"I Married Marge" is the twelfth episode of the
third season of the American animated television series ''
The Simpsons
''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical depiction of American life, epitomized by the Simpson family, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, ...
''. It originally aired on the
Fox network
The Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly known simply as Fox and stylized in all caps as FOX, is an American commercial broadcast television network owned by Fox Corporation and headquartered in New York City, with master control operations an ...
in the United States on December 26, 1991. In the episode,
Marge
Marge is a feminine given name, a shortened form of Marjorie, Margot or Margaret (name), Margaret. Notable Marges include:
People
*Marge (cartoonist) (1904–1993), pen name of Marjorie Henderson Buell, American cartoonist
*Marge Anderson (1932 ...
worries that she may be pregnant again and visits
Dr. Hibbert
Dr. Julius Michael Hibbert, M.D. is a recurring character on the television animated sitcom ''The Simpsons''. He is Springfield's most prominent medical professional. Although he has a kind and warm persona, he is also often characterized as gree ...
's office. While anxiously waiting at home,
Homer
Homer (; grc, Ὅμηρος , ''Hómēros'') (born ) was a Greek poet who is credited as the author of the ''Iliad'' and the ''Odyssey'', two epic poems that are foundational works of ancient Greek literature. Homer is considered one of the ...
tells
Bart
Bart is a masculine given name, usually a diminutive of Bartholomew, sometimes of Barton, Bartolomeo, etc.
Bart is a Dutch and Ashkenazi Jewish surname, and derives from the name ''Bartholomäus'', a German form of the biblical name ''Barthol ...
,
Lisa Lisa or LISA may refer to:
People
People with the mononym
* Lisa Lisa (born 1967), American actress and lead singer of the Cult Jam
* Lisa (Japanese musician, born 1974), stylized "LISA", Japanese singer and producer
* Lisa Komine (born 1978), J ...
, and
Maggie
Maggie is a common short form of the name Magdalena, Magnolia, Margaret.
Maggie may refer to:
People
Women
* Maggie Adamson, Scottish musician
* Maggie Aderin-Pocock (born 1968), British scientist
* Maggie Alderson (born 1959), Aust ...
the story of his and Marge's marriage and Bart's birth. The episode was written by
Jeff Martin and directed by
Jeffrey Lynch
Jeffrey Lynch is an American animator and graphic artist. His past work includes: animation director on ''The Simpsons'' and ''Futurama;'' assistant director on ''Spider-Man'', ''Spider-Man 2'', ''Spider-Man 3,'' and ''The Iron Giant'' as story d ...
.
"I Married Marge" was the second flashback episode of ''The Simpsons'' after season two's "
The Way We Was
"The Way We Was" is the twelfth episode of the second season of the American animated television series ''The Simpsons''. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on January 31, 1991. In the episode, Marge tells the story of ho ...
". It features cultural references to ''
The Empire Strikes Back
''The Empire Strikes Back'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back'') is a 1980 American epic film, epic space opera film directed by Irvin Kershner from a screenplay by Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan, based o ...
'', ''
Charlie's Angels
''Charlie's Angels'' is an American crime drama television series that aired on ABC from September 22, 1976, to June 24, 1981, producing five seasons and 115 episodes. The series was created by Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts and was produced by Aa ...
'', and ''
Ms. Pac-Man
is a 1982 maze arcade game developed by General Computer Corporation and published by Midway. It is the first sequel to '' Pac-Man'' (1980) and the first entry in the series to not be made by Namco. Controlling the title character, Pac-Man's ...
''. The title of the episode is a play on the American television series ''
I Married Joan
''I Married Joan'' is an American situation comedy that aired on NBC from 1952 to 1955. It starred actress Joan Davis as the manic, scatterbrained wife of a mild-mannered community judge (Jim Backus).
Synopsis
The show, whose syndicated open ...
''. Since airing, "I Married Marge" has received mostly positive reviews from television critics. It acquired a
Nielsen rating
Nielsen Media Research (NMR) is an American firm that measures media audiences, including television, radio, theatre, films (via the AMC Theatres MAP program), and newspapers. Headquartered in New York City, it is best known for the Nielsen rati ...
of 11.9 and was the highest-rated show on Fox the week it aired.
