14 Days of Simpsons

Those of you who know me know that I have one television obsession, one show that absolutely must be watched: The Simpsons. My parents used to watch the Tracy Ullman show and, after seeing the crudely drawn animated shorts that later came to be known as The Simpsons, I joined them every week as well. When news came out that The Simpsons would be having their own show, launched with a Christmas special in 1989, I knew that I had to watch it. I watched that episode (Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire) and every episode since, for what is now 18 years. I haven't even known Nancy for 18 years (15 years, if anyone is interested).

As you may be aware, The Simpsons are now moving from the small screen to a multi-plex near you on July 27th, in the aptly named The Simpsons Movie. This excites me to no end. To celebrate the release of the movie, I have declared the next 2 weeks as "14 Days of Simpsons." Each day I am going to count down my favorite Simpson episodes, with my favorite being released on July 27th to coincide with the movie. For many of you, this will be of no interest whatsoever, and I humbly ask your forgiveness. For those of you who love The Simpsons as I do, I also humbly ask your forgiveness for such a shoddy list. In any event, I hope you have fun reliving some of my favorite Simpson moments with me!

Simpsons Movie Trailer


#14: E-I-E-I-(Annoyed Grunt)
Season 11
Plot Summary
The Simpson family goes to see a Zorro movie. Snake is rude after the movie, so to protect Marge's honor Homer challenges him to a duel, but Snake runs away at the onset of conflict. Overfilled with confidence, Homer starts challenging everyone to a duel by slapping them with his glove. It gets him his way, until he slaps a Southern Colonel. The Colonel accepts his challenge and shows up at his front door at dawn. Homer chickens out and the family flees town. The man and his wife set up camp on Homer's lawn, while the Simpson family searches for a place to stay. Homer remembers Abe's old farm, so they go there and they become farmers. Homer has the repeated misfortune of tractors tipping onto him and he has no luck growing crops. He decides to use plutonium from the nuclear plant as a fertilizer. Radioactive tomatoes grow overnight, but they taste like ashtrays and are highly addictive. Apparently, they are tomatoes mixed with tobacco, which Homer starts marketing as "Tomacco." Lisa has moral problems with it. The Laramie tobacco company offers Homer $150,000,000 for the plant. Homer is not very good at negotiating, so he fails to cash in. When they return home, animals are addicted to the plant. They revolt, a la "Animal Farm" and a sheep destroys the last plant. The family returns home and Homer finishes the duel with a mere flesh wound and a hilarious "Glove Slap" rounds out the episode. (Plot Summary copied from tv.com)
Why I Like It
This episode is actually a strange one to start with, as it doesn't have a defining moment or defining joke as the rest do. Nonetheless, I am strangely drawn to this episode and its overall quirkiness. I may take up the idea of challenging everyone with whom I have a problem to a duel. I find the notion of an addictive produce item both morally repugnant and utterly hilarious. I found the plutonium fueled glow on the Simpson farm both beautiful and creepy. I love the facial expressions and body language of the ToMacco-addicted farm animals. Many of my favorite moments throughout all 18 years of Simpsons involve Homer simply being Homer, and a perfect example of that is the way he manages to blow the opportunity to make $150 Million dollars by both demanding more and relinquishing the only leverage he has in the negotiation. And who doesn't enjoy a riveting rendition of "Glove Slap?"
Watch it For Yourself

14 Days of Simpsons

#2: Homer the Heretic
Season 4
PLOT SUMMARY
One Sunday morning, Homer decides that he'd rather sleep late than go to church. Marge is disappointed, but doesn't argue with him. While home alone, Homer dances in his underwear, drinks waffle batter and loafs around watching TV. Having thoroughly enjoyed his morning, Homer decides to forgo church for good and start his own religion. Marge doesn't approve, but that night Homer has a dream in which God visits him and expresses his acceptance of Homer's new religion. While home on Sunday, worshipping in his own special way by reading Playdude and smoking cigars, Homer causes a fire that nearly destroys the house. Ned Flanders is the only one who can save Homer's life, and after speaking with Reverend Lovejoy, Homer realizes that he should give up his religion and return to church.

WHY I LIKE IT
"Homer the Heretic" is the most important, and in many ways the best, episode in The Simpsons. It is certainly the most discussed and written about. In fact, there is no subject more heavily discussed than religion in The Simpsons, and rightly so. Although I do not have empirical proof to support this statement, I feel safe to say that there has never, in the history of television, been a “mainstream” fictional show that discusses religious issues as much as The Simpsons does. Certainly not one that even approaches the popularity of The Simpsons. With that in mind, what then does The Simpsons have to say about religion? Certainly it has a lengthy enough record on the topic to draw some conclusions.

