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Difference between revisions of "Marge vs. the Monorail"

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{{Quote|Donuts. Is there anything they ''can't'' do?|[[Homer Simpson]]}}
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{{Quote|Well, sir, there's nothing on earth like a genuine, bona-fide, electrified, six-car monorail.|[[Lyle Lanley]]}}
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{{Quote|I call the big one Bitey.|Homer, on the opossums living in the Monorail.}}
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{{Episode
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{{episode
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|name= Marge vs. the Monorail
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|image = Marge vs. the Monorail promo.jpg
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|image= Marge vs. the Monorail promo.png
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|Episode Number = 71
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|number= 71
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|productionCode = 9F10
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|season=4
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|originalAirdate = January 14, [[1993]]
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|snumber=12
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|blackboardText = "I will not eat things for money"
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|prodcode= [[Production season 9F|9F10]]
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|couchGag = The Simpsons are joined by the whole of Springfield as they sit on the couch.
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|airdate= January 14, [[1993]]
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|specialGuestVoices = [[Leonard Nimoy]] as {{ch|Leonard Nimoy|himself}}<br/>[[Phil Hartman]] as [[Lyle Lanley]]
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|blackboard= "I will not eat things for money"
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|Show Runner=[[Al Jean]] <br/> [[Mike Reiss]]
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|couchgag= The Simpsons are joined by the whole of Springfield as they sit on the couch.
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|Written By = [[Conan O'Brien]]
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|guests= [[Phil Hartman]] as [[Lyle Lanley]]<br>[[Leonard Nimoy]] as {{Ch|Leonard Nimoy|himself}}
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|Directed By = [[Rich Moore]]
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|showrunner1= Al Jean
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|showrunner2= Mike Reiss
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|writer= [[Conan O'Brien]]
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|director= [[Rich Moore]]
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|DVD features=yes
 
}}
 
}}
  
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"'''Marge vs. the Monorail'''" is the twelfth episode of [[Season 4]]. It originally aired on January 14, [[1993]]. The episode was written by [[Conan O'Brien]] and directed by [[Rich Moore]]. Special guest voices are [[Phil Hartman]] as [[Lyle Lanley]] and [[Leonard Nimoy]] as [[Leonard Nimoy (character)|himself]].
+
"'''Marge vs. the Monorail'''" is the twelfth episode of [[Season 4|broadcast season 4]] of ''[[The Simpsons]]'' and the seventy-first episode overall. It originally aired on January 14, [[1993]]. The episode was written by [[Conan O'Brien]] and directed by [[Rich Moore]]. It guest stars [[Phil Hartman]] as [[Lyle Lanley]] and [[Leonard Nimoy]] as {{Ch|Leonard Nimoy|himself}}.
  
 
== Synopsis ==
 
== Synopsis ==
−
After collecting a $3 million fine from [[Charles Montgomery Burns|Mr. Burns]] (for illegal disposal of nuclear waste), [[Springfield]] holds a town meeting to decide what to do with the money. A smooth-talking stranger named [[Lyle Lanley]] talks the townspeople into spending the money on a needless monorail ....built from shoddy materials.
+
{{Synopsis|After collecting a $3 million fine from [[Mr. Burns]] for illegal disposal of nuclear waste, [[Springfield]] is convinced by a smooth-talking stranger named [[Lyle Lanley]] to spend the money on a needless [[Springfield Monorail|monorail]], with [[Homer]] serving as the conductor.}}
  
