In this episode, Grampa receives hearing aids but does not like what his family says about him while Principal Skinner learns his mother hid a college acceptance letter from him.
Upon arriving at the Simpsons' house, Grampa hears the family missing him while reading the episode's script written by Lisa and Marge.
Meanwhile, Lisa asks Bart to help her break in to the school to change a homework paper she delivered with the wrong date for when the Big Bang happened.
Bart and Lisa break into the school's basement, and change the date, but also discover that Principal Skinner is living in the storage.
It is revealed he gave it to the class pet who darts across the room with his wheel, energized by them and goes to torment Groundskeeper Willie.
The script, credited to Bill Odenkirk, is packed with well-observed little character touches and clever side gags, while never settling on one storyline long enough to form the satisfying whole the episode is always on the verge of becoming.
Unlike a run-of-the-mill B-minus episode of modern day Simpsons, ‘Grampy Can Ya Hear Me’ stings because of how, with a few adjustments, it could have been a genuinely solid one.