The Simpsons - 03/02/03 (1 Viewer)

ThomasC · Mar 2, 2003

Decent episode, not bad but not too many laughs.

Does anybody know the title/composer of the classical song that was played a few times throughout the episode? I've heard it many times before and I believe it's on James Galway's first Greatest Hits album which my mom has back home, but the samples I've found online haven't been of any help.

Brenton · Mar 2, 2003

I'm glad there's already a thread on this episode. As soon as it was over, I knew I needed to get on the Internet and vent some steam.

Without trying to get into religious discussion, I'd like to make the point that I am a Christian who appreciates the positive role model that Ned Flanders sets to a mainly secular audience. Even though more often than not, the character seems to be the writers' way to poke fun at Christians, he still represents an upstanding Christian.

But after tonight's episode, I am horrified. Horrified that they undermined his religious beliefs by having him have sex with Marissa Tomei's character (forgot her name).

Now, I could live with it if they used it to teach a lesson, like if he were to learn something from it, but he didn't. They just blew it off like it was no big deal. And I have to say that I am disappointed.

Worst episode ever.

ThomasC · Mar 2, 2003

Aha! I found out what the song is! Claude Debussy's "Clair de Lune," and it is on James Galway's first Greatest Hits album. A bit of a strange music selection, but I suppose it doesn't sound too much out of place. Maybe Alf Clausen is running out of ideas of what to compose...

Kwang Suh · Mar 2, 2003

Without trying to get into religious discussion, I'd like to make the point that I am a Christian who appreciates the positive role model that Ned Flanders sets to a mainly secular audience. Even though more often than not, the character seems to be the writers' way to poke fun at Christians, he still represents an upstanding Christian.

Please tell me you're joking. Ned is hardly an upstanding Christian, let alone a role model of any sort. Not to mention that the show's portrayal of religion is blasphemous at best.

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Kevin Porter · Mar 2, 2003

Not to mention that the show's portrayal of religion is blasphemous at best.

I agree. But as someone once said "The best homage is parody" or something like that.

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Pete_S · Mar 2, 2003

Brenton, you summed up my thoughts pretty well. My mother and I were repeatedly yelling "NO!" at the television as it became clear what Ned had done, and I'm not joking in the slightest. We've known Ned for 14 seasons, and this just isn't something that he would do. Unbelievable.

Ryan Peter · Mar 2, 2003

Come on, Ned has had tons of different incarnations, from fundamentalist to a more modern way of thinking.

Besides, he only gave her a sample... :laugh:

Great episode!

Oh yeah and if you guys don't want this thread closed, I wouldn't talk about religion anymore, it's against the rules of this forum.

Pete_S · Mar 2, 2003

Religion itself isn't the issue here.

"4. The discussion of politics and religion on this forum, except in relation to how they are portrayed in movies is not allowed on this forum."

What's being discussed is how Ned is portrayed on the show. Anyone who's seen his fair share of the show knows not only that Ned is religious, but also which religion he's more or less affiliated with. The problem with tonight's episode is that Ned's behavior was blatantly out-of-character; he committed one of the big "no-no's" of his religion, and that's something he just doesn't do. Period. No one is saying that one religion is better than another, or one is "right" or "wrong" - what Ned did on the episode being discussed simply doesn't fit with what we've learned about him over the past decade and a half.

Adam Lenhardt · Mar 3, 2003

I guess I'm going against the grain here, but I liked this one more than most of the recent ones. As for the sex issue, like it or not premarital sex has become widespread in all walks of life. I thought the Ned's decision was handled delicately, with much thought.

Now if they had him just jump into bed with the movie star, I'd agree. But it became the focus of the better half of the "B" plot.

I also liked the episode in general as a less scitzoprenic narrative.

Dave_Brown · Mar 3, 2003

He is a cartoon character, the show is a cartoon that takes shots at everything and anything. I wouldn't expect a tv show, let alone a cartoon, to be used to teach religious morals.

MickeS · Mar 3, 2003

Haha, gotta love that The Simpsons still can offend some people!

I do agree that it was out of character, whish was a little unfortunate. But he is human after all (well, as human as a cartoon can be

), and it wasn't like he "jumped her bones" right away. Plus like he said, he's like Baskin-Robbins, it was only a sample to get her hooked.

If a christian cartoon "role model" can't have sex before marriage, then I think christianity in media will face a rather grim future (not that I care).

And at least it gave us the only Nelson laugh in the episode "Ha Ha!".

Did I miss the episode where Ned started the store for lkeft handed people? I thought I had seen every episode the past few seasons, but I don't remember that at all. I did notice that the computer keyboard had the numeric keypad on the left side.

I thought it was a good episode, but the best moment was still when Ralph floated away in the beginning, saying he was going to Africa "to see giraffes and lions and tigers and..." (or something like that).

/Mike

Josh Dial · Mar 3, 2003

Did I miss the episode where Ned started the store for lkeft handed people? I thought I had seen every episode the past few seasons, but I don't remember that at all. I did notice that the computer keyboard had the numeric keypad on the left side

The leftorium episode was in like the third season believe, I don't have the simpsons bible (episode guide) handy right now, but I think it was third or fourth season.

cheers!

Josh

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ThomasC · Mar 3, 2003

Did I miss the episode where Ned started the store for left handed people? I thought I had seen every episode the past few seasons, but I don't remember that at all.

Josh's guess is right, he started up the Leftorium in the third episode of the third season titled "When Flanders Failed," production code 7F23, original airdate 10/03/1991. Gotta love http://www.snpp.com!

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JoanPablo_T · Mar 3, 2003

well on a different note, what was the name of the British author that was on the show? i forget her name

MickeS · Mar 3, 2003

Helen Fielding, the author of "Bridget Jones' diary". I LOVED, just LOVED that jab at those who think Brit humour is more "sophisticated". The Benny Hill music and the way they were all running around just cracked me up.

JoanPablo_T · Mar 3, 2003

Thank You Micke!!!

CharlesD · Mar 3, 2003

The "sophisticated" British humor bit was hilarious.

As far as Flanders goes I don't think this character is there to serve as a role model or accurate portrayal of any particular type of belief, especially as such fundamentalist religious people tend to disagree with each other on many matters large and small while appearing very similar to outsiders.

Dan Rudolph · Mar 3, 2003

Ever since Maude died, ned has been defined not just by his religious beliefs, but by his lonliness. In this, he was doing what he thought he had to to hang on to a woman who loved him. From the ending, it seemed to be more a commentary on celebrity lifestyles than Ned's.

Kwang Suh · Mar 3, 2003

I disagree completely. He is the ultimate Christian in the context of the show. He is hardly unstable in his beliefs which makes tonight's episode betray his character. As a Christian myself, I can tell you it did very much go against the Christian faith. It's like a Buddist destroying a Budda statue.

Sure, _in the context of the show_. No one should act like Ned in the real world.

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Tom Rhea · Mar 3, 2003

No one should act like Ned in the real world.

Yeah. God forbid there be too many decent, caring, thoughtful, truly human people in the world.

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