“And how are the little kids doing? I mean, really how are they doing? Any disabling injuries, something, say, that the gambling community might not yet know about? C’mere, let me see those knees.” – Moe
“Moe, I think you should leave.” – Marge Simpson
“But Blanche, you gotta help me out here, please! I’m sixty-four grand in the hole! They’re gonna take my thumbs!” – Moe
I always wondered what is the point of this scene. Moe just shows up to get thrown out by Marge.
I posted here a few times as Chrissy but I will be using FireFlower from now on.
It doesn’t strictly speaking need to be there, but it’s perfectly in character, for Moe, Marge and Springfield as a whole. I mean, what kind of terrible place must the town be if there’s an active and violent gambling racket that takes bets on pee-wee hockey?
“You caught me at a real bad time, Moe. I hope you understand I’m too tense to pretend I like you” is both a hilarious line (and great reading), and also very telling that Marge is clearly not a fan of the man responsible for luring her man away and pumping him with liquor every night.
That’s actually a very good comparison with the earlier times when a character, even though he does show up out of nowhere and somehow knows about the kids, fits exactly in his role and does not have to be a tool for some stupid recycling bin level joke, like Lenny playing the world’s smallest violin for no reason.
“Homer vs. Patty and Selma (Season 6. episode 17)
Moe: Sure, Homer, I can loan you the money. However, since you have no collateral, I’m gonna have to break your legs in advance.
Homer: Gee, Moe, that seems a bit extreme. Couldn’t you just bash my brains in?
Moe: Are you a loan shark? Do you understand how finance works?
[Pulls out a sledgehammer]
Moe: Now, let’s do this thing.
That was good old Moe, all right. This episode has also the Homer which I have the most fond memories of. His way of acting and lines are priceless (and he isn´t even central to the plot).
Thanks, Charlie. I understand now. I never knew what Moe meant by “gambling” and “in debt” but now I now he was betting on the hockey games.
Sorry, I didn’t mean to be condescending. I just meant that it’s a nice, subtle way to illustrate that Springfield really is a terrible place.
You weren’t condescending. You were very helpful and nice.