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Difference between revisions of "Itchy & Scratchy & Marge"

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{{episode
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{{Quote|Dear Purveyors of Senseless Violence: I know this may sound silly at first, but I believe that the cartoons you show to our children are influencing their behavior in a negative way. Please try to tone down the psychotic violence in your otherwise fine programming. Yours truly, Marge Simpson.|[[Marge]]'s letter to [[Roger Meyers, Jr.]]}}
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|productionCode=7F06
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{{Episode
−
|originalAirdate=December 20, 1990
+
|name= Itchy & Scratchy & Marge
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|blackboardText=I will not pledge allegiance to Bart.
+
|image= Itchy & Scratchy & Marge.png
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|couchGag=The couch is missing.
+
|number= 22
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|billboard=
+
|season=2
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|specialGuestVoices=[[Alex Rocco]] as [[Roger Meyers, Jr.]]
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|snumber=9
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|Written By=[[John Swartzwelder]]
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|prodcode= 7F09
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|Directed By=
+
|airdate= December 20, [[1990]]
 +
|blackboard= I will not pledge allegiance to Bart.
 +
|couchgag= The couch is missing.
 +
|guests= [[Alex Rocco]] as [[Roger Meyers, Jr.]]
 +
|showrunner1= James L. Brooks
 +
|showrunner2= Matt Groening
 +
|showrunner3= Sam Simon
 +
|writer= [[John Swartzwelder]]
 +
|director= [[Jim Reardon]]
 +
|DVD features=yes
 
}}
 
}}
  
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"'''Itchy & Scratchy & Marge'''" is the ninth episode of ''[[The Simpsons]]''<nowiki>'</nowiki> second season, airing on December 20, 1990.
+
"'''Itchy & Scratchy & Marge'''" is the ninth episode of [[season 2]] of ''[[The Simpsons]]'' and the twenty-second episode overall. It originally aired on December 20, [[1990]]. The episode was written by [[John Swartzwelder]] and directed by [[Jim Reardon]]. It guest stars [[Alex Rocco]] as [[Roger Meyers, Jr.]]
  
−
==Plot==
+
== Synopsis ==
−
[[Homer Simpson|Homer]] attempts to build [[Marge Simpson|Marge]] a spice rack. While he is doing so, [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]] sneaks up and hits Homer on the head with a [[mallet]]. Marge is at first clueless as to why Maggie would do such a thing, but Maggie sees an episode of ''[[The Itchy & Scratchy Show]]'', a cartoon which is known for its violence, and tries to stab Homer with a pencil.  Marge immediately blames ''The Itchy & Scratchy Show'' for Maggie's actions and bans Bart and Lisa from watching the show. Despite the ban, Bart and Lisa still manage to watch ''Itchy & Scratchy'' at friends houses. Marge writes a letter to the producers of the show asking them to tone down their violence and in response, [[Roger Meyers, Jr.]]&mdash;the CEO of Itchy & Scratchy International&mdash;writes a letter to Marge, telling her one person can not make a difference and calls her a "[[screwball]]". In response, Marge decides to "show what one screwball can do".
+
{{desc|After watching an Itchy and Scratchy cartoon, [[Maggie]] strikes [[Homer]] with a mallet. Horrified, [[Marge]] vows to put a stop to violence on children's television. But when the ball of censorship starts to roll, where will it all end?}}
  
