Saturday, December 17, 2016

Some Enchanted Evening


Credits
Episode number 7G01 (#113)
Created by Matt Groening; Developed by James L. Brooks, Matt Groening, Sam Simon
Written by Matt Groening & Sam Simon
Directed by David Silverman & Kent Butterworth
Executive Producers James L. Brooks, Matt Groening, Sam Simon
Starring Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, and Harry Shearer
Special Guest Voice Penny Marshall
Also starring Hank Azaria, Christopher Collins, June Foray, Paul Willson

Story
We open at a typical Simpsons family breakfast. The kids notice that there is one doughnut left in the box and fight over it. The doughnut ends up on Homer's plate and he promptly eats it. The school bus arrives and the kids run off and Homer realizes he's going to be late for work and does the same leaving Marge alone and unappreciated. Upset, she calls Dr. Marvin Monroe who tells her to confront Homer--or Pedro as Marge calls him in her story. At the Nuclear Plant, Homer, and the rest of his coworkers, are listening to Dr. Monroe's radio show and Homer wonders how he can make Marge feel more appreciated.

Unsure of what to do and scared to go home, Homer goes to Moe's where Moe gives him the advice to buy some roses and candy and treat Marge to a night on the town. Homer goes to a flower shop, buys a single rose, and heads home while Marge waits.


After spending a few minutes thinking of something to say, Homer reaffirms his love for Marge ("I love you,
Marjorie.") and the two get ready for a night on the town. They call the Rubber Baby Bugger Bumper Babysitting Service to obtain a babysitter but because they are blacklisted due to having terrible children, they have to call themselves the Sampsons. The agency sends Ms. Botz, who is a frighteningly Simpson-esque character, and Homer and Marge head out for their night on the town.



Ms. Botz puts Maggie to bed and puts Bart and Lisa in front of a Happy Little Elves video while she begins to pack the family's possessions into her suitcases. Bart, fed up with the Happy Little Elves, switches over to America's Most Armed and Dangerous where they learn that Ms. Botz is really Lucille Botzcowski, the Babysitter Bandit. Her cover blown, she ties up Bart and Lisa and continues to rob the Simpsons.

On their date, Homer and Marge go to a fancy restaurant where they eat lobster, dance, and fall in love all over again. After dinner, Homer and Marge head to their hotel, Ye Olde Off-Ramp Inn, but miss the exit, having to wait until the next exit 30 miles later. When they arrive, Marge changes into her "blue thing with the things" and the two make love. Back at the Simpsons house, Maggie wakes up and goes into the living room to see her sibling tied up. She unties them and the kids devise a plan to capture Ms. Botz.

The kids lure Ms. Botz into a closet where they hit her with a baseball bat. They hogtie her and run off to call the police. Marge, wanting to check up on the kids, calls the house where she gets no answer. Worried, she and Homer return home where they find Ms. Botz tied up, tape on her mouth, and forced to watch the Happy Little Elves. Homer unties her, carried her suitcase full of their possessions out to her car, pays her triple for the night, and sends her on her way. When the police arrive, Homer has to admit that he let her go but that he'll be watching out for her from now on.


Random Observations
  • This was supposed to be the first episode of the season but due to animation troubles, it was held until the last episode and the Christmas episode became the first. This episode was sent back to Korea for major changes and the producers said that if "Bart the Genius" came back as bad as this episode, The Simpsons would've been canceled. Thankfully, "Bart the Genius" only had a few easily fixable problems and the rest is history.
  • The phone number to Dr. Marvin Monroe's radio show: 555-PAIN.
  • Great diagnosis, Doc: "Your husband sees you as nothing."
  • Flower Shop Guy: "We have some beautiful long-stem roses. They're $55 a dozen."
    Homer: "One, please."
  • I always love how irrationally mad Moe gets at Bart for pranking him. Fun fact, originally Christopher Collins was the voice of Moe. After producers heard Hank Azaria's take on him, they decided to change the voice and Azaria redubbed over Collins. Collins is still credited in the episodes he voiced Moe in.
  • Ms. Botz: "You're going to do what I say or I am going to do something to you and I don't know what that is because everybody always does what I say."
  • Lisa wants to see what happens at the end of the Happy Little Elves
    Bart: "You know what happens. They all find Captain Kook's treasure, the elves dance around like little green idiots, I puke, the end."
  • Lisa dials the number for America's Most Armed and Dangerous, 1-800-U-SQUEAL, but gets a busy signal.
  • Ms. Botz is gathering up the Simpsons' things and putting them in her suitcase: "Lot of junk...soiled...stupid Sampsons."
  • Homer and Marge find Ms. Botz tied up, watching the Happy Little Elves. Homer rips the tape off of her mouth.
    Ms. Botz: "Please turn off the TV."