| Revision as of 22:11, 13 December 2006 edit71.232.5.20 (talk) specified this episode is the seventh of the thirteenth season← Previous edit | Latest revision as of 04:15, 3 January 2025 edit undoPanamitsu (talk | contribs)Autopatrolled, Extended confirmed users57,997 editsm add {{Use American English}} templateTag: AWB | ||
| (357 intermediate revisions by more than 100 users not shown) | |||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
| {{About|the ''Simpsons'' episode|webcomic|Brawl in the Family (webcomic)|the ] episode|List of The Loud House episodes#ep52{{!}}Brawl in the Family (The Loud House)}} | |||
| {{Use American English|date=January 2025}} | |||
| {{Use mdy dates|date=September 2023}}{{Good article}} | |||
| {{Infobox Simpsons episode | {{Infobox Simpsons episode | ||
| | |
| image = | ||
| | |
| caption = | ||
| | |
| season = 13 | ||
| | episode = 7 | |||
| | airdate = ], ] | |||
| | |
| director = ] | ||
| | writer |
| writer = ] | ||
| | production = DABF01 | |||
| | director = ] | |||
| | airdate = {{Start date|2002|01|06}} | |||
| | couch_gag = A large bush sits where the family should be on the couch. A landscape worker comes by and quickly shapes the bush into a topiary version of the Simpsons. | |||
| | |
| guests = * ] as ] | ||
| * ] as Gabriel | |||
| | image = ] | |||
| | couch_gag = The couch is replaced by a hedge. A gardener comes in and creates a topiary of The Simpsons. | |||
| | season = 13 | |||
| | commentary = ]<br>Joel H. Cohen<br>]<br>Delroy Lindo<br>]<br>] | |||
| | prev = ]"<hr>"] | |||
| | next = ] | |||
| }} | }} | ||
| "'''Brawl in the Family'''" is the seventh episode of the ] of the American animated television series '']''. It first aired on the ] in the United States on January 6, 2002. In the episode, the ] get arrested for ], prompting social worker Gabriel to move in and make the family functional. After the family is declared acceptable, Amber and Ginger, the cocktail waitresses ] and his neighbor ] married in ], show up at their doorsteps. This episode is the first episode of Season 13's DABF production line. | |||
| "Brawl in the Family" was directed by ] and was the first full episode ] received a writing credit for. It was the first episode on which ] served as sole showrunner. The idea for the episode was pitched by Jean, who wanted to produce a sequel to the season 10 episode "]", which he thought had a "loose end". The episode features ] as ], and ] as Gabriel. | |||
| "'''Brawl in the Family'''" is the seventh episode in the thirteenth season of the ] ] '']''. ] is one of the episode's guest stars. The episode's title is an allusion to the TV series ''All in the Family''. | |||
| In its original broadcast, the episode was seen by approximately 12.8 million viewers, making it the 28th most watched program the week it aired. | |||
| __TOC__ | |||
| Later that year, the episode was nominated for an ] in the category "Television Episodic - Comedy", which it ultimately lost to the '']'' episode "Protecting the Ego-System". Following its home video release, "Brawl in the Family" received mixed reviews from critics. | |||
| ==Synopsis== | |||
| {{spoiler}} | |||
| ==Plot== | |||
| The show begins with a meeting of ]'s ], chaired by ], plotting what evil to undertake for the week. After a few suggestions, they decide to destroy the environment and scrap all anti-pollution laws. From the next day onwards, recycling becomes a felony offense. Owl habitats are destroyed. ] pulls the plug, literally, on the Springfield wetlands, sending them swirling down a huge drain. All factories and industries generate vast amounts of pollution, which produces ]. | |||
| After the ] of ] successfully repeals most of the city's environmental laws, the resulting spike in air pollution causes an ]storm, destroying the Simpsons' TV antenna and prompting them to stay inside and play a game of ] to pass the time. When it is revealed that ] has been cheating by using Lego bricks as hotel pieces, Bart threatens ] and ] assaults him. ] and Lisa try to pry them apart. Despite her inability to talk, ] calls the police on her family before taking hold of Marge and attempting to pull her off Homer. With help from an edible taffy-like substance and a robot, the entire Simpson family is arrested for causing a domestic disturbance. | |||