−
Marge forms "[[Springfield (The Simpsons)|Springfield]]ians for Nonviolence, Understanding, and Helping" (SNUH) and forces the family to picket outside the Itchy & Scratchy Studios. Marge's protest gains momentum and soon more people join the group and even start to picket ''[[Krusty the Klown|The Krusty the Klown Show]]'', on which ''Itchy & Scratchy'' is shown. Marge appears on [[Kent Brockman]]'s show, ''Smartline'' where she confronts Roger Meyers over the violence and suggests that concerned parents send letters to Meyers. Enough angry letters to fill several trucks are sent to the Studio and Roger Meyers concedes defeat, and agrees to eliminate violence in ''Itchy & Scratchy''. Eventually, a new short in which Itchy & Scratchy sit on a porch drinking lemonade airs, but Bart, Lisa, and other kids across Springfield reject the cleaned-up show. A lengthy montage follows, in which the children of Springfield go outside and engage in various wholesome activities and that night Bart and Lisa brag about their various outdoor activities while Marge listens happily.
+
== Plot ==
 +
Homer attempts to build Marge a spice rack. While he is doing so, Maggie sneaks up and hits Homer on the head with a mallet. Marge is at first clueless as to why Maggie would do such a thing, but Maggie sees an episode of ''[[The Itchy & Scratchy Show]]'', a cartoon which is known for its violence, and tries to stab Homer with a pencil. Marge immediately blames ''The Itchy & Scratchy Show'' for Maggie's actions and bans [[Bart]] and [[Lisa]] from watching the show. Despite the ban, Bart and Lisa still manage to watch ''Itchy & Scratchy'' at friends houses. Marge writes a letter to the producers of the show asking them to tone down their violence and in response, [[Roger Meyers, Jr.]] (the CEO of Itchy & Scratchy International) writes a letter to Marge, telling her one person can not make a difference and calls her a "screwball". In response, Marge decides to "show what one screwball can do!"
 +
[[File:I&S&M.png|thumb|left|The [[Disapproving squirrel|Marge squirrel]] confronts Itchy and Scratchy]]
  
−
Meanwhile, [[Michelangelo]]'s [[Michelangelo's David|David]] goes on a coast-to-coast tour of the U.S. and will stop in Springfield. The members of SNUH urge Marge to protest the sculpture, insisting that the sculpture is offensive and unsuitable. However, Marge argues that the sculpture is a masterpiece. Dr Marvin Monroe argues that it is wrong to censor one form of art but not another and she reluctanyly agree's, she decides to give up her anti-cartoon violence protest. ''Itchy & Scratchy'' immediately returns to its old form and Springfield's children abandon their wholesome activities. Homer and Marge go to see David and Marge expresses her disappointment that the kids are watching cartoons rather than seeing the sculpture. She cheers up when Homer tells her that [[Springfield Elementary School|the school]] will be forcing them to go.<ref name="book"/><ref name="bbc"/><ref name=officialsite/>
+
Marge forms "[[Springfield]]ians for Nonviolence, Understanding, and Helping" (SNUH) and forces the family to picket outside the Itchy & Scratchy Studios. Unknown to her, Bart and Lisa have been sneaking off to their friend's houses to watch the shows, under the guise of 'playing sports,' or 'making the most of their childhood years.' Marge's protest gains momentum and soon more people join the group and even start to picket {{Krusty show}}, on which ''Itchy & Scratchy'' is shown. Marge appears on [[Kent Brockman]]'s show, ''Smartline'' where she confronts Roger Meyers over the violence and suggests that concerned parents send letters to Meyers. Enough angry letters to fill several trucks are sent to the Studio and Roger Meyers concedes defeat, and agrees to eliminate violence in ''Itchy & Scratchy''.
  
−
==Production==
+
Eventually, the first of the new shorts is released, in which Itchy & Scratchy sit placidly on a porch drinking lemonade. Marge finds the cartoon to be better, but Bart, Lisa, and the other kids across Springfield reject the cleaned-up show. A lengthy montage follows, in which the children of Springfield go outside and engage in various wholesome activities and that night Bart and Lisa brag about their various outdoor activities while Marge listens happily. Meanwhile, [[Michelangelo]]'s {{W|Michelangelo's David|David}} goes on a coast-to-coast tour of the U.S. and will stop in Springfield. The members of SNUH urge Marge to protest the sculpture, insisting it is offensive and unsuitable. However, Marge argues that the sculpture is a masterpiece. [[Dr. Marvin Monroe]] argues that Marge is being hypocritical in believing that it wrong to censor one form of art but not another, to which Marge is forced to agree and admits defeat.  
−
Itchy & Scratchy & Marge is an acclaimed episode which dealt with censorship issues and allowed the writers to have a lot of [[The Itchy & Scratchy Show|Itchy & Scratchy]] cartoons, which many fans had been clamoring for.<ref name="Jean">{{cite video | people=Jean, Al|year=2002|title=The Simpsons season 2 DVD commentary for the episode "Itchy & Scratchy & Marge"| medium=DVD||publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> The episode was written by [[John Swartzwelder]], who loved Itchy & Scratchy and wrote several episodes that have them at the centre.<ref name="Reiss">{{cite video | people=Reiss, Mike|year=2002|title=The Simpsons season 2 DVD commentary for the episode "Itchy & Scratchy & Marge"| medium=DVD||publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> The episode was partially inspired by [[Terry Rakolta]], who protested the Fox network over the show ''[[Married... with Children]]''.<ref name="Jean"/> For the episode, which handles a large issue, the writers tried not to have a point of view and looked at both sides, despite what the writers personally felt.<ref name="Reiss"/> During the original airing of the episode, the Fox satellite blew out and the entire West coast of the United States missed the first act of the episode.<ref name="Reardon"/>
 
