I have to confess that I find the first 5 episodes of Season 4 a bit too unfocused, or should I say a bit too focused on some supporting characters that are best taken in small doses (Krusty the Clown being #1 on that list). "Itchy & Scratchy: The Movie" brings the focus back on the Simpsons family, where it belongs. The story is very simple: Bart's continuous pranks and failures at school push his parents to the limit, and Homer decides to punish him by not allowing him to watch the newly released in the theaters Itchy & Scratchy Movie. The title of this episode is somewhat misleading: the I&SM is more of a plot device rather than the centerpiece, although there is a great parody of the classic "Steamboat Willie" cartoon and other funny & violent Itchy & Scratchy moments sprinkled throughout. The flash-forward finish is unusual and intriguing, because it seems to present not a possible but a definite future for Homer and Bart. *** out of 4.
Review of Itchy & Scratchy: The Movie