| After a short time in jail, they are released by a social worker named Gabriel, whom Homer continuously dismisses as an angel sent from Heaven. Gabriel moves in with the family to help them be functional again. After observing the family's quirks, Gabriel takes the family to a forest and diagnoses the family's problems accordingly: Marge tries to prove her self-worth to the family by medicating them with food, Bart is addicted to doing crazy stunts for attention, Lisa has a ] brought on by her ill-fated attempts to do good for the family, and Homer is simply a drunken buffoon. Gabriel then sets up a challenge to teach the Simpsons the importance of teamwork by setting up a picnic basket in a tree. The object is for the family to work together as a team to get it down, but when Gabriel mentions that there is beer, Homer foolishly uses the family car to knock the tree down, trapping Gabriel in the process. After a harrowing rescue involving Bart driving the car and Homer nearly becoming prey for wild predators, the Simpsons succeed and Gabriel congratulates them on working together as a family and becoming functional during their drive home. | |||
| ] advices the family to stay indoors. ]'s OK with that idea, as long as there is TV to watch. Unfortunately for Homer, the acid rain melts the antenna thereby killing the signal. Homer can't fix it, due to the acid rain. Marge suggests that they play ] to pass the time. ] picks out many different variants of Monopoly, until Marge decides upon the original version. | |||
| Before the family can call it a day, they arrive home and find Amber and Ginger waiting in their driveway, causing Gabriel to storm off in disgust. Amber shows Marge and the kids video footage of ], while Ginger is next door with the widowed ]. Homer tries to get his marriage to Amber annulled by the court, but Judge ] refuses, stating that the marriage still stands, since ] is legal in Nevada and Homer never officially divorced Amber. Marge is so angry that she banishes Homer, who takes up residence in Bart's treehouse with Amber, who attempts to seduce him by making him sandwiches, arousing Marge's jealousy. Amber also unsuccessfully tries to bond with Bart and Lisa, who resent her for destroying their family. Homer still loves Marge and refuses to sleep with Amber, so he tries to sleep in ]'s kennel, but ends up getting its doorway stuck to his head and spends the rest of the night trying to get it off, as Marge watches from the window and begins to have a change of heart. The next day, Marge finds Homer asleep amid the broken remains of the doghouse, and asks him to come inside to talk with her, although she is still angry at him over what he did. | |||
| The game starts and ] catches Homer on his lot and Homer, who's pretty much busted, has to pay up. Lisa realizes that Bart is using ] pieces as hotels. Since Bart bought her a house, Marge takes his side. Bart asks: "who's going to take care of her, Homer?" Homer throttles Bart, with Marge and Lisa arguing about and demonstrating how to pull them off. The whole fracas upsets ], who speed-dials the cops. The cops arrive and see the brawl and decide to send in a Negotia-bot, a policewoman robot, used to break up fights. She tries to break up the fight, but the family keeps on fighting. So she envelopes them in taffy, to subdue them. They are placed in a jail cell, where Lisa complains that she will never get into an Ivy League school, because of this. Marge sighs that the family has hit rock bottom. | |||
| While Amber is lounging in a kiddie pool, she overhears Homer and Marge arguing about her, with Homer ultimately announcing that he is leaving Marge and the kids. Homer then invites Amber to ]'s for a night of drinking, while Marge and the kids eavesdrop from outside. The next day, a hungover Amber discovers that she is now married to ], and the Simpsons have video evidence of the event about her vowing to forsake all other husbands when married to Grampa. Amber and Ginger, who is fed up with Ned and the Flanders' sickeningly sweet demeanour, hurriedly drive back to Vegas. The family celebrates their victory through sticking together, while Grampa, at first despondent over Amber leaving him, quickly learns to be content with it. | |||
| At that moment, a choral note plays and in walks a guy, Gabriel, wearing a white suit. Homer, hearing the choral note, assumes Gabriel is an ], but Gabriel assures him that he is not, it is just his pager going off. He introduces himself as a social worker, who wishes to help them become a family again. However, Homer still believes that he is an angel. | |||
| ==Production== | |||
