Scenes from the Class Struggle in Springfield
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"Scenes from the Class Struggle in Springfield" is the 14th episode of The Simpsons' seventh season. The title is an allusion to Karl Marx's tract, The Class Struggle in France, as well as the films Scenes from the Class Struggle in Beverly Hills and Scenes from the Class Struggle in Portugal.
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[edit] Synopsis
The family's TV breaks down, and they go buy a new one at an outlet mall in Ogdenville. While the family is there, Marge sees a $90 Chanel suit (marked down from $2800). She buys it, and is wearing it when she meets an old high school acquaintance, Evelyn Peters, who invites her to the Springfield Country Club. Marge begins visiting the country club with the family, and works hard to fit in with the snobbish members, finding less time for her children and spending it all socializing and altering her suit to appear like multiple outfits.
Meanwhile, Homer takes a fondness to the game of golf, meeting PGA Tour pro Tom Kite, who considers Homer to be a natural. When he discovers Homer showing off his impressive skills in a bathroom at work, Mr. Burns has Waylon Smithers schedule a match for the two. Burns appears to be an amazing player before it is revealed that Smithers has been cheating on his behalf for years by secretly placing a ball on the green for each shot, leading Burns to believe that he has reached the green himself. Homer wants to reveal the truth, but is told that Mr. Burns will block the family's Country Club entry if he goes public.
On the eve of the gala ball in which the Simpsons will be granted membership in the country club, Marge accidentally destroys the suit, and rushes to a Chanel store to purchase an expensive replacement. As they approach the country club, Marge realises how she has changed to fit in and decides that she wouldn't want to join a club that would have the fictional, snobbish Marge, anyway. (It is revealed in a cutaway scene that the country clubbers really did like them, and were really looking forward to their joining.) The Simpsons then have dinner instead at Krusty Burger, reveling in the lower-class surroundings.
[edit] Trivia
- This episode features an appearance of the fictional electronics brands Panaphonics, Sorny and Magnetbox.
- Ogdenville was one of the towns that Lyle Lanley had sold a monorail to in Marge vs. the Monorail.
- Due to legal issues, the Chanel-sign was never shown completely.
- This was the first Simpsons episode to have both a female writer and director.
[edit] Quotes
- [the family shops for a new TV]
Homer: [gasps] Look at these low, low prices on famous brand-name electronics!
Bart: Don't be a sap, Dad. These are just crappy knock-offs.
Homer: Pfft. I know a genuine Panaphonics when I see it. And look, there's Magnetbox and Sorny.
Salesman: [walking up] Listen, I'm not going to lie to you. Those are all superior machines. But if you like to watch your TV, and I mean really watch it, you want the Carnivale. [shows Homer and Bart a TV very similar to their old one] It features two-pronged wall plug, pre-molded hand grip well, durable outer casing to prevent fallapart...
Homer: Sold. You wrap it up, I'll start bringing in the pennies. - [Burns pulls up to the gas pump in a motor quadricycle]
Burns: [honks horn] You there, fill it up with petroleum distillate, and re-vulcanize my tires, post-haste. - Lisa: The rich are different from you and me
Marge: Yes, they're better. - (Marge arrives at Patty and Selma's doorstep.)
Marge: I need a formal dress for tonight!
Patty: You've come to the right place.
Selma: We've got classy duds up to the yin-yang.
(Marge tries on their first dress, a large red leather one.)
Patty: This dress is "Fantasy in Maroon". It's got some cigarette burns, but you can patch them up with new vinyl.
Marge: Its a little bit..."peppery" for me...let's put it in the "maybe pile"...
(Marge is then seen in an extremely tight, revealing purple minidress, and large hoop earrings.)
Selma: This used to be a Halloween costume, but it found its way into my regular rotation.
Marge: Uh huh... - [Evelyn tells Marge that if all goes right at Saturday's ball, she'll be willing to sponsor Marge for membership.]
Marge: I'll be there with bells on.
Susan: Where exactly will you be attaching them to that mangled Chanel suit?
Evelyn: Don't worry, Marge. Her idea of wit is nothing more than an incisive observation humorously phrased and delivered with impeccable timing. - [Homer shows off his new golf skills in the bathroom as Burns and Smithers watch via the plant CCTV]
Burns: Who is that lavatory linksman, Smithers?
Smithers: Homer Simpson, sir. One of the fork and spoon operators from sector 7-G.
Burns: Well, he's certainly got a loose waggle. Perhaps I've finally found a golfer worthy of a match with Monty Burns, eh?
Smithers: His waggle is no match for yours, sir. I've never seen you lose a game. Except for that one in '74 when you let Richard Nixon win. That was very kind of you, sir.
Burns: Oh, he just looked so forlorn, Smithers, with his "Oh, I can't go to prison, Monty, they'll eat me alive." I wonder if this Homer Nixon is any relation?
Smithers: Unlikely, sir. They spell and pronounce their names differently.
Burns: Bah. Schedule a game and I'll ask him myself. - [Homer's ball lands in a sand trap]
Homer: D'oh!
Burns: Yes, you're in deep "D'oh" now. - Mr. Burns: Oh, quit cogitating, Steinmetz, and use an open-faced club. The sand wedge!
Homer: Mmm... open-faced club sandwich. - [Homer drives toward the entrance of the country club]
Marge: Homer, what are you doing?
Homer: I'm driving up to the main building. They got valet parking.
Marge: We can't drive this up there. They'll see the dent. They'll see the coat hanger antenna. Stop the car, we're walking.
Homer: But Marge, valets! Maybe for once, someone will call me "sir" without adding, "you're making a scene." - Mr. Burns: Where's Homer? Oh! And to think I spent all afternoon baking this delightful cake.
Mr. Smithers: Mmmmm! Ah... ooh....
Mr. Burns: I pickled the figs myself! - [the family, still decked out in formal attire, dines at Krusty Burger]
Squeaky Voiced Teen: [mopping floor] Hey, did you guys just come from the prom?
Bart: Sort of.
Marge: But, you know, we realized we're more comfortable in a place like this.
Squeaky Voiced Teen: [nods in agreement at first, then shakes head] Man, you're crazy! This place is a dump! - Evelyn: Marge, is that you? Marge Bouvier from high school?
Marge: Um... yeah. Hi... hi, Evelyn.
Evelyn: How about that? Marge, you look wonderful. And to think I heard you married Homer Simpson.
Marge: I did marry Homer.
Evelyn: (pause) Come, you must show me the pumps.
[edit] External links
- "Scenes from the Class Struggle in Springfield" episode capsule at The Simpsons Archive