1. The Simpsons is pro-God but weary of organized religion and its leaders.
2. The Simpsons respects all faiths, except perhaps Unitarianism.
3. Although the viewpoint of The Simpsons is generally Christian, they largely ignore the person of Jesus. The dominant faith presented is a very Old Testament dominated Christianity.

This is a gross oversimplification, to be sure. Frankly, there are thousands of pieces written on this topic, from varying viewpoints, most of which do a better job than I am currently willing to do here (not for lack of ideas, but a lack of time!). Perhaps at another time I will return with a more in depth plumbing of my own thoughts on the topic. In any event, let me be clear that this is the episode that I respect more than any other in the series. It is ambitious, creative, on target, and of course, funny. If there was one episode of the show that I would have people watch, it would be this one (there is one and only one other episode that I enjoy more, but none that I respect more).

As I mentioned, there is ample published media discussing in various ways the issues of religion in The Simpsons. If you are interested in any of it, I would first start with The Gospel According to The Simpsons by Mark Pinsky. This book is very well researched, well written, informative, and just plain fun. If you are a fan of the show who 1. Believes in God; 2. Does not believe in God; or 3. Is not sure yet if you believe in God, then I highly recommend this book. Aside from that, I have included a very small sampling of articles that are interesting on this topic. They are, in varying degrees, worth checking out.

LINKS
God & The Simpsons by Gerry Bowler
The Ten Commandments vs. The Simpsons by Jim Guida
Worst Paper Ever by Josh Cashion
The Simpsons as Religious Satire by Scott Satkin
Tones of Morality Through Layers of Sarcasm by Gabe Durham
Religious Dialogues in Primetime by James L Hall
Religion in The Simpsons by Jeff Shalda
Religion on The Simpsons a reference guide
Simpsons Have Soul by John Hart
BeliefNet Simpsons Top Ten plus One Religious Episodes

WATCH FOR YOURSELF
Unfortunately, I cannot find a video of this available online. Presumably, this is only a matter of time. When/If I find one, I will make it available here. Obviously, this is somewhat disappointing as this is the one I would like people to watch!

14 Days of Simpsons

Note: I understand that I am several days behind in this series, which I can only imagine is devastating to our regular readers... It has been a busy past fews days, and the Harry Potter book may have occupied some of my time that might otherwise go towards entertainment, such as writing this series. Nonetheless, I intend to get caught up, starting now.

#8: Homer’s Enemy
Season 8
PLOT SUMMARY
Kent Brockman does a human interest story about Frank Grimes. Frank Grimes is a man who has had a VERY difficult life and Burns sees the report and tells Smithers to hire him. When Grimes comes to work at the plant, he meets Lenny, Carl, and Homer. All three of them are very stupid in this episode, but no one more so than Homer. Grimes can't stand any of them, especially after Homer starts calling him "Grimey". He is very concerned that Homer is an unsafe employee, after Homer nearly drinks acid and "Grimey" saves his life. Then Burns yells at Grimes about it and Frank Grimes decides to get even. He gets Homer to enter a nuclear plant design contest, but doesn't tell him that it is for kids only. Although he is an idiot, Homer works hard at it and wins the contest. Everyone is impressed with Homer and this sends Frank Grimes over the edge. He has a breakdown and accidentally electrocutes himself. At his funeral, Homer once again steals the show. Meanwhile, Bart makes the winning bid ($1) on an abandoned factory at an auction and hires Milhouse as his night watchman. They do a lot of dangerous things in the building until one day, it tips over and crumbles.

WHY I LIKE IT
When The Simpsons began, Bart was clearly the star of the show. As has been well documented, the best decision the creators ever made was to subtly shift the emphasis of the show from Bart and his inherit “Dennis the Menace” qualities to Homer and the broader and more adult humor that his character would allow. For several seasons, they rode Homer to the comedy promised land in a rather straight-forward way. As best as I can tell, this is the first episode that addresses Homer’s character from a meta-analysis point of view. Certainly all Simpson’s episodes contain their own meta-humor and varying degrees of self-reflection, but this episode, if not the first, was certainly the first at this level to introduce meta-analysis of Simpsons’ characters.

