She Used to Be My Girl

"She Used to Be My Girl"
The Simpsons episode
Marge with Chloe Talbot (Kim Cattrall)
Episode no.	339
Prod. code	FABF22
Orig. airdate	December 5, 2004
Show runner(s)	Al Jean
Written by	Tim Long
Directed by	Matthew Nastuk
Chalkboard gag	"Poking a dead raccoon is not research"
Couch gag	Everyone in the family looks like Moe Szyslak--including the female members of the family.
Guest star(s)	Kim Cattrall as Chloe Talbot (pictured left)
Season 16 November 7, 2004 – May 15, 2005 "Treehouse of Horror XV" "All's Fair in Oven War" "Sleeping with the Enemy" "She Used to Be My Girl" "Fat Man and Little Boy" "Midnight Rx" "Mommie Beerest" "Homer and Ned's Hail Mary Pass" "Pranksta Rap" "There's Something About Marrying" "On a Clear Day I Can't See My Sister" "Goo Goo Gai Pan" "Mobile Homer" "The Seven-Beer Snitch" "Future-Drama" "Don't Fear the Roofer" "The Heartbroke Kid" "A Star Is Torn" "Thank God, It's Doomsday" "Home Away from Homer" "The Father, the Son, and the Holy Guest Star" List of all The Simpsons episodes
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For the O'Jays song, see Use ta Be My Girl.

"She Used to Be My Girl" is the fourth episode from the sixteenth season of the animated TV series The Simpsons. It features actress Kim Cattrall from Sex and the City. It was the last episode to-date animated by Toonzone Entertainment.

Plot

The episode opens with the family attempting to give Santa's Little Helper a pill, but he refuses to take it. They then move into the living room, but they quickly become distracted by a throng of news vans rolling down the street, including a Fox News van, blaring Queen's "We Are the Champions" with a large "Bush-Cheney 2004" banner. On television Kent Brockman explains that Mayor Quimby has had 27 different paternity suits filed against him, with the mayor eventually placating most of the reporters with a cute puppy.

But one reporter is not distracted: Marge's old high school friend Chloe Talbot, herself from Springfield, who continues to ask Quimby tough questions and lambasting her male coworkers.

Marge sees her friend on TV and is jealous of her success, and later they meet on the street. An embarrassed Marge confesses she never left Springfield, but the two are genuinely glad to see each other again. Chloe comes to the Simpsons' house for dinner; however, her exciting stories — taking place all over the world and involving famous people — annoy Marge and inspire Lisa, who goes out to dinner with Chloe.

In a flashback, we learn the story of Marge and Chloe's friendship: both were reporters for their high school newspaper, but after high school Marge stayed with her sweetheart Homer after Bart was born, with Chloe leaving her sweetheart Barney when he proposed. With all of Chloe's success, Marge seems to begin to resent both her decision and her family, but receives supporting words from Homer.

On their way back from dinner, Chloe invites Lisa to the United Nations women's conference, with Lisa saying she would need parental permission. Upon arriving at the Simpsons house, they are met at the door by a drunk Marge, who is angry at their late return. Marge provokes Chloe, who threatens to use "some moves I learned from G. Gordon Liddy!" with Marge screaming back "I'm so sick of names!" before the two engage in a fight on the lawn.

Lisa decides to sneak out to attend the conference with Chloe, receiving a little help from Bart. She hides in the car's trunk, but as Chloe drives off she receives a call from her boss, telling her to instead cover the story of the eruption of Springfield Volcano. Lisa pops out of the trunk, but instead of attending a women's conference, she replaces Chloe's cameraman, who ran away at the first sight of lava.

Marge and Homer go to the actual women's conference in search of Lisa, but there see Chloe's live broadcast from the volcano, crediting Lisa behind the camera. Things at the volcano are looking grim, with Chloe and Lisa awaiting a fiery death. "So much sulfur dioxide!" Lisa shouts across a stream of lava. Marge races to the scene and leaps from rock to rock across a sea of lava to rescue Lisa; moments later, Barney descends in a helicopter to rescue Chloe, who grants him a half hour of pity sex.

The episode closes with Marge imagining what she could have done with her life...she is in front an ice rink, reporting that "the Miracle on Ice" never happened. "Nooo!" she screams in real life, to a shrugging family.

As the credits roll, we flash back to Lisa hiding from the volcano in Chloe's trunk. "What are you doing in there?" Chloe asks. Lisa responds "Praying to Buddha... Jesus... SpongeBob... there's no time to be picky!" In Heaven, the three figures debate whether or not to help, with SpongeBob concluding "Screw her!" and laughing maniacally.

SpongeBob's 2004 appearance on the show

Production

The episode was written by Tim Long and guest starred Kim Cattrall as Chloe Talbot. It is also the last episode to be animated by Toonzone Entertainment.

Cultural references

Lisa pointing out to Marge that "the Juice is still on the loose" is a reference to OJ Simpson being acquitted of the alleged murder of his wife. Bob Dylan and SpongeBob SquarePants also appear in this episode.

Reception

In its original American broadcast, "She Used to Be My Girl" was viewed by 10.3 million people.^[1]

References

1. ^ "Ratings: She Used to Be My Girl". Simpsons Channel. http://www.simpsonschannel.com/2004/12/ratings-she-used-to-be-my-girl. 

External links

The Simpsons portal