Old Money (1991) User Reviews (12)

Not without its charm

[gizmomogwai · 8/10 · 23 July 2009]

In Old Money, an episode from season 2 of The Simpsons, Grampa gets a girlfriend, an old lady from the retirement home called Bea. When she dies, she leaves Grampa with over $100,000. Grampa at first tries to enjoy the money in accordance with Bea's wishes, but finds it brings him no joy. Encouraged by what may have been Bea's ghost to instead give the money away to a needy cause, Grampa receives visitors who explain why they need the money. In the end Grampa decides to spend the money on improving the retirement home.

Another good episode from a season that had no bad episodes; Old Money may not be hilarious, but the jokes are there. Old people jokes usually go over well with me. Sure, these jokes can be cruel, but on the other hand, the end of this episode does make a point that old people need consideration, too. The question of what one should do with a lot of money is an interesting one, and the townspeople pleading their cases allows for some enjoyable light humour (including with Frink, the mad scientist). The Kipling reference and the joke about a broken heart (literal and metaphorical at the same time) were smart. Also notable is the fact that Lisa says if she had a pony she would name it Princess, which she does in season 3.

The scariest thing about this episode is that people thought seeing Bea at the retirement home at the end of the episode was a goof, since she was dead. It should be obvious this was her in spirit, especially since she was explicitly a ghost on the roller coaster, and the fact that people mistook this for a goof is frightening testimony as to the lack of imagination and thinking power of people today.

Heartfelt Episode!

[g-bodyl · 9/10 · 23 April 2014]

The seventeenth episode of the second season of the Simpsons happens to be one of the most touching episodes of this season. It's not all that funny, despite some really good jokes being present. But it's more sad because of the crumbling relationship between Homer and his father. Despite all the sadness, I could not help but feel the pain for both sides of the party.

In this episode, "Old Money," Grampa begins to date a lady named Bea. One Sunday, Homer decides to take Grampa out to have fun, but while out Bea passes away. Grampa is inherited $106,000 dollars, but he can't forgive Homer or be happy with the money he has been received.

Overall, this episode is a little bit on the sad side. It still has some good jokes and some cool pop culture references regarding Star Wars and Batman. I rate this episode 9/10.

Old Money

[studioAT · 7/10 · 22 July 2020]

'The Simpsons' was certainly more grounded in these early days, playing out like an animated sitcom rather than the zany cartoon it has since become.

With a lot of heart, and a lovely story being told, this is a good episode.

Classic episode!

[TOMNEL · 26 January 2006]

starring: (The regulars: Dan, Julie, Nancy, Yeardley and Harry) also starring Hank Azaria and Phil Hartman.

One of my favorite episodes. It is about Grampa getting a girlfriend after so many years of being single. Homer makes him go with him to Discount Lion Safari on his girl Bea's birthday and Bea dies while hes out. He inherits money and tries to find someone to give it to. Its touching and lovely and one of the best episodes of the series to date. Phil Hartman plays Lionel Hutz and Plato in this one.

My rating- A(95%).

TV PG

I've got a feeling about that number!

[rf278x · 8/10 · 9 September 2020]

Underwhelming on the laughs, it's solid writing around relationships that saves the episode from early-season mediocrity. Homer's well-meaning jerkassness (before true jerkass Homer) works to set up his father's eventual and likely unavoidable-she WAS old, after all-heartbreak. Did grampa's senility up to this point in the series justify Homer not believing he actually had a date? I don't know but I can say is it's a feasible plot device-and nowhere near as cringeworthy as the events in Kidney Trouble-in that it believably sends the family, Abe in tow, on to an entertaining trip at Discount Lion Safari. Abe unfortunately isn't able to further his relationship with the charming Bea as Jasper tells him she's passed on when he arrives back at the nursing home. The family, Homer in particular, didn't really want to spend the time with Abe to begin with, and vice versa, it's done out of obligation...and this sadly common act ends up costing Abe what's likely his last chance at happiness. Homer later learns through being ignored by Abe that time with his father should actually be enjoyed, and we root for Homer to earn his forgiveness so their relationship can rebuild. Of course there is the little matter of the 100 grand inheritance Bea left to him. I enjoyed seeing Abe unfulfilled with his new windfall and the Springfieldians' attempts to get his money. The show was still finding its footing 30 episodes in, so it's forgivable that it didn't go the route of laughs, but a few more gags and scenes with secondary characters would have been appreciated. Easy 7.5/B here. And what would Homer have done with 100 grand anyway? Fix the foundation 12 times?

As times go by

[mattiasflgrtll6 · 10/10 · 10 May 2020]

After Abraham and another woman argue with a nurse who mixes up their pills, they fall in love with each other. They start to spend a lot of time together, and he decides to buy a gift for her birthday. But when he arrives to the retirement castle to give it to her, he receives some heartbreaking news...

I'm aware that this is not the most conventional choice, but this is my favorite episode of the show. Sure, there are funnier ones (it's still pretty funny though, Lionel Hutz and people's ideas on how to spend Abe's money is great), but it's easily the one that touches me the most. It tells a story that's deeply human and impactful. It can be difficult to find love at this point in your life since many are either long-time married or feel that a new love can never replace the previous one. So when Abraham forms a connection with Bea, you feel really happy for him. Even though there is that hilariously gross pill sharing sequence, they are incredibly cute together. You can see why Abe feels so affectionate about her.