This episode illustrates in perfect detail the sides of Homer that round out his character. The first side is the side personified by Frank Grimes. This is the side of Homer that is railed against by critics of The Simpsons. Homer is dumb, Homer is irresponsible, Homer is bad at his job, Homer is an alcoholic, Homer is a bad influence on those around him, etc… Frankly, all of these accusations are, in varying degrees, true. Despite all of these truths about his character, Homer has other sides, such as:

• being beloved by everyone who knows him, as represented by Lenny & Carl;

• having a loving and talented family, as represented by Lisa’s 156 IQ and Bart owning a factory;

• desiring success and frequently achieving it, as represented by the pictures on his wall detailing several of his many adventures;

• longing to please others and do the right thing, as represented by the following speech:

(To Frank Grimes) “Good morning, fellow employee. You’ll notice that I am now a model worker. We should continue this conversation later, during the designated break periods. Sincerely, Homer Simpson.” This leads us to…

• Homer’s redemptive side. Despite Homer’s many flaws, he always redeems himself to those he cares about. In the end, Homer always does right by his wife, by his children, by his friends and by his community. This is a universal truth in all Simpsons episodes with one and only one exception: this one. Homer makes an earnest effort to set things right with Frank Grimes, as evidenced by the above speech, but is rebuffed. Grimes does not accept Homer’s apology or his new found ways. In fact it is this very act of rejecting Homer and everything that he stands for that eventually leads to Frank Grimes’ death. As if this was not enough to drive home the point, Grimes’ funeral becomes a celebration of Homer, particularly his flaws. In this way Homer is NOT redeemed yet is still celebrated. Stepping back, we can see this episode as a sharp slap in that face at critics of The Simpsons. Critics of the show are generally those who don’t know it (this is unfortunately true of much media criticism. How many times have we been told to not read a book or see a movie by people who have not read the book or seen the movie themselves and are thus not properly informed to make such a recommendation?). But among those who have taken the time to truly get to know the show, it is beloved by all, has given birth to other talented shows, has been successful beyond belief, and always tries to do the right thing. Above all, it always redeems itself.

WATCH IT YOURSELF

PART 1


PART 2


PART 3

14 Days of Simpsons

#11: Who Shot Mr. Burns Parts 1 & 2
Seasons 6 & 7
Disclaimer
OK, I know that this is actually 2 episodes, so I'm cheating a little bit. Nonetheless, I don't think you can really discuss one without the other. More importantly, however, it's my blog and I can do what I want...
Plot Summary(s)
Part 1
When Willie tries to bury a class's dead hamster, he strikes oil. This means that the school is rich. The fact that Mr. Burns can never remember Homer's name is really starting to get under Homer's skin. Principal Skinner looks into spending the money from the oil well. He approves every silly request from people at the school. Mr. Burns makes it known that he wants the oil well to complete his monopoly. Principal Skinner rejects this idea. When they switch on the oil well for the first time, they find that someone else tapped the well with a slanted oil well. It is Mr. Burns. His new well shoots oil towards the Simpsons home, where it injures Bart's dog. Bart is very angry at Burns for this. Lisa is very angry because her idea to get Tito Puente as the school's band teacher cannot happen now. Homer is very angry because Mr. Burns still cannot remember his name. Moe's has to close down due to toxic fumes at the oil well, so Moe and Barney are very angry. They grab their guns and leave Moe's for the last time. The retirement home collapses due to the oil well, so Abe and the old folks are very angry. Mr. Burns is happy with all of these developments, but he has just one more plan. He wants to block out the sun. Smithers, refuses to help him and Mr. Burns fires him, so he goes on a drunken binge. Abe moves in with the Simpson family and with him, he brings a gun. Marge buries it in the yard. Homer spray paints his name on Mr. Burns' wall. When Mr. Burns still cannot remember his name, Homer threatens him. At a town meeting, Mr. Burns reveals his plan to block out the sun. He makes it night forever and walks home in twilight. He struggles with someone and a shot is fired, and he lay bleeding on the town's sun dial. Everyone is Springfield is a suspect, so it is up to Chief Wiggum to find out "Who Shot Mr. Burns."
Part 2
The investigation continues and everyone is a suspect. Finally, Mr. Burns revives and reveals his assailant: Maggie Simpson.
Why I Like It
I vividly remember my parents watching "Dallas" regularly during my childhood. These 2 Simpsons episodes are a spoof of the episodes for which Dallas is most well known. Moreover, it both makes fun of and fully takes advantage of the common practice of ending a season with a cliffhanger.

