R/R: The Springfield Connection

[ThatAsianGuy]

"When I first heard Marge was joining the police academy I thought it would be funny and hilarious, you know like that movie, Spaceballs, but instead it's been unfunny and disturbing like that movie Police Academy."

Not a bad episode, I especially love that quote, or whatever the correct quote should be. Anyway, 5/5

[Fox Executive]

"When I first heard Marge was joining the police academy I thought it would be funny and hilarious, you know like that movie, Spaceballs, but instead it's been unfunny and disturbing like that movie Police Academy."

Not a bad episode, I especially love that quote, or whatever the correct quote should be. Anyway, 5/5

That was a great run. A pretty good episode, but not enough for a 5/5, so I give it a 4/5.

[Miss_Haruka]

I like a lot this episode.I think it was pretty intereseting to see another side in Marge's character,than just a simply housewife.There was some flaws,but it have some hilarious scenes.I liked how Snake was used,so Wiggum and cops.And Homer...well he was funny,but a lil'annoying.

A-

[Granto]

A good episode, one of the best Marge ones. Chief Wiggum is just hilarious and this episode contains one of my favourite lines of all time.

"What what what what what what what what what, this better be about pizza"

4/5

[Roger Wilco]

I love this episode. It's a "new job plot" but is truly good, and the ending was quite exciting.
A-

[Van]

Pretty good episode with plenty of nice gags. I love that bit where Lisa puts that hold on Bart. 4/5

[Colonel Klink]

Best part of the episode was Homer's rant about the counterfeit jeans to Herman:

"Herman, how could you? We've all thought about counterfeiting jeans at one time or another, but what about the victims? Hard-working designers like Calvin Klein, Gloria Vanderbilt, or Antoine Bugle Boy. These are the people who saw an overcrowded marketplace and said, "Me too!"" LOL

As for the episode, it's the best Marge focused episode the series has ever done. So it gets bonus points since most Marge episodes are pretty mediocre.

[qwertyuio]

It's one of the worst classic episodes for me. I never liked it too much. Apart from a lack of jokes, the whole episode looked too false for me. I think that the story was too much full of situations that hardly fit with Marge. The problem is that they were introduced in an indiscriminate way. For example, the whole scene with Herman's jeans trade wasn't needed and it hardly had jokes. Moreover, Marge's transition from a peace-loving person to a high-risk lover was poorly written and even cheat.

You will probably find this grade too much high for my review, but the classic episodes hardly ever get less than 8/10 for me. And this one gets a 7/10.

[Jimbo77]

4/5 pretty good episode

[Colonel Klink]

I think that the story was too much full of situations that hardly fit with Marge.

That's why I liked this, we don't see those boring qualities that we see in other boring Marge episodes like Marge On The Lam or Fear of Flying.

For example, the whole scene with Herman's jeans trade wasn't needed and it hardly had jokes.

Again disagreed, as you can see from my quote above, it had many humorous moments. And if you can think of a plot device more effective than her seeing how corrupted the police force is, thus leading her to quit; I'd like to hear it.

Marge's transition from a peace-loving person to a high-risk lover was poorly written and even cheat.

How was it a cheat or poorly written? Marge got a surge of adrenaline from stopping Snake. Once she got a taste of that rush, she wanted more; and her boring life at home wasn't offering that.

This episode also has 2 of my favorite screw the audience cheats in the series.
1 is the cops laughing at Marge randomly for no reason.

And the other is the cops talking to the pizza:
Wiggum: All right, get in there.
Lou: You're going down.
Eddie: I want a piece of him.
Wiggum: You think you're pretty hot, huh? Well, we got everything we
need on you. (everyone grabs a piece of what is revealed to be pizza)

[qwertyuio]

That's why I liked this, we don't see those boring qualities that we see in other boring Marge episodes like Marge On The Lam or Fear of Flying.

The fact is that I am usually interested on some new attitudes at the characters (and these two episodes that you remarked are this kind of episodes).
Anyway, there must be a limit. A calmed and peaceful character can't be suddenly a risk-lover.

Again disagreed, as you can see from my quote above, it had many humorous moments. And if you can think of a plot device more effective than her seeing how corrupted the police force is, thus leading her to quit; I'd like to hear it.

I'm not complaining about the ending but the scene with Herman's jeans trade. It's not the kind of attitude I would set on Herman and it was introduced pretty forcedly for me at the plot.

How was it a cheat or poorly written? Marge got a surge of adrenaline from stopping Snake. Once she got a taste of that rush, she wanted more; and her boring life at home wasn't offering that.

