Scenes from the Class Struggle in Springfield

"Scenes from the Class Struggle in Springfield" is the fourteenth episode of Season 7.
==Synopsis==
While the Simpsons visit Ogdenville's Outlet Mall to buy a new TV (that looks just like the old one), Marge finds a fancy Chanel suit and begins wearing it around the house and around town so she can feel like a rich housewife — and an old friend from high school sets out to make Marge's wish of being high-class come true by inviting her to a country club. Meanwhile, Mr. Burns challenges Homer to a golf game at the same country club Marge is trying to get into, and Homer discovers how Mr. Burns wins at golf despite being a decrepit, old man.
==Full Story==
When Grampa Simpson tries to "fix" the family's television, it breaks, so the family drop Grampa off at the retirement home and travel to the Ogdenville Outlet Mall (after Bart suggests The Sharper Image and Lisa suggests The Nature Store) for a new TV. Marge and Lisa wander off to a discounted store and Marge locates a beautiful Chanel suit, which has been marked from $2,800 and is now $90. Marge is first reluctant to buy the suit, but after Lisa mentions that it is a great buy, Marge purchases the suit. She becomes infatuated with it and wears it constantly, begging Homer to take her somewhere fancy so the suit can be put to good use. However, one day when Marge wears it to the Kwik-E-Mart, she runs into an old classmate, Evelyn Peters. Evelyn is impressed by Marge's fashion sense and invites her to come to the Springfield Country Club (even though Marge has married Homer, as Evelyn originally assumes with horror). Marge, intimidated by the wealthy club members during a game of croquet, works hard to fit in with their snobbish ways. Along the way, Marge loses interest in her family and becomes obsessed with both impressing the club members and altering her suit so she comes off as wealthy.
Meanwhile, the rest of the family is uncomfortable at the country club until Lisa finds the stables and Homer begins playing golf. Homer is revealed to have a knack for golf, and Mr. Burns, having seen Homer's skill in the bathroom at work, challenges him to a match. Burns believes that he is the best golfer in Springfield, and is determined to take down Homer. However, once they begin playing, Homer, who is in disbelief at one of Burns' shots, runs over to the green and finds Smithers replacing the ball Burns hit with a new one that is close to the hole. Homer wants to reveal the cheating to the entire club, but Smithers tells Homer that Mr. Burns is a valued member of the club and has a sway in deciding if the Simpsons can be in the country club but Homer says that his family is not interested. However, Mr. Burns says that his wife cares (Marge).
In the meantime, Marge is offended by a crack made by one of the snobby club members and is eager to change the suit even more to impress at a party. However, due to Lisa's annoyingly inquisitive nature, Marge accidentally destroys the suit on the sewing machine. She rushes back to the Ogdenville outlet mall, but there are no Chanel suits left. She goes to her sisters' house but they have terrible dresses, Marge, having nowhere left to turn, goes to the actual Chanel store and purchases a $3,300 dress. She arrives downstairs and everyone is amazed at how beautiful she is, she tells them to hurry up. Lisa asks lots of questions excitedly about the dress, eventually leading Marge to sternly tell her daughter to stop. When she and the rest of the Simpsons arrive at the party, Marge criticizes the behavior of everyone in her family, including Maggie. Homer tells Marge that he and the kids will be silent and just stand in the corner the entire night so she can have a nice time. Homer then tells the family that they should be grateful to Marge for making them see how terrible they really are. Marge realizes that she has changed for the worst, and tells the family their good points, like Homer's in-your-face vulgarity, the way Lisa speaks her mind and Bart being a good person too. She then confesses about the dress but says that they have a $3,300 credit at Chanel. Meanwhile at the country club, everyone is shocked that the Simpsons don't come to the initiation; instead they go to Krusty Burger which is their comfort zone.
== Behind the Laughter ==
=== Production ===
This was the first episode in the series to be written and directed by two women.
== Citations ==
fr:Premier Pas dans le grand monde
pl:Scenes from the Class Struggle in Springfield
pt:Cenas da luta de classes em Springfield
Category:U-rated episodes
Category:Marge episodes
Category:Homer episodes
Category:Sport-themed Episodes
Category:Episodes featuring guest stars
Category:Marge Seeks Friends episodes
Category:Agnes Skinner episodes
Category:Episodes named after Springfield
Category:Episodes in which Homer almost loses Marge
Category:Mr. Burns Episodes
Category:Directed by Susie Dietter
Category:Written by Jennifer Crittenden