{{Use American English|date=January 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}} {{Infobox Simpsons episode | image = | caption = | season = 24 | episode = 8 | director = [[Steven Dean Moore]] | writer = [[Carolyn Omine]] | music = "[[Me and My Arrow]]" by [[Harry Nilsson]] | production = RABF01 | airdate = {{Start date|2012|12|16}} | guests = | blackboard = | couch_gag = | commentary = | prev = [[The Day the Earth Stood Cool]] | next = [[Homer Goes to Prep School]] }} "'''To Cur with Love'''" is the eighth episode of the [[The Simpsons season 24|twenty-fourth season]] of the American animated television series ''[[The Simpsons]]''. The episode was directed by [[Steven Dean Moore]] and written by [[Carolyn Omine]]. It originally aired on the [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox network]] in the United States on December 16, 2012.
In this episode, Grampa tells the story of Homer's childhood dog, Bongo. The episode received mixed reviews.
==Plot== During an event in downtown [[Springfield (The Simpsons)|Springfield]], [[Professor Frink]] demonstrates a new invention that he soon loses control of, resulting in the destruction of the [[Springfield Retirement Castle]]. This results in [[Abe Simpson|Grampa]] moving in with the Simpsons. Meanwhile, [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] discovers an app game called "Villageville" on his MyPad, which involves constructing a village. His immediate addiction to it causes him to ignore [[Santa's Little Helper]] and lead to the dog's sudden disappearance. They eventually find Santa's Little Helper hidden in a pantry shelf below the sink. Lisa and Bart realize Homer doesn't pay attention to Santa's Little Helper, and Homer states that he does not get along with Santa's Little Helper because he is not a "dog person," Grampa mentions another dog named Bongo, which upsets Homer. It is revealed that Bongo was Homer's childhood dog and best friend through flashbacks while [[Harry Nilsson]] sings ''Me and My Arrow'' from the cartoon [[The Point!|The Point]], which the animation also imitates, with [[Hatching|cross-hatch]] shading and a more angular style.
Grampa soon reveals that during a kid's fundraiser [[Mr. Burns]] was hosting, Burns insulted Homer and Bongo attacked him in retaliation. Hugely upset, Burns demands that Grandpa turn Bongo over to him so that he can have the dog killed. To save Bongo's life, Grandpa sent him to a farm upstate run by a woman named Ms. Viola, but Homer was devastated, leaving Grandpa to suffer both his son's anger and Burns' making him take on a terrible job and awful wardrobe as punishment for not sacrificing Bongo. Back in the present, Homer has still resented Grampa to this day, realizing he will never see Bongo or that Bongo will never remember his old friend. Grampa then shows Homer a picture of an older Bongo resting on an old sweatshirt Homer gave to Bongo when the dog was left to Ms. Viola, proving that Bongo still remembers him. Homer tries to deny the truth but eventually bursts into tears when he realizes that Grandpa did something noble and suffered badly for it, and he immediately makes amends with his father and spends the following night sleeping on the couch with him and Santa's Little Helper, dreaming about himself walking with Santa's Little Helper alongside a younger Homer with Bongo, Burns with his dogs, and [[Krusty]] with a gorilla that was the predecessor of [[Mr. Teeny]].
At the end of the episode, Mr. Burns has a sad (for him) conversation with [[Waylon Smithers|Smithers]] where they concede that [[Mitt Romney]] lost the 2012 Presidential election, and then explains the [[United States fiscal cliff|fiscal cliff]] in his own words.
==Production== The episode was paired with the short, ''Montgomery Burns Explains the "Fiscal Cliff"'' which aired as the tag scene for the episode before the closing credits.<ref name="Sullivan"/> The scene was released twelve days earlier on [[YouTube]] to address the [[United States fiscal cliff|economic situation]] at the time.<ref>{{cite web|first=Nick|last=Ramsey|date=December 4, 2012|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna50078726|title='Excellent': Simpsons' Mr. Burns explains the fiscal cliff|website=[[NBC News]]|access-date=August 12, 2023|archive-date=August 12, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230812180755/https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna50078726|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Tiffany|last=Hsu|date=December 5, 2012|url=https://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-mo-alan-simpson-simpsons-fiscal-cliff-20121205-story.html|title=Alan Simpson and Mr. Burns from 'The Simpsons' talk fiscal cliff|website=[[Los Angeles Times]]|access-date=August 12, 2023|archive-date=August 12, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230812180755/https://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-mo-alan-simpson-simpsons-fiscal-cliff-20121205-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
==Cultural references== Homer plays the video game ''Villageville'', which is a parody of the game ''[[FarmVille]]''.<ref name="Sullivan"/> "[[Me and My Arrow]]" by [[Harry Nilsson]] plays over the montage of Homer and Bongo bonding.
