The Ned-Liest Catch

Joey Kramer as himself
Ken Burns as himself

"The Ned-Liest Catch" is the twenty-second episode and season finale of the twenty-second season of The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on May 22, 2011. This is the second season finale to end on a cliffhanger, with the first being "Who Shot Mr. Burns?" from the sixth season. It is the third episode and the second one from season 22 (the other being the "The Great Simpsina") to have no opening credits, blackboard or couch gag.

The final episode has been followed by "Ned 'n Edna's Blend", the twenty-first episode of the 23rd season.

Edna Krabappel is suspended from teaching by Superintendent Chalmers after Bart pulls a prank that leads Edna to slap him twice on the back of the head. Chalmers tells Edna she is suspended with full pay, but will have to report to a rubber room where teachers spend agonizing days waiting until their fates are decided. Bart feels guilty about his behavior and helps Edna escape detention. When she uses a ladder outside the window to leave the building, it collapses but Ned Flanders winds up catching and saving her.

Ned and Edna start dating, and Edna is on top of the world when she learns she can return to teaching as long as she also does some weekend work as a prison guard. Fed up with Homer and Bart's attitudes towards Edna and Ned's romance, Marge shames Homer into putting in some good words about Edna with Ned. However, Homer then makes a reference to Edna's extensive dating history, and Ned is surprised that she has been with many of Springfield's men, including Aerosmith drummer Joey Kramer. Ned runs away in horror from Edna, and Homer has to endure Ned giving him the silent treatment until he makes some points that make Ned think. Ned then tells Edna he forgives her past, but Edna angrily tells him off by saying that she is not sorry about her past and does not want or need his approval - she only wants to date him again. She then tells him that, if they are going to stay together, her past must never get in their way. Ned gasps and says "I guess this is gonna have to be decided... by a higher power." As soon as he says this, the image of him and Edna freezes and zooms out and Homer and Marge walk on screen.