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| {{Infobox Simpsons episode | {{Infobox Simpsons episode | ||
| | image = Classtruggle.png | |||
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| season = 7 | ||
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| episode = 14 | ||
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| director = ] | ||
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| writer = ] | ||
| | production = 3F11 | |||
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| | airdate = {{Start date|1996|02|04}} | |||
| | writer = ] | |||
| | |
| guests = * ] as himself<ref name="book"/> | ||
| | couch_gag |
| couch_gag = The living room is bathed in black light. ] turns the light on and everything is returned to normal.<ref name="BBC"/> | ||
| ⚫ | | commentary = ]<br>]<br>]<br>Susie Dietter | ||
| | guest_star = ] as himself | |||
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| prev = ] | ||
| | next = ] | |||
| }} | }} | ||
| "'''Scenes from the Class Struggle in Springfield'''" is the |
"'''Scenes from the Class Struggle in Springfield'''" is the fourteenth episode of the ] of the American animated television series '']''. It originally aired on ] in the United States on February 4, 1996.<ref name="BBC"/> In this episode, ] buys a ] suit and, invited to join the ] ], becomes obsessed with trying to fit in with Springfield's upper class. | ||
| The episode was written by ] and directed by ]. It was the first time that a ] writer and director were credited in the same episode. ] guest starred in the episode, and he enjoyed recording his parts for it. The episode's title is based on the 1989 film '']''. | |||
| ==Synopsis== | |||
| {{spoiler}} | |||
| The family's TV breaks down, and they go buy a new one at an outlet mall in Ogdenville. While the family is there, ] sees a $90 ] suit (marked down from $2800). She buys it, and is wearing it when she meets an old high school acquaintance, Evelyn Peters, who invites her to the Springfield Country Club. Marge begins visiting the country club with the family, and works hard to fit in with the snobbish members, finding less time for her children and spending it all socializing and altering her suit to appear like multiple outfits. | |||
| Since airing, the episode has received mostly positive reviews from television critics. It acquired a ] of 8.8, and was the fifth-highest-rated show on the Fox network the week it aired. | |||
| Meanwhile, Homer takes a fondness to the game of golf, meeting ] pro ], who considers Homer to be a natural. When he discovers Homer showing off his impressive skills in a bathroom at work, ] has ] schedule a match for the two. Burns appears to be an amazing player before it is revealed that Smithers has been cheating on his behalf for years by secretly placing a ball on the green for each shot, leading Burns to believe that he has reached the green himself. Homer wants to reveal the truth, but is told that Mr. Burns will block the family's Country Club entry if he goes public. | |||
| ==Plot== | |||
| On the eve of the gala ball in which the Simpsons will be granted membership in the country club, Marge accidentally destroys the suit, and rushes to a Chanel store to purchase an expensive replacement. As they approach the country club, Marge realises how she has changed to fit in and decides that she wouldn't want to join a club that would have the fictional, snobbish Marge, anyway. (It is revealed in a cutaway scene that the country clubbers really did like them, and were really looking forward to their joining.) The Simpsons then have dinner instead at ], reveling in the lower-class surroundings. | |||
| The ] travel to the Ogdenville mall to buy a new television after ] breaks their old one. ] and ] visit a discount store, where Marge finds a $2800 ] suit on sale for $90. Later Marge encounters an old classmate, Evelyn, at the ]. Evelyn is impressed by Marge's fashion sense and invites her to the Springfield Country Club. | |||
| Desperately trying to fit in with Evelyn's snobby friends at the club, Marge ignores their catty remarks after she wears the same Chanel suit on each visit. Lisa enjoys horseback riding at the club, but the rest of the family is uncomfortable there. After being trained by ], ] plays golf on the club's greens and learns ] is helping ] cheat while caddying for him. In exchange for Homer's silence, Burns agrees to help Marge join the club. | |||
| ==Trivia== | |||
| *This episode features an appearance of the fictional electronics brands Panaphonics, Sorny and Magnetbox. | |||
| *Ogdenville was one of the towns that Lyle Lanley had sold a ] to in ]. | |||
| *Due to legal issues, the Chanel-sign was never shown completely. | |||
| *This was the first ''Simpsons'' episode to have both a ] writer and ]. | |||
