Disclaimer: I do not own the Simpsons or it's characters.

Chapter 14, Marge (season 1)

[Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire]

I wonder why Marge and Homer were late to the Christmas pageant. Was Marge out running errands? Was Homer at work? Did Maggie get her clothes dirty? Who knows.

Don't you just love the way Marge is unaffected by Bart getting dragged off the stage? Perhaps she didn't notice, but why wouldn't she notice that? Could something have distracted her? What exactly was she looking at, if it's not Bart?

Ok, so Marge writes Christmas letters for her family and friends. That's nice and it gives us a little more understanding to the set up of the family. There are a few more Christmas episodes where you don't see Marge writing this letter, but it is a sweet detail you could add to your story. I know that Marge feels a little bad for telling Lisa she can't have a pony for Christmas. Heh, if this were my folks, they would have gotten me a toy pony. That way I got what I wanted, but not the way I expected. Some of my Santa gifts were like that, so I don't know why they couldn't use the same thought process here.

Marge seems to be very close to her older sisters, and I think that's very cool. I hope I am still close with my sisters 20 years from now, (and longer). Perhaps it's just me, but I still think it's odd that Marge took her children Christmas shopping. Because they could see any gifts she bought for them. Besides, you would think that when one is as thrifty as Marge, she would have had a few gifts already purchased for Christmas. Hm, unless this Christmas is the reason she became thrifty to begin with, which is also possible.

Ok, now it was wrong for Bart to get a tattoo to begin with, but I'm surprised that he can get it removed right away. I don't have any tattoos, but I have friends who do. They all told me how the tattoo has to scab up and heal, just like any other wound. I know that cartoons don't have to be realistic, but is this possible? Can a tattoo be removed on the same day you get one? Or does it have to heal and then get it done? And I understand that Marge wants to get rid of Bart's tattoo, but I get the feeling that her urgency was bred from 'looking like a bad mother', than anything else.

I need to keep reminding myself that the characters change a little bit throughout the show. Otherwise why would Marge trust Homer to go Christmas shopping by himself?

Does Marge even wear pantyhose? Simply by looking at the package Homer is holding, I'm gonna say no. At least not on a regular bases. But hey, I guess you could add a moment in your story where Marge talks about the pantyhose's Homer bought her for Christmas.

I'm so glad that Marge was happy to see Santa's Little Helper. She even felt blessed to have Homer, which is also good.

[Bart the Genius]

Now it looks Marge takes forever when playing scrabble. This could be an indicator that she is indecisive, or doesn't have many good choices. Or it could also be possible that Marge is trying to go easier on her children, so she is purposely placing smaller words.

Heh, I love that Marge reminds Bart that Homer has a short temper. I realize that this is probably for the audience, but come on. Homer has been choking Bart since he was in diapers. Surely he knows that Homer has a short fuse.

Of course Marge wants to stick with the gentle approach. She tries to be sweet to Bart, and there isn't anything really wrong with that. Bart does need sympathy and understanding. I'm sure I've talked about this before, but in my opinion Bart is very smart, but he doesn't feel like he should apply himself because he'll never be as smart as Lisa.

Ok, um... if Homer's handwriting sucks, it kinda makes me wonder why Marge doesn't write all of Bart's sick notes.

Heh, Marge brushes Bart's hair out, and this reminds me of my mother. She must be very proud of Bart in that moment.

Marge says that she feels guilty for not nurturing Bart's brain. So she gets ticket to the opera. I bet that she was really excited to do something a bit more high class with her family. Technically I bet that she could still do these things with Lisa, an maybe Maggie too. It could be a fun girls thing that they could all bond over.

Later in the show, Marge plays Blanche in a musical version of 'A streetcar named Desire'. So this makes me wonder if Marge is actually a 'theater nerd'. If she is, then there is a possibility that Carmen is her favorite opera. Hm, they only had only night that was Russian only. It makes me wonder if Marge can speak a little Russian. I mean she could have studied a little Russian as part of her high school language requirement. If not, then she could love the play so much that she can understand the Russian they use for the play. But there is always the possibility that she didn't realize/care about the play being in another language.

Marge wants Bart to take the experience seriously so that he can enjoy the play, but instead she gets embarrassed and needs to hide her face.

See, the opera and the film festival are both things in Lisa's wheelhouse. Lisa is really smart. Are you seriously telling me that Marge never once considered doing these things for/with Lisa?

Heh, Marge doesn't seem to mind that Bart is 'stupid again'. It's like 'oh, well, easy come easy go.' Or something of that nature.

[Homer's Odyssey]

Marge is very understanding when Homer gets fired. And when you think about it, that's good because this isn't the last time Homer will lose his job.

Ok, so Marge goes back to her old job to help get money for the family. She doesn't seem to mind, and she seems to be happy. Now this is probably because she was worried that Homer would get mad at her going back to work. That, or she has missed working, which is possible. When she starts working at the power plant, she talks about how 'boring' her life is. So she may have wanted to go back go work for a while, but didn't because she was worried about Homer.

