{{Use American English|date=January 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=June 2023}} {{Infobox Simpsons episode | image = | caption = | season = 32 | episode = 11 | director = [[Chris Clements (animation director)|Chris Clements]] | writer = [[Ryan Koh]] | music = "[[Ooh La La (Faces song)|Ooh La La]]" by [[Faces (band)|Faces]] | production = QABF04 | airdate = {{Start date|2021|1|3}} | guests = * [[Dan Aykroyd]] as Postage Stamp Fellow * [[Bob Balaban]] as the narrator | blackboard = | couch_gag = | prev = [[A Springfield Summer Christmas for Christmas]] | next = [[Diary Queen]] }} "'''The Dad-Feelings Limited'''" is the 11th episode of the [[The Simpsons season 32|thirty-second season]] of the American animated television series ''[[The Simpsons]]'', and the 695th episode overall. It aired in the [[United States]] on [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] on January 3, 2021.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Listings - SIMPSONS, THE on FOX {{!}} TheFutonCritic.com|url=http://www.thefutoncritic.com/listings/20201222fox03/|access-date=2021-01-11|website=[[The Futon Critic]]|archive-date=May 5, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210505064326/https://s7.addthis.com/js/250/addthis_widget.js|url-status=live}}</ref> The episode was directed by [[Chris Clements (animation director)|Chris Clements]]<ref>{{cite tweet|user=AlJean|first=Al|last=Jean|author-link=Al Jean|number=1219733399755079680|title=Bob Anderson|date=January 21, 2020|access-date=August 17, 2020}}</ref> and written by [[Ryan Koh]].<ref name="Star">{{cite web|last=Garbutt|first=Herb|date=August 16, 2020|title='Simpson, eh?' GTA man writes episode for long-running show after pitching executive producer on Twitter|url=https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/television/2020/08/16/simpson-eh-gta-man-writes-episode-for-long-running-show-after-pitching-executive-producer-on-twitter.html|accessdate=August 17, 2020|work=[[Toronto Star]]|archive-date=August 18, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200818063613/https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/television/2020/08/16/simpson-eh-gta-man-writes-episode-for-long-running-show-after-pitching-executive-producer-on-twitter.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
In this episode, Kumiko wants to have a baby with Comic Book Guy, but he is hesitant due to his family history. [[Dan Aykroyd]] and [[Bob Balaban]] guest starred. The episode received positive reviews.
The episode's title is a reference to the [[Wes Anderson]] film ''[[The Darjeeling Limited]]'', which has a similar story of doubtful fatherhood.
== Plot == [[Comic Book Guy]] and his wife [[Kumiko Albertson|Kumiko]] enjoy a lazy Sunday while [[Marge Simpson|Marge]] and [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] attend multiple children's birthday parties. Desperate for adult company, Marge and Homer leave the kids with [[Ned Flanders]] and go to Moe's for trivia night. Teaming up with Comic Book Guy and Kumiko, they win first place, and Marge and Kumiko relate over having overweight husbands. When Kumiko visits Marge, she bonds with [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]] and tells her husband she wants to have a child. Comic Book Guy, who works with children at his store every day and knows that he is an emotionally distant man, does not want to become a father.
Kumiko arranges for her husband to attend a movie with the Simpsons, and he finds he truly enjoys introducing [[Bart Simpson|Bart]] and [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]] to classic movies. When the children become upset, however, he is unable to comfort them, and returns to his family home, where his [[philatelist]] father and other obsessive relatives live alone with their collections. It is then revealed that Comic Book Guy took solace in comic books as a child solely because his father never attended any of his beloved baseball games, causing him to choke during the championship. His father later admits that he did not go to the game for fear he would not know what to say if his son lost, but produces a ball autographed by his son's hero, [[Sandy Koufax]], that he had intended to give him. The pair play a game of catch, and Comic Book Guy returns to his wife, telling her that he is now ready to start a family.