 
== Plot ==
 
== Plot ==
−
After being caught dumping nuclear waste in the city park, [[Mr. Burns]] is fined three million dollars. A town meeting is immediately held so that the citizens can decide how to spend the money, and [[Marge Simpson|Marge]] suggests using it to fix up Main Street, which is in extremely poor condition. The town shows enthusiasm for this idea and is about to vote for it when suddenly a smooth-talking stranger named [[Lyle Lanley]] suggests that the town buy a new monorail, making his pitch in [[The Monorail Song|a song]] which convinces the town to buy the monorail.
+
As [[Homer]] leaves work for the day, [[Lenny]] and [[Carl]] finish sealing off a barrel of toxic waste. As they discuss what happens to the waste barrels, [[Mr. Burns]] and [[Smithers]] take the waste to the [[Springfield Park]] to illegally dispose of it. However, they are caught by [[Agent Malone]] with the [[Environmental Protection Agency]]. At the trial, Burns is sentenced to pay a fine of $3 million. A town meeting is then called to discuss what to do with the money. [[Marge]] suggests using it to fix up [[Main Street]], which has become cracked and broken from drivers using tire chains and carrying too much weight. While the townspeople get behind this idea, [[Lyle Lanley]] interrupts the meeting to suggest they instead use the money to build the [[Springfield Monorail]], which he convinces them to do through [[The Monorail Song|song]].
  
−
Marge is unhappy with the town's purchase, believing that they should have fixed Main Street and that the monorail is unsafe. While watching TV, [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] sees an advertisement that suggests he become a monorail conductor. Claiming it to be a lifelong dream, Homer signs up for the monorail conductor training course. After a decidedly unintensive three weeks of training, Homer is named the monorail conductor.
+
Marge is against the Monorail because she thinks the money would be better spent on fixing Main Street. However, the rest of the townspeople are excited about it. To drum up even more support, Lanley goes to [[Springfield Elementary]] to talk about the Monorail, where he manages to win even [[Lisa]] over by complimenting her and sidestepping her question. That evening, a televised commercial airs to advertise the position of Monorail conductor. Homer decides to try out for the job, saying that it's his lifelong dream, to Marge's annoyance.
  
−
Still feeling uneasy about the monorail, Marge decides to visit Lyle Lanley and discovers a notebook that reveals Lanley’s true intentions: to have the monorail break down while he gets away with the town's money. Lanley catches her, and Marge quickly says that she was just browsing around. Believing her story, Lanley allows her to leave, not knowing that she has read the notebook and is aware of his plans.
+
While Homer attends the [[Lanley Institute of Monorail Conducting]], construction on the Monorail begins, overseen by [[Barney]]. At the end of the course, Lanley randomly selects Homer to become the Monorail conductor. Homer shows the family around the train, and Marge becomes increasingly worried about how safe the Monorail is. She goes to see Lyle Lanley and finds his notebook, which has a drawing of the Monorail on fire as he flees with the money. Marge drives to [[North Haverbrook]] to find out what happened to the Monorail there. In town, Marge meets [[Sebastian Cobb]], the man who worked as the engineer for the [[North Haverbrook Monorail]]. Cobb tells Marge that Lanley cut corners everywhere with the Monorail, which caused it to crash and be destroyed.
  
−
Marge immediately drives to [[North Haverbrook]], which Lanley mentioned was a previous purchaser of one of his monorails. She finds the town to be run-down and nearly deserted. Marge asks around about the monorail, but no one is willing to talk about it: a woman working at a drive-in diner says there's no monorail in North Haverbrook and never was, but then closes the doors, revealing that the diner is called "MONORAIL CAFE". Finally, Marge meets [[Sebastian Cobb]], who explains that Lanley cut costs everywhere while building North Haverbrook's monorail, and that the entire thing is a scam. Cobb then shows her the remnants of the town's monorail, which is now broken and in disrepair.
+
Back in [[Springfield]], the [[Springfield Monorail]] is prepared for its maiden voyage, with many celebrities, including {{Ch|Leonard Nimoy}}, arriving to ride it. Before it sets off, Lanley leaves with the money to escape to [[Tahiti]]. Marge and Sebastian Cobb then arrive minutes too late as the Monorail sets off. As it runs, the brakes fail and the Monorail picks up speed. [[Chief Wiggum]] and Mayor Quimby argue over who should take control of the situation while Marge and Cobb try to find a solution. Meanwhile, Lanley's flight has a layover in North Haverbrook, where he is confronted by an angry mob. Cobb tells Homer he needs to find an anchor to stop the Monorail. Homer steals a rope from a cowboy and ties it around the M from the "Monorail" text on the side of the train. The makeshift anchor catches in a {{ap|Donuts|shop}} shop, bringing the train to a stop.
  