Now we see Marge at her job. It's probably not the same as she remembered, and that's why she got so angry at Otto. Because remember, it typically takes a lot to push Marge over the edge.

You know, if Marge knew exactly where Homer was going to be, then why didn't she get everyone in the car and drive to Homer? Driving is faster then walking, and everyone was asleep when he left.

Ok, I know that they wanted to rush to Homer before he hurt himself, so I guess that I can excuse them running in front of a moving car.

Instead of thanking Homer for saving their lives Marge dives right into Homer's suicide attempt. I can't really tell which is better, but this does seem to show that Marge has a one-track mind. Or at least, it shows that she cares more about her husband then herself.

Marge supports him in getting that stop sign. Which is good, but if that were me, I would be a little worried that once the stop sign was added, then Homer would try to kill himself again. Because he fulfilled his life's purpose. Perhaps that is why Marge praises Homer for the work he did on the signs. To remind Homer how much good he has done.

Now as the audience, we haven't really seen much of Mr. Burns, but the background on the Simpsons changes every once in a while. For instance, here, it appears that this is the first time they have ever met. But when we see the story of Bart's birth, we see that Homer stormed up to Burns and, sorta, demanded a job. So either Marge is worried because she knows that Burns isn't the kindest person in the word, or she is worried because she doesn't know what those people are capable of. But both would explain why she looks so nervous here.

Heh, I'm glad that Homer got a raise. I bet that Marge put in a two weeks notice before leaving though. I mentioned this because I work in the food business too, and I'll have plenty of people who turn in their paperwork and quit without doing a two-week notice. But I think Marge would because that's just the type of person she is.

[There's no Disgrace like Home]

Gelatin desserts, ok. You know, even if someone likes a dessert, do they really need five plates of the stuff. I mean, I make these chocolate-cherry cupcakes that I absolutely love. The recipe I have makes 3 dozen. So, with me and four other people in the house, I'll make the whole 3 dozen. But am I gonna go overboard and make 6 dozen of these cupcakes on the same day? No, I have no reason to. I just think that Maybe Marge over did it.

Marge says that she isn't much of a drinker. But I think she knew that this event was going to be stressful, especially since her children are not making it easy. We don't really see how much punch Marge drinks, so it's kinda hard to tell if she can handle her liquor or not. At least she isn't the type of person to get drunk and starts bad mouthing her family.

Heh, I guess with Marge singing while she is drunk kinda helps my theory of her being a 'theater nerd', oh I love it.

Marge doesn't seem to have a problem watching tv as they ear, but U always think it's odd the way Marge is sitting on the couch. There isn't anything really wrong with it, it's just unusual for me to see Marge laying on the couch instead of Homer.

Marge and the rest of the family don't seem surprised by Homer's prayer. Though later we see how often Homer prays this way. Though Marge doesn't like listening to Homer bash them. It is kinda interesting how, instead of offering to make their family better, she offers to move. And maybe she said this because she felt like it was easier, but still. Heck, it's possible that she said this as a simple joke to make Homer feel better.

Is it sad that Marge is excited to see a family using napkins? Also, why does Marge say 'actually', huh? 'They actually enjoy talking to each other.' Does this mean that she doesn't enjoy talking to her family, probably not. If anything, it's probably a comment directed at Homer for not talking or enjoying his children's time. She does show that she wants Homer to be closer to his kids. But on the same token Marge has also shown us that she is an overworked and under appreciated woman. So it is also possible that she said this because she, herself feels like her voice is not being heard.

It just hit me that Marge is watching Itchy and Scratchy with her kids. A cartoon that she tried to band she has got to know that the cartoons weren't good for her children. Or, at least Maggie. So maybe if Marge made Maggie watch or do something else, she wouldn't have hit Homer on the head with a mallet.

Marge seems unsure about the idea of therapy. And I think that's pretty natural. There are lots of people who would benefit from talking to a psychologist but are too afraid to talk to one, or are unable to pay for sessions, or both. Regardless, it's understandable for Marge to be apprehensive. Especially since they can't afford this session to begin with . And it's not really fair that Homer wants to use college money to may for the appointment. Sure they could start saving again, but still. $88.50? I wonder what exactly they were doing for this college money. I mean if they started saving for college when Bart was born, then that's $8.85 a year. Not a lot, truly. Perhaps this is another reason Marge started to be more thrifty. To help save for college.

I'm still surprised that Marge offered to pawn her engagement ring instead of the tv. I mean, any way you cut it, she sees the tv as more important then her ring. Now the reason she thinks the tv is important can be very different. It could be a simple, like she knows how unhappy her children will be without tv, so she is willing to sacrifice so that they don't. Or it's possible that Mare secretly wanted a pretty ring, and pawning her old one would give Homer a reason to buy a really nice one. Or she loves her tv shows more then her ring. Different reasons lead to different sides of Marge's personality. Personally I think she was willing to sacrifice in order to keep her children happy. That seems more like Marge to me then the other ones.

