Episode 7F18
Written by Brian K. Roberts
Directed by Jim Reardon
Also starring: Maggie Roswell
Special guest voices: Jon Lovitz (as Lombardo), Ringo Starr (as himself)

Premise: After the Simpsons take a trip to Mount Splashmore Water Park, Homer decides to lose weight. Decades after her creative spirit was crushed by the education system and an unanswered letter to Ringo Starr, frustrated Marge takes up art classes. She's commissioned to paint a portrait of Mr Burns - and catches him in an extremely unflattering light.

Features: Krusty, Sideshow Mel, Kent Brockman, Apu, Carl, Barney, Moe, Dr Hibbert, Miss Hoover.

Couch: The sofa tips sideways but Maggie ends up safe on a cushion.

Trivia:

• Mount Splashmore offers a whole two hours free parking and nose plug rental, and has a post-ride trauma centre on the premises.
• The unveiling of Marge's painting of Burns is to mark the opening of the Burns Wing of the Springfield Palace of Fine Art.

Homage: Krusty wipes his make-up from his face in a very similar way to Jack Nicholson as the Joker in Batman (Tim Burton, 1989). Homer limbers up just like Sylvester Stallone in Rocky (John 0. Avildsen, 1976), and the animated Ringo Starr hasn't changed much since Yellow Submarine (George Dunning, 1968).

Look out for: The very clever blocking of Burns' genitals in Marge's portrait.

Song: Take Me to Mount Splashmore sung by Krusty.

Notes: A superb episode, with Marge rightfully centre stage. Despite his general unpleasantness, Mr Burns' gratitude to Marge is both welcome and unexpected. And the dig at Water Parks is spot on.