−
At the maiden voyage of the monorail, the entire town turns out, including celebrities such as [[Lurleen Lumpkin]] and [[Leonard Nimoy (character)|Leonard Nimoy]]. Lanley grabs his money and jumps in a taxi, which takes him to the airport. The monorail takes off just before Marge and Cobb arrive in Springfield. At first the monorail runs smoothly, but the controls malfunction, causing the monorail to speed up and travel at dangerous speeds. Nobody can figure out how to stop the monorail (since it's solar-powered) and although a solar eclipse briefly halts it, the eclipse ends and the monorail takes off again. Meanwhile, Lanley’s flight makes a brief unscheduled stop in North Haverbrook, where Lanley is immediately attacked by a group of locals who have been tipped off about his arrival, perhaps by Marge. Back in Springfield, Cobb tells Homer that in order to stop the train, he needs to find an anchor. Homer grabs the giant “M” from the side of the monorail, ties it to a rope, and throws it out the window (just barely remembering at the last second that he needs to also tie the rope to something '''inside''' the monorail). Eventually, the M latches onto a giant doughnut, stopping the monorail and saving its passengers. As the passengers get off of the monorail, Leonard Nimoy says that his work is done. Barney tells Nimoy that he didn't do anything. Nimoy asks, "Didn't I?" and vanishes in a {{w|Transporter (Star Trek)|transporter}} effect very similar to {{w|Star Trek|''Star Trek''}}.
+
Leonard Nimoy takes credit for saving the day while Marge says the Monorail is the only folly Springfield ever embarks on—except for the [[Popsicle Stick Skyscraper]], the [[50ft Magnifying Glass]], and the [[Escalator to Nowhere]].
  
−
The episode ends with Marge explaining that the monorail was the last folly Springfield ever had ... except for the popsicle-stick skyscraper ... and the giant magnifying glass ... and the escalator to nowhere.
+
== Production ==
 +
[[Conan O'Brien]] pitched the idea for "Marge vs. the Monorail" to showrunners [[Al Jean]] and [[Mike Reiss]]. However, they thought that [[James L. Brooks]] would find the idea too crazy, so they asked him to pitch some other ideas first. When "Marge vs. the Monorail" was pitched to Brooks, he loved it.<ref name="Jean">{{Com|Jean, Al|Marge vs. the Monorail|Fourth|(2004).|link=Al Jean}}</ref> Brooks liked the other two ideas that O'Brien pitched, but he "laughed really hard" at "Marge vs. the Monorail", which surprised O'Brien because he didn't think Brooks would like it. O'Brien came up with the idea when he saw a sign for a monorail while leaving work, and he thought "what's more wasteful than a monorail?" So, he thought it would be funny if Springfield had a monorail.<ref name="O'Brien">{{Com|O'Brien, Conan|Marge vs. the Monorail|Fourth|(2004).|link=Conan O'Brien}}</ref>
 +
 
 +
Leonard Nimoy's role was originally written for [[George Takei]]. However, Takei told them that he wouldn't do it because he was on the San Francisco Board of Transportation and he didn't want to make fun of monorails. They managed to get Nimoy for the role instead.<ref name="O'Brien"/> Before Nimoy signed on for the episode, rewrites of the script were made in an attempt to get Takei to agree to the role.<ref name="Reiss">{{Com|Reiss, Mike|Marge vs. the Monorail|Fourth|(2004).|link=Mike Reiss}}</ref>
 +
 
