"Forgive and Regret" is the eighteenth episode of Season 29. As of this episode, the Simpsons have officially surpassed Gunsmoke to become the longest-running scripted prime-time US television series by a number of episodes.
Abe Simpson admits to Homer about his correlation and comes to realize that the issue will not be easy to reconcile when he makes a recovery.
Full Story[]
The episode begins with an opening parody of Gunsmoke, and then cuts to the episode. It shows Homer eating as many of Moe's hard-boiled eggs as possible for 50 dollars, but fails. While driving home, he accidentally knocks over a streetlight. A man appears, asking Homer to sell his car for $500, which he accepts because his car will be used in a demolition derby.
While at the derby, Grampa has a heart attack, and faced with the solution to either watch the rest of the derby and see his car win, or transport his father to the hospital, Homer agrees to help him. On his 'deathbed', Grampa makes a startling confession to Homer, whom he forgives.
However, Grampa survives, and Homer is still uncomfortable over Grampa's statement. When Homer tries to distant himself from his Marge tries to bring them closer together. To help end the whole feud Marge and the kids take Homer and Abe to an escape room but they refuse to work together and Abe only taunts Homer. Having enough of his Dad’s treatment Homer breaks his promise and tells the family why he is angry. The confession is that Grampa got rid of the recipes that Homer's mother, Mona Simpson, used to make when Homer was a boy. They were special to Homer because while Grampa was vicious and abusive to him, Mona helped Homer cope through baking. She also wrote inspirational and loving quotes on the back of each recipe card. Grampa, who now feels guilty of what he did many years ago, goes to the family's old home to locate the cards. Homer gets mad at Grampa for being mean and lying. The family is also furious when they hear this and refuse to speak to Abe again.
When the Simpsons go to find Grampa, Homer plans to thwart his scheme because the recipe box is still resting on a cliffside, and Grampa could risk certain doom getting them. Homer helps him to safety and to get the recipe box, and for a minute Grampa looks like he is sacrificing himself so that Homer can reach it, but when Homer gets to it, he lands on a bed that he got rid of years earlier. However, when opened, the box is empty.
While at a nearby restaurant, Homer recognizes the taste of the pie he is eating as the same one he and his mother used to bake. The waitress tells him that she found the recipes falling down the cliff when Grampa tossed them out and gives them to Homer, wrapped in a bow, and Homer and Grampa make up and reconcile once again.
Reception[]
"Forgive and Regret" scored a 1.0 rating with a four share and was watched by 2.47 million people, making it Fox's highest viewed show of the evening.
Dennis Perkins of The A.V Club gave this episode a B-, stating, "To the show’s credit, the episode itself makes only passing mention of the at least numerically impressive feat, with the cold open seeing a once-again pistol-packing Maggie gunning down Gunsmoke’s Marshall Matt Dillon. Credited to Simpsons writing stalwart Bill Odenkirk, "Forgive And Regret" instead dedicates itself to telling a single story, once more revisiting the justifiably fraught (on both sides) father-son relationship between Abe and Homer Simpson.
Videos[]
Gunsmoke Opening Parody THE SIMPSONS
Preview Be There When The Simpsons Make History Season 29 Ep. 18 THE SIMPSONS
The Simpsons Is Breaking Records THE SIMPSONS
Homer Raises The Divider Season 29 Ep. 18 THE SIMPSONS
Lisa Suggests The Silent Treatment Season 29 Ep. 18 THE SIMPSONS