These episodes contain so many elements that make me love the Simpsons. Among them:

• It has always been one of my favorite running jokes that Mr. Burns cannot remember Homer's name. That conflict features prominently in this episode.
• There is not a character in all of the Simpsons who I respect more than Maggie Simpson. This episode begins her mastery of personal firearms. We find out in a later episode that she is also a trained sniper. Combine that with her MacGuiver/Jack Bauer abilities, and she is not someone to be trifled with.
• Only Mr. Burns has a big enough ego to consider the sun as his only worthy adversary who must be stopped. Excellent.
• Chocolate microscopes (and other Ralphisms)
  

Watch it For Yourself
Part 1 (1)

Part 1(2)

Part 1(3)

Part 2(1)

Part 2(2)

Part 2(3)

14 Days of Simpsons

#12: Behind the Laughter
Season 11
Plot Summary
A la VH-1's Behind the Music, a behind the scenes look is taken at the Simpson family's rise to fame, their successful years together and then their feud which resulted in a breakup and solo careers for the family members. The history is as follows: Homer decides to start a television show in the 1980s. He sends in a tape of their family antics to the major networks, and even FOX. They soon become successful, so successful that they waste money. They put out terrible records to supplement their income. Homer gets injured filming a scene, beginning his long addiction to painkillers. They start having financial problems due to their outrageous spending. Apu rats them out to the IRS and they lose everything. The episodes' plots get really lame, too. Bart goes to jail, being replaced by Richie Rich. When he returns, they agree to do an appearance at the Iowa State Fair. It goes to hell when they get in an argument onstage. This is the end of the Simpsons, or is it? Each goes on to do solo projects and they all hold grudges. Homer returns to his first love, the theatre, where he was dissed for literally eating the set. Marge opens a nightclub named "Marge and Friends," Lisa writes a book, and Bart gets a TV show. Perhaps through the efforts of Dr. Hibbert's old college buddy Willie Nelson (musician/taxpayer) the family might be reunited to bring their brand of entertainment back to the millions of viewers who tune in each week.
Why I Like It
Vh1's Behind the Music is a guilty pleasure for me. In all honesty, I've probably only seen a handful of episodes, and I even actively avoid watching it. But the truth is, if it's on, I can't turn it off. The stories are always exactly the same: unlikely group rises to fame; eventually egos, drugs and alcohol threaten the survival of group; group recovers, at least temporarily. Who would think that would be so interesting? This episode is an absolutely pitch-perfect parody of that series. Actually, I'm not entirely sure that it can be called a parody, as it is Behind the Music, in every detail, down to using the same narrator.

This episode is a perfect example of why I watch The Simpsons. There are many shows that make pop-culture references (Family Guy, as an extreme example), but very few of them actually have anything to say when they do. Here, the writers take aim not only at shows like Behind the Music, but more importantly at the celebrity-centered culture they reflect. Why should any of us care about these ridiculous stories? The answer is that we shouldn't, but, alas we shamefully consume (in mass quantities) the "stories," gossip, lies, and paparazzi photos of both those we love and those we love to hate. This is a great episode.

Watch for Yourself
Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

14 Days of Simpsons

#3: Homer Bad Man
Season 6
PLOT SUMMARY
After hiring a feminist babysitter, Homer and Marge go to a candy trade show. They smuggle out candy for the kids. Homer steals a rare piece of candy, but he can't find it when he gets home. When he gives the babysitter a ride home he sees the candy stuck to her posterior. When he grabs for it, she screams and runs away. He awakes the next morning to find protesters on his lawn and the babysitter leads them in a sexual harassment campaign. They make Homer's life a living hell. Homer does an interview for a tabloid TV show thinking that America will hear his case, but all they hear is what a complete jerk he is. FOX does a TV movie about him and he is depicted even worse in this portrayal. The news has around-the-clock coverage of the situation. The Simpson family does a public access show to clear his name, but it does not help his cause. Willie comes to Homer and shows him a video that he recorded of the night in question. Homer shows the babysitter and she realizes that she was wrong about him being an ass-grabber and the news admits that it was wrong about him, too. With all the forgiveness going on, Homer makes up with his TV set.

WHY I LIKE IT
Do you remember in the early nineties when “Sexual Harassment” was all the buzz? Brought into the mainstream by the Clarence Thomas confirmation hearings, every male in the country was put on notice to keep his mouth (and zipper) closed at work. The effects of the new found knowledge that perhaps we shouldn’t engage in inappropriate behavior in the workplace were wide-reaching and still in motion to this day. Naturally, entertainment media had to have its turn to chime in on the topic. Of these attempts, I have enjoyed 3 in particular: The episode of Dinosaurs “What Sexual Harris Meant,” the (much) later Tom Brady skit on SNL, and of course this Simpsons episode.

