Lisa and Marge get a broadway musical performed after their graphic novel Sad Girl becomes a hit, but their creative differences start to tear the two apart. Guest-starring Martin Short as eccentric theater director, Ferdel.
- Animation Bump: Ferdel is animated in a more full, fluid manner compared to the other characters.
- Art Shift: "Sad Girl" uses a modified, slightly looser art style compared to the show. Specifically, Lisa gets eyebrows.
- College Is "High School, Part 2": Springfield Community College has a school bell system similar to a public K-12 school.
- Cloud Cuckoolander: Ferdel, a self-described “impish genius”.
- Continuity Nod: Two people cosplay as "Worker and Parasite."
- Disaster Dominoes: Marge, seeing how upset Lisa is over the liberties Ferdel took with the Sad Girl musical, attempts to make the representation of the title character less abstract by painting Sad Girl's face on the spotlight and having it beam on the stage instead of the aisles. Ferdel tries to change the spotlight back, but it ends up blinding a technician and causing the performance to turn into a disaster.
- Does This Remind You of Anything?: Marge is shocked and hurt by Lisa's suggestion that they take "a break" from their collaboration so she can "see other illustrators."
- Dude, Where's My Respect?: Marge puts a lot of hard work into Lisa's comic, yet the "fans" only really care about Lisa's writing and view Marge's contributions as insignificant. Subverted later when Ferdel's production of Sad Girl focuses more on Marge's art and gives her the credit she deserves.
- Fetish: Kumiko, feeling ashamed for publishing Lisa's private art therapy comic as a graphic novel without her knowledge, declares that she'll "commit furry cosplay" and promptly puts on a panda suit. Comic Book Guy is noticeably turned on by this.Kumiko: There's nothing sexy about shame!... except in my native Japan, where it's our own thing.
- Hands in Pockets: Conversed. Marge warns Lisa that she’s not good at drawing turtle feet, so if there’s any turtles in Lisa’s comic, they’ll be wearing sneakers.
- Head Desk: Lisa does this when she's struggling with her art therapy, due to her bad drawing skills.
- In Name Only: What makes Lisa upset over the Sad Girl musical is that it favors visuals over storytelling.
- Insult Backfire: Lisa complains her drawings look like an 8-year old drew them. She is an 8-year old.
- I Resemble That Remark!: While they're at the community college, Homer drops Bart off with some dog groomers-in-training for the full treatment, commenting "You'd better muzzle him; he's a biter." In response Bart lunges and tries to bite Homer as he's dragged away.
- It's All About Me: Lisa, Marge and Ferdel all have this; Lisa starts ignoring Marge when all the fans of Sad Girl care more about her storytelling than Marge's artistry, and when Ferdel's musical focuses more on art than storytelling, Marge is willing to do the same to Lisa. Then, when Marge attempts to cheer up Lisa by drawing a picture of Sad Girl on a stage light and shining it on the stage, Ferdel angrily kicks it away because it's not one of his "brain babies".
- Mind Screw: The "musical" that Ferdel makes is so abstract that it leaves the audience absolutely baffled and unsure just what exactly is going on, with Bart himself wondering aloud just what exactly it all means.
- The Musical: The adaption of Sad Girl according to Ferdel becomes a broadway musical.
- Mustache Vandalism: Bart does this to several portraits in a restaurant.
- Out-of-Character Moment: When "Sad Girl" was published without her knowledge, Lisa tells Marge she wants to swear and Marge gives her permission, but only at Tier 1. After one "Damn it," Lisa asks to go to Tier 2 but is denied.
- Precision F-Strike: Invoked when Lisa discovers her therapy comic being sold as a graphic novel:Lisa: Mom, can I have permission to swear?
Marge: Okay, as long as it's a Tier 1.
Lisa: Damn it! (Beat) That didn't work. Can I go to Tier 2?
Marge: I'm afraid not.
Lisa: Damn it! - Shout-Out:
- To The Andy Griffith Show, whose theme plays when Homer and Bart appear to go fishing, only for Andy and Opie to take back their fishing rods, with which they attack Homer and Bart.
- The name and story is taken from American Splendor, how writer Harvey Pekar contracted the art to numerous artists over the years and became an underground hit. Given Matt Groening's origin in underground comics, the Simpsons have always had a connection to that area.
- Take That!: A more affectionate one, Dan Harmon (voicing himself) is shown trying to teach his "story circle" at the local community college only to get pelted by the students throwing random objects.
- True Art Is Incomprehensible: Ferdel believes in this, but goes so far with it in the musical adaptation of Sad Girl that it just results in a confusing mess that has nothing to do with the content of the original work that ultimately ends up a disaster.
- The Voiceless: Director Ferdel adapts Sad Girl to be "a red spotlight shining in the aisles."
- Yank the Dog's Chain: During a Comic-Con panel, the audience has more questions for Lisa than for Marge.Lisa: Does anyone have any questions for my mom? She does draw every panel.
(Shauna stands up)
Shauna: Yeah, I have a question for Marge... How lucky are you to work with Lisa?
