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Difference between revisions of "Marge and Homer Turn a Couple Play"

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"Marge and Homer Turn a Couple Play" is an episode of The Simpsons that aired on May 21, 2006. It was the season finale for the seventeenth season.
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{{Tab}}
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{{EpisodePrevNext|The Monkey Suit|The Mook, the Chef, the Wife and Her Homer}}
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{{Episode
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|image= MAHTACP - Baseballs to be signed.png
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|number= 378
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|season=17
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|snumber=22
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|prodcode= HABF16
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|airdate= May 21, [[2006]]
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|blackboard= Have a great summer, everyone.
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|couchgag= The couches in Springfield attack the citizens.
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|guests= [[Mandy Moore]] as [[Tabitha Vixx]]<br>[[Stacy Keach]] as [[Howard K. Duff VIII]]
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|showrunner1= Al Jean
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|writer= [[Joel H. Cohen]]
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|director= [[Bob Anderson]]
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}}
  
==plot==
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"'''Marge and Homer Turn a Couple Play'''" is the twenty-second and final episode of [[season 17]] of ''[[The Simpsons]]'' and the three-hundred and seventy-eighth episode overall. It originally aired on May 21, [[2006]]. The episode was written by [[Joel H. Cohen]] and directed by [[Bob Anderson]]. It guest stars [[Mandy Moore]] as [[Tabitha Vixx]] and [[Stacy Keach]] as [[Howard K. Duff]].
The Springfield Isotopes's star first baseman sees Homer and Marge kissing on the Jumbotron and asks them to help him with his marriage, but when Homer gets caught giving a neck massage to the player's wife, voiced by Mandy Moore, it's a twin bill of marital ill.
 
  
==Trivia==
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== Synopsis ==
At the end credits for "Hunch", filming locations given are "City of New York" and Lethbridge Alberta, Canada a small city between Calgary and the USA/Canadian border of approximately 80,000 inhabitants. A strange choice to film a prime time crime drama, although Canada has become a popular filming location for many American movies and some television. This was shown in The Bart Wants What It Wants.
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{{Desc|After a passionate kiss between [[Marge]] and [[Homer]] airs on the [[Isotope Stadium|Isotope Jumbotron]], struggling baseball player [[Buck Mitchell]] turns to the couple for marital advice for him and his wife, singer [[Tabitha Vixx]].}}
The writer for the show Homer and the family are watching at the beginning of the episode is J.D. Salinger, author of The Catcher in the Rye.
 
The show they are watching is called "Hunch" and seems to be a poke at the television show Monk.
 
In fact the first name of the "actor" on "Hunch" is Tony which is the real life first name of Monk's main actor Tony Shalhoub.
 
Hunch also seems to be a bit controversial, in the same vein as NYPD Blue if Bart's comment about Hunch's butt in the shower is accurate.
 
One of Tabitha's songs sounds very similar to Britney Spears' Toxic.
 
Among the people shown in the cast of "Hunch" are the late George C. Scott and Gwyneth Paltrow.
 
The file photo of Marge and Homer references Michelangelo's famous Pietà.  
 
  
==Quotes==
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== Plot ==
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[[File:Marge and Homer Turn a Couple Play promo.png|thumb|left|Promo image for the episode.]]
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After an episode of the TV series ''[[Hunch]]'' finishes airing, [[Kent Brockman]] reports on the [[Springfield Isotopes]] becoming first in the league, thanks to their new signing, [[Buck Mitchell]]. Since the team is now first, the Simpsons decide to jump on the bandwagon and go to the next game. Before the game, singer [[Tabitha Vixx]], the wife of Buck Mitchell, performs the national anthem, which evolves into her new song "[[Trouble-istic]]". The performance had Tabitha acting provocative whilst stripping her clothes off. This led to Buck Mitchell feeling angry and embarrassed over her actions. As a result of these feelings, his playing was affected and he messed up badly. To distract the crowd from this, [[Howard K. Duff VIII]] and [[Duffman]] turn on the Kiss Cam. When Buck sees Homer and Marge kiss, he gets an idea on how to save his marriage.
  
