"Husbands and Knives" is the seventh episode of thenineteenth season of the American animated television seriesThe Simpsons. It first aired on theFox network in the United States on November 18, 2007.^[1] The episode was written byMatt Selman and directed byNancy Kruse.

"Husbands and Knives"
The Simpsons episode
The episode's promotional image, featuring Milo outside his new comic book store Coolsville.
Episodeno.	Season 19 Episode 7
Directed by	Nancy Kruse
Written by	Matt Selman
Production code	JABF17
Original air date	November 18, 2007 (2007-11-18)
Guest appearances
Jack Black as Milo Daniel Clowes as himself Maurice LaMarche as the jock Alan Moore as himself Art Spiegelman as himself Sang Am Lee as a Korean singer
Episode features
Chalkboard gag	"ThePilgrims were not illegal aliens"
Couch gag	Two hands (with five fingers instead of four) open apop-up book to reveal the family sitting on the couch.
Commentary	Matt Groening Al Jean Matt Selman Joel H. Cohen Tom Gammill Max Pross David Silverman
Episode chronology
← Previous "Little Orphan Millie" Next → "Funeral for a Fiend"
The Simpsonsseason 19
List of episodes

In this episode, a new comic book store becomes popular in town leading Marge to convert the Android's Dungeon into a gym for women. It features guest appearances fromAlan Moore,Art Spiegelman, andDan Clowes as themselves andJack Black as Milo.^[1] The title is a reference to theWoody Allen filmHusbands and Wives. The episode received positive reviews.

TheComic Book Guy charges Milhouse $25 for accidentally ruining aWolverinecomic book when one of his tears drops on its cover and smudges one of Wolverine's sideburns after being scratched by the comic's infamous "pop-out claws" feature atThe Android's Dungeon. AfterBart proclaims that the events in comic books are not "real", Comic Book Guy tells him and the other children to get out of the store, just as a new comic book store, "Coolsville Comics & Toys" opens across the street.When the children arrive at Coolsville, the store owner, ahipster named Milo, gives them Japanese candy and invites them to his grand opening. The store is filled not only with comic books, but also with video games and modern art, giving it a sophisticated arcade look. WhenLisa accidentally rips a page of anAdventures of Tintin book, Milo assures her that the books are meant to be read and enjoyed.

The store becomes even more popular, playing host toArt Spiegelman,Daniel Clowes andAlan Moore, who all visit for a book signing. Comic Book Guy jealously tries to sabotage Milo's popularity by revealing he has a girlfriend (whom they have already accepted for she, like Milo, is hip) and bribing the children with "Japanese weapons". When this does not work, Comic Book Guy tries to use the weapons to destroy Coolsville, but is subdued by the three authors who remove their shirts to reveal muscular super-hero physiques.

After comparing herself to a cardboard cutout ofWonder Woman,Marge decides to become slimmer. While exercising at a large gym, she struggles with the treadmill and is embarrassed showering in public, and as a result decides to open a gym for ordinary women.

Comic Book Guy, having finally given up, closes the Android's Dungeon which Marge then acquires in order to open "Shapes", a women-only workout center that is an immediate hit. Many women ofSpringfield comment on Marge's efforts; she opens another location at an abandonedKrusty Burger. After an interview on the women's television showOpal, Marge becomes an international hit. Homer and Marge go on a luxury vacation at a hotel. Homer meets a group of three strapping young men who tell him he is on "wife support". They are all"trophy" husbands and convince Homer that Marge will soon dump him for a healthier man. They list the stages that will occur in their marriage before Marge dumps him. As these begin to occur, Homer overhears Marge talking to a group of women about dumping her purse, though he wrongly assumes she is talking about him. One of the three younger men tells Homer he is actually a first husband who used to be fat and ugly, but transformed himself through fashion, diet and exercise. Homer, however, decides that he needs to getcosmetic surgery.

Homer attempts to win Marge back by having hisstomach stapled. He is now much slimmer and has to liquify his food. Homer lures Marge into bed and turns her on, but has to make sure only his front is exposed as all of his excess skin is tied back behind him. Next, Homer gets extreme plastic surgery done. When finished, Homer looks entirely different; he is slim with well-defined musculature, narrower eyes, and a full head of black hair, and his tear ducts have been moved to his nipples among other things. At a ceremony in whichMayor Quimby rewards Marge for her work with Shapes, Homer arrives in his new form, much to the shock and disgust of the town. Homer and Marge run to the top of Springfield'sNotre Dame tower to avoid the angry townspeople and Marge, saying she wants a trophy husband, deliberately pushes Homer off the tower. Homer wakes up in the hospital, back to his old self. Marge informs him that after he was knocked out, the surgeon requested her permission for the surgery and she refused; everything from Homer's surgery so his "death" was just a dream. She had the doctor reverse Homer's stomach stapling, since she loves him no matter how he looks. The episode ends with Moore, Spiegelman, and Clowes watching Homer and Marge from mid-air. They notice that a meteor is headed for Earth, but become distracted from destroying it by news of a convention for underpaid writers.

