Episode no. 288 Written by John Swartzwelder Production code DABF14 | Directed by Matthew Nastuk Showrunner(s) Al Jean Original air date May 5, 2002 | |
"The Sweetest Apu" is the nineteenth episode of The Simpsons' thirteenth season. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on May 5, 2002. In the episode, Homer and his wife Marge discover that convenience store owner Apu is having an affair with the Squishee delivery lady working in his store. It is up to Marge, Homer and Apu to try to keep his wife Manjula from learning his secret.
Contents
"The Sweetest Apu" was written by John Swartzwelder and directed by Matthew Nastuk. It features Inside the Actors Studio host James Lipton as himself. It also features references to The New Yorker, photographer Richard Avedon and the film Wild Wild West. In its original broadcast, the episode was seen by approximately 7.1 million viewers and finished in 37th place in the ratings the week it aired. Following its home video release on August 24, 2010, the episode received mostly negative reviews from critics.
Plot
Apu sells Homer a beer keg for the American Civil War reenactment of the Battle of Springfield. At the reenactment, Principal Skinner watches as Springfielders disobey him and hold a rather inaccurate battle (featuring an orange plaid clad "East" faction, a roller skating Stone Wall Jackson, and a giant robotic spider made by Professor Frink). After the battle, Homer brings the empty, dented keg back to Apu at the Kwik-E-Mart in an attempt to get the deposit. There, he hears a giggle coming from a closet and finds Apu making love with the woman who delivers Squishees to Kwik-E-Mart. He then walks backwards in shock all the way home to his bed and then dreams about walking backwards when he falls asleep.
Marge figures out what Homer saw from the movements of his pupil. They decide not to tell Manjula but while they are playing Badminton Homer and Marge act awkwardly with Manjula and Apu looking at them, trying not to give out hints Apu cheated on Manjula. They then confront Apu and he says he will break up with the Squishee Lady named Annette. However, he breaks his promise (as it gets his mind off the octuplets and she forces him). Later, Manjula watches the surveillance footage of Apu cheating and kicks him out. To help get them together, Homer and Marge invite them both to dinner, but do not tell them that the other one is coming. After a failed attempt with Bart and Lisa, Apu tries to promise to Manjula that he will change, but Manjula refuses to listen and demands a divorce.
Homeless, Apu moves into the apartment complex where Kirk Van Houten lives. The octuplets then speak their first words, which put together, say "Mommy, will you let daddy come back...cookie!" Marge and Manjula go to Apu's and arrive in time to prevent him from committing suicide by hanging. Apu is then subjected to several tasks to redeem himself (such as eating a light bulb), though Manjula says it will take time for everything to get back to normal. In bed, Manjula, finally satisfied with what he has done, kisses Apu while Homer watches from the window, on a ladder. The couple continues and Homer, traumatized, hops backwards on the ladder all the way home, without falling, mimicking what he did earlier.
Release
In its original American broadcast on May 5, 2002, "The Sweetest Apu" received a 6.7 rating, according to Nielsen Media Research, translating to approximately 7.1 million viewers. The episode finished in 37th place in the ratings for the week of April 29-May 5, 2002. On August 24, 2010, "The Sweetest Apu" was released as part of The Simpsons: The Complete Thirteenth Season DVD and Blu-ray set. Al Jean, Ian Maxtone-Graham, Matt Selman, Tim Long, Dan Castellaneta, James Lipton and Matt Warburton participated in the audio commentary of the episode.
Following its home video release, "The Sweetest Apu" received mostly negative reviews from critics. DVD Movie Guide's Colin Jacobson wrote "I don’t recall ever being particularly excited by other Manjula episodes, and 'Sweetest' does nothing to alter that perception." He praised Homer's reaction to seeing Apu cheating on Manjula, but maintained that "much of the remaining gags tend to be lackluster." He concluded by writing "This ends up as a pretty flat, forgettable show." Project-Blu's Nate Boss called it "An average episode, by this season's standards," describing it as "a bit too cut and dry for my taste." Writing for Blu-ray.com, Casey Broadwater wrote that "The Sweetest Apu" is "near-laughless", and Ryan Keefer of DVD Talk wrote "The less said about this episode, the better." Both reviewers considered the episode to be one of the season's worst. On the other hand, giving the episode a positive review, Jennifer Malkowski of DVD Verdict gave the episode a B, praising the "Badminton [scene] and its many double entendres" as the episode's "highlight".