Uhhh, OK, but not great. It felt like an obligatory update of this romance turned into an entire episode, and there was so much more room to work with, despite the fact that there was no B story and the entire episode was shorter than syndication length. No more firsthand with Edna and the boys? Ned's epiphany about the Simpsons' childrearing was neat, but over so quickly. On the plus side, I guess most of the moments were all right (why the Flanders boys can't play Scrabble, for example).
DYN: ...Lisa's sax solo is one of the variations on the main theme, very rare these days? ...several replacement lines in act 1?
Previous episode stuff BABF22: Davey and Goliath parody in claymation, along with "Presbylutheran" designation (not the only D&G thing on the show, but...) LABF02: Giving standardized test answer letters out to the students 9F16: "Everyone Loves Ned Flanders" updated or something during the credits (interesting as the original was to fill out a short episode, and this is very short itself, though the bit adds no time)
Meta-references -The Fox News opener may have been specifically related to the airing of 7G08 a few weeks ago during the 25th Anniversary celebration; but there have been several related opening-title helicopters in recent history, among other jabs at Fox News, it's true. -The billboard in the opening says only "Sleazy Sam's - remember that name", and indeed, the final scene takes place at one. I guess that's the entirety of the joke. -Homer and Marge refer briefly to the Ned/Edna voting contest (in scene) and Homer sounds about ready to propose another. -Moe and Lisa discuss and savage the "new" 4-act structure of the show. I'm happy the producers are just as annoyed, I guess. This was also noted in LABF09, when a 4th story is required in an anthology episode, but less angrily.
Updated Tress-as-Doris list: HABF15, JABF02, KABF06, LABF08, MABF12, NABF11, NABF13, NABF15, NABF16, PABF06, PABF15 She also shows up in the passion play, but I didn't pick out the particular voice. I was ready to let it slide, and then the last act showed up.