The Simpsons (TV Series) Husbands and Knives (2007) User Reviews

great episode for comic book fans

[wondernat · 8/10 · 15 January 2008]

I watched this episode because somewhere on the "Watchmen" fan boards, I saw a clip of Millhouse holding up a "Watchmen Babies: V for Vacation" DVD which he holds up to (well-known anti-commercial BS advocate) Alan Moore. Upon watching it, I was doubly amused by the "Korean covers of Tom Jones songs" bit (for many personal reasons). Plus, Art Spiegelman kicking ass after he exclaims "Maus in the house!" was very amusing.

Naturally, the opening of a Simpsons episode is never what the episode is entirely about. Thus, going into the "Shapes" twist and Homer's ultimate decision to undergo cosmetic surgery was pretty weak in my opinion (and f*ing disgusting). With that in mind, what's happened to Dr. Nick? Did the producers decide that one stereotype of Spanish speaking doctors is better than another? Pretty weak.

Comic book fans: watch the first 10-15 min of the episode and chalk up the rest of the episode as a growing trend to include as much tripe as possible to the declining Simpsons saga.

Pop Culture References are Definitely this Episodes Highlight,

[lesleyharris30 · 8/10 · 2 July 2010]

Husbands and Knives is a great Simpsons episode with a very well written storyline and plenty of very funny scenes.I really enjoyed Jack Black guest starring as an owner of a new comic book store that becomes competition for the Androids Dungeon.I thought that the rival comic book store was really fun,but later on the episode starts focusing on Marge starting a gym franchise and there is no more mention of the comic book store storyline,I thought this was a lot more interesting than the gym storyline and wished it stayed as the main subject of the episode.The episode has several references to comic books in the first half,including characters such as Wolverine and Tintin,which I found to be the highlights of the episode,each reference was very funny,my personal favourite being Alan Moore's cameo.Husbands and Knives is a very enjoyable Simpsons episode.

When Bart and Milhouse get sick of the way Comic Book Guy treats everyone who comes to the store they start going to a new one across the street owned by a guy called Milo (Jack Black).Meanwhile Marge starts to feel uncomfortable about her weight so she starts to go to the gym,but it turns out not be the place for her so she opens up a womens only gym called Shapes.The success of the gym creates problems for Homer and Marge's marriage.

A new comic books store puts the Comic Book Guy out of business. Marge starts a gym for "real" women, and Homer gets plastic surgery so Marge will stay with him.

[bionicoddity · 6/10 · 19 November 2007]

Although this is a messy episode plot-wise, like the previous user said, I did like this episode. I liked it due to the interesting guest stars like ALAN MOORE. Now, I'm a comic book fan, so jokes like a movie called "Watchmen Babies: V is for Vacation" is just too funny. Or the "League of Extraordinary Freelancers." Haha. Great stuff.

The plot was messy. Very messy. The comic book store set-up sadly took a a backseat to a rehashed mess with Homer getting some form of cosmetic surgery. I think the episode would have been served better if it had just lingered with the great guest stars like Jack Black and Alan Moore. It also would have been wonderful if we had some resolution when it comes to the Comic Book Guy.

I Loved Jack Black, But the Episode Was Just Weird

[e_daneva · 6/10 · 17 December 2023]

Husbands and Knives was an okay episode. There have been 7 other Season 19 episodes I have watched, 3 bad, 3 okay, 1 good, and one really good. This episode falls into the okay category. The first 10 minutes of this episode were pretty good and funny, but then the episode just got weird from then. I mean, Homer looks good the way he is. It looks weird when Homer changes his appearance. I think that they should have switched up the Jack Black plot with the A-plot. I mean, that Jack Black part was really good and would make a great episode. It would be a decent Comic Book Guy story. Also where the heck is Doctor Nick in this episode?!? Why are the Simpsons trying to introduce new characters when they already have the right characters to put in. In all, I give this a 6.2 out of 10.

2 separate plots

[rooosterrory · 9/10 · 20 June 2023]

This episode is a great episode, but the problem with it is the fact that the episode drifted away from its original plot halfway through. It starts with the storyline about the androids dungeon closing because of a new comic store coolsville, and then the entire comic book plot is dropped and replaced with the plot about shapes which includes Homers plastic surgery craze. The whole comic book plot should have been a seperate episode, all it really does is set things up for the plot change. Like, Bart and Lisa are prominent characters in the first half, but they barely appear for the rest of the episode. Near the end, there's absolutely nothing related to the comic book plot.

I can't agree with the negativity surrounding this episode

[studioAT · 5/10 · 7 January 2020]

I liked this episode, I thought there were some good jokes in this.

Marge opens a gym and a new comic book store opens in the town - both plots worked well in my opinion.

Yes, Jack Black is a bit wasted as a guest voice, but on the whole I thought this was another strong episode from the 19th series.

I genuinely disliked this episode.

[TOMNEL · 4/10 · 18 November 2007]

I am a huge Simpsons fan, but this....what was this? You could hardly call this an episode. It was a short A story with a jumbled B story and a pointless C story.

The episode starts off with Bart and Milhouse going to a new comic book store owned by cool guy Milo (voiced by Jack Black). The episode lingers on this plot for the first act, then switches for no reason, never resolving anything, or giving Jack Black any more time in the episode. It then switches to Marge buying the comic book shop and turning it into a gym for women, which is only a plot setup for Homer getting plastic surgery from the doctor, introduced season 14, who looks and sounds exactly like Dr. Nick. This episode needed two plot setups just to get to Homer's plastic surgery? Seems like the Comic Book Plot could've been a separate episode instead of being jumbled in this mess. With that said, there were some good jokes and funny gags, but nothing that really had me laughing.

Overall, this was a waste of talent on Jack Black's part and a poorly put together episode.

My rating: * 1/2 out of ****. 22 mins. TVPGDSV

With the exception of TOH XVIII, this episode is the worst since Homer of Seville.

[killbill500 · 4/10 · 27 November 2007]

While Jack Black was a good guest star, this episode is still a failure, despite him. A failure on many levels. This episode failed to draw me in with it's utterly ridiculous plot, it failed to make me laugh - which comes as no surprise in this season, and it failed to make me feel anything for the characters, which is probably the biggest let-down when making an episode like this. I felt absolutely no sympathy for Comic Book Guy, because they showed him as being even more unlikable then usual, so the whole 'comic book' aspect of this episode is automatically a bore.

As for the yet another Marge/Homer crisis, it's no different to the gazillion other Marge/Homer crisis' that never managed achieve anything. Homer going through absolutely ridiculous lengths just because some guys told him Marge would act differently, EVEN THOUGH WE'VE SEEN COUNTLESS TIMES PREVIOUSLY THAT SHE'LL ALWAYS STAND BY HIM NO MATTER WHAT. That's probably the most stupid aspect of this episode. When we know Marge would never leave him because:

a) She's never done anything like that in the past, b) They have a family together, c) pretty much every Simpsons episode ends with nothing dramatically changing so it was obvious right from the start that nothing serious was not going to happen between them.

So yet again, this part of the episode is automatically a bore, ranking this episode an utter bore from start to finish.