I would have to imagine that this episode would be one of the more memorable episodes of the first season if for its added sense of darkness. It showed that The Simpsons could just as easily play the cutesy American family angle as much as it could play the underbelly of society, the underbelly in the case of this episode being the notorious babysitter criminal who watches over the children in this episode.
Indeed some of the animation is quite rough, arguably even more so than some of the previous few episodes, but as far as I am concerned, it works better here than in most episodes. Watching the animation contort and elongate itself, particularly on the babysitter Ms. Botz actually enhances the rather creepy and unsettling atmosphere of the episode. Given that the standard of animation in the first season is generally poor, this episode best utilizes the imperfections of animation.
The other angle to this episode is another Homer/Marge centric tale. It begins much the same way as "Life on the Fast Lane" and "Homer's Night Out" with a frustrated Marge feeling unloved by her husband but it thankfully takes a different turn quickly whereby Homer takes Marge out to a special evening to reignite their relationship. The stuff here is fairly decent, nothing particularly stands out as being all that funny (though Homer dancing and him telling the lobster that he looks forward to having it on his place are worthwhile moments) but it's tame enough that it lets the more memorable story of the babysitter take over.
"Some Enchanted Evening" ends with a wonderful final scene where Homer, in bed with Marge, is disappointed and ashamed over his incompetence with most things in life having unintentionally let the criminal babysitter loose. Marge gives him words of encouragement saying that no one whose three children can take care of themselves the way they did is ever entirely useless. It's a touching and sweet minor exchange that gives Homer a moment of strength over his crippling insecurities and it marks the end of the first season, one that is often rough but that is to be expected and there's more than glimpses in this season of the great show to follow.
Indeed some of the animation is quite rough, arguably even more so than some of the previous few episodes, but as far as I am concerned, it works better here than in most episodes. Watching the animation contort and elongate itself, particularly on the babysitter Ms. Botz actually enhances the rather creepy and unsettling atmosphere of the episode. Given that the standard of animation in the first season is generally poor, this episode best utilizes the imperfections of animation.
The other angle to this episode is another Homer/Marge centric tale. It begins much the same way as "Life on the Fast Lane" and "Homer's Night Out" with a frustrated Marge feeling unloved by her husband but it thankfully takes a different turn quickly whereby Homer takes Marge out to a special evening to reignite their relationship. The stuff here is fairly decent, nothing particularly stands out as being all that funny (though Homer dancing and him telling the lobster that he looks forward to having it on his place are worthwhile moments) but it's tame enough that it lets the more memorable story of the babysitter take over.
"Some Enchanted Evening" ends with a wonderful final scene where Homer, in bed with Marge, is disappointed and ashamed over his incompetence with most things in life having unintentionally let the criminal babysitter loose. Marge gives him words of encouragement saying that no one whose three children can take care of themselves the way they did is ever entirely useless. It's a touching and sweet minor exchange that gives Homer a moment of strength over his crippling insecurities and it marks the end of the first season, one that is often rough but that is to be expected and there's more than glimpses in this season of the great show to follow.