Ep 10. There's Something About Marrying
- TV-PG
- February 20, 2005
- 21 min
-
6.9 (1,622)
The Simpsons season 16 episode 10, titled "There's Something About Marrying," is a comedic take on the debate surrounding same-sex marriage. The episode kicks off with a town meeting featuring a presentation on tourism, highlighting how people from all walks of life are attracted to the town of Springfield. But as the presentation comes to a close, a couple of familiar faces pop up in the crowd, presenting themselves as gay and asking Mayor Quimby to legalize same-sex marriages in Springfield.
This comes as quite a shock to some of the town's more conservative folks, including Homer, who's worried about how a gay wedding would affect his family and his job at the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant. Meanwhile, Marge sees the issue in a different light, using her compassion and empathy to really connect with the couple who want to get married.
Things start to spiral out of control when word gets out that people can come to Springfield and have their same-sex weddings performed by the town's minister, Reverend Lovejoy. As the town becomes inundated with gay couples, the story gets picked up by the media, causing the Simpsons to become the center of attention.
Throughout the episode, there are a number of subplots happening simultaneously. Lisa creates a union for gay cats, prompting Santa's Little Helper to come out of the closet. Moe, Springfield's resident bartender, finds himself attracted to a Japanese woman who's in town to get married to her female partner. And Patty, Marge's sister, reveals that she's gay and wants to get married to one of her partner's relatives.
Overall, "There's Something About Marrying" is a heartwarming, touching episode that manages to present a complex issue in a way that's both funny and thought-provoking. The writers do an excellent job of creating a nuanced storyline that highlights the importance of acceptance and compassion, while also poking fun at the absurdity of some of the arguments against same-sex marriage. Whether you're a fan of The Simpsons or not, this is an episode that's definitely worth watching.