This article is about the Simpson's episode. For the webcomic of the same name, see Brawl in the Family (webcomic).
"Brawl in the Family" is the seventh episode of The Simpsons thirteenth season.
Plot
The Simpsons end up staying inside during an acid rainstorm (caused by The Evil Republican Party's latest decision to make caring for the environment a felony offense) and play a game of Monopoly. When it's revealed that Bart's been cheating by using LEGO bricks as hotel pieces, Homer strangles Bart. Marge and Lisa try to pry them apart, but this escalates to Marge fighting with Lisa. Despite her (presumed) inability to talk, Maggie calls the police on her family. With help from The Negotibot and an edible taffy-like substance used to incapacitate criminals, the entire Simpson family (including Maggie) is arrested for causing a domestic disturbance.
After a short time in jail, a man named Gabriel (whom Homer keeps thinking is an angel sent from Heaven) moves in with the family to help them be functional again. After observing the family's quirks, Gabriel takes the family to a forest (presumably far away from Springfield) and diagnoses the family's problems (save Lisa and Maggie) 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, and Homer is, simply, a drunken childish moron. 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. After a harrowing rescue involving Bart driving the family car and Homer nearly becoming lunch for cougars and wolves, 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 (the Vegas barmaids last seen on "Viva Ned Flanders"). Amber shows Marge and the kids video footage of a drunk Homer marrying Amber in Vegas (while Ginger is next door with a now-widowed Ned Flanders). Homer tries to get his marriage to Amber annulled by the court, but Judge Harm refuses, stating that Homer married Amber in Nevada (where bigamy is supposedly legal), and the marriage still stands since Homer never formally divorced Amber. Marge is so upset that she throws Homer out of the house. Homer takes up temporary residence in Bart's tree house with Amber, but Homer (who still loves Marge) refuses to sleep with Amber. He tries to sleep in Santa's Little Helper's doghouse, but ends up getting the doghouse stuck to his head and spends the rest of the night trying to get it off. When Marge wakes up the next day, she finds Homer asleep amid the broken remains of the doghouse. Marge tells Homer she's still mad at him over what Homer did, but she has a plan to get Amber out of their house.
While Amber is lounging in a kiddie pool, she overhears Homer and Marge arguing, with Homer ultimately announcing that he's leaving Marge and the kids. Homer then invites Amber to Moe's for a night of drinking. The next day, a hungover Amber discovers that she's now married to Grampa Simpson (and the Simpsons have video evidence of the event). Amber and Ginger (the latter of which escapes because she can no longer take the sugary sweetness of Ned Flanders) drive away, vowing never to return.
Production note
In production order, this is the first episode featuring Al Jean (without Mike Reiss) as the new showrunner/executive producer. The previous episode, "She of Little Faith" was the second episode with Al Jean credited as the new showrunner, even though "She of Little Faith" was broadcast first.
External links
- "Brawl in the Family" episode capsule at The Simpsons Archive
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