After a riot breaks out during a "How Low Will You Go?" KBBL radio contest, Lisa writes a disgusted letter to the Springfield Shopper. Meanwhile, during the melee, Homer runs off with second prize—a coupon for free boudoir photography. Lisa’s letter catches the attention of the Springfield chapter of Mensa, the organization for people with high IQs, and she is accepted as one of them.

Days later, the group finds the gazebo reserved for their Renaissance Faire occupied by surly drunks. Chief Wiggum refuses to help. Eager for gazebo reservation reform, the group storms into the mayor’s office. Before they can even speak, the mayor flees town, believing that all of his corruption has come to light. The Mensa members look over the town charter and discover that if the mayor abdicates, "a council of learned citizens shall rule in his stead." Reasoning that no one in town is more leaned than they, the Mensa members gear up to govern Springfield.

At a press conference to announce their new initiatives, Frink and the Comic Book Guy propose unfair, restrictive rules. The gathered crowd turns on them and Dr. Stephen Hawking suddenly appears, scolding the Mensa members. Lisa is disappointed that her group didn’t succeed in their quest to better Springfield. Dr. Hawking tells her not to feel bad, that people each have their own different vision of a perfect world.