It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Marge Written by Larry Doyle Directed by Steven Dean Moore ============================================================================== Production code: BABF18 Original Airdate on FOX: 14-May-2000 Capsule revision A (4-Mar-2001) ============================================================================== > "TV Guide" Synopsis {bg} ============================================================================== [TV Guide] "Otto's girlfriend (Parker Posey) seems to be usurping Marge's role when she moves in with the family after a dispute over heavy metal. Julie Kavner, Harry Shearer." [TV Guide advertisement] "A Mother of a Fox Sunday! Has Marge Gone Nuts? Homer: Mmmm ... nuts. Guest Starring: Parker Posey" ============================================================================== > Title sequence ============================================================================== Blackboard: I CANNOT HIRE A SUBSTITUTE STUDENT I CANNOT HIRE A SUBS / at cutoff Couch: The Simpsons run to the couch, but they haven't been colored in yet. Instead, they look like subjects from a paint-by- numbers picture, white with numbered regions telling which colors go where. Animators with palettes rush to the scene, color in the family, and run back out of frame. ============================================================================== > Did You Notice... ============================================================================== Don Del Grande: ... even Martin moaned when Principal Skinner said not to make a "Blair Witch" knockoff? ... one of somebody's nostrils (Lisa's) was shown? [The nostril's was obvious -- what is not immediately apparent is that they usually aren't drawn for the show -- Ed.] ... the bus had "STOP WHEN RED LIGHTS FLASH" lights as well as stop signs? ... Otto didn't play Billy Idol's "White Wedding" at his wedding? ... Marge drinks her tea left-handed (while Patty and Selma drank theirs right-handed)? ... the Mental Asylum Marching Band is let out of the asylum? Joey Denatsate: ... Skinner doesn't really seem to mind Bart filming him urinating? Darrel Jones: ... a "Wanted" picture of Fat Tony hangs in the police station? Joe Klemm: ... Patty and Selma have a lamp shaped like a pyramid? ... Homer's face resembles a clown when he is pulled out of the ice cream ark? ... the red A in a circle on the set wall for Bart's film? Tom Restivo: ... as Marge is using cooking to undermine Lisa's vegetarian stance, Beckie is using cooking to undermine Marge's status in the family? Benjamin Robinson: ... Patty and Selma's outfits look like something you'd wear to a funeral? ... a bit of Homer's tongue flesh stuck to the ice sculpture? ... when Marge tries to wake Homer, she tugs at both his shirt and his belly fat? ... Allison is in the audience for Krusty's show? ... a new name (Marc Wilmore) in the voice credits? (Like it's not hard enough figuring out who voices what already.) ============================================================================== > Voice Credits ============================================================================== - Starring - Dan Castellaneta (Homer, Drummer, Tourist, Krusty, "Marge") - Julie Kavner (Marge, Selma, Patty) - Nancy Cartwright (Nelson, Bart, Ralph) - Yeardley Smith (Lisa) - Hank Azaria (Singer, Moe, Chief Wiggum, Squeaky-voiced teen, Lou, Psy. 2) - Harry Shearer (Principal Skinner, Otto, Otto's Dad, Brockman) - Special Guest Voice - Parker Posey (Becky) - Marcia Wallace (Edna Krabappel) - Also Starring - Pamela Hayden (Milhouse) - Tress MacNeille (Sherri, Terri, Water Girl) - Karl Wiedergott (Psy. 1) - Marc Wilmore (Extra Guy) ============================================================================== > Movie (and other) references ============================================================================== + "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" (movie) - title of episode a spoof + "The Blair Witch Project" (movie) - Skinner doesn't want the students making knock-off versions + "The Hand That Rocks the Cradle" (movie) - Marge finds herself in similar situation -- attractive guest tries to steal her place in the family - Selma helpfully mentions it in the episode {ddg} - "Becky" might have been a reference to Rebecca DeMornay, who starred in the film {bjr} + "Say Anything" (movie) {jc} - Otto holds up a boom box over his head like John Cusack did to win Ione Skye + "The Man With The Golden Gun" (movie) {al} - Homer assembles his straw from three pieces in a cigarette-size monogrammed case - music similar to the Bond theme plays - "November Rain" (music video) {al} - the way Otto is dressed at his wedding, and other visual elements recalls this marriage-themed heavy metal video by Guns n' Roses + "Star Wars: Episode IV" (movie) - Patty and Selma say, "the bitterness is strong in this one"; cf. Darth Vader's "the Force is strong in this one" - "Penn & Teller's How To Play With Your Food" (specialty video) {ddg} - sneaking meat into a vegetarian's meals + "Old Spice" (brand of deodorant) {bjr} + "Spice Girls" (brand of pop group) {bjr} - Marge calls Becky her "old spice girl" + "Spin City" (TV series) {bjr} - Patty and Selma live in Spinster City apartments + "Changes" (song) {dj} - Homer sings a version of this 1972 David Bowie song while changing his oil - "The Slant Book" (book by cult artist Peter S. Newell) {al} - Marge's view of the people coming down the "slanted" road + "Bloody Mary" urban legend {jk} - "say ' Bloody Margie' five times" + "Clutch Cargo" (TV series) {al} - Krusty's talking Marge similar to this old TV cartoon (featured in "Pulp Fiction") + "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" (TV series) - Krusty steals the "moving lips on a still picture" routine - "In Living Color" (TV series) {dj} - the "Crazy Marge" dancers (cf. the "Fly Girls") - "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" (TV series) {jd} - "Crazy Marge" dancers similar to the Dancing [Judge] Itos + "One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest" (movie) {bjr} - Krusty introduces "Marge" as having flown in from the cuckoo's nest + Vampirella (comic book heroine) {aw} - Becky dressed like her for Bart's video ============================================================================== > Previous episode references ============================================================================== - [7F18] Marge's love of Ringo Starr {dj} - [8F06], [8F11] Phineas Q. Butterfat's ice cream parlor {ddg} - [8F21] Bart allows Otto to do something at the house without Marge's clearance or foreknowledge {jc} - [1F11] "In