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

Wikisimpsons - The Simpsons Wiki
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{{Episode
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|image= MAHTACP - Baseballs to be signed.png
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|image = Tabitha.png
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|number= 378
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|Episode Number = 378
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|season=17
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|productionCode = HABF16
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|snumber=22
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|originalAirdate = May 21, 2006
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|prodcode= HABF16
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|blackboardText = Have a great summer, everyone.
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|airdate= May 21, [[2006]]
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|couchGag = The couches in Springfield attack the citizens.
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|blackboard= Have a great summer, everyone.
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|specialGuestVoices = [[Mandy Moore]] as [[Tabitha Vixx]]<br>[[Stacy Keach]] as [[Howard K. Duff]]
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|couchgag= The couches in Springfield attack the citizens.
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|Show Runner = [[Al Jean]]
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|guests= [[Mandy Moore]] as [[Tabitha Vixx]]<br>[[Stacy Keach]] as [[Howard K. Duff VIII]]
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|Written By = [[Joel H. Cohen]]
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|showrunner1= Al Jean
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|Directed By = [[Bob Anderson]]
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|writer= [[Joel H. Cohen]]
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|director= [[Bob Anderson]]
 
}}
 
}}
  
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"'''Marge and Homer Turn a Couple Play'''" is the twenty-second episode of [[season 17]].
+
"'''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 ==
 
== Synopsis ==
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[[Springfield Isotopes]] player [[Buck Mitchell]]'s marriage with [[Tabitha Vixx]] isn't going too well, so he asks [[Homer]] and [[Marge]] for advices to stay together.
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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]].}}
  
 
== Plot ==
 
== Plot ==
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The show opens to the family watching a cop drama. As the credits roll, [[Kent Brockman]] announces that the [[Springfield Isotopes]] are in first place thanks to their new acquisition of [[Buck Mitchell|Buck "Home run King" Mitchell]]. "To the bandwagon!" shouts Homer, as they all head to Springfield Stadium. Buck’s pop star wife [[Tabitha Vixx]], sings the first few bars of the American national anthem at the game, then strips down to lingerie and launches into one of her own songs, which shocks the audience (especially [[Bart]]). After a minute of lascivious dancing, she concludes “...and the home of the brave.” Buck, humiliated, delivers a terrible performance at that night’s game, even accidentally lets go of the bat while swinging it which accidentally hits [[Sideshow Mel]]'s fiance, causing the crowd to boo at him. He later sees [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] and [[Marge Simpson|Marge]] kissing on the JumboTron; later that night, Buck shows up at the Simpsons’ front door and asks for help with his marriage in exchange for season tickets.
+
[[File:Marge and Homer Turn a Couple Play promo.png|thumb|left|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.
  
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Marge doubts their ability to counsel another couple. Her doubts lead to her and Homer flirting, which Buck sees and claims is an example of what he wants with his own wife. At the first session—taking place in the Simpsons’ living room—Buck confesses he assumed Tabitha would give up her recording career to focus on his minor league baseball career, to which she responds she won’t stay in a mismatched marriage. The session concludes with Homer asking Buck to sign dozens of baseballs (as a present for Bart), which pour virtually endlessly from the bag. At school the next day, Bart and [[Lisa]] talk about how weird it is that their parents are giving marital advice, as they always argue about everything. In the background, Homer is heard yelling "And I say a monkey ''can'' mow our lawn!"
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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.
  
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The next session takes place at Buck and Tabitha’s mansion and goes much more smoothly. As a result of his now-steady personal life, Buck's game returns to superior form and the crowd loves him again. Tabitha continues her singing tour, and the Simpsons attend one of her concerts. When Tabitha begins pole dancing in lingerie again, Bart says,"I have a sudden urge to give her a five dollar bill" prompting Marge to walk him and Lisa out. Homer comes to meet Tabitha in her dressing room to check up on things. He sees a bucket of fried chicken and says "Oh, you're so hot! I wish I'd met you before my wife!" Tabitha is at first flattered, but then realizes that he is talking to the chicken. She asks Homer to give her a neck rub; her loud moans and Homer's praise of the fried chicken he is eating are overheard through the door by Buck, who misinterprets them and barges in enraged and slugs Homer.
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== Production ==
 +
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"/>
  
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Now with his marriage again on the rocks, Buck goes into another slump. Homer wants to get them back together, but Marge refuses to help. He leaves, and a few minutes later Tabitha knocks on the door; she tells a shocked Marge that she plans to leave Buck for good. Marge objects, insisting they stay together. Tabitha then remembers that Buck was the first man that didn't just like her for her body, as he always complimented her on her hair. She then notices that Marge's standing lamp is dirty and begins pole dancing to clean it. Bart comes downstairs while talking on the phone and says to the other person "Cancel all my appointments." Marge leads Tabitha out the door.
+
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>
  
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Buck Mitchell is next seen at the plate in the bottom of the ninth. Homer has hijacked the [[Duff Beer|Duff]] blimp and spells out a message to Buck, supposedly from Tabitha proclaiming her love. Buck, reinvigorated, hits the ball into the blimp itself, causing it to crash into the field; as Homer alone runs from the wreckage, Buck realizes Tabitha had no part in the message. He charges Homer, bat in hand, but Marge delivers a monologue over the Jumbo-Vision, dissuading him. Tabitha then comes on the Jumbo-Vision to tell Buck she wants to stay together.
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<gallery>
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File:HABF16 Script.jpg
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</gallery>
  
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The episode closes with another Isotope player, Tito, saying he doesn’t care about the healed marriage because bandits just kidnapped his mother.
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== Reception ==
 +
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>
  
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== References ==
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{{Reflist}}
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{{Images|ep=yes}}
 
{{season 17}}
 
{{season 17}}
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[[Category:Episodes]]
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[[Category:Season 17]]
 
 
[[Category:2006]]
 
[[Category:2006]]
 
[[Category:Season finales]]
 
[[Category:Season finales]]
 
[[Category:Homer episodes]]
 
[[Category:Homer episodes]]
 
[[Category:Marge episodes]]
 
[[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]]
  
 
[[sv:Marge and Homer Turn a Couple Play]]
 
[[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]

  • HABF16 Script.jpg

Reception[edit]

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

References[edit]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Cohen, Joel H. (2014). Commentary for "Marge and Homer Turn a Couple Play", in The Simpsons: The Complete Seventeenth Season.
  2. ↑ Silverman, David (2014). Commentary for "Marge and Homer Turn a Couple Play", in The Simpsons: The Complete Seventeenth Season.
  3. ↑ Long, Tim (2014). Commentary for "Marge and Homer Turn a Couple Play", in The Simpsons: The Complete Seventeenth Season.
  4. ↑ Jean, Al (2014). Commentary for "Marge and Homer Turn a Couple Play", in The Simpsons: The Complete Seventeenth Season.
  5. ↑ IMDb - "Marge and Homer Turn a Couple Play"


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
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