Anyways, am I the only person to care that the Simpson family got hooked up to an electric generator. I mean, surely they know that something was up because they got strapped to a chair. I'm sorry but I can only think of one activity that would make being tied up, acceptable. And that's probably a bit too m-rated for me to actually talk about, but I wish someone threw a fit. Now, Marge may not have complained about the generator because she didn't want to cause a fuss. After all, they spent so much just to go to the therapy, the least she could do was be willing about the treatment. I guess.

Ok, so she isn't surprised that Bart shocked Homer, but she is surprised that he shocked Lisa? I think those two fight more then Bart and Homer. For someone who prefers a gentle answer, she sure doesn't have a problem with pressing a button to hurt her children.

Ok, now there is a moment or two where Marge makes this face, during all of the shocks. It's a smile and she closes her eyes, and if you pause it, I think you'll recognize this smile. It's used a lot for sweet moments between Marge and Homer. It's a smile of happiness and satisfaction. So that leads me to believe that Marge enjoyed being electrocuted. Which makes me think that she is a bit kinky, but that's for you m-rated writers to decide.

Also, maybe it's not so odd that Marge thought they were making progress. Cause when you think about it, Marge runs around doing lots of errand and chores. She would most likely feel that if you were going to fix something, then you need to do something. Sure it's fun for her to sit in the salon and talk to others, but is this the same as therapy? Well, perhaps the sitting and talking bit, but relax would ya. Marge would probably see therapy like going to the salon. Something you do to unwind, not fix problems. So when everyone is shocking each other, and doing something, she probably saw that as more helpful then drawing pictures.

"Our first pleasant surprise" (whistles) that says a lot on it's own doesn't it? But, uh, Marge starts worrying about their tv, which they pawned, and it makes sense. They can afford to buy it back after all. It is nice that they end on a happy note, though it does imply that the Simpsons cannot be a good family unit without access to television. I remember a few years ago, my neighborhood lost it's power for over a week. How could the Simpsons survive that?

[Bart the General]

Is it sad that Marge has to keep a close eye on her family so that they don't reach into a hot over?

Hey, wait, most people know that if you bake a cake, or cupcakes, you need to let them sit and cook before you frost them. Otherwise the frosting heats up to a runny mess. Maybe she allowed this because they had to make the cupcakes before school, and they didn't have the time. Or, because Lisa is so detail oriented, it is possible that this is how Ms. Hoover likes her cupcakes.

(Sigh) Marge is always the more responsible one. I can think of two reasons why she would send Homer to talk to Bart. One, Homer is a guy so that could make it easier for Bart to open up about what's bugging him. And two, Marge is a good hearted Christian woman who believes that her husband is the head of the household. Therefore if there is a problem, Homer needs to address and fix it. But she still tries to give Bart some motherly advice on compassion. And this is a bit overlooked, which is a shame. I am of the belief that if people were a bit more mindful and understanding towards others, then there would be less conflict in the world.

Starting and ending with cupcakes. You gotta love the simplicity of that. Though half the fun of Simpson episodes is the way a small thing can lead to a big adventure. I was even thinking of doing a section on the premise. But I am having too much fun with my shipping category right now.

[Moaning Lisa]

I wonder how often Marge puts cupcakes into their lunch boxes. Is this something she does everyday. Because if that's the case, I wonder how she didn't notice that she was low on cupcakes. But if this is something that is special because it's once a week, or once a month, then she could have waited to put the cupcakes into their lunches the following day. Although I guess that there is a chance that these were cupcakes made the day before and the family asked her if they could have one in their lunches. Regardless, this is probably the first red flag Marge got for how Lisa was feeling. Either this is the first red flag, or she didn't notice at all. But I hope that Marge would recognize this, because it appears that she went through a similar situation when she was Lisa's age. Or at least, we see this later in the episode.

Marge tries to make Lisa feel better by drawing a bath. Which is something to remember since this is something Marge does to make herself feel better.

See, in her dream, Marge remembers the way her mother told her to smile when she was feeling sad. If Marge was looking back on that memory, I guess she felt like it was a good learning opportunity and that could explain why she would, in turn, give the same advice to Lisa. Now we see Marge trying to go to sleep when we hear Lisa playing her saxophone. But isn't that a little weird? Sure Lisa head's Bleeding Gums Murphy from her room. When she approaches him, I would think that they would talk and listen to each other play. So surely we would have been able to hear some kind of music when Marge and Homer are talking. Unless it just happens that Lisa started playing the moment her parents are going back to sleep. Which is possible if they spent all that time talking before she played for him.

Oh, look, another fact to add to your Marge arsenal. Marge fears the unfamiliar, which is common.

Ok, Marge talks to Bart about being nice to Lisa, but it occurred to me, that perhaps Marge has another motive for having her children get along. So far, from what I have seen, Patty and Selma were not the greatest older sisters. Now I'm the oldest in my family, so I can understand being playful and teasing, but I never went out of my way to scare my little sisters. Marge's sisters were not the supporters that young Marge needed. So it is possible that is the reason that Marge wants Bart to cheer up Lisa. Like 'if my children have a good relationship with each other, it can fix the fact that I didn't have a good relationship with my sisters.' From what I have seen, Marge, Patty and Selma have a better relationship now that they are adults, then as children. Not sure what the change was, perhaps the death of her father? In the 'I married Marge' episode, we can see that their father was alive. But then in the 'Bart vs. Thanksgiving' episode, we see their mother arriving alone. Not to mention the relationship their mother had with Abe Simpson and Monty Burns. I don't know when he passed, but Maybe that brought the girls closer together.