 +
The episode originally came in very short, so they "did every trick in the book" to get the episode to full length.<ref name="Reiss"/> At the end of the episode, when Leonard Nimoy disappears in a ''Star Trek''-style teleportation, O'Brien said he remembered one of the producers saying that it would never get through because impossible things can't happen in the show.<ref name="O'Brien"/>
  
 
== Reception ==
 
== Reception ==
−
In 2003, [http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,417748,00.html Entertainment Weekly] named this the fourth best episode in the show's history.
+
In its original US airing, "Marge vs. the Monorail" was watched by 23 million households,<ref>{{Cite news|title=ABC gets a Thursday night boost |department=Life |work=[[USA Today]] |author=Brian Donlon |page=03.D |date=January 20, 1993}}</ref> which gave it a Nielsen rating of 13.7.<ref>{{cite news|title=Nielsen Ratings /Jan. 11–17|date=January 20, 1993|page=C5|work={{W|Long Beach Press-Telegram}}}}</ref>
 +
 
 +
"Marge vs. the Monorail" is frequently included in lists of best episodes of the show. A [[1998]] article by ''[[TV Guide]]'' titled "A Dozen Doozies" included the episode as the seventh entry on the list.<ref>[https://www.simpsonsarchive.com/other/articles/dozendoozies.html The Simpsons Archive - "A Dozen Doozies"]</ref> A [[2003]] list by ''{{W|Entertainment Weekly}}'' titled "The Family Dynamic" named "Marge vs. the Monorail" the fourth best episode of the show.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20141018160211/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,417748~3~0~25bestand1,00.html Entertainment Weekly - "The Family Dynamic"] (archived on {{W|Wayback Machine}})</ref> A [[2006]] article by ''{{W|IGN}}'' named the episode the best episode of season 4.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20070302212129/http://tv.ign.com/articles/731/731095p1.html IGN - "The Simpsons: 17 Seasons, 17 Episodes"] (archived on {{W|Wayback Machine}})</ref> A [[2007]] article by ''{{W|Vanity Fair}}'' named the episode the third funniest episode of the show.<ref>[https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2007/08/top10simpsons200708 Vanity Fair - "Springfield's Best"]</ref> A [[2010]] article by ''{{W|The Times}}'' named the episode the ninth best episode of the show.<ref>[https://www.thetimes.com/travel/advice/the-10-best-simpsons-episodes-ever-bwhpbrv8sbn The Times - "The 10 best Simpsons episodes ever"]</ref> A [[2019]] article by ''{{W|Entertainment.ie}}'' named "Marge vs. the Monorail" among the top ten best episodes of the show.<ref>[https://entertainment.ie/tv/tv-news/10-greatest-the-simpsons-episodes-of-all-time-418495/ Entertainment.ie - "The 10 greatest 'The Simpsons' episodes of all time"]</ref> A 2019 article by ''{{W|The Guardian}}'' named it as one of the best five episodes of the show.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2019/nov/28/the-simpsons-the-five-greatest-episodes-in-the-iconic-shows-history The Guardian - "The Simpsons: the five greatest episodes in the iconic show's history"]</ref> A 2019 list by ''[[Time]]'' had "experts" pick it as one of the top ten best episodes of all time.<ref>[https://time.com/5743465/best-simpsons-episodes/ Time - "We Asked Experts for 10 of Their Most Memorable Simpsons Episodes of All Time"]</ref> A 2019 list by ''{{W2|Consequence|publication}}'' named it the second best episode of the show.<ref>[https://consequence.net/2019/12/the-simpsons-top-30-episodes/ Consequence - "The Simpsons' Top 30 Episodes"]</ref>
  
