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Portrait of a Lackey on Fire

Wikisimpsons - The Simpsons Wiki
Season 33 Episode
713 "A Serious Flanders (Part 2)"
714
"Portrait of a Lackey on Fire"
"Mothers and Other Strangers" 715
"Portrait of a Lackey on Fire"
Portrait of a Lackey on Fire promo 3.png
Episode Information
Episode number: 714
Season number: S33 E8
Production code: UABF01
Original airdate: November 21, 2021
Couch gag: Swiss Pocket Knife couch gag
Guest star(s): Christine Baranski as herself
Victor Garber as Michael de Graaf
Christian Siriano as himself
Showrunner: Matt Selman
Co-showrunner: Rob LaZebnik
Written by: Rob and Johnny LaZebnik
Directed by: Steven Dean Moore


"Portrait of a Lackey on Fire" is the eighth episode of season 33 of The Simpsons and the seven-hundred and fourteenth episode overall. It originally aired on November 21, 2021. The episode was written by Rob and Johnny LaZebnik and directed by Steven Dean Moore. It guest stars Christine Baranski as herself, Victor Garber as Michael de Graaf, and Christian Siriano as himself.

Synopsis[edit]

"Smithers finds true love with a famous fashion designer (voiced by Victor Garber), but will his new relationship destroy Springfield?"


Plot[edit]

At Burns' manor, one of The Hounds gave birth and Homer is called to be a training dummy. After enough training, Mr. Burns is assigning them to some of his rich friends that need watchdogs, however refusing Smithers proposing to have fun with him.

Later, Homer finds him in a cage whimpering over not being loved so Homer helps him finding a man. Meanwhile, after delivering all the puppies but one, he leaves the last one, which is a softy that refuses to bite, licking people instead, to Homer, and a person that would love the puppy, Michael de Graaf, approaches him, revealing himself to be gay, so Homer takes him to Smithers.

The two connect and set up a date at Luigi's. After a successful dinner, they end up kissing at Springfield Squidport. Homer felt the connection while at Moe's, and after six weeks, Marge overhears his call with Smithers about it and ask him all about it, and she gets excited cause she knew him for his shows, and follows Homer to work asking him questions about him.

Smithers and Michael spend the weekend together, with Christine Baranski singing for them, and the next Monday, at the Power Plant, Mr. Burns didn't even care for him being gone, still figuring a puzzle, out one of the presents he got, before Marge meets him at the parking lot, where she organizes a party for them.

At the party, Michael announces he'd build a new factory in Springfield, Michael de Graaf Express, however when the family visits it, they find out about his not environmental-friendly practices. Reluctantly, Homer reveals the problem to Smithers, who goes to Mr. Burns for advice, who tells him to marry him for his practices being worse than his on waste, having managed to kill Blinky too.

Later an explosion and several other accidents happen at the factory, and Smithers goes to Michael to confront him about it, and after he kicks the puppy after he has him drop wine over his pants, he leaves him, taking the puppy with him. In the end, Smithers receives lots of hearts for his picture with the puppy, while to avoid making wastes more, Smithers decides to give Burns another puzzle to keep him busy after he finished the first one.

Production[edit]

Reception[edit]

"Portrait of a Lackey on Fire" was nominated for a 2022 Writers Guild of America award in Animation, but it lost to "Planteau" from Tuca & Bertie.[1]

Gallery[edit]

References[edit]


Promo videos[edit]


The Saga of Carl - title screen.png Wikisimpsons has a collection of images related to "Portrait of a Lackey on Fire".
Season 33 Episodes
The Star of the Backstage Bart's in Jail! Treehouse of Horror XXXII The Wayz We Were Lisa's Belly A Serious Flanders (Part 1) A Serious Flanders (Part 2) Portrait of a Lackey on Fire Mothers and Other Strangers A Made Maggie The Longest Marge Pixelated and Afraid Boyz N the Highlands You Won't Believe What This Episode Is About – Act Three Will Shock You! Bart the Cool Kid Pretty Whittle Liar The Sound of Bleeding Gums My Octopus and a Teacher Girls Just Shauna Have Fun Marge the Meanie Meat Is Murder Poorhouse Rock