Chief of Hearts 21.18

After watching this episode, I found my favorite part to be the couch gag. Every week I look forward to a different gag. I often fund them to be the most interesting part of the episode. This week the Simpson family's faces were all different foods. It was interesting to see how the creators made the faces, and ended the family being seen on the couch through a napkin. I give a lot off credit to the creator and illustrators for coming up with a new gag for most of the episodes.

The episode began with Marge taking the kids to a birthday party for a Dillon they didn't remember. I liked how writers made fun of the names that can be for either a girl or a boy. It does make things very confusing sometimes. It reminded me of a time I was teaching a class where there was Cori and a Cory. The girl was with the i and the boy was with the y. It made things very confusing during class. As the episode continues Bart finds the boys playing the latest game, and becomes enthralled by it. Bart begins to buy the cards and pieces that go along with the game, and even plays Ralph Wiggum for a better card. While the boys begin to play the game one of the other students sees something going on, and reports it to principal Skinner. Skinner believes it is a nonnarcotics transaction, and brings Marge in to tell her he believes Bart is dealing drugs. Marge is shocked, and when she gets home decides spy on Bart and Millhouse in the basement. She overhears what she thinks is a drug deal, which further shocks her. Marge then decides to ransack Bart's room looking for drugs. Bart walks in on Marge going through his stuff, and after she hasn't found any drugs, Marge asks Bart what if he is a "drugo." He tells her he's not, and then shows her the game, battleball. Marge finds it adorable, which in turn makes Bart not like it any more.

Meanwhile, Homer is at the bank, where he is arrested because people thought he had a gun, but it was just a candy apple. He is sentenced to 100 hours of community service, which he is distraught about. He begins his community service with police chief Wiggum overseeing. After showing the chief some kindness and sharing his sandwiches, Homer is told he doesn't have to do work, but instead sit and grab a bite with the chief. Throughout the day, the two men have interesting talks, and eventually become friends. Chief Wiggum is very excited to have a new friend. They begin to hang out a lot. Wiggum tells Homer that cops don't have a lot of friends because civilians are afraid of them, and other officers remind them of things they want to forget, and that is why their friendship is so special to him. After, Wiggum takes Homer to his special spot on the mountains. While at his special spot, Wiggum gets a call that there is an armed robbery going on. He takes Homer to the robbery where Homer asks if he can cuff the robbers. Amidst arguing whether Homer can cuff the robber, the robber pulls out a gun points it at Homer. In an attempt to save his friend Wiggum is shot, and end up in a coma. He is brought to the hospital where Homer tells Wiggum's wife he will be there for Wiggum just as Wiggum was for him. After a week Wiggum wakes up. Homer asks if he can go home now, but Wiggum guilts Homer into staying longer. For weeks Wiggum is needy and demanding, and eventually Homer gets tired off it. He lies to Wiggum, and goes to Moe's where Wiggum finds him. The chief is upset, deems Homer world's worst friend by giving him a pin that says that. Soon after Homer begins to miss Wiggum, and when he is told the chief has gone missing he goes to find him at his special spot. He finds Wiggum there, and as Homer is trying to apologize, he sees the robbers that he tried to arrest before. Unfortunately he points a drumstick at them, and he and Homer are taken hostage. While in the trunk of the car, the chief and Homer apologize to each other, and become friends again. Homer tells Wigum he will find a way out of this, and Homer's words inspire Wiggum. He finds a way out of it by changing the cd in the music, and eventually Homer and him are safe and the robbers are arrested. The two remain friends, but in a healthier way.

I found that this episode said a lot about friendship in the storyline between Homer and Wiggum. Friendships often seem one sided. One person demands a lot, and the other person gets tired of the demands, and forgets why they were friends in the first place. It is important to remember that friendship is a two way street. Both people in the friendship have to give and take, and they can't forget to give each other space at times as well.