| Gabriel begins to trail the Simpsons. He starts off with Lisa, who declares her room is her sanctuary and her family respects this. Just then, Bart, sprayed by a skunk, runs in and uses her sweaters to clean up. Next up is Bart and Bart feels proud that Gabriel is following him around. When it's Marge's turn, she tells him how she loves to cook, although a little creepily. In ], Homer introduces "Gabriel the angel" to beer and gets drunk and verbally dumps on his family, especially himself. Gabriel has his work cut out for him. | |||
| ], who guest-starred as Gabriel in the episode, was dissatisfied with the character's design.]] | |||
| "Brawl in the Family" was directed by ] and was the first episode ] received a sole writing credit for. Cohen had previously received a credit for "Hex and the City", the first segment of "]" which aired the previous year. "Brawl in the Family" originally aired on January 6, 2002, on the ]. It was the first episode for which current ] ] served as sole showrunner. It was the second of his episodes to air however, since the Christmas-themed "]", the second episode he produced, was chosen to air first as it would coincide with the holiday. The idea for the episode was pitched by Jean, who wanted to make a follow-up to the season 10 episode "]". In it, Homer takes Ned to Las Vegas to teach him how to have fun. While there, the two get intoxicated and wake up the next morning to find that they have married two cocktail waitresses, Amber and Ginger. The episode ends with Homer and Ned walking home from Vegas. Jean felt that the ending to "Viva Ned Flanders" was "a bit loose" because "...if you leave a wife in Vegas, they track you down."<ref name="Jean" /> He pitched "Brawl in the Family" in order to "resolve it ."<ref name="Jean" /> Amber and Ginger were portrayed by ] and ] respectively.<ref name="Jean" /> | |||
| "Brawl in the Family" features British actor and theater director ] as Gabriel, the social worker. According to Jean, Lindo was chosen to guest star because of his "great voice."<ref name="Jean" /> Gabriel was then designed to match Lindo's voice.<ref name="Jean" /> In the DVD commentary for the episode, Lindo expressed dissatisfaction with the character's design. He said "Were I an audience member, looking at this I'd think, 'That guy doesn't sound like he looks.'"<ref name="Lindo">Lindo, Delroy. (2010). Commentary for "Brawl in the Family", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Thirteenth Season'' . 20th Century Fox.</ref> However, he added that his appearance in the episode earned him "much cred" among his nieces and nephews. In an interview with ], he said "After I did that voiceover, I was very aware of the power of ''The Simpsons'', because in certain quarters, I got instant credibility."<ref name="avclub">{{cite web |url=https://www.avclub.com/delroy-lindo-1798224092 |title=Delroy Lindo |date=February 7, 2011 |access-date=May 28, 2011 |last=Ryan |first=Kyle |website=] |archive-date=September 25, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210925060028/https://www.avclub.com/delroy-lindo-1798224092 |url-status=live }}</ref> The episode also features ] as ].<ref name="DVDverdict">{{cite web|url=http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/simpsons13bluray.php |title=The Simpsons: The Complete Thirteenth Season (Blu-Ray) |date=September 6, 2010 |access-date=July 2, 2011 |last=Malkowski |first=Jennifer |publisher=] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111209001817/http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/simpsons13bluray.php |archive-date=December 9, 2011 }}</ref> | |||
| The next day, he takes the Simpsons to a picturesque clearing in the woods (which Homer thinks is ]). He then starts to give his appraisals on the family. Marge medicates the family with food. Bart does everything to get attention (at that moment, he has a beard of bees). Homer is, quite simply, a drunken, childish buffoon. Then he tells them that he has hung up their lunch (roast beef sandwiches, a ] for Lisa, and beer) on top of a tree. | |||
| ==Release== | |||
| When Homer hears there's beer on top of the tree, instead of climbing it, he gets in the car and rams it into the tree. The tree falls over and slides over a canyon, taking Gabriel along with it. It gets wedged between two canyon walls. Gabriel manages to hold on to a branch. Unfortunately, a pack of ] has scented the lunch and they gather under the tree. The Simpsons try to devise a rescue plan, as a family. Homer climbs down, as the rest of the family, steadies his descent. Giving the wolves the lunch and beer (not Duff), they manage to climb to safety. They all go home, happily singing "We are family". | |||
