Ep 17. The Burns Cage

The Burns Cage is the 17th episode of the 27th season of the popular animated series, The Simpsons. The episode revolves around Mr. Burns and his assistant, Smithers. At the beginning of the episode, Smithers realizes that his relationship with Mr. Burns is one-sided and that Mr. Burns will never reciprocate his love. Feeling sad and lonely, Smithers decides to find a boyfriend to fill the void in his life.

The rest of the episode follows Smithers as he goes on a series of dates with various men in Springfield, all of which end in disaster. Meanwhile, Mr. Burns, who has noticed that something is wrong with Smithers, decides to help him find a boyfriend. However, his methods are less than helpful, and often lead to more problems for Smithers.

Throughout the episode, The Simpsons do an excellent job of tackling important issues such as homophobia and acceptance. Despite Mr. Burns's misunderstanding of the situation, the show ultimately ends on a positive note. Smithers is able to find someone who loves him just the way he is, and Mr. Burns is able to come to terms with their relationship.

One of the standout features of this episode is the way it approaches Smithers's sexuality. For a long time, Smithers's sexuality was presented as something of a running gag. However, in this episode, The Simpsons takes a more sensitive approach, and gives Smithers the respect and dignity he deserves. This is a welcome shift in the way the show treats its characters, and it is something that fans have been asking for for a long time.

The episode is also notable for its strong voice acting. Hank Azaria, who provides the voice for Smithers, does an excellent job of capturing the character's vulnerability and sadness. The same can be said for Harry Shearer, who voices Mr. Burns. The two actors have excellent chemistry together, and their scenes are some of the most memorable in the episode.

Overall, The Burns Cage is an excellent addition to The Simpsons canon. Working with such an important topic could have gone awry in the wrong hands, but the creators of the show manage to handle the subject matter with sensitivity and respect. The episode is both funny and poignant, and is sure to please fans of the series.