Changes: Postcards From the Wedge

Revision as of 15:12, 10 June 2020

Episode

References

Gags

Appearances

Gallery

Quotes

Credits

◄	The Color Yellow

Postcards From the Wedge

Stealing First Base

►

"Postcards From the Wedge" is the fifteenth episode of Season 21.

Synopsis

When Homer receives a letter from Edna Krabappel saying that Bart is way behind in his studies, he tries to take a hard line with him, but Marge thinks he has too much work, so Bart finds a way to turn their difference of opinion into a full-scale fight, only for it to end up with the pair choosing that they need to worry about themselves more than Bart - at least until Bart discovers that running trains on the old Springfield Subway System is causing the school's structure to crumble.

Full Story

After watching a film, Edna Krabappel demands everybody's history report on Hopi Indians. Bart never did it, so Edna sends a letter to his parents to say that Bart is unprepared. Despite Bart's attempts to stop them from seeing the letter, Homer and Marge receive the letter, informing them that Bart is one month behind on his homework, Homer, in an unusually strict act, not only wants Bart to do all his homework, he wants him to do more than was given to him and refuses to let him take even a small break until it is done (provided he doesn't have to help). Marge, however, is concerned that the heavy workload will have a negative effect on Bart's enthusiasm for education in general. When Bart realizes his parents' opposing viewpoints, he uses it to avoid his homework entirely. Lisa explains that homework is a wedge issue, an issue that sharply divides two parties who may otherwise agree on most ideas.

Marge and Homer begin to argue more and more, even about matters that don't involve Bart's homework, as Bart manipulates them against each other. Marge seeks council from Ned Flanders, who recalls having a minor argument with Maude about their handtowels on the day she died, saying it has haunted him every day since. Marge then consults Selma and Patty, who encourage her to stick to her guns, even if the issue would endanger her marriage, prompting Marge to relent and leave to apologize. Meanwhile, Homer falls asleep at work, and dreams that he wins the fight and the town celebrates with a parade. But the float he is riding accidentally runs over Marge and kills her. Homer wakes up and realizes that he also wants to sorrow over this as well. The two observe each other in traffic, get out of their cars and embrace. They then choose to let Bart fend for himself.

Meanwhile, Bart and Milhouse play a prank on Principal Skinner. To evade capture by Skinner, they hide in the abandoned Springfield Subway System where they discover the subway trains still work. They race down the tracks and cause a seismic tremor to shake the town, like its first run. Homer and Marge fail to react to this, having choose not to let Bart get between them. Bart confesses to Nelson that he no longer feels a thrill when he plays a prank. Nelson suggests Bart does not get gratification from pranks unless someone gets outraged.

Bart plans to destroy Springfield Elementary, which was damaged by the first subway run, by driving the train under it. Homer and Marge find a note from Lisa informing them of this prank and they agree to stop ignoring Bart. They rush to the subway station, where Homer pulls the emergency kill switch (after picturing Bart's head on the lever and saying,"Why you little...!"). Bart gets punished for his actions but is happy that his parents are paying attention to him once more, and possibly for Skinner crushing school (he was too happy and raised flag that fell onto school). At the end, Lisa found out that Bart actually forged the note about the subway prank by misspelling the word 'elementary', implying that he wanted to be caught to get Homer and Marge's attention. However, seeing that Bart learned his lesson about driving both Homer and Marge apart, Lisa promises to keep it a secret to protect his bad boy reputation.

Reception

Citations

◄ Season 20	Season 21 Episodes	Season 22 ►
Homer the Whopper • Bart Gets a "Z" • The Great Wife Hope • Treehouse of Horror XX • The Devil Wears Nada • Pranks and Greens • Rednecks and Broomsticks • O Brother, Where Bart Thou? • Thursdays with Abie • Once Upon a Time in Springfield • Million Dollar Maybe • Boy Meets Curl • The Color Yellow • Postcards From the Wedge • Stealing First Base • The Greatest Story Ever D'ohed • American History X-cellent • Chief of Hearts • The Squirt and the Whale • To Surveil With Love • Moe Letter Blues • The Bob Next Door • Judge Me Tender