When Marge talks about smiling even if you're sad, she almost makes it sound like being social and liked is part of living. "It doesn't matter how you feel", "you'll fit in", "you'll be invited to parties", "boys will like you"? Disregarding how mentally unhealthy it is for one to ignore your negative emotions, this isn't always the best thing you could tell someone. I mean, Lisa isn't like Marge, or some typical popular chick with a snobby agenda. Lisa is strong and stubborn and for her to push down her negativities would be like slowly erasing everything that made Lisa special.

Marge is proud of Lisa until she sees how much Lisa is compromising on her own moral standards. Marge has enough of this charade, and she quickly rescues Lisa who is appreciative of this gesture. She tells Lisa to always be herself, which helps to bring her out of her sad state.

Alright, I understand wanting someone's undivided attention, but come on, Marge. Homer was complaining about how Art could beat him at that game and it made him feel old. Surely you could have waited an additional 10-15 seconds for Homer to actually win a game. I thought that was kind of selfish. Hm... unless... she could have unplugged the game because she knew that winning a 'silly loud game' wouldn't stop Homer from getting/feeling old.

You know Marge fears the unfamiliar, like Bleeding Gums, but then she goes to see this same man with her family? Perhaps she did this as a way to make up that 'smiling' stuff from before. Besides this would make the club and Bleeding Gums feel more familiar to Marge, which would make it easier for Marge to drive Lisa back there. So... positive note.

[The Call of the Simpsons]

Ok, so Marge said that they were just browsing, and I'm willing to bet that's what Homer told her to convince her to go to the lot to begin with. Of course Marge is a bit apprehensive about looking at the Ultimate Behemoth. She knows that Homer can be competitive with Ned, even if it's one-sided. Chances are, Homer would sell everything he owned to but that RV, just to show Ned that he 'wins'. Marge probably recognizes this, and that's why she kept saying how she didn't think that they could afford it.

I wonder how long the Simpsons were planning to be out in the wild. I mean are calls Homer an experienced woodsman, but she still doesn't seem thrilled about the trip. Homer refuses to acknowledge Marge's concerns and drives too fast; not only scaring his family, but almost driving them off a cliff. And even then, she still trusts Homer to go off and find help without getting lost.

Homer made shelter for the girls, but they didn't use it. I guess part of this is because they didn't want to sleep in the rotting log if they had to.

I wish Marge called out to Homer to tell him that Maggie was following him. Because Homer isn't that observant, and even though everything works out in the end, I just... whatever.

Marge and Lisa spend their time cleaning their campsite, and decorating it with animals who stayed very still for them. It's a good thing Marge has Lisa with her. If they got hungry, I bet Lisa could examine the plants to know which ones were safe to eat.

Eh, maybe I shouldn't be so hard on Marge for actually trusting Homer to protect Bart and Maggie. After all, she knows that Homer loves them, even if he isn't great at showing it.

Marge notices that picture of Bigfoot is Homer, so she instantly becomes shoved into the media spotlight. And at the end Marge tries to look on the bright side of this Bigfoot experience and she makes Homer feel better.

[The Telltale Head]

Seems like a lot of Christian mothers feel like they are the 'bad guys' for trying to get their families to church. But I found it funny that she makes Bart stand against the walls so that she can dig through his pockets. And she specifically tells Bart that she wants him to pay attention in Sunday school. I mean I get it, he is the trouble maker of the family, but I guess it's still a bit rude to single Bart out like that. Though if she hadn't singled him out, she wouldn't have discovered the portable radio Bart snuck with him. Dang, where was he hiding it? She patted him down and checked his pockets. Perhaps he left it in the car the day before? Homer and Bart are kinda similar, so it does make sense for Marge to blame Homer for Bart's behavior.

Marge is so embarrassed at Homer, I wonder how she didn't notice those headphones before. It's the end of the game, but is it the end of the church service? Because we hear Reverend Lovejoy talking and he was just starting. Surely even if Homer did embarrass Marge he should still have been able to hear enough of the sermon to understand the Reverend's message.

Looks like this is the first episode where Marge shows the audience that she doesn't like to argue in front of her children. So she quickly changes the subject.

You know, it occurs to me, that if Marge did drop off Bart to let him see Space Mutants 4, then he may never have cut Jebediah's head off. Think about it, if Bart had gottten out there, he would have walked straight to the ticket guy and gone into see the movie. So even if Jimbo and Kearney were in the alley, he wouldn't have talked to them. And if he did, it would be when he is going home, and they would bully him for the suit he still had on. So Bart would have never fought to stay on Jimbo's good side, or tried to impress Jimbo by decapitating a statue.

Marge has as much town pride as everyone else. So she is upset when she heard about the statue. She even uses an example of Jebediah's history to convince Lisa to go to school.