The episode was the first of three about the births of the Simpsons children, this one covering Bart's birth, with Lisa's covered in "
Lisa's First Word
"Lisa's First Word" is the tenth episode of the fourth season of the American animated television series ''The Simpsons''. It was first broadcast on the Fox network in the United States on December 3, 1992. In the episode, as the Simpson family g ...
" in the fourth season, and Maggie's covered in the sixth-season episode "
And Maggie Makes Three
"And Maggie Makes Three" is the thirteenth episode of the sixth season of the American animated television series ''The Simpsons''. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on January 22, 1995. In the episode, Homer recounts t ...
". The episode also expands upon the family's origins as a result of Marge falling pregnant with Bart, briefly referred to in "
The Way We Was
"The Way We Was" is the twelfth episode of the second season of the American animated television series ''The Simpsons''. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on January 31, 1991. In the episode, Marge tells the story of ho ...
", and introduces key moments, such as Bart's conception at a mini-golf course, which would ultimately become a major part of the series' canon.
Plot
Marge worries she may be pregnant again after a home pregnancy test is inconclusive, so she drives to
Dr. Hibbert
Dr. Julius Michael Hibbert, M.D. is a recurring character on the television animated sitcom ''The Simpsons''. He is Springfield's most prominent medical professional. Although he has a kind and warm persona, he is also often characterized as gree ...
's office to take another test. While she is gone, Homer tells Bart, Lisa and Maggie the story of their marriage and Bart's birth.
In 1980, Homer worked at a
mini-golf
Miniature golf, also known as minigolf, mini-putt, crazy golf, or putt-putt, is an offshoot of the sport of golf focusing solely on the putting aspect of its parent game. The aim of the game is to score the lowest number of points. It is played ...
course while dating Marge. Marge's mother
Jacqueline
Jacqueline may refer to:
People
* Jacqueline (given name), including a list of people with the name
* Jacqueline Moore (born 1964), ring name "Jacqueline", American professional wrestler
Arts and entertainment
* ''Jacqueline'' (1923 film), ...
and twin sisters
Patty and Selma
Patricia Maleficent "Patty" Bouvier and Selma Bouvier-Terwilliger-Hutz-McClure-Discotheque-Simpson-D'Amico () are fictional characters in the American animated sitcom ''The Simpsons''. They are identical Twin, twins and are voiced by Julie Kavne ...
disapproved of Homer's lack of prospects and unattractive physical appearance. One night, Marge and Homer saw ''
The Empire Strikes Back
''The Empire Strikes Back'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back'') is a 1980 American epic film, epic space opera film directed by Irvin Kershner from a screenplay by Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan, based o ...
'' (whose twist ending Homer inadvertently ruined for the next audience) and
made out inside a golf course castle. Some time later, Marge felt sick and told Homer she might be pregnant. Homer was not thrilled when Dr. Hibbert confirmed this. Since he loved Marge, he proposed marriage to her and she accepted. They married in a seedy
wedding chapel
A wedding chapel is a building or room, other than a legal court, where marriages are regularly performed. Usually wedding chapels are for-profit venues to host weddings in resort areas to encourage hotel room stays, catering and gambling by the ...
across the state line and spent their wedding night on the living room couches at
Marge's family's house.
Homer's wages from the golf course were insufficient to support his growing family, so he applied for a job at the
Springfield Nuclear Power Plant
Springfield is the primary fictional setting of the American animated sitcom ''The Simpsons'' and related media. It is an average-sized, fictional city within an indeterminate state in the United States. The fictional city's geography, surroundi ...
. He was rejected because
Smithers
Smithers is a surname of English origin. It derives from the Middle English term "smyther", referring to a metalsmith, and is thus related to the common occupational surname Smith. The name Smither is related.
