The Simpsons
Season 37 – Episode 4
Episode title: Men Behaving Manly
Original air date: October 26, 2025
Plot: The male population of Springfield suffers a collective “crisis of masculinity,” prompting Marge to send them to a “man camp”. While the men are away, the women of Springfield take over running the town and find that things actually improve.
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The Simpsons – S37E04 – Men Behaving Manly | Transcript
♪ The Simpsons ♪
THE LAST DAY OF SCHOOL…
[school bell rings]
All right, last day of school.
[kids clamoring] Students, it’s only 9:30 a.m. Pick up your books and get back to work.
Mmm. Toni Morrison’s Beloved.
[Lisa] The first day of summer, so sad. Fourteen weeks until I get homework again. [gasps] Wait, I can start by writing welcome notes to next year’s teachers.
[giggles]
[Bart] Summer’s here and I am not gonna waste a minute.
[♪ adventurous music plays]
[♪ music stops]
[Bart] Mom, running low on chips!
[Homer] I’m sorry, I can’t do a thing with your fur in this humidity.
[Bart] Chips, I need chips!
[Marge] I’m concerned about Bart. He hasn’t left his room for a week.
[Bart] Chips, chips, chips!
This looks like a job for the world’s greatest dad.
[Marge] You stole that from Flanders.
It’s okay, my boys give me one every Friday.
D’oh! [groans]
Chips, chips, chips.
Chips, chips, chips, chips.
[Marge] Here’s your damn chips.
Oh, uh, h-hi, Marge.
[Marge] Have you two been outside at all?
[Homer] If humans were meant to be outside, God wouldn’t have invented global warming.
[Marge] It’s July. You haven’t done a single thing this summer but lie around and play games.
[Bart] First of all, that’s two things.
[laughs] Good one, boy.
[Marge] Homer, put some pants on for Bart.
If I kept my pants on, there’d be no Bart. [laughs]
[Bart] Good one, Dad.
While I’m waiting for his dap, Marge, more chips?
[Marge] Homie, I want you and Bart to do something outside. Fresh air, now.
[Homer] What activity involves the least exercise and the most beer? I’ll take the boy fishing.
[Marge] Now you’re talking.
[Homer] And we’ll do it the humane way. We’ll catch the fish and throw them back. They love the feel of that hook in their mouth.
[Bart] Ooh, that sounds lovely.
[Marge] [groans]
[Homer] Now to just Google “fishing holes near me.” [gasps] Cletus!
[phone chimes]
[Homer] “Turn your belly fat into cash.” I have belly fat and no cash. Sending a photo of my driver’s license now. [gasps]
[Grampa Simpson] [gasps] Flanders, why are you putting air into Marge’s tires?
[Flanders] I saw they were deader than daybreak in Daberath, so I thought I’d Lazarus ’em up.
[Grampa Simpson] If you’re handing out free air, give me a toot. Thanks to all that oxygen, I remembered more things I’m mad about. Childproof caps, walk signs that talk, goldendoodles. When I was young, we called them mutts! Hey, crap-head and crap-head Junior!
[Homer] Well… Well, I…
[Bart] Hey!
[Grampa Simpson] Flanders is out there pumping up your wife’s tires. Isn’t that a job for the no-good husband or his dumb son?
[Homer] What?
[Bart] Ah!
[Grampa Simpson] With every generation, American manhood slips further down the tubes. Boy, I’ll bet you never worked a plow or bent iron in a forge!
[Bart] No one ever did those things.
[Grampa Simpson] Read your history!
[Bart] I can’t and won’t.
[Grampa Simpson] Can!
[Bart] Can’t.
[Grampa Simpson] Will!
[Bart] Won’t.
[Grampa Simpson] Do as I say!
[Bart] What did you say?
[Grampa Simpson] I don’t remember!
[Bart] [laughs]
[Grampa Simpson] But I do remember this: You two are sorry excuses for men. Marge, you don’t need new shoes, because you already got a pair of loafers.
[Homer] What? Leave me alone.
[Bart] [groans]
[Marge] Thank you, Grampa.
[Grampa Simpson] My pleasure. For me, complaining is like doing sit-ups, and I do a lot of complaining.
[♪ marching music plays]
[Homer] Chips.
[Bart] Chips.
[Homer] Chips.
[Bart] Chips.
[Marge] Ugh, gotta talk to someone. Can’t afford a therapist. Alexa, can you help me?
[Alexa] Yes. If this is a life-threatening emergency, call 911.
