The Simpsons – Season 34 Episode 17 “Pin Gal” Recap & Review

Pin Gal

Lisa is surprised Homer still watches local news as episode 17 of The Simpsons season 34 begins. It’s bad news though as the presenter reports Springfield’s Bowl-A-Rama is closing forever.

Devastated, Homer and friends organize a funeral dedicated to Bowl-A-Rama at Moe’s. However, they soon decide to prevent the manager from closing down the bowling alley instead.. The new hipster owner tells them he will transform the place, but there won’t be any bowling.

Homer requests the new owner to give him a week to bring crowds in, to which the owner agrees. As a result, Homer starts working at the bowling alley, and coerces people to bowl. Homer convinces Marge to go, and it turns out Marge is a pro, and with her bowling skills, she gathers everybody’s attention. 

Impressed with Marge, the boss proposes if she beats an opponent of his choice, the Bowl-A-Rama will remain open. A confident Marge accepts the challenge. However, a part of her is concerned that the match might uncover her seemingly intimate history with her bowling instructor. Mess sets in as Homer brings the same guy to train Marge for bowling. 

Homer’s father suggests that Marge’s trainer is doing more than just training her. An angry Homer rushes to confront him, where the two end up having a weird fight This ends with Marge telling Homer that she was never intimate with her coach. It was just him who was making a pass.

During the bowling competition, Marge pulls off a Greek Church Split to save Bowl-A-Rama from closing. Later, Chief Wiggum arrests the coach who is to be deported to Paris, ending with the Bowl-A-Rama remaining open. 

The Episode Review

The latest Simpson episode is a massive improvement over the last couple. The storyline is catchy with a good supply of mild jokes.

The movement might be highly predictable, but it surely packs the energy that has been missing in almost every new episode of late. Does it have the magic of Simpsons’ early iconic episodes? Not at all, but it’s certainly a step in the right direction.