== Production ==
=== Casting === [[Dan Aykroyd]] guest-starred in the episode as Postage Stamp Fellow, [[Bob Balaban]] appeared as the narrator, and [[Jenny Yokobori]] appeared as Kumiko.<ref name=":0" /> The episode marked the first appearance of Yokobori as Kumiko, replacing previous actor [[Tress MacNeille]].<ref name="Bereta"/><ref>{{Cite web|date=February 22, 2021|first=Rick|last=Porter|title='The Simpsons': Harry Shearer to Stop Voicing Black Character|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/simpsons-harry-shearer-stop-voicing-black-character-4136439/|access-date=September 10, 2023|website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]|language=en-US|archive-date=October 4, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231004174012/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/simpsons-harry-shearer-stop-voicing-black-character-4136439/|url-status=live}}</ref> This followed the show's announcement that white actors would no longer voice non-white characters.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2020/06/the-simpsons-will-no-longer-have-white-actors-voice-non-white-characters-1202971437/|title='The Simpsons' Will No Longer Have White Actors Voice Non-White Characters|date=June 26, 2020|access-date=September 10, 2023|work=[[Deadline Hollywood|Deadline]]|last=Petski|first=Denise|archive-date=June 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200627190303/https://deadline.com/2020/06/the-simpsons-will-no-longer-have-white-actors-voice-non-white-characters-1202971437/|url-status=live}}</ref>
=== Development === In 2020, [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] released eight promotional pictures from the episode.<ref>{{cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=The Simpsons|url=https://www.foxflash.com/shows/the-simpsons/photos/?type=episodic&season=s32&episode=3204|accessdate=January 22, 2021|work=FoxFlash|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210429123349/https://www.foxflash.com/shows/the-simpsons/photos/?type=episodic&season=s32&episode=3204|archive-date=April 29, 2021}}</ref>
=== Release === The episode originally aired on January 3, 2021, at 9:01 PM.<ref name=":0" />
== Reception ==
=== Viewing figures === In the United States, the episode was watched live by 1.89 million viewers.<ref name="32.11">{{cite web|last=Metcalf|first=Mitch|date=January 6, 2021|title=Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 1.3.2021|url=http://www.showbuzzdaily.com/articles/showbuzzdailys-top-150-sunday-cable-originals-network-finals-1-3-2021.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210106161442/http://www.showbuzzdaily.com/articles/showbuzzdailys-top-150-sunday-cable-originals-network-finals-1-3-2021.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 6, 2021|access-date=January 6, 2021|work=Showbuzz Daily}}</ref>
=== Critical response === [[Tony Sokol]] with ''[[Den of Geek]]'', said "''The Simpsons'' goes back to the past to make way for the future on Season 32, episode 11. “The Dad Feelings-Limited” is an origin story, revealing the sad and lonely tale of Comic Book Guy. No, it isn't done in panel layouts, and his super strength turns out to be his greatest weakness." He gave the episode 4.5/5 stars.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-01-04|first=Tony|last=Sokol|author-link=Tony Sokol|title=The Simpsons Season 32 Episode 11 Review: The Dad Feelings-Limited|url=https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/the-simpsons-season-32-episode-11-review-the-dad-feelings-limited/|access-date=2021-01-11|website=[[Den of Geek]]|language=en-US|archive-date=January 12, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210112180602/https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/the-simpsons-season-32-episode-11-review-the-dad-feelings-limited/|url-status=live}}</ref>
Jesse Bereta of ''Bubbleblabber'' gave the episode a 7.5 out of 10. He was surprised by the story about Comic Book Guy and enjoyed the deeper look into the character. He liked how the Simpson family was involved in the plot instead of having its own story. He also thought the Wes Anderson parody format balanced the dramatic elements.<ref name="Bereta">{{cite web|url=https://www.bubbleblabber.com/2021/01/review-the-simpsons-the-dad-feelings-limited/|title=Review: The Simpsons "The Dad-Feelings Limited"|date=January 4, 2021|access-date=September 10, 2023|work=Bubbleblabber|last=Bereta|first=Jesse|archive-date=August 5, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240805032320/https://www.bubbleblabber.com/2021/01/review-the-simpsons-the-dad-feelings-limited/|url-status=live}}</ref>
It was selected as one of the best TV episodes of 2021 in the ''[[New York Times]]''.<ref>{{Cite news|url = https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/20/arts/television/best-tv-episodes-2021.html|title = The Best TV Episodes of 2021|newspaper = [[The New York Times]]|date = 20 December 2021|last1 = Poniewozik|first1 = James|author-link1 = James Poniewozik|last2 = Hale|first2 = Mike|last3 = Lyons|first3 = Margaret|access-date = June 11, 2023|url-access = subscription|archive-date = January 4, 2022|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220104164205/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/20/arts/television/best-tv-episodes-2021.html|url-status = live}}</ref>
===Awards and nominations=== The episode was nominated for the [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program]] at the [[73rd Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards]], but lost to the ''[[Primal (TV series)|Primal]]'' episode "[[Plague of Madness]]".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.indiewire.com/2021/09/primal-wins-emmy-best-animated-series-genndy-tartakovsky-adult-swim-1234663863/|title='Genndy Tartakovsky's Primal' Wins Best Animated Series at the 2021 Emmy Awards|website=[[IndieWire]]|first=Ben|last=Travers|date=September 12, 2021|access-date=June 11, 2023|archive-date=July 26, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220726002923/https://www.indiewire.com/2021/09/primal-wins-emmy-best-animated-series-genndy-tartakovsky-adult-swim-1234663863/|url-status=live}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
==External links== {{Portal|The Simpsons}} * {{IMDb episode}}
{{The Simpsons episodes|32}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dad-Feelings Limited, The}} [[Category:2021 American television episodes]] [[Category:The Simpsons season 32 episodes]] [[Category:Television episodes written by Ryan Koh]] [[Category:Television episodes directed by Chris Clements (animation director)]]