  
−
This was the first episode directed by [[Jim Reardon]], who had previously made a student film called "[[Bring Me the Head of Charlie Brown]]" which was very violent and the experience served him well for this episode.<ref name="Reardon">{{cite video | people=Reardon, Jim|year=2002|title=The Simpsons season 2 DVD commentary for the episode "Itchy & Scratchy & Marge"| medium=DVD||publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> There are several characters who work at I&S studios who are caricatures of real people: the cartoonist who draws the Marge/Squirrel is based on Eddie Fitzgerald, who worked at [[Filmation]] and the three people with Meyers when he is asking Marge for suggestions are caricatures of [[Rich Moore]], [[David Silverman]] and [[Wes Archer]].<ref name="Reardon"/>
+
She decides to give up her anti-cartoon violence protest, although she expresses disappointment that there is no discrimination between centuries-old classic art like the statue of David and the filth meant for the lowest common denominator. ''Itchy & Scratchy'' immediately returns to its old form and Springfield's children abandon their wholesome activities. Homer and Marge go to see David and Marge expresses her disappointment that the kids are watching "a cat and mouse disembowel each other" rather than seeing the sculpture. She cheers up when Homer tells her that [[Springfield Elementary School|the school]] will be forcing them to go.
  
−
[[Alex Rocco]] makes his first of three appearances as Roger Meyers. Many people behind ''The Simpsons'' were huge fans of ''[[The Godfather]]'' and Jim Reardon looked for a way to shoot him in the eye as a reference to Rocco's character, [[Moe Greene]].<ref name="Reardon"/>
+
== Production ==
 +
The episode dealt with censorship issues and allowed the writers to have a lot of ''[[The Itchy & Scratchy Show|Itchy & Scratchy]]'' cartoons which many fans had been clamoring for.<ref name="Jean">{{Com|Jean, Al|Itchy & Scratchy & Marge|Second|(2002).}}</ref> The episode was written by [[John Swartzwelder]], who loved ''Itchy & Scratchy'' and wrote several episodes that have them at the center.<ref name="Reiss">{{Com|Reiss, Mike|Itchy & Scratchy & Marge|Second|(2002).}}</ref> The episode was partially inspired by activist {{W|Terry Rakolta}}, who protested FOX over the show ''[[Married... with Children]]''.<ref name="Jean"/> For the episode, the writers tried not to have a point of view and looked at both sides of the argument, despite what the writers personally felt.<ref name="Reiss"/> During the original airing of the episode, the Fox satellite blew out and the entire West coast of the United States missed the first act of the episode.<ref name="Reardon">{{Com|Reardon, Jim|Itchy & Scratchy & Marge|Second|(2002).}}</ref>
  
−
The long montage of the Kids of Springfield playing was directed by [[Bob Anderson]]<ref name="Reardon"/> and is making a satirical point by saying the opposite of what the writers believed.<ref name="Groening">{{cite video | people=Groening, Matt|year=2002|title=The Simpsons season 2 DVD commentary for the episode "Itchy & Scratchy & Marge"| medium=DVD||publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> The segment was written by John Swartzwelder and the idea of using [[Beethoven]]'s [[Symphony No. 6 (Beethoven)|6th Symphony]] was in the original script. [[James L. Brooks]] had wanted the episode to end with the montage, but the writers disagreed.<ref name="Reiss"/> [[Roger Meyers|Roger Meyers, Jr.]] makes his first appearance in this episode, as does [[Sideshow Mel]], although he does not have any lines until the later episode "[[Black Widower]]".<ref name=bbc/>
+
This was the first episode directed by [[Jim Reardon]]. Reardon had previously made a student film called ''Bring Me the Head of Charlie Brown'', which was very violent which gave him experience to direct this episode.<ref name="Reardon"/> There are several characters who work at I&S studios who are caricatures of real people: the cartoonist who drew the [[disapproving squirrel]] is based on Eddie Fitzgerald, who worked at Filmation and the three people with Roger Meyers when he is asking Marge for suggestions are caricatures of [[Rich Moore]], [[David Silverman]] and [[Wes Archer]].<ref name="Reardon"/>
  
−
==Trivia==
+
[[Alex Rocco]] makes his first of three appearances as Roger Meyers. Many people behind ''The Simpsons'' were huge fans of ''[[The Godfather]]'' and Jim Reardon looked for a way to shoot him in the eye as a reference to Rocco's character, Moe Greene.<ref name="Reardon"/>
−
*Homer's hammer still has the price tag connected.
 