Marge is shocked when Bart reveals the head to then. And she doesn't really get mad at Bart. She also doesn't get annoyed when she realized that Bart felt like being popular was important, because of Homer.

[Life in the Fast Lane]

Oh, I know this episode well. I was kinda worried about doing Marge's desires and that makes it important. We start off the episode with Bart and Lisa making breakfast for Marge. I wonder if they cleaned up after themselves or if Marge would have to go behind them and clean it.

Marge gets annoyed at Homer for forgetting her birthday. And I can understand Marge standing up for Homer to her sisters, since they bash him all the time. But it's Marge's birthday, if she really didn't want to go to the Singing Sirloin, then I wish she could have chosen a different location. Though if Patty and Selma were paying for dinner for Marge and her family, then that could explain why Marge didn't want to 'demand' another place.

Heh, it is an interesting way that Marge presented the information to Homer m. She starts off with the least painful, waits for a reaction then says the next painful thing.

Now we know how old Marge is, 34. Marge does come up with a quick lie so that she doesn't hurt Bart's feelings. If I were her, I would have said that she was already wearing perfume, so she could wear his tomorrow. Then perhaps mix some of his perfume into the bottle she already wears. I mean, no reason she can't do that. It wouldn't go to waste, and she could tell Bart that she is wearing his perfume.

You know, Marge could have gone bowling with Homer before, like when they were dating, so why didn't they do this before? It would have been a wonderful activity for them to do together.

Anyways, when Marge huffs, she blows out a single candle, and I think she made a wish. Something like 'I wish someone would treat me the way I deserve to be treated'. Because, in a cartoon, that would explain how the very next day she met Jacques and started being tempted by him.

You know, I guess Marge must have been Homer the silent treatment, if he asks her to 'say something back'. She confronts him about the bowling ball and she decides to keep it, just so he couldn't use it. Then she thanks Homer for the present. I kinda like the way that Marge handed this, because Homer can't get mad for her keeping the gift that he gave her.

At the bowling alley, we see just how much of a rookie Marge is. She knows that Homer likes bowling, it would seem like he never talked about the actual game itself. Otherwise Marge would have known that you needed a line, bowling shoes and to roll the bowling ball. This seems like really basic information to me, but I guess we can't all go bowling.

It would seem like Marge is a bit self-conscious about her shoe size. She didn't want to tell the guy, and when she finally did, she seemed embarrassed since she lowered her voice. Her shoe size is a 13 Double 'A'. Nice little factoid if you're writing a scene at a shoe store.

I think if you were in Marge's situation, you too would look around at the patrons to see what you are suppose to do. It's a natural reaction, especially if you don't want to look foolish, or stand out in a way that others Hawk at you. Marge does feel bad for accidentally bowling in Jacques Brunswick's lane.

She seems hesitant to say that 'Homer' is the name of her husband. This could be innocent, like having Jacques call her Homer just threw her off. Or she didn't want a stranger to know why she was bowling with a ball named Homer. Or, she didn't want to admit to Jacques that she had a husband. I know that she tells him later, but we don't really know when she finally tells him.

She is impressed when he helps her get her first strike, and his wealth of knowledge is probably what sealed the deal for her. That or the deal she was getting out of him. I wonder if Homer noticed that she was spending at least $25 each time she went to the bowling Alley. If he did, did he ask her what she was doing with the money? Did she lie to him? Or tell him that she was taking bowling lessons? If she did, then Homer could have figured out that Marge was falling for her teacher.

Because Jacques is a professional, she doesn't seem to question anything he does. Even if there is a chance that Jacques made Marge eat off of the lane.

Was is Marge's behavior? The way she spoke? What she said? But there was something about Marge going bowling again that sent up a red flag for Homer. Perhaps he just didn't expect her to like bowling?

The next day, Jacques presents Marge with her own bowling glove, which she seems to love, especially when she remembers how mad she was at Homer for giving her a gift he could keep.

A little side note here, I just love it when you can see Marge wearing her 'Marge' bowling glove and holding her 'Homer' bowling ball. And when you see her getting a strike, it's like 'Homer and Marge, an unstoppable team', heh. I know, that's a little dorky, but still.

Jacques is very controlling over everything Marge is doing, and it makes sense because he would take any chance he gets to hold her hands. I don't know, if that were me, I don't think I could be that chill about everything Jacques was doing. I would probably tell him to knock it off because of how annoying it is. But it almost seems as if Marge... enjoys this controlling nature of his. So after thinking about it, I think I understand the attraction. Marge works hard for all of the members of her family. She has a lot of responsibilities and duties, so of course she would find it relaxing when Jacques takes control. She would probably even feeling like he is taking care of her, which is a welcome change to her normal situation.

Ok, seriously, I thought Marge was driving herself to the bowling alley. Was she walking and that's why Jacques offered to drive her home? Maybe, that seems to make the most sense. And this is the first time we hear Marge tell Jacques that she is married. You know, maybe this is the first time she told him, and he knows that she is married because he kept grabbing her hands and she had her ring on.

