Sleeping with the Enemy (The Simpsons episode)
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| The Simpsons episode | |
| "Sleeping With The Enemy" | |
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| Episode no. | 338 |
| Prod. code | FABF19 |
| Orig. Airdate | November 21, 2004 |
| Show Runner(s) | Al Jean |
| Writer(s) | Jon Vitti |
| Director(s) | Lauren MacMullan |
| Couch gag | The couch drops on top of the family |
| SNPP capsule | |
| Season 16 November 7, 2004 – May 15, 2005 |
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| List of all Simpsons episodes... | |
"Sleeping With the Enemy" is the third episode from the sixteenth season of The Simpsons.
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[edit] Synopsis
Lisa's friends at school tease her about her big butt, causing her to become self conscious about her weight. Homer only makes matters worse when he tells her about the "Simpson butt", something that all Simpsons have. He goes on to draw himself the way an animator would, starting with circles, then filling in the rest of the details (there is also an inside joke here: Homer draws his hair and ear forming the initials MG "for some reason" as he narrates; Matt Groening was originally considering drawing Homer this same way, but then realized that it would be too distracting to the viewers, according to a commentary from a Simpsons DVD set). Bart brings home a test with a grade of 100, eagerly expecting a party that was promised to him if he ever got a 100. However, Homer thinks Bart forged the test, and is not easily willing to give up. Bart gets his "party", which is attended by Aunt Patty and Selma, Grampa (who is sleeping in an armchair), Grandma Bouvier, Ralph, and Martin. Milhouse can only attend via speakerphone because he has the measles. Bart doesn't enjoy the party one bit and to make matters worse, Lisa runs up to her room crying when Marge offers her a big slice of cake.
Marge begins to think her kids don't appreciate her anymore, so when she finds Nelson eating tadpoles from a fountain in the park, she decides to become a mother figure in his life and spend some quality time with him. She brings Nelson home and pays him to do some chores. Nelson's mother finds this out and doesn't want Marge giving them any "charity". Later that night, Nelson's mom has left town, and Nelson, having no place else to go, decides to stay with the Simpsons. Marge lets him sleep in Bart's room, forcing Bart to sleep on the floor, underneath his bed.
Late one night, Nelson is singing about his long lost father, while Lisa, unable to take anymore starvation, is stuffing herself with an entire cake, that actually says "Happy Labor Day Lenny”. The next day, Nelson helps Lisa get back at Sherri and Terri for teasing her. Nelson unleashes a skunk, which sprays both of them, while Lisa and the rest of the children point and sing a modified version of Jingle Bells. Both twins are horrified and run off screaming. When Lisa and Nelson return home, they find Nelson's father, who Bart found working at a freak show in a circus. It turns out that Nelson's dad had really gone to the Kwik-E-Mart (as Nelson had made previous references to), where he had gotten a severe allergic reaction from eating a chocolate bar full of peanuts. Coincidentally, the circus had made a stop in the Kwik-E-Mart parking lot, and found Nelson's father, thinking he was some kind of half human, half monkey beast. Nelson's mother finally returns, after going to Hollywood and getting the lead role in Macbeth, playing Lady Macbeth. At the conclusion of this episode, Nelson goes back to live with his family and Lisa still has an unhealthy obsession with her weight, although Homer tells her to say that everything is fine.
[edit] Trivia
- This episode marks the third time Bart achieved an A-grade in his school work. Previously he achieved an A in "Homer vs. Dignity" and "Bart vs. Lisa vs. The Third Grade"
- This episode introduces the second genetic condition Lisa has inherited from Homer, the Simpson Butt. The first is stubbiness (abnormally short, thick fingers). Bart has the Simpson stupidity gene, which only affects the family males, and will possibly lose his hair later in life. However, in one episode, it was shown how Homer actually has a 105 I.Q., and thus the capability to converse intelligently with Lisa - he only became stupid because he accidentally inserted a crayon into his brain during his childhood, which he chooses to do again in order to regain his social life.
- Martin's drawing of President Eisenhower at the party included former Canadian Prime Minister Louis St. Laurent, who was in office during Eisenhower's presidency. This is the first time that a Canadian Prime Minister has ever been mentioned/shown in animated form on The Simpsons and it is ironic that they chose one of the lesser known Prime Ministers.
[edit] Cultural references
- The title of the episode is taken from a 1991 movie of the same name.
- Nelson singing a slightly altered version of Papa, Can You Hear Me? is a reference to the movie Yentl.
- The dissonant music playing in the background while Lisa consumes an entire cake is taken from the soundtrack to John Carpenter's film "The Thing (film)."
[edit] External links
