Why I Love The Simpsons Pt.3: Homer Loves Marge
The Huxtables, the Keatons, and the Seavers were all happily married TV couples. They never fought. They never got sick. They never pulled out their hair after Theo, Alex, or Mike did something reckless. You never saw them second guess themselves. They never let down the facade. Their marriages were perfect examples of pretty perfectness.
Homer and Marge on the other hand don’t have the prerequisites for the “perfect marriage.” Homer and Marge rushed their marriage after finding out that Marge was pregnant with Bart. Their finances are shaky at best. Homers acts like an oaf at times and Marge files everything away so as not to make a fuss. Homer gets frustrated with “the boy” and often times loses his temper while Marge is selfless servant for her family putting everyone’s needs before her own. Homer spends too much time at Moe’s and Marge has a gambling addiction. There are even a few times where each have been tempted to stray from their marriage.
However, at the end of the day Homer loves Marge more than life itself and Marge feels the same way about Homer.
As a husband Homer has displayed a lot of poor judgement when it comes to displaying his love for Marge. He once bought her a bowling ball for her birthday. He engraved his name on it so that she would know who it was from. He spilled marital secrets to his Learning Annex class including the color of hair dye that Marge uses. Homer even missed going to the opera with Marge even though he promised her he wouldn’t forget. Of course his arms were stuck in two separate vending machines but that’s beside the point.
If you have any doubt whether Homer really loves Marge or not I would point you in the direction of episode 1F07, The Last temptation of Homer. Homer’s faithfulness is put to the test when a cute female employee joins the Springfield Nuclear Plant.
When the government accuses Mr. Burns of shady business dealings- like allowing Stuart the duck to pull nuclear waste around the plant in a little wagon- they tell him that they would be willing to look the other way if he would hire at least one female employee. Reluctantly Burns gives in and hires a beautiful redhead named Mindy Simmons.
She has Homer at hello. Homer is in deep smit from the moment that they meet. He even imagines Mindy as Venus from Botticelli’s Birth of Venus. Even after work he thinks that he is over his infatuation but it is soon revealed that he is driving backwards down the highway obviously distracted by his thoughts of this new employee.
Homer is troubled that he has feelings for Mindy but decides that what he needs is to spend time with his loving family.
When he arrives home he finds that Bart has been transformed into Lewis’ nerdy professor after his trip to the HMO, Dr. Hibbert’s Moneymaking Organization. The doctors have given Bart thick glasses to correct his lazy eye, a salve for his dry scalp, and arch supports for his feet. Turning to his perfect, beautiful daughter Lisa he finds that she has burned the fishsticks for dinner but says that all is ok because “the insides are frozen so they cancel each other out!” Homer tries to kiss his lovely Marge but she rebuffs him because she has a cold. Not exactly the “perfect family” Homer was hoping to encounter when he came home.
He decides that he a Mindy only have a physical attraction and probably have nothing in common. Unfortunately, Mindy also likes beer, eating donuts, watching TV, and sneaking naps before lunch. Homer finds out that Mindy is attracted to him as well when they share a cramped elevator together. Homer doesn’t know what to do and his gaurdian angel, Col. Klink, can’t help him either.
Homer knows that Mindy and him should never be together because he loves his family. Homer doesn’t want to be tempted to stray but as he is trying to tell this to Mindy they get word that they will be spending a weekend together alone in Capital City for the Energy Convention. While at the convention Homer again tries to tell Mindy that they shouldn’t spend time alone together but his plans a thwarted when they are named “King and Queen” of the convention and are given a romantic dinner for two at “the sexiest restaurant in Capital City.”
Homer feels resigned to his fate after his fortune cookie reveals that he “will find happiness with a new love.” Back at the hotel Homer begins to cry. He tells Mindy that he knows what’s going to happen,
Mindy: What’s wrong?
Homer: (sobbing) We’re gonna have sex.
Mindy: We don’t have to.
Homer: (still crying) Yes we do! The cookie told me so.
Mindy: Well desserts aren’t always right.
Homer: But they are so sweet!
Mindy tells Homer that she is in love with him but that the decision is his.
Cue Barry White’s “Can’t Get Enough of Your Love.” Homer is laying on the bed and there is a woman in lingerie standing in front of him. As she sits on the bed we find that it is Marge. Homer called her to join him in Capital City. As the credits roll Homer tells her how much she means to him in a song. Homer might have been tempted to stray but he never will leave his first love.
Yes, Homer Simpson loves his wife despite what the fortune cookie says.
Next Week: Part 4: The Flandereses Aren’t Geeks
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