Homer Simpson, This Is Your Wife

General

References/Trivia

Appearances

Gags

Credits

Quotes

	Season 17 Episode
← 370 "Bart Has Two Mommies"	371 "Homer Simpson, This Is Your Wife"	"Million-Dollar Abie" 372 →

"Homer Simpson, This Is Your Wife" 250px

Episode Information Episode number: 371 Season number: S17 E15 Production code: HABF08 Original airdate: March 26, 2006 Chalkboard gag: I will not eat things for money. (oiginal airing only; taken from the Sky One promo) I will not laminate dog doo. (reruns only) Couch gag: The family (played by live action actors and actresses) sit on the couch just as the animated Simpsons opening comes on. (original airing only; taken from the Sky One promo) The Simpsons sit on the couch, then are dunked into a pit of fire. (reruns only) Guest star(s): Ricky Gervais as Charles Heathbar Showrunner: Al Jean Written by: Ricky Gervais Directed by: Matthew Nastuk

"Homer Simpson, This Is Your Wife" is the fifteenth episode of season 17 of The Simpsons and the three-hundred and seventy-first episode overall. It originally aired on March 26, 2006. The episode was written by Ricky Gervais and directed by Matthew Nastuk. It guest stars Ricky Gervais as Charles Heathbar.

Synopsis

"Homer's obsession with Lenny's new plasma TV prompts Marge to enter the family in a sweepstakes, and they win a trip to the Fox Studio Lot. Against Marge's wishes, Homer signs them up for a "Trading Spouses"-type show and is forced to take in a controlling wife, while Marge moves in with a beaten-down husband, Charles, and his perfect son. Charles quickly develops a crush on Marge, while she tries to give him the strength to stand up to his own wife."

Plot

Lenny invites practically everyone in town to a party at his flat, where he tells them that he has a big surprise. He reveals that he bought a brand new plasma screen TV, and Homer immediately falls in love with its high-definition picture. He begins to spend all his time at Lenny's house, watching TV. Marge sends over the kids to bring him back, but they too get enthralled by the TV. Eventually three days later, Lenny tells him to Beat it!. When he gets back home, he just doesn't enjoy watching his usual TV anymore. Marge tells him that she entered them into a contest where the winner gets a prize that is a plasma screen TV. Later, they get a call, and they learn that they won third place as opposed to first ("Um... no. No one wins that."), and the prize is a trip to the Fox Studio Network (no expenses paid). While there, Homer learns of a reality show called "Mother Flippers" (similar to Wife Swap and Trading Spouses), and the grand prize just happens to be enough money to buy a new plasma screen TV. Marge agrees, although with reluctance, and they enter.

When they get back to Springfield, the show begins. Marge is traded to a nice, easy going man named Charles Heathbar and his perfect son, while Homer gets Charles' very strict wife, Verity. Charles seems to be the classic hen-pecked husband, and is surprised to see that Marge is extremely understanding and nice. Marge enjoys her time with Charles Heathbar, while he begins to develop a crush on her. Meanwhile, Homer, Bart, and Lisa are having troubles with Verity, who continues to discipline them and object to everything they do. She makes homework out of "Itchy and Scratchy" for Bart and asks Homer for his "synopsis" of CSI: Miami.

Back at Charles' house, he writes a love song for Marge (with guitar accompaniment), who seems completely oblivious to him until he comes out and tells her that he's in love with her. She explains to him that she loves Homer, and she tells him that he should tell his wife how he feels. He agrees, and decides to take her back to Homer and then get rid of Verity. When they get back to Springfield, Homer and the kids are ecstatic to see Marge. However, Verity has decided to leave him first, and she has already found a new partner: Patty. Apparently, they both hate Homer equally. Homer threatens to vote No on Proposition 38 (for Gay adoption), but a little arm-twisting by Patty makes him confess he wasn't planning to vote at all, a little more and he's in line.

In the end, Homer plays on the guitar, serenading his true love, his new Plasma TV (and Marge, too).

Production

The episode was written by Ricky Gervais, who was invited to write an episode after his Golden Globes win. When he was offered a role, he agreed, and was later asked to write the episode too. However, he felt that he was only a figurehead for the episode and he didn't really write it. He also wrote the songs for the episode.

The live-action opening sequence was directed by Chris Palmer, which was taken from the Sky One promo.

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Reception

"Homer Simpson, This Is Your Wife" has a 6.5 rating om IMDb as of May 2017 and an 8.2 rating on TV.com as of May 2017.

International airdates

Country Date Channel Note Australia July 18, 2006 United Kingdom April 23, 2006 Channel 4

Gallery

• Homer Simpson, This Is Your Wife Promo 2.jpg

  Alternate promo image

References

Wikisimpsons has a collection of images related to "Homer Simpson, This Is Your Wife".

← Season 16 Season 17 Episodes Season 18 →

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