Living Color"'s dancers are parodied {dj} - [2F08] Dr. Zweig at Marge's insanity hearing {dj} - [2F21] Marge wearing a policeman's hat {ddg} - [2F31] Bart tries his hand at cinematography {jc} - [3F03] Lisa's "passing phase" of vegetarianism starts {dj} - [4F07] Dr. Foster is also at Marge's insanity hearing? {dj} - [5F04] Apu's wedding held in Simpson back yard ============================================================================== > Freeze frame fun ============================================================================== - Sign at German drive-thru {bjr} DER KRAZY KRAUT - Sign at Patty and Selma's place {bjr} SPINSTER CITY APARTMENTS - Speed bump sign {bjr} WORLD'S LARGEST SPEED BUMP - Marching band banner {bjr} SPRINGFIELD MENTAL ASYLUM MARCHING BAND - At the library {bjr} OLD SPRINGFIELD LIBRARY WE HAVE BOOKS ABOUT TV <-- banner - Not-so-incriminating news articles {bjr} Local Girl Kills Competition in Talent Contest Usurper Foiled Again by Becky Dream Wedding Botched by Meddling Housewife ============================================================================== > Animation, continuity, and other goofs ============================================================================== = When Otto was extinguished, neither his hair nor his clothes were burnt. {ddg} + The back yard has been cleaned up since Apu's wedding. {bjr} * Doesn't Becky have a place of her own where she can go? I didn't get the impression she was a live-in girlfriend, for some reason. {bjr} = Eddie and Lou's ice cream cones disappear when they go to put the cuffs on Marge. {bjr} * If Marge is fleeing from the police, why would she go home? I wouldn't think apologizing to Beckie would be her top priority. {cj} * And why aren't the police waiting at home? {cj} * And why aren't the Simpsons much affected by Marge's plight? Why are they working on Bart's video project instead? {cj} ============================================================================== > Reviews ============================================================================== Don Del Grande: definitely one of the funniest episodes in the past few years, even though the commercials shouted "Marge turns out to be right about Becky after all" - and so did the episode, until they showed Bart and Lisa and their cameras; even then, they could have copped out with a "hey, Marge is sane after all, so let's forget about the fact that the entire town is still looking for her" cold ending ... (A+) Joey Denatsate: Not as good as last week, but still better than usual for this season. [...] The Becky character was pleasant enough, Parker Posey has a lovely speaking voice and it was great to have a different voice for a female character for once. From act two on things got pretty wacky, but they stayed just grounded enough for me care about the plot. Marge went a little too crazy a little too soon, and I didn't like Becky's implication that Marge never listens to her own children, but other than that, I liked the story. The "Asylum Marching Band" gag had me laughing out loud, but I'm not sure why. Overall, another passable, workmanlike episode that probably looked better than it really was thanks to some really bad ones earlier in the season. (B) Carl Johnson: Man, what a weird episode. I'm torn between the generally great humor and the generally lacking storyline. There were some good spots, but BABF18 took too long with Otto and his wedding to really establish Marge's suspicion and insanity. Some very funny sequences involving Krusty the Klown and a runaway car help put "It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad Marge" just slightly above par. (C) Darrel Jones: About average for Season Eleven. That is to say, pretty darn good! Becky was a wonderful character, and I liked the way Marge's good-naturedness was turned against her for once. Milhouse shone in his brief appearances. Even the wacky ending was fine. (A-) Joe Klemm: For a second-to-last episode of the season, the writers came up with a clever storyline. The main storyline of Marge mistaking Otto's ex-fiancée as someone trying to kill her worked well, especially the hilarious third act, where Marge is considered a loony as is running from the law. Plus, the sub-plot of Bart trying to make a film for school worked well into the story without it being pushed into separate scenes. All in all, another fun episode of the Simpsons. (A) Andrew Levine: With an appealing, likable new character and several clever gags (like the mental asylum marching band), the main story of Marge going crazy seems, ironically, like the dead weight here. It seems like the strong context which was built around this flimsy premise should have been the episode itself, and the "madness" should have been more subdued and subtle. (B-) Adam Long: Okay, this one was appalling, even for me. So many times during this episode did I feel confused. Wait, *why* is Marge crazy? Oh yeah, because Patty and Selma told her she'd go crazy. *Why* is Becky living with The Simpsons? Oh yeah, because Otto left her at the altar and she apparently had nowhere else in or around Springfield to go. Meanwhile we've got Homer stabbing himself in the hand, Bart aiming a camera up Lisa's nose, Marge waving a giant, broken glass ice cream cone around, and Chief Wiggum teaching his son how to kill people. [...] All in all this one probably got a grand total of 3 1/2 seconds of laughter from me. It's sad, but the Starburst/Skittles commercial was more entertaining. I never thought I'd say it, but this one gets my vote for "Worst Episode Ever." (D) Michael Nusair: Last week, I couldn't understand why so many people were disgusted by Homer's eye-crusting. Now I think I do. Homer stabbing his hand over and over actually made me a little queasy. And, to a lesser extent, Homer ripping his tongue off on the ice sculpture made me feel a little uneven. Other than that, however, this was a pretty good episode. There were quite a few funny parts, and I especially liked the part with Patty and Selma ("The bitterness is strong in this one"). Nothing here struck me as really good, but nothing struck me as bad either. (B-) Eric Sansoni: Larry Doyle reaffirms my opinion of him as the show's worst writer, with the season's most disappointing episode. Awesome potential for suspense and parody gives way to utterly predictable plot twists and jokes that bomb like lead balloons. Doyle has a way of making you wait for a punchline that never comes. The Simpsons used to kid this kind of lame storytelling; Doyle still thinks it's great literature. We're two steps ahead of him the whole way. The most successful part