There's Something About Marrying
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| The Simpsons episode | |
| "There's Something About Marrying" | |
| Episode no. | 345 |
|---|---|
| Prod. code | GABF04 |
| Orig. Airdate | February 20, 2005 |
| Writer(s) | J. Stewart Burns |
| Director(s) | Nancy Kruse |
| Couch gag | The family skates around the living room holding a cracked Stanley Cup in the air while dressed as ice hockey players complete with missing teeth. |
| SNPP capsule | |
| Season 16 November 7, 2004 – May 15, 2005 |
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| List of all Simpsons episodes... | |
"There's Something About Marrying" is the tenth episode of the sixteenth season of The Simpsons.
Looking for someone new to prank, Bart and Milhouse find a naive-looking man named Howell Huser, who has been roaming America. They torment him so much that he breaks his 47-year-long smiling streak and then he angrily 'shamed' on them and their town. Huser leaves and appears on TV, saying just how terrible Springfield is, making everyone in Springfield terrified and Bart remorsed. Within a month, the Springfield tourism business is in a state of collapse. As a solution, Lisa suggests they legalize same-sex marriage.
Soon, hundreds of gay and lesbian couples come to Springfield. However, Rev. Lovejoy holds the view that marriage is only between a man and a woman and refuses to join any same-sex couple, despite Marge's reasons for doing it. Homer, when he overhears that ministers get paid $200 per couple, decides to become a minister himself. Shortly afterwards, he marries every gay couple in town, increasing the family's income. Afterwards, he puts up a sign saying "Will marry anyone to anything." While debating the issue with Rev. Lovejoy on Smartline, Homer puts up a stronger case for gay marriage and manages to join the Bible and Rev. Lovejoy in matrimony.
After Marge tells Homer that she's proud of him Patty comes out of the closet, saying that she's in love with a pro-golfer named Veronica. Marge is extremely uncomfortable with this new fact, even though the evidence was always there (as Patty puts it when Marge claims she never knew "You could see it from space!"). At that rate, Patty bitterly puts up a decision on Marge for choosing what she really is. Marge doesn't want to think about until she finds out that Veronica is actually a man. At the ceremony, Marge reveals "Veronica's" secret and when he asks Patty to still marry him, she declines (by saying "Hell no! I like girls!") and thanks Marge for accepting of who she is. Patty and Selma then go to leave a bag at the airport unattended, as a way to meet security personnel.
- Patty's homosexuality was alluded to in "Treehouse of Horror III" when, upon seeing a naked Homer running through the kitchen, she remarks "There goes the last lingering thread of my heterosexuality." It should be noted, however, that normally material from Halloween episodes is not considered canon,and therefore does not mesh with the running plot. Another allusion exists in "Bart After Dark", where Patty is seen photographed leaving the burlesque house. This picture causes a confused Selma to exclaim "Patty?". Patty is also in the gay pride parade in Springfield yet she is on the "In The Closet" float with Smithers, their slogan being: "We're gay, we're glad, but don't tell mom and dad".
- This episode had a Parental Guidance Suggested warning, the first time for The Simpsons and it was rated TV-14 DLV, the sixth time for The Simpsons. However, on the syndicated series, this episode is rated TV-PG D.
- This episode was given a PG rating with an "Adult Themes" advisory in Australia.
- A fourth wall reference was made by the fact the Lisa's comment about the end of Homer's wedding service.
- Homer's printer is capable of perforating paper.
- Julio, from the episode "Three Gays of the Condo", is married by Homer. His friend from the episode, Grady, is not seen.
- This is the third Simpsons episode whose major plotline involves homosexuality, the first being "Homer's Phobia", and second being "Three Gays of the Condo".
- Although Homer stopped being homophobic in "Homer's Phobia" and even lived together with two openly homosexual men in "Three Gays of the Condo" he still can be seen holding a sign "Death before gay marriage".
- The plot for this episode was mentioned in "Gump Roast".
- Reverend Lovejoy is unable to cite the book in the Bible condemning homosexuality (Genesis, Leviticus and Romans), yet in Homer the Heretic he is able to cite a completely random Bible verse of Homer's choosing from memory (Matthew 21:17). [1]
- The title is a reference to the popular comedy film There's Something About Mary.
- The couch gag is a reference to the NHL hockey lockout.
- Veronica sings a couple lines of the Aerosmith song "Dude (Looks Like a Lady)".
- The couple Patty and Veronica is a clear reference to Betty and Veronica.