Alan Moore recorded his lines in October 2006, after the writers approached his then fiancéeMelinda Gebbie. He is said to be a fan of the show. "Husbands and Knives", aired on his fifty-fourth birthday.Jack Black guest starred as Milo, the owner of Coolsville.^[2]

Milo sings aKorean version ofTom Jones' "What's New Pussycat?", although parts of the song are random Korean words. At a certain point, he is seen playingDance Dance Revolution andGuitar Hero at the same time.^[3] In the comics store, Lisa walks toThe Adventures of Tintin andAsterix shelf. The Belgian comic stripTintin and the French comic stripAsterix are the most internationally famous European comics. The album she reads,Tintin inParis, does not exist in the Tintin series but is essentially a mishmash of the cover ofTintin in the Land of the Soviets, the island fromThe Black Island and the rocket fromDestination Moon. Also visible areTintin in Tibet,The Shooting Star,The Crab with the Golden Claws andCigars of the Pharaoh.^[4]

Marge's gym, Shapes, is a parody ofCurves, although there is an actual fitness chain in the Tampa, Florida, area known as Shapes.^[5] Art Spiegelman's mask, which he wears when attacking the Comic Book Guy during his rampage on Coolsville, is based upon the mask he has drawn himself wearing as an illustrator inMaus.^[3] In Marge’s gym, Shapes, the words "I am woman, hear me sweat" are seen on the wall. This is a reference to theHelen Reddy song, "I Am Woman".^{[citation needed]} In a short scene where aline graph showing Marge's profits appears thePet Shop Boys song "Opportunities (Let's Make Lots of Money)" plays in the background.

Alan Moore's outburst at Milhouse's request that he sign a DVD of the filmWatchmen Babies in V for Vacation (a parody ofWatchmen andV for Vendetta, complete with infant versions ofOzymandias,Doctor Manhattan,Rorschach andNite-Owl II riding a surfboard on the cover) is a reference to Moore's notorious outspoken dissatisfaction with adaptations of his works by major film studios, particularly his refusal to support the then-recent film adaptation ofV for Vendetta, in which he demanded that his name not appear in the credits.^[6]

Coolsville Comics & Toys is a parody of the Meltdown Comics & Collectibles onSunset Boulevard inHollywood, California.^[7] The treadmill scene in the gym is a reference to the music video forOK Go's "Here It Goes Again" (complete with the song itself playing).^{[citation needed]} Homer, accused of being a monster, runs for refuge into Springfield'sNotre Dame. This is an allusion toThe Hunchback of Notre-Dame, Homer being the physically disfiguredQuasimodo and Marge being his paramour,Ésmeralda.^{[citation needed]}

Following thefire which occurred at theNotre Dame Cathedral inParis, France in April 2019, rumors swirled that the episode, which featured a torch wielding mob chase Homer and Marge to Springfield's Notre Dame cathedral,^[8] predicted the fire, with even a photo of Mr. Burns standing outside the burning Notre Dame Cathedral of Springfield, which appeared in this episode, spreading across social media.^[9] Allegations also spread afterwards that a line which a character said in the 2004 filmBefore Sunset, "But you have to think that Notre Dame will be gone one day," predicted the fire.^[10][11]

The episode's initial broadcast earned a 3.7 rating and was watched by 10.56 million viewers, which was the 30th most-watched show that week.^[12]

Robert Canning ofIGN called it an episode that can keep viewers entertained and laughing.^[3] He called the character of Milo and Jack Black a perfect fit and particularly enjoyed the appearances of comic book legends Alan Moore, Art Spiegelman and Dan Clowes. He did note that the Homer/Marge plot was "not nearly as enjoyable as the comic related bits" and gave the episode a 7/10.^[3]

Richard Keller ofTV Squad was surprised by the change in plot from about a comic book store to Homer's fitness. He liked the sight of Homer's fat being clipped to his back and the scene of Homer asks Marge why she stays with him. However, he thought Jack Black was underused in the episode.^[5]

In 2007,Entertainment Weekly named Jack Black's role as Milo the second of 16 great guest stars onThe Simpsons.^[13]

• "Husbands and Knives" atIMDb