Because they wanted to do too many things with the "new" Marge. If the change was developed with sobriety, the scenes in different attitudes were restricted and not shown in an unnecessary and excessive ostentation and they looked after making a good development, the result would be much better.
One example of a change in characterizations made with enough sobriety is Separate Vocations: it shows a different Lisa but its shown with naturalness and it doesn't contradict its usual attitude.

This episode also has 2 of my favorite screw the audience cheats in the series.
1 is the cops laughing at Marge randomly for no reason.

And the other is the cops talking to the pizza:
Wiggum: All right, get in there.
Lou: You're going down.
Eddie: I want a piece of him.
Wiggum: You think you're pretty hot, huh? Well, we got everything we
need on you. (everyone grabs a piece of what is revealed to be pizza)

I agree with you in these scenes, but they don't make the whole episode great.

[littlejamshed]

3/5

I think the episode's good and has plenty of good one-liners (Moe in this episode is hillarious. Especially his last line.) But it's not got the rewatchability factor that makes a good episode a great one, IMO.

[Mr Black]

A classic with so many great moments and a fantastic plot. The police training scene, the poker scene and snakes scene were among the best. A+

[Colonel Klink]

A calmed and peaceful character can't be suddenly a risk-lover.

Says who? With the right transition, I don't see why not. And this episode had a believable enough transition. Not everything has to be deep and thought provoking.

Because they wanted to do too many things with the "new" Marge. If the change was developed with sobriety, the scenes in different attitudes were restricted and not shown in an unnecessary and excessive ostentation and they looked after making a good development, the result would be much better.

I'm not sure where your getting this "they wanted to do too much with Marge" theory.
Basically they wanted to make Marge a serious cop (after finding a believable enough reason as to why she would want to be one, which they did) then play everything around her as comical. It seems like you wanted this to be deep and thought provoking when there was no reason it needed to be, in order for the episode to succeed.

[Jesse Pinkman]

4/5, it is great, but not great enough for a 5/5.

[The Wiggs]

Great episode. Very funny and action packed. 5/5

[worstcomicbookguyever]

its okay the opening scene was good marge and homer were beileveable in this i do love the fact that the conflict in the end with the counterfeit pants "the sell the pants and live like a queen" line was hilerous it lost some points for complicated reasons i dont want to go into so im giveing it a soild

4/5 nuff said mirkin

[Simpsonsfan1981]

An excellent episode with a solid plot and an engaging storyline in addition to great characterization. Great dialogue including some hilarious one-liners in it as well.

The only part of it I didn't like was that I thought Homer was being a little over the top in terms of being a jerkass -perhaps an early indication of things to come? I recognize that he felt challenged by Marge becoming a cop and it was one of the main sources of conflict in the episode but I think they took his behavior to extremes in some parts. Nevertheless it doesn't have any real impact on the high quality of this episode. 4.5/5 for this episode

[Rowdy Roddy Peeper]

Just watched this ep for the first time in a while and laughed quite a lot. Definitely underrated I find.

4.5/5

[cloneasaurus]

It's amusing enough, but it just seems a bit...meh. Homer is a tad too stupid for my liking and Marge becoming a cop seems slightly out of character. It stands out as being one of the worst of season 6, but that said, it was pretty funny, my favourite part being:

"I'm going to tell everyone, wait here.

Not so fast.

(Homer slows down)

Maybe you should just stop entirely."

B/B+

7.5/10

[Bleedin' Gums Murphy]

Can't believe only 30.67% have rated this a 5/5. Very enjoyable episode and the ferocious laughter from the cops when Marge both joins and leaves the force is PRICELESS. Just very funny episode. 5/5 and 9/10 for me.

[Prune Tracy]

It was a pretty good episode, but considering how many gems Season 6 has to offer, this one falls a little short. Still, a 4/5.

[Bleedin' Gums Murphy]

A gem is still a gem no matter how many competing gems there are but fair point.

[qwertyuio]

Can't believe only 30.14% have rated this a 5/5. Very enjoyable episode and the ferocious laughter from the cops when Marge both joins and leaves the force is PRICELESS. Just very funny episode. 5/5 and 9/10 for me.

I think my problem with this episode is mainly that it feels like a fan fiction. That is, as if somebody wanted to adapt the Simpsons universe to a different story. The thing with Marge wanting to be a police and loving risk is underexplored and is the kind of situation I can't see that easily joined with the reality of the series. And well, Homer is a little bit annoying in this episode. On purpose of course, but that makes the events even less enjoyable.

It's nice but mediocre and very forgettable. One of the worst of the season for sure.