of the script, Otto's romance, is wasted as a setup to introduce a character who never mentions Otto again. I expect a story with misunderstood play acting and mouth-to-mouth resuscitation on Three's Company reruns, not on The Simpsons. (C-) Jessy Scholl: Talk about a perfect Marge episode. I have not seen anything like this since Marge went on the Lam. The way that Marge got in trouble is great, but including Patty and Selma, by having them make Marge paranoid, is classic. Becky's upstaging of Marge at dinner, Marge being the victim of a cut brake line, how Marge stopped the wedding of Otto and Becky, and the Video tape project in Bart's class, all happen to be Highlights of this episode which gets a perfect A+++ from me. [Yeah, well, we have to normalize it to a standard grade -- Ed.] (A+) Robin Steinmann: Definitely one of the best S11-eps. Coherent storyline, despite the sudden ending, fairly witty without any cartoonish actions by Homer. Despite a leading guest role their were still plenty of good lines by Springfield's haute volee, although I did miss Burns and Smithers. Regarding the whole, very often weak S11, it's: (A) Simon Treanor: Well, I can't say I enjoyed this episode at all. It was disjointed, overly wacky (especially the end), and Marge was totally out of character. There weren't even too many jokes I found funny, which usually makes up in some way for a lack of plot. I give it a (D-) Fox Wolf: Well, it was good, to put in it one word. To put it in two: Very good. It wasn't that wacky, in fact, there's a reasonable explanation for most of the wackiness. But anyway, not many of the jokes fell flat, and it was good to see old Hans Moleman appear from the blue again, delivering one of his funniest lines yet. A good Milhouse line, and a good Milhouse "off-camera" stunt, getting footage of himself falling down the stairs. There wasn't much of a resolution, though, it just seemed like the end happened the way it did, The End. As I said, Funny, Minimal wackiness, an all-around fun episode. (A-) Yours Truly: For this sweeps period, "The Simpsons" is improving a little with each week. "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Marge" keeps that trend going with an unexpectedly good Marge episode -- one of the best we've seen in a while. The mysterious Becky, Otto's ex-fiancée who may or may not be trying to take Mrs. Simpson's place, is an excellent one-shot character. As written, she seems normal and charming, but is just unusual enough to keep us guessing throughout the episode. Indeed, the show is surprising right until the final joke. Even better, after a somewhat slow start in the first act, the humor is closer to the usual "Simpsons" standard. It's a solid episode on many levels. Let's hope the series' streak continues for next week's season finale. (B+) AVERAGE GRADE: B- (2.80) Std Dev.: 1.1991 (19 reviews computed) ============================================================================== > Comments and other observations ============================================================================== >> Musical References Andrew Levine: "Every Rose Has Its Thorn," by the band Poison, is Otto and Becky's "song." [{dj} notes that the song was a hit in 1988 -- Ed.] Benjamin Robinson: At the wedding attempt, Poison tribute band Cyanide starts up playing "Ain't Looking for Nothing (But a Good Time) [?]." It's not a monster ballad, despite what Becky thinks. About Poison, Daniel L. Dreibelbis has this to say: Probably one of the most cheesiest of 1980s glam metal bands, Poison were also one of the most successful, due in part to some excellent makeup work which helped to overshadow the band's musical deficiencies (particularly guitarist C.C. Deville's solos, which has made him the subject of many Worst Guitarist Ever polls on alt.guitar). Still, the band did markedly improve over time with each new release, and did manage to put together some catchy tunes like the power ballad "Every Rose Has Its Thorn", "Nothing But A Good Time", "Unskinny Bop" and "Something To Believe In". After a hiatus, Poison are currently riding a nostalgia trip and doing small hall tours to great acclaim in the 2000s. Brett Michaels, the band's singer, also happens to run a small film production company with Charlie Sheen, and has been slowly stretching himself to great acclaim as an actor. >> Heavy Metal: Accept no substitutes On the subject of heavy metal, Mortado Goatshead explains: Hey, it's moi, the heavy metal fan again. Anywhom, I want to clarify something for the misinformed. POISON IS NOT HEAVY METAL. Nor is any of the s---ty glam stuff in the '80s(although Motley Crue's first couple of albums could have been considered metal. If you want REAL '80s metal, listen to Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Dio, King Diamond, Slayer, Megadeth, Anthrax, Venom, Motorhead, Overkill, Testament, Manowar, Death Angel, Bathory, Possessed, etc. To go further into an explanation of metal, it is supposed to be composed in E minor with philosophical/fantastic/thought-provoking/poetic lyrics. This wailing guitar and songs about your cock is NOT what metal is supposed to be. [I like to think that the writers were aware of this distinction, and were poking fun at those who weren't -- Ed.] >> The "Who Cares?" Witch Project Jeff Cross: "The Blair Witch Project" was a 1999 cult horror movie where three film students go into the Maryland woods to film a documentary on the Blair Witch legend and end up getting killed. It cost only $22,000 to make and grossed $140 million. It was a film that everybody either loved or hated--it was billed as a true incident and used dread to scare rather than huge monsters, but the camera work was wobbly, jerky, and frenetic, and the scare tactics were more along the lines of Cub Scout campfire ghost stories. It's been parodied a fair amount of times, most noticeably "Talk Soup's" "The Bad Sketch Project" and in the Keenan Ivory Wayans horror parody "Scary Movie." [There's more commentary on this subject at the capsule for "Last Tap Dance in Springfield (BABF15)," at . >> Summer of Bloodlust Joe Klemm: In August 1999, a rock concert was held in New York to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Woodstock concert. Unfortunately, there was an ugly turn at this concert, with the end result being riots and fire. Benjamin Robinson explains: Thomas Wolfe once wrote, "You can't go home again." The wisdom of that statement was amply demonstrated during the Woodstock '99 concert debacle. The original Woodstock, of course, was a music festival that took place in 1969 in upstate New York. Even though many more people