Ep 14. The Itchy & Scratchy & Poochie Show

In season 8 episode 14 of The Simpsons, titled The Itchy & Scratchy & Poochie Show, the show within the show introduces a new character, Poochie the dog. The episode starts with Bart and Lisa excitedly watching the latest episode of their favorite cartoon, Itchy & Scratchy. However, they are disappointed to find out that the cartoon has added a new character named Poochie in an attempt to boost ratings.

The Simpson family watches as the creator of Itchy & Scratchy, Roger Meyers Jr., explains to a focus group the reasoning behind adding Poochie to the show. He explains that Poochie is designed to be a hip and edgy character that will attract younger viewers. The focus group is not impressed with Poochie, but Roger insists that he will be a hit and the show must evolve.

Bart and Lisa are unimpressed with Poochie's introduction, and Lisa worries that the show will lose what made it great in the first place. However, their opinions don't matter to Meyers Jr. and the show's writers, who are more concerned with making Poochie a success. They go on to give Poochie a catchphrase, a skateboard, and a love interest, but it's clear that he's not resonating with viewers.

In an attempt to make Poochie more interesting, the writers come up with a storyline where he must leave Earth to help his home planet fight off an alien invasion. The Simpson family watches the episode eagerly, hoping it will be the last appearance of Poochie. However, things take a turn for the worse when Poochie's farewell ends up being a cheesy and predictable trope, much to the chagrin of the focus group.

The Itchy & Scratchy & Poochie Show becomes even more chaotic when Homer lands the role of Poochie's voice actor. He is excited to be a part of the show, but he quickly becomes disillusioned with how things are being done. The writers keep changing the script, and the character is being pulled in too many directions. Homer voices his concerns to Meyers Jr., but he is told to stop causing trouble and just stick to the script.

Feeling like he can't take the pressure anymore, Homer decides to take matters into his own hands and makes changes to the script on the fly while recording. He adds his own lines and improvises Poochie's personality, making him more likable and relatable to the audience. The Simpson family watches the final product, and they are thrilled to see that Homer has saved the character and restored Itchy & Scratchy to its former glory.

In the end, Poochie is killed off in the show within the show, much to the disappointment of the focus group. However, Bart and Lisa are happy to see that Itchy & Scratchy is back to its old self. The episode ends with the Simpson family discussing the lessons they learned about the importance of staying true to oneself and not succumbing to trends or gimmicks just to be popular.