Lisa vs. Malibu Stacy

The episode begins at the Grand Opening for the Center for Geriatric Medicine where Dr. Hibbert introduces a frail Ben Matlock to a crowd of excited seniors. Yet after seeing his idol mobbed to the ground by fans, Abe becomes aware, perhaps fearful, of his future death and gives the family their inheritances early: he gives Lisa his lifetime collection of correspondence, most seemingly by telegraph, while he leaves the whole family a box of old silver dollars. The family leaves to spend them at the mall right away.

At the mall, Lisa sees the new Talking Malibu Stacy doll in a toystore. She warns Marge that she may get a little crazy, then rushes the display, shoving aside everyone in her path.

Throughout the trip, Abe will not stop telling stories and spouting useless advice, making the family shun him. He appeals to Homer for help, and while on the couch he sees an ad for Buzz Cola with dancing, scantily-clad seniors on a beach, which inspires him.

Lisa is anxious to hear what Talking Malibu Stacy has to say, but is disappointed with the doll's sexist phrases, such as "I wish they taught shopping at school," "Let's bake cookies for the boys," and "Don't ask me. I'm just a girl," followed by a ditzy giggle. "Right on, say it sister!" says an eavesdropping Bart, launching Lisa into a tirade decrying sexist attitudes and their effect on young girls, ending with her throwing the doll through the window, which causes Grampa to fall off his bike and into an open grave.

Lisa is angry that no one else, friends or family, can see how demeaning the doll's messages are to little girls (even when both Marge and the doll say, "Now let's forget our troubles with a big bowl of strawberry ice cream"). She calls the company to complain, and after getting some resistance from Marge, who wishes she would not complain so much, she signs up for the factory tour. There she sees assembly lines and a video detailing the doll's history, as well as the sexist inner workings of the company.

Lisa and Grampa sit at the kitchen table, bemoaning how they are treated because of their age. In walks Homer, saying how glad he is to be a white male, aged 18-49 because "...everyone listens to me, no matter how dumb my suggestions are." Abe decides to get a job, and Lisa decides to find Malibu Stacy's creator.

Lisa visits Waylon Smithers, owner of the world's biggest Malibu Stacy collection, and asks for help in finding Stacy Lovell. She bikes to Stacy Lovell's house, built exactly like Malibu Stacey's dream house, and plays the doll's phrases over the intercom... the gate immediately opens.

Lisa and Stacy Lovell decide to create a new talking doll, Lisa Lionheart, voiced by Lisa herself and so that the doll would speak uplifting, meaningful phrases that would empower girls. The doll is quietly released, and even Kent Brockman spends his whole newcast talking about the doll, ignoring breaking news that the President was arrested for murder. However, the creators of Malibu Stacy view Lisa's doll as a real threat, and plan to sink Lisa Lionheart.

Meanwhile Grampa struggles at Krusty Burger, having difficulty working the drive-through intercom as if he was losing communication with a war comrade, and losing his false teeth while his coworker wraps burgers (after pointing out the humor of a burger with teeth, a customer gets bitten by Grampa's dentures). He soon becomes angry at the way seniors are treated and realizes that people grow old so they can find fault with what God has created. Grampa quits and gets carried off by the elderly customers, who all collapse due to their feebleness.

As kids (and Smithers) rush out to buy Lisa Lionheart, a cart of the new Malibu Stacy dolls with a new hat is wheeled right into the path of the group. Lisa appeals to them that it is just the same doll with a new hat, but the new addition causes them to all buy it; however, one little girl leaves with a Lisa Lionheart doll, giving Lisa continuing hope for her cause--and Homer a second chance at dancing on the toy store's giant keyboard.

[edit] Cultural references

At the opening of the episode, the crowd of elderly people cheer for Matlock singing a slightly changed version of the teen girls' part in "Healthy Normal American Boy" from Bye Bye Birdie.
During one scene, one girl's Malibu Stacy doll says "My Spidey Sense is tingling!"; an obvious reference to Spider Man.
The entire plotline is based on the "Teen Talk Barbie" line of talking dolls and how they caused controversy.
Homer dances on giant piano keys recessed in the floor of the toy store, spoofing a scene from the film Big.
In the mall, the aisle Lisa enters is called "Valley of the Dolls", which is a reference to a drug-culture book