than anticipated showed up, almost everyone got along and had a good time. Just about every social commentator since then has pondered What It Meant, and the pro-hippie faction concluded it meant that their cooperative, Age-of-Aquarius ideals would work on a large scale. Flash-forward to 1999. Organizers tried to put lightning in a bottle again and set up Woodstock '99, a music festival featuring today's hip bands. A bad vibe seemed to settle on the new version. Instead of the rolling green and brown fields of a farm, the show was held on the concrete grounds of an Air Force base -- there was even a bomber on display near the entrance. (So much for peace, love, and music.) The concrete reflected the searing August heat, and the organizers compounded the problem by locating water and concession stands far from where most of the people would be standing. It may not have helped even if they were conveniently located, because they charged outrageous prices for everything, like Otto's $8 bottle of water. On the last night of the show, a riot broke out. Otto and Becky may have found each other, but everything else went terribly wrong. Concert-goers trashed stands selling overpriced T-shirts and other merchandise, setting huge bonfires. Vehicles were overturned and burned. There were even sexual assaults in the mosh pit. It was a disaster, and once again the pundits tried to figure What It Meant. Whatever the cause, it was obvious that the Age of Aquarius wasn't coming back any time soon, and you can probably forget about future Woodstock revivals for a while. >> It's a good thing Benjamin Robinson: Martha Stewart is June Cleaver brought to life. For years, she's been dispensing homemaking advice through newspapers, magazines, and television. Her perfectionism is so relentless that even Mrs. Cleaver would have had trouble keeping up with her. I happened to catch a snip of her show the other day, and she was showing off the six kinds of brushes you can use to dust window tops, the walls -- I didn't even know dust settled on walls -- and the back of your armoire. You *do* dust the back of your armoire, right? On another show she made her own chocolate chips using a French brand of bakers' chocolate that I never heard of, and a kitchen implement called a "chocolate fork." No home should be without one! It's fascinating to watch, but does anybody really do all this? Ms. Stewart's impossibly high standards and eerily calm demeanor have convinced people that she's hiding something, that she can't be as good as she looks. There might be something to this. Stewart has a divorce in her past, and there are persistent rumors that she takes her frustrations out on her hapless staff. Ana Gasteyer does a wickedly funny impression of her on "Saturday Night Live," playing her as a tightly-wound harridan who has estranged her entire family. Becky, with her creative approach to dinner, could indeed be the non-evil Martha. >> The Hills of Car Watch Benjamin Robinson: The last car to follow Marge through the red light is an orange-and-white first-generation VW Bus. >> "Our speed bumps are larger" Jessy Scholl: It is not normal for a town like Springfield to have a huge speed bump in the middle of the road. Most speed bumps will be small enough to keep cars from getting hurt but large enough to keep people from trespassing into a forbidden area. [Actually, most of the speed bumps aren't large enough to do more than slow you down -- Ed.] That speed bump that we seen was large enough to make a big stunt for the General Lee [the car from "Dukes of Hazzard"] or another stunt person. >> Bloody Margie, on the other hand, will clean your bathroom Joe Klemm: Bloody Marge is a reference to the Bloody Mary urban legend. According to the legend (from what I heard), if you stand in a mirror and say "Bloody Mary" three times while turning around, then a ghoulish image will appear in the mirror. "Krimren": I heard you had to say it like 64 times in the dark, preferably in a bathroom, looking straight into the mirror. Then, supposedly, she'd appear and hack you to bits with an axe. But then again ... who cares? >> Now I know my F U THs ... John Obenauer asks: Can anyone decipher the Runic alphabet message at the end of tonight's episode, in the Gothic scene where Homer is chained down on an altar and Becky was going to stab him? Answers Lawrence Nyveen: Yes. :) They are a real alphabet, called Elder Futhark - Elder because they are an older form of Futhark, and Futhark because this alphabet starts: F U (TH) A R K .... Now, I happen to know Futhark. The runes, letter by letter are as follows, with X denoting an indecipherable or ambiguous letter (like the way my handwritten small "v" is often mistaken for "r" XHRIS BOLMEX A TANXA IESUS XHRIST Now, IESUS is Jesus, since there's no Futhark for J. The X in front of XHRIS and XHRIST are the same sign, which can be interpreted as C (in fact, it looks like a Futhark C, with an extra leg). The X at the end of BOLMEX is either an N or G. The X in TANXA is completely foreign to me. It's looks a bit like a backwards Futhark L, but whatever letter it is, that's not an English word. So now we have CHRIS BOLME(N/G) A TANXA JESUS CHRIST A quick look at the credits of the show reveals that one of the background artists is Chris Bolden. Mystery solved, even if his Futhark is a little shaky - he mixed up the signs for M and D, which are similar, but he used the wrong one. Final Answah CHRIS BOLDEN A TAN-A JESUS CHRIST It's up to you to guess the meaning, though .... Scott Desy: Near the end of the episode, the runes on the stone table read something like "Chris Beelmen a tonia Jesus Christ". I'm not sure about the "ia" in "tonia", but looking at some runes charts it was the best fit. Charts at: [as of the date on this capsule -- Ed.] >> Miscellaneous, Etc. The Andrew Levine alterna-title for this show is: Rebecca ["After one of Alfred Hitchcock's greatest works"] Dale G. Abersold: I'm rather disappointed that they didn't name the girlfriend "Heather." [Heather Russell was a very dedicated Otto fan on , in case you were wondering -- Ed.] Wilson Banswell [from ultimatetv.com]: This episode scored a 7.9 rating (14 share) in the Nielsens. Benjamin Robinson contributes the following two items: Rick Dees is a DJ operating out of Chicago. Like everyone else on the face of the earth, he had a failed TV talk show, "Into the Night." Actually, rolling socks into a ball is hard on the elastic. I usually turn the top half-inch or so inside-out, and tuck the other sock under this "cuff." Jessy Scholl: Patty and Selma seem to live in different apartments. 