Saturday, July 29, 2017

The Simpsons Homer The Ingrate (Woodburners Episode)

The Simpsons episode, "Homer The Great" was hugely successful. It had all the elements of classic Simpsons. Pop cultural references, guest voice of Patrick Stewart, a catchy original song that was nominated for two Emmys and, in general, extremely funny.


Most notable about the plot is a biting satire of the 'secret lodge' culture that the current truther community embraces in its narratives. Better parking spaces, free home improvements, free soda and comfy chairs at work, etc.... All if you are part of the right group.


After the financial success of the show, they did what good business folk do. They made a sequel to capitalize on the first one. Not everyone got to see this. Not because it was far below the quality of the original like so many sequels are, but internal squabbles over royalties, residuals and top billing. It only aired twice before the estate of Patrick McGoohan forced it to be pulled off the air. And probably some dark, shadow empire style influence.


The story begins with Marge purchasing a wood burning kit from Ned Flanders at his yard sale. Rod and Todd had used it to make a Ouija Board which was not, according to him, "Bram Stokerly Do-kely". When they open it they find the missing EggMagic piece from the earlier episode, but not the doohickey (planchette) to move over the letters. Naturally Marge notices the oversight as there's no point in wood burning if it can't be used for satanic reasons. Marge wants to give up on it even after much pestering by Bart and Lisa. She ends up throwing it in the trash.


Homer finds it and thinks that the hot etching tool would be a good thing for Maggie to play with. Maggie burns "Call Vincent Price For Planchette" into Homer's forehead. Backwards. Despite the obvious demonic nature Homer calls when he reads it in the bathroom mirror. While waiting for Vincent Price he says, "Well at least she didn't right REDRUM. Everyone knows white rum is the only good rum."


Vincent explains that even he isn't demonically connected enough to find the planchette. Homer will need the Organization of Woodburning Lodgers. The wise OWLs. He transfers the call to the lodge. Homer chugs white rum while on hold.


Reverend Lovejoy knocks on the door with the planchette explaining a lot of the details of the Woodburners community including the requirements, rules and perks. The wood burning kit is only to be used for gematria related requests. Homer realizes that Lovejoy is a high ranking Woodburner and asks if he's number 1. Lovejoy dismisses this as silly, and all are forbidden to talk to number 1 unless he communicates to them first.


Homer sits down for a long session with the wood burned Ouija. After unsuccessfully trying to get beer, a new bowling ball and a demonic TV he grumbles how useless it is and he can't even get a "lousy piece of bubblegum" from the thing. The giant bubble from The Prisoner appears, voiced by McGoohan. After a comical variation of the famous Who's On First? skit with who is number 1 and 2 and 666, McGoohan/Bubble explains that Homer shouldn't be such an ingrate, the wood burned Ouija is for providing misinformation and useless information.


It can't predict anything, but it can let you know what celebrities are already dead. It is a huge source of detailed scientific and historical misinformation. It's previous owner was a museum curator who was too busy for it because he's taking time off to write a book.


Homer is engulfed by the McGoohan/Bubble and is taken back to The Community, now renamed the Truther Community. The We Do song from Homer the Great is reprised with updated lyrics:


Who's satanic toys are fidgets?
Who can count to just two digits?
We do. We do.


Who misquotes distance to the stars,
Keeps arsenic peach in mason jars?
We do. We do.


Who gives cartographers the fits,
By rounding map coordinates?
We do. We do.


Who thinks if Jenna Coleman died,
That she committed Jenna-cide?


We Do! WEEEE DOOOOO!!!!!


The episode ends with Homer dressing up a group of wolverines to reenact the French Indian War.
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The most notable reason for the lack of air time is that McGoohan stubbornly refused to return from the dead and wouldn't finalize remuneration details.


That, and of course that this does not really exist. I'd like to think it could. There are at least three truther videos out there that acknowledge the original, real episode and despite the mockery of the show and in the comments sections they love the attention. It's like when I spritz water on my dog. He hates it, but even though it's not high quality attention, it's some attention. So here's some more satire for you to embrace. Kudos to you for picking up any of the other Simpsons references I threw in without explanation. The reason the Simpsons has been on so long is because the writers' use of pop culture and humor is entertaining. Not because they are trying to bury numerology in the details.



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