In this episode, Lisa becomes obsessed with a cynical English singer named Quilloughby (based on Morrissey and voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch) who becomes her imaginary friend.

Its algorithm recommends that Lisa should listen to The Snuffs, a 1980s British band fronted by morose vegan Quilloughby (parodies of The Smiths and Morrissey).

[2] The imaginary singer advises Lisa to steal Homer's credit card to afford entry to a music festival, where the real Quilloughby is performing.

[5] According to writer Tim Long, the "Morrissey-esque" Quilloughby character is also based on other British singers, including Robert Smith of The Cure and Ian Curtis of Joy Division.

[6] A full-length version of the original featured song "Everyone Is Horrid Except Me (And Possibly You)," written by McKenzie with vocals by Cumberbatch as Quilloughby and Yeardley Smith as Lisa, was released in May 2021 by Hollywood Records.

[2] When Principal Skinner tells Homer and Marge that the children have been influenced by older music, Martin Prince is seen singing along to "Maneater" by Hall & Oates.

He called The Simpsons "hurtful and racist," referencing Hank Azaria's apology earlier in the week to people of Indian heritage for his longtime portrayal of Apu Nahasapeemapetilon.

[16] Morrissey himself wrote that the depiction was "taunting" a lawsuit, but he did not have the means to legally challenge it, adding "in a world obsessed with Hate Laws, there are none that protect me.

"[19] Some media pundits, such as Ed Power of The Daily Telegraph and Diamond Rodrigue of the Dallas Observer, believed that Morrissey was overreacting to the episode; the latter said that he should have been happy to be portrayed in popular culture again.

[20][21] Conversely, Armond White of the National Review called the episode a "character assassination" and said that it joined in with social media campaigns to "cancel" Morrissey.

[22] Writing in The Irish Times, Finn McRedmond found "pleasant symmetry" in how a series she considered to have passed its best was attacking a singer she thought of in the same way.