. With the help of Smithers, Lisa finds the original creator of Malibu Stacy and teams up with her to make a talking doll that actually empowers and encourages little girls. Meanwhile, Grampa Simpson worries over his lost youth after seeing Andy Griffith (Matlock) at the grand opening of the Center for Geriatric Medicine, so he takes a job at Krusty Burger.
==Full Story==
The episode begins at the Grand Opening for the Center for Geriatric Medicine where Dr. Hibbert introduces a frail Ben Matlock to a crowd of excited seniors. But after seeing his idol mobbed to the ground by fans, Abe becomes aware, perhaps fearful, of his future death and gives the family their inheritances early: To Lisa he leaves his lifetime collection of correspondence, most seemingly by telegraph, while he leaves to Homer and his family a box of old silver dollars. The family leaves to spend them at the mall right away.
At the mall, Lisa sees a number of girls mobbing a Malibu Stacy display in a toy store. She warns Marge that she may get a little crazy, then rushes the display, shoving aside everyone in her path. A few moments later, a stockboy begins putting out the new Talking Malibu Stacy doll, and the mob shifts its attention to the new toy.
Throughout the trip, Abe won't stop telling stories and spouting useless advice, and getting shunned by the family. He appeals to Homer for help, and while on the couch he sees an ad for Buzz Cola with dancing, scantily-clad seniors on a beach, inspiring him. Then he plans to drink the Buzz Cola Homer is drinking, but upon the drink touching his mouth, it burns his tongue and desperately tries to get some water.
Lisa is anxious to hear what Talking Malibu Stacy has to say, but is disappointed with her sexist phrases (see quotes). "Right on, say it sister!" says an eavesdropping Bart, launching Lisa into a tirade decrying sexist attitudes and their effect on young girls. Bart then claims that he was going to say the same thing. Lisa, in frustration hurls the doll through the window, which gets caught in the spokes of a bicycle Grampa is riding, causing him to fall off his bike and land in an open grave (which he finds comfortable).
Lisa is furious that no one else, even her friends and family, can see the ridiculousness of the doll. She calls the company to complain, and after getting some resistance from Marge who wishes she wouldn't complain so much, she signs up for the factory tour. There she sees assembly lines and a video detailing the doll's history, as well as the sexist inner workings of the company.
Lisa and Grampa sit at the kitchen table, bemoaning how they are treated because of their age. In walks Homer, saying how glad he is to be a white male, aged 18–49 (everyone listens to him, no matter how stupid the ideas). Grampa plans to get a job, and Lisa chooses to find Malibu Stacy's creator.
Lisa visits Smithers, owner of the world's biggest Malibu Stacy collection and asks for help in finding Stacy Lovelle, the doll's creator. She bikes to Stacy Lovell's house (built exactly like Malibu Stacey's dream house), she says she wants Ms. Lovell to hear what Stacy is telling a generation of young girls and plays the doll's phrases over the intercom... the gate immediately opens.
Lisa and Stacy Lovell agree to create a new talking doll, Lisa Lionheart, voiced by Lisa herself and complete with her own encouraging phrases. The doll is quietly released, and even Kent Brockman (at the request of his daughter), spends his entire newscast talking about the doll, ignoring breaking news that the President was arrested for murder. However, the creators of Malibu Stacy view Lisa's doll as a real threat, and plan to sink Lisa Lionheart.
In the meantime, Grampa struggles at Krusty Burger, suffering a war flashback at the drive-in and losing his false teeth while making burgers. He soon gets complaints from his fellow seniors and then Grampa realizes that God makes them old for one reason: complaining about young people. He then quits and gets carried off by his fellow geriatrics before they crumble to the floor.
On the day the doll is officially released, numerous young girls (and Smithers) rush into the toy store at the Springfield Mall to buy Lisa Lionheart. As Lisa and Stacy watch, a cart of "new" Malibu Stacy dolls is wheeled right into the path of the group running for the Lisa display. Lisa appeals to them that it's just the same doll with a cheap new hat, but they all prefer to stick with Malibu Stacy (largely due to a phrase from Smithers, "but she's got a new hat!")... except for one little girl, who leaves with a Lisa Lionheart doll. Lisa remarks that even though they didn't sell out of the dolls, if the doll makes one little girl happy, it'll all be worth it. Stacy agrees, and mutters under her breath, 'as long as that girl spends $46,000 on that doll.'
==Citations==
de:Lisa kontra Malibu Stacy
fr:Lisa s'en va-t-en guerre
pl:Lisa vs. Malibu Stacy
pt:Lisa e a boneca falante
Category:Lisa episodes
Category:Grampa Episodes
Category:Episodes featuring guest stars
Category:Episodes named after a character
Category:Smithers Episodes
Category:'Vs.' Episodes
Category:Lisa seeks understanding episodes
Category:Episodes named after Lisa
Category:Directed by Jeffrey Lynch
Category:Written by Bill Oakley and Josh Weinstein