Irrational Treasure
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"Irrational Treasure"
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Episode Information
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"Irrational Treasure" is the fourteenth episode of season 37 episode of The Simpsons and the eight-hundred fourth episode overall. It originally aired on February 15, 2026, alongside "Homer? A Cracker Bro?". It was written by Christine Nangle and directed by Debbie Bruce Mahan. It guest stars Kevin Bacon as the Hotel Philadelphia concierge, Boyz II Men as the "Theme Song" performers, Quinta Brunson as Adrienne Gesstar, Taylor Dearden as the veterinary intern, Katherine LaNasa as the veterinary nurse, Questlove as the Philadelphia tour guide, and Noah Wyle as the veterinary surgeon.
Synopsis[edit]
- Marge's crusade to get the family dog in better shape leads to her entering Santa's Little Helper in canine agility competitions and a trip to the National Dog Show in Philadelphia. There, Marge and Homer suddenly find themselves — and the dog — mixed up in a historical conspiracy adventure worthy of a "National Treasure" movie.
Plot[edit]
Homer and Bart get home with Santa's Little Helper and welcome him in. Skipping ahead, at a family meeting, he's wearing a swim diaper, next to Homer dressed as the Chosen One, eating on the couch next to him. Skipping further ahead at another meeting, Santa's Little Helper is eating at the table, with Homer, wearing his Pie Man costume, feeding him hot dogs. In the present, Marge calls another family meeting after seeing the couch completely destroyed.
She finds out the family is outside, in the car, with Santa's Little Helper driving it. Upon seeing her, they quickly back up and leave. Afterwards, with the car on the front yard, having destroyed the mailbox, Marge is making ambrosia salad with grapes and mayo when Santa's Little Helper eats it at the table. However, she finds out that grapes are poisonous for dogs, and after the table breaks under his weight, she brings him to the St. Bernard of Assisi Medical Center, where, after removing all grapes from him, Adrienne suggests he lose a lot of weight, suggesting a diet, training, and competitions.
They start the treatment, and he regains his health and starts winning competitions, taking first prize, and qualifying for the nationals in Philadelphia. However, she goes alone with Santa's Little Helper, leaving the family in town. After arriving at the hotel, she finds out, however, that Homer stowed away in the back of the car. She gets angry because he's not there just for support, but to visit places in Philadelphia, and tells him not to screw it up.
At the Greater Philadelphia Convention Hall, he participates in the first of five qualification rounds. When it ends, however, he jumps into the arms of Adrienne instead of Marge. Meanwhile, while Homer is sulking over what Marge told him, the Historians of America's Great Inventors and Enlightened Men knock on the door demanding to speak to him on a matter of grave historical importance, explaining how the dog can solve one of the most confounding puzzles in American history.
To avoid taking them to Marge and Santa's Little Helper and do his visits around the city, he convinces them the places on his list are places where they could be. On the journey, they talk to him about Benjamin Franklin, adding how he was a thief pretending to negotiate the Treaty of Paris, he stole gold from the Palace of Versailles, and how he was helped by his greyhound to hide it. Santa's Little Helper is a direct descendant from his greyhound.
Being proud of Santa's Little Helper, Marge takes him to the Michael Vick Reparation Park to have fun with other dogs, but Adrienne tells them to stay focused with no time for play. At the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Historians spot Marge and Santa's Little Helper and run to them. Adrienne and the Historians know each other, and after security takes away the Historians, she reveals herself for what she is, when she leads Santa's Little Helper to a fire hydrant that Santa's Little Helper is peeing on, revealing Franklin's secret message.
To solve the mystery, she takes Santa's Little Helper away from Marge, which, through her whistle, betrays her. To find her, Marge calls for a family meeting with Bart and Lisa on the phone, and Lisa figures out the message is related to Betsy Ross instead of the sewers. At the house, Homer finds and pulls a lever, activating a trap door that takes them beneath. There, they find Adrienne, who leads Santa's Little Helper to the key, using his new skills, but when the moment for the final jump is too dangerous, she tries to make him jump into danger.
Marge tries to convince him to not jump, reminding him of all the past they have together, and Santa's Little Helper stays, but Adrienne is too focused on getting the key that she starts climbing herself, destabilizing the structure. Santa's Little Helper lets go of the key and she catches it, falling through a hole that opens up in the basement. Santa's Little Helper holds onto a rope to save himself from falling and manages to get back down. When they go for the exit, Santa's Little Helper manages to put his paws and nose indents in the wall, unlocking Franklin's gold, but Homer and Marge don't understand and leave instead.
Production[edit]
The chalkboard gag and couch gag were only available in the streaming version of the episode and weren't included in the original broadcast.[1]
Dan McQuade's appearance in the audience for The Roots' concert was a very late addition. McQuade, a journalist, planned to write about the episode but passed away before the episode aired. The producers decided to put him in the audience for The Roots' concert, as they felt it was the most fitting placement, despite not knowing whether he was a fan of the band. McQuade was inserted into the scene only days before the episode aired.[2]
Dan McQuade's character and photograph reference.
The scene before and after McQuade was inserted into it.
Gallery[edit]
References[edit]
Promo video[edit]
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Wikisimpsons has a collection of images related to "Irrational Treasure". |