Marge had no idea what brunch was, not until Jacques showed her. So it would make sense for her to think of Jacques every time she had brunch, or heard someone talking about brunch. I wonder what was going through Marge's mind when she agreed to brunch. Was she thinking of Homer and the kids? Was she thinking of the wish she made on her birthday?

After climbing into bed, Marge sits straight up when Homer says her name. Perhaps some part of Marge was jumping for a reason to cancel her brunch appointment. I think that's an important moment because it shows that Marge still loves Homer even though she is being tempted by another. Not only that, but she looks like she wants to reach out and comfort Homer, though she changes her mind.

Lisa seemed pretty spot on with the overcompensation thing. Surely Marge knew that was too much food for one day. Then when Lisa mentions bowling, Marge gives them more treats. Lisa is right about Marge feeling guilty. I bet when Marge got married to Homer, she never would have dreamed that she would be tempted by someone else. She feels bad for hurting Homer and probably fears that her bowling lessons are turning her into a neglectful mother.

Marge has already informed the audience that she isn't much of a drinker. So here in the restaurant, we see that Marge isn't really equipped with the knowledge of mixed drinks either. You can tell that she is nervous about being caught since she keeps twisting her napkin. Although you should remember that habit, it would make your story seem slightly more authentic. She was a little nervous about Helen Lovejoy seeing her. Now I highly doubt that Helen Lovejoy was completely fooled by Jacques sudden lesson. Regardless, Marge probably felt a little uncomfortable the next few times she saw Helen. Marge laughs when Jacques jokes about Helen getting run over, so it would seem that Marge can appreciate a little dark humor.

I do find it interesting that Marge kept moving her hands away from Jacques. It's a sign that she doesn't want him to touch her. Perhaps his touch was the final straw that sent her into sensory overload. Causing her to pass out. They don't really talk about her passing out though. She could have his her head when she fell over, and she passed out in a public place.

Ok, now for Marge's fantasy. And the thing about a fantasy or a dream is that it shows a lot about the person. For example, Marge and Jacques are both dressed up, so this could be an indicator that Marge sees sex as something special and beautiful. More people should see it this way, but that's a whole different issue.

And this apartment seems pretty high class, but also has a lot of bowling decor. So, that actually makes me wonder what Marge knows about Jacques, besides the fact that he is a professional bowler?

This ballroom dancing could have been a fantasy of Marge's since Jacques was able to pick up Marge with her bowling ball so he could properly aline her to get a strike.

And then Marge notices all of the 'love making trophies' Jacques has and I suppose this could an indicator that Marge is in satisfied with her marital relations. So when Marge wakes, she has consented to Jacques offer and make him very happy.

Marge tenses up when Homer wants to talk. Perhaps she is worried that he will ask her why she passed out at Shorties? But it doesn't seem like they have really been talking lately either.

Here Homer tells Marge how great she is at making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. She listens, probably a little surprised at the compliment, and probably feeling really guilty for what she is about to do. Marge tells Homer goodbye after he closed the door. This could have goodbye after he closed the door. This could have been because she lost her nerve to say it sooner. Or it could have been her final goodbye to Homer before she traded their marriage to have Jacques as her boyfriend.

At every stop, Marge was getting reminders of that she is married. A wedding, a couple with a child, a family picnic, an old couple walking hand in hand, a couple's headstones side by side, two skeleton costumes holding hands. And every time she saw these things, she had a guilty and almost longing look. Marge wants a love that lasts forever, and she seems to be driving much faster to get to Jacques.

Then she comes to the fork in the road. She drives down the road to the Fiesta Terrace, because that's where she was going. But then she backed up and drove down the road to the power plant, probably out of guilt. But then she drives back to the fork and takes a good long look at the choice she has to make. Every time I see this moment, I think it's God's way of telling Marge. "Well, What do you want, girl?"

She proudly walks through the power plant, confident that she made the right decision. She gets everyone's attention, and that's probably because she is colorful and a girl. In a later episode, it says Mr. Burns doesn't like to hire women. I find this odd because Marge got hired, and we see a woman working at the plant in "Principal Charming".

Still Marge walks right up to Homer and taps the wrong shoulder, probably to make it a little easier for Homer to see her unannounced. Marge hugs and kisses Homer and they go outside to make love in the car. Now the ending I really love. It's a nice message that shows how real love is more important than meaning less romance. Sure we all like a little romance now and again, but it means very little without the love to back it up.

[Homer's Night Out]

Marge seems interested in the social aspect of the power plant. It seems clear when Marge asks Homer if the girl like Eugene. She doesn't like Homer joking about other girls liking him. Here it also seems that Marge has no problem with Homer's weight. She even calls him a big cuddly teddy bear. Now this could be some roll over emotion from "Life on the Fast Lane", because she is so grateful to have Homer. And then he feels better. But then six months later, when Homer sees the same weight on the scale, Marge is less reluctant to stop him the second time around. Though she doesn't want him to hurt himself.

She is worried about him being at a stag party, because she doesn't... well, actually, it should be obvious why she doesn't want him to go to a stag party.