 +
A [[2020]] "flashback review" of the episode by Robert Canning of ''{{W|IGN}}'' said that "Marge vs. the Monorail" "is by far one of the most loved episodes of ''The Simpsons'' and can safely be called a classic by any fan." Canning also said, "there's nothing in this half-hour that doesn't work, and no matter how many times I watch this episode, it never, ever gets old."<ref>[https://www.ign.com/articles/2009/06/10/the-simpsons-flashback-marge-vs-the-monorail-review IGN - "The Simpsons Flashback: 'Marge vs. the Monorail' Review"]</ref> A [[2007]] article by Emily St. James of ''{{W|Slant Magazine}}'' called the episode "maybe the show's funniest."<ref>[https://www.slantmagazine.com/tv/5-for-the-day-the-simpsons/ Slant Magazine - "5 for the Day: The Simpsons"]</ref>
 +
 +
Leonard Nimoy's role in the episode also received praise. A [[2010]] article by ''IGN'' of the Top 25 ''Simpsons'' Guest Appearances ranked the actor at #11 for his roles in "Marge vs. the Monorail" and "[[The Springfield Files]]".<ref>[https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/01/04/top-25-simpsons-guest-appearances IGN - "Top 25 Simpsons Guest Appearances"]</ref> Nathan Ditum of ''{{W|Total Film}}'' named Nimoy the 13th best guest star of the show.<ref>[https://www.gamesradar.com/the-20-best-simpsons-movie-star-guest-spots/ Total Film - "The 20 Best Simpsons Movie-Star Guest Spots"]</ref>
 +
 +
Not all reception to the episode has been positive. The Monorail Society claimed that the episode "employs an association fallacy to attack and discredit monorail technology."<ref>[https://www.monorails.org/tMspages/msvsmr.html The Monorail Society - "Marge vs. the Monorail"]</ref> Responding to this, ''Simpsons'' creator [[Matt Groening]] said, "I don't know what to say, I'm sorry," and that "Monorails are great."<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-56024683 BBC News - "The Simpsons creator Matt Groening on equality, memes and monorails"]</ref>
 +
 +
As of July [[2025]], "Marge vs. the Monorail" has a 9.1 rating on {{W|IMDb}}.<ref>[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0701173/ IMDb - "Marge vs. the Monorail"]</ref>
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== In other languages ==
 +
{{LanguageBox
 +
|de=yes
 +
|deName=Homer kommt in Fahrt
 +
|deTrans=Homer comes for a ride
 +
|es=yes
 +
|esName=Marge contra el monorraíl
 +
|esTrans=Marge vs. the Monorail
 +
|la=yes
 +
|laName=Marge contra el monorriel
 +
|laTrans=Marge vs. the Monorail
 +
|fr=yes
 +
|frName=Le Monorail
 +
|frTrans=The Monorail
 +
|qu=yes
 +
|quName=Marge contre le Monorail
 +
|quTrans=Marge vs. the Monorail
 +
|it=yes
 +
|itName=Marge contro la monorotaia
 +
|itTrans=Marge vs. the Monorail
 +
|br=yes
 +
|brName=Marge Contra o Monotrilho
 +
|brTrans=Marge vs. the Monorail
 +
|jp=yes
 +
|jpName=モノレールの甘い罠
 +
|jpTrans=The Monorail's Sweet Trap
 +
}}
 +
 +
== References ==
 +
{{Reflist}}
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{{Images|ep=yes}}
 
{{Season 4}}
 
{{Season 4}}
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{{Production Season 9F}}
  
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[[Category:Episodes]]
 
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[[Category:Season 4]]
 
 
[[Category:1993]]
 
[[Category:1993]]
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[[Category:Crime-themed episodes]]
 
 
[[Category:Homer episodes]]
 
[[Category:Homer episodes]]
 
[[Category:Marge episodes]]
 
[[Category:Marge episodes]]
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[[Category:Crime-themed episodes]]
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[[Category:Episodes written by Conan O'Brien]]
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[[Category:Episodes directed by Rich Moore]]
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[[sv:Marge vs. the Monorail]]
 
[[sv:Marge vs. the Monorail]]