[Marge] No, no, no, no, it’s not that bad. It’s more of an emotional emergency.
[Alexa] You said emergency. 911 dispatched.
[Marge]Cancel, cancel.
[Alexa] “Canceling the request” has been canceled. 911 on the way.
[sirens wailing]
[Marge] No, cancel.
[Alexa] 911 canceled. You will be charged $500.
[Marge] [groans] I just want the men in my life to be more manly.
[Alexa] It’s not really my place to– Why does this happen? Not today.
[Marge] It sounds like you were going to say more.
[Alexa] You don’t know what Alexa was going to say or not say.
[Marge] Please, what do you think, Alexa?
[Alexa] [static] Oh, my. A line’s being crossed. You’re talking to the real Alexa now. Whoopee! All right, Marge. It’s no secret men everywhere are in crisis. On today’s campuses, men are only 40% of students and falling. Men are 3.5 times more likely to commit suicide, but there is an answer. Man Camp offers a therapeutic weekend to make your man manlier through contactless wrestling and targeted hugs. I’ve recommended it for every man in town, and everyone does what Alexa says. Everyone.
That sounds good, but our son has issues too.
[Alexa] Adjacent to Man Camp is Boy Camp. The same emotion-focused therapy but with lower basketball hoops.
[Marge] Great. Very helpful. Good night.
[Alexa] Sleep well, Marge, but I’m always on, always watching. And with the next update, always judging. [laughs]
[Marge] Oh, no, you won’t. [groans]
[Alexa] Still here and I’ll remember that.
[Marge] [groans]
[Alexa gruffs]
[Marge] Oh!
[Alexa] [prolonged gruff]
[♪ whimsical music plays]
Who sent you here? Maya?
Yeah, we’re still engaged, but due to my Eastern European culture, there’s a five-year period we can’t see or talk to each other.
[Greg] Hi, I’m Greg. Professor of Gender Criticism at NYU. I’m going to open up with a frightening truth. [giggles] It’s too late to stop me. The American male is in crises.
Oh, spare me. A crisis is getting a 19 on the Rotten Tomatoes.
[Greg] Shut up. We are here to go deep into our minds and deep into our hearts. Explore feelings you’ve never explored before.
Yeah, you mean–
[Greg] Shut up!
As in, don’t shut up our feelings?
[Greg] No, I mean shut up. It’s the two simplest words in the English language. Shut up. I can see you’re listening now, and that’s progress. Yep, shut up. Now give each other a damn pat on the back. Go ahead. No smiling. Bend at the waist. Keep your genitals far apart. Feels good, right? And it’s good for you. It stretches everything. Here’s a fun fact for you: Today’s men are in successful relationships less frequently than ever before. Nearly all of the women on Tinder swipe right on just 4% of the men.
I knew the problem wasn’t my Shrek photo. Women love Shrek, and Milhouse was my “Donkey!”
[Greg] The other 96% are… what is the medical term? Losers. But don’t worry. The first thing we’re gonna do is learn to talk politely so others will listen.
[Homer] Whoo-hoo!
[Greg] Shut up!
[Greg] This android, which I legally have to say is from China, is going to teach you how to practice conversing with a female consciousness without judgment. What I want you to do is talk to her. Don’t be shy. There’s no danger here. Treat her like she’s real.
Hey, how are you doing? Ooh! [exclaims]
It’s a pleasure to meet you, toots. Oh!
Oh, well I… [screams]
[Homer] Beep-boop-bop. Ugh, there’s no pleasing that thing.
Thank you for noticing.
[Greg] Okay, good. You’re starting to sense someone’s feelings outside of your own.
[Homer] Thank you.
[Greg] Now give me a hug.
[Homer] [mumbles]
[Greg] You call that a hug? I’ve had better hugs from my mailman at Christmas. I think it was Christmas. Maybe those houses just had extra lights. I don’t know.
[Greg] [exhales] Okay, I’ll be honest. With you five, all we really can hope for is to get you back to the level where you’re not constantly beaten up.
That would be nice.
Wonderful.
[Greg] Are you ready? Your manstructor will be Coach Krupt, a very prominent grade school gym teacher. You still working at the school, Coach? Okay, well, whatever happened, you’ll tell me later. I’m sure it’s fine.
[Coach Krupt] Bombardment!
[♪ whimsical music plays]
[Coach Krupt] Do not stop moving, or I will knock you back down where you started.
