Sleeping with the Enemy

Season 16, Episode 3, Aired
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Episode Summary

Lisa has a big butt and her friends at school, Sherri, Terri and Janie let her know about it. Homer explains to her about the Simpson butt, it is something she'll have to learn to live with. Bart comes home with 100 on his test, and now he wants to collect on the party that was promised. Lisa is trying to deal with her weight issue, meanwhile Bart gets his party; with his relatives, Ralph, Martin and Milhouse via speakerphone. It's the worst party ever as far as Bart's concerned. It's made worse when Lisa returns home only to be confronted by her mother wanting her to eat a big slice piece of cake, she runs out of the room crying. Marge is bummed that the kids don't appreciate her anymore. She finds Nelson in the park and spends some quality time with him and when her kids continue to shun her, she adopts Nelson as a surrogate child. Lisa tries diet and exercise to reduce her big bottom. Marge brings Nelson home to do some chores around their home, but Nelson's real mother returns that money that Marge paid her son and then she leaves for Hollywood, leaving her son in Springfield and homeless. Nelson goes to the only place where he can find refuge, the Simpson home. Much to Bart's dismay Marge lets Nelson stay in his room. Late one night Bart finds Nelson singing for the return of his father and Lisa overindulging in a cake (she'd previously been starving herself). Lisa gets help from Nelson to get revenge on Sherri and Terri. When the pair returns to the Simpson home there is a surprise waiting for Nelson; Bart has found his father. Nelson is reunited with his father (and his mother who's returned from Hollywood with an acting job). Lisa still hasn't found a conclusive solution to her weight problem.moreless
7.7
out of 10
EPISODE RATING: Good
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Cast & Crew

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  • Julie Kavner

    Marge Simpson, Patty Bouvier, and Selma Bouvier

  •

    Harry Shearer

    Mr. Burns, Ned Flanders, Principal Skinner, Waylon Smithers, Kent Brockman, and others

  •

    Dan Castellaneta

    Homer Simpson, Grampa Simpson, Barney Gumble, Krusty the Clown, Groundskeeper Willie, and others

Fan Episode Reviews (7)

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  • Great Episode.... Nelson becomes part of The Simpsons family!! Has Neslon really turned good forever??

    9.6
    "Superb"
    By Iverson82094, Jan 22, 2011 Report Abuse
    After Lisa is told by Sherri and Terri that she has a big butt, Homer lets her know it's her genes. She checks out the fashion stores and notices the skimpy clothes and models and develops a weight obsession. Marge finds Bart and Lisa are ignoring her so when she sees a lonely Nelson she decides to act motherly towards him. After a few outings, Nelson's mom kicks him out of home and Marge takes him in, putting him in Bart's room. Unimpressed with his constant bullying, Bart sets out to find Nelson's father. Meanwhile Nelson notices Lisa's weight obsession and plots a scheme to get back at Sherri and Terri. That day Nelson arrives home to his father who had been found at a circus freak show by Bart. He explains that an allergic reaction to eating peanuts had him picked up by the travelling show which he was unable to leave. The Muntzes return home as a family.moreless

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    0 1

  • Superb

    9.0
    "Superb"
    By futuramarama, Jan 22, 2011 Report Abuse
    Lisa has a big butt and feels ashamed of her body. Marge allows Nelson to spend time at the Simpson house. Bart does not like this and so he tracks down Nelson's father so the Muntz' can be together again.

    Good episode, the Lisa plot was not that great but the main plot was fantastic. Unfortunately because I did not like Lisa's plot a whole lot my overall grade for this is a B+. If I liked her plot a little more I would be able to give it an A, but sadly, I do not. Still good main plot thoughmoreless

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    0 1

  • Highly underrated

    9.3
    "Superb"
    By ComeOut2Play819, Aug 10, 2010 Report Abuse
    Okay, let's just get this out of the way right now; Nelson is one of my favorite characters on the entire show. If it's a Nelson episode (Haw-Hawed Couple, Bart, the Mother, Lisa's date with density, Saturdays of Thunder, Bart on the Road, Bart the General, New Kids on the Blecch,etc.), I automatically love it. The kid is just hilarious. Although there has been much inconsistency as to whether or not Nelson's dad ran away, the gag still has me rolling on the floor. Anyway, this episode is great because, along with the Haw-Hawed Couple, it shows that Nelson has a heart.moreless

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  • The Full Nelson

    8.5
    "Great"
    By GeorgeJobson, Dec 04, 2006 Report Abuse
    One of the better epsidoes of the season has two things 1) big butts and 2) Nelsaon. Nelson who always laughs at people is the spotlight characters who hangs out with Marge. Meanwhile, Lisa's big butt has all of her friends making fun out of her. One scene where Lisa at a huge cake and decided that the war to lose her weight is all but lost. Nelson has shown a sweet side of him. I like to see more of Nelson in future episode. "The simpsons" has so many characters, it'll take years to tell each character's story. Nelson is one tale that should be told.moreless

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  • Nelson...good?

    8.5
    "Great"
    By jimbo_001, Jan 31, 2006 Report Abuse
    This episode was fairly unbelievable but still had some great moment such as Nelson's revenge plan on Sherri, Terri and Janie and Bart's lame party as well as the ending that isn' quite conclusive with the family waiting to see how Lisa solved her weight problem. I have only seen this episode once and I could have missedsome of the hidden jokes that are shown in most simpsons episodes. This isn't the best season 16 episode, mainly because Nelson isn't shown as the tough guy he usually is which is definitely out of character, but the jokes are still there and overall, the episode is a success.moreless

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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  • Trivia

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    • The cake that Lisa eats says "Happy Labor Day Lenny" on it. Edit
    • Bart's "100" test sheet has only 12 states, but 13 state capitals. Arkansas is missing. Edit

  • Notes

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    • Lisa's obsession with her weight was based on Yeardley Smith's (the voice of Lisa) former weight obsession. Edit
    • Here we are introduced to the "Simpson butt", the third inheritable genetic malady that plagues Homer's side of the family. The other two are stubbiness (which Lisa has) and the stupidity gene (which Bart has). Edit
    • Homer's artwork of himself also echoes a fox promo Matt Groening filmed a few years ago in which he showed audiences how to draw Homer. He drew with a pen on the camera glass, so it appeared he was drawing on screen, and when he drew the hair and ear he said it formed an "MG" because those were his initials. Edit

  • Quotes

    ADD QUOTES
    • Marge: It'll be B.L.A.M.! Bart, Lisa, and Mom! Hmmm? Bart: Mom, when I want lame and needy, I'll call Milhouse. Edit
    • Bart: I win! P-A-R-T! Party! Edit
    • Mrs. Muntz: I play Lady Macbeth. I don't have to take my top off. But I do anyway! Edit

  • Allusions

    ADD ALLUSIONS
    • Happy Days Nelson calling Marge "Mrs. S" is a reference to The Cunninghams being called "Mr. C" and "Mrs. C" on Happy Days. This form of address actually goes back to The Many Loves Of Dobie Gillis where Maynard calls Dobie's parents "Mr. G" and "Mrs. G". Edit
    • Episode Title: The title is taken from the punchline to an old joke, "The war of the sexes is the only one in which we're sleeping with the enemy." Edit
    • Nelson: Papa, can you hear me? Nelson copies Barbra Streisand's main song in the 1983 film Yentl by lighting a candle on the window seat and singing "Papa, Can You Hear Me." Edit

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