Homer Vs. Dignity
WARNING FOR THIS ONE: DISCUSSION OF SEXUAL ASSAULT
I remember as a kid, on the bus ride home I was sort of "friends" with some older kids. Basically, and I don't know how we got to this point, I was a very big fan of Gremlins 2 (the New Batch, to be specific) and the lady gremlin in the movie. I always did have a weird soft spot for romantically aggressive characters which now is pretty obviously problematic. Anyway, the kids wanted to see me act like said gremlin, pawing them and threatening to kiss them. I think I kind of eventually realized I was being the butt of the joke rather than being funny. I don't even feel negatively towards those kids because it feels very much like a thing they likely look back on with embarrassment I would hope. There are definitely shitty things I've said and done I would prefer to stay buried in the deepest recesses of my brain, never to be remembered. But I think that stuck with me that there are limits of things to do for a laugh. Which is something this episode wants to teach and yet should also learn.
In this episode, the Simpsons are in their worst financial straights ever due to poor financial management. Homer tries to appeal to Mr. Burns for a raise, who himself is a little bored with Smithers on personal leave. Burns decides to borrow Homer to become his "prank monkey", causing trouble for huge amounts of money. It starts off badly, hurting and upsetting people, but gets even worse when Homer's pranks involve him debasing himself. After Lisa finds out, Homer is encouraged to give up the work and the money. Homer finds himself flush with excess cash and he and Lisa decide he can use it to help people, giving children in need some toys for Christmas. Homer's choice moves the owner of the department store he purchased from that he is encouraged to play the role of Santa in the Thanksgiving parade. Mr. Burns approaches Homer for one final disgusting prank worth $1,000,000 but Homer declines... leaving Burns to carry out his prank alone.
This is the one with the infamous "Homer is raped by a panda" scene. And it is very unfortunate. Its even worse than I remember, topped off with an even more unpleasant line from Moe. And it is a shame that its really uglied up an episode that's actually one of the more interesting episodes of the last few seasons. I'm not even going to say good. But I'm also not going to say bad. Its... a weird one. Obviously, one major problem is a lot of time dedicated to the Panda section and the fallout. But in the last act, the jokes are weaker and the whole thing feels very rushed. But the first act and a half are actually quite strong in terms of some great jokes. What's more the first act, half of the second and half of the third are really good at examining its themes. The fall-out of the panda scene actually yields good drama between Homer and Lisa before the episode rushes a little too quickly into its finale.
Its really nice to see Lisa NOT checked out, emotionally. This isn't just Lisa being morally opposed, there's real emotional hurt in seeing what her father did to himself for money. This is a Lisa who actually does believe in her dad and the goodness within him, unlike the one who is like "I guess he doesn't mean it, so I'll take his abuse" of Make Room For Lisa. I wish the show would return to this Lisa more often, one who can believe in her dad because while he is an oaf, she can see the good in him. Homer is often a dumb jerk but this episode reminds us that there is always lower to sink. Everyone has some degree of dignity and selling it is tragic. And it is somewhat hard to blame Homer at first. The episode begins to really make it a point that the problem isn't "the Simpsons are poor this week" but "Homer can't provide enough and this is a problem in need of a dramatic solution."
But that's also a problem with the last act. I feel like Homer's arc is that at some point he gained enough money that he's no longer in trouble to the point where he kept going to increase his comfort. But I feel like it doesn't handle this well. I feel like Homer giving up his job humiliating himself should come at a cost. A financial one. It doesn't feel like as big a sacrifice if Homer can afford to turn dirty money into a huge charity event when the family is barely scraping by. There are other ways to do it, too, like Homer money-addicted enough that he's become inured and Lisa needs to see his self-worth but we never get there. Its a shame because its an episode that starts off with a very strong foot. Interesting themes rooted in character, some good construction and at the center two characters who care about each other. As it is, the episode is a heavily flawed outing. But one not easily dismissed.
Other great jokes:
Most of these are in the first half.
"Let's do it on Martin's desk."
"It is usually the cleanest."
Skinner, while making love
"Come on, Edna, don't be tardy."
"Have you set aside anything for the future?"
"Oh, you know how it is with the cops. I'll get shot three days before retirement. In the business, we call it retirony."
"What if you don't get shot."
"What a terrible thing to say. Now, look, you've made my wife cry."
"Mr. Simpson, your intelligence profile indicates you are too 'stupid' to stick to a financial plan."
"Yes, go on."
"Whoa, whoa, slow down there maestro. There's a NEW Mexico."
Weirdly, they did this joke with Homer before 7 season before. The difference is one is based on a character's stupidity and another is based on him being out of touch.
"Ah, a candy shop. Yes, I'll take two pounds of Bristol's toffee and don't wrap it too tightly, I'm hungry now!... You've made a powerful enemy today."
"Well, now's your chance. Mr. Burns has just 'entered' the room."
"That's the sneeze guard. You have to lean under it to get salad or to sneeze on stuff."
"OW, MY EYE! I'M NOT SUPPOSED TO GET PUDDING IN IT!"
"What are you doing, man? That's Carl!"
"There, that's six years worth of inoculations!"
"And while you're at it, throw in one of those polio shots."
"Yes, sir."
"Wait... anti-polio."
"Hey, Leeza, do you like gingerbread?"
"Not really."
"Then you're sure to like this next float. It's an all gingerbread desk set!"
Other notes:
I feel like if I was the writer, I would have given Bart an A in Math, having him recite the multiplication tables to drown out Skinner/Krabappel sexy-times. I feel like its hard to get an A in the fourth grade just by knowing 9 planet names and the correct order.
Tress MacNeille and Dan Castellaneta do a lot of stuff I like as Nagle and Homer in this one. "Ssssseveral times." Homer's ADRed and brief "sorry". They are both killing it.
I love Marge being really into Funky Winkerbean and the Noid. I still don't even know what Winkerbean is. It never appeared in my local paper. To me, it's just an insane title for a comic.