Fox announced today that it plans to honor Marcia Wallace — who passed away at age 70 last weekend after voicing Mrs. Krabappel on The Simpsons for the show’s entire run — by airing the classic episode “Bart the Lover” in place of the American Dad repeat that had been scheduled as the lead-in to this week’s new episode. From Entertainment Weekly:
The network will re-air the 16th episode of the show’s third season, “Bart the Lover,” which offered a sympathetic take on Bart’s cynical, lonely teacher. In the episode, Bart discovers Krabappel has posted a personal ad, so he begins writing her bogus love letters. After setting her up on a fake date, he spies her sitting by herself in the restaurant. When she’s still there hours later, he’s no longer amused by his prank and sets about trying to make things right. The episode won Wallace an Emmy Award in 1992.
And then the new episode, which will air in the usual 8 p.m. ET time slot, will conclude with a tribute card to Wallace from the producers of the show. This is very nice, all-around. I am going to cry.