Marge remembers Eugene being the assistant, and kinda annoys Homer with the fact that this guy was now in charge of him.

It appear that Marge prefers to use an electrical razor over the traditional one. That or she has an electrical razor just for her underarms.

Don't you think it's a little funny how when Homer is gone, Marge wants to take the kids out to eat. I guess Marge really likes the Rusty Barnacle, I mean she did suggest it for her birthday dinner. Um, but in a later episode Marge thinks that she is allergic to seafood because she had a bad reaction to shrimp. Now I don't know if that was bad shrimp or if she is just allergic to shrimp, or what, but at least she is fine here.

Marge does request the waiter to ask the party to quietly down. I wonder how mad she would be if she learned that was Homer's party. She is very polite and she isn't asking a lot.

Marge didn't notice that Bart changed the cod platter to cold pet rat. Perhaps she was dealing with Maggie in that moment. But still, that sign is in her direct line of sight. So surely she would have noticed it before they left the restaurant.

Hm, Marge's plate appears to be a steak with a baked potato. I know places like to do surf and turf, but if Marge just wanted a good steak, then surely there could have been a better one in town. Although because that's a seafood place, maybe it has a good price for it.

Looks like Marge exercises with a group of ladies. I assume this is a regular exercise group that she attends, so you should remember this detail. Marge ripped the photo down and she shoved it in Homer's face the second he opened the front door. She must have been waiting by the front door, just waiting for him to come home.

They were both shocked that this was Bart's photo. And Marge is normally levelheaded, and there is not a lot of times where you see her lose her cool. But here, Marge actually strangles Homer. It's only for a brief second, probably because Mare has excellent self control, but still it shows Homer exactly how mad she is.

She kicks him out of the house. Which must have been her plan from the beginning because she threw a prepacked suitcase at him, and gave him a box of tissues. You know, Homer danced with that... dancer... he didn't cheat on Marge, really. He lied to her, and embarrassed her, and taught Bart a bad lesson. Just imagine how upset Marge would have been if Homer did something worse.

I think it's a little odd that Marge doesn't recognize Barney's voice. I mean sure it's harder to tell who someone is that way, but she has known Barney as long as she has known Homer. And Barney is Homer's best friend, she should know him very well. Eh, whatever, the first season tends to be a little different from the rest of the series. After all, when is another time Marge is mad enough to strangle Homer?

With Homer gone, the rest of the Simpsons share a quiet breakfast. Lisa expresses her desire for Homer to come home, and it makes Mare feel bad about kicking Homer out. Marge doesn't really seem to be eating though. She probably doesn't have much of an appetite without having Homer around.

I think Marge invited Homer back to the house. That would explain how quiet everyone was when Homer walked in, and why she was sitting in the kitchen just waiting for him to show up. Marge patiently gives him the silent treatment until Homer breaks down and starts apologizing. Though she is aware that Homer doesn't realize why this made her so upset. And Marge tells him that she is misty upset at the fact that Bart caught him acting that way. I get that Bart can be really impressionable. And maybe Marge has a point to Bart 'idolizing' Homer. I mean, Bart thought that it was bad to cut the head off the town founder statue. But he did it because Homer told him how important popularity was.

At first I thought that it seemed really odd for Marge to want Bart to meet an exotic dancer. But she does have a point. If Bart learns more about who the dancer is, he is going to have a harder time seeing her as just a 'sexy lady'. And once she made up her mind, she forced Homer out the door.

It was nice of Homer to update Marge on where he was. She ended up going out to that club. I guess after going to so many seedy locations, Marge just wanted to make sure that Homer and Bart were actually looking for 'April Flower' and that he was going to apologize. Lucky for her, she showed up just in time to see Homer's speech. I think it shows real love for Marge, which I think is the real reason Mare forgave him in the first place.

[The Crepes of Wrath]

It is understandable for Marge to be upset and order Bart to clean his room. By what were Marge and Lisa doing for so long. They didn't bring in any bags, so they couldn't have been shopping. So what were they doing?

I bet Marge would be an excellent nurse, she has good bedside manners.

I know that Bart is young, but Marge studied French in high school. You would think that Marge would speak a little just to show her kids that she was cool. I studied ASL in school, and I like to occasionally use it in conversations.

Hm, yes going to France is a fantastic opportunity, though doesn't it seem a little strange that Marge is so calm about Bart going to another country? She can be such a control freak. Maybe when Marge was in high school, her language class took a trip to France. Perhaps she did and she remembers how much fun it was, and she would hate to rob Bart of that experience. She is at least considerate enough to ask what Bart thought of the trip.

Marge doesn't seem excited about Homer and Skinner's reaction to Bart leaving. But also, Marge was getting so much for Homer because he hurt his back. And Homer jumps off the couch, feeling great? When did he feel better?

Marge seems uncomfortable with Adil calling her mother. But she allows it since he is going to live with them for a while.

Marge doesn't like how Homer talks at Dibner and that's understandable. She even talks to Homer about this in bed. She does make Homer admit that he loves Bart.

Marge writes letters to Bart while he is in France and it's sweet for her to do so. I hope she wrote a lot.