  
−
==Cultural References==
+
The long montage of the Kids of Springfield playing was directed by [[Bob Anderson]]<ref name="Reardon"/> and was making a satirical point by saying the opposite of what the writers believed.<ref name="Groening">{{Com|Groening, Matt|Itchy & Scratchy & Marge|Second|(2002).}}</ref> The segment was written by John Swartzwelder and the idea of using [[Beethoven]]'s {{W2|Symphony No. 6|Beethoven|6th Symphony}} was in the original script. [[James L. Brooks]] had wanted the episode to end with the montage, but the writers disagreed.<ref name="Reiss"/>
−
*The scene where Maggie attacks Homer with a mallet is a recreation of the shower scene from ''Psycho''.
 
  
−
==Appearances==
+
<gallery>
−
===Characters===
+
File:7F09 Script.jpg
−
* [[Marge Simpson]]
+
</gallery>
−
* [[Homer Simpson]]
 
−
* [[Bart Simpson]]
 
−
* [[Lisa Simpson]]
 
−
* [[Maggie Simpson]]
 
−
* [[Itchy & Scratchy]]
 
−
* [[Krusty the Clown]]
 
−
* [[Milhouse Van Houten]]
 
−
* [[Nelson Muntz]]
 
−
* [[Janey Powell]]
 
−
* [[Roger Meyers Jr.]]
 
−
* [[Maude Flanders]]
 
−
* [[Ned Flanders]]
 
−
* [[Timothy Lovejoy]]
 
−
* [[Helen Lovejoy]]
 
−
* [[Sideshow Mel]]
 
−
* [[Corporal Punishment]]
 
−
* [[Kent Brockman]]
 
−
* [[Dr. Marvin Monroe]]
 
−
* [[Lewis]]
 
−
* [[Richard]]
 
−
* [[Weasels]]
 
−
* [[Wendell Borton]]
 
−
* [[Santa's Little Helper]]
 
−
* [[Jasper Beardley]]
 
−
* [[Melissa]]
 
−
* [[Martin Prince]]
 
  
−
===Locations===
+
== Reception ==
−
* [[742 Evergreen Terrace]]
+
"Itchy and Scratchy & Marge" was watched by approximately 22.2 million viewers and was the highest-rated show on [[FOX]] the week it aired.<ref>{{cite news |title=NIELSENS; Special help in ABC win |work=[[USA Today]] |author=Brian Donlon |page=03.D |date=December 28, 1990}}</ref>
−
* [[Itchy & Scratchy International]]
 
−
* [[Channel 6]]
 
−
* [[Krustylu Studios]]
 
−
* [[wikipedia:Vienna|Vienna]]
 
−
* [[wikipedia:Florence|Florence]]
 
−
* [[wikipedia:Athens|Athens]]
 
−
* [[Springfield Palace of Fine Arts]]
 
  
−
==Reception==
+
The episode has received critical acclaim. [http://www.avclub.com/ The A.V Club] has since named the episode "a classic." Awarding the episode an A rating, the A.V Club summed up, "[The episode] got to make a relevant point in line with writer [[John Swartzwelder]]'s libertarianism without sacrificing the momentum of the episode or losing track of the characters and turning them into mere sounding boards for their creator's beliefs" and praised the episode for its satire and humor.<ref>[http://www.avclub.com/tvclub/the-simpsons-classic-itchy-scratchy-marge-47251 A.V Club.com - By Nathan Rabin, Nov 7, 2010 - "The Simpsons (Classic): "Itchy & Scratchy & Marge" - Season 2, Episode 9"]</ref>
  