People
*Alan Smithers (born 1938), ...
favored two other applicants who happened to be his old college
fraternity
A fraternity (from Latin language, Latin ''wiktionary:frater, frater'': "brother (Christian), brother"; whence, "wiktionary:brotherhood, brotherhood") or fraternal organization is an organization, society, club (organization), club or fraternal ...
brothers. When Homer and Marge's newly purchased baby supplies and Marge's
wedding ring
A wedding ring or wedding band is a finger ring that indicates that its wearer is married. It is usually forged from metal, traditionally gold or another precious metal. Rings were used in ancient Rome during marriage, though the modern pract ...
were repossessed, Homer left to find steady work, hoping to return once able to support his family. Marge was devastated when she read his farewell note.
Patty and Selma spotted Homer working at a Gulp 'n' Blow
fast food restaurant
A fast-food restaurant, also known as a quick-service restaurant (QSR) within the industry, is a specific type of restaurant that serves fast-food cuisine and has minimal table service. The food served in fast-food restaurants is typically ...
. Seeing how unhappy Marge was without him, Selma reluctantly told her where to find him. Marge tried to persuade Homer to come home with her. Homer applied for a job at the power plant again, telling
Mr. Burns
Charles Montgomery Plantagenet Schicklgruber "Monty" Burns, usually referred to as Mr. Burns, Monty, or C. Montgomery Burns, is a recurring character and the main antagonist of the animated television series ''The Simpsons'', voiced initially by ...
he would be the perfect employee due to his unwavering subservience. Burns was so impressed that he hired Homer on the spot.
Homer returned home to learn Marge was in labor at the hospital. He found Marge with Selma and an angry Patty, who berated him. Fed up with her disrespect, Homer angrily told Patty and her family to show him some respect since he now had a well-paying job — news which delighted Marge right before she gave birth to Bart. Upon meeting him, Bart set fire to Homer's tie. Homer accused him of doing it on purpose, to which Marge said that he could not have because he was only ten minutes old.
After Homer ends his
flashback, he tells Bart, Lisa and Maggie he is blessed to have such children and does not regret having them. Regardless, when Marge happily arrives back with the news she isn't pregnant Homer is ecstatic and the two
high five High five is a friendly gesture in which one individual slaps another's hand.
High five (and variants such as Hi5, Hi-5, and Hi-Five) may also refer to:
Music
* Hi-5 (Australian group), an Australian children's musical group
* Hi-5 (Greek band), ...
.
Production
![Jeff Martin](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/54/Jeff_Martin.jpg)
"I Married Marge" was written by Jeff Martin and directed by Jeffrey Lynch. It was the second flashback episode of ''The Simpsons'' and a sequel to the previous one, "
The Way We Was
"The Way We Was" is the twelfth episode of the second season of the American animated television series ''The Simpsons''. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on January 31, 1991. In the episode, Marge tells the story of ho ...
", which tells the story of how Homer and Marge met in high school.
Executive producer
Sam Simon
Samuel Michael Simon (June 6, 1955 – March 8, 2015) was an American director, producer, writer, animal rights activist and philanthropist, who co-developed the television series ''The Simpsons''.
While at Stanford University, Simon wo ...
was concerned that the writers were being "inefficient" with the episode; he thought the three plots of Homer and Marge's marriage, the birth of Bart, and Homer getting his job should have been extended into three episodes instead of one.
The staff were concerned over the animation of the characters' eyes in the episode, as the pupils were larger than normal, making the characters look "stoned", and the eyeballs were "too round" and large. The animation artists at the animation studio in
South Korea
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...
, where much of the animation process takes place, had begun stenciling the eyes with a template, which according to Lynch resulted in "strangely round eyes which look a little too big sometimes and much too perfect. Which is very un-''Simpsons'' like."
Marge was designed with shorter hair in the flashback sequences to make her appear younger. Lynch thought it was nice to see Marge in a "younger, more attractive mode, and sort of watching her progress through pregnancy."
Cultural references
![Modern vegas vic souvenirs](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cd/Modern_vegas_vic_souvenirs.JPG)
The title of the episode is a reference to the American television series ''
I Married Joan
''I Married Joan'' is an American situation comedy that aired on NBC from 1952 to 1955. It starred actress Joan Davis as the manic, scatterbrained wife of a mild-mannered community judge (Jim Backus).
Synopsis
The show, whose syndicated open ...
''.