Marge got a new outfit from France, which she seems to like. I wonder how often she wears it.

[Krusty gets Busted]

Marge doesn't like cartoon violence, that's obvious with the 'Marge vs. Itchy and Scratchy' episode. But part of me loves this scene it is also used in a clip show episode where Marge and Homer talk to the kids about Love.

Anyways, Marge calls Homer at work so that he'll buy some premium ice cream. I wonder if this is something they always do when Patty and Selma do slideshows. It could be for her sister; maybe that's the only ice cream they enjoy. Or they buy premium so that her sisters don't think her family is being cheap. Or it's a treat for Homer and the kids because they think the slideshows are long and boring.

Marge is excited at first, but I think it's pretty clear that it's not how she feels by the end of the slideshow.

Marge knows that Homer isn't a big fan of Patty and Selma, but she is still embarrassed at the fact that they now know about it. Marge comforts Bart, and she tells him that maybe Krusty was innocent all along. Anyways, considering the fact that Krusty was innocent, I bet the writers did this as a form of foreshadowing to help us believe that Krusty is innocent.

(Scoffs) come on. Robbing the Kwik-e-mart does not make someone an insane criminal genius. Snake robs Apu all the time, but you never see anyone call him a genius, now do you.

[Some Enchanted Evening]

As usual, Marge is being taken advantage of. No one talks to her, or is thanking her, or anything. She does seem pretty lonely, so you can't really get upset at her for calling the radio station, to have someone about Homer, and Dr. Monroe basically tells her not to put up with it anymore.

Marge stands by the front door, waiting for Homer to get home. And the longer he waits, the more upset she gets. She opens that door as soon as he puts his keys in the door. But as soon as she sees the candy and rose, her expression softens. She forgives Homer and is excited for their date.

Marge was quick to call for a babysitter. I wonder how many times the Simpsons used 'Rubber Baby Buggy Bumper Baby Sitting Service' before they got put on the banned list. But Homer had to call back, and lie to them just to get a babysitter. Probably the only place for them to call a babysitter on short notice.

Marge and Homer get ready for their big date. Marge kisses the kids and they leave. Marge and Homer joke around a lot and drink a lot and enjoyed their lobster. They dance and they aren't the coolest couple around but they are so in love that they don't notice or care. So they get everyone's attention.

I guess they don't go out often since they got married. Which makes sense, since Marge was pregnant when they got married and their kids can be a handful. Though now they don't need a chaperone. Hey, there is a benefit to being older and married.

They miss their exit and cuddle up while they drive to the Off Ramp Inn. I think Marge was a little worried that Homer, with his famous temper, would get mad at her for making them miss their exit, but he is relaxed and doesn't spoil the evening.

Huh, I guess Marge makes those homemade pickled beets. That would explain why there would be so many jars of the stuff. Besides if she does make them, then she could always sell them for a little extra pocket money, or as a gift to give someone. (Laughs) I bet Doug and all of his friends in bluffington would love Marge's pickled beets.

Homer said that he wanted to carry her over the threshold, which apparently he hasn't done in 11 years, because he hit her head. That must have been when they got married since Bart is 10. She closes her eyes as he carries her so she doesn't see how Homer almost dropped her on the ground.

I wonder if that 'blue thing with the things' is the only lingerie Mare owns. Which, by the way, if it makes Marge feel amazing, then there is nothing wrong with only having one. Some may think that it's inappropriate for a woman to own that sort of thing, but if it makes her feel sexy, then leave Marge alone, ok.

It occurred to me that maybe we don't see that outfit Bart brought Marge from France, because Ms. Botz stole it. If it was worth something she could have stolen it before Mare had the chance to show it off. Still, I think it would be nice to see her with it again and to hear her brag about Bart getting it for her.

After some time at the Inn Marge calls home and when there is no answer, she and Homer rush home. Marge and Homer know that the kids should be in bed, so seeing the lights on instantly make them more worried. They apologize to Ms. Botz and let her go.

Marge seems to be happy at the fact that her children band together and defended themselves. I guess an experience like that would make it a little easier for her to let them be more independent.

Well, that's the end of Marge's section and so got to say, it was nice to work on this, since Marge tends to be the calm voice of reason. So what's up my sleeve for the next chapter? Well, another shipping category of course. But which one? I have already done Jimsa 1-5, NAMP 1-5, and Wilmore 1-5. There are lots of people who ship Mr. Burns and Waylon, and I do to. I happen to think that Krusty and Sideshow Mel would also be a good couple.

But no, I really feel like it's time to do a section with Bart. Now I haven't really set myself on who I like Bart with, so I can easily do the ships that I have seen online. Bart with one of the twins. Bart with Milhouse. I am not the biggest fan of big age difference, but Bart with Sideshow Bob is also a big one. So with that being said, I'm going to wait to do those chapters. I think the episode 'Bart the Lover' is not only one of the first times we see Bart acting romantic, but the first time he can really understand heartache. So in honor of that, even if there is an age difference, I'm going to do a shipping page with Bart and Mrs. Krabappel. So until next time, 'See you later, peace man'.