−
Warren Martyn and Adrian Wood, the authors of the book I Can't Believe It's a Bigger and Better Updated Unofficial Simpsons Guide praised the episode, stating that "Homer's doomed attempt to build a spice rack is only the start of another great episode, which works as a superb debate about television violence and politically inspired censorship." As well as noting that "the ending is especially poignant, as the pedagogues of Springfield swoop on Michelangelo's David as an example of filth and degradation".
+
The ''[[Psycho]]'' parody has received consistent praise and is considered an iconic reference and hallmark within the series. [http://www.totalfilm.com/ Total Film] ranked the parody at #22 on their list of " "The 50 Greatest Simpsons Movie References"<ref>[http://www.totalfilm.com/features/the-50-greatest-simpsons-movie-references/page:18 Total Film - By Nathan Ditum, June 6th, 2009 - "The 50 Greatest Simpsons Movie References: Smart and funny riffs on classic cinema moments..."]</ref>
−
Empire named the Psycho parody as the second best film parody in the show. "The best throwaway gags blindside the unsuspecting viewer in episodes that are nominally about something else [...] Hitchcock is ripped off more than any other director but this is the most lovingly rendered reference."
 
  
−
{{Season 2}}
+
As of July 2018, the episode has an 8.1 rating on {{W|IMDb}}<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0701140/ IMDb - "Itchy & Scratchy & Marge"]</ref> and an 8.6 rating on {{W|TV.com}}.<ref>[http://www.tv.com/shows/the-simpsons/itchy-and-scratchy-and-marge-1307/ TV.com - "Itchy & Scratchy & Marge"]</ref>
−
[[pt:Comichão, Coçadinha e Marge]]
+
 
−
[[Category:Season 2]]
+
== In other languages ==
−
[[Category:Episodes]]
+
{{LanguageBox
 +
|fr=yes
 +
|frName=Tous à la manif
 +
|frTrans=Everyone to the demonstration
 +
|hu=yes
 +
|huName=Marge kontra Frinci és Franci
 +
|huTrans=Marge vs. Itchy & Scratchy
 +
|it=yes
 +
|itName=Grattachecca e Fichetto e Marge
 +
|itTrans=Itchy and Scratchy and Marge
 +
|br=yes
 +
|brName=Comichão, Coçadinha e Marge
 +
|brTrans=Itchy, Scratchy and Marge
 +
|de=yes
 +
|deName=Das Fernsehen ist an allem schuld
 +
|deTrans=TV is to blame for everything
 +
|es=yes
 +
|esName=Rasca, Pica y Marge
 +
|esTrans=Itchy & Scratchy and Marge
 +
|la=yes
 +
|laName=Tomy, Daly y Marge
 +
|laTrans=Itchy & Scratchy and Marge
 +
|jp=yes
 +
|jpName=マージの熱き闘い
 +
|jpTrans=Marge's Fierce Battle
 +
}}
 +
 
 +
== References ==
 +
{{Reflist}}
 +
 
 +
{{Images|ep=yes}}
 +
{{season 2}}
 +
 
 +
[[Category:1990]]
 +
[[Category:Marge episodes]]
 +
[[Category:Homer episodes]]
 +
[[Category:Episodes written by John Swartzwelder]]
 +
[[Category:Episodes directed by Jim Reardon]]
 +
 
 +
[[de:Das Fernsehen ist an allem Schuld]]
 +
[[sv:Itchy & Scratchy & Marge]]

Latest revision as of 12:37, August 19, 2024

Season 2 Episode
← 021 "Bart the Daredevil"
022
"Itchy & Scratchy & Marge"
"Bart Gets Hit by a Car" 023 →
"Dear Purveyors of Senseless Violence: I know this may sound silly at first, but I believe that the cartoons you show to our children are influencing their behavior in a negative way. Please try to tone down the psychotic violence in your otherwise fine programming. Yours truly, Marge Simpson."
―Marge's letter to Roger Meyers, Jr.
"Itchy & Scratchy & Marge"
Itchy & Scratchy & Marge.png
Episode Information
Episode number: 22
Season number: S2 E9
Production code: 7F09
Original airdate: December 20, 1990
Chalkboard gag: I will not pledge allegiance to Bart.
Couch gag: The couch is missing.
Guest star(s): Alex Rocco as Roger Meyers, Jr.
Showrunners: James L. Brooks
Matt Groening
Sam Simon
Written by: John Swartzwelder
Directed by: Jim Reardon
DVD features


"Itchy & Scratchy & Marge" is the ninth episode of season 2 of The Simpsons and the twenty-second episode overall. It originally aired on December 20, 1990. The episode was written by John Swartzwelder and directed by Jim Reardon. It guest stars Alex Rocco as Roger Meyers, Jr.

