There's Something About Marrying

Season 16, Episode 10, Aired
EDIT

Episode Summary

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.moreless
7.7
out of 10
EPISODE RATING: Good
147 votes
  • Your Rating: 10
    "Perfect"
  • Your Rating: 9.5
    "Superb"
  • Your Rating: 9
    "Superb"
  • Your Rating: 8.5
    "Great"
  • Your Rating: 8
    "Great"
  • Your Rating: 7.5
    "Good"
  • Your Rating: 7
    "Good"
  • Your Rating: 6.5
    "Fair"
  • Your Rating: 6
    "Fair"
  • Your Rating: 5.5
    "Mediocre"
  • Your Rating: 5
    "Mediocre"
  • Your Rating: 4.5
    "Poor"
  • Your Rating: 4
    "Poor"
  • Your Rating: 3.5
    "Bad"
  • Your Rating: 3
    "Bad"
  • Your Rating: 2.5
    "Terrible"
  • Your Rating: 2
    "Terrible"
  • Your Rating: 1.5
    "Abysmal"
  • Your Rating: 1
    "Abysmal"
Rate It

Cast & Crew

See All EDIT

  • 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 (5)

See All

  • Superb

    9.0
    "Superb"
    By futuramarama, Jul 03, 2010 Report Abuse
    homer starts marrying people.... gay people. However, will this change when Patty comes out and reveals she wants to marry her partner? ?Can marge accept Patty being gay?

    Good episode, the first act was a little dull and that is really the only thing keeping it from an A+. I liked the rest, such as Homer's "I like beer!" line, and thought the "Twist" at the end was unexpected. Overall, a funny episode with a very good plot, as I said I disliked the first act, the rest though was great, my grade for this episode is about a B+moreless

    DO YOU AGREE?

    0 0

  • A tough issue to tackle and well played just missing something

    6.5
    "Fair"
    By lxdawg25, Jun 20, 2008 Report Abuse
    This is definitely an interesting episode. Of the later years this is as well made as they come. Yet it still has that zaniness, if you will, that accompanies the newer episodes that just doesn't sit right with those of us who prefer the older stuff. A weak lead-in with the traveling news reporter is really lacking of any witty humor and poorly transitions with a town hall that at the very least pokes fun at itself.

    Homer then drops his beliefs against gay marriage to make a quick buck. This is a typical reaction of the dumb homer of the newer episodes. He just jumps around in convictions and jobs. I did enjoy the fact that Homer did keep his convictions some as can be seen when he is praying to god as he "consecrates another gay union that angers you so."

    I do think that the writers tackled a sensitive issue with a good balance of wit and severity to make it go down easy no matter what side of the fence you are on. The jokes were over the top but lacked that biting edge that would of made them offensive.

    It would of also been nice to see a union of someone other than Patty as her sexuality was never really as questioned as Smithers or Lenny and Karl. As for individual scenes I absolutely love when Patty burned Homer with a cigarette, and the image of Homer making out with himself will always always haunt me.

    When all is said and done this is a great episode and if it was done with a little more of the wit and intelligent humor of the older seasons I think it could have been superb but it is still an okay episode.moreless

    DO YOU AGREE?

    0 0

  • Some of the funniest moments in the whole series..

    9.7
    "Superb"
    By Iverson82094, Feb 22, 2008 Report Abuse
    To boost tourism in Springfield, the town decides to legalize same-sex marriages. Homer discovers the monetary value of gay marriages, becomes an ordained minister via the internet, and soon marries everyone and everything in town. Patty Bouvier then comes to Homer and asks him to marry her to Veronica a professional women's golfer. Selma is happy for her sister that she found love, but is sad that now she is all alone. While Marge is coping with the fact that her big sister is marrying a woman, she discovers that Veronica is a man disguised as a lesbian! When the truth is exposed, Veronica is kicked out of the LPGA and Patty is driven back into the arms of the one person who truly understands her, Selma.moreless

    DO YOU AGREE?

    1 1

  • Homer gets another job; minister

    9.6
    "Superb"
    By jimbo_001, Jan 31, 2006 Report Abuse
    The first act of this episode is hilarious, Bart and Millhouse trying to pull pranks on everyone such as Barney who has gone on yet another relapse though it seems for a few seconds that he is sober ("remember the twelve steps") and when they do find an out-of-towner, the pranks they play are hilarious and unpredictable as far as the three eyed fish turning out to be a giant mutant.
    The fact that this severely reduces tourism (since he happens to be a reporter) was a great way to start the episode off and the revelation that Patty is gay (though she did date skinner for a while) was a good moment. I'll finish this episode with a classic homer quote: "who's next? adam and steve or madam and eve?"moreless

    DO YOU AGREE?

    0 2

  • Okay.. could of been better if they ddn't have to have all taht gayness.

    7.0
    "Good"
    By Star_Blaster, Nov 26, 2005 Report Abuse
    I liked it, serisouly. It was great at first but then it got silly. Homer sets up a chapel where he gays can marry each other. Then the family find out Selma is marrying a woman, so she is gay too, but Marge finds out it's a man, and Selma is surprised to find that out, and says she wnats to marry a woman. It's kinda weird, and even if it was kinda funny it could of been better if it didn't have all this sex talk and stuff like that, and all the lesbiund stuff, ect. But, overall, funny episode idea and has a good start.moreless

    DO YOU AGREE?

    1 5
 

Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

See All

  • Trivia

    ADD TRIVIA
    • 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 fourth marriage and divorce was with Disco Stu. Edit

  • Notes

    ADD NOTES
    • 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

  • Quotes

    ADD QUOTES
    • (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

  • Allusions

    ADD ALLUSIONS
    • 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

Show Forums

See All
Last Activity
Replies

Watch The Simpsons Full Episodes

See All

Related Shows

Season 16 Episodes

See All
Ep 21
The Father, The Son, and T...
Ep 20
Home Away From Homer
Ep 19
Thank God, It's Doomsday
Ep 18
A Star Is Torn
Ep 17
The Heartbroke Kid
Ep 16
Don't Fear the Roofer
Ep 15
Future-Drama
Ep 14
The Seven-Beer Snitch
Ep 13
Mobile Homer
Ep 12
Goo Goo Gai Pan
Ep 11
On a Clear Day I Can't See...
Ep 10
There's Something About Ma...
Ep 9
Pranksta Rap
Ep 8
Homer and Ned's Hail Mary ...
Ep 7
Mommie Beerest
Ep 6
Midnight Rx
Ep 5
Fat Man and Little Boy
Ep 4
She Used to Be My Girl
Ep 3
Sleeping with the Enemy
Ep 2
All's Fair in Oven War
Ep 1
Treehouse of Horror XV

Contributors

Become a contributor
More
Less

TV Listings

Full Listings
BROWSE | Shows | Videos | News | Listings | Forums | People | Photos | TV.com Blog

CBS Entertainment | About TV.com | About CBS Interactive | Jobs | Advertise

© 2012 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. | Privacy Policy | Ad Choice | Terms of Use