The Simpsons

Season 13 Episode 8

Sweets and Sour Marge

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7.7
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Episode Summary

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Sweets and Sour Marge
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The family goes to the library's used book sale; where Homer obtains a copy of Duff's Book of World Records. When he's gone through all the records, he decides to set one of his own. Duff tells him that all the personal records have been set. He needs to help set a group record. The town tries to set a record for the world's tallest human pyramid; but when they fail, they inadvertently set the record as the world's fattest town, which they celebrate. Only Marge has a problem with this. She goes to the Motherloving Sugar Company to lodge her complaint. The owner Garth Motherloving is less than cooperative, so Marge files a class action lawsuit. Professor Frink blows the whistle on "big sugar" and the court rules in Marge's favor and then bans all sugar from Springfield forever. All the town's sugar products are burned and Apu's store shelves are empty. Apu brings Homer into a group determined to smuggle sugar back into Springfield. Homer and Bart join with Apu, Mr. Burns, Count Fudgula and Garth Mothelovering in a scheme to smuggle in sugar from the island of San Glucose. They make it into Springfield Harbor, but are intercepted by the police. Evading Wiggum and Co., Homer finds himself faced with the decision to either "Dump Cargo" to make Marge happy or "Obey Bad Guy" and bring sugar to Springfield. He chooses the former, but Judge Snyder realizes that he's overstepped his authority and makes sugar legal once again.moreless

Fan Episode Reviews (9)

SUBMIT REVIEW

  • good

    7.0
    By futuramarama, Aug 21, 2011
    Springfield enters the Duff World Records as the world's fattest town, leading Marge to attempt to place a ban on sugars.

    eh, it was ok. I liked that the citizens were happy being the fattest town, and i liked the various jokes about how sugary the food in Springfield is, but i do not think the execution was handled to the fullest it could have been. it is a good episode and it is worth it to watch, but it is not one i would personally go out of my way to watch. final grade would be in the C rangemoreless

  • Perhaps not quite as good as it should have been

    7.5
    By Derbyginge245, Jan 07, 2011
    This episode starts off pretty well with the Simpsons going to the library and Marge asking Homer why he always waits til they get there to complain which is replied with a blank confused face. Homer finds the Duff Book of Records and tries to set a world record himself by building the biggest human pyramid. However, they all fall off and fall into a truck scales where the examiners discover that Springfield is the world's fattest town.



    Marge is not pleased by this news and sets out to make Springfield healthier. I like this idea because even though Homer's weight problems have been dealt with in the past, this had Marge really on the offensive and dealing with the whole town. So when Marge discovers the sugar company, the judge decides to ban sugar forever. Up to this point it is a strong episode with lots of laughs.



    The final section is basically copying the episode where Homer smuggles beer which I thought was brilliant at the time. This was unoriganal and much more poorly executed. The plan was to get sugar of an island and break it back, hardly clever is it? No suspense was built and to be honest I didn't really care so in the end the police stops Homer, who then decides to ditch the sugar as to not disappoint Marge and then for some reason the sugar ban is lifted.



    This was funny and entertaining and Marge as the main character worked very well as she allowed other characters to share the limelight as opposed to Homer just being obnoxious and thats where the second part of the episode failed. It was unoriginal, unfunny and just far too zany and not really entertaining.moreless

  • Decent

    7.5
    By fenway98, Nov 14, 2010
    When Homer is trying to break a world record(World's tallest human pyramid), everyone falls on a truck scale, and Springfield is now The world's fattest town. Marge is upset that Springfield is eating so much sugar, so she goes to The Garth Motherloving Sugar factory to complain. Garth doesn't listen to her, so Marge bans sugar from Springfield. Everyone needs sugar now, so Homer and the guys try to travel on a boat to get it back.



    This was a decent episode. I liked some of it, like Ralph's two lines, and the ompaa lompaa, but a lot of it was boring and lame.



    Overall Grade: 75%/C+moreless

  • Marge tries to ban sugar.

    9.0
    By Hornets3, Aug 14, 2009
    Let me start off by saying that, I could have told you that Springfield is the world's fattest town lol. However, the plot was very clever nonetheless. Marge can be very annoying, but she knows what she wants and she is persistent until she succeeds, but I think she learned that somethings will never change. This being that you cant control what people eat. This episode was just hilarious especially the parts where sugar was being snuck into the city like it was some sort of drug. Just a wonder and clever plot. Definately give this episode a watch. B+moreless

  • Great storyline!!!!

    9.0
    By Iverson82094, Jan 16, 2008
    After buying the Duff Book Of World Records at a library book sale, Homer is inspired to set a record of his own. He rounds up all of Springfield and decides to build the world's tallest human pyramid. Just as the town is ready to accomplish the feat, the pyramid tumbles down and creates a massive rolling ball that finally comes to rest on a truck scale. The Duff representatives see the scale and determine that Springfield is pound for pound the fattest town on earth. Disgusted by the flatulence, Marge decides to go on a crusade to stop the sugar onslaught on the town. She hires a lawyer and wins a class-action lawsuit against big sugar. The Judge then decrees that sugar be banned from Springfield for life. The town up in arms, Homer becomes a sugar bootlegger and starts smuggling sugar into town. When he brings in his big score, Marge implores him to dump the load, but when she realizes how sugar makes everyone in town happy, she gives up her crusade and the judge rescinds his decree.moreless
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Cast & Crew: STARS