| Marge tries to alter her suit for the club membership ceremony, but accidentally destroys it with her sewing machine, forcing her to buy a new Chanel evening gown. As the family walks toward the party, Marge criticizes everyone else's behavior. When Homer tells the children they should thank her for pointing out how bad they really are, Marge realizes she has changed for the worse. The family skips the party and goes to ] instead, unaware that the club has accepted Marge's membership. | |||
| ==Quotes== | |||
| *<br />'''Homer:''' Look at these low, low prices on famous brand-name electronics!<br />'''Bart:''' Don't be a sap, Dad. These are just crappy knock-offs.<br />'''Homer:''' Pfft. I know a genuine ] when I see it. And look, there's ] and ].<br />'''Salesman:''' Listen, I'm not going to lie to you. Those are all superior machines. But if you like to watch your TV, and I mean ''really'' watch it, you want the ''Carnivale''. It features two-pronged wall plug, pre-molded hand grip well, durable outer casing to prevent fallapart...<br />'''Homer:''' Sold. You wrap it up, I'll start bringing in the pennies. | |||
| *]]<br />'''Burns:''' You there, fill it up with ] ], and re-] my tires, post-haste. | |||
| *'''Lisa:''' The rich are different from you and me<br />'''Marge:''' Yes, they're better. | |||
| *(Marge arrives at ]'s doorstep.)<br />'''Marge:''' I need a formal dress for tonight!<br />'''Patty:''' You've come to the right place.<br />'''Selma:''' We've got classy duds up to the yin-yang.<br />(Marge tries on their first dress, a large red leather one.)<br />'''Patty:''' This dress is "Fantasy in Maroon". Its got some cigarette burns, but you can patch them up with new vinyl.<br />'''Marge:'''' Its a little bit..."peppery" for me...let's put it in the "maybe pile"...<br />(Marge is then seen in an extremely tight, revealing purple minidress, and large hoop earrings.)<br />'''Selma:''' This used to be a ], but it found its way into my regular rotation.<br />'''Marge:''' Uh huh... | |||
| *<br />'''Marge:''' I'll be there with bells on.<br />'''Susan:''' Where exactly will you be attaching them to that mangled Chanel suit?<br />'''Evelyn:''' Don't worry, Marge. Her idea of wit is nothing more than an incisive observation humorously phrased and delivered with impeccable timing. | |||
| *]]<br />'''Burns:''' Who is that lavatory linksman, Smithers?<br />'''Smithers:''' Homer Simpson, sir. One of the fork and spoon operators from sector 7-G.<br />'''Burns:''' Well, he's certainly got a loose waggle. Perhaps I've finally found a golfer worthy of a match with Monty Burns, eh?<br />'''Smithers:''' His waggle is no match for yours, sir. I've never seen you lose a game. Except for that one in '74 when you let ] win. That was very kind of you, sir.<br />'''Burns:''' Oh, he just looked so forlorn, Smithers, with his "Oh, I can't go to prison, Monty, they'll eat me alive." I wonder if this Homer Nixon is any relation?<br />'''Smithers:''' Unlikely, sir. They spell and pronounce their names differently.<br />'''Burns:''' Bah. Schedule a game and I'll ask him myself. | |||
| *<br />'''Homer: ''']<br />'''Burns:''' Yes, you're in deep "D'oh" now. | |||
| *'''Mr. Burns:''' Oh, quit cogitating, ], and use an open-faced club. The ]!<br />'''Homer:''' Mmm... open-faced club sandwich. | |||
| *<br />'''Marge:''' Homer, what are you doing?<br />'''Homer:''' I'm driving up to the main building. They got valet parking.<br />'''Marge:''' We can't drive this up there. They'll see the dent. They'll see the coat hanger antenna. Stop the car, we're walking.<br />'''Homer:''' But Marge, valets! Maybe for once, someone will call me "sir" without adding, "you're making a scene." | |||
| *'''Mr. Burns:''' Where's Homer? Oh! And to think I spent all afternoon baking this delightful cake.<br/>'''Mr. Smithers:''' Mmmmm! Ah... ooh....<br/>'''Mr. Burns:''' I pickled the figs myself! | |||
| *]]<br />'''Squeaky Voiced Teen:''' Hey, did you guys just come from the prom?<br />'''Bart:''' Sort of.<br />'''Marge:''' But, you know, we realized we're more comfortable in a place like this.<br />'''Squeaky Voiced Teen:''' Man, you're crazy! This place is a dump! | |||
| *'''Evelyn:''' Marge, is that you? Marge Bouvier from high school? <br/>'''Marge:''' Um... yeah. Hi... hi, Evelyn. <br/>'''Evelyn:''' How about that? Marge, you look wonderful. And to think I heard you married Homer Simpson. <br/>'''Marge:''' I did marry Homer. <br/> '''Evelyn:''' ''(pause)'' Come, you must show me the pumps. | |||
| == |
==Production== | ||
| ] guest starred in the episode as himself.]] | |||
| {{wikiquote}} | |||