| On its original American broadcast on January 6, 2002, "Brawl in the Family" was watched by approximately 12.8 million viewers, according to ]. It became the 28th most watched program of the week it aired, beating such shows as ]'s '']'' and ]'s '']'' and '']''.<ref name="ew">{{Cite magazine|url=http://www.ew.com/article/2003/01/24/ratings|title=THE RATINGS|magazine=]|date=January 24, 2003|access-date=January 25, 2022|archive-date=July 25, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150725075852/http://www.ew.com/article/2003/01/24/ratings|url-status=dead}}</ref> | |||
| Later that year, the episode was nominated for an ] in the category "Television Episodic - Comedy", which it ultimately lost to the '']'' episode "Protecting the Ego-System".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ema-online.org/awards_12th_annual.php |title=12th Annual Environmental Media Awards |access-date=May 17, 2011 |publisher=] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110524015139/http://www.ema-online.org/awards_12th_annual.php |archive-date=May 24, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Its nomination was based solely on a scene in which "a bigger fish eats a smaller three-eyed fish", according to Jean, and because the award show was short on nominees.<ref name="Jean" /> On August 24, 2010, "Brawl in the Family" was released as part of ''The Simpsons: The Complete Thirteenth Season'' ] and ] set.<ref name="DVDmg" /> Al Jean, Joel H. Cohen, Max Pross, Delroy Lindo, Matt Warburton and David Silverman participated in the audio commentary of the episode.<ref name="Jean">Jean, Al. (2010). Commentary for "Brawl in the Family", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Thirteenth Season'' . 20th Century Fox.</ref> | |||
| As they pull up to the house, they see Amber and Ginger, the two ladies who Homer and ] ], while drunk. Gabriel, in disgust, walks off. Marge, on being introduced to Amber, gets mad at Homer. Ginger goes to the Flanders' residence and is reluctantly accepted by Ned. Homer tries to get an annulment to placate Marge, but Judge Constance Harm denies it and orders him to take care of both wives. Marge throws Homer out, so he moves into the treehouse with Amber, who makes him a sandwich, arousing Marge's jealousy. | |||
| Following its home video release, "Brawl in the Family" received mixed reviews from critics. Aaron Peck of High-Def Digest criticized the episode for being unoriginal, writing "Homer is always doing something that jeopardizes his marriage to Marge. When Homer's 'Vegas Wife' shows up unexpectedly the same thing happens. This is a storyline that has worn out its welcome, but it still continues."<ref name="highdef">{{cite web |url=http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/3398/simpsons_13.html |title=The Simpsons: The Thirteenth Season (Blu-ray) |publisher=High-Def Digest |first=Aaron |last=Peck |date=August 31, 2010 |access-date=May 16, 2011 |archive-date=September 19, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110919054458/http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/3398/simpsons_13.html |url-status=live }}</ref> 411Mania's Ron Martin described the episode as having a "ridiculous set up".<ref name="411mania">{{cite web|url=http://www.411mania.com/movies/dvd_reviews/153026 |title=The Simpsons Season 13 DVD Review |date=September 15, 2010 |access-date=May 7, 2020|last=Martin|first=Ron|publisher=411Mania|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101015004733/http://www.411mania.com/movies/dvd_reviews/153026 |archive-date=October 15, 2010 }}</ref> Andre Dellamorte of Collider thought negatively of the episode as well, calling it "Mannered to the point of ridiculousness."<ref name="collider" /> While he didn't consider it the worst episode he's ever seen, he criticized the episode's pacing and lack of satire, writing "it’s just that the plates spin so fast and so pointlessly that it becomes just about the gags. the satire is gone; it’s just incident after incident to set up gags (some of which are funny) and get the show to an end time."<ref name="collider">{{cite web |url=http://collider.com/the-simpsons-thirteenth-season-blu-ray-review/49587/ |title=THE SIMPSONS: Thirteenth Season Blu-ray Review |date=September 17, 2010 |access-date=May 16, 2011 |last=Dellamorte |first=Andre |website=] |archive-date=July 8, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708175654/http://collider.com/the-simpsons-thirteenth-season-blu-ray-review/49587/ |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
