Husbands and Knives

Infobox Simpsons episode
episode_name = Husbands and Knives


image_caption = The episode's promotional image, featuring Milo outside his new comic book store Coolsville.
episode_no = 407


image_caption = Promotional image featuring Milo outside his new comic book store.
prod_code = JABF17
airdate = November 18, 2007
show runner = Al Jean
writer = Matt Selman
director = Nancy Kruse
guest_star = Alan Moore as Himself
Art Spiegelman as Himself
Dan Clowes as Himself
Jack Black as Milo
Maurice LaMarche as the jock
blackboard = "The Pilgrims were not illegal aliens"
couch_gag = Two hands (with five fingers instead of four) open a pop-up book to reveal the family sitting on the couch
season = 19

"Husbands and Knives" is the seventh episode of "The Simpsons"' nineteenth season, and was first broadcast on November 18, 2007.cite news | author = | title = Husbands and Knives Information | publisher = The Futon Critic | url =http://www.thefutoncritic.com/listings.aspx?id=20071026fox17 | accessdate=2007-10-23] It features guest appearances from Alan Moore, Art Spiegelman and Dan Clowes as themselves as well as Jack Black as Milo. It was written by Matt Selman and directed by Nancy Kruse.

Plot

While shopping at the The Android's Dungeon, Millhouse accidentally sheds a tear on a Wolverine comic book and blurs Wolverine's iconic sideburns. For this, Comic Book Guy charges Milhouse twenty-five dollars. After Bart speaks out about how comic books are not "real", Comic Book Guy tells him and the other children customers to get out, thinking he has the only comic book store in town. To his surprise, a new comic book store, "Coolsville Comics & Toys", situated directly across the street from the Android's Dungeon has just opened. All the children immediately depart the store and head towards Coolsville, where the store owner, a hipster named Milo immediately brings upon a good impression towards the kids by giving them Japanese candy and inviting them for his grand opening. Upon entering, the children are astonished to see the store is jam-packed not only with comic books, but also with video games and modern art, giving it a sophisticated arcade look. When Lisa accidentally rips a page of a Tintin book, Milo is not angry and merely tells her that the books are meant to be read and enjoyed, not to be bought for the collector's value.

The store becomes even more popular, playing host to Art Spiegelman, Dan Clowes, and Alan Moore, who all visit for a book signing. Comic Book Guy's jealousy gets to him, so he tries to sabotage Milo's popularity by pointing out his girlfriend and bribing the children with 'Japanese weapons'. The ploys do not work, so Comic Book Guy uses the weapons to destroy Coolsville, but is subdued by the three authors, who remove their shirts to reveal bulging super-hero physiques. After dropping Bart and Lisa off at Coolsville, Marge compares herself to a standee of Wonder Woman, and is shocked to see how her physical feature is much larger. Marge promises to become slimmer, but while exercising at a large and intense gym, Marge struggles with the treadmill. After being embarrassed by showering in public, Marge opens a gym for ordinary women.

Comic Book Guy, having finally given up, closes the Android's Dungeon, where Marge open "Shapes", a women-only workout center that is an immediate hit. Many women of Springfield comment on Marge's efforts; she opens another location at an abandoned Krusty Burger. Soon, after an interview on "Opal", Marge becomes an international hit. Homer and Marge go on a luxury vacation at a hotel where Homer meets a group of three strapping young men who notice he's on "wife support" and tell him they are all the second husbands their successful wives got after dumping the fat older men they were first married to. They convince Homer that Marge will soon dump him for a healthier man, and give him a list of the stages Marge will go through before dumping him, which all start to happen. Later, Homer overhears Marge talking to a group of women about dumping something. Homer assumes it is him, although it is actually her purse. One of the three younger men tells Homer he's actually a first husband who used to be fat and ugly, but transformed himself through fashion, diet and exercise. Homer realizes what he needs to do: get cosmetic surgery.

Homer attempts to win Marge back by having stomach staples and plastic surgery done. When finished, Homer looks entirely different; his appetite level is significantly lower and his tear ducts moved to his pectoral muscles. While Mayor Quimby rewards Marge for her work with Shapes, Homer arrives in his new form, much to the shock and disgust of the town. Quimby orders the town to raise their pitchforks and attack Homer. Homer and Marge run to the top of Springfield's Notre Dame tower and Marge, saying she wants a trophy husband, deliberately pushes Homer off the tower. Homer wakes up in the hospital, back to his old self. Marge informs him that after he was knocked out, the surgeon called for her permission on the surgery, to which she said no, and that everything from Homer's surgery to his "death" was just a dream. She had the doctor reverse Homer's stomach stapling, since she loves him no matter how he looks. The episode ends with Moore, Spiegelman, and Clowes watching Homer and Marge from mid-air and they mention that a meteor is headed for Earth, but soon forget about it after the mention of a convention for underpaid writers, flying away and allowing the meteor to strike.