[Prune Tracy]

A gem is still a gem no matter how many competing gems there are but fair point.

I'd rather have gold than silver.

[Lionel Hutz]

An old favourite.

Best Quotes:

Homer: Laser effects, mirrored balls, John Williams must be rolling around in his grave.
Dr. Hibbert: How deliciously satirical. I wonder if anyone else got that.
Homer: We're outta here!

Marge: It's people like you who are ruining our downtown promenades and piazzas (Mirkin's right, it is a funny word)

Snake: Huh, I'll be back on the streets in 24 hours.
Wiggum: We'll try to make it 12.

(The classic pizza misdirection gag)
Wiggum: Alright, get in there!
Lou: You're going down!
Eddie: I want a piece o' him!
Wiggum: You think you're pretty hot, huh? Well, we got everything we need on you.
Marge: Uh, excuse me.
Wiggum: What what what what what what what, this better be about pizza!

Homer: You did what!
Bart: I borrowed your nail clippers, what's the big deal?
Homer: Nothing, I'm just a litle edgy since your Mother told me she wants to be a cop.

Wiggum: Alright, you scrawny bean poles! Becoming a cop is NOT something that happens overnight. It takes one solid weekend of training to get that badge.
Recruit: Forget about the badge! When do we get the FREAKIN' GUNS?!
Wiggum: Hey, I told you, you don't get your gun until you tell me your name.
Recruit: I've had it up to here with your "RULES"!

Wiggum: Women always have trouble with the wall, can never seem to find the door.

Wiggum: You missed the baby, you missed the blind man

Wiggum: Oh, sorry Simpson, you'll have to do the course again I was trying to get this magic eye thing to work. Oh, look at that, heh, a pony.

Lisa: Mom, if someone shot at the Mayor, would you have to throw yourself in front of him and take the bullet?
Marge: I suppose I would.
Bart: What if they shot at a Coke machine?
Marge: No.
Bart: TV?
Marge: No.
Bart: TV, with a picture of the Mayor on it?

Marge: Hello, Mr. Hutz.
Lionel Hutz: I'll have you know, the contents of that dumpster are private! You stick your nose in and you'll be violating attorney-dumpster confidentiality!
Marge: I just wanted to say hello.
Lionel Hutz: Oh .. Hello.

Nelson: Take that Safety Boy!
Jimbo: This padding's so easy on the knuckles, I could punch all day.

Homer: I'm drawing a line down the centre of the house a la I Love Lucy! You stay on your side and I'll stay on my side .. D'oh!

Homer: Boy, when Marge first told me she was going to the police academy, I thought it'd be fun and exciting, you know, like that movie: Spaceballs.
But instead it's been painful and disturbing like that movie, Police Academy!

Homer: Hmm, I wonder why he's so eager to go to the garage?
Moe: The garage, Hey fellas, the garage. Well, ooh la de da, Mr. French Man.
Homer: Well, what do you call it?
Moe: A carhole

Homer: Hey Herman, I had to come out here to see what's so funny- HHHHH, a counterfeit Jeans ring operating out of my carhole! I'm gonna tell everyone, wait here!
Herman: Not so fast.
Homer: OK
Herman: Maybe you should just stop entirely.

Moe: Well that does it, that does it, I'm looking at his cards! Ah crap, I fold.

Highlights include Homer's displeasure with Springfield Pops, Homer classifying himself as upper-lower middle class, Snakes 3-card Monty, Homer being completely out of shape, Lisa subduing Bart (Lisa, unhand your brother!), the many magazine covers, The laughter gag (Welcome aboard), Homer being the "Man of the House", Marge in training (particularly in the car), Marge showing off her uniform(they didn't have my size shirt, but you get the idea), Wiggum handing out shift routines, Apu offering a bribe (and Mr. Burns taking it), the Domestic Disturbance Call (I did not give permission for my face to be on TV, I want it blurred!), Homers cruelly hilarious trick on Flanders (shush Dear, you'll ruin Daddy's fun), Moammar (ixnay on the oamar-Ma), Homer buying beer "for those kids over there", Homer waiving his right to remain silent, Hans Molemans last meal (Are you really allowed to execute people at a local jail?), Barney worrying about the beer supply, Ned putting up the Halloween decorations too early (criticism accepted), and Marge quitting (Sorry to lose you, Simpson).

[Knightboat]

I must admit that I wasn't a very big fan of this episode for years, but I have warmed to it over the last five years or so. I think it's mainly the Homer/Herman/poker storyline that I like.

'All right, that does it: I'm looking at his cards. ...Aw, crap. I fold.'