Daddicus Finch

Plot

After Lisa loses her part in the school play, Homer takes her shopping for clothes to lift her spirits. When he criticizes the overly sexualized branding on the outfits, Lisa starts seeing him as a real-life Atticus Finch from her assigned reading, To Kill a Mockingbird. Enjoying her newfound admiration, Homer bonds with Lisa by watching the film adaptation with her. Meanwhile, Bart feels left out and visits the school therapist, who tells him to misbehave to get attention.

At a bat mitzvah, Bart swaps everyone’s car keys, accidentally causing Hans Moleman to get hit by a car. An angry mob forms and heads to the Simpson house, intending to shoot Bart. Homer calms the crowd with a speech, impressing Lisa. The next day, Marge learns Lisa fought Bart at school for insulting Homer.

Marge tells Homer he should ask Lisa not to put him on such a pedestal, since it’s hurting the family. Homer convinces Lisa that he will always be her father, and she decides to move on. Homer feels sad about this, but Maggie uses hand gestures to reassure him that, flaws and all, they’ll always love each other. The episode ends with a future Bart still unsure of his path.

When Lisa asks him about it, he decides to kick Homer’s butt—now that Homer’s head sits on a robotic body. A final collage shows Lisa and Homer bonding, Marge and Bart bonding, and Nelson bullying Milhouse.

Reception

Dennis Perkins of The A.V. Club gave the episode a B− ranking, stating "It’s a fine way to understand how The Simpsons can continue to have its main characters run through the same conflicts over and over again, even after 600-plus episodes—knowing the reasons for things doesn’t make human behavior and pain any easier to navigate. That’s why 'Daddicus Finch'’s rushed and clumsy execution is so disappointing. Marge’s manipulations are all over the place, pushing Homer and Lisa together, then apart, all for tenuously sketched reasons that have more to do with wrapping up an ambitious story in time than in providing a satisfying conclusion."

Tony Sokol of Den of Geek gave the episode a 4.5 out of 5 points ranking, stating "'Daddicus Finch' is a very strong episode for The Simpsons. It finds a different angle for something the series always keeps sharp in its arsenal, the book or movie satire. But the episode works because it moves so fast. The asides, recurring gags and taboo-baiting are perfectly offset by the sweet character development in the creamy middle.

Getting the footage from the original 1962 film is also a big plus and a marked departure from the all-animated series." "Daddicus Finch" scored 1.6 rating with 6 share and watched by 4.33 million people, making The Simpsons Fox's highest rated show of the night.

Did You Know?

• The episode's plot includes a future Bart deciding to kick Homer's butt after Homer's head is placed on a robotic body.