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by Simon of the Playa » Sat Feb 07, 2009 5:15 am
ONE OF US, ONE OF US!
"There's No Disgrace Like Home" is the fourth episode of The Simpsons' first season. It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on January 28, 1990.[2] In the episode, Homer is ashamed of his family after a catastrophic company picnic. After seeing happy families all around him, he decides to enroll the family in therapy. The therapist tries hard to solve their problems but eventually gives up and gives the family their money in return. It was an early episode, showing early designs for a few recurring characters. The episode is inspired by the comedy of Laurel and Hardy and features cultural references to Citizen Kane, the Batman series, and Freaks. It was noted that the characters acted differently from how they would act in later seasons.
Homer takes his family to the company picnic at his boss' manor. A cruel and tyrannical employer, Mr. Burns fires any employee whose family members are not enjoying themselves. Homer sees that Burns is drawn towards a family that treats one another with love and respect and he wonders why he is cursed with his unloving and disrespectful family. The entire picnic is a catastrophe when Bart tortures the swans, Lisa drinks the fountain water and also goes for a swim in the fountain water, and Marge gets drunk and performs a musical number. Bart tries to win a race that was scheduled for Mr. Burns to win, but Homer is there to stop him.
The Simpsons observe other families on their street, peeking through windows, they see happy families sharing quality time together. Although things begin well, a man at the second house gets his gun after hearing something in the bushes. They are later reported to the police for disturbing the neighborhood. Convinced that both he and his family are pathetic, Homer stops by Moe's Tavern, where he sees a TV commercial for Dr. Marvin Monroe's Family Therapy Center. When he hears that Dr. Monroe guarantees "family bliss or double your money back", Homer spends the kids' college fund and pawns the TV set to enroll the family in the clinic; they are extremely angry with him for this. When standard methods prove useless in civilizing the family, Dr. Monroe resorts to shock therapy and wires the Simpsons to electrodes. Soon the whole family is sending shocks to one another. This causes blackouts throughout the city. Resigned to the fact that the Simpsons are incurable, the doctor reluctantly gives them double their money back. With $500 in his pocket, Homer takes his blissful family to buy a new television set.
Frida Be You & Me
I am from Savannah Georgia orig. but living in Colorado now...
