The Two Mrs. Nahasapeemapetilons

"The Two Mrs. Nahasapeemapetilons" 250px

Episode Information Showrunner: [[{{{showrunner}}}]]

"The Two Mrs. Nahasapeemapetilons" is the seventh episode of The Simpsons' ninth season, that originally aired on November 16, 1997. It was written by Richard Appel and directed by Steven Dean Moore. The episode sees Apu marry Manjula, and incorporates several aspects of Hindu wedding ceremonies.

Plot

At a bachelor auction to raise money for the Springfield fire brigade, the available bachelors on display are deemed undesirable, and the auction makes no money at all. Marge then nominates Apu, who is deemed a success by the women at the auction and is sold for $926. He goes out on dates with Luann Van Houten, Miss Hoover, Selma Bouvier, Ruth Powers and another unknown woman, and begins to enjoy his bachelor lifestyle. One day, he receives a letter from his mother in India, reminding him of his arranged marriage to Manjula, the daughter of a family friend. Not wanting to get married, Apu asks Homer for advice. Homer suggests Apu tell his mother that he is already married. Days later, Apu thinks that he has escaped the marriage until he sees his mother walking towards the Kwik-E-Mart. To cover him, Homer tells Apu to pretend that Marge is his wife.

At the Simpson residence, Marge disapproves of the plan, but decides to do it for Apu's sake. Apu's mother is displeased with his choice of bride, and shocked to learn that she has grandchildren. While the plan is under way Homer decides to stay in the Springfield Retirement Castle with his father, posing as resident Cornelius Talmidge. That is, until the real Cornelius returns, at which point he flees. He returns home and gets into bed with Marge. Mrs. Nahasapeemapetilon enters to say goodbye, but is shocked to see Marge in bed with another man, and Apu on the floor. Tired of the whole charade, Marge forces Apu to tell his mother the truth, who declares that the arranged marriage will proceed as planned.

The wedding is held in the Simpson's back garden, but Apu still has second thoughts about it. However, when he sees Manjula for the first time in years, he realizes how beautiful she really is and feels a little less reluctant. Apu asks about her favorite food, book and movie; the answer to all three questions is Fried Green Tomatoes. The pair decide that perhaps the marriage can work after all. Homer, poorly disguised as Ganesha, tries to stop the wedding, but is chased away by one of the guests, and Apu and Manjula marry.

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Cultural references

The Foreigner song "Hot Blooded" plays over Apu's bachelor binge, and he dances in a manner similar to Riverdance. Additionally, an accurate Indian translation of the Carpenters' song "(They Long to Be) Close to You" is sung at the wedding, and Indian vocal group was hired to sing, while Alf Clausen wrote the instrumental part. The scene where Moe walks on and off the stage without breaking his stride was loosely based on a moment that occurred during a stand up show of comedian Red Foxx. During a show in Las Vegas, Foxx came on stage to the Sanford and Son theme song, only to find that there were very few people in the audience. Foxx reacted angrily refusing to do a show with such a small audience and walked off. The house orchestra, puzzled by Foxx's leave simply played him off with the Sanford and Son theme song again. This incident was also referenced in the later episode "Trash of the Titans", when Ray Patterson is reinstated, although the reference is more blatant then.

Reception

Todd Gilchrist named the episode as one of his favorites of the ninth season in his review of the DVD boxset, and Warren Martyn and Adrian Wood, the authors of the book I Can't Believe It's a Bigger and Better Updated Unofficial Simpsons Guide, called it "a good fun episode." Ian Jones and Steve Williams criticized the episode, calling it "a messy, unfocused lampooning" of arranged Hindu marriages.

Homer writing "Where are the sticky buns" on a sheet of paper after Apu asks him for advice is one of Mike Scully's favorite jokes.

Goofs

• In many of the wedding scenes Marge is wearing white pearls like Lisa's rather than her red ones.

• A few scenes later Homer is seen not wearing his Ganesh costume without there being the time to change.

← Season 8 Season 9 Episodes Season 10 →

The City of New York vs. Homer Simpson • The Principal and the Pauper • Lisa's Sax • Treehouse of Horror VIII • The Cartridge Family • Bart Star • The Two Mrs. Nahasapeemapetilons • Lisa the Skeptic • Realty Bites • Miracle on Evergreen Terrace • All Singing, All Dancing • Bart Carny • The Joy of Sect • Das Bus • The Last Temptation of Krust • Dumbbell Indemnity • Lisa the Simpson • This Little Wiggy • Simpson Tide • The Trouble with Trillions • Girly Edition • Trash of the Titans • King of the Hill • Lost Our Lisa • Natural Born Kissers