| The episode was written by ] and directed by ].<ref name="book">{{cite book |last=Groening |first=Matt |authorlink=Matt Groening |editor1-first=Ray |editor1-last=Richmond |editor1-link=Ray Richmond |editor2-first=Antonia |editor2-last=Coffman |title=] |edition=1st |year=1997 |location=New York |publisher=] |lccn=98141857 |ol=433519M |oclc=37796735 |isbn=978-0-06-095252-5 |page= |ref={{harvid|Richmond & Coffman|1997}} }}.</ref> It was the first time a female writer and director were credited in the same episode.<ref name="book"/> The episode's title is a parody of the film '']''.<ref name="BBC">{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/simpsons/episodeguide/season7/page14.shtml |title=Scenes from the Class Struggle in Springfield |access-date=2009-01-04 |author1=Martyn, Warren |author2=Wood, Adrian |year=2000 |publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation}}</ref> The first script of the episode was too long and it had to be cut down. Dietter remembered that it "took on a more serious tone" because they had to keep the parts that were essential to the story and cut the many "throwaway gags".<ref name="Dietter"/> ], the ] of ''The Simpsons'' at the time, praised the episode for having a "terrific" story that "really comes together well". Oakley said that he and fellow show runner ] wanted to have more "emotionally" based episodes this season that still had humor in them. He thought Crittenden did a "good job" at that and he thought the episode "came out well".<ref name="Oakley">{{cite video |people=Oakley, Bill |date=2005 |title=The Simpsons season 7 DVD commentary for the episode "Scenes from the Class Struggle in Springfield" |medium=DVD |publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> | |||
| Marge's suit was modeled on an actual ], and also the type of dresses that former ] ] used to wear.<ref name="Oakley"/> The show's creator, ], was worried that such a detailed outfit would look "weird" on a ''Simpsons'' character because they are "simply designed" and their clothing is "very generic".<ref name="Groening">{{cite video |people=Groening, Matt |date=2005 |title=The Simpsons season 7 DVD commentary for the episode "Scenes from the Class Struggle in Springfield" |medium=DVD |publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> He ended up liking the design, though, and Dietter thought it looked "good" on Marge. Oakley also liked the design and thought the cut on Marge was "flattering".<ref name="Oakley"/> The country club women's clothes were changed in every scene, something Dietter thought was hard to do because the animators had to come up with new designs.<ref name="Dietter">{{cite video |people=Dietter, Susie |date=2005 |title=The Simpsons season 7 DVD commentary for the episode "Scenes from the Class Struggle in Springfield" |medium=DVD |publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> | |||
| ] guest starred in the episode as himself.<ref name="BBC"/> He said that he "really enjoyed" recording his parts for it. "It was a lot of fun trying to imagine exactly what Homer's golf swing is going to look like. My number one fear is that Homer will end up having a better golf swing than I do—heaven forbid!", he added.<ref>{{cite news |title=So They Say... |last=Wheeler |first=Camille |date=January 31, 1996 |work=Austin American-Statesman |pages=C2}}</ref> | |||
| ==Cultural references== | |||
| At the electronic appliance store, "Panaphonic", "Magnetbox" and "Sorny" are parodies of ], ] and ] respectively.{{citation needed|date=March 2023}} | |||
| ==Reception== | |||
| In its original broadcast, "Scenes from the Class Struggle in Springfield" finished 64th in the ratings for the week of January 29 to February 4, 1996, with a ] of 8.8.<ref name=ratings>{{cite news |title=Nielsen Ratings |date=February 8, 1996 |page=4 |work=]}} Retrieved on January 5, 2009.</ref> The episode was the fifth-highest-rated show on the Fox network that week.<ref name=ratings/> | |||
| Since airing, the episode has received mostly positive reviews from television critics. Warren Martyn and Adrian Wood, authors of the book ''I Can't Believe It's a Bigger and Better Updated Unofficial Simpsons Guide'', summed it up as follows: "Marge looks great in her Chanel, the golf scenes between Homer and Mr. Burns are brilliant, and there are many true, touching moments as Marge struggles valiantly to improve herself. Yet again, it's tempting for the viewer to urge Marge on and get the hell away from the family."<ref name="BBC"/> | |||
| DVD Movie Guide's Colin Jacobson said that he does not know if he "accepts" the episode as being "in character" for Marge. He said that it borrows liberally from '']'', but he "likes it anyway". Jacobson added that the episode "jabs the idle rich nicely", and he enjoyed the golf scenes with Homer.<ref name=dvdmovieguide>{{cite web |access-date=2008-12-01 |url=http://www.dvdmg.com/simpsonsseasonseven.shtml |title=The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season (1995) |publisher=DVD Movie Guide |date=2006-01-05 |author=Jacobson, Colin }}</ref> | |||
