The Way We Was
The Way We Was is the twelfth episode of The Simpsons’ second season. It aired on January 31, 1991. In this episode, Marge tells the family how she and Homer first met and fell in love, using a flashback to 1974.
In high school, Homer and Marge both end up in detention—Homer for smoking, Marge for burning a bra at a feminist rally. Seeing Marge, Homer instantly falls for her. To spend more time with her, he pretends to be in a French class and asks Marge to tutor him, hoping to go to the senior prom with her. Marge discovers his lie and becomes involved with Artie Ziff, who asks her to be his prom date. Homer goes to the prom alone. Artie and Marge win prom king and queen, and Homer is left crying in the hallway. Artie tries to kiss Marge, but she slaps him and asks to be taken home. Homer then helps fix Marge’s torn dress, and their feelings for each other begin to emerge. After overhearing her parents criticize him, Marge drives to pick up Homer, and they reconcile. By the end, they share a kiss, cementing their future together.
The episode was written by Al Jean, Mike Reiss, and Sam Simon, and directed by David Silverman. Jon Lovitz guest-starred as Artie Ziff, his first appearance on the show. It was The Simpsons’ first flashback episode and includes cultural references to songs and the Siskel & Ebert movie show. The title nods to The Way We Were.
The Way We Was was well received and earned strong ratings, helping Fox rise to the top that week. Critics praised its warmth, humor, and nostalgic feel, and TV Guide later named it one of the top twelve Simpsons episodes. The episode also introduced or highlighted characters like Artie Ziff and Rainier Wolfcastle, and has been released in home media collections with commentary and related merchandise.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 21:05 (CET).