The Sweetest Apu

{{Use American English|date=January 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=September 2023}} {{Good article}} {{Infobox Simpsons episode | image = | caption = | season = 13 | episode = 19 | director = [[Matthew Nastuk]] | writer = [[John Swartzwelder]] | production = DABF14 | airdate = {{Start date|2002|05|05}} | guests = * [[James Lipton]] as himself | blackboard = "I will never lie about being cancelled again" | couch_gag = The Simpsons come in just as two repo men take the couch away, Homer then starts crying. | commentary = Al Jean [[Ian Maxtone-Graham]] [[Matt Selman]] [[Tim Long]] [[Dan Castellaneta]] James Lipton [[Matt Warburton]] | prev = [[I Am Furious (Yellow)]] | next = [[Little Girl in the Big Ten]] }}

"'''The Sweetest Apu'''" is the nineteenth episode of the [[The Simpsons season 13|thirteenth season]] of the American animated television series ''[[The Simpsons]]''. It originally aired on the [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox network]] in the United States on May 5, 2002. In the episode, [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] and [[Marge Simpson|Marge]] discover that convenience store owner [[Apu Nahasapeemapetilon|Apu]] is having an affair with the Squishee delivery lady working in his store. "The Sweetest Apu" was written by [[John Swartzwelder]] and directed by [[Matthew Nastuk]]. It features ''[[Inside the Actors Studio]]'' host [[James Lipton]] as himself. It also features references to ''[[The New Yorker]]'', photographer [[Richard Avedon]] and the film ''[[Wild Wild West]]''. In its original broadcast, the episode was seen by approximately 7.1 million viewers and finished in 37th place in the ratings the week it aired.

Following its home video release on August 24, 2010, the episode received mixed reviews from critics.

==Plot== [[Apu Nahasapeemapetilon|Apu]] sells [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] a beer keg for the [[American Civil War reenactment]] of the Battle of [[Springfield (The Simpsons)|Springfield]]. At the reenactment, [[Principal Skinner]] watches as Springfielders disobey him and hold a rather inaccurate battle (featuring an orange plaid clad "East" faction, a roller skating [[Stonewall Jackson]] portrayed by [[List of recurring The Simpsons characters#Disco Stu|Disco Stu]], and a giant [[Wild Wild West|steam-powered super spider]] made by [[Professor Frink]]). After the battle, Homer brings the empty, dented keg back to Apu at the [[Kwik-E-Mart]] in an attempt to get the deposit. There, he hears a giggle coming from a closet and finds Apu making love with the woman who delivers Squishees to Kwik-E-Mart, Annette. He then walks backwards in shock all the way home to his bed and then relives the encounter in his dreams when he falls asleep.

[[Marge Simpson|Marge]] figures out what Homer saw from the movements of his pupil. They decide not to tell [[Manjula Nahasapeemapetilon|Manjula]] but while they are playing [[badminton]], Homer and Marge act awkwardly with Manjula and Apu looking at them, trying not to give out hints Apu cheated on Manjula. They then confront Apu and he says he will break up with Annette. However, he breaks his promise. Later, Manjula watches the surveillance footage of Apu [[adultery|cheating]] and kicks him out. To help get them together, Homer and Marge invite them both to dinner, but do not tell them that the other one is coming. After a failed attempt with Bart and Lisa, Apu tries to promise to Manjula that he will change, but Manjula refuses to listen and demands a [[divorce]].

Homeless, Apu moves into the apartment complex where [[Kirk Van Houten]] lives. The octuplets then speak their first words, which put together, say "Mommy, will you let daddy come back...cookie!" Marge and Manjula go to Apu's and arrive in time to prevent him from committing suicide by hanging. Apu is then subjected to several tasks to redeem himself, including breaking up with Annette, though Manjula says it will take time for everything to get back to normal. In bed, Manjula, finally satisfied with what he has done, kisses Apu while Homer watches from the window, on a ladder. The couple continues and Homer, traumatized, hops backwards on the ladder all the way home, without falling, mimicking what he did earlier.

==Production and cultural references== [[File:James Lipton by David Shankbone.jpg|thumb|170px|Talk show host [[James Lipton]] guest starred as himself in the episode.]] "The Sweetest Apu" was written by former ''Simpsons'' writer [[John Swartzwelder]] and directed by director [[Matthew Nastuk]]. It was first broadcast on the [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox network]] in the [[United States]] on May 5, 2002. After seeing Apu cheating on Manjula with the squishee girl, an extensive scene in which Homer dramatically backs out of the room, into the Simpson house and into his bed is shown. The scene was conceived by episode writer Swartzwelder.<ref name="Jean" /> Another scene in the episode shows Apu breaking up with the Squishee lady in front of her house. Originally, police chief Clancy Wiggum would be seen in a robe inside the house, implying that other men in Springfield cheat on their wives as well, however it was dismissed because the writers thought it would look "too sad".<ref name="Selman">Selman, Matt. (2010). Commentary for "The Sweetest Apu", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Thirteenth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Originally, Swartzwelder wanted the kama sutra sex position in the episode to show several arms and legs "sticking out in crazy positions", however it received a censor note and the ''Simpsons'' staff were allowed to show "less and less" of it as time progressed.<ref name="Jean" />

The episode features American writer and actor [[James Lipton]], host of the television program ''[[Inside the Actors Studio]]'', as himself.<ref name="Jean" /> The divorce lawyer was portrayed by series regular voice actor [[Hank Azaria]],<ref name="Castellaneta">Castellaneta, Dan. (2010). Commentary for "The Sweetest Apu", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Thirteenth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> and was based on "many lawyers that the writing staff had faced," according to current show runner [[Al Jean]].

