5. 'Round Springfield (6x22) - A Tribute To Bleeding Gums
It is often difficult for Lisa Simpson to find people to relate with, but she was able to find a kindred soul in musician Bleeding Gums Murphy. When he dies suddenly and she finds herself the only attendant of his funeral, she makes it her goal to tell all of Springfield of her great Jazz mentor. The remainder of the episode chronicles Lisa's journey to attain a rare Bleeding Gums album so that it can be played on the local Jazz station. With the help of a surprise favor from Bart and a divinely-placed bolt of lightning, soon Bleeding Gum's music is played on every radio in Springfield. In the end clouds gather and Bleeding Gums appears before Lisa, thanking her and asking her to play Jazz with him one last time. The subject of a loved one's death can difficult to write, especially for a cartoon sitcom, and as the story moves forward all the elements fall into place, providing a tissue-worthy ending. It's nigh impossible to listen to Lisa's rendition of Jazz Man without a lump forming in your throat.
Sarah is a twenty-something film school graduate and mother-to-be from Arizona. She loves to write and is currently working on a novel that may be finished sometime in the next fifty years. Doctor Who, Star Trek, Final Fantasy, and Supernatural are among her various obsessions.
