Ep 22. Round Springfield

In The Simpsons season 6 episode 22 titled "Round Springfield," the residents of Springfield are shocked to learn that their beloved jazz musician, Bleeding Gums Murphy, has died. Lisa is particularly devastated, as Bleeding Gums was her friend and mentor. She decides to honor his memory by keeping his legacy alive.

One day, Lisa discovers a rare Bleeding Gums Murphy album in a record store and buys it. After listening to it, she realizes that there is a missing track that the album company never released. She goes on a mission to find the missing track and discovers that one of Bleeding Gums' old bandmates has it.

When Lisa goes to visit the bandmate, she discovers that he is sick and needs a saxophone to cheer him up. Lisa visits her school's music teacher, who agrees to lend her the school's saxophone. However, when Lisa brings the saxophone to the bandmate, she discovers that he has passed away.

Lisa is once again devastated, but she decides to honor both Bleeding Gums and his bandmate by putting on a jazz concert in their memory. She enlists the help of a musician named Leon Kompowsky, who has the ability to impersonate various famous musicians, including Michael Jackson. Lisa convinces Leon to impersonate Bleeding Gums so that they can play his missing track at the concert.

On the night of the concert, everything seems to be going smoothly until Leon gets sick and can't perform. Just as Lisa is about to give up hope, Bleeding Gums' ghost appears to perform the missing track with Lisa. This heartwarming moment creates a beautiful tribute to Bleeding Gums, his bandmate, and the power of music.

In addition to Lisa's storyline, the episode also features a subplot involving Bart getting his appendix removed. While in the hospital, Bart meets a young boy named Donny who is also getting his appendix removed. Bart and Donny become fast friends, but after Bart leaves the hospital, he realizes that he and Donny never exchanged contact information. Bart sets out to find Donny and eventually does, but not before causing chaos in his school and almost being expelled.

Overall, "Round Springfield" is a touching and heartfelt episode that explores themes of friendship, loss, and the transformative power of music. Between Lisa's mission to honor Bleeding Gums Murphy and Bart's quest to reconnect with his hospital friend, the episode strikes a perfect balance between humor and emotion. Fans of The Simpsons will not want to miss this standout episode from season 6.