Grampy Can Ya Hear Me

Plot

The Simpsons take Grampa to the Springfield Planetarium for his birthday, where he escapes during a documentary on the Big Bang. Back at the Springfield Retirement Castle, Grampa complains about low music due to his hearing loss. His companions throw him a birthday party, and the Old Jewish Man gives him a hearing aid. At home, Grampa overhears his family expressing dislike for his presence, so he leaves for Springfield Mall, where shop attendants also treat him as old.

He goes to the Veterans of Unpopular Wars bar and tells the bartender his problems; Homer receives a call from the bartender, who sends Grampa home. Upon arriving, Grampa hears his family missing him while reading a script written by Lisa and Marge, realizes they care, and joins them in a hug. Meanwhile, Lisa asks Bart to help break into school to change a homework paper with the wrong date for the Big Bang. They discover Principal Skinner living in the school basement.

Skinner explains that his mother Agnes lied about his acceptance to Ohio State University for the marching band. He confronts her, and she tearfully apologizes; he agrees to move back in on his conditions. Lisa later confesses to Miss Hoover, who already knows and only wants her nicotine gum, which Bart stole and gave to the class pet, who then torments Groundskeeper Willie.

Reception

Dennis Perkins of The A.V. Club gave the episode a B−, noting it did many small things well but frittered away the overall episode in multiple narrative directions. Tony Sokol of Den of Geek gave it 2.5 out of 5 stars, stating the episode ran out of air despite having three storylines and that the best part was the end tag. The episode scored a 1.3 rating with a 5 share and was watched by 2.86 million people, making it Fox's second highest rated show of the night.

Did You Know?

• The opening sequence was modified to show Maggie holding a bottle of Szechuan sauce while in the shopping cart, a nod to the television series Rick and Morty.
• The title characters from Rick and Morty previously appeared in the couch gag of the twenty-sixth season episode "Mathlete's Feat."