Postcards from the Wedge

At Springfield Elementary, after Edna Krabappel shows a video from 1956 to her students about the future, she tells her students to turn in their homework project, which they had three months to do. Bart, who had forgotten, tries to make his homework on the fly out of odds and ends found in his desk. A disapproving Edna sends a letter to Homer and Marge informing them Bart is one month behind on his homework. When Homer is informed that he does not have to help Bart with this work; he is eager to increase his son's workload, but Marge is concerned that the heavy workload will dissuade Bart from liking school, unaware that he already hates it. With his parents not agreeing on this issue, Bart uses their opposing views to avoid homework entirely, creating a wedge issue that sharply divides them both. As the arguments continue, Bart even incites them to argue about very minor things that do not even involve his homework. However, when Lisa sees what Bart has done, she calls him out for his behavior.

Marge seeks advice from Ned Flanders, who recalls having a minor argument with Maude on the day she died which still haunts him. Marge also counsels Patty and Selma, who, eager to break up Marge and Homer, encourage her to "stick to her guns" so she will be happier without Homer. However, knowing how her sisters feel about Homer, Marge thinks about how her life could end up like theirs and immediately heads out to make things right with her husband. Meanwhile, Homer falls asleep at work, dreams about accidentally killing Marge and realizes that he too wants to apologize. The two spot each other in traffic, rush out of their cars and embrace. They then decide to let Bart fend for himself, leaving him stunned when they pay no attention to any of his antics. When Bart confesses to Nelson he no longer feels thrilled when he plays pranks, Nelson suggests Bart receives no gratification from pranks unless someone loses their temper.

Bart then decides to destroy Springfield Elementary, which has recently been damaged by a subway tremor he and Milhouse caused on the town via the subway tracks, by driving a train under it. Homer and Marge find a note from Lisa informing them of this prank, and they decide to take immediate action. They rush to the subway station, where Homer tries to push the emergency kill switch. It is stuck, but Homer then imagines that the switch is Bart, pretends to be strangling him, and he succeeds in stopping the subway. Skinner is relieved when he realizes the school is saved, and he puts a flag up. However, the flagpole falls against the already damaged building, causing it to collapse, much to Nelson and Edna's delight. Bart is therefore grounded and forced to finish his homework and tweet Homer about his current activities, and his parents begin to keep their son in line again. Lisa confronts Bart upon discovering he had written the note from her because it misspells the word "Elementary", but promises to keep it a secret, much to his relief.

• "Postcards from the Wedge" at TheSimpsons.com
• "Postcards from the Wedge" at The Simpsons Archive
• "Postcards from the Wedge" at TV.com
• Postcards from the Wedge at IMDb