| The next morning, Ned, along with ] and ], wakes up Ginger. His extremely nice, religious and pious outlook almost sickens her. At the Simpsons place, "Vegas Mom" tries to warm up to the kids, but they blow her off. That night, Homer can't sleep with Marge and doesn't want to sleep with his Vegas wife, so he tries to sleep in the doghouse, but he wrecks it. The next morning, Marge has a word with him and they come up with a plan. They act as if they have fought and Homer goes to ] with Amber and gets her drunk. The next morning, Amber wakes up to find that she has married ], forsaking all others, thanks to a videotape of the marriage. She runs off, along with Ginger (who has had enough of Ned's sugary sweetness), and go back to Vegas. The Simpsons celebrate their victory as a family. | |||
| Writing for DVD Movie Guide, Colin Jacobson wrote that the episode "seems like two story fragments combined into one; it’s like the writers couldn’t flesh out either tale for an entire 22 minutes so they just stuck two half-programs together."<ref name="DVDmg">{{cite web |url=http://www.dvdmg.com/simpsonsseasonthirteen.shtml |title=The Simpsons: The Complete Thirteenth Season <nowiki></nowiki> (2001) |date=September 2, 2010 |access-date=May 16, 2011 |last=Jacobson |first=Colin |publisher=DVD Movie Guide |archive-date=April 4, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200404202638/http://www.dvdmg.com/simpsonsseasonthirteen.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref> He added that it still "manages some laughs", and also argued that the episode was very similar to the season 1 episode "]", which was also noted by Ryan Keefer of ].<ref name="DVDmg" /><ref name="dvdtalk">{{cite web |url=http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/43599/simpsons-the-complete-thirteenth-season-the/ |title=The Simpsons: The 13th Season (Blu-ray) |date=August 31, 2010 |access-date=May 16, 2011 |last=Keefer |first=Ryan |publisher=] |archive-date=June 8, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110608054447/http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/43599/simpsons-the-complete-thirteenth-season-the/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Despite receiving mixed reviews, "Brawl in the Family" is often considered a fan favourite, and R. L. Shaffer of ] called it one of the season's "gems".<ref name="ign">{{cite web|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/08/30/the-simpsons-the-thirteenth-season-blu-ray-review |title=The Simpsons: The Thirteenth Season Blu-ray Review |date=August 30, 2010 |access-date=January 25, 2022|last=Shaffer |first=R.L. |publisher=]}}</ref> | |||
| ==Trivia== | |||
| *Springfield Republican Party members are: Mr. Burns (chairman), Mr. Smithers, Krusty the Clown, Rainier Wolfcastle, the Rich Texan, Bob Dole and Dracula. | |||
| *Lisa breaks the fourth wall by saying "Is the end of our series?" and then follows by saying, "Of events?" | |||
| *The ] clones are "] ]" "Rastamonopoly" "]" and "]". | |||
| *There is an emergency "Homer Strangling Bart" silhouette button on the Simpson family phone, which when pressed upon speed-dials the Springfield Police. | |||
| *Marge claims that The Simpsons have been through 280 adventures, presumebly a reference to the episode number, but by the time this episode was aired that had only been 276 episodes aired. | |||
| == |
==References== | ||
| {{reflist|2}} | |||
| *''Hearing Homer scream after the TV broke:''<br/>'''Marge:''' Quit screaming, Homer.<br/>'''Homer:''' Quit trying to control me! | |||
| *'''Marge:''' Why don't we play ]?<br/>'''Lisa:''' Which version? We've got "Star Wars" Monopoly, Rasta-Mon-Opoly, Galip-Olopoly, Edna Krabappoly...<br/>'''Marge:''' Let's stick to original Monopoly. The game's crazy enough as it is. How can an iron be a landlord? | |||
| *''Simpsons playing Monopoly with Homer losing money to Bart''<br/>'''Bart:''' You're a little light here, dad.<br/>'''Homer:''' I'm good for the rest, you know I am!<br/>'''Bart:''' Well I'd like to trust you, Homer, but you've been in jail three times.<br/>'''Homer:''' They told me it would be like this on the outside. | |||
| *''Homer at Moe's, talking drunk-talk to Gabriel:''<br/>'''Homer:''' Look, the thing about my family is that there's five of us: Marge, Bart, Girl-Bart, the one who doesn't talk, and the fat guy. How I loathe him! | |||
| *'''Ginger:''' Hey stud, where do you keep your wet ones? I need a shower.<br/>'''Flanders:''' Oh, we've got a real shower upstairs.<br/>'''Ginger:''' Upstairs? I hit the jackpot! | |||