Production

Alan Moore recorded his lines in October 2006, after the writers approached his then fiancée Melinda Gebbie. He is a fan of the show. [cite news |url=http://www.northantset.co.uk/ViewArticle.aspx?SectionID=317&ArticleID=1865011 |author = Steve Scoles|title=Writer drawn into Simpsons' show |date=2006-11-08|accessdate=2007-11-22|publisher=Northants ET.co.uk]

Cultural references

Comic Book Guy calls Milhouse "Doctor Boo-Hoo", a reference to "Doctor Who". Milo sings a Korean version of Tom Jones' "What's New Pussycat?". In the comics store, Lisa walks to the Tintin and Asterix shelf. These are the most internationally-famous European comics. The album she reads, "Tintin in Paris," does not exist in the Tintin series but is essentially a mishmash of the island from The Black Island and the rocket from Destination Moon. Marge's gym, Shapes, is a parody of Curves. [ [http://www.tvsquad.com/2007/11/18/the-simpsons-husbands-and-knives/ The Simpsons: Husbands and Knives - TV Squad ] ] The comics displayed behind the writers at the signing are "Lost Girls", "Maus", and "Ghost World", comics guest stars Alan Moore, Art Spiegelman, and Dan Clowes have written, respectively. Additionally the comics "From Hell" by Alan Moore and "Art School Confidential" by Dan Clowes appear in this episode. Art Spiegelman's mask is based upon the mask he has drawn himself wearing as an illustrator in "Maus". Alan Moore reads a Little Lulu comic book. In Marge’s gym, Shapes, the words "I am woman, hear me sweat" is seen on the wall. This is a reference to the Helen Reddy song, "I Am Woman" ("I am woman, hear me roar"). Alan Moore's outburst at Milhouse's request that he sign a DVD of the film "Watchmen Babies in V for Vacation" (a parody of "Watchmen" and "V for Vendetta"), is a reference to Moore's notorious outspoken dissatisfaction with adaptations of his works by major film studios, particularly his refusal to support the recent film adaptation of "V for Vendetta", in which he went so far as to demand that his name not appear in the credits. [ [http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/12/movies/12itzk.html?ex=1299819600en=d9e708008270c9e5ei=5088partner=rssnytemc=rss&pagewanted=all "The Vendetta Behind 'V for Vendetta' "] ] Coolsville Comics & Toys is a parody of the Meltdown Comics & Collectibles on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, California. [ [http://time-blog.com/nerd_world/2008/02/the_annotated_husbands_and_kni.html "Nerd World: The Annotated Husbands and Knives"] ] The treadmill scene in the gym is a reference to the music video for OK Go's "Here It Goes Again". The song Opportunities (Let's Make Lots of Money) by the Pet Shop Boys is heard in this episode. The going out of business poster on the Android's Dungeon is a reference to Spider-Man issue #50 "Spider-Man, No More!" Near the end of Milo singing a Korean Tom Jones song, he is seen playing Dance Dance Revolution & Guitar Hero at the same time. The episode's title references the Woody Allen film "Husbands and Wives".

Reception

The episode had 10.5 million viewers.cite web|url=http://www.simpsonschannel.com/cgi-bin/newspro/addons/iSay.cgi?Page=Comments&ID=EEAAZyVZZFpSRHiqnG
title=Husbands and Knives|accessdate=2008-01-28|date=2008|publisher=Simpsons Channel] Robert Canning of IGN called it an episode that can keep viewers entertained and laughing. [http://tv.ign.com/articles/836/836262p1.html A new comic book store comes to town while Homer goes under the Knife] at IGN.com] He called the character of Milo and Jack Black a perfect fit and particularly enjoyed the appearances of comic book legends Alan Moore, Art Spiegelman and Dan Clowes. He did note that the Homer/Marge plot was "not nearly as enjoyable as the comic related bits" and gave the episode a 7/10.

On May 11, 2008, "Entertainment Weekly" named Jack Black's role as Milo the second of 16 great guest stars on "The Simpsons".cite news | title = 16 great 'Simpsons' guest stars | publisher = Entertainment Weekly | date = 2008-05-11 | url = http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20049408,00.html | accessdate =2008-05-11]

References

External links

*imdb episode|id=0992614|episode=Husbands and Knives