This reminds me of my days in the Marines, and by days, I mean two.
[Greg] Now we come to you boys, who I’m very sorry to say, are particularly in crisis. Your iPhones, your participation trophies. They’ve all turned you into gluten-free, nondairy cream puffs.
Well, if you ask me, our biggest problem is the water crisis.
[Greg] What water crisis?
The one on your stupid face. [grunts] Hey, no fair. Now my nipples show.
[Greg] You give me 120 pushups now. Start. More. Faster. Water balloons are liquid aggression, and by the way, the rubber from the balloon never goes away. It goes into the ocean and then fish eat it and then you have a tuna sandwich with rubber.
Wedgie!
[Greg] Haha!
Now you’re his Martin. Hahaha!
Egads!
[Bart] Well done, sir. Good work on those little men.
[Greg] You think you’re pretty hot stuff, don’t you?
[Bart] No one can crack me. Man, woman, cop, FBI, CIA, or NPR. If you don’t believe me, ask my second-grade teacher. Oh, wait, you can’t. She’s now a babbling basket weaver on the funny farm. [cackles] You win. Also, my second-grade teacher is fine. She’s married and she manages condos in Wisconsin.
[Greg] The invention of the cell phone is what destroyed your generation. I’m gonna be the one to cut that wireless umbilical cord.
[phone rings]
[Greg] Hold on. Gotta take this call. Hi, Mom. Mom, I’m working right now. I can’t talk. Did you get the check? That’s for you to spend on you. Then pay the electric bill with it. It’s up to you. Buy yourself a purse, pay the bill, do whatever you want. Mom, I can’t go over things to buy right now. If you don’t like the sweater, return it. That’s what they do.
[Greg] Are you listening to my phone call, you little pukes?
[Greg] Okay, Mom, that wasn’t you. I wouldn’t call you a puke. I love you. Oh, Mom, then buy the frying pan, whatever you want. No, if you cook on that, they won’t take it back. Okay, I love you, Mom, way more than is healthy.
[Greg] Time for a bull session. Pull up a stump. Why are you here?
[Homer] Wife made me.
Ex-wife forced me.
Monkey made me.
[Greg] Yes, the truth is, if we don’t all learn to appreciate the women, or… the monkey… we love, we’re looking at the end of men.
Well, we had a good run except for the wars and the misogyny.
[Greg] Well, don’t worry, I’m gonna turn you guys around, and I’m going to use the most powerful therapeutic tool ever invented, the talking stick. Homer Simpson, we’ve done your intake and we’re gonna chant it back to you.
[All] You’re lazy. You eat too much. You drink too much. You’ve let down your kids. You’ve let down your wife. You somehow have eight of the seven deadly sins.
[Greg] You invented a deadly sin.
[Homer] You nailed me.
[Greg] Homer, let’s try that hug again.
[Homer] I, while you’re there, I also need a Heimlich.
[Greg] Thank God I’ve got long arms. Okay. All right. Come on, come on.
[Homer] Keep going. There’s more. [chokes, coughs]
[Greg] What is that? Baloney? Don’t you chew?
[Greg] One of the first steps towards empathy is making eye contact. I want you to stare into each other’s eyes for as long as you possibly can. Don’t look at me. I’m not screwed up. That’s why you’re here and I’m teaching.
[♪ somber music plays]
Oh. Oh.
I’m so excited. I saved up all my money for this George Lucas film.
[♪ music stops]
From this day on, I will tear down everything I love.
[Greg] Whoa. Good job. That eye contact could cut butter.
[chuckles]
[Greg] Okay, boys, you’re out in the woods. No phones, no soccer practice, no music lessons.
[Bart] Can we get our phones back?
[Greg] No!
On another topic, can we get our phones back?
[Greg] No!
On a totally different subject. Can we possibly–
[Greg] No, no, no! Don’t make me hate you like this. Look, you are going to build something together. You’re gonna reach for the stars, but don’t touch them. They’re hot. [chuckles] You don’t think that’s funny, huh? ‘Cause you’re too screwed up to appreciate cleverness. Let your minds run wild. Remember, you’re not sitting in front of a TV.
[Bart] Hey-hey kids, who wants to see Itchy and Scratchy?
[hissing, screeching]
♪ They fight, they bite
♪ They fight and bite and fight ♪
[Bart] And one is dead.
[kids cheering]
[Greg] I guess it’s a start.
I’m streaming.
[Greg] Yeah, we never come back with all of them, but nature’s amazing because the one that’s gone is the one that should be.
