Homer vs. Lisa and the 8th Commandment
"Homer vs. Lisa and the 8th Commandment" | |
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The Simpsons episode | |
Episode no. | Season 2 Episode 13 |
Directed by | Rich Moore |
Written by | Steve Pepoon |
Production code | 7F13 |
Original air date | February 7, 1991 |
Guest appearances | |
| |
Episode features | |
Couch gag | The family dances before sitting on the couch.[2] |
Commentary | Matt Groening Al Jean Mike Reiss Rich Moore Steve Pepoon |
"Homer vs. Lisa and the 8th Commandment" is the thirteenth episode of the
The episode was written by freelance writer
In its original broadcast, "Homer vs. Lisa and the 8th Commandment" received a
It received favorable reviews from critics and became the second episode of The Simpsons to win the
Plot
After seeing Ned Flanders reject an offer from a crooked cable man for a $50 illegal cable hookup, Homer chases after the cable man and takes the offer. The Simpsons like the new channels and spend hours watching them. However, Lisa is suspicious about the cable hookup, and after a Sunday school lesson about the existence and nature of Hell, she fears that Homer is violating the Eighth of the Ten Commandments—"Thou shalt not steal"—and will go to Hell when he dies.
After seeing other examples of common thievery everywhere, Lisa visits Reverend Lovejoy. He dissuades Lisa from reporting her father's illegal cable hookup to the police since the Fifth Commandment states one must "honor thy father and thy mother", but instead advises her to lead by example and refuse to watch programs via the cable hookup. Marge pleads with Homer to either disconnect the cable or pay for it, but he refuses. However, after the cable man offers to sell him a stolen car stereo and attempts to break into Ned's house, Homer barricades his windows in fear. Bart one evening discovers a porn channel called "Top Hat Entertainment", despite fear of punishment from Homer, who spots him watching it. Homer lets Bart off with a warning, telling him not to watch the channel again. Bart pretends to agree to this and behind Homer's back charges the neighborhood children 50 cents to watch the cable porn channel, but just as it begins Homer catches him and sends him to his room as punishment.
Homer invites his co-workers and bar buddies to watch
Production
"Homer vs. Lisa and the 8th Commandment" was written by freelance writer Steve Pepoon and directed by Rich Moore. It was originally going to be named "Homer vs. the 8th Commandment", but the writers decided to include Lisa in the title because they wanted the cast to feel as if all their characters were equally represented on the show.[3] The episode is based on the Eighth Commandment ("thou shall not steal"), which is one of the Ten Commandments. The Simpsons writer Al Jean said that "whenever people come up to me and say that The Simpsons is just sort of this outrageous show that has no moral center, I always point them to this [episode], where Homer gets an illegal cable hook-up (which many people have done in real life) and suffers enormous consequences."[4]
The Simpsons writer
The episode marks the debut appearance of the character
Cultural references
The opening scene with Moses on Mount Sinai parodies the 1956 film
Reception
In its original broadcast, "Homer vs. Lisa and the 8th Commandment" finished 25th in ratings for the week of February 4–10, 1991 with a
In The Gospel According to The Simpsons, Mark I. Pinsky writes that the episode has "the structure of an exquisitely crafted twenty-two-minute sermon".[15] DVD Movie Guide's Colin Jacobson felt that "[The episode] helped establish the show's reputation as a master lampooner of pop culture. The introduction of cable into the home allowed [the writers] to mock many different movies and other media outlets, and this helped make the episode very entertaining. It also worked in many other ways and offered a fine show."[16]
Writing for Maclean's magazine, Jaime J. Weinman described "Homer vs. Lisa and the Eighth Commandment" as "the first truly great episode—the one that established The Simpsons as the funniest and most multi-layered sitcom around. The story of Homer stealing cable was an excuse for dozens of parodies of early '90s cable TV, but it was also a story about Homer and his daughter and an examination of how we rationalize little acts of theft in our daily lives."[17]
The authors of the book I Can't Believe It's a Bigger and Better Updated Unofficial Simpsons Guide, Warren Martyn and Adrian Wood, called the episode a "skilful demonstration of a moral dilemma that must have plagued millions since the inception of cable TV".
References
Citations
- ^ a b Richmond & Coffman 1997, p. 48.
- ^ a b Martyn, Warren; Wood, Adrian (2000). "Homer vs. Lisa and the 8th Commandment". BBC. Archived from the original on October 4, 2003. Retrieved March 3, 2010.
- ^ a b c Reiss, Mike (2002). The Simpsons season 2 DVD commentary for the episode "Homer vs. Lisa and the 8th Commandment" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
- ^ a b c Jean, Al (2002). The Simpsons season 2 DVD commentary for the episode "Homer vs. Lisa and the 8th Commandment" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
- ^ Pinsky 2007, p. 106
- ^ James, George (April 25, 1991). "Cable TV Company Goes After Pirates, in One Zap". The New York Times. Retrieved September 16, 2011.
- ^ Jean, Al (2004). The Simpsons Season 4 DVD commentary for the episode "Homer the Heretic" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
- ^ National Public Radio (Interview). Interviewed by Terry Gross. Philadelphia: WHYY-FM. Retrieved June 9, 2007.
- ^ Weinstein, Josh (2006). The Simpsons The Complete Seventh Season DVD commentary for the episode "The Simpsons 138th Episode Spectacular" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
- ^ Turner 2004, p. 158.
- ^ Weinman, Jaime J. (November 23, 2009). "Favourite Under-Quoted Simpsons Quote?)". Maclean's. Retrieved March 6, 2010.
- The Orlando Sentinel. Associated Press. February 14, 1991.
- St. Petersburg Times.
- ^ Yandel, Gerry (July 17, 1991). "Sitcoms and All-Star baseball help CBS hit 4th ratings homer". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
- ^ Pinsky 2007, p. 105
- ^ Jacobson, Colin. "The Simpsons: The Complete Second Season". DVD Movie Guide. Retrieved March 6, 2010.
- ^ Weinman, Jaime J. (July 26, 2007). "The life and times of Homer J.(Vol. IV)". Maclean's. Archived from the original on January 9, 2009. Retrieved March 6, 2010.
- ISBN 1-932916-01-6.
- ^ "The Simpsons 1991–1991". Primetime Emmy Awards. Retrieved March 6, 2010.
Bibliography
- OL 433519M.
- Pinsky, Mark I. (2007). The Gospel According to The Simpsons, Bigger and Possibly Even Better! Edition. Louisville, Kentucky: Westminster John Knox Press. ISBN 978-0-664-23265-8.
- OCLC 55682258.
External links
- "Homer vs. Lisa and the 8th Commandment episode capsule". The Simpsons Archive.
- "Homer vs. Lisa and the 8th Commandment" at IMDb