| Jennifer Malkowski of DVD Verdict considered the best part of the episode to be Mr. Burns's demand for his tires to be revulcanized at the gas station. She concluded her review by giving the episode a grade of B.<ref>{{cite web|access-date=2008-12-01 |url=http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/simpsonsseason7.php |title=The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season |publisher=DVD Verdict |date=2006-01-16 |author=Malkowski, Judge |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081204055914/http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/simpsonsseason7.php |archive-date=2008-12-04 }}</ref> | |||
| The authors of the book ''Homer Simpson Goes to Washington'', Joseph Foy and Stanley Schultz, wrote that in the episode, "the tension of trying to demonstrate a family's achievement of the ] is satirically and expertly played out by Marge Simpson".<ref>{{cite book |last=Foy |first=Joseph |author2=Schultz, Stanley |title=Homer Simpson Goes to Washington |publisher=University Press of Kentucky |year=2008 |pages=54 |isbn=978-0-8131-2512-1 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xaRRXa1lHscC}}</ref> | |||
| ==References== | |||
| {{Reflist|2}} | |||
| ==External links== | |||
| {{wikiquote|The_Simpsons/Season_7#Scenes_from_the_Class_Struggle_in_Springfield|"Scenes from the Class Struggle in Springfield"}} | |||
| {{Portal|The Simpsons}} | |||
| *{{snpp capsule|3F11}} | *{{snpp capsule|3F11}} | ||
| *{{IMDb episode|0779674}} | |||
| ⚫ | {{The Simpsons episodes|7}} | ||
| ⚫ | {{DEFAULTSORT:Scenes From The Class Struggle In Springfield}} | ||
| ⚫ | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
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Latest revision as of 15:02, 16 December 2024
14th episode of the 7th season of The Simpsons
| "Scenes from the Class Struggle in Springfield" | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| The Simpsons episode | |||
 | |||
| Episode no. | Season 7 Episode 14 | ||
| Directed by | Susie Dietter | ||
| Written by | Jennifer Crittenden | ||
| Production code | 3F11 | ||
| Original air date | February 4, 1996 (1996-02-04) | ||
| Guest appearance | |||
| |||
| Episode features | |||
| Couch gag | The living room is bathed in black light. Homer turns the light on and everything is returned to normal. | ||
| Commentary | Matt Groening Bill Oakley Josh Weinstein Susie Dietter | ||
| Episode chronology | |||
| |||
| The Simpsons season 7 | |||
| List of episodes | |||
"Scenes from the Class Struggle in Springfield" is the fourteenth episode of the seventh season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on February 4, 1996. In this episode, Marge buys a Chanel suit and, invited to join the Springfield Country Club, becomes obsessed with trying to fit in with Springfield's upper class.
The episode was written by Jennifer Crittenden and directed by Susie Dietter. It was the first time that a female writer and director were credited in the same episode. Tom Kite guest starred in the episode, and he enjoyed recording his parts for it. The episode's title is based on the 1989 film Scenes from the Class Struggle in Beverly Hills.
Since airing, the episode has received mostly positive reviews from television critics. It acquired a Nielsen rating of 8.8, and was the fifth-highest-rated show on the Fox network the week it aired.
Plot
The Simpsons travel to the Ogdenville mall to buy a new television after Grampa breaks their old one. Marge and Lisa visit a discount store, where Marge finds a $2800 Chanel suit on sale for $90. Later Marge encounters an old classmate, Evelyn, at the Kwik-E-Mart. Evelyn is impressed by Marge's fashion sense and invites her to the Springfield Country Club.
Desperately trying to fit in with Evelyn's snobby friends at the club, Marge ignores their catty remarks after she wears the same Chanel suit on each visit. Lisa enjoys horseback riding at the club, but the rest of the family is uncomfortable there. After being trained by Tom Kite, Homer plays golf on the club's greens and learns Waylon Smithers is helping Mr. Burns cheat while caddying for him. In exchange for Homer's silence, Burns agrees to help Marge join the club.
Marge tries to alter her suit for the club membership ceremony, but accidentally destroys it with her sewing machine, forcing her to buy a new Chanel evening gown. As the family walks toward the party, Marge criticizes everyone else's behavior. When Homer tells the children they should thank her for pointing out how bad they really are, Marge realizes she has changed for the worse. The family skips the party and goes to Krusty Burger instead, unaware that the club has accepted Marge's membership.
