Taking a bit of a detour from the Homer’s Career Adventures theme here to highlight someone who doesn’t get the lead nearly as often as the rest of the Simpson clan…
"Marge on the Lam"
Marge gets tickets to the ballet, but Homer gets stuck at work, so Marge takes neighbor Ruth Powers (last seen in season 4’s “New Kid on the Block”). They strike up an unlikely friendship and go out another night, which leads them on a Thelma and Louise riff of an adventure in a stolen car, and odd couple Homer and Wiggum trying to track them down. And while all that is going on, Lionel Hutz is babysitting the kids.
Another one just packed full of memorable lines and moments. And maybe the finest Lionel Hutz appearance ever. And on the character side, it’s one of the best episodes at showing why Marge is so necessary to the Simpson family, who pretty quickly fall apart without her.
A few of my favorite highlights:
- I’ve never related to Homer more than his reaction to Garrison Keillor.
- “Edward the Penitent,” another good parody of PBS-style TV
- What Homer thinks ballet is (and Lenny confirming it later)
- Homer getting trapped in two vending machines
- “They’ll grow back, right? Uh… yeah!”
- “D’oh! Lumber has a million uses.”
- “Don’t worry, you’ll feel better once we put your hair in curlers and give you a makeover, Homina.” “Oh, that would be delightf– quiet, boy!”
- Homer trying to call his friends for a “girl’s night out”
- “Mr. Simpson, I was just going through your garbage, and I couldn’t help but overhearing that you need a babysitter.”
- “Blast that infernal card!”
- SH T KICKERS
- “Look at him, he’s wearing a belt! That’s Hollywood for you.”
- “My cans, my precious antique cans!”
- Wiggum’s moonshine still
- The “Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows” callback
- Homer imagining “A lot of blue hair? What a freak!”
- “She’s become a crazed criminal because I didn’t take her to the ballet!” That’s exactly how Dillinger got started." “Really.”
- “Hold me. Only if you hold me.”
- “Sticking together is what good waffles do!”
- “You stupid kid! You know that drives away all my business!”
- “Quiet, I can’t hear the eggs.”
- “Don’t touch my stuff! Hey, this isn’t the YMCA.”
- Kent Brockman’s meltdown (“IT’S IN REVELATIONS, PEOPLE!”)
- “Oh my God! They’re gonna drive right into it just to teach us men a lesson!”
- The Dragnet-style ending
In conclusion,
