The Simpsons Brings Back One of Marge's Most Unexpected (and Perfect) Comic Sidekicks

The following contains spoilers for The Simpsons Season 36 Episode 12, 'Bottle Episode,' now streaming on HuluThe SimpsonsSeason 36 brought back one of the show's most unexpected (and quietly perfect) co-stars for Marge. Matriarch of the Simpson family, Marge spends much of the show cleaning up the mess for her children and husband. As the rock that the rest of the family relies on, Marge can sometimes feel underserved compared to the rest of the series' main cast. One way the show rectifies this is by highlighting Marge's friends and adversaries, ranging from a surprising bond with Sarah Wiggum to Marge's rivalry with Luann Van Houten.

That kind of connection is at the heart of “Bottle Episode,” which follows Marge as she embarks on a surprisingly lucrative scam with good purpose, working to replicate a priceless bottle of wine she once used. Her partner in crime is someone with whom Marge has shown surprising compatibility in the past, even if that bond is underutilized. The character beats and compelling elements of Marge's storyline in "Bottle Episode" are a reminder that The Simpsons always gets along well with unexpected pairs of characters, and this friendship should be explored more in future episodes.

The Simpsons brought Marge and Smithers together for a season 36 adventure

'Bottle Episode' brings Marge and Smithers together for a surprisingly effective con

“Bottle Episode” is a fun adventure for Marge Simpson and Waylon Smithers, highlighting why the pair are one of the most underrated duos in history. The Simpsons. 'Bottle Episode' focuses primarily on three bottles of wine worth a million dollars - a real one belonging to Mr. Burns, which Marge accidentally uses when making stew, and a pair of counterfeit substitutes that she works with Waylon Smithers and Professor Frink to reply. The episode's true emotional throughline can be found in Marge's attempts to help Waylonwho was struck down by the atrocities Mr. Burns made him commit.

The pair end up deciding to use an extra duplicate of the wine to make a million dollars, which they can then use to bring some good back into the world and undo some of the damage caused by people like Burns. Although their efforts get the pair arrested and briefly sent to Wine Prison, they manage to escape the consequences thanks to a well-timed bribe from Burns. The episode ends with Marge and Smithers doubling down on their original idea, using the million to help the world. It's a sweet episode that highlights the surprisingly sincere friendship which is developed between the two characters.

How The Simpsons Befriended Marge And Smithers Before

Several past episodes have highlighted how well Marge and Smithers get along

Marge and Smithers established themselves as friends before season 36. This makes their friendship in “Bottle Episode” all the more rewarding, as it quietly builds on the connection they shared in several previous episodes. In many episodes, Marge has expressed her appreciation for Smithers, even as the family laments the casual abuse Burns hurls at Homer. Marge and Homer were openly supportive of Smithers' attempts to find love outside of her crush on Burns, doing their best to help Smithers' romances that occur in season 27 of "The Burns Cage" and season 33 of "Portrait of a Lackey on Fire".

Especially in the latter, Marge openly expressed excitement when things seemed to be going well for Smithers and Michael de Graaf. Marge formed a genuine emotional bond with Smithers while Homer recovered from an injury in Season 28's "The Last Traction Hero," and even developed a brief physical attraction to him. She was also shown joking around with him on social media in episodes like Season 27's "The Girl Code." Smithers and Marge being friends is an unexpected but welcome element of the showwhich fleshes out both characters and meshes well with their established personalities and interactions.

Marge and Smithers complement each other perfectly

Smithers and Marge bring out the best in each other

To some extent, Smithers and Marge understand each other better than almost anyone else in Springfield. In "The Last Traction Hero", Marge and Smithers reflect on the fact that no one in Springfield knows why they tolerate Homer and Burns, but they can empathize with each other's love. Both are repeatedly underestimated in their livesto the point where they occasionally need to be separated from their loved ones (as in episodes like Season 3's "Homer Alone" and Season 7's "Homer the Smithers"). Marge and Smithers are good people in The Simpsons.

However, both are often drawn into their respective partners' bizarre schemes. TCompatible personality heirs are part of what makes "Bottle Episode" so funwhile Marge and Smithers bring out the best in each other. With Smithers, Marge is able to loosen up and be more adventurous, which leads her to float the idea of ​​selling fake wine in the first place. On the other hand, Marge is able to prove to Smithers that he is still a good man and actively helps him undo the damage he reluctantly caused on Burns' orders. It's a sweet relationship that benefits both characters.

The Simpsons benefits from unlikely pairings

The Simpsons Always finds new layers for supporting characters, combining them in surprising ways

One of the benefits The Simpsons'The long run is the way the series has become increasingly inventive and ambitious with pairings of characters and plots. Marge and Smithers may not initially seem like a natural match, but the two characters mesh well. It's similar to the way Homer and Ralph are paired up in "C'Mon All Ye Faithful," an unlikely and underused duo who end up working incredibly well together, both for the sake of comedy and unexpected pathos. This holiday special also highlighted the unlikely duo of Ned Flanders and Prof. Frink, another effective duo.

The series always benefits from having two characters who seem completely different on the surface but are able to help each other in unexpected ways. The friendship between Marge and Smithers is an excellent example of as The Simpsons finds new tones for its well-worn characters, combining them in unexpected ways. This is one of the ways The Simpsons was able to turn secondary characters into interesting elements of the show organically. Marge's friendship with Waylon Smithers in season 36 of The Simpsons It's a great showcase for both characters and should be revisited in future episodes.