*'''Bart:''' You suck!<br>'''Lisa:''' I concur!
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That night, Buck goes to the Simpsons and asks for their help with his marriage, since it isn't going how he wanted it. Whilst Marge is initially reluctant, she comes around to the idea of counseling them. During the first session, Buck tells everyone that he expected Tabitha to give up her singing career to focus on his own goal in life instead. Tabitha then tells them that she doesn't want to stay in a mismatched marriage. The session is ended after Homer starts to flirt with Tabitha. Homer then asks Buck to sign a large amount of baseballs, which he claims are for Bart.
  
*'''Homer:''' We've been through more hardships than the [[Jew]]s and [[Charlie Brown]] put together!
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The next session takes place at Buck and Tabitha's mansion. They discuss how the couple can make more time to spend with each other, including going on mini vacations together. Marge suggests that they can both take the same limo to an award ceremony, rather than separate limos. Buck and Tabitha like this idea and do that. Due to the couple spending more time together, Buck begins to play better once more. The barflies at [[Moe's Tavern]] congratulate Homer on fixing the relationship, because it means the Isotopes may win. Meanwhile, Tabitha writes a new song, "[[Sexy Marriage Land]]". After she performs the song, Homer goes to see her in the dressing room and ends up giving her a chicken grease neck massage. When Buck overhears this, he storms in and knocks Homer out, ending their counseling sessions.
  
*'''Homer:''' So why didn't you marry [[Kevin Federline|one of your crummy backup dancers]]?<br>'''Tabitha Vixx:''' They're [[day laborer]]s. We pick them up in the [[Home Depot]] parking lot.
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Buck's performance in baseball takes a dive again as his mind is occupied by his marriage problems. The [[KBBL]] show ''[[Jock Squawk]]'' tells listeners that Homer is to blame because of his poor counseling. This leads to Homer and [[Bart]] both getting beaten up. Homer then decides that he needs to fix the marriage, but Marge refuses to help as Homer gave Tabitha a massage. After Homer leaves to try and fix the marriage, Tabitha arrives at the house and tells Marge that she's leaving Buck. Marge then decides that she does need to help fix the relationship.
  
*'''"Jock Squawk" host:''' And that's why [[Lou Gehrig]] was a selfish crybaby who deserved to die! Springfield, what do you think?
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At the Isotopes Stadium, the [[Duff Blimp]] flies overhead displaying a message supposedly from Tabitha, saying that she loves Buck. Tabitha wasn't actually in the blimp and Homer had hijacked it from [[Duffman]] to get Buck to play better again. Buck sees the message and hits the next ball out of the park, and through the blimp. As the blimp crashes down, Homer jumps out. Buck searches the blimp for Tabitha before he realizes that she wasn't there and Homer had tricked him. When he was about to hit Homer again, Tabitha appears on the Jumbotron and tells Buck that she will take him back if he can guess the attendance of the game. She then takes Buck back and the two reunite. Buck then asks another player, {{ap|Tito|Marge and Homer Turn a Couple Play}}, if love is grand. Tito tells Buck that he doesn't care as bandits kidnapped his mother.
  
*'''Isotopes announcer:''' [[Led Zeppelin|Said zeppelin]] is a [[Whole Lotta Love|whole lotta love]]!
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== Production ==
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The episode originated from the idea that Homer and Marge didn't have many couple friends, but then it went off on a tangent.<ref name="Cohen">{{Com|Cohen, Joel H.|Marge and Homer Turn a Couple Play|Seventeenth|(2014).|link=Joel H. Cohen}}</ref> The couch gag for the episode was directed by [[Susie Dietter]].<ref name="Silverman">{{Com|Silverman, David|Marge and Homer Turn a Couple Play|Seventeenth|(2014).|link=David Silverman}}</ref> [[Mandy Moore]] was directed by [[Carolyn Omine]].<ref name="Long">{{Com|Long, Tim|Marge and Homer Turn a Couple Play|Seventeenth|(2014).|link=Tim Long}}</ref> The song she performs, "[[Trouble-istic]]", was roughly based on "{{W2|Toxic|song}}" by [[Britney Spears]]. Tabitha Vixx was originally called Fiona Vixx, but someone on the writing team thought it sounded too similar to {{W|Fiona Apple}}.<ref name="Cohen"/>
  