@@ Line 13: / Line 13: @@
 |Written By = [[Brian Kelley]]
 |Directed By = [[Mark Kirkland]]
-|Show Runner=[[Al Jean]]
+|Show Runner=[[Al Jean]]}}
+"'''Postcards From the Wedge'''" is the fifteenth episode of [[Season 21]].
-}}
-"'''''Postcards From the Wedge'''''" is the fourteenth episode of [[Season 21]].
 ==Synopsis==
+When [[Homer]] receives a letter from [[Edna Krabappel]] saying that [[Bart]] is way behind in his studies, he tries to take a hard line with him, but [[Marge]] thinks he has too much work, so Bart finds a way to turn their difference of opinion into a full-scale fight, only for it to end up with the pair choosing that they need to worry about themselves more than Bart - at least until Bart discovers that running trains on the old Springfield Subway System is causing the school's structure to crumble.
-When [[Homer]] receives a letter from [[Edna Krabappel]] saying that [[Bart]] is way behind in his studies, he tries to take a hard line with him, but [[Marge]] thinks he has too much work, so Bart finds a way to turn their difference of opinion into a full-blown fight, only for it to end up with the two of them deciding that they need to worry about themselves more than Bart - at least until Bart discovers that running trains on the old Springfield Subway is causing the school's structure to crumble.
 == Full Story ==
-After watching a film, Edna Krabappel demands everybody's history report on Hopi Indians. Bart never did it, so Edna sends a letter to his parents. Despite Bart's attempts to stop them from seeing the letter, [[Homer]] and [[Marge]] receive the letter, informing them that [[Bart]] is one month behind on his homework, Homer, in an unusually strict act, not only wants Bart to do all his homework, he wants him to do more than was given to him and refuses to let him take even a small break until it's done (provided he doesn't have to help). Marge, however, is concerned that the heavy workload will have a negative effect on Bart's enthusiasm for education in general. When Bart realizes his parents' opposing viewpoints, he uses it to avoid his homework entirely. [[Lisa]] explains that homework is a [[wikipedia:Wedge issue|wedge issue]], an issue that sharply divides two parties who may otherwise agree on most things.
+After watching a film, Edna Krabappel demands everybody's history report on Hopi Indians. Bart never did it, so Edna sends a letter to his parents to say that Bart is unprepared. Despite Bart's attempts to stop them from seeing the letter, [[Homer]] and [[Marge]] receive the letter, informing them that [[Bart]] is one month behind on his homework, Homer, in an unusually strict act, not only wants Bart to do all his homework, he wants him to do more than was given to him and refuses to let him take even a small break until it is done (provided he doesn't have to help). Marge, however, is concerned that the heavy workload will have a negative effect on Bart's enthusiasm for education in general. When Bart realizes his parents' opposing viewpoints, he uses it to avoid his homework entirely. [[Lisa]] explains that homework is a [[wikipedia:Wedge issue|wedge issue]], an issue that sharply divides two parties who may otherwise agree on most ideas.
 Marge and Homer begin to argue more and more, even about matters that don't involve Bart's homework, as Bart manipulates them against each other. Marge seeks council from [[Ned Flanders]], who recalls having a minor argument with [[Maude]] about their handtowels on the day she died, saying it has haunted him every day since. Marge then consults [[Selma Bouvier|Selma]] and [[Patty Bouvier|Patty]], who encourage her to stick to her guns, even if the issue would endanger her marriage, prompting Marge to relent and leave to apologize. Meanwhile, Homer falls asleep at work, and dreams that he wins the fight and the town celebrates with a parade. But the float he is riding accidentally runs over Marge and kills her. Homer wakes up and realizes that he also wants to sorrow over this as well. The two observe each other in traffic, get out of their cars and embrace. They then choose to let Bart fend for himself.
@@ Line 28: / Line 26: @@
 Meanwhile, Bart and [[Milhouse]] play a prank on [[Principal Skinner]]. To evade capture by Skinner, they hide in the abandoned [[Springfield Subway System]] where they discover the subway trains still work. They race down the tracks and cause a seismic tremor to shake the town, like its first run. Homer and Marge fail to react to this, having choose not to let Bart get between them. Bart confesses to [[Nelson]] that he no longer feels a thrill when he plays a prank. Nelson suggests Bart does not get gratification from pranks unless someone gets outraged.
-Bart plans to destroy [[Springfield Elementary]], which was damaged by the first subway run, by driving the train under it. Homer and Marge find a note from Lisa informing them of this prank and they agree to stop ignoring Bart. They rush to the subway station, where Homer pulls the emergency kill switch (after picturing Bart's head on the lever and saying,"Why you little...!"). Bart gets punished for his actions but is happy that his parents are paying attention to him once more, and possibly for Skinner crushing school (he was too happy and raised flag that fell onto school). At the end, Lisa reveals that Bart forged the note about the subway prank, suggesting that he wanted to be caught but promising to keep it secret to protect his bad boy reputation.
+Bart plans to destroy [[Springfield Elementary]], which was damaged by the first subway run, by driving the train under it. Homer and Marge find a note from Lisa informing them of this prank and they agree to stop ignoring Bart. They rush to the subway station, where Homer pulls the emergency kill switch (after picturing Bart's head on the lever and saying,"Why you little...!"). Bart gets punished for his actions but is happy that his parents are paying attention to him once more, and possibly for Skinner crushing school (he was too happy and raised flag that fell onto school). At the end, Lisa found out that Bart actually forged the note about the subway prank by misspelling the word 'elementary', implying that he wanted to be caught to get Homer and Marge's attention. However, seeing that Bart learned his lesson about driving both Homer and Marge apart, Lisa promises to keep it a secret to protect his bad boy reputation.
 == Reception ==
-The Simpsons creators [[Michael Sullivan]] and [[Patrick Johnson]] disliked the episode, because of [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] and [[Marge Simpson|Marge]] punishing [[Bart Simpson|Bart]].
 == Citations ==
 {{Reflist}}{{Season|21|Eps}}
+[[es:Postcards from the Wedge]]
+[[fr:Élémentaire, mon cher Simpson]]
+[[pl:Postcards from the Wedge]]
+[[pt:Postais de Cunha]]
+[[ru:Открытки с развода]]
 [[Category:Homer episodes]]
 [[Category:Marge episodes]]
 [[Category:Bart episodes]]
 [[Category:Edna Krabappel Episodes]]
-[[Category:Milhouse episodes]]
 [[Category:Education-themed episodes]]
 [[Category:Groundskeeper Willie Episodes]]
+[[Category:Episodes in which Homer almost loses Marge]]
+[[Category:Episodes with alternate end credits]]
+[[Category:Written by Brian Kelley]]
+[[Category:Directed by Mark Kirkland]]
+[[Category:Principal Skinner episodes]]
+[[Category:Milhouse episodes]]