When the TV breaks, Marge and Homer entertain the kids with the story of how they first met.
Flashback structure yields 69 jokes in 22 minutes, but nostalgic charm outweighs comedic punch.
Directed by David Silverman · Written by Al Jean, Mike Reiss, Sam Simon
WAR
4.1
Wins Above Replacement
“The Way We Was” ranks #524 of 552 The Simpsons episodes on the Humor Index, scoring 69.9 — Mixed. The episode packs 69 scored jokes at 4.0 per minute, averaging 6.2 on craft and 6.0 on impact, with Young Homer landing the most laughs. Every joke is ranked below with its individual craft and impact scores.
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Top Jokes
Abe Simpson: Oh, son, don't overreach! Go for the dented car, the dead-end job, the less attractive girl!
Young Homer: Fifty-five? That's ridiculous! Sure, it'll save a few lives, but millions will be late!
Homer · Teacher: -What? -Another day of detention! -Let's get together. -Two days! -What's your name? -Homer. -Three days! -J. Simpson. -Five! -It was worth it! Six days!
Young Homer: Who needs that? I'm never going to England. Let's smoke.
Young Homer: Usually when I have a thought, there's others. Something says yes and no. This time, it's only yes.
All Jokes — 69 analyzed
Show all ↓ Hide ↑ Marge · Bart: Do you have to sit so close? It'll hurt your eyes.
TV Critic: Our next movie is McBain... a shoot-them-up, splatter-fest from the Hollywood cookie cutter.
McBain: That makes two of us.
McBain Setup/Punchline Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Bart: Are we talking about the same movie? McBain was a nonstop roller coaster of chills, thrills, spills and kills.
Bart Irony/Sarcasm Wordplay/Pun ★ Rewatch Lisa: That movie stinks like your creepy apartment.
Lisa Character Comedy Setup/Punchline Homer: I love watching the bald guy argue with the fat tub of lard.
Homer Irony/Sarcasm Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Homer: All right, all right. Time for Dr. TV to perform a little surgery!
Homer Wordplay/Pun Character Comedy Bart: Looks like you lost the patient, doc.
Bart Callback Setup/Punchline ★ Rewatch Callback Homer: Shut up. Cheap Chinese TV, why'd I ever buy it?
Homer Character Comedy Reaction Beat Lisa: You're staring at a dot.
Lisa Setup/Punchline Observational Homer: She's right! She's right! Oh, how I miss TV!
Homer Escalation Character Comedy Homer: Dear God, give me one channel!
Homer Escalation Absurdist ★ Rewatch Homer Reaction Beat Character Comedy Bart Deadpan/Understatement Character Comedy Homer Character Comedy Reaction Beat ★ Rewatch Lisa Reaction Beat Character Comedy Young Homer: Who needs that? I'm never going to England. Let's smoke.
Young Marge: Not if I have to do heavy lifting or math.
Young Homer · Barney: Boy, you don't gain a pound. It's my metabolism. I'm one of the lucky ones.
Principal Dondelinger: Well, if it isn't Simpson and Gumble, Springfield's Cheech and Chong.
Male Student: Yeah, mama! Take it off!
Estelle: I wouldn't go if you were Elliott Gould!
Estelle Setup/Punchline Observational Barney: There's gotta be a girl nobody wants to take.
Barney Setup/Punchline Dark/Subversive Homer · Barney: -Hey, would you like to go--? -She's mine!
Homer · Marge: -So what are you in for? -I'm a political prisoner.
Homer: Every day, I show up, act like me and they slap me in here.
Homer Observational Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Homer · Teacher: -What? -Another day of detention! -Let's get together. -Two days! -What's your name? -Homer. -Three days! -J. Simpson. -Five! -It was worth it! Six days!
Young Homer · Abe Simpson: -But, Dad, I don't drink-- -Cut the crap! 'I collect the cans.'
Abe Simpson: Oh, son, don't overreach! Go for the dented car, the dead-end job, the less attractive girl!
Young Homer: I met this girl, Marge, and I wanna force her to like me.
Young Homer: Me? I'm gonna drink a lot of beer and stay out all night!
Young Homer: Me, in a nuclear power plant. Kaboom!
Young Homer: I'll take that, stinkpot! Just warming up, Mrs. Bloominstein.
Young Homer: Fifty-five? That's ridiculous! Sure, it'll save a few lives, but millions will be late!
Marge · Homer: -Ignoramus? -It means I'm stupid, doesn't it? -Stupidity is different. -Not to me.
Young Homer: You may not remember me. I mooned for rebuttal.
Young Homer: I'm not asking you to like me or let me touch your goodies. Just be fair.
Coach Flanagan: I think if he applies himself, trains real hard, he could go another foot.
Shop Teacher: I had him for four years. Solid 'C' student. Made a lamp last year.
Barney: He's all things to men and maybe to a lucky gal. Wanna go to prom with me?
Barney Setup/Punchline Misdirection Young Homer: French? What a coincidence! Just the subject I'm having trouble with.
Present Homer · Present Homer: -Why, you cagey old dog! -Great story. Work, damn you, work!
Young Homer: Uh-oh, a zit. No problemo.
Young Homer: The perfect crime.
Marge · Homer: -Why is there make-out music on? -It helps me study.
Homer: You're telling me new stuff and minutes later, it's still there.
Homer Character Comedy Observational Young Homer: When I see you forming vowels and continents--
Young Marge: You're dear and honest and open, without a trace of pretension.
Young Homer: My tux will have the widest lapels and the highest platform shoes.
Young Homer: I'm not in any French class. This was a brilliant scheme to get to know you.
Young Marge: Homer J. Simpson, I hate you!
Lisa: I know this story doesn't end with you telling it to us.
Lisa Meta/Self-Referential Observational Bart: They married, had kids and bought a cheap TV.
Bart Deadpan/Understatement Callback Callback Artie Ziff: This may not be an appropriate forum for what I'm about to put forth... but would you go to the prom with me?
Young Marge · Patty: -Couldn't we just use rouge for this? -Ladies pinch. Whores use rouge.
Patty: That's what you get when you don't put out.
Patty Setup/Punchline Dark/Subversive Clancy Bouvier: Wait a second. If he's your date, who are you?
Young Homer: I'm a spare. Excuse me.
Clancy Bouvier: Say 'Cheez Whiz.'
Young Homer: I paid for this car, tuxedo and the two dinners! We're going to the prom!
Principal Dondelinger: Wait a second, is that a bong? You have asthma? All right, move along.
Principal Dondelinger · Homer: -I thought you dropped out. -You wish, Dondalinger. -That's Mr. Dondalinger.
Artie Ziff: Hello, classmates. Instead of voting for an athletic hero or pretty boy... you have elected me, your intellectual superior, as your king.
Young Homer: Usually when I have a thought, there's others. Something says yes and no. This time, it's only yes.
Homer · Limo Driver: -No, it's okay. I'm broke. I'll walk. -Yeah, why spoil a perfect evening?
Homer: All right! All right! I'll walk in the mud!
Homer Escalation Character Comedy Homer: Once you stop this car, I'm gonna hug you and kiss you... and I'll never let you go.
Homer Setup/Punchline Character Comedy Present Homer: And I never have.
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