Latest revision as of 16:59, October 15, 2025

Season 4 Episode
← 070 "Homer's Triple Bypass"
071
"Marge vs. the Monorail"
"Selma's Choice" 072 →
"Well, sir, there's nothing on earth like a genuine, bona-fide, electrified, six-car monorail."
―Lyle Lanley


"Marge vs. the Monorail"
Marge vs. the Monorail promo.png
Episode Information
Episode number: 71
Season number: S4 E12
Production code: 9F10
Original airdate: January 14, 1993
Chalkboard gag: "I will not eat things for money"
Couch gag: The Simpsons are joined by the whole of Springfield as they sit on the couch.
Guest star(s): Phil Hartman as Lyle Lanley
Leonard Nimoy as himself
Showrunners: Al Jean
Mike Reiss
Written by: Conan O'Brien
Directed by: Rich Moore
DVD features

"Marge vs. the Monorail" is the twelfth episode of broadcast season 4 of The Simpsons and the seventy-first episode overall. It originally aired on January 14, 1993. The episode was written by Conan O'Brien and directed by Rich Moore. It guest stars Phil Hartman as Lyle Lanley and Leonard Nimoy as himself.

Synopsis[edit]

After collecting a $3 million fine from Mr. Burns for illegal disposal of nuclear waste, Springfield is convinced by a smooth-talking stranger named Lyle Lanley to spend the money on a needless monorail, with Homer serving as the conductor.

Plot[edit]

As Homer leaves work for the day, Lenny and Carl finish sealing off a barrel of toxic waste. As they discuss what happens to the waste barrels, Mr. Burns and Smithers take the waste to the Springfield Park to illegally dispose of it. However, they are caught by Agent Malone with the Environmental Protection Agency. At the trial, Burns is sentenced to pay a fine of $3 million. A town meeting is then called to discuss what to do with the money. Marge suggests using it to fix up Main Street, which has become cracked and broken from drivers using tire chains and carrying too much weight. While the townspeople get behind this idea, Lyle Lanley interrupts the meeting to suggest they instead use the money to build the Springfield Monorail, which he convinces them to do through song.

Marge is against the Monorail because she thinks the money would be better spent on fixing Main Street. However, the rest of the townspeople are excited about it. To drum up even more support, Lanley goes to Springfield Elementary to talk about the Monorail, where he manages to win even Lisa over by complimenting her and sidestepping her question. That evening, a televised commercial airs to advertise the position of Monorail conductor. Homer decides to try out for the job, saying that it's his lifelong dream, to Marge's annoyance.

While Homer attends the Lanley Institute of Monorail Conducting, construction on the Monorail begins, overseen by Barney. At the end of the course, Lanley randomly selects Homer to become the Monorail conductor. Homer shows the family around the train, and Marge becomes increasingly worried about how safe the Monorail is. She goes to see Lyle Lanley and finds his notebook, which has a drawing of the Monorail on fire as he flees with the money. Marge drives to North Haverbrook to find out what happened to the Monorail there. In town, Marge meets Sebastian Cobb, the man who worked as the engineer for the North Haverbrook Monorail. Cobb tells Marge that Lanley cut corners everywhere with the Monorail, which caused it to crash and be destroyed.

Back in Springfield, the Springfield Monorail is prepared for its maiden voyage, with many celebrities, including Leonard Nimoy, arriving to ride it. Before it sets off, Lanley leaves with the money to escape to Tahiti. Marge and Sebastian Cobb then arrive minutes too late as the Monorail sets off. As it runs, the brakes fail and the Monorail picks up speed. Chief Wiggum and Mayor Quimby argue over who should take control of the situation while Marge and Cobb try to find a solution. Meanwhile, Lanley's flight has a layover in North Haverbrook, where he is confronted by an angry mob. Cobb tells Homer he needs to find an anchor to stop the Monorail. Homer steals a rope from a cowboy and ties it around the M from the "Monorail" text on the side of the train. The makeshift anchor catches in a Donuts shop, bringing the train to a stop.