Unfortunately however, Bea passes away before he gets to see her one more time (which is why the scene of the family stuck at the safari always frustrates me) and is left in a state of turmoil, not knowing what to do with himself. The conflict that arises between him and Homer is remarkably sad, and has very high stakes unlike in most instances (the only time this would happen again is in Grampa Vs. Sexual Inadequacy). I always tear up the most here.

When Abe inherits a fortune from Bea, he doesn't know what to do with it and almost does something as stupid as gambling it away at a casino. Grateful that Homer stopped him from losing it all, their relationship rekindles. What Abe then chooses to do with the money is incredibly noble. You gotta love what a big heart he has wanting to make things better for his peers at the old folks' home, knowing how poorly he and others usually are taken care of there. Too bad that didn't last very long however. I always kinda hated the ending in a later episode where the residents just blindly stare at a static screen because Lisa isn't allowed to help out anymore. This one definitely has a more positive outlook.

So, yeah... a masterpiece.

9/10!

[Analog_Devotee · 9/10 · 4 June 2021]

Grampa Simpson falls head over heels for a woman in the same elderly-care facility as him. She's also voiced by the wonderful Audrey Meadows. Oh, and this episode marks the first appearance of Professor Frink! Very nice!

Remember Those Who Came Before Us

[Hitchcoc · 9/10 · 13 April 2022]

Abe continues in that depressing nursing home. The family visits him once a month. They treat him like a two year old. Then he falls in love with a nice widow with a liver condition. They have so much fun together, but one day while he is forced to spend time with the family, she dies. The rest of the episode has him dealing with a bunch of money she has left him. Of course, the bacteria come out of the slime, including Mr. Burns. But he has better plans. The is a touching episode.

One for the heart (that is still working)

[Horst_In_Translation · 8/10 · 24 February 2023]

"Old Money" is the 17th episode from the second season of the long-running American cartoon series "The Simpsons and this is as of now my favorite episode from the first two seasons. This shows you how old it is already as this episode aired back in 1991 originally, so over 30 years ago now. Of course, you find the names Groening and Brooks here in terms of the production, but also familiar names in terms of voice acting. I think there is a lot of heart to these minimally under 23 minutes and for once you see Abe, the family's grandpa, at the center of the story. At his retirement home, he meets an elderly lady (voiced by the late Emmy winner Audrey Meadows because of the singing part probably) and romance ensues. But only for a brief while because, when the other Simpsons decide to take the old man on a trip with them and they have to wait for rangers to come free them in the morning when their car will not move, the elderly lady dies, but she leaves all this money to Abraham and the second half of the episode is then about the decision what to do with all this money. We see Bart ask for it and of course so does Homer in a not exactly subtle way while Lisa comes up with the altruist solution, but still wouldn't object if she got a little pony.

The ending then is the feel-good solution where Abbe does not give it to any of his family members and also not to Otto, Moe or even Mr. Burns who are asking for the money, but decides to take it and make his retirement home a more beautiful and modern place. Nice decision. There were a handful funny moments here like when the two old people laugh at the beginning, but they exaggerate, so the laughing turns to coughing or when the old lady says something about her eye(ball). Here and there, you get another moment that will make you smile, but also here and there we get stuff that is not as great as the rest like the entire casino scene towards the end. It was funny (in a slightly painful way) though when Homer says to the retirement home employee he does not care for the money, only for his father and the employee then says he heard that a few times before and it proves that it may not be entirely true with the way Homer reacts when he finds out his father is at the casino.

Another thing I did not find too credible was when Abe is really against his son, but then all of a sudden shows up at his family's home again and the conflict is literally over immediately. Well, after getting a chair at least. But none of these moments or inclusions were really bad and the good, maybe even the great, here is far more frequent I'd say. This also explains the very high rating I gave here and I just think that this episode just worked very well from the emotional perspective, no matter if we are talking father-son relationships, romance at an old age, helping the underprivileged or also the brief elaboration at the beginning about what to do with your elderly, how to take care of them. This was the only time Marge had a bit of material in this episode. Other than that, she has almost no lines at all. So this is all then. Big thumbs-up for this episode and I highly recommend watching it and it is also not important if you have seen any of the previous episodes or later episodes. It is worth it in any case.

An early gem

[CubsandCulture · 10/10 · 23 August 2021]

This is one of my favorite episodes in the series. I loved the Tom Jones (film) parody with the pills. I find the Abe-Bea romance utterly charming. And the resolution that Grandpa Simpson ends up improving the nursing home is touching. I would argue this is the episode where the "golden years" start. It has everything that we think of The Simpsons present.

Dignity's on me, friends

[snoozejonc · 8/10 · 5 July 2022]

This is a solid, heartfelt episode with some strong humour.

The Simpsons has always portrayed old age, particularly care-home life, from a somewhat bleak perspective. To be fair, no matter how good the punchlines are, it is hard to fully embrace the humour when it is layered with themes of abandonment, loneliness, illness and death. However, there is an uplifting, escapist quality to this story of love between to residents of Springfield Retirement Castle.

Probably the strongest bit of humour is when Abe and Bea take their medication in a homage to the seduction scene from Tom Jones.

The best moment for me is the final reveal of what Abe has done with the money.

It's 7.5/10 for me but I round upwards.