==Reception== ===Ratings=== The episode was watched by a total of 3.77 million viewers, which was Fox's most watched show of the night.<ref>{{cite web|last=Kondolojy|first=Amanda|date=December 18, 2012|title=Sunday Final Ratings: 'Bob's Burgers' and 'Bachelorette' Special Adjusted Up, 'The Simpsons' Adjusted Down + Unscrambled Football|url=http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2012/12/18/sunday-final-ratings-bobs-burgers-and-bachelorette-special-adjusted-up-the-simpsons-adjusted-down-unscrambled-football/162193/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121221114825/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2012/12/18/sunday-final-ratings-bobs-burgers-and-bachelorette-special-adjusted-up-the-simpsons-adjusted-down-unscrambled-football/162193/|url-status=dead|archive-date=2012-12-21|website=[[TV by the Numbers]]|access-date=August 12, 2023}}</ref> Fox repeated "To Cur with Love" in the 8:30 PM timeslot one week later.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.thefutoncritic.com/listings/20121218fox01/|title=(SI-2401) "To Cur With Love" (Repeat)|website=[[The Futon Critic]]|access-date=August 12, 2023|archive-date=July 27, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240727082519/http://www.thefutoncritic.com/listings/20121218fox01/|url-status=live}}</ref> The repeat was watched by 4.89 million viewers with a 2.1 rating in the 18-49 demographic. This made it the 3rd most watched show in the [[Animation Domination]] line up that night.<ref>{{cite web|last=Bibel|first=Sara|date=December 27, 2012|title=Sunday Final Ratings: 'American Dad' Adjusted Up Plus Final Football Numbers|url=http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2012/12/27/sunday-final-ratings-american-dad-adjusted-up-plus-final-football-numbers/162921/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121231134550/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2012/12/27/sunday-final-ratings-american-dad-adjusted-up-plus-final-football-numbers/162921/|url-status=dead|archive-date=2012-12-31|work=[[TV by the Numbers]]|access-date=August 12, 2023}}</ref>
===Critical reception=== Robert David Sullivan from ''[[The A.V. Club]]'' gave the episode a C, saying, "This is another trip to the past—without many period trappings to chuckle over—that feels like marking time."<ref name="Sullivan">{{Cite news|first=Robert David|last=Sullivan|url=https://www.avclub.com/the-simpsons-to-cur-with-love-1798175291|title=The Simpsons: "To Cur With Love"|date=2012-12-17|website=[[The A.V. Club]]|access-date=2016-12-09|archive-date=February 13, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130213022256/http://www.avclub.com/articles/to-cur-with-love,89526/|url-status=live}}</ref>
Jasper Goodheart from ''ShowWatcher'' wrote "Not a hugely funny episode, but certainly a good one to watch if you want something your ''Family Guys'' and ''[[South Park]]s'' can’t do anywhere near as well as ''The Simpsons'': Make you feel for these characters."<ref>{{cite web |first=Jasper|last=Goodheart|date=December 19, 2012|url=http://showwatcher.com/television/the-simpsons-to-cur-with-love-review/#respond |title=The Simpsons "To Cur with Love" Review|website=ShowWatcher|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130101042856/http://showwatcher.com/television/the-simpsons-to-cur-with-love-review/ |archive-date=2013-01-01|access-date=August 12, 2023}}</ref>
Teresa Lopez of ''TV Fanatic'' gave the episode 4 out of 5 stars. She enjoyed the story of Homer and Bongo and its use to tell origin stories for other characters. However, she dislikes the inconsistency of Grampa's status and his relationship with Homer.<ref>{{cite web|first=Teresa|last=Lopez|date=December 16, 2012|url=https://www.tvfanatic.com/2012/12/the-simpsons-review-to-cur-with-love/|title=The Simpsons Review: Bongo was His Name-O|website=TV Fanatic|access-date=August 12, 2023|archive-date=July 9, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709181959/https://www.tvfanatic.com/2012/12/the-simpsons-review-to-cur-with-love/|url-status=live}}</ref>
Jen Johnson of ''[[Den of Geek]]'' liked the dog story, but would have preferred more of a Christmas theme.<ref>{{cite web|first=Jen|last=Johnson|date=December 19, 2012|url=https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/the-simpsons-season-24-episode-8-to-cur-with-love-review/|title=The Simpsons, Season 24, Episode 8: To Cur with Love, Review|website=[[Den of Geek]]|access-date=August 12, 2023|archive-date=August 12, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230812180755/https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/the-simpsons-season-24-episode-8-to-cur-with-love-review/|url-status=live}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
== External links == {{Wikiquote|The_Simpsons/Season_24#To Cur with Love|"To Cur with Love"}} {{Portal|The Simpsons}} * {{IMDb episode|2533218}} {{The Simpsons episodes|24}}
[[Category:2012 American television episodes]] [[Category:The Simpsons season 24 episodes]] [[Category:Television episodes written by Carolyn Omine]] [[Category:Television episodes directed by Steven Dean Moore]]