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Score: 7.7 Good 123 votes

There's Something About Marrying

Episode Number: 345    Season Num: 16    First Aired: Sunday February 20, 2005    Prod Code: GABF04
Bart and Milhouse look for someone new to play tricks on and they find their new victim in Howell Huser, a yokel who just fell of the turnip truck. Their pranks get Howell Huser to stop smiling and he leaves town, only to turn up on the Soft News Network reporting that Springfield is the only town he's been to that he doesn't like. The negative publicity affects tourism. Mayor Quimby calls for the town to give him ideas to promote tourism and Lisa suggests they start allowing same sex marriages. The idea is approved and Springfield becomes the place to be for same sex couples to get married. When Reverend Lovejoy won't perform the ceremonies, Homer can't pass up the opportunity to make money and he becomes a certified minister via the Internet. He marries all the gay couples in town and then starts to marry anything to anything else. Patty requires Homer's service; she wants to marry her partner, Veronica, who is a pro-golfer. Marge has trouble dealing with the fact that her sister is gay. Marge discovers Veronica's secret, that she is really a man. Marge stops the wedding and reveals the secret, and when Leslie Robin Swisher (Veronica's real name) proposes that they still get married, she sticks to her guns, she still likes only girls.

Cast and Crew

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Writer: J. Stewart Burns
Director: Nancy Kruse
Star: Hank Azaria (Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, Moe Szyslak, Chief Wiggum, Comic Book Guy, Lou, and others),  Yeardley Smith (Lisa Simpson),  Nancy Cartwright (Bart Simpson, Nelson Muntz, Ralph Wiggum, Todd Flanders, and others),  Dan Castellaneta (Homer Simpson, Grampa Simpson, Barney Gumble, Krusty the Clown, Groundskeeper Willie, and others),  Harry Shearer (Mr. Burns, Ned Flanders, Principal Skinner, Waylon Smithers, Kent Brockman, and others),  Julie Kavner (Marge Simpson, Patty Bouvier, and Selma Bouvier)
Recurring Role: Marcia Wallace (Mrs. Krabappel),  Russi Taylor (Martin Prince, Sherri, Terri and others),  Karl Wiedergott (Additional Voices),  Tress MacNeille (Agnes Skinner, Brandine Del Roy, Dolph and others),  Pamela Hayden (Milhouse Van Houten, Rod Flanders, Jimbo Jones, and others)

Notes

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This episode was nominated for the 2006 WGA Award (TV) for Animation. (edit)
The episode opened with the following title card:

This episode contains discussions of same sex marriage. Parental discretion is advised.

It is the first episode of the show to ever be labeled "viewer discretion advised." It was rated TV-14 DLV. (edit)
Principal Skinner was a guest in the wedding ceremony for Patty. Skinner was in love with Patty and even asked Patty to marry him in the episode Principal Charming. (edit)
Credits: People are still lined up for odd, non-traditional marriages, including the Sea Captain, who wants to marry the statue on the prow of his ship, and tells Homer to hurry. The other two "couples" besides the Sea Captain and mermaid statue during the credits scene are: 1) Ralph and a tiger who is wearing a black bow tie. 2) Comic Book Guy and a life-size cutout of Elvira. (edit)
Blackboard Joke: None.
Couch Gag: The family, dressed as hockey players, skate into the living room and skate around the couch. Homer is carrying the Stanley Cup with Maggie sitting in the bowl. (edit)

Quotes

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(on Smartline)
Reverand Lovejoy: Call me old-fashioned, but I believe marriage is described in the Bible--
Homer: If you love the Bible so much, why don't you marry it? In fact, I now pronounce you and the Bible man and wife. And you're the wife! (laughs) (edit)
(Homer is looking at himself in the mirror)
Homer: (whistles) You handsome devil, someday they'll let you and me get married, can you imagine the children…
(Homer has a fantasy of him with another Homer kissing and hugging in front of heaps of little baby Homers.) (edit)
(Homer has married all the Gay couples in town.)
Bart: Well, all you can do now is wait for some other guys to turn.
Homer: Hmm, where's Lenny and Carl?
Marge: Don't you push them! They've got to work that out for themselves. (edit)
Homer: Ok, what's next? Adam and Steve or Madam and Eve? (edit)
Selma: You're not disappointed are you?
Marge: Oh no, no no...No, I'm just...surprised.
Homer: Yeah...big surprise. Hey Marge, here's another bomb...I like beer! Ha ha ha ha! (edit)

Trivia

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Julio, from episode "Three Gays Of The Condo," found himself a new lover in this episode. (edit)
Locations on Homer's "Map To Star's Homes" include locations for Lenny, Karl, That Dude I Hate, Red Car Guy, Isabella Rossellini, Scary Rock, Hunny Tree, and Good Place For A Denny's. (edit)
According to this episode, Selma's forth marriage and divorce was with Disco Stu. (edit)
Motto over Springfield City Hall: "Liberty And Justice For Most" (edit)
One of the "gay signs" Marge remembers about her sister is Patty putting up a poster of Nancy Kulp (Miss Hathaway from The Beverly Hillbillies) in her room. Nancy Kulp came out as a lesbian at the age of 67. (edit)

Allusions

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Joe Millionaire
When Homer calls Fox, he gets a recorded message saying, "If you're pitching a show where gold-digging skanks get what's coming to them, press 1." This is a not-so-subtle reference to Joe Millionaire, a FOX reality show where Evan Marriott claimed to be a millionaire but was actually a low-income construction worker. (edit)
My Fair Lady
When all the gay couples are marching to the church, a slightly altered version of "Get Me to the Church on Time" can be heard from the musical My Fair Lady. (edit)
Trumpet Voluntary
As Homer converts the garage into his wedding chapel and puts up his posters, the background music is "Trumpet Voluntary" by the English composer, Jeremiah Clark (c.1673-1707) sometimes incorrectly attributed to Henry Purcell. This is one of the most popular pieces played at weddings. (edit)
The Crying Game
The story plot twist of finding out that the woman is really a man is a parody of the story from the 1992 film, The Crying Game. (edit)
Huell Howser
The character known as Howell Huser is a parody of the California television personality Huell Howser who has had numerous television shows including the PBS show California's Gold in which he toured lesser known California landmarks trying to bring them to public attention. (edit)
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Community Reviews (4)

 
6.5
Fair
There's Something About Marrying
"Another great installment"
A tough issue to tackle and well played just missing something
Continue » Posted Jun 19, 2008 10:02 pm PST
9.7
Superb
There's Something About Marrying
"Cleverly plotted"
Some of the funniest moments in the whole series..
Continue » Posted Feb 22, 2008 12:44 pm PST

jimbo_001
Report Abuse 1 user disagrees
with this review
9.6
Superb
There's Something About Marrying
"Exactly why I watch this series"
Homer gets another job; minister
Continue » Posted Jan 31, 2006 1:15 am PST

Star_Blaster
Report Abuse 1 user agrees
with this review
3 users disagree
with this review
7.0
Good
There's Something About Marrying
"Not my favorite storyline"
Okay.. could of been better if they ddn't have to have all taht gayness.
Continue » Posted Nov 26, 2005 1:34 pm PST
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Episode Vital Stats

 
Episode: There's Something About Marrying
Season Number: 16
Episode Reviews: 4
Episode
Score:
7.7 Good 123 votes
Rating Statistics:
good: 31 (25.6%)
perfect: 23 (19%)
superb: 21 (17.4%)
great: 19 (15.7%)
Other: 27 (22.3%)
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