| *'''Amber:''' You know.. I bet you and me could be friends. I could show you how to put on makeup!<br/>'''Lisa:''' I'm eight years old!<br/>'''Amber:''' You could look seven! And I could teach you to ]!<br/>'''Bart:''' Nah, I already got a system. | |||
| *'''Marge:''' Homer?<br/>'''Homer:''' Marge? You're speaking to me!?<br/>'''Marge:''' Why don't you come inside and we'll talk?<br/>'''Homer:''' Talk about what? Sports? Bigamy?<br/>'''Marge:''' Bigamy.<br/>'''Homer:''' Not a sports fan, huh? | |||
| *'''Abe:''' You wanna give ] four more years in the ]? <br/> '''Amber:''' No! <br/> '''Abe (relieved):''' Oh, thank God! ''(falls asleep)'' | |||
| *'''Moe (on TV's "]"):''' Oh, I really felt there was a connection. And I would definitely like to go out with her again. <br/> '''Moe's Date:''' He smelled like puke! | |||
| *'''Wiggum (to an inmate line-up):''' Now, everyone turn to the right. ''(some of the inmates turn to their right, others turn to their left)'' Oh, come on, people! The Prison ] is in one week and I don't see five Sugar Plums. I see five guys who don't know their moves and don't seem to care! There, I've said it! | |||
| == External links == | |||
| ⚫ | ] | ||
| {{wikiquote|The_Simpsons/Season_13#Brawl_in_the_Family|"Brawl in the Family"}} | |||
| {{Portal|The Simpsons}} | |||
| *{{snpp capsule|DABF01}} | |||
| *{{IMDb episode|id=0701074}} | |||
| {{The Simpsons episodes|13}} | |||
| ⚫ | ] | ||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
Latest revision as of 04:15, 3 January 2025
This article is about the Simpsons episode. For webcomic, see Brawl in the Family (webcomic). For the Loud House episode, see Brawl in the Family (The Loud House).7th episode of the 13th season of The Simpsons
| "Brawl in the Family" | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| The Simpsons episode | |||
| Episode no. | Season 13 Episode 7 | ||
| Directed by | Matthew Nastuk | ||
| Written by | Joel H. Cohen | ||
| Production code | DABF01 | ||
| Original air date | January 6, 2002 (2002-01-06) | ||
| Guest appearances | |||
| |||
| Episode features | |||
| Couch gag | The couch is replaced by a hedge. A gardener comes in and creates a topiary of The Simpsons. | ||
| Commentary | Al Jean Joel H. Cohen Max Pross Delroy Lindo Matt Warburton David Silverman | ||
| Episode chronology | |||
| |||
| The Simpsons season 13 | |||
| List of episodes | |||
"Brawl in the Family" is the seventh episode of the thirteenth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on January 6, 2002. In the episode, the Simpsons get arrested for domestic violence, prompting social worker Gabriel to move in and make the family functional. After the family is declared acceptable, Amber and Ginger, the cocktail waitresses Homer and his neighbor Ned Flanders married in Las Vegas, show up at their doorsteps. This episode is the first episode of Season 13's DABF production line.
"Brawl in the Family" was directed by Matthew Nastuk and was the first full episode Joel H. Cohen received a writing credit for. It was the first episode on which Al Jean served as sole showrunner. The idea for the episode was pitched by Jean, who wanted to produce a sequel to the season 10 episode "Viva Ned Flanders", which he thought had a "loose end". The episode features Jane Kaczmarek as Judge Constance Harm, and Delroy Lindo as Gabriel.
In its original broadcast, the episode was seen by approximately 12.8 million viewers, making it the 28th most watched program the week it aired.
Later that year, the episode was nominated for an Environmental Media Awards in the category "Television Episodic - Comedy", which it ultimately lost to the Dharma & Greg episode "Protecting the Ego-System". Following its home video release, "Brawl in the Family" received mixed reviews from critics.
Plot
After the Republican Party of Springfield successfully repeals most of the city's environmental laws, the resulting spike in air pollution causes an acid rainstorm, destroying the Simpsons' TV antenna and prompting them to stay inside and play a game of Monopoly to pass the time. When it is revealed that Bart has been cheating by using Lego bricks as hotel pieces, Bart threatens Lisa and Homer assaults him. Marge and Lisa try to pry them apart. Despite her inability to talk, Maggie calls the police on her family before taking hold of Marge and attempting to pull her off Homer. With help from an edible taffy-like substance and a robot, the entire Simpson family is arrested for causing a domestic disturbance.