Julie Kavner

Julie Kavner

Marge Simpson, Patty Bouvier, and Selma Bouvier
Harry Shearer

Harry Shearer

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

Dan Castellaneta

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

Nancy Cartwright

Bart Simpson, Nelson Muntz, Ralph Wiggum, Todd Flanders, and others
Yeardley Smith

Yeardley Smith

Lisa Simpson
Hank Azaria

Hank Azaria

Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, Moe Szyslak, Chief Wiggum, Comic Book Guy, Lou, and others
See All Cast & Crew

Cast & Crew: RECURRING AND GUESTS

Ben Stiller

Ben Stiller

Garth Motherloving

Guest Star

Tress MacNeille

Tress MacNeille

Agnes Skinner, Brandine Del Roy, Dolph and others

Recurring Role

Karl Wiedergott

Karl Wiedergott

Additional Voices

Recurring Role

Pamela Hayden

Pamela Hayden

Milhouse Van Houten, Rod Flanders, Jimbo Jones, and others

Recurring Role

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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  • TRIVIA (1)

  • QUOTES (14)

    • Dr. Hibbert: (to Apu) Has my shipment of Pixie sticks come in yet?
      Apu: No, it hasn't.
      Dr. Hibbert: Damn it! When they come in, you call me at this number.
      (Dr. Hibbert hands Apu a paper with "911" written on it.)

    • Homer: Ooh, ooh! A sticky spot! (Licks the floor)
      Apu: Mr. Simpson, you're licking blood and Vapor Rub!
      Homer: Part of me knew that.

    • Judge Snyder: I rule in favor of Marge Simpson.
      Homer: Oh I am so proud of you!
      Judge Snyder: And thanks to Marge Simpson's damning evidence, I hereby ban all sugar products from Springfield... forever!
      Homer: Get in the car.

    • Marge: Ooh! Sugar free donuts!
      Apu: No, that is sugar, with free donuts!

    • Bart: Why don't you try to set a record, Dad?
      Homer: That's a great idea! Do you think I could run a mile in three and a half minutes?
      Lisa: Only on Mars.
      Homer: The Simpsons are going to Mars! So pack your... or maybe I'll think of something else.

    • Moe: That's the best book I've ever seen!
      Homer: Nope, the best book you've ever seen is Tom Clancy's "Op-Center."
      Moe: That thing knows me better than I know myself.

    • Homer: A library selling books? If I didn't want 'em for free why would I wanna pay for them?
      Marge: Why do you always wait 'til we arrive to complain?
      Homer: I dunno.

    • Dr. Nick: (Reading an anatomy book with pictures.) Eww! That's what we look like inside? Disgusting! (Turns page) Ugh! That lady swallowed a baby!

    • Homer: Remember what I told you about running away from your troubles?
      Bart: Yeah.
      Homer: Let's do it.

    • Mr. Burns: Stroke! Stroke! Stroke!
      Apu: I'm rowing as fast as I can, sir.
      Mr. Burns: No, I'm having one.

    • Marge: Homer, if you deliver that sugar, you'll be condemming this town to obesity and diabetes.
      Garth Motherloving: Don't listen to her, Homer.
      Homer: Oh, they both make such good arguments.

    • Mr. Burns: Get a grip, Simpson! Now, do you have your map?
      Homer: Yeah, uh... kinda. I know, I'll use reverse psychology. I don't want this map!
      (A bird flies off with it.)
      Homer: D'oh!

    • Gil: You don't want old Gil going door to door, I've made too many enemies selling suckless vacuum cleaners and Rick James Bibles.

    • Garth Motherloving: Hey, Marge, I'm not up on the current slang. Do the kids still say, "Get the hell out of my office?"

  • NOTES (2)

    • Blackboard Joke: None
      Couch Gag: After the family sits down on the couch, a claw from an arcade crane game comes down from overhead and grabs Homer's head and begins pulling him upwards. As Homer disappears he shouts, "Ow, my brain!"

    • This episode was "Dedicated to the memory of Ron Taylor." Ron was the voice and soul of "Bleedin' Gums Murphy," Lisa's saxophone muse.

  • ALLUSIONS (5)

    • Guinness Book of World Records
      The "Duff Book of World Records" is a parody of the Guinness Book of World Records.

    • Erin Brockovich
      Marge is called Erin Choco-Snitch, Erin Brocko-Witch, and Carin' A-lot-a-vich in this episode. These are all plays on the real life activist Erin Brockovich, of whom a movie starring Julia Roberts was made in 2000.

    • Leonard Nimoy
      Of the 3 books that Comic Book Guy buys, I Am Not Spock, I Am Spock, and I Am Also Scotty, the first two were actual autobiographies written by Leonard Nimoy and the last one was made up.

    • Homer: You went to a sugar factory? Were there Oompa Loompas?
      In the book and the 1971 film Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the chocolate factory owned by Willy Wonka runs through the labor of Oompa Loompas, small humanoids from abroad who eat cacao.

    • Beverly Hills Cop
      A parody of the theme song to the 1984 film Beverly Hills Cop is played in the background when Homer and Apu sneak off to illegally import sugar into Springfield.

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