Marge's Son Poisoning

es:Marge's Son Poisoning

**"Marge's Son Poisoning"** is the fifth episode of *The Simpsons*' [Season 17].

## Synopsis

Marge buys a tandem bicycle because she thinks Homer will ride with her, but when she ends up trying to ride it on her own (and failing miserably), Bart chooses to ride with her. When the teahouse they go to (Marge for the tea, Bart for the cakes) closes, Bart turns his treehouse into a teahouse, but when others call him a mama's boy, he suddenly turns on Marge. Meanwhile, Homer buys a dumbbell from a strongman and, after lifting a pinball machine with one arm, Moe gets Homer involved in competitive arm wrestling.

## Full Story

The Simpsons make their way to Paradise Pier, a Coney Island-like place with old carnival rides. They are shocked to realize that the pier is being torn down. Homer jumps on a bumper car and rides off, eventually landing on an electric trolley track and colliding with Chief Wiggum's patrol car. Later, Homer takes an interest in a dumbbell that is for sale, and Marge buys a tandem bike after Homer says he will go riding with her. At home Homer absentmindedly pumps his dumbbell day and night. When Marge asks him to go riding with her, Homer shows no interest. Neither does anyone else in the family. When Nelson notices Marge riding the bike all by herself, he concludes that she is lonely. Bart insists that "moms don’t get lonely," but he can’t help but feel sorry for Marge. He climbs onto the bike and asks Marge if she would like to go for a ride. Marge is elated.

Marge and Bart ride the tandem bike to Springshire, which is reminiscent of the English countryside. They find a teahouse and plan to check it out. Inside, Marge sips tea as Bart wolfs down cakes. Bart gets an English gentlemen to recite a spell from the Harry Potter books, causing Bart to float in mid-air. Homer enters Moe's bar, where he discovers Moe and some of the barflies trapped beneath a pinball machine. He easily lifts the machine using his strong right arm. This gives Moe an idea. When the Rich Texan man enters the bar, Homer pretends to be a nerd, and shows off his wimpy left arm. Moe tells the Rich Texan he will bet a hundred dollars that Homer can beat him in an arm wrestling fight. When the Rich Texan realizes that he has been conned, he demands several favors, including a walk on the beach. Bart and Marge ride back to the English-style village, only to realize that the teahouse went out of business. As Marge and Bart pedal back to Springfield, Marge remarks that she and Bart will have to go back to doing their separate activities. Feeling sorry for Marge, Bart invites her to spend some time with him at his treehouse. Marge enters the treehouse and begins tidying things up, turning it from "treehouse to teahouse." Homer tells Marge that he has chosen to join the professional arm-wrestling circuit. Bart and Marge make their way to the Springfield mall, where Bart buys a Krusty the Clown tea set. Jimbo, Dolph, and Kearney spots Bart with the tea service and begin making fun of him. They call Bart a "momma's boy." Bart smashes the tea service and tells Marge that he’s only been spending time with her because he felt sorry for her. Marge is devastated.

Lisa tells Bart that she is worried about Marge, who has been petting Santa's Little Helper for hours. Lisa says that Bart broke their mother’s heart. Bart finds Marge sitting at the kitchen table, sadly stirring some tea. Bart tells Marge that he enjoyed spending time with her, and suggests they team up for karaoke night at school. Homer laments that Marge hasn't called him. Moe makes up a story, assuring Homer that Marge did phone, and said that she loves him... and that he should break his opponent's arm. As Homer arm-wrestles his opponent he calls home, and loses all interest in the sport when Marge doesn't answer. Homer runs off, leaving Moe behind. On karaoke night Marge grows increasingly worried about Bart, especially after they get dressed up in identical outfits. When Marge sees Principal Skinner and his mother singing a song, she envisions an emasculated, middle-aged Bart ending up the same way. Horrified, she tells Bart she is not going to let him turn into a momma's boy like Skinner. She hands him a fire extinguisher, and encourages him to return to his former mischievous self. As Marge giggles, Bart turns the fire extinguisher on the crowd and begins blasting away.

Later, back at the house, Marge is singing "Sweet Home Alabama" by herself, feeling lonely. Homer then shows up with his arm-wrestling trophy, saying how much he missed being around Marge. Later at night, Jimbo, Dolph, and Kerney are outside the house, singing "My Sharona" by The Knack. Homer throws his trophy at the trio, saying that the song "is a pop music footnote." The bullies sing the song again after Homer tells them that he didn't want them to stop.

## Behind the Laughter

### Broadcasting Information

**USA/Canada**

* **1st Airdate:** Sunday, November 13, 2005
* **2nd Airdate:** Sunday, December 25, 2005
* **3rd Airdate:** Sunday, February 19, 2006

**UK**

* **1st Airdate:** Sunday, January 1, 2006
* **2nd Airdate:** Friday, January 6, 2006 (Encore Screening)
* **3rd Airdate:** Saturday, April 22, 2006
* **4th Airdate:** Saturday, June 17, 2006
* **5th Airdate:** Sunday, August 6, 2006
* **6th Airdate:** Thursday, August 24, 2006

**Australia**

* **1st Airdate:** Tuesday, March 7, 2006

**Brazil**

* **1st Airdate:** Sunday, August 13, 2006

**Italy**

* **1st Airdate:** Friday, March 9, 2007