In this episode, Bart and Lisa buy a birthday gift for Marge, who is disappointed with it, so they try to learn more about her.
They receive a free ironing board cover to give to Marge by applying for a store credit card.
Using their spy kit later, they hear Marge talking to Ned Flanders about how she was saddened by her gift.
Meanwhile, Homer posts more hazard warnings on social media but is exaggerating their dangers to increase his ranking.
He concludes that he wants to save people instead of competing for a ranking, so he helps Agnes climb out of the sinkhole.
Writer Mike Scully based this episode on a childhood experience where he and his brother bought an inconsiderate gift for their mother at a department store.
He was also caught shoplifting at the same store another time, which became the premise for the seventh season episode "Marge Be Not Proud.
[3][4] The episode earned a 0.55 rating with 1.92 million viewers, which was the second-most-watched show on Fox that night.
[7] According to Chris Grudge of CBR, "Iron Marge" is the sixth best episode of the show's 35th season.
According to him, the Simpsons writers "covered heavily-tread territory as they told the story of Lisa and Bart".