The solar eclipse that began the episode may at first have seemed like the often unrelated opening bit that would move us onto the actual story, but here it played a major role. It was the key event that would set off a hunt for the Gem of St. Theresa. But first, there was some fun to be had. One of the most entertaining parts of this episode for me was seeing Ed Begley driving his solar powered car, which lost power on the train tracks. And then the bit really paid off with the train also losing power because it was an "Ed Begley Solar Powered Train." If that wasn't funny enough, I laughed out loud when I saw Ed Begley was a guest voice in this episode without saying a word. He simply gasped and sighed in his short but effective sequence.
Marge's blindness from looking at the eclipse set up a few great bits, including Dr. Hibbert showing the clip explaining Tex Avery Syndrome. There were also the attempts to trick Marge into thinking Maggie and Lisa were still around. Homer's Maggie hand puppet was great. Of course, losing Maggie was the reason for all of this, and this happened during Homer's hilarious send-up of the classic fox/duck/corn across a river riddle. Better yet was the puzzle puzzling itself out with Cletus and a very full fox. When Homer left Maggie at a convent's steps, the real puzzle of the episode began.
Lisa infiltrated the nuns to try and get Maggie back, but uncovered a far greater mystery. I really enjoy the adventure stories likes this that The Simpsons have given us in the past. My favorite is "Raging Abe Simpson and His Grumbling Grandson in 'The Curse of the Flying Hellfish'" but "Gone, Maggie, Gone" has shot up the list. The riddles were fun and the story was entertaining and funny. The never-ending Rube Goldberg contraption opening up a secret panel in the church was a great start. It was also a smart choice to get more of the townsfolk involved in the mystery rather than simply following Lisa from clue to clue. Principal Skinner and Comic Book Guy were an unlikely pair, and that added to the comedy. It was also perfect to have Mr. Burns show up as a third faction searching for the gem. The ending was sweet, with Maggie removing Marge's bandages, and I even enjoyed the hellish results of Bart taking Maggie's place on the throne.
As entertaining as the story was, it would not have made a difference if it weren't just as equally funny. Marge had a great line after her family kept her blind period fully stress-free: "Everyday has been like the first ten minutes of Mother's Day." I laughed throughout the retelling of the legend of St. Theresa, which included pirate nuns and a fake war for independence. Mr. Burns referring to Smithers as his albino was another hilarious bit. ("I'm not an albino. I just use a lot of sun block." "Then why do I give all the albino holidays off, hmm?") Overall, it was the combination of a fully engaging story and great laughs that made "Gone, Maggie, Gone" another winner for The Simpsons in their post-hi-def series run.