First, I love that there exists (at least here) a gummy Venus de Milo for Homer to become obsessed with. Neither the fact that Homer lacks the self-control to prevent himself from grabbing it off the babysitter’s butt nor the fact that it was a completely innocent act tells us anything about Homer that we don’t already know. Rather, it is a perfect reflection of his character as refined over the years. The protesters who show up on the Simpson’s lawn employ a wonderful chant:
“Two, four, six, eight,
Homer’s crimes are very great!
Great meaning large or immense;
We use it in the pejorative sense!”

If there is one thing that entertainment media (shows like The Simpsons) does well, it is find ways to poke fun at the news media (it is for this reason, I think, that the news media is growing to look more and more like entertainment media). This episode is no exception. Taking the phrase “news media” in its broadest possible sense, we find here jabs at tabloid news shows (Rock Bottom), day-time talk shows (Gentle Ben), the traditional evening news, and the new 24 hour news cycle (“This is hour 57 of our live, round the clock coverage outside the Simpson estate.”). My favorite of all is Rock Bottom, which I fear becomes less of an exaggeration every day. Here is the transcript of Homer’s actual interview with them:

“Somebody had to take the babysitter home. Then I noticed she was sitting on the gummy Venus, so I grabbed it off her. Just thinking about that sweet, sweet candy… I wish I had another one right now!”

What aired on Rock Bottom:
“Somebody had to take the babysitter home. Then I noticed she was sitting on (edit) her (edit) sweet (edit) can. (edit) so I grabbed (edit) her (edit) sweet can (edit) Oh just thinking about (edit) her (edit) sweet (edit) s-s-s-weet (edit) can.”



Watch the clock in the background during the edited interview and this becomes infinitely more funny. So, is there a moral to the story? Is it that sexual harassment is bad but a rush to judgment on that or any other offense is worse? Is it that the media is the worst offender when it comes to rushing to judgment? If so, then this episode is more relevant today than the day it was written. Personally, I like to think that the moral is that we should all live under the sea. There we only find friendly crustaceans, not accusations.

14 Days of Simpsons

#5 Treehouse(s) of Horror
Seasons 2, 3, 6, 7
SPECIAL NOTES
The Treehouse of Horror episodes are truly fascinating. My understanding is that the writers do not enjoy writing these episodes, yet they are consistently fan-favorites. They are typically the episodes that I most look forward to every year, but there are outside factors that make that true. Since FOX took over post-season baseball, the Treehouse of Horror episodes usually double as the season premier (and often don’t premier until after Halloween). Personally, I find them extremely variable in terms of quality, sometimes even within the same episode as they are 3 separate stories. Nonetheless, I find them consistently entertaining and sometimes even sublime.

From Treehouse of Horror #1: The Raven
It may seem ridiculous but this little skit ignited in me an interest in literature that I never had before. Perhaps when I read older writers in school I went into the experience assuming that I wouldn’t really connect with the writings, and (not surprisingly) this was more often than not the case. Yet for some reason I learned from Homer’s interpretation of this classic poem that we can (and should) read our emotions into literature. Considering that this skit actually handles the poem in a very straightforward manner, I was gripped by Homer’s fear and frustration and suddenly understood the poem in a new way. Is it unusual for a prime-time cartoon to teach a 13-year-old boy to appreciate literature?


From Treehouse of Horror #2: Bart the Monster
There are no high minded ideas about why I like this one. I just think it’s funny. Particularly, I like the twist on the phone call prank that Bart does to Moe.


From Treehouse of Horror #5: The Shinning
Another classic Simpsons movie parody. In stark contrast to my comments on the Raven, this episode teaches us that television will save your family.


From Treehouse of Horror #5: Time and Punishment
I couldn’t leave out the Quantum Leap style jumping that Homer does throughout this episode. Also, I’ve always been entertained by time-travel paradoxes, which are a common theme in literature and film. They get the Simpson treatment here.


From Treehouse of Horror #6: Homer ^3
This episode was highly anticipated and lived up to that hype. The special effects were, at the time, groundbreaking, and they actually hold up pretty well even now. It may be a little light on story, but it keeps your attention the entire time and is so much fun to watch.

