Marge in Chains

Season 4, Episode 21, Aired
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Episode Summary

Marge gets busted for shoplifting at the Kwik-E-Mart and is sentenced to thirty days in prison. Bart concocts a brilliant scheme to break her out that involves a party dress, a wig and a crowbar. But what finally springs Marge is the rioting townspeople of Springfield, who desperately need the inmate's patented marshmallow squares for the Springfield Park Commission's annual bake sale.moreless
8.6
out of 10
EPISODE RATING: Great
196 votes
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Cast & Crew

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Fan Episode Reviews (6)

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  • perfect

    10
    "Perfect"
    By futuramarama, Aug 19, 2011 Report Abuse
    what i liked- marge accidentally shoplifting, apu's line about 'that bi*** is going to fry' (or whatever he says, when homer wants him to drop the charges against marge), the ending with the jimmy carter statue having marge's hair, and bart and lisa playing tether-ball, lionel hutz' appearance, everyone suffering because marge is in jail, etc.
    good episode. not one of my favorites, despite the perfect score. It is a perfect score, but i feel it is kind of weaker than other episodes i give a perfect score to, if that makes sense. Still, a good enough episode for me to give it an A+ as my final grademoreless

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  • this was a good ep

    9.0
    "Superb"
    By cube2k8, May 16, 2010 Report Abuse
    in this ep of the simpsons there is a flu academic sweeping springfield and marge goes to the kwik mart and she is so distracted for her family she accidently shoplifts and is aressted. and sent to womens jail and bart has a plan to get her out by using a crow bar and but that does not get her out but the thing that does get her out is the marsh mellow squars recipt that is hers they would have to purchase jimmy carter stauch instead of arbraham lincoln and they reless marge this wasa good ep i thoughtmoreless

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  • Marge goes to jail.

    9.0
    "Superb"
    By Hornets3, Aug 29, 2009 Report Abuse
    While shopping at the Kwik-E-Mart, Marge accidentally forgets to pay for Grampa's bottle of bourbon and is arrested for shoplifting. Lionel Hutz is hired to defend Marge at her trial. She is sentenced to jail for 30 days after she is found guilty. Marge's absence is felt at home as well as the annual bake sale. Without her marshmallow squares, the Springfield Park Commission fails to raise enough money to pay for a statue of Abraham Lincoln. They purchase one of Jimmy Carter instead. The townspeople riot, and Marge is is released from jail. The townspeople cheerfully welcome her back. No complaints on this episode. It had a nice plot, and Lionel Hutz was hilarious in this episode. Definately give this episode a watch!moreless

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  • No complants by me

    9.6
    "Superb"
    By Iverson82094, Jan 26, 2008 Report Abuse
    Marge gets busted for shoplifting at the Kwik-E-Mart and is sentenced to thirty days in prison. Bart concocts a brilliant scheme to break her out that involves a party dress, a wig and a crowbar. But what finally springs Marge is the rioting townspeople of Springfield, who desperately need the inmate's patented marshmallow squares for the Springfield Park Commission's annual bake sale. Guest star: David Crosby as himself. A hilarious episode espically when Homer had that devil costume on, but it was fun to see how much an influence MArge had on Springfield. All and All season 4 is turning out pretty good, and this is one of the many reasons why...moreless

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  • The definition of series classic.

    10
    "Perfect"
    By NMWestie, Nov 28, 2005 Report Abuse
    What do you get when Marge is charged with shoplifting, with only a sizeable spell court with only Lionel Hutz to save her. Comedy Gold. A classic episode littered with classic quotes and gags, most of which are uttered by the great Phil Hartman. If only the current crop of writers could create something half as funny as this episode the Simpsons might return to form.

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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  • Trivia

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    • When Homer visits Marge in his Halloween costume, he's wearing the same costume as Evil Homer from "Whacking Day." Edit
    • The Mayor's seal says, "Corruptus in Extremis." Edit
    • When the family runs out of clothes, Homer can fit into Marge's wedding dress. This alludes to the fact that Marge was pregnant when Homer and Marge got married as mentioned in previous episodes such as "I Married Marge." Edit

  • Notes

    ADD NOTES
    • Blackboard Joke: I do not have diplomatic immunity. Couch Gag: A miniature-sized family climb onto the couch. Edit
    • Marge is accused of shop lifting and hires Lionel Hutz, played by Phil Hartman, as her attorney. In the middle of the trial, Lionel gets an urge for whisky, so he calls his AA sponsor, David Crosby of Crosby Stills Nash and Young. When David Crosby answers the phone he is looking at the CSNY emblem on an album, which Phil Hartman designed himself in the late-'70s. Edit

  • Quotes

    ADD QUOTES
    • (Lionel Hutz tries to give Judge Snyder a fake verdict) Judge Snyder: This verdict is written on a cocktail napkin. And it still says "guilty." And "guilty" is spelled wrong! Edit
    • Marge: Is that an old Halloween costume? Homer: (wearing a devil costume) Uh…no. Edit
    • Lisa: It seems like I've been wearing this same red dress forever! Edit

  • Allusions

    ADD ALLUSIONS
    • Grassy Knoll In his testimony in court Professor Frink shows a grainy film, much like the Zapruder film of the JFK assassination, and makes reference to Marge being on the grassy knoll. The grassy knoll is where the 2nd gunman was positioned in a conspiracy theory, which was included in the 1991 film JFK by Oliver Stone. Edit
    • Lisa: You're a modern day Clarence Darrow! Clarence Seward Darrow (April 18, 1857 – March 13, 1938) was an American lawyer and leading member of the American Civil Liberties Union, best known defending teenaged thrill killers Leopold and Loeb in their trial for murdering 14 year old Bobby Franks and defending John T. Scopes in the so-called "Monkey" Trial (1925). He remains notable for his wit, compassion and agnosticism that marked him as one of the most famous American lawyers and civil libertarians. Edit
    • Jimmy Carter Statue: "Malaise Forever" On July 15, 1979, Carter gave a nationally-televised address in which he identified what he believed to be a "crisis of confidence" among the American people. This has come to be known as his "malaise" speech, even though he did not use the word "malaise" anywhere in the text. Edit

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