Review: The Simpsons “The Book Job”

Episode Synopsis: Homer decides to cash in on the “tween lit” craze and forms a team to group write a novel. He enlists fantasy novelist Neil Gaiman (providing his own voice) for the effort, but then must navigate treacherous industry shoals at the Springfield Book Fair. Andy Garcia has a voice cameo as a publisher.

Spoilers Below

Popular, teen-lit author T.R. Francis is spotted at a dinosaur show by Lisa and is chased down the hallway until she spills her beans on how bullshit kids books are(aka Twilight, Harry Potter, etc) and when Lisa finds out she is heartbroken. But of course when Homer finds out he wants to turn it into a money making scheme. He decides to enlist the best of the best,, first Bart, then Skinner, Selma, Mel, and Professor Frink. During, a brainstorming session at the book store, they get overheard by Neil Gaiman(writer of the AWESOME Stardust) who offers to help…you would think they would take advantage, right? Well, hes good at making and ordering food. But, do not fear because the Troll Twins book is here! They hit a snag though, because they don’t have a fake author.

When Lisa gets wind of her dad’s scheme, Lisa decides to write a book but with all the good intentions.  Apparently, she is easily distracted with Youtube, Boggle, window washing and Friday Night Lights(terrible movie and worse show).  Luckily, Homer finds her at a book fair where he convinces her to be his fake author. SCORE!

The crew gets pissed because there book gets turned into a book about trolls into a book about vampires and decide that artist integrity is more important then a million dollar check! So to get back at their publisher, they pull off a ummm Tower Heist before their caper is up!

This week’s episode was a little light in laughs but pretty good in plot, and even had the direction of Pulp Fiction. Neil Gaiman is hysterical and might have been the best cameo of the year on “The Simpsons” and I hope we get to see him again. The repeated attempts on his life had me going!