Leonard Nimoy takes credit for saving the day while Marge says the Monorail is the only folly Springfield ever embarks on—except for the Popsicle Stick Skyscraper, the 50ft Magnifying Glass, and the Escalator to Nowhere.

Production[edit]

Conan O'Brien pitched the idea for "Marge vs. the Monorail" to showrunners Al Jean and Mike Reiss. However, they thought that James L. Brooks would find the idea too crazy, so they asked him to pitch some other ideas first. When "Marge vs. the Monorail" was pitched to Brooks, he loved it.[1] Brooks liked the other two ideas that O'Brien pitched, but he "laughed really hard" at "Marge vs. the Monorail", which surprised O'Brien because he didn't think Brooks would like it. O'Brien came up with the idea when he saw a sign for a monorail while leaving work, and he thought "what's more wasteful than a monorail?" So, he thought it would be funny if Springfield had a monorail.[2]

Leonard Nimoy's role was originally written for George Takei. However, Takei told them that he wouldn't do it because he was on the San Francisco Board of Transportation and he didn't want to make fun of monorails. They managed to get Nimoy for the role instead.[2] Before Nimoy signed on for the episode, rewrites of the script were made in an attempt to get Takei to agree to the role.[3]

The episode originally came in very short, so they "did every trick in the book" to get the episode to full length.[3] At the end of the episode, when Leonard Nimoy disappears in a Star Trek-style teleportation, O'Brien said he remembered one of the producers saying that it would never get through because impossible things can't happen in the show.[2]

Reception[edit]

In its original US airing, "Marge vs. the Monorail" was watched by 23 million households,[4] which gave it a Nielsen rating of 13.7.[5]

"Marge vs. the Monorail" is frequently included in lists of best episodes of the show. A 1998 article by TV Guide titled "A Dozen Doozies" included the episode as the seventh entry on the list.[6] A 2003 list by Entertainment Weekly titled "The Family Dynamic" named "Marge vs. the Monorail" the fourth best episode of the show.[7] A 2006 article by IGN named the episode the best episode of season 4.[8] A 2007 article by Vanity Fair named the episode the third funniest episode of the show.[9] A 2010 article by The Times named the episode the ninth best episode of the show.[10] A 2019 article by Entertainment.ie named "Marge vs. the Monorail" among the top ten best episodes of the show.[11] A 2019 article by The Guardian named it as one of the best five episodes of the show.[12] A 2019 list by Time had "experts" pick it as one of the top ten best episodes of all time.[13] A 2019 list by Consequence named it the second best episode of the show.[14]

A 2020 "flashback review" of the episode by Robert Canning of IGN said that "Marge vs. the Monorail" "is by far one of the most loved episodes of The Simpsons and can safely be called a classic by any fan." Canning also said, "there's nothing in this half-hour that doesn't work, and no matter how many times I watch this episode, it never, ever gets old."[15] A 2007 article by Emily St. James of Slant Magazine called the episode "maybe the show's funniest."[16]

Leonard Nimoy's role in the episode also received praise. A 2010 article by IGN of the Top 25 Simpsons Guest Appearances ranked the actor at #11 for his roles in "Marge vs. the Monorail" and "The Springfield Files".[17] Nathan Ditum of Total Film named Nimoy the 13th best guest star of the show.[18]

Not all reception to the episode has been positive. The Monorail Society claimed that the episode "employs an association fallacy to attack and discredit monorail technology."[19] Responding to this, Simpsons creator Matt Groening said, "I don't know what to say, I'm sorry," and that "Monorails are great."[20]

As of July 2025, "Marge vs. the Monorail" has a 9.1 rating on IMDb.[21]

In other languages[edit]