[ Marge and Homer sing along to " You Light Up My Life" by ]Debby Boone
Deborah Anne Boone (born September 22, 1956) is an American singer, author, and actress. She is best known for her 1977 hit, "You Light Up My Life (song), You Light Up My Life", which spent ten weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, ''Billboar ...
in the car. When Marge is suspected to be pregnant, Bart wants to name the baby after rapper Kool Moe Dee
Mohandas Dewese (born August 8, 1962), better known by his stage name Kool Moe Dee, is an American rapper, writer and actor. Considered one of the forerunners of the new jack swing sound in hip hop, he gained fame in the 1980s as a member of one ...
, while Lisa wants to name her after Ariel
Ariel may refer to:
Film and television
*Ariel Award, a Mexican Academy of Film award
* ''Ariel'' (film), a 1988 Finnish film by Aki Kaurismäki
* ''ARIEL Visual'' and ''ARIEL Deluxe'', 1989 and 1991 anime video series based on the novel series ...
, from ''The Little Mermaid
"The Little Mermaid" ( da, Den lille havfrue) is a literary fairy tale written by the Danish author Hans Christian Andersen. The story follows the journey of a young mermaid who is willing to give up her life in the sea as a mermaid to gain a h ...
''. At the beginning of his story, Homer mentions the band Supertramp
Supertramp were an English rock band that formed in London in 1969. Marked by the individual songwriting of founders Roger Hodgson (vocals, keyboards, and guitars) and Rick Davies (vocals and keyboards), they are distinguished for blending pro ...
, and their popularity in the time period. While exiting the movie theater, Homer spoils the ending of ''The Empire Strikes Back'' for dozens of moviegoers awaiting the next show. He also compares Marge's good looks to Princess Leia
Princess Leia Organa is a fictional character and one of the main protagonists in the ''Star Wars'' franchise, portrayed in films by Carrie Fisher. Introduced in the Star Wars (film), original ''Star Wars'' film in 1977, Leia is princess of th ...
and her intelligence to Yoda
Yoda () is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' universe, first appearing in the 1980 film ''The Empire Strikes Back''. He is a small, green humanoid alien who is powerful with the Force and is a leading member of the Jedi Order until ...
, two characters from the film.
Homer's encounter with the doughnut delivery man is a reference to a scene in the film ''Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory
''Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory'' is a 1971 American musical fantasy film directed by Mel Stuart and starring Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka. It is an adaptation of the 1964 novel ''Charlie and the Chocolate Factory'' by Roald Dahl. The film ...
''.[ Homer and his best friend ]Barney Gumble
Barnard Arnold "Barney" Gumble is a recurring character in the American animated TV series ''The Simpsons''. He is voiced by Dan Castellaneta and first appeared in the series premiere episode "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire".
Barney is the to ...
are watching ''Charlie's Angels
''Charlie's Angels'' is an American crime drama television series that aired on ABC from September 22, 1976, to June 24, 1981, producing five seasons and 115 episodes. The series was created by Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts and was produced by Aa ...
'' when Marge tells the news of her pregnancy.[ A ]poster
A poster is a large sheet that is placed either on a public space to promote something or on a wall as decoration. Typically, posters include both typography, textual and graphic elements, although a poster may be either wholly graphical or w ...
of Farrah Fawcett
Farrah Leni Fawcett (born Ferrah Leni Fawcett; February 2, 1947 – June 25, 2009) was an American actress. A four-time Primetime Emmy Award nominee and six-time Golden Globe Award nominee, Fawcett rose to international fame when she playe ...
, a cast member of ''Charlie's Angels'', hangs on the wall in Barney's apartment. Dolly Parton
Dolly Rebecca Parton (born January 19, 1946) is an American singer-songwriter, actress, philanthropist, and businesswoman, known primarily for her work in country music. After achieving success as a songwriter for others, Parton made her album d ...
's ''9to5
9to5, National Association of Working Women is an organization established in 1973 that is dedicated to improving working conditions and ensuring the rights of women and families in the United States.
The group has its origins in ''9to5 News'', ...
