Secrets of a Successful Marriage (S05, E22-103)

I guess you could say Homer has gone over the hedge.  ...sorry.

Plot Summary
Homer is offended after being called slow twice in a poker game, and even more so when his family doesn't really do much to defend him.  That night, Marge suggests that Homer sign up for an adult education course to make himself feel better and/or smarter.  At such a school, Homer sees that classes are being taught by common Springfieldians, including his sisters-in-law, and even Lenny.  Homer realizes that "if he can teach a class, he can teach a class - I mean I can teach a class!"  Not offering any notable skills though, Homer only gets a teaching position when he reveals he's married, opening up a position about teaching secrets to a successful marriage.

Excited about the opportunity, Homer finds himself unable to either provide any instruction or even listen to his students' stories of failed relationships.  As the class becomes disinterested to the point of leaving, Homer laments out loud over how he told Marge this wouldn't work in bed.  Suddenly, the class becomes interested again, and realizing what's happening, Homer begins to tell stories about his and Marge's personal life, including that Marge dyes her hair blue because it had gone gray a long time ago.  Some of these students, including Apu and Moe, imply to Marge the next day that they know, and that, coincedentally, they're part of Homer's class as well.  An angry Marge that night makes Homer promise not to tell any more secrets.  Homer tries to teach his class legit again, but when the class tries to leave in disinterest again, Homer desperately tries to tell another personal story involving how Marge likes getting her elbow nibbled on, using "Mr. X" and "Mrs. Y" instead of him and Marge, which he doesn't do a good job in doing.  As if that wasn't enough, he invites the entire class to dinner.  When that whole experience goes sour, that crazy Moe asks Homer if he's going to nibble Marge's elbow.  Enraged, Marge kicks everyone out, including Homer whom she can no longer trust.

Nearly immediately, Homer's clothes become tattered as he starts living in Bart's treehouse.  Marge still hasn't forgiven Homer but begins to miss him little by little.  Going so delusional he turns a plant into Marge's head, Lisa intervenes by telling Homer he needs to give Marge the one thing nobody else can offer.  Later that night, Moe returns to the house with the open intention of courting Marge.  After shooting him down, Marge invites Moe in for a drink anyway, and when Homer comes in, a panicky Moe quickly flees the scene.  Homer has on him the thing he believes nobody else could give Marge: some flowers, but that plan fails when he notices Moe did the same.  However, he then realizes the one thing nobody else can give her: his complete dependence.  Noting how incapable he is in taking care of himself, he needs Marge more than ever because he loves her, and that he can't afford to betray her trust ever again given what's occurred the past, well, day.  Marge eventually gives in and the two are back together again.

Quick Review
This episode has a few great moments, like Homer's rant and most anything with Moe turned out pretty well too.  However, like most marriage episodes, the quantity of jokes just isn't there and that dinner scene was rough watching as well.  The good and the bad kinda cancel each other out, and the episode's somewhat limited humor has to carry what has to be a fizzled way to end Season 5.

Final Score: 7.5