After a short time in jail, they are released by a social worker named Gabriel, whom Homer continuously dismisses as an angel sent from Heaven. Gabriel moves in with the family to help them be functional again. After observing the family's quirks, Gabriel takes the family to a forest and diagnoses the family's problems accordingly: Marge tries to prove her self-worth to the family by medicating them with food, Bart is addicted to doing crazy stunts for attention, Lisa has a savior complex brought on by her ill-fated attempts to do good for the family, and Homer is simply a drunken buffoon. Gabriel then sets up a challenge to teach the Simpsons the importance of teamwork by setting up a picnic basket in a tree. The object is for the family to work together as a team to get it down, but when Gabriel mentions that there is beer, Homer foolishly uses the family car to knock the tree down, trapping Gabriel in the process. After a harrowing rescue involving Bart driving the car and Homer nearly becoming prey for wild predators, the Simpsons succeed and Gabriel congratulates them on working together as a family and becoming functional during their drive home.
Before the family can call it a day, they arrive home and find Amber and Ginger waiting in their driveway, causing Gabriel to storm off in disgust. Amber shows Marge and the kids video footage of a drunk Homer marrying her in Vegas, while Ginger is next door with the widowed Ned Flanders. Homer tries to get his marriage to Amber annulled by the court, but Judge Constance Harm refuses, stating that the marriage still stands, since polygamy is legal in Nevada and Homer never officially divorced Amber. Marge is so angry that she banishes Homer, who takes up residence in Bart's treehouse with Amber, who attempts to seduce him by making him sandwiches, arousing Marge's jealousy. Amber also unsuccessfully tries to bond with Bart and Lisa, who resent her for destroying their family. Homer still loves Marge and refuses to sleep with Amber, so he tries to sleep in Santa's Little Helper's kennel, but ends up getting its doorway stuck to his head and spends the rest of the night trying to get it off, as Marge watches from the window and begins to have a change of heart. The next day, Marge finds Homer asleep amid the broken remains of the doghouse, and asks him to come inside to talk with her, although she is still angry at him over what he did.
While Amber is lounging in a kiddie pool, she overhears Homer and Marge arguing about her, with Homer ultimately announcing that he is leaving Marge and the kids. Homer then invites Amber to Moe's for a night of drinking, while Marge and the kids eavesdrop from outside. The next day, a hungover Amber discovers that she is now married to Grampa Simpson, and the Simpsons have video evidence of the event about her vowing to forsake all other husbands when married to Grampa. Amber and Ginger, who is fed up with Ned and the Flanders' sickeningly sweet demeanour, hurriedly drive back to Vegas. The family celebrates their victory through sticking together, while Grampa, at first despondent over Amber leaving him, quickly learns to be content with it.
Production
"Brawl in the Family" was directed by Matthew Nastuk and was the first episode Joel H. Cohen received a sole writing credit for. Cohen had previously received a credit for "Hex and the City", the first segment of "Treehouse of Horror XII" which aired the previous year. "Brawl in the Family" originally aired on January 6, 2002, on the Fox network. It was the first episode for which current showrunner Al Jean served as sole showrunner. It was the second of his episodes to air however, since the Christmas-themed "She of Little Faith", the second episode he produced, was chosen to air first as it would coincide with the holiday. The idea for the episode was pitched by Jean, who wanted to make a follow-up to the season 10 episode "Viva Ned Flanders". In it, Homer takes Ned to Las Vegas to teach him how to have fun. While there, the two get intoxicated and wake up the next morning to find that they have married two cocktail waitresses, Amber and Ginger. The episode ends with Homer and Ned walking home from Vegas. Jean felt that the ending to "Viva Ned Flanders" was "a bit loose" because "...if you leave a wife in Vegas, they track you down." He pitched "Brawl in the Family" in order to "resolve it ." Amber and Ginger were portrayed by Pamela Hayden and Tress MacNeille respectively.
"Brawl in the Family" features British actor and theater director Delroy Lindo as Gabriel, the social worker. According to Jean, Lindo was chosen to guest star because of his "great voice." Gabriel was then designed to match Lindo's voice. In the DVD commentary for the episode, Lindo expressed dissatisfaction with the character's design. He said "Were I an audience member, looking at this I'd think, 'That guy doesn't sound like he looks.'" However, he added that his appearance in the episode earned him "much cred" among his nieces and nephews. In an interview with The A.V. Club, he said "After I did that voiceover, I was very aware of the power of The Simpsons, because in certain quarters, I got instant credibility." The episode also features Jane Kaczmarek as Judge Constance Harm.
