6. Dead Putting Society

Episode Title: "Dead Putting Society"
Episode Number: 19
Original Air Date: November 15, 1990

Plot Synopsis: Homer is upset by how difficult mowing the lawn is with a comically-old lawn mower when Flanders invites him over for a beer. Despite the fact that Flanders is just being kind, Homer freaks out and accuses him of showing off his "perfect house" and "perfect family." Flanders boots Homer out of the house, which he immediately feels bad about. He writes an apology letter and gives it to Homer late that night. The Simpson family gets together and laughs at the letter the next morning.

The Simpsons then run into the Flanders family while playing miniature golf, and Homer and Bart end up in a foursome with Ned and Todd. While there, everyone sees a sign for a children's miniature golf tournament that's coming up. Homer insists that Bart will be entering, and that he's going to win, despite Bart's obvious lack of interest. Homer sees it as an opportunity to show that a Simpson is better than a Flanders at something. Homer then attempts to train Bart for the tournament, but it doesn't go very well as Bart isn't really down with the whole "you're using me" bit. Lisa helps Bart practice by focusing on spiritualization and geometry, which seems to have positive effects. Homer makes a bet with Flanders that whoever loses has to mow the winner's lawn in their wife's best Sunday dress.

Both Bart and Todd do really well during the tournament and end up tied on the final hole. Bart, correctly identifying that the tournament is "pretty intense," offers to call it a draw. As neither Flanders nor Homer technically won, they both end up mowing each others lawns in their wives Sunday dresses. Which Flanders turns out to enjoy, much to Homer's irritation.

Overall Thoughts:  This episode marks the first time Flanders plays any type of a big role in the show. While it's always great to see Flanders and Homer interact, and it's especially great to see Homer's jealousy, this isn't *quite* the Ned Flanders that he will become. The Flanders in this episode is an outright dick, and even goes as far as to shout "Mercy is for the weak, Todd!" (which is a "Karate Kid" reference, I know, I know) during the golf tournament at the end. He's still as churchy as can be, but he's a lot more willfully antagonistic than he'll eventually become. Though, to be fair, he does almost immediately feel bad about basically everything he says and does in the episode.

And he's a beer drinker, evidently. At least enough of one to install several different beers on tap in his "rumpus room" (his words, not mine).

What Works: Stupid Flanders and his stupid perfect family is always a lot of fun, especially when it's used as a device to display Homer's intense jealousy. I really like their relationship, and thankfully it takes front and center in this episode.

I also like the quick appearance by Reverend Lovejoy. Lovejoy being annoyed by Flanders' constant faith related crises is good, and the fact that Flanders is churchier than Reverend Lovejoy is even better.

The Simpson family getting together to laugh at Stupid Flanders' stupid "I'm sorry I yelled at you" letter is a great gag. As is Lisa knowing every last person in the library, including a table filled with old people, AND knowing how to make excellent use of the card catalog. One of my favorite jokes in the episode, though, is Bart not knowing how a library works when he thinks that "borrowing" books means stealing them.

What Doesn't Work: The actual premise of this episode is pretty basic, and the script itself doesn't do much to separate it from the million other times this exact story has been told on a million other shows and in movies. The writers do attempt to circumvent this a bit with Lisa training Bart to use geometry and spirituality to win at miniature golf, but the large emotional beats still follow that same formula, right down to the "You know what? This is  bullshit. I'm not your pawn" climax. Now, here's my disclaimer: if "The Simpsons" did this idea first, or was relatively close to first, I'll be happy to admit that I'm wrong. Luckily, the episode is funny enough to make up for what I consider to be a pretty stock premise.

Even though Bart doesn't like being a pawn in Homer's jealousy war with Flanders, I don't really buy him banding together with Todd and declaring a draw at the big miniature golf tournament. Maybe it's just weird seeing him be nice to Todd in any capacity. I think the ending might have been a little stronger if the boys would have tied, as opposed to working together. Especially since Todd seems pretty okay with being a pawn in the aforementioned jealousy war.

Closing Thoughts: Even if the story itself is a little tired, the relationship between Homer and Flanders is still compelling enough (and funny enough) to make the episode eventually worth it.

This episode establishes that Flanders is right-handed, which is weird considering the fact that him being left-handed will eventually become such a big deal that it basically gets its own episode. Also, full disclosure: I didn't notice that he was right-handed until I listened to the commentary, where they point it out.

Final Grade (out of 10): 7