{{Use American English|date=January 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=September 2023}} {{Infobox Simpsons episode | image = | caption = | season = 18 | episode = 8 | director = [[Chris Clements (animation director)|Chris Clements]] | writer = [[Matt Selman]] | music = "[[A Horse with No Name]]" by [[America (band)|America]] | production = JABF02 | airdate = {{Start date|2006|12|10}} | guests = | blackboard = | couch_gag = [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] (unseen, but implied to be him) cuts a piece of paper into the shape of him; he pulls it out to reveal the rest of the family holding hands. He then says "Woo-hoo!"<ref name="Futon">{{cite web|url=http://www.thefutoncritic.com/listings.aspx?id=20070601fox16|title=Bart Gets a New Bodyguard on "The Simpsons", December 10, 2006, on the Fox Network|accessdate=2008-05-25|website=[[The Futon Critic]]}}</ref> | commentary = {{Plainlist| * [[Al Jean]] * Matt Selman * [[Michael Price (writer)|Michael Price]] * [[Tom Gammill]] * [[Max Pross]] * [[David Silverman (animator)|David Silverman]] }} | prev = [[Ice Cream of Margie (with the Light Blue Hair)]] | next = [[Kill Gil, Volumes I & II]] }}
"'''The Haw-Hawed Couple'''" is the eighth episode of the [[The Simpsons season 18|eighteenth season]] of the American animated television series ''[[The Simpsons]]''. It first aired on the [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox network]] in the United States on December 10, 2006.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tvguide.com/detail/tv-show.aspx?tvobjectid=100521&more=ucepisodelist&episodeid=6068321|title=Air Dates for the Simpsons|website=[[TV Guide]]|access-date=2008-07-11}}</ref> In the episode, Bart becomes Nelson's new best friend and under Nelson's protection, no one dares to mess with Bart. It was written by [[Matt Selman]] and directed by [[Chris Clements (animation director)|Chris Clements]].<ref name="Futon"/> In its original run, the episode received 8.31 million viewers. It received positive reviews. The episode's title is a pun on ''[[The Odd Couple (1970 TV series)|The Odd Couple]]'', emphasizing Nelson's style of laughing.
A fictional character featured in this episode, Angelica Button, was later used in the season 19 episode "[[Smoke on the Daughter]]", and the revelation that the Angelica Button book series was ghost-written was the basis for the season 23 episode "[[The Book Job]]".
==Plot== [[Marge Simpson|Marge]] and [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] are making love in their room while playing a fake tape of them arguing, so the kids will not come in. When a flying article of clothing hits the tape recorder and plays [[America (band)|America's]] "[[A Horse with No Name]]", [[Bart Simpson|Bart]] and [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]] decide to come in. Bart ends up traumatized by the sight and is an emotional wreck the following day. While he is coping, [[Nelson Muntz|Nelson]] coerces Bart and [[Milhouse Van Houten|Milhouse]] for their lunch money, but also invites him and the rest of the class to his upcoming birthday party. Although Bart convinces all his friends not to go to Nelson's birthday party, Marge makes Homer drive Bart to it against his will. After the party, Bart becomes Nelson's new best friend and under Nelson's protection, no one dares to mess with Bart. However, there is only one drawback to his newfound friend/bodyguard: he is no longer able to pal around with Milhouse because Nelson has never had a best friend before and is overly protective and jealous. Eventually, Nelson discovers that Bart had been playing with Milhouse, which leads him to no longer consider Bart a friend. He eventually decides to forgive Bart, however Bart tells Nelson that he thinks he is a psycho. Later, during a field trip to some tide pools, Nelson confronts Bart in a cave, telling Bart he is a bad friend. Suddenly, high tide comes and Nelson saves Bart (but only because they were field trip buddies). Later, Bart goes home and remembers the good times he had with Nelson while hugging a "Nelson vest" he had received.
Meanwhile, in the [[Subplot|B-plot]], Homer finds himself hooked on one of Lisa's fantasy books, choosing to read an Angelica Button book to Lisa. Homer eventually reads ahead and finds that one of the characters, Greystash, is killed while trying to save Angelica. Upon hearing that Greystash dying would be the end of Lisa's childhood, Homer is unable to bring himself to read the actual last chapter to Lisa, and improvises a happy ending instead involving Greystash defeating the evil wizard. Afterward, Lisa reads the real ending and nonchalantly decides that Homer's ending was better. During the credits, Homer is seen at [[Moe's Tavern]], still mourning the loss of Greystash while screaming, "No man should have to outlive his fictional wizard!".
==Cultural references== The Angelica Button series of books are a parody of the ''[[Harry Potter]]'' franchise.<ref name="Iverson"/> Greystash is a parody of [[Albus Dumbledore]]. The Malicious Krubb is a parody of both [[Lucius Malfoy]] and [[Severus Snape]] due to his resemblance to the former's looks, and the fact that he killed the Dumbledore-esque figure, like the latter. The character Lord Evilton is a parody of [[Lord Voldemort]].