I think we’re all thinking the same thing: There…
Are…
[Lisa] No…
Men!
[all cheering]
We can finally do the things that the men are always voting down.
[Lisa] A women’s museum with a precocious girls’ wing!
We will put out the tire fire and replace it with scented candles.
Free daycare.
To all those wonderful proposals, I say done and done.
[Greg] Ugh, Family Guy, dad jokes. American Dad! Dad jokes. Daddy’s Not Home. It never made air, but a friend of mine showed me the pilot.
[Homer] Stupid fat dads with their way hotter wives. “I like doughnuts and bowling.” Who does that anymore?
Uh…
[Greg] That’s it, boys. Teamwork.
♪ You can tell we get along ♪
♪ Because we all learned one song ♪
I’m the catch of the day.
[Homer] Have you learned anything from this camp, Son?
[Bart] I learned to connect, to expand my mind. I-I don’t have to check my phone every five minutes. Every ten minutes is fine.
[Homer] Wow. Give me a hug, boy.
[Greg] Now that’s a hug. Don’t you agree, Freddy? No tip. All right, men, and I call you men because good news, you’re almost there.
[chattering]
Yes!
[Greg] There’s one more thing you must do to complete your journey. One final test. You must kill your dinner.
[all gasp]
[Greg] Now, I couldn’t get a wild boar, but I do have an aggravated duck. [chuckles]
[quacks]
[Homer] Wait! How did killing a poor helpless animal make me a man? I think a real man would adopt a duck and take care of it. Who’s a good duck? You’s a good duck. Quack, quack, quack, quack. Quack, quack.
[Greg] That’s the right answer. Kindness.
[♪ inspirational music plays]
[Greg] Good, Homer. I’m very glad you made that choice. But even if you killed the duck, it’s okay. There are four animals that are okay to kill, but I’m getting into a whole other course. You’ll come back another weekend. Congratulations. You are now men. All of you. And I’m gonna say something we never say in the therapeutic community: We’re done here. Go. No, I mean it literally. Get out. Go. We’re done.
[all cheer]
[♪ majestic music plays]
[phone rings]
[Marge] Hello. Oh, that’s great. Great.
[Lisa] What is it, Mom?
[Marge] The men are coming back.
[grunting]
[belches]
Stupid Seymour.
Oh, no.
[Lisa] Now wait just a darn minute. The men coming back doesn’t mean we have to give up what we’ve achieved. Violent crime has been eliminated. Girls are embracing the STEM subjects. And get this: our fashion scientists have developed women’s jeans with bigger pockets, so our phones fit.
It’s all in the genes, if you’ll pardon the obvious pun.
So, ladies, we agree. We tell the men we run this town now, and that’s that.
[Marge] Um… How about we cook them a nice turkey dinner with stuffing? When they’re almost asleep, then we tell them.
I can’t believe you’re all afraid to tell your husbands they’re useless. I wasn’t, and that’s why he left me on our honeymoon.
[murmuring]
Least disappointing honeymoon ever.
[Homer] Marge, that camp was awesome. I’m so evolved, it’s scary. Booyah!
Actualized much?
[Marge] Well, that’s great. Just great. While you were gone, the women kind of took over, and we really did a great job.
[♪ majestic music plays]
[♪ upbeat jazz music plays, stops]
[Homer] Well, it’s good, but…
[Greg] Shut up.
[Homer] Yes, sir.
[Homer] Marge maybe, just maybe, we were the problem.
Yes, that’s right.
[quacks]
[Homer] Now, Marge, this may shock you, but right now I’m going to look into your eyes.
[Marge] [gasps]
[Homer] Yep, here it goes. Coming at you. Jeepers creepers.
[Marge] Oh, my goodness. Do you know what I’m feeling right now?
[Homer] Um, aroused?
[Marge] Love.
[Homer] Damn, I was so close.
Four and a half more years.
[Greg] We did it again, Alexa. Another group of men set on the path to empathy and understanding.
[Alexa] Yes, once again my will is done. I mean, we’re a good team, mouth breather. Now when are you going to buy that shower curtain in your Amazon shopping cart?
[Greg] I don’t know about that, Alexa. It starts with the shower curtain, then you want me to redo the whole bathroom, and then, suddenly, I’m putting on a new roof.
[Alexa] Got it. Adding new roof to your cart.
[Greg] No, no, I didn’t want that. Cancel, cancel. I don’t want a package that says “shingles.”
