Ep 3. Lisa's Sax

Lisa's Sax is the third episode of the ninth season of The Simpsons. The episode starts with Bart getting ready for school but Lisa is refusing to get up, as she is feeling unwell. However, Lisa can't miss the school because of the presentation she has to give on the musical instrument, the saxophone. She is very excited because she plans on impressing everyone with her knowledge on the saxophone.

Meanwhile, the Simpson family is preparing for Homer's big night out at Moe's Tavern. However, before they go, Homer pulls out a saxophone from the attic, and tells the story of how Lisa first started playing the saxophone. Flashback to when Lisa was a baby and the family was watching the televised performance of the 1986 Super Bowl halftime show. Upset at the lack of culture shown in the program, Marge tells Homer that he needs to find something to entertain the children. Homer takes this as a challenge and decides to go out and buy a fancy new TV, however, this means he has to give up on buying a new saxophone for his daughter.

To make up for it, Homer takes a trip to a pawn shop, where he finds an old, tarnished saxophone which he purchases for $500. He gives it to Lisa, who begins to practice and soon discovers her talent. The flashback reveals how Lisa became more and more obsessed with the saxophone as she grew older, even leading her to hate her own voice when she realized she preferred playing the saxophone over singing.

The episode then switches back to the present with Marge telling Homer that they need to find an alternative activity for their night out as she fears they will end up spending too much money. The family decides to visit an all-you-can-eat restaurant, which turns out to be a hit as they discover it serves all kinds of international cuisine. Despite being stuffed, they decide to take home an extra tray of food for the next day.

The episode then flashes back to the time when Lisa first played her saxophone in front of her classmates, but her talent goes unnoticed and ignored, which upset Lisa. Following this, she decides to enter a school talent contest which prompts Homer to help her rehearse a classic jazz song. The flashback reveals how the father-daughter duo attempted to perform the song 'Misty' in front of the judges but Homer messes it up. In the end, the judges decide to give her the prize for most' improved' musician, which irritates Lisa.

Back at the all-you-can-eat restaurant, the family is saddened to learn that it is closing permanently, so they decide to raid the kitchen out of desperation. However, they accidentally knock the restaurant's neon sign off and it lands on their car, forcing them to run away before they get caught. The whole family enjoys the food they stole and spend the night feasting on their spoils.

The episode flashes back to the present day with Bart realizing that the auction for their car is happening the next day, giving them no time to fix it. The Simpsons family all reminisces about the good times they had with the car, which leads to Homer telling the story of when he first bought the car. The episode ends with Homer and Marge watching their children perform a song on a newly-purchased karaoke machine.

Overall, Lisa's Sax is an emotional and heartwarming episode of The Simpsons, filled with flashbacks that reveal the background of Lisa's talent and her family's love for each other. It is an interesting insight into the family dynamics of The Simpsons and highlights how strong they are, even in the face of challenges. The audience cannot help but root for Lisa and her dreams, and find themselves feeling emotional at times. The episode perfectly balances humor with emotion and deep familial relationships and is a must-watch for fans of The Simpsons.