I Married Marge (S03, E12-047)

"Let's see: Bart, Cart, Dart, E-art... nope, can't see any problem with that!"

Plot Summary
The second flashback episode continues some time after the first flashback episode, The Way We Was.  This time, worries that Marge might be pregnant again has Homer recalling the first time Marge was pregnant, with Bart.

The year is established as 1980, six years after the set year in The Way We Was.  At this point, Homer is living with Marge and the rest of her disgruntled family and working at the mini golf place, spinning the windmill around.  Homer and Marge have themselves one fun night, culminating with them makin' babies within a castle at the mini golf place, and makin' babies they were: a short time later, Marge is pregnant (the scene is which Dr. Hibbert delivers the news is mostly the same scene as the one in The Way We Was).  Under his father's advice, Homer decides to marry Marge.

Despite not really having much of a job, Homer purchases a wide variety of things, mostly for the baby but also including Marge's wedding ring.  In an attempt to get money, Homer applies for the power plant, but that doesn't go well at all.  Eventually, the repo men come and take back all the baby stuff as well as Marge's ring.  Depressed over how events have turned out, Homer decides to leave Marge, choosing not to see her again "until he's become a man", and giving her what little he earns in the meantime.

Patty and Selma later see Homer working at a fast food restaurant, and though Patty doesn't want Marge to know, the more sympathetic Selma can't stand Marge being so sad, and tells her where Homer is.  Marge finds Homer at the restaurant, and tells him that any ring will be fine (Homer puts an onion ring on her finger as a testament to that).  Motivated by that, Homer attempts to get himself hired at the plant again, this time going directly to Mr. Burns himself, and sternly informing him that Homer will be as big of a suck up, yes-man doormat as Burns wants him to be.  Impressed with Homer's fiery yet spineless display, Burns hires Homer as a nuclear technician.  Now having money to spare, Homer rushes to the hospital in time to see Marge give birth to Bart.

As Homer finishes the tale, he reiterates how blessed he was when Bart, Lisa and Maggie were all born, though when Marge returns saying she's not pregnant, the two are quite ecstatic.

Quick Review
This ended up being a good episode, not one of Season 3's strongest episodes to be sure, and not as good or heartwarming as The Way We Was, but it holds its own overall.

Final Score: 7.9