14 Days of Simpsons

#13: My Big Fat Geek Wedding
Season 15
Plot Summary
Principal Seymour Skinner and Ms. Edna Krabappel are finally getting married. Edna has a great bachelorette party at the Simpson house, featuring Duffman and a top-less Chief Wiggum; meanwhile at Seymour's bachelor party at Moe's, he confesses to Homer the fact that he is getting cold feet. When the actual event is about to occur, Edna has second thoughts; feeling that Seymour has never been on board with this whole idea all along. Edna runs from the ceremony. Unknowingly both Homer and Marge are each with the pair in an attempt to get them back together. The attempt fails when the state of Homer and Marge's own marriage gets in the way. Edna returns a gift to the Comic Book Guy. She becomes charmed by his banter and agrees to accompany him to lunch. Homer tries having Seymour serenade Edna, but they discover she's seeing Comic Book Guy. The family goes to Bi-Mon-Sci-Fi-Con to try to keep Edna from making a big mistake. After seeing Futurama creator Matt Groening, they find Edna being proposed to by a Klingon clad Comic Book Guy. Seymour enters wearing a Catwoman outfit and begins battling Comic Book Guy. Edna stops the fight, and tells the pair that neither man is for her. Now Homer must make some amends to Marge to keep his marriage together.
Why I Like It
There are a million valid reasons, but which one did I pick? The episode itself is well done enough, but the third act has what is probably my favorite single scene in all of The Simpsons, which can be summed up by “No, they told me it was CatMan!”
Watch it For Yourself

14 Days of Simpsons

#1: Cape Feare
Season 5
PLOT SUMMARY
The mail comes and Bart gets a threatening letter written in blood and he suspects everyone he knows. Marge goes to the police and we soon find out that Sideshow Bob has been writing the threats in prison. Sideshow Bob is up for parole, which is then granted and he soon meets the Simpson family by happenstance in a movie theater. They look into security systems and hired goons to get rid of him. When that fails, they go into an FBI witness protection program. Homer wants to be John Elway, but instead they become the "Thompsons" of Terror Lake. They move onto a houseboat and wear Witness Relocation Program T-shirts and hats. In the process, they abandon their old lives, including Grandpa. Sideshow Bob stows away under their car and goes with them to Terror Lake. He meets up with Bart and vows to get his revenge. Bob later ties up the rest of the Thompson family that night and sets his sight on Bart. Bart asks him to sing the entire score from the "HMS Pinafore" before he kills him. The stalling tactic works when he sings for so long that the boat drifts back to Springfield. Right after he finishes, the Springfield police apprehend Sideshow Bob and the "Thompsons" can return home.

WHY I LIKE IT
As I mentioned in the previous post, I think that the most important, and in many ways the best, Simpson’s episode ever created is Homer the Heretic. However, the episode that is my favorite, that never fails to make me laugh, and keeps me entertained from start to finish is, without question, Cape Feare. The humor in this episode ranges from the truly sophomoric (Sideshow Bob stepping on all the rakes), to the just plain weird (squirrels down the pants), to the esoteric (the HMS Pinafore), the Homer is stupid joke (“I think he’s talking to you.”), and the foreign language jokes (“It’s German for ‘The Bart, The’”), to the throwaway (“It’s a good thing you floated by this brothel.”). I can’t think of a single scene in this episode that doesn’t work, a joke that falls flat, or a reference that doesn’t fit. Released in the generally accepted “Golden Age” of The Simpsons, I believe that this is their most complete episode. Besides, who hasn’t wanted to kill Bart at one time or another?

WATCH IT YOURSELF

14 Days of Simpsons

#7: Kamp Krusty
Season 4
PLOT SUMMARY
After making a deal with Homer to get good grades in school, Bart and Lisa go away to Kamp Krusty, "The Krustiest Place on Earth!" While they're initially excited about their summer, they soon learn that Kamp Krusty is a run-down prison run by the tyrannical Mr. Black and his C.I.T. henchmen, Dolph, Kearney and Jimbo Jones. Worse yet, instead of sports and arts-and-crafts, the kids are expected to pass their days sewing counterfeit wallets. The only thing that gets Bart through this ordeal is the hope that Krusty himself will visit, but when that doesn't happen, the kids lead a rebellion against Mr. Black and take over the camp. With Bart as their leader, the kids speak to the media and reveal what a sham Kamp Krusty is. Meanwhile, with Bart and Lisa away from home, Homer and Marge are getting in touch with their relationship. Homer feels so good, he's even losing some weight and growing some hair. This all changes when he sees Bart on TV, condemning Krusty and his ramshackle camp. In the end, Krusty apologizes to the campers and takes them on a trip to Tijuana.

WHY I LIKE IT
This episode takes so many shots in so many directions it’s almost difficult to know where to start. The primary jab, upon which the episode is based, is aimed directly at themselves and the marketing machine that The Simpsons has become. From the mouth of Bart “How could you Krusty? I’d never lend my name to an inferior product!”

