The Simpsons Season 7 Episode 23: Much Apu About Nothing

One day, a brown bear strolls onto the streets of Springfield, frightening the town. The bear gets captured by the police. The people of Springfield take their complaint to Mayor Quimby, who gives in easily, and the Bear Patrol is created. Homer is then shocked to pay a tax to maintain the patrol, and they visit by the town to the Mayor's office. Mayor Quimby blames the high taxes on illegal immigrants. He creates Proposition 24, which will require all illegal immigrants in Springfield to be deported.

At the Kwik-E-Mart, Apu tells Homer that he is an illegal immigrant. Apu says that if Proposition 24 passes, he will have to leave the United States because his visa expired many years earlier. Apu is goes to Fat Tony to obtain a fake United States citizenship ad starts acting like an American, decorating his store like an American. However, feeling guilty about taking the dishonest route, he realizes he has disgraced his parents by turning his back on his Indian heritage, and gets rid of the passport.

Seeing Apu like this, he changes his mind about the immigration proposition and tells Apu that his family will help him. Lisa discovers that Apu will not have to leave if he can pass a United States citizenship test, but the propositon is only a day away. Apu has Homer be his tutor. 




The next day, Apu goes to take the test and he passes, becoming a citizen of the United States. At a congratulatory party, Homer tells his guests how terrible it would be if immigrants were deported, explaining they make the United States thrive. He tells them to vote no on Proposition 24, but it gets passed, with 95% of voters voting yes. After the ballot is passed, the only person deported is Groundskeeper Willie (but it was just a joke, he stays in Springfield).

My thoughts:

How many times have I watched it: 3 times.

Storyline: This was a wonderful episode. You really feel for Apu, and I think Homer's characterization was pretty much spot on. He's somebody who can easily get carried away with things and doesn't necessarily think things through. However, if somebody explains something in a way he understands, he has a brain, he knows what's right and wrong and he realised what a wrong thing Proposition 24 was. The plot was great, showing how that there WAS a way to get Apu to stay. One small thing I liked was the bear roaming around the neighborhood. That was funny.

The jokes kept on coming. From Helen Lovejoy's running gag of "Won't someone please think of the children?!", Homer buying Lisa's rock, Moe being Moe, the bear scene. and Apu feeling bad that he has to leave, it was entertaining. 

Overall, an excellent episode.

My grade: A