'' is heard when Homer looks for a new job. The sign outside the wedding chapel resembles Vegas Vic
Vegas Vic is a neon sign portraying a cowboy which was erected on the exterior of The Pioneer Club in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA in 1951. The sign was a departure in graphic design from typeface based neon signs, to the friendly and welcoming human fo ...
from the Pioneer Club in Las Vegas. When Homer returns to the power plant to apply for a job the second time, Mr. Burns is seen playing the arcade game ''Ms. Pac-Man
is a 1982 maze arcade game developed by General Computer Corporation and published by Midway. It is the first sequel to '' Pac-Man'' (1980) and the first entry in the series to not be made by Namco. Controlling the title character, Pac-Man's ...
''. The episode marks the first appearance of Burns's assistant Smithers's first name, Waylon, which comes from the puppeteer Wayland Flowers
Wayland Parrott Flowers Jr. (November 26, 1939 – October 11, 1988) was an American actor, comedian and puppeteer. Flowers was best known for the comedy act he created with his puppet Madame. His performances as "Wayland Flowers and Madam ...
. When Homer is working at the Gulp N' Blow, he is wearing an "I Shot J.R." T-Shirt, a reference to the Who Shot J.R.? storyline in ''Dallas
Dallas () is the List of municipalities in Texas, third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of metropolitan statistical areas, fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 ...
'' in 1980, which would later provide inspiration for the two-part " Who Shot Mr. Burns?" episode in 1995.[
]
Reception
In its original American broadcast on December 26, 1991, "I Married Marge" finished 27th in the ratings for the week of December 23–29, 1991, with a Nielsen rating
Nielsen Media Research (NMR) is an American firm that measures media audiences, including television, radio, theatre, films (via the AMC Theatres MAP program), and newspapers. Headquartered in New York City, it is best known for the Nielsen rati ...
of 11.9, equivalent to approximately 11 million viewing households. It was the highest-rated show on Fox that week. Marge's voice actor, Julie Kavner
Julie Deborah Kavner (born September 7, 1950) is an American actress. Best known for her voice role as Marge Simpson on the animated television series ''The Simpsons'', Kavner first attracted notice for her role as Brenda Morgenstern, the younger ...
, received a Primetime Emmy Award
The Primetime Emmy Awards, or Primetime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), the Primetime ...
for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance in 1992 for her performance in the episode.
Since airing, the episode has received very positive reviews from television critics. Pete Oliva of ''North Texas Daily
''North Texas Daily,'' also known as NT Daily, is the student newspaper of the University of North Texas in Denton, Texas, published daily on the web and every Thursday in print.
In 2015, under the leadership of Editor-In-Chief Nicholas Friedm ...
'' praised the writers for providing back stories that are "believable" and do not feel "contrived or hastily thought through". The authors of the book ''I Can't Believe It's a Bigger and Better Updated Unofficial Simpsons Guide'', Warren Martyn and Adrian Wood, thought it was a "moving" episode with "plenty of great setpiece
In film production, a set piece is a scene or sequence of scenes whose execution requires complex logistical planning and considerable expenditure of money. The term is often also used more broadly to describe a sequence in which the film-maker's ...
s".
DVD Movie Guide's Colin Jacobson described the episode as "sweet and funny" and a "nice piece of ''Simpsons'' history". Jacobson went on to say he enjoyed the flashback concept and that the episode develops the characters "nicely" and gives the viewers "a good sense for the era in which it takes place". Nate Meyers of Digitally Obsessed rated it a5 (of 5), and highlighted the scenes with Marge's sisters Patty and Selma, "barraging Homer with insults", as the "funniest moments" of the episode. Meyers added: "The episode's climax is a great moment for Homer and fans of the show." Molly Griffin of ''The Observer'' said "I Married Marge" is one of the season three episodes that turned the show into "the cultural force it is today".
In his book ''Drawn to Television – Prime-time Animation from the Flintstones to Family Guy'', Keith Booker wrote: "The episode details in a rather sentimental fashion the early struggles of the irresponsible Homer to support his new family ..Such background episodes add an extra dimension to the portrayal of the animated Simpson family, making them seem oddly real and adding weight to their status as a family with a long history together."
References
External links
*
*
{{Good article
The Simpsons (season 3) episodes
Fiction set in 1980
1991 American television episodes
Fiction with unreliable narrators
Television episodes about weddings