Feeling guilty, Homer leaves to find steady work, hoping to return once able to support his family.

It was the second flashback episode of The Simpsons and a sequel to the previous one, "The Way We Was", which tells the story of how Homer and Marge met in high school.

Lynch thought it was nice to see Marge in a "younger, more attractive mode, and sort of watching her progress through pregnancy.

When Marge is suspected to be pregnant, Bart wants to name the baby after rapper Kool Moe Dee, while Lisa wants to name her after Ariel, from The Little Mermaid.

[5] While exiting the movie theater, Homer spoils the ending of The Empire Strikes Back for dozens of moviegoers awaiting the next show.

"[6][7] Homer's encounter with the doughnut delivery man is a reference to a scene in the film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.

[2] When Homer returns to the power plant to apply for a job the second time, Mr. Burns is seen playing the arcade game Ms.

Pete Oliva of North Texas Daily praised the writers for providing back stories that are "believable" and do not feel "contrived or hastily thought through".

[12] The authors of the book I Can't Believe It's a Bigger and Better Updated Unofficial Simpsons Guide, Warren Martyn and Adrian Wood, thought it was a "moving" episode with "plenty of great setpieces".

[4] DVD Movie Guide's Colin Jacobson described the episode as "sweet and funny" and a "nice piece of Simpsons history".

Jacobson went on to say he enjoyed the flashback concept and that the episode develops the characters "nicely" and gives the viewers "a good sense for the era in which it takes place".

[13] Nate Meyers of Digitally Obsessed rated it a 5 (of 5), and highlighted the scenes with Marge's sisters Patty and Selma, "barraging Homer with insults", as the "funniest moments" of the episode.

"[14] Molly Griffin of The Observer said "I Married Marge" is one of the season three episodes that turned the show into "the cultural force it is today".

"[16] Nathan Rabin writes that the episode "presents such an unflinching, unsparing yet poignant and wonderfully human portrayal of young parenthood that when the pregnancy test finally turns up negative it is a cause for rapt celebration.

'I Married Marge' powerfully captures that duality in a way that illustrates indelibly why we feel for The Simpsons in a way that would be unimaginable with Family Guy.