*'''Homer:''' And you said it would never work.<br> '''[[Duffman]]:''' Duffman said he would do whatever you wanted!  Please stop kicking and punching Duffman!
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The attendance number options of the stadium are a {{W|perfect number}} (8,128), a {{W|narcissistic number}} (8,208), and a {{W|mersenne prime}} number (8,191). These numbers were suggested by [[Jeff Westbrook]], however, it was [[Ian Maxtone-Graham]]'s suggestion to have funny numbers as the options.<ref name="Jean">{{Com|Jean, Al|Marge and Homer Turn a Couple Play|Seventeenth|(2014).|link=Al Jean}}</ref>
  
*'''Duffman:''' Duffman gives the people what they want! <br/> '''Marge:''' Weren't you just tied up in the blimp? <br/> '''Duffman:'''  Three Duffmen are working this game tonight! <br/> '''Second Duffman (entering):''' Don't tell the children, it's disillusioning! <br/> '''Both Duffmen:''' Duffman! Duffman! Duffman!
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<gallery>
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File:HABF16 Script.jpg
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</gallery>
  
*'''Lisa:''' Mom and Dad can't do marriage counseling. If you listen closely, you can here them arguing now. ''(they then listen closely)'' <br/> '''Homer (in distance):''' I don't care what you say! A monkey ''can'' mow our lawn!
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== Reception ==
*'''Baseball Announcer:''' That ball is going, going, going...and like America's credibility on the world stage, that ball is gone!
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As of February [[2022]], the episode has a 6.3 rating on {{W|IMDb}}.<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0809050/ IMDb - "Marge and Homer Turn a Couple Play"]</ref>
  
*'''Lenny:''' Rememeber when we used to kiss like that Carl?...with our respective girlfriends? <br/> '''Carl:''' I wonder where Jill and Kelly are now. <br/> '''Lenny:''' I heard Jill died and Kelly I think is a [[prostitute]].
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== References ==
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{{Reflist}}
  
*'''Bart (seeing Tabitha dancing around a lamp):''' ''(on his [[cellphone]])'' Cancel all my appointments.
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{{Images|ep=yes}}
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{{season 17}}
  
*'''Marge:''' ''(To Homer)'' The only person you should be giving chicken grease neck rubs to is me! but not me because I think they're disgusting!<br/>'''Homer:''' Oh, so now we're judging each other based on things we've done?! Real nice, Marge!! Class act!!
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[[Category:2006]]
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[[Category:Season finales]]
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[[Category:Homer episodes]]
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[[Category:Marge episodes]]
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[[Category:Romance-themed episodes]]
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[[Category:Sport-themed episodes]]
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[[Category:Episodes written by Joel H. Cohen]]
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[[Category:Episodes directed by Bob Anderson]]
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[[sv:Marge and Homer Turn a Couple Play]]

Latest revision as of 13:15, March 28, 2024

Season 17 Episode
377 "The Monkey Suit"
378
"Marge and Homer Turn a Couple Play"
"The Mook, the Chef, the Wife and Her Homer" 379
"Marge and Homer Turn a Couple Play"
MAHTACP - Baseballs to be signed.png
Episode Information
Episode number: 378
Season number: S17 E22
Production code: HABF16
Original airdate: May 21, 2006
Chalkboard gag: Have a great summer, everyone.
Couch gag: The couches in Springfield attack the citizens.
Guest star(s): Mandy Moore as Tabitha Vixx
Stacy Keach as Howard K. Duff VIII
Showrunner: Al Jean
Written by: Joel H. Cohen
Directed by: Bob Anderson


"Marge and Homer Turn a Couple Play" is the twenty-second and final episode of season 17 of The Simpsons and the three-hundred and seventy-eighth episode overall. It originally aired on May 21, 2006. The episode was written by Joel H. Cohen and directed by Bob Anderson. It guest stars Mandy Moore as Tabitha Vixx and Stacy Keach as Howard K. Duff.

Synopsis[edit]

"After a passionate kiss between Marge and Homer airs on the Isotope Jumbotron, struggling baseball player Buck Mitchell turns to the couple for marital advice for him and his wife, singer Tabitha Vixx."


Plot[edit]

Promo image for the episode.

After an episode of the TV series Hunch finishes airing, Kent Brockman reports on the Springfield Isotopes becoming first in the league, thanks to their new signing, Buck Mitchell. Since the team is now first, the Simpsons decide to jump on the bandwagon and go to the next game. Before the game, singer Tabitha Vixx, the wife of Buck Mitchell, performs the national anthem, which evolves into her new song "Trouble-istic". The performance had Tabitha acting provocative whilst stripping her clothes off. This led to Buck Mitchell feeling angry and embarrassed over her actions. As a result of these feelings, his playing was affected and he messed up badly. To distract the crowd from this, Howard K. Duff VIII and Duffman turn on the Kiss Cam. When Buck sees Homer and Marge kiss, he gets an idea on how to save his marriage.