9F08: Two story Brownstone; AABF21: High Rise Brownstone; and BABF18: A gray colored High rise apartment Simon Treanor: one of the restaurants in the show was called "Der Krazy Kraut". Literally Translated, this means "The Crazy Herb". Which can be taken to mean something else altogether ... ============================================================================== > Quotes and Scene Summary {jp} ============================================================================== % At Springfield Elementary, Mrs. Krabappel's students mess around with video % cameras. Now be careful with those video cameras, children. In order to buy them, the school board had to eliminate geography. [puts a lock on a chained globe] This globe will never spin again. Now, class, I want you to be creative with your video projects; I don't want to see 30 Blair Witch knockoffs. [class groans] -- Principal Skinner's opening monologue, "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Marge" % On the school bus, the kids try out different ideas for projects. Sherri % and Terri videotape each other videotaping. Nelson has a project called % "Stop Hitting Yourself" in which he makes Milhouse punch himself, then tells % him to stop. Finally, Bart videotapes Lisa. Bart: Tonight, on the Discovery Channel, "Inside Lisa's Nose". What will we find? Boogers or Nazi gold? [close-up on Lisa's nostril] Lisa: Bart, quit it! Bart: No way. Lisa: Bart sleeps with Raggedy Andy. Bart: [covers lens] Cut, cut, cut! -- "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Marge" % Bart walks to the front of the bus and videotapes Otto. Bart: Otto, a red traffic light means what? Otto: Whoa, no time for brain teasers. Today's the day I ask my girlfriend to take a ride on the matrimony pony. Milhouse: [mocking] Otto's got a girlfriend! Otto's got a girlfriend! Otto: That's right, I do. Milhouse: Uh, I know you do ... baby! Bart: Otto, since when have you had a girlfriend? Otto: We met in the summer of love: Woodstock '99. -- "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Marge" % Flashback to Woodstock '99, with all the crowds, chaos and music. On fire, % Otto runs to a bottled water stand and asks for water. Finding out that its % price is $8, he decides it's not worth it. Becky, a woman who just happens % to be standing there, sacrifices her bottle of water to put out Otto's fire. % % Back in the present, Otto drives the school bus up to the takeout window at % Der Krazy Kraut. He takes off his jacket, revealing a tuxedo, and replaces % his cap with a top hat. When Becky comes to the window, Otto holds up a % stereo playing Poison's "Every Rose Has Its Thorn". The kids watch from the % bus and Bart videotapes as Otto hands Becky a ball of paper. She unwraps it % and finds a ring in the shape of a skull inside. Otto: Becky, you're my rose. Will you let me be your thorn? Becky: Oh, Otto. Of course by answer is-- Otto: Ooh, wait, wait, wait, wait. This solo is kick-ass! [plays air guitar] Becky: [shouting] Honey, could you turn it down? Otto: Okay, but this better be worth it. Becky: [pointing to ring on her hand] Yes, I will marry you. Otto: Cool. [they kiss, the kids cheer] -- "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Marge" % In the Simpsons' kitchen, Marge opens an envelope as Homer sits at the table % dangling a knife over his hand. Marge: Homer, look, we're invited to Otto's wedding! [looks at note] Ooh, and such delicate tissue paper. [squinting] Eh? Zigzag? [Homer repeatedly stabs each of his fingers] No knife games on the kitchen table. Homer: I didn't hit your precious table! Marge: Ooh, we're "cordially invited. This Saturday to join Otto and Becky at 742 Evergreen Terrace"? That's our address! Bart: [walks in] I told Otto he could have the wedding here. Hope that's okay. Marge: You should have asked first, Bart. Weddings are hard work and cost thousands of dollars. Bart: Hey, it'll be easy. You still got most the stuff from Apu's wedding back there. [In the backyard, the remains of Apu's wedding are visible. The elephant picks up Santa's Little Helper in its trunk] Marge: Alright, Otto can get married here, but, Homer, you have to get rid of that elephant. -- Lousy elephant, "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Marge" % Cars arrive for Otto's wedding. Marge reads a checklist in the kitchen. Marge: Let's see ... candles, flowers, place cards, rice... Lisa: Oh, Mom, you're not supposed to throw rice anymore. Birds eat it, their stomachs swell, and they explode. Bart: Why am I just learning this now? [grabs the rice box and video camera then runs outside] -- But what will people eat for starch?, "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Marge" % In the backyard, Otto has a talk with his parents. Otto's Dad: Son, your mother and I don't approve of this marriage, as we have not approved of any part of your life to date. Otto: Well, the important thing is you came. Otto's Dad: We're leaving. [they do] Otto: Drive safe! -- "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Marge" % Selma, Patty, and Lisa stand around. Selma: Hmm. Always a bridesmaid; only occasionally a bride. Patty: Lisa, it's time you learned the truth about men. Lisa: They're pigs? Patty: The bitterness is strong in this one. [Patty and Selma chuckle and crowd around Lisa] -- Before Otto's wedding, "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Marge" % Bart pushes open the ajar bathroom door and videotapes Principal Skinner % standing in front of the toilet. Bart: So, any words for the bride and groom? Skinner: Not now, Bart. I'm trying to urinate. Bart: You don't seem to be trying very hard. -- The principal attends the bus driver's wedding, "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Marge" % Homer is about to cut the wedding cake when Lisa informs him that that's the % bride and groom's job. Homer says this is a superstition, but Lisa makes % Homer give her the knife. Unfazed, Homer takes out a case holding three % narrow glass tubes. He assembles them into one long tube, sticks it into % the cake, and sucks out its innards. Homer casually walks away as the cake % collapses. % % Becky dresses in Homer and Marge's bedroom. Marge walks in. Marge: Oh, Becky, you look beautiful. I thought you might want to see this bridal magazine. It's got 900 tips for the perfect marriage -- all don'ts Becky: Oh, we'll be fine. Otto's got a clean police record and he doesn't do any needle drugs. Marge: Well, the real key, according to Sexperts, is mutual interests. Becky: No prob. We like all the same things ... except... Marge: Mmm-hmm? Becky: Don't tell Otto, but I'm not into heavy