Ep 15. The Way We Weren't

The Simpsons: 20 Best Episodes Ever - Anniversary Collection season 1 episode 15, "The Way We Weren't," takes viewers on a trip down memory lane as Marge and Homer recount their high school romance. The episode begins with the pair taking a romantic stroll down Memory Lane, but their reminiscing takes a turn when they realize that their recollections of how they fell in love differ significantly.

Marge and Homer start to argue, and after a while, they realize that there was a big event that took place in their high school that they both remembered differently. Homer remembers meeting Marge after she broke up with Artie Ziff, while Marge insists that Homer was actually the cause of her breakup with Artie. The couple decides to visit the Springfield High School reunion to set the record straight.

At the reunion, Homer and Marge try to piece together what really happened between them. We see a young Homer in his senior year of high school, where he is a slacker with no ambition and an even worse record. He crosses paths with a young Marge and falls instantly in love with her, but she rejects him because he's a bad influence. Instead, Marge starts dating Artie Ziff, a nerd with a crush on Marge who becomes infatuated with her.

As the story progresses, viewers learn that Artie is not the gentleman he appears to be. He tries to force himself on Marge on prom night, and she has to fight him off. Meanwhile, Homer tries to make a name for himself by racing Artie's car and crashing it at prom. The narrative takes a darker turn when Marge confesses to Homer that, after the assault, Artie was expelled from high school, and she helped him graduate by completing his assignments, fearing that he would come after her if she didn't.

The episode concludes with Homer and Marge reconciling their conflicting memories and realizing that the truth of their relationship is far more complicated than they thought. They recognize their love for each other and share a romantic dance before leaving the reunion. "The Way We Weren't" is an inventive and touching episode that explores love, memory, and the complexities of human relationships. It's a standout episode in The Simpsons' long and storied run and a worthy addition to the show's 20 Best Episodes Ever - Anniversary Collection.