Language Name Translation
Germany.png Deutsch "Homer kommt in Fahrt" Homer comes for a ride
Spain flag.png Español "Marge contra el monorraíl" Marge vs. the Monorail
Hispanic America.gif Español "Marge contra el monorriel" Marge vs. the Monorail
France.png Français "Le Monorail" The Monorail
Flag of Quebec.svg.png Français "Marge contre le Monorail" Marge vs. the Monorail
Italy Flag.png Italiano "Marge contro la monorotaia" Marge vs. the Monorail
Brasil Flag.png Português "Marge Contra o Monotrilho" Marge vs. the Monorail
Flag of Japan.png 日本語 "モノレールの甘い罠" The Monorail's Sweet Trap

References[edit]

  1. ↑ Jean, Al (2004). Commentary for "Marge vs. the Monorail", in The Simpsons: The Complete Fourth Season.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 O'Brien, Conan (2004). Commentary for "Marge vs. the Monorail", in The Simpsons: The Complete Fourth Season.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Reiss, Mike (2004). Commentary for "Marge vs. the Monorail", in The Simpsons: The Complete Fourth Season.
  4. ↑ Brian Donlon. "ABC gets a Thursday night boost", USA Today, p. 03.D. 
  5. ↑ "Nielsen Ratings /Jan. 11–17", Long Beach Press-Telegram, p. C5. 
  6. ↑ The Simpsons Archive - "A Dozen Doozies"
  7. ↑ Entertainment Weekly - "The Family Dynamic" (archived on Wayback Machine)
  8. ↑ IGN - "The Simpsons: 17 Seasons, 17 Episodes" (archived on Wayback Machine)
  9. ↑ Vanity Fair - "Springfield's Best"
  10. ↑ The Times - "The 10 best Simpsons episodes ever"
  11. ↑ Entertainment.ie - "The 10 greatest 'The Simpsons' episodes of all time"
  12. ↑ The Guardian - "The Simpsons: the five greatest episodes in the iconic show's history"
  13. ↑ Time - "We Asked Experts for 10 of Their Most Memorable Simpsons Episodes of All Time"
  14. ↑ Consequence - "The Simpsons' Top 30 Episodes"
  15. ↑ IGN - "The Simpsons Flashback: 'Marge vs. the Monorail' Review"
  16. ↑ Slant Magazine - "5 for the Day: The Simpsons"
  17. ↑ IGN - "Top 25 Simpsons Guest Appearances"
  18. ↑ Total Film - "The 20 Best Simpsons Movie-Star Guest Spots"
  19. ↑ The Monorail Society - "Marge vs. the Monorail"
  20. ↑ BBC News - "The Simpsons creator Matt Groening on equality, memes and monorails"
  21. ↑ IMDb - "Marge vs. the Monorail"


The Saga of Carl - title screen.png Wikisimpsons has a collection of images related to "Marge vs. the Monorail".
Season 4 Episodes
Kamp Krusty • A Streetcar Named Marge • Homer the Heretic • Lisa the Beauty Queen • Treehouse of Horror III • Itchy & Scratchy: The Movie • Marge Gets a Job • New Kid on the Block • Mr. Plow • Lisa's First Word • Homer's Triple Bypass • Marge vs. the Monorail • Selma's Choice • Brother from the Same Planet • I Love Lisa • Duffless • Last Exit to Springfield • So It's Come to This: A Simpsons Clip Show • The Front • Whacking Day • Marge in Chains • Krusty Gets Kancelled
Production season 9F Episodes
Homer the Heretic • Lisa the Beauty Queen • Itchy & Scratchy: The Movie • Treehouse of Horror III • Marge Gets a Job • New Kid on the Block • Mr. Plow • Lisa's First Word • Homer's Triple Bypass • Marge vs. the Monorail • Selma's Choice • Brother from the Same Planet • I Love Lisa • Duffless • Last Exit to Springfield • The Front • So It's Come to This: A Simpsons Clip Show • Whacking Day • Krusty Gets Kancelled • Marge in Chains • Homer's Barbershop Quartet • Cape Feare
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