November 2, 1997

Simpson Crazies Newsletter for November 2 Episode by UP ((edited DF)):

This weeks episode begins with OFF watching TV, and a commercial comes on for an upcoming soccer match between two teams not worth remembering-Mexico and ?. Bart and Lisa beg Homer to go, and he agrees that the whole family should go. When the big game starts, we see that most of Springfield has shown up. For the first few minutes, everyone is cheering, but then they realize how boring the game is, with one team holding the ball the whole time. Soon a riot starts, and this spreads through all of Springfield. Homer decides to protect the family, after being told by a security company (EX-CON) that his house wasn't safe. Homer goes out and purchases a gun, but must wait for five days for a background check. ("5 days, but I'm angry now!").

Homer must endure 5 days of mumbling and sitting around watching all the things he wants to shoot pass by: Flanders, Selma and Patty, ducks and squirrels. Homer finally gets to pick up his gun, but is told he is potentially dangerous. Oh well, he can only own 3 handguns. Homer takes OFF to a NRA meeting, where he announces that he is joining them for life. After this, Marge asks Homer to get rid of the gun. He claims to do so, but instead hides it in the vegetable compartment--how would he know a kid like Bart would even open that compartment? Bart finds the gun, and is about to shoot an apple out of Milhouse's teeth when Marge catches him. She yells at Homer, then takes the kids and goes to Patty and Selma's. They recommend the Sleapeazy, or Sleazy. Bart calls up the front desk, and orders a 3:00 AM walkup call for every room but his.

Meanwhile, Homer is hosting a NRA meeting at his home. The guests come, and Homer demonstrates how he uses his gun to open his beer, turn on the TV, etc. Homer is yelled at by the NRA members, then kicked out of the club. And since he is no longer a member, he is asked to leave the house until the meeting is over. At the Sleazy, Bart and Lisa are using their coin operated beds for racing when Mayor Quimby pokes his head in. He discovers they are using the room all night, and leaves--Vote Quimby! Homer goes to the motel, and yells for Marge. He finds her, and they makeup. Homer says he got rid of the gun. However, on the way out, snake comes in to rob the motel. Homer pulls out his gun, and Marge yells at him for lying to her. While they argue, "Yoink", Snake grabs the gun. Homer laughs, telling him the gun isn't loaded, and shows him the bullets. Snake: "hand over the bullets". Homer is terrified, and gives him the bullets. Before Snake can rob the front desk, he is confronted by the NRA. While they explain to Homer that that is the real purpose of guns, Snake grabs the money and escapes--no one stops him. Again, Homer and Marge make up, and Homers drops the gun into a garbage can, and starts to walk away. Marge starts to follow, but the gun catches her eye, and she puts it into her purse, and walks off.

Review By UP I personally thought this was a hilarious episode. Even though it was entirely political (which doesn't make me happy), I felt that the lines, even some of the political ones, were great. Homer, as usual, can't do anything right, as shown by the showdown with Snake. Bart's idea of shooting Milhouse was pretty funny, even though it can be a bad influence on young kids. I also liked the NRA meeting, done in the form of an AA meeting. "Hi, I'm Moe S… Hi Moe S." Great lines, good enough to let me ignore the politics and concentrate on a classic Simpsons: A

Reviews at a glance:
MB: I didn't really like this episode very much. There were one or two good scenes, but thats it. Once again snake is a hit: C+
JF: If I wanted to see this I would read Time Magazine: F+
DF: Review unavailable
Average Grade: C