Actually, the reason I like this episode is quite simple: it contains two of my favorite jokes in all of Simpsondom. Lisa’s letter home describing her experience home strikes pitch perfect notes. Among them, my second favorite line in the episode and, for some reason, one of my favorite turns of phrase I’ve ever heard: “Our arts and crafts center is, in actuality, a Dickensian workhouse.” Of course, Marge & Homer’s response to the letter was clearly written by actual parents in the writing room…


The second joke may actually be my favorite throwaway joke in the entire series, but I never see it quoted or even referred to by other fans. It is an absolutely perfect jab at news-media specifically and in general our growing tendency to exaggerate (as I often do in this post and others). Ladies & Gentlemen, Mr. Kent Brockman…

14 Days of Simpsons: Our Simpsons Family

Well this is just about the coolest thing I've ever seen. You can upload your picture and it will turn you into a Simpson's-style character. It takes a little bit of fine tuning on your part, but is still a lot of fun. I had not heard of this until this comment was left by Rob (who, incidentally, I have never met, but sure does provide useful comments! Thanks Rob!).

I'm not going to pretend that this is a perfect likeness, but it is a good representation of our family at the moment. Plus, given my current ongoing series, it seemed like a good time to post this.

14 Days of Simpsons

#9: Two Dozen and One Greyhounds
Season 6
Plot Summary
The family notices that Santa's Little Helper has been destroying the house. He soon runs away and goes back to the dog track from which he came. He finds another greyhound there and humps her in front of everyone. The family decides to bring her home. The two dogs quickly fall in love. She has 25 puppies, but 25 puppies are too much for the Simpson family. They spoil an important dinner party. The family decides to give them away, but Mr. Burns dognaps them. They wonder what he could possibly want with them. Bart and Lisa go to spy on him and see what he is doing. He plans to kill them and make them into a greyhound skin tuxedo. They try to save the puppies, but Mr. Burns catches them before they escape. Mr. Burns has one of his characteristic changes of heart and decides not to kill them. He keeps all the puppies which grow to become successful racing dogs, making him even richer.
Why I Like It
Everything you need to know about this episode and why I like it can be summed up in this one scene:
This episode is the ultimate movie parody, and even manages to lovingly zing three Disney movies at the same time. So much fun...

14 Days of Simpsons

#6: Homer at the Bat
Season 3
PLOT SUMMARY
Mr. Burns makes a million dollar bet with his arch-rival Aristotle Amadopolis that the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant team will beat the Shelbyville Nuclear Power Plant team in the softball championships. To ensure victory, Burns hires a number of ringers, including pro baseball players Darryl Strawberry, Ken Griffey, Jr., Steve Sax, Roger Clemens, Jose Canseco, Don Mattingly, Ozzie Smith, Wade Boggs and Mike Scioscia to replace the plant employees he cut from the team. But as game day approaches, the pros all succumb to various strange ailments and accidents that prevent them from playing and it's up to Homer and his teammates to beat the Shelbyville team. With bases loaded and the score tied in the ninth inning, Homer is sent to bat and wins the game when the pitch hits him in the head and accidentally scores a homer.

WHY I LIKE IT
Maybe it’s just the subject matter, but this episode just feels like a summer afternoon at a baseball game, or at least an idealized view of a summer afternoon at a baseball game. Homer at the Bat has such a sweet spirit about it that one cannot help but enjoy watching it. Perhaps it’s the age of the episode or perhaps simply a continuation of that idealization (probably both), but even the pro players brought in as ringers are not the jaded, distant athletes we see today. These guys are excited just to be part of the team. They want to check out the sights (Ozzie Smith), unfailingly obey the manager (Ken Griffey, Jr.), and even enjoy working at the plant (Mike Scioscia). Was this ridiculous, even then? Of course it was, but it subtly reflects that baseball “reminds of us of all that once was good and it could be again,” as said by the great Terrance Mann in Field of Dreams.

Among other things, I loved the constant references to The Natural (Homer’s WonderBat, the team hypnotist, and the exploding stadium lights); I loved Darryl Strawberry’s constant butt-kissing; I loved Don Mattingly’s sideburns; and I loved the utter ridiculousness of Jose Canseco as folk-hero. Looking back from a 2007 perspective, this episode also contains an unintended joke about our view on performance enhancing drugs at the time. Mr. Burns asks the players to drink “nerve tonic,” which Ken Griffey Jr. gladly does. His head soon grows to gigantic proportions and cannot play. Nonetheless, he is not considered a bad guy for cheating as he was simply doing what he was told to help the team.

