A Streetcar Named Marge

"A Streetcar Named Marge"
The Simpsons episode
Episode no.Season 4
Episode 2
Directed byRich Moore
Written byJeff Martin
Production code8F18[1]
Original air dateOctober 1, 1992 (1992-10-01)
Guest appearances
Episode features
Chalkboard gag"My name is not "Dr. Death""[1]
Couch gagThe couch turns into a tentacled brown monster.[2]
CommentaryMatt Groening
Al Jean
Mike Reiss
Jeff Martin
Hank Azaria
Jon Lovitz
Episode chronology
List of episodes

"A Streetcar Named Marge" is the second episode of the fourth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on October 1, 1992. In the episode, Marge wins the role of Blanche DuBois in a community theatre musical version of Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire. Homer offers little support for his wife's acting pursuits, and Marge begins to see parallels between him and Stanley Kowalski, the play's boorish lead male character. The episode contains a subplot in which Maggie Simpson attempts to retrieve her pacifier from a strict daycare owner.

The episode was written by Jeff Martin and directed by Rich Moore. Jon Lovitz made his fourth guest appearance on The Simpsons, this time as musical director Llewellyn Sinclair, as well as Llewellyn's sister, who runs the Ayn Rand School for Tots. The episode generated controversy for its original song about New Orleans, which contains several unflattering lyrics about the city. One New Orleans newspaper published the lyrics before the episode aired, prompting numerous complaints to the local Fox affiliate; in response, the president of Fox Broadcasting issued an apology to anyone who was offended. In the chalkboard gag of the next episode, "Homer the Heretic", Bart writes "I will not defame New Orleans."[3]

Despite the controversial song, the episode was well received by many fans, and show creator Matt Groening has named it one of his favorite episodes.

  1. ^ a b Richmond & Coffman 1997, p. 93.
  2. ^ Martyn, Warren; Wood, Adrian (2000). "A Streetcar Named Marge". BBC. Retrieved August 24, 2007.
  3. ^ Jean, Al (2004). The Simpsons Season 4 DVD commentary for the episode "Homer the Heretic" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.