metal, and he loves it. He refers to our lovemaking as "the Headbanger's Ball"! Marge: Oh, you can fix little defects like that with gentle nagging. Make it part of the background noise of your relationship. That's how I polished Homer into the perfect-- [out the window, Homer has his tongue stuck to an ice heart labeled "Becky & Otto"] Homer! No, that's ice! [Homer rips his tongue from the ice (most of it, anyway) and walks away casually] -- "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Marge" % With the ceremony about to start, the guests are seated in the backyard and % Otto and Rev. Lovejoy stand in an arch. Lovejoy: And now [ahem] as for the matter of my honorarium.... Otto: What? Lovejoy: You know, my emolument. Otto: Huh? Lovejoy: Pay me! $300. Otto: 300? I could've gotten Rick Dees for that. -- "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Marge" % The church organist starts playing "Wedding March", but Otto bakes a gesture % and a band sets up and starts playing "Nothing but a Good Time". Becky % pulls an electrical plug, stopping the music. Becky: You got Poison to play at our wedding?! Singer: We're Cyanide, a loving tribute to Poison. Drummer: We need a ride home! Becky: You expect me to walk down the aisle to a monster ballad?! Marge: Let me talk to Otto. Becky: Oh, that's okay. I guess this is sort of [sniff] our song. Marge: Well, it doesn't have to be. Otto's just going to have to decide what's more important -- his heavy metal or you. -- Marge steps in, "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Marge" % Otto takes off with Cyanide in his bus, leaving Becky behind. Marge: Becky, what have I done here? I'm so sorry! Homer: In about fifteen minutes, I'd take off that wedding dress, or you're gonna look crazy. [Becky cries] -- Otto chooses his music over his fiancée, "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Marge" % [End of Act One. Act Time: 6:45 Running Time: 6:45] % % The guests pack up to leave the aborted wedding. Lisa: Moe, can I give you some shrimp for the road? Moe: Nah, I'll just take the ring pillow ... and these, uh, seven presents I brung. Eh, you know what? Cram some shrimp in, too. [Lisa puts shrimp in Moe's mouth] Head-to-tail. That way you can fit more. [Lisa puts the next layer of shrimp the opposite direction] How about some sauce? [Lisa pours sauce in his mouth] [muffled] Thanks. -- Dealing with leftovers, "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Marge" % The Simpsons console Becky. Marge: Becky, I know you must feel awful, but at least this didn't happen after you were married. Homer: Yes, better now than when you're too old and fat to get another man. Becky: [sobbing] I feel so alone. What am I going to do? Bart: Hey, why don't you stay with us? Marge: Bart, remember that talk we had about you volunteering our house? Homer: [to Marge] Remember that talk *we* had about you not wrecking people's weddings? [Marge grumbles] It's settled. The stranger stays with us. Homer+Bart+Lisa: Yay! [Marge grumbles again] -- "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Marge" % Homer lies under the station wagon ratcheting and singing to the tune of % David Bowie's "Changes" when Bart comes out with his video camera. Homer: Ch-ch-ch-changes. Time to change the oil. Changes! Don't wanna be an oily man.... Bart: A man innocently changes his oil when ... a two-ton car comes crashing down! [kicks car, but it stays up] ...crashing down! [tries again] Oh, who would've thought you could hold up a car with a wicker basket? [there is indeed a basket where a jack should be] -- "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Marge" % Marge an Becky make dinner in the kitchen. Marge: Now, Lisa's going through this phase where she doesn't eat any meat, so I usually sneak a little meat juice into her vegetables. Becky: Wow, you're a real live Martha Stewart! I mean, without the evil. May I? [takes a sip of Marge's gravy] Mmm, yummers! Marge: Nobody's ever called my gravy yummers before. Becky: Mmm! You know what'd be really nuts? A little rosemary. Marge: Ooh! Ooh, I've always wanted to use rosemary in something! -- "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Marge" % At the dinner table, everyone eats noisily. Bart: Mmm, Mom, this gravy tastes better than God's sweat! Marge: Thanks to our own spice girl, Becky. Lisa: Well, Mom, *you* really brought out the mung in these beans. Marge: Actually, that was Becky, too. Homer: What are these things in the mashed potatoes? Becky: That's the skins. I left them on. Marge: Well, nobody's perfect. Let me just pick those-- [reaches over to Homer's potatoes] Homer: [wraps his arms around his plate, preventing Marge from touching it] No! Oh, Becky, your potatoes are the best I've ever had. -- Becky's wonderful cooking, "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Marge" % Later, Marge sees Becky kicking at Bart in the backyard. She runs out. Marge: Stop kicking my baby! Becky: Oh, it's cool. We're just putting some Jackie Chan moves into Bart's video project. Bart: Yeah, Mom, I need something great. Milhouse has footage of himself falling down the stairs. Marge: Well, no kicking. It's too dangerous. Becky: Marge, chill out. I have great control. See? [kicks repeatedly right in front of Marge's face] Marge: That's very impressive, but I still don't-- Stop that! [Becky continues kicking] -- "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Marge" % Marge is distracted from her laundry when she walks by Lisa's room and finds % Becky painting and Lisa playing her saxophone. Marge: Hello? Hello?! [Becky and Lisa stop] Lisa: We're jamming, Mom. She's painting my music, and I'm playing to her painting. Isn't it wonderful to have a hip female influence in the house? Marge: Yes, well, I guess I'll go roll socks. It's not hip, but it has to be done. Becky: Actually, you could just tie them at the ends. That way the elastic doesn't wear out. Marge: Yes, I hate when things get worn out -- socks, welcomes. -- A subtle hint, "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Marge" % Marge visits her sisters at their apartment. Marge: She's so helpful, and everyone loves her, and, well, this may sound crazy, but I think my family likes Becky more than me. [laughs nervously] Patty: I wouldn't worry about that. Marge: Really? Selma: Yeah, you're gonna be dead in a week anyway. Marge: Dead in a week? What are you talking about? Patty: Look, honey, never let an attractive woman into your house. All they ever do is usurp your family and then kill you. Selma: Like that documentary, "The Hand that Rocks the Cradle". Marge: That was a