One last note: I have often questioned the wisdom of late game maneuvering to create or avoid righty/lefty matchups. My feeling is that unless a player’s personal statistics bear out a specific disadvantage, he should probably be left in the game. I don’t know if the creators of the show feel the same way or simply needed a funny way to get Homer back in the game, but I thought Mr. Burns removing Darryl Strawberry so that Homer can bat against a left-handed pitcher was simultaneously the most far-fetched yet realistic thing I had ever seen. Good times.

WATCH IT YOURSELF

14 Days of Simpsons

#10: Homer the Great
Season 6
Plot Summary
Homer has trouble with a plumber and at work he begins noticing that Lenny and Carl have a lot of mysterious privileges at work. Lenny keeps giving hints that they are part of a secret. Homer follows them one night when they go to their secret meeting place. Every male in Springfield that he knows is in the place. Lenny lets it slip that they are the Stonecutters and Homer wants to be a member. He discovers that Abe is a member, which means that he can easily become a member. They initiate him with painful rituals and he is member #908. As a Stonecutter, the plumber quickly fixes the leak in his basement and he gets a new parking space at work. When they celebrate a big occasion Homer desecrates a sacred parchment. As his punishment Homer is kicked out of the club and they take his clothes. Upon stripping him, they discover a birthmark. It is shaped like their logo, which means he must be the chosen one. They begin to worship him. They let him win at card games. Soon his life becomes meaningless and too easy. Lisa recommends that he begin helping people in the community using his new authority. The Stonecutters don't like helping people, so they form a new secret society, the "No Homers". As the only Stonecutter left, he begins feeling lonely. Marge makes him realize that he is part of a more exclusive club... the Simpson family.
Why I Like It
There is so much good stuff in this episode for me. First, I have a mild but persistent interest in Freemasonry conspiracy theory (in the episode the "Stonecutters" are the stand-in for masons). Don't get me wrong- I am NOT a conspiracy buff, but I really enjoy the breadth of accusations aimed at masons (my favorite is this crazy guy). They are accused of, among many, many other things, being a Jewish front, controlling world governments, banks & businesses, world domination in general, crop circles, hiding the existence of aliens & Atlantis, September 11, and devil worship. In general, I find these theories humorous on a number of levels, but at the same time it is hard to deny that they seem to be beyond coincidentally involved in world affairs. This Simpson episode captures the spirit of these theories perfectly, as only they can, through song:

Now, we are familiar enough with this view of masonry. It is pervasive in modern literature & movies (see The DaVinci Code and National Treasure as ridiculous but enjoyable examples). Despite all the conspiracies and world domination that surely would be keeping these guys busy, it seems as though the Stonecutters are primarily a group whose soul purpose is to eat wings, drink beer, and play pool. Their sacred initiation rituals are simply endless variations on spanking the pledge with a paddle.

I love the notion that Homer could be "The Chosen One" because of an oddly shaped birthmark. It is remarkable how quickly the Stonecutters accept Homer as their new savior-figure and bestow upon him virtually unlimited power. For those of us who know and love Homer, this prospect is equally fantastic and frightening.

So, obviously the episode makes fun of freemasonry. I think if we dig a little deeper, however, we can find meaning for any "religious" organization, and in particular the Christian church. Ostensibly, we gather together as believers to worship God, grow in our faith, and build community. For the community building portion, we love to use the word "fellowship," as it sounds churchy, but is vague enough that it basically allows us to do whatever we want. I can't count how many "church" events I have been to that are essentially excuses to eat wings, drink soda, and play games. Now there is certainly nothing wrong with any of these activities, but is that what we're really about as a church?

I'll try not to belabor these points, but the church is also frequently the target of accusations that are along the lines of the conspiracy theories aimed at the masons. In some cases, the exact same accusations. Although the church as a whole is not at all the monolithic and evil monster that many believe us to be, we are also beyond coincidentally involved in world affairs. While not guilty for the problems in the world, we are also, unfortunately, not innocent either.

And finally, how quick are we to anoint a new "Chosen One" and follow him wherever we are led. Certainly, I am not suggesting that we find new saviors, but rather that we are quick to follow the hot pastor, read the hot books, listen to the hot music, and more than ever, see the hot movie. It has become exceptionally easy for the church to be about trendiness and issues and not enough about God.

I know this post has come off rather critical of the church, and that is certainly not my intention. Specifically, I am very proud of our church, our leadership and the direction we're headed. We're not perfect (or even close) but I honestly believe that what we are building is eternal as opposed to trendy. I love this episode, but I'm glad that we're not the Stonecutters!