The Simpsons Season 35 Revived One Of The Show’s Earliest Marge Controversies

Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for The Simpsons season 35, episode 8.

While The Simpsons season 35, episode 8 didn’t take Marge’s drinking too seriously, the outing did revive this controversial character trait years after it was first introduced. Marge Simpson is typically utilized as a foil for her bumbling husband, Homer. Where Homer is ludicrously self-interested, Marge usually thinks of her partner and children before herself. While Homer can be boorish and thoughtless, Marge is sensitive and meek. The contrast between the two iconic TV characters makes them a classic sitcom pairing, with Homer’s goofy buffoonery getting the family into trouble while Marge does all she can to keep her house and its inhabitants in order.

One of the best Simpsons holiday episodes in years subverted this status quo when Homer was blamed for a blackout that he didn’t cause and Marge, because she was so accustomed to his idiotic antics, assumed he was lying about his innocence. This plot allowed The Simpsons season 35, episode 7, “It’s A Blunderful Life,” to examine the ways that Homer and Marge’s dynamic impacts their relationship. In season 35, episode 8, “AE Bonny Romance,” The Simpsons delved deeper into this theme. Marge’s subplot saw her get drunk and embarrass Homer, turning the tables on her husband for the first time in decades.

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The Simpsons Season 35, Episode 8 Sees Marge Getting Drunk Again

In The Simpsons season 1, episode 4, “There’s No Disgrace Like Home,” Marge got far too drunk at a company picnic and embarrassed Homer in front of Mr. Burns. One of the first episodes of the classic animated series, this outing had notably different versions of Homer and Marge, with Marge being a rambunctious drunk while Homer was the sheepish voice of reason. This drunken version of Marge was soon dropped in favor of the harmless take on the character that viewers know and love. However, just like The Simpsons season 35 reminded viewers that Homer’s family is more loyal than Marge’s relatives, “AE Bonny Romance” proved Marge can still mortify Homer.

In the newest episode, Groundskeeper Willie marries his long-lost love after the pair spent decades separated, and this heart-warming story prompts Marge to make a bitter, drunken toast where she accuses Homer of not caring about romance. Much to Homer’s chagrin, this toast took place at Groundskeeper Willie’s rehearsal dinner, with Marge embarrassing her husband in front of countless guests. This was the first time in a long while that Marge was the one embarrassing Homer and not the other way around, and the subplot worked much better than season 1’s take on the same theme as a result.

Why The Simpsons Season 35’s Drunk Marge Plot Worked

Now that viewers know Marge as a reliably stable character, it was funny to see her drunkenly rant about her marriage’s shortcomings. Back in season 1, this same storyline didn’t work anywhere near as well. The Simpsons season 35 can mock Homer strangling Bart because the show has spent years proving that Homer loves his son deeply. However, early episodes that see an angry Homer choke his son makes for uncomfortable viewing nowadays. Similarly, seeing the typically sweet Marge get her own back on Homer is hilarious in The Simpsons season 35, but seeing her embarrass him in one of the show’s first episodes was just uncomfortable.