That night, Buck goes to the Simpsons and asks for their help with his marriage, since it isn't going how he wanted it. Whilst Marge is initially reluctant, she comes around to the idea of counseling them. During the first session, Buck tells everyone that he expected Tabitha to give up her singing career to focus on his own goal in life instead. Tabitha then tells them that she doesn't want to stay in a mismatched marriage. The session is ended after Homer starts to flirt with Tabitha. Homer then asks Buck to sign a large amount of baseballs, which he claims are for Bart.

The next session takes place at Buck and Tabitha's mansion. They discuss how the couple can make more time to spend with each other, including going on mini vacations together. Marge suggests that they can both take the same limo to an award ceremony, rather than separate limos. Buck and Tabitha like this idea and do that. Due to the couple spending more time together, Buck begins to play better once more. The barflies at Moe's Tavern congratulate Homer on fixing the relationship, because it means the Isotopes may win. Meanwhile, Tabitha writes a new song, "Sexy Marriage Land". After she performs the song, Homer goes to see her in the dressing room and ends up giving her a chicken grease neck massage. When Buck overhears this, he storms in and knocks Homer out, ending their counseling sessions.

Buck's performance in baseball takes a dive again as his mind is occupied by his marriage problems. The KBBL show Jock Squawk tells listeners that Homer is to blame because of his poor counseling. This leads to Homer and Bart both getting beaten up. Homer then decides that he needs to fix the marriage, but Marge refuses to help as Homer gave Tabitha a massage. After Homer leaves to try and fix the marriage, Tabitha arrives at the house and tells Marge that she's leaving Buck. Marge then decides that she does need to help fix the relationship.

At the Isotopes Stadium, the Duff Blimp flies overhead displaying a message supposedly from Tabitha, saying that she loves Buck. Tabitha wasn't actually in the blimp and Homer had hijacked it from Duffman to get Buck to play better again. Buck sees the message and hits the next ball out of the park, and through the blimp. As the blimp crashes down, Homer jumps out. Buck searches the blimp for Tabitha before he realizes that she wasn't there and Homer had tricked him. When he was about to hit Homer again, Tabitha appears on the Jumbotron and tells Buck that she will take him back if he can guess the attendance of the game. She then takes Buck back and the two reunite. Buck then asks another player, Tito, if love is grand. Tito tells Buck that he doesn't care as bandits kidnapped his mother.

Production[edit]

The episode originated from the idea that Homer and Marge didn't have many couple friends, but then it went off on a tangent.[1] The couch gag for the episode was directed by Susie Dietter.[2] Mandy Moore was directed by Carolyn Omine.[3] The song she performs, "Trouble-istic", was roughly based on "Toxic" by Britney Spears. Tabitha Vixx was originally called Fiona Vixx, but someone on the writing team thought it sounded too similar to Fiona Apple.[1]

The attendance number options of the stadium are a perfect number (8,128), a narcissistic number (8,208), and a mersenne prime number (8,191). These numbers were suggested by Jeff Westbrook, however, it was Ian Maxtone-Graham's suggestion to have funny numbers as the options.[4]

Reception[edit]

As of February 2022, the episode has a 6.3 rating on IMDb.[5]

References[edit]


The Saga of Carl - title screen.png Wikisimpsons has a collection of images related to "Marge and Homer Turn a Couple Play".
Season 17 Episodes
The Bonfire of the Manatees The Girl Who Slept Too Little Milhouse of Sand and Fog Treehouse of Horror XVI Marge's Son Poisoning See Homer Run The Last of the Red Hat Mamas The Italian Bob Simpsons Christmas Stories Homer's Paternity Coot We're on the Road to D'ohwhere My Fair Laddy The Seemingly Never-Ending Story Bart Has Two Mommies Homer Simpson, This Is Your Wife Million-Dollar Abie Kiss Kiss Bang Bangalore The Wettest Stories Ever Told Girls Just Want to Have Sums Regarding Margie The Monkey Suit Marge and Homer Turn a Couple Play