Professor Frink's steam-powered "Super-spider" seen during the reenactment is a reference to the 1999 [[steampunk]] film ''[[Wild Wild West]]''.<ref name="Jean">Jean, Al. (2010). Commentary for "The Sweetest Apu", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Thirteenth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> One of Apu's promises to Manjula is to get a comic strip printed in ''[[The New Yorker]]''. American photographer [[Richard Avedon]] is also mentioned in the episode.<ref name="Lipton">Lipton, James. (2010). Commentary for "The Sweetest Apu", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Thirteenth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

==Release== In its original American broadcast on May 5, 2002, "The Sweetest Apu" received a 6.7 rating, according to [[Nielsen Media Research]], translating to approximately 7.1 million viewers. The episode finished in 37th place in the ratings for the week of April 29-May 5, 2002.<ref>{{cite news |title=THIS WEEK'S TOP TELEVISION SHOWS |date=May 8, 2002 |author=Long Beach Press-Telegram (CA) }}</ref> On August 24, 2010, "The Sweetest Apu" was released as part of ''The Simpsons: The Complete Thirteenth Season'' [[DVD]] and [[Blu-ray]] set. Al Jean, Ian Maxtone-Graham, Matt Selman, Tim Long, Dan Castellaneta, James Lipton and Matt Warburton participated in the audio commentary of the episode.<ref name="Jean" />

Following its home video release, "The Sweetest Apu" received mixed reviews from critics.

DVD Movie Guide's Colin Jacobson wrote "I don’t recall ever being particularly excited by other Manjula episodes, and 'Sweetest' does nothing to alter that perception." He praised Homer's reaction to seeing Apu cheating on Manjula, but maintained that "much of the remaining gags tend to be lackluster." He concluded by writing "This ends up as a pretty flat, forgettable show."<ref name="DVDmg">{{cite web |url=http://www.dvdmg.com/simpsonsseasonthirteen.shtml |title=The Simpsons: The Complete Thirteenth Season [Blu-Ray] (2001) |date=September 2, 2010 |access-date=May 19, 2011 |last=Jacobson |first=Colin |publisher=DVD Movie Guide |archive-date=April 4, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200404202638/http://www.dvdmg.com/simpsonsseasonthirteen.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref>

Project-Blu's Nate Boss called it "An average episode, by this season's standards," describing it as "a bit too cut and dried for my taste."<ref name="Project-blu">{{cite web|url=http://project-blu.com/reviews/simpsons13.html |title=The Simpsons: The Thirteenth Season |date=September 8, 2010 |access-date=May 19, 2011 |last=Boss |first=Nate |publisher=Project-Blu |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110622070047/http://project-blu.com/reviews/simpsons13.html |archive-date=June 22, 2011 }}</ref>

Writing for Blu-ray.com, Casey Broadwater wrote that "The Sweetest Apu" is "near-laughless",<ref name="blu-ray">{{cite web |url=http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/The-Simpsons-The-Thirteenth-Season-Blu-ray/11327/#Review |title=The Simpsons: The Thirteenth Season Blu-ray Review |date=September 5, 2010 |access-date=May 19, 2011 |last=Broadwater |first=Casey |publisher=Blu-ray.com |archive-date=September 9, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180909155639/http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/The-Simpsons-The-Thirteenth-Season-Blu-ray/11327/#Review |url-status=live }}</ref> and Ryan Keefer of [[DVD Talk]] wrote "The less said about this episode, the better."<ref name="dvdtalk">{{cite web |url=http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/43599/simpsons-the-complete-thirteenth-season-the/ |title=The Simpsons: The 13th Season (Blu-ray) |date=August 31, 2010 |access-date=May 18, 2011 |last=Keefer |first=Ryan |publisher=DVD Talk |archive-date=June 8, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110608054447/http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/43599/simpsons-the-complete-thirteenth-season-the/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Ryan Keefer of DVD Talk wrote, "Does Jean manage to get The Simpsons to reclaim some of the tarnish off the crown? Sure, but it's not without its duds; 'The Sweetest Apu' and 'The Old Man and The Key' were borderline painful'.

On the other hand, giving the episode a positive review, Jennifer Malkowski of [[DVD Verdict]] gave the episode a B, praising the "Badminton [scene] and its many double entendres" as the episode's "highlight".<ref name="DVDverdict">{{cite web|url=http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/simpsons13bluray.php |title=The Simpsons: The Complete Thirteenth Season (Blu-Ray) |date=September 6, 2010 |access-date=May 19, 2011 |last=Malkowski |first=Jennifer |publisher=DVD Verdict |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111209001817/http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/simpsons13bluray.php |archive-date=December 9, 2011 }}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist|2}}

==External links== {{wikiquote|The_Simpsons/Season_13#The_Sweetest_Apu|"The Sweetest Apu"}} {{portal|The Simpsons}} *{{snpp capsule|DABF14}} *{{IMDb episode|0701264}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sweetest Apu, The}} [[Category:The Simpsons season 13 episodes]] [[Category:2002 American television episodes]] [[Category:Television episodes written by John Swartzwelder]] [[Category:Television episodes about adultery]] [[Category:Television episodes directed by Matthew Nastuk]]