The continuous shot of Bart and Nelson walking through the back of the school to get to the lunch hall is a nearly perfect shot-by-shot rendition of the [[Steadicam]] scene from ''[[Goodfellas]]'', as Henry and Karen walk through the back of the Copacabana, with Bart echoing [[Ray Liotta]]'s voiceover narration. The song played in this scene is "[[He's a Rebel]]" by [[The Crystals]]. The same band's song "[[Then He Kissed Me|And Then He Kissed Me]]" was used during the Steadicam shot in ''Goodfellas''.<ref name="Iverson"/> The ending sequence with Bart embracing his vest closely resembles the final scene of ''[[Brokeback Mountain]]''.
==Reception== ===Viewing figures=== The episode earned a 2.9 rating and was watched by 8.31 million viewers, which was the 44th most-watched show that week.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://abcmedianet.com/web/dnr/dispDNR.aspx?id=121206_06|title=Weekly Program Rankings (Dec. 4-10)|work=[[American Broadcasting Company|ABC Medianet]]|date=December 12, 2006|access-date=June 10, 2023|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081221172014/http://abcmedianet.com/web/dnr/dispDNR.aspx?id=121206_06|archive-date=December 21, 2008}}</ref>
===Critical response=== Dan Iverson of ''[[IGN]]'' gave the episode a 7.9 out of 10. He like the ''Harry Potter'' parody showing Homer's love for Lisa and the social commentary of using the word "bully" in the wake the [[Michael_Richards#2006–2012:_Laugh_Factory_incident_and_aftermath|Michael Richards incident]].<ref name="Iverson">{{cite web|first=Dan|last=Iverson|date=December 11, 2006|title=The Simpsons: "Haw-Hawked Couple" Review|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2006/12/11/the-simpsons-haw-hawked-couple-review|website=[[IGN]]|access-date=November 23, 2024}}</ref>
Adam Finley of ''[[TV Squad]]'' said the episode was a "decent episode ... though not spectacular." He liked seeing Homer protect Lisa from the book's ending and noted the complexity of the character of Nelson.<ref>{{cite web|first=Adam|last=Finley|date=December 11, 2006|title=The Simpsons: The Haw-Hawed Couple|url=http://www.tvsquad.com/2006/12/11/the-simpsons-the-haw-hawed-couple/|website=[[TV Squad]]|access-date=November 23, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070519010907/http://www.tvsquad.com/2006/12/11/the-simpsons-the-haw-hawed-couple/|archive-date=May 19, 2007|url-status=live}}</ref>
Colin Jacobson of ''DVD Movie Guide'' was surprised there was not an episode of Bart and Nelson becoming friends until now. He liked the pairing and the ''Goodfellas'' parody.<ref>{{cite web|first=Colin|last=Jacobson|date=December 19, 2017|title=The Simpsons: The Complete Eighteenth Season (2006-07)|url=http://www.dvdmg.com/simpsonss18.shtml|website=DVD Movie Guide|access-date=November 23, 2024|archive-date=September 30, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230930224657/http://www.dvdmg.com/simpsonss18.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref>
===Awards and nominations=== This episode was subsequently nominated for a [[Primetime Emmy Award]] in [[59th Primetime Emmy Awards|2007]] for [[List of awards won by The Simpsons|Outstanding Animated Program (Less Than One Hour)]] but lost to ''[[South Park]]''.<ref name="07emmynoms">{{cite web |url=http://www.emmys.org/awards/2007pt/59thnominations.php |title=The 59th Primetime Emmy Awards and Creative Arts Emmy Awards Nominees are... |accessdate=2008-03-02 |publisher=[[Academy of Television Arts & Sciences]] |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071231044937/http://www.emmys.org/awards/2007pt/59thnominations.php |archivedate=December 31, 2007 }}</ref>
Matt Selman was also nominated for the [[Writers Guild of America Award for Television: Animation]] at the [[60th Writers Guild of America Awards]]; the award was won by ''The Simpsons'' episode "[[Kill Gil, Volumes I & II]]".<ref name="WGA08">{{cite news|url=http://www.wga.org/subpage_newsevents.aspx?id=2653|title=2008 Writers Guild Awards Television & Radio Nominees Announced|accessdate=2007-12-13|publisher=[[Writers Guild of America]]|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071219203806/http://www.wga.org/subpage_newsevents.aspx?id=2653|archivedate=2007-12-19}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
== External links == {{Wikiquote|The_Simpsons/Season_18#The_Haw-Hawed_Couple|"The Haw-Hawed Couple"}} {{Portal|The Simpsons}} * {{IMDb episode|0905908}} {{The Simpsons episodes|18}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Haw-Hawed Couple, The}} [[Category:The Simpsons season 18 episodes]] [[Category:2006 American television episodes]] [[Category:Television episodes written by Matt Selman]] [[Category:Television episodes directed by Chris Clements (animation director)]]