Synopsis[edit]

"After watching an Itchy and Scratchy cartoon, Maggie strikes Homer with a mallet. Horrified, Marge vows to put a stop to violence on children's television. But when the ball of censorship starts to roll, where will it all end?"


Plot[edit]

Homer attempts to build Marge a spice rack. While he is doing so, Maggie sneaks up and hits Homer on the head with a mallet. Marge is at first clueless as to why Maggie would do such a thing, but Maggie sees an episode of The Itchy & Scratchy Show, a cartoon which is known for its violence, and tries to stab Homer with a pencil. Marge immediately blames The Itchy & Scratchy Show for Maggie's actions and bans Bart and Lisa from watching the show. Despite the ban, Bart and Lisa still manage to watch Itchy & Scratchy at friends houses. Marge writes a letter to the producers of the show asking them to tone down their violence and in response, Roger Meyers, Jr. (the CEO of Itchy & Scratchy International) writes a letter to Marge, telling her one person can not make a difference and calls her a "screwball". In response, Marge decides to "show what one screwball can do!"

The Marge squirrel confronts Itchy and Scratchy

Marge forms "Springfieldians for Nonviolence, Understanding, and Helping" (SNUH) and forces the family to picket outside the Itchy & Scratchy Studios. Unknown to her, Bart and Lisa have been sneaking off to their friend's houses to watch the shows, under the guise of 'playing sports,' or 'making the most of their childhood years.' Marge's protest gains momentum and soon more people join the group and even start to picket The Krusty the Clown Show, on which Itchy & Scratchy is shown. Marge appears on Kent Brockman's show, Smartline where she confronts Roger Meyers over the violence and suggests that concerned parents send letters to Meyers. Enough angry letters to fill several trucks are sent to the Studio and Roger Meyers concedes defeat, and agrees to eliminate violence in Itchy & Scratchy.

Eventually, the first of the new shorts is released, in which Itchy & Scratchy sit placidly on a porch drinking lemonade. Marge finds the cartoon to be better, but Bart, Lisa, and the other kids across Springfield reject the cleaned-up show. A lengthy montage follows, in which the children of Springfield go outside and engage in various wholesome activities and that night Bart and Lisa brag about their various outdoor activities while Marge listens happily. Meanwhile, Michelangelo's David goes on a coast-to-coast tour of the U.S. and will stop in Springfield. The members of SNUH urge Marge to protest the sculpture, insisting it is offensive and unsuitable. However, Marge argues that the sculpture is a masterpiece. Dr. Marvin Monroe argues that Marge is being hypocritical in believing that it wrong to censor one form of art but not another, to which Marge is forced to agree and admits defeat.

She decides to give up her anti-cartoon violence protest, although she expresses disappointment that there is no discrimination between centuries-old classic art like the statue of David and the filth meant for the lowest common denominator. Itchy & Scratchy immediately returns to its old form and Springfield's children abandon their wholesome activities. Homer and Marge go to see David and Marge expresses her disappointment that the kids are watching "a cat and mouse disembowel each other" rather than seeing the sculpture. She cheers up when Homer tells her that the school will be forcing them to go.

Production[edit]

The episode dealt with censorship issues and allowed the writers to have a lot of Itchy & Scratchy cartoons which many fans had been clamoring for.[1] The episode was written by John Swartzwelder, who loved Itchy & Scratchy and wrote several episodes that have them at the center.[2] The episode was partially inspired by activist Terry Rakolta, who protested FOX over the show Married... with Children.[1] For the episode, the writers tried not to have a point of view and looked at both sides of the argument, despite what the writers personally felt.[2] During the original airing of the episode, the Fox satellite blew out and the entire West coast of the United States missed the first act of the episode.[3]

This was the first episode directed by Jim Reardon. Reardon had previously made a student film called Bring Me the Head of Charlie Brown, which was very violent which gave him experience to direct this episode.[3] There are several characters who work at I&S studios who are caricatures of real people: the cartoonist who drew the disapproving squirrel is based on Eddie Fitzgerald, who worked at Filmation and the three people with Roger Meyers when he is asking Marge for suggestions are caricatures of Rich Moore, David Silverman and Wes Archer.[3]

