I Married Marge

Infobox Simpsons episode
episode_name = I Married Marge


image_caption = Homer & Marge sing "You Light Up My Life."
episode_no = 47
prod_code = 8F10
airdate = December 26, 1991
show runner = Al Jean & Mike Reiss
writer = Jeff Martin
director = Jeffrey Lynch
blackboard = "I will not torment the emotionally frail."
couch_gag = First Airing: The family (except Maggie) cartwheel into place and strike a 'Ta da!' pose. Maggie hops onto the couch and joins them, striking the same pose.
guest_star =
commentary = Matt Groening
James L. Brooks
Al Jean
Mike Reiss
Dan Castellaneta
Jeff Martin
Jeffrey Lynch
season = 3 "I Married Marge" is the 12th episode of the "The Simpsons"' third season. The episode title is a play on the 1952 sitcom "I Married Joan". The episode aired on December 26, 1991.

It is the first of three separate episodes chronicling the births of the Simpson children. It is followed by the fourth season episode "Lisa's First Word" and the sixth season episode "And Maggie Makes Three".

The episode featured three songs, "The Logical Song" by Supertramp, "You Light Up My Life" by Debbie Boone and "Nine to Five" by Dolly Parton.

Plot

Marge and Homer worry that Marge may be pregnant again. After a home pregnancy test gives inconclusive results, Marge drives to Dr. Hibbert's office. Homer begins to tell Bart, Lisa, and Maggie about how he and Marge got married, and Bart's birth thereafter.

In 1980, Homer works at a miniature golf course and continues dating Marge. One night, Homer and Marge make love inside of a golf course castle after seeing "The Empire Strikes Back". While they are procreating, a customer wins a free game and causes the castle to light up. Shortly afterwards, Marge feels sick and, fearing that she could be pregnant, calls Homer (who is watching "Charlie's Angels" reruns at Barney's apartment) and tells them about "their night when they joined The Castle Club." Homer takes Marge to Dr. Hibbert's office, who confirms that Marge is pregnant. Homer is less than thrilled over the announcement, but since he loves Marge and doesn't want to end up in jail for abandoning her, proposes to marry Marge, who accepts. The two marry in a small wedding chapel across state lines, while Marge is visibly pregnant. The two spend their "wedding night" at Marge's parents' house, sleeping on a couch in the living room. Needless to say, this aggravates Marge's mother and sisters extremely.

Unfortunately for Homer and Marge, Homer's wages at the miniature golf course are insufficient to pay for his new family. Homer attempts to get a job at the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant, but fails. When Homer and Marge's newly purchased baby supplies and Marge's wedding ring are repossessed, Homer decides to leave and find a job, in order to provide for Marge and his unborn son, leaving a letter to a sleeping Marge explaining his actions. However, even in sorrow, Homer still winds up irritating Patty, who complains for Homer to "not scratch the pen so loud". Marge is brought to tears by Homer's absence.

Homer gets a job at a "Gulp N' Blow" taco restaurant, where Patty and Selma find him. Selma, feeling sorry for Marge and some pity for Homer, decides to tell Marge the truth in spite of Patty's reluctance. Marge, now well into her third trimester of pregnancy, finds Homer and convinces him to come back home with her. When Homer says he cannot provide much material wealth for Marge, she reminds him that anything he gives her is valuable, because it is from him. Homer decides to try to apply for a job at the Nuclear Power Plant once more, this time marching into Mr. Burns' office and telling him dramatically that he will be the perfect spineless employee. Mr. Burns is so impressed that he hires Homer on the spot. Homer is so surprised and thrilled that he runs out of Mr. Burns's office yelling, "Only in America could I get a job!" Glad that he has this well-paying job, he is able to now reclaim the repossessed wedding ring and baby items.

When Homer returns to Marge's house, he discovers she has gone into labor and is already at the hospital. He arrives at the hospital with Marge's mother, telling Marge of his success. After the baby is born, Homer and Marge decide to name him Bart. Bart takes Homer's cigarette lighter and lights his tie on fire. Homer quickly dips the tie into a glass of water, gets mad at Bart while saying "Why you little--!!" and tells Marge that he did it on purpose, but Marge tells Homer that Bart is only ten minutes old.

After Homer finishes telling his flashback story, he tells Bart that the day he was born, Homer received the greatest gifts for the family, and has always been overjoyed to have Lisa and Maggie join the family. Marge arrives home with the news that she is not pregnant. Homer and Marge are overjoyed and high-five.

Cultural references

*The episode title is a play on the 1950s American TV sitcom "I Married Joan".
*Homer mentions the band Supertramp's popularity in the 80s, however, the 80's was the beginning of the band's loss of popularity. A cover of the hit Logical Song was played as well.
*When Marge is suspected to be pregnant, Bart wants to name the baby after rapper Kool Moe Dee, while Lisa wants to name her after Ariel, from Disney's "The Little Mermaid".
*In Homer's flashback, the Gulp 'N Blow logo looks like the 1970s logo of Jack in the Box. Homer tries his hand at selling "Slashco" knives, a parody of "Cutco" knives which are sold almost exclusively by young adults.
*While exiting the movie theater, Homer spoils the ending of "The Empire Strikes Back" for dozens of moviegoers awaiting the next show. He exclaims to Marge, "What an ending! Who would have known that Darth Vader is Luke Skywalker's father?!" and compares Marge to Princess Leia and Yoda. [cite news|url=http://www.starwars.com/community/news/media/f20070724/indexp3.html|title=I Bent My Wookiee! Celebrating the Star Wars/Simpsons Connection|accessdate=2008-04-22|date=2007-07-24|author=Scott Chernoff|publisher=Star Wars.com]
*Nearing the end of the episode, Homer is seen wearing a t-shirt exclaiming "I shot J.R.".
*Marge's job is a reference to "American Graffiti".
*Mr. Burns is seen playing Ms. Pacman.
*In the ninth season finale, "Natural Born Kissers", Homer and Marge return to the golf course to make out when they become addicted to having sex in public. However, Homer states that he knocked Marge up at the windmill instead of the castle.

References

External links

*snpp capsule|8F10