Release
On its original American broadcast on January 6, 2002, "Brawl in the Family" was watched by approximately 12.8 million viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research. It became the 28th most watched program of the week it aired, beating such shows as ABC's 8 Simple Rules and NBC's Crossing Jordan and Mister Sterling.
Later that year, the episode was nominated for an Environmental Media Award in the category "Television Episodic - Comedy", which it ultimately lost to the Dharma & Greg episode "Protecting the Ego-System". Its nomination was based solely on a scene in which "a bigger fish eats a smaller three-eyed fish", according to Jean, and because the award show was short on nominees. On August 24, 2010, "Brawl in the Family" was released as part of The Simpsons: The Complete Thirteenth Season DVD and Blu-ray set. Al Jean, Joel H. Cohen, Max Pross, Delroy Lindo, Matt Warburton and David Silverman participated in the audio commentary of the episode.
Following its home video release, "Brawl in the Family" received mixed reviews from critics. Aaron Peck of High-Def Digest criticized the episode for being unoriginal, writing "Homer is always doing something that jeopardizes his marriage to Marge. When Homer's 'Vegas Wife' shows up unexpectedly the same thing happens. This is a storyline that has worn out its welcome, but it still continues." 411Mania's Ron Martin described the episode as having a "ridiculous set up". Andre Dellamorte of Collider thought negatively of the episode as well, calling it "Mannered to the point of ridiculousness." While he didn't consider it the worst episode he's ever seen, he criticized the episode's pacing and lack of satire, writing "it’s just that the plates spin so fast and so pointlessly that it becomes just about the gags. the satire is gone; it’s just incident after incident to set up gags (some of which are funny) and get the show to an end time."
Writing for DVD Movie Guide, Colin Jacobson wrote that the episode "seems like two story fragments combined into one; it’s like the writers couldn’t flesh out either tale for an entire 22 minutes so they just stuck two half-programs together." He added that it still "manages some laughs", and also argued that the episode was very similar to the season 1 episode "There's No Disgrace Like Home", which was also noted by Ryan Keefer of DVD Talk. Despite receiving mixed reviews, "Brawl in the Family" is often considered a fan favourite, and R. L. Shaffer of IGN called it one of the season's "gems".
References
- ^ Jean, Al. (2010). Commentary for "Brawl in the Family", in The Simpsons: The Complete Thirteenth Season . 20th Century Fox.
- Lindo, Delroy. (2010). Commentary for "Brawl in the Family", in The Simpsons: The Complete Thirteenth Season . 20th Century Fox.
- Ryan, Kyle (February 7, 2011). "Delroy Lindo". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on September 25, 2021. Retrieved May 28, 2011.
- Malkowski, Jennifer (September 6, 2010). "The Simpsons: The Complete Thirteenth Season (Blu-Ray)". DVD Verdict. Archived from the original on December 9, 2011. Retrieved July 2, 2011.
- "THE RATINGS". Entertainment Weekly. January 24, 2003. Archived from the original on July 25, 2015. Retrieved January 25, 2022.
- "12th Annual Environmental Media Awards". Environmental Media Awards. Archived from the original on May 24, 2011. Retrieved May 17, 2011.
- ^ Jacobson, Colin (September 2, 2010). "The Simpsons: The Complete Thirteenth Season (2001)". DVD Movie Guide. Archived from the original on April 4, 2020. Retrieved May 16, 2011.
- Peck, Aaron (August 31, 2010). "The Simpsons: The Thirteenth Season (Blu-ray)". High-Def Digest. Archived from the original on September 19, 2011. Retrieved May 16, 2011.
- Martin, Ron (September 15, 2010). "The Simpsons Season 13 DVD Review". 411Mania. Archived from the original on October 15, 2010. Retrieved May 7, 2020.
- ^ Dellamorte, Andre (September 17, 2010). "THE SIMPSONS: Thirteenth Season Blu-ray Review". Collider. Archived from the original on July 8, 2011. Retrieved May 16, 2011.
- Keefer, Ryan (August 31, 2010). "The Simpsons: The 13th Season (Blu-ray)". DVD Talk. Archived from the original on June 8, 2011. Retrieved May 16, 2011.
- Shaffer, R.L. (August 30, 2010). "The Simpsons: The Thirteenth Season Blu-ray Review". IGN. Retrieved January 25, 2022.