movie. Selma: Look, all we know is she's going to shoot you, or stab you, or boil you. Patty: Or club you with an antique wooden doll. Selma: Oh, yeah. Yeah, that was a good one. Patty: Oh, but first she's going to seduce your husband. Marge: Becky's going to seduce Homer? [Patty and Selma shudder] Patty: It's an act of violence, not love. -- How 'bout love of violence?, "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Marge" % That night, Marge tosses and turns in bed. Marge is startled by the door % opening. She sees Becky's shadow holding a gun, but Becky has only come to % return Marge's hairdryer. She also returns her brush, which casts a shadow % of a knife. % % The next morning, Marge is about to leave in the station wagon. The rest of % the family and Becky stand outside. Becky: You just enjoy your grocery shopping, Marge. And if you pick up some semolina, I can make couscous for Lisa. Lisa: [gasp] It's my favorite. Marge: It is? Becky: Oh, yeah. You can learn a lot from your kids if you just listen to 'em. [pats Lisa, who giggles] Marge: [grumbles] Be right back. [backs out of the driveway] Homer: Take your time. [Marge gets a good look at her family with herself replaced by Becky] -- "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Marge" % Driving down the street, Marge becomes convinced that she should have said % "Shut up, Becky". Coming to a stop light, she notices her brakes aren't % working and the "brakes cut" light is on. She runs the red light. A couple % of workers carry a plate of glass across the street by the ends. Marge runs % over the glass, knocking it and the workers to the ground. The workers get % up and continue transporting the glass. Further down the road, a pair of % tourists admire the "world's largest speed bump". One of them claims his % city's is bigger. When Marge crashes through the speed bump, he clams that % his speed bumps are also stronger. % % At the police station. Wiggum: I don't know, Simpson. How do I know you didn't cut your own brakes? Marge: Why would I do that? Wiggum: I don't know ... get some attention from a handsome police officer? Marge: That's crazy. Look, I know I don't have any proof, but this woman *is* trying to kill me. Wiggum: [sigh] Fine, let me tell you what I tell everybody who comes in here: the law is powerless to help you. Marge: Do I have to be dead before you'll help me? Wiggum: Well, not dead -- dying. [Marge gets up to leave] No, no, no, no. Don't walk away. How about this: just show me the knife ... in your back. [Marge leaves] Not too deep, but it should be able to stand by itself. -- Marge gets no help from the police, "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Marge" % At Phineas Q. Butterfat's Ice Cream Parlor, Becky, Homer, Bart, and Lisa % wait at a table. Lisa: Come on, Becky, tell us your big news. Becky: Well, I wanted to wait for your mother, but okay. I found an apartment and I'm movin' out. [all groan] Homer: Becky, I think I speak for all of us when I say "when's the ice cream gonna get here?" -- As soon as you finish talking, "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Marge" % Just then, the lights go out and a spotlight shines on a teen. And God said, "Gather ye two of every flavor, anoint them with 62 sauces, whipped cream, and nuts, and ye shall call it 'The Ark'"! -- Squeaky-voiced Teen, "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Marge" % Six more workers carry a giant sundae in an ark-shaped bowl out to the % table. Homer gasps and pants, then drops his head into the ice cream. % Worried, Becky yells out Homers name. At first, Bart thinks he's gorging, % but with Homer still not moving, he too decides something's wrong. Becky % picks up Homers head, shakes loose the ice cream and fruit on his face, then % starts mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. % % Homer comes to, but just then, Marge walks in and declares Becky a usurper. % Three more workers corner Marge against the ice cream bar. She grabs a % handful of sprinkles and throws them at her captors' faces, immobilizing % them all. "I can only see a horrible rainbow!" hollers one of them. % % Marge then takes a big ceramic or glass ice cream cone off the wall, smashes % the end of it, and advances on Becky. "Shut up, Becky! There, I finally % said it," Marge says, but continues to encroach and swing the cone around. % She has Becky cornered when the police arrive. Wiggum: Drop the cone, sugar! [a bullet zips past Marge and Becky] Lou: Oh, whoopsie. Wiggum: Take her away, boys. [Lou and Eddie handcuff Marge and lead her towards the door] Marge: I thought you said the law was powerless. Wiggum: Powerless to *help* you, not punish you. [licks ice cream cone] Mmm, *earned* my treat. Marge: [almost out the door, shouting] This isn't over, Becky. I know where you live -- my house! -- Marge confronts Becky, "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Marge" % [End of Act Two. Act Time: 7:44 Running Time: 14:29] % % In a courtroom, Marge sits in front of a tribunal of three psychologists, % who will determine her sanity. Becky, Lisa, Maggie, Bart, and Homer sit % in the gallery. Lisa: Poor Maggie. How many insanity hearings have you been to in your short little life? Psy. 2: Mrs. Simpson, before we begin, I just want to assure you that this is not a trial. [other psychologists groan] Alright, it's a trial. [all high five] Psy. 1: [opens a file] Now, Marge, according to this, you recently went berserk in a ice cream parlor. Marge: Yes. Psy. 1: And, Marge, did you ever have an unhealthy fixation on Ringo Starr? Marge: It was healthy; he reciprocated. [psychologists take notes] He reciprocated! [mumbles a prayer] Psy. 1: Excuse me, what are you doing? Marge: Oh, I was just praying to God that you'll find me sane. Psy. 1: I see. And this "God", is he in this room right now? Marge: Oh, yes. He's kind of everywhere. [psychologists exchange disapproving looks] Psy. 2: Marge Simpson, you give us no choice but to declare you utterly-- Marge: [rising] I'm not insane! Psy. 2: You didn't let me finish. --insane! -- Here's the title, "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Marge" % Marge and her family gasp. Not knowing what else to do, Marge jumps out an % open window. Luckily, it's on the ground floor. Marge looks back and % calmly states that she's not insane before running off. Run, Marge, run! Pump those crazy legs! -- Homer, "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Marge" % Kent Brockman reports breaking news live. Brockman: Police say escaped mental patient Marge Simpson could be anywhere, [raises a glass] even here, at