Production
The episode was written by Jennifer Crittenden and directed by Susie Dietter. It was the first time a female writer and director were credited in the same episode. The episode's title is a parody of the film Scenes from the Class Struggle in Beverly Hills. The first script of the episode was too long and it had to be cut down. Dietter remembered that it "took on a more serious tone" because they had to keep the parts that were essential to the story and cut the many "throwaway gags". Bill Oakley, the show runner of The Simpsons at the time, praised the episode for having a "terrific" story that "really comes together well". Oakley said that he and fellow show runner Josh Weinstein wanted to have more "emotionally" based episodes this season that still had humor in them. He thought Crittenden did a "good job" at that and he thought the episode "came out well".
Marge's suit was modeled on an actual Chanel suit, and also the type of dresses that former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis used to wear. The show's creator, Matt Groening, was worried that such a detailed outfit would look "weird" on a Simpsons character because they are "simply designed" and their clothing is "very generic". He ended up liking the design, though, and Dietter thought it looked "good" on Marge. Oakley also liked the design and thought the cut on Marge was "flattering". The country club women's clothes were changed in every scene, something Dietter thought was hard to do because the animators had to come up with new designs.
Tom Kite guest starred in the episode as himself. He said that he "really enjoyed" recording his parts for it. "It was a lot of fun trying to imagine exactly what Homer's golf swing is going to look like. My number one fear is that Homer will end up having a better golf swing than I do—heaven forbid!", he added.
Cultural references
At the electronic appliance store, "Panaphonic", "Magnetbox" and "Sorny" are parodies of Panasonic, Magnavox and Sony respectively.
Reception
In its original broadcast, "Scenes from the Class Struggle in Springfield" finished 64th in the ratings for the week of January 29 to February 4, 1996, with a Nielsen rating of 8.8. The episode was the fifth-highest-rated show on the Fox network that week.
Since airing, the episode has received mostly positive reviews from television critics. Warren Martyn and Adrian Wood, authors of the book I Can't Believe It's a Bigger and Better Updated Unofficial Simpsons Guide, summed it up as follows: "Marge looks great in her Chanel, the golf scenes between Homer and Mr. Burns are brilliant, and there are many true, touching moments as Marge struggles valiantly to improve herself. Yet again, it's tempting for the viewer to urge Marge on and get the hell away from the family."
DVD Movie Guide's Colin Jacobson said that he does not know if he "accepts" the episode as being "in character" for Marge. He said that it borrows liberally from The Flintstones, but he "likes it anyway". Jacobson added that the episode "jabs the idle rich nicely", and he enjoyed the golf scenes with Homer.
Jennifer Malkowski of DVD Verdict considered the best part of the episode to be Mr. Burns's demand for his tires to be revulcanized at the gas station. She concluded her review by giving the episode a grade of B.
The authors of the book Homer Simpson Goes to Washington, Joseph Foy and Stanley Schultz, wrote that in the episode, "the tension of trying to demonstrate a family's achievement of the American Dream is satirically and expertly played out by Marge Simpson".
References
- ^ Groening, Matt (1997). Richmond, Ray; Coffman, Antonia (eds.). The Simpsons: A Complete Guide to Our Favorite Family (1st ed.). New York: HarperPerennial. p. 195. ISBN 978-0-06-095252-5. LCCN 98141857. OCLC 37796735. OL 433519M..
- ^ Martyn, Warren; Wood, Adrian (2000). "Scenes from the Class Struggle in Springfield". British Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved January 4, 2009.
- ^ Dietter, Susie (2005). The Simpsons season 7 DVD commentary for the episode "Scenes from the Class Struggle in Springfield" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
- ^ Oakley, Bill (2005). The Simpsons season 7 DVD commentary for the episode "Scenes from the Class Struggle in Springfield" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
- Groening, Matt (2005). The Simpsons season 7 DVD commentary for the episode "Scenes from the Class Struggle in Springfield" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
- Wheeler, Camille (January 31, 1996). "So They Say...". Austin American-Statesman. pp. C2.
- ^ "Nielsen Ratings". The Tampa Tribune. February 8, 1996. p. 4. Retrieved on January 5, 2009.
- Jacobson, Colin (January 5, 2006). "The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season (1995)". DVD Movie Guide. Retrieved December 1, 2008.
- Malkowski, Judge (January 16, 2006). "The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season". DVD Verdict. Archived from the original on December 4, 2008. Retrieved December 1, 2008.
- Foy, Joseph; Schultz, Stanley (2008). Homer Simpson Goes to Washington. University Press of Kentucky. p. 54. ISBN 978-0-8131-2512-1.
External links
- "Scenes from the Class Struggle in Springfield episode capsule". The Simpsons Archive.
- "Scenes from the Class Struggle in Springfield" at IMDb
