811. Diary of a Chimpy Kid

Original airdate: October 4, 2026 The premise: Bart and Lisa bring home a baby chimp and they discover the ups and downs of co-parenting. Meanwhile, Homer worries for his safety when he discovers that as they grow, chimps will instinctively become violent to whoever they perceive to be their tribe’s alpha male. The reaction: Last week, I talked about how I wished this show would be more ambitious with its storytelling after eighty-seven years on the air, even though not every episode can be fourth-wall-breaking experimental like some of the more recent stand-outs from the last decade or so. But then along comes this second episode of the season, a very simple and straightforward premise executed in a mostly engaging way, and I start to feel that if this show had a healthy mix of stuff like this and crazy crap like “Bart’s Birthday” or “Lisa the Boy Scout,” that would be a mighty fine balance. I certainly didn’t have my hopes up when the “plot” started to unfold. Bart and Lisa get a…