Alex Rocco makes his first of three appearances as Roger Meyers. Many people behind The Simpsons were huge fans of The Godfather and Jim Reardon looked for a way to shoot him in the eye as a reference to Rocco's character, Moe Greene.[3]

The long montage of the Kids of Springfield playing was directed by Bob Anderson[3] and was making a satirical point by saying the opposite of what the writers believed.[4] The segment was written by John Swartzwelder and the idea of using Beethoven's 6th Symphony was in the original script. James L. Brooks had wanted the episode to end with the montage, but the writers disagreed.[2]

  • 7F09 Script.jpg

Reception[edit]

"Itchy and Scratchy & Marge" was watched by approximately 22.2 million viewers and was the highest-rated show on FOX the week it aired.[5]

The episode has received critical acclaim. The A.V Club has since named the episode "a classic." Awarding the episode an A rating, the A.V Club summed up, "[The episode] got to make a relevant point in line with writer John Swartzwelder's libertarianism without sacrificing the momentum of the episode or losing track of the characters and turning them into mere sounding boards for their creator's beliefs" and praised the episode for its satire and humor.[6]

The Psycho parody has received consistent praise and is considered an iconic reference and hallmark within the series. Total Film ranked the parody at #22 on their list of " "The 50 Greatest Simpsons Movie References"[7]

As of July 2018, the episode has an 8.1 rating on IMDb[8] and an 8.6 rating on TV.com.[9]

In other languages[edit]

Language Name Translation
Germany.png Deutsch "Das Fernsehen ist an allem schuld" TV is to blame for everything
Spain flag.png Español "Rasca, Pica y Marge" Itchy & Scratchy and Marge
Hispanic America.gif Español "Tomy, Daly y Marge" Itchy & Scratchy and Marge
France.png Français "Tous à la manif" Everyone to the demonstration
Italy Flag.png Italiano "Grattachecca e Fichetto e Marge" Itchy and Scratchy and Marge
Brasil Flag.png Português "Comichão, Coçadinha e Marge" Itchy, Scratchy and Marge
Hungary flag.png Magyar "Marge kontra Frinci és Franci" Marge vs. Itchy & Scratchy
Flag of Japan.png 日本語 "マージの熱き闘い" Marge's Fierce Battle

References[edit]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Jean, Al (2002). Commentary for "Itchy & Scratchy & Marge", in The Simpsons: The Complete Second Season.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Reiss, Mike (2002). Commentary for "Itchy & Scratchy & Marge", in The Simpsons: The Complete Second Season.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Reardon, Jim (2002). Commentary for "Itchy & Scratchy & Marge", in The Simpsons: The Complete Second Season.
  4. ↑ Groening, Matt (2002). Commentary for "Itchy & Scratchy & Marge", in The Simpsons: The Complete Second Season.
  5. ↑ Brian Donlon. "NIELSENS; Special help in ABC win", USA Today, p. 03.D. 
  6. ↑ A.V Club.com - By Nathan Rabin, Nov 7, 2010 - "The Simpsons (Classic): "Itchy & Scratchy & Marge" - Season 2, Episode 9"
  7. ↑ Total Film - By Nathan Ditum, June 6th, 2009 - "The 50 Greatest Simpsons Movie References: Smart and funny riffs on classic cinema moments..."
  8. ↑ IMDb - "Itchy & Scratchy & Marge"
  9. ↑ TV.com - "Itchy & Scratchy & Marge"


The Saga of Carl - title screen.png Wikisimpsons has a collection of images related to "Itchy & Scratchy & Marge".
Season 2 Episodes
Bart Gets an "F" • Simpson and Delilah • Treehouse of Horror • Two Cars in Every Garage and Three Eyes on Every Fish • Dancin' Homer • Dead Putting Society • Bart vs. Thanksgiving • Bart the Daredevil • Itchy & Scratchy & Marge • Bart Gets Hit by a Car • One Fish, Two Fish, Blowfish, Blue Fish • The Way We Was • Homer vs. Lisa and the 8th Commandment • Principal Charming • Oh Brother, Where Art Thou? • Bart's Dog Gets an "F" • Old Money • Brush with Greatness • Lisa's Substitute • The War of the Simpsons • Three Men and a Comic Book • Blood Feud
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