Juggernauts, where it's wet T-shirt month. [waitresses in wet T-shirts cheer] But for now, this reporter prays that "Mad Marge" can be captured before she kills again. [Homer, Becky, Maggie, Bart, and Lisa watch TV] Bart: "Kills again"? She hasn't killed once. Lisa: Shouldn't we be out there trying to find her? Homer: Don't worry. She'll show up here sooner or later ... to finish off Becky. Then we'll have Mommy back. -- Pondering the whereabouts of Marge, "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Marge" % Sneaking around the streets in her bright orange jail suit, Marge spies % some people with large nets looking for her. A marching band wearing % similar clothes and with hats similar to Marge's hair passes by. She grabs % a couple of trash can lids and joins in, marching right past the people with % the nets. Little does she realize, this is the Springfield Mental Asylum % Marching Band, and Marge follows it back inside the asylum's gates. % % She climbs back out over the wall and decides she needs a disguise. She % steals the comic book guy's shirt and prescription pants from a clothes % line. Next, she steals Chief Wiggum's hat off his head as he's instructing % Ralph on the correct kill shot to use against Marge. % % On the Krusty the Klown Show, Krusty sits next to a TV monitor. Krusty: Now, we've got a special guest. She just flew in from the cuckoo's nest, and boy is she crazy: Crazy Marge Simpson! [a still picture of Marge appears on the TV, with a live mouth] "Marge": Hello, Krusty. Krusty: [laughing] That's funny. So, Marge, who's your favorite Native American warrior? "Marge": Crazy Horse! Whoo, whoo, whoo! [babbling and making faces] Krusty: Alright, stop it. Eh, this bit's dying. Let's go to the Mad Marge Dancers. [women in straitjackets and Marge-hair wigs hop around to Aram Khachaturian's "Saber Dance" and fall over; Homer, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie watch it on TV] Bart: Too soon. Lisa: Oh, I really miss Mom. Bart: The kids are saying if you say "bloody Margie" five times, she'll appear, but then she gouges your eyes out. Homer: I hear she mates with men, then eats them. Becky: [comes in and turns off the TV] I'm sure if Marge were here and not crazy, she'd be telling you two [Bart and Lisa] to do your homework and you [Homer] to finish washing the dog. [SLH's front half is filthy and rear half clean] -- "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Marge" % At the library, Marge looks at microfiche to try to find Becky's true % identity. She gasps when she finds an article titled "Local Girl Kills", % but then notices the rest of the title: "Competition in Talent Contest". % Another article "Usurper Foiled Again" seems promising, but the rest of the % title is "by Becky". "I really should read the whole headline before I % react," she says. The next article she finds is "Dream Wedding Botched by % Meddling Housewife". Marge: Oh, my. I've been so unfair to Becky. Maybe I *am* insane. I mean, I am talking to myself. Moleman: You are? Oh, I thought I'd made a friend. -- Making friends at the library, "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Marge" % Intent on forgiving, Marge returns home, but it's more of calling Becky a % usurper when she sees what's in the living room. It has been transformed % into a dungeon, with stone walls, torches, and candles. Lisa is chained to % the wall, Maggie is in a cage hanging from the ceiling, and Homer is % shackled to a table, about to be stabbed with a knife by Becky. Marge runs % over to Becky and kicks the knife out of her hand. The knife flies through % the air and cuts both of Homer's hairs on the top of his head. Just then, % Bart comes out from behind the curtains with his video camera. Bart: Cut, cut! Mom, it's great to have you back, but you walked right into my shot. Marge: Shot? What-- What are you-- Becky: I hope we didn't scare you, Marge. Bart's just filming a music video for his class project. Lisa: [holding *her* video camera] And I'm directing the making-of video. Marge: Oh. Well, then, I guess there's a reasonable explanation for everything ... except you [points to Becky] cutting my brakes. Homer: Oh, about that, uh, when I changed your oil, I may have drained your brake fluid. I didn't say anything 'cause I thought you'd be mad. Marge: Oh, boy. My bad. Becky, I'm so sorry I accused you of trying to kill me and steal my family. Becky: Hey, no biggie. I *was* trying to steal your family. I even thought of a good place to bury you. Then I didn't have a shovel, so I went to the hardware store and they have six different kinds, and I was like, "later". Marge: Well, that's a relief, too, knowing I'm not crazy. So, I guess everything really worked out for the-- [Marge is hit by three darts and falls to the floor; pan to reveal the three men in the doorway with tubes for blowing darts] Homer: You monsters! You killed her! Marge: [gets up] No, they didn't. Man: Good Lord! We put enough tranquilizers in there to take down Jonathan Winters! Marge: Oh, I've got too much to do to take a nap right now. Lisa, get Maggie out of that cage, and Homer, since you're dressed for it, I've got some S and M for ya -- scrubbing and mopping! [laughs] [she's taken out by another dart; Homer returns the tube to the man] Homer: Thank you. -- Everything wrapped up in a neat little package, "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Marge" % [End of Act Three. Act Time: 5:47 Running Time: 20:16] ============================================================================== > Contributors ============================================================================== {al} Andrew Levine {aw} Alex Woods {bjr} Benjamin Robinson {cj} Carl Johnson {ddg} Don Del Grande {dj} Darrel Jones {jc} Jeff Cross {jd} Joey Denatsate {jk} Joe Klemm ============================================================================== > Legal Mumbo Jumbo ============================================================================== This episode capsule is Copyright 2001 Benjamin Robinson. It is not to be redistributed in a public forum without consent from its author or current maintainer (capsules@snpp.com). All quoted material and episode summaries remain property of The Simpsons, Copyright of Twentieth Century Fox. All other contributions remain the properties of their respective authors. The Quote and Scene Summary itself is Copyright 2001 Jerry P. This capsule has been brought to you by Springfield Mental Asylum. This work is dedicated to Raymond Chen, James A. Cherry, Ricardo Lafaurie, Frederic Briere, and all of those who made episode capsules what they are today.