▁demonstrate ▁that ▁she ▁is ▁genu in ely ▁brave , ▁but ▁not ▁fool hard y ." ▁ ▁Re ception ▁In ▁its ▁original ▁broadcast , ▁" The ▁Spring field ▁Connection " ▁finished ▁ 5 8 th ▁in ▁ratings ▁for ▁the ▁week ▁of ▁May ▁ 1 – 7 , ▁ 1 9 9 5 , ▁with ▁a ▁N iel sen ▁rating ▁of ▁ 7 . 9 . ▁It ▁was ▁the ▁ 4 th ▁highest - r ated ▁show ▁on ▁the ▁Fox ▁network ▁that ▁week , ▁following ▁B ever ly ▁Hills , ▁ 9 0 2 1 0 , ▁The ▁X - Files , ▁and ▁Mel rose ▁Place . ▁ ▁Robin ▁Oliver ▁rates ▁the ▁episode ▁" th umb s ▁up " ▁in ▁a ▁review ▁in ▁The ▁Sydney ▁Mor ning ▁Her ald , ▁where ▁she ▁says ▁of ▁The ▁Sim ps ons ▁as ▁a ▁series : ▁" this ▁encourag ingly ▁fun ny ▁show ▁knows ▁how ▁to ▁t ug ▁at ▁the ▁heart strings ". ▁ ▁Warren ▁Mart yn ▁and ▁Ad rian ▁Wood ▁comment ▁on ▁the ▁episode ▁in ▁their ▁book ▁I ▁Can ' t ▁Bel ieve ▁It ' s ▁a ▁B igger ▁and ▁Better ▁Updated ▁Un o fficial ▁Sim ps ons ▁Guide : ▁" .. the ▁highlight ▁of ▁this ▁episode ▁has ▁to ▁be ▁Mar ge ' s ▁training , ▁especially ▁her ▁sh ar ps ho oting ▁on ▁the ▁firing ▁range ". ▁▁ ▁In ▁a ▁review ▁of ▁the ▁sixth ▁season ▁of ▁The ▁Sim ps ons , ▁Col in ▁Jacob son ▁of ▁DVD ▁Movie ▁Guide ▁writes ▁that ▁the ▁episode ▁sur pass es ▁the