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Dead Putting Society
The Simpsons Season 02 Episode 06
EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
I think I would love crabgrass if it were called elfgrass. The name "rumpus room" has always struck me as absurd. Flanders has a beer tap in his own house? How come we never hear about this again?
Homer's Flanders hatred really starts gathering right about now. Why is there a canopy over the Flanders's bed?
As Homer laughingly reads Flanders's email at the breakfast table, even Lisa is laughing along. Marge pretends she doesn't think it's funny.
The frosty chocolate milkshakes again! I guess they made it to season two. I wonder when they got phased out.
This episode is the first time we hear Todd Flanders talk at any length. I can't think of another time he speaks more than a few syllables.
Homer's reasonably accurate (self-)perception: "Because sometimes the only way you can feel good about yourself is by making someone else look bad and I'm tired of making other people feel good about themselves."
There's a whole card catalog section for the Japanese obsession with golf.
I agree with Bart's interpretation of one hand clapping. He's totally right: it makes a noise. Try it.
If Homer and Flanders never hang out, how does Flanders know about Marge's delicious blueberry muffins? Is there some relationship there we don't know about?
How many times has some variation of the mowing the lawn in a dress bet gone down in a sitcom?
I remember a period in my life in which I found Marmaduke funny. I wonder if I was as dumb as Homer back then.
I don't remember the bet including wearing high heels. I guess there must have been a lot of fine print in the document Marge was writing up.
Flanders saying "Mercy is for the weak" is so out of character! I know it's there for comic effect, but still, it's jarring.
Does Homer actually think it's a small price to pay to see Flanders wearing his wife's dress? How did he fit into Marge's dress anyway? Also, which fraternity could Ned Flanders have possibly been a member of?
CONCLUSION
I like this episode. Even though Todd Flanders is probably one of the least developed characters in the series, this Homer-hates-Flanders and Bart-and-Todd-can-get-along message resonates with the right mix of funny and moralizing that The Simpsons gets right over and over again.
THIS EPISODE'S RATINGS
  4/5 donuts from Statler
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RATINGS LEGEND
= LAME
= BAD
= MEH
= GOOD
= CLASSIC
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PLOT SUMMARY FROM WIKIPEDIA
When Homer is mowing his lawn with obvious frustration, his next-door neighbor Ned Flanders invites him into his basement rumpus room for a beer. Upon seeing Ned's house and observing his exaggeratedly perfect relationships with his wife and son, Homer erupts at Ned, accusing him of showing off. Ned angrily asks Homer to leave in response. Later, however, he feels guilty and writes a letter to Homer saying that he is really sorry and that he loves him as a brother. Homer is amused by Ned's sentimentality and reads the letter to the family at the breakfast table. Marge is not happy with the family's reaction and chastises Homer for making light of Ned's sincere apology. Afterwards, Homer takes Bart and Maggie to Sir Putt-A-Lot's Merrie Olde Fun Centre for a round of miniature golf. They unexpectedly run into Ned and his son Todd, and end up going golfing together.
The game goes well for everyone (especially Bart), except for Homer, who is obviously still jealous of Ned. Meanwhile, Bart and Todd find out about an upcoming children's miniature golf tournament, with a first prize of $50. They enter it, and although Todd is very good at miniature golf, Homer becomes confident that Bart will win. He tells Bart that it is not okay to lose and forces him to stare angrily at a picture of Todd for 15 minutes every day. Later, when Bart looks at his meager collection of trophies in his room, Lisa offers to help him practice. Utilizing spiritual books that calm Bart's mind, they meditate. Meanwhile, Homer makes a bet with Ned on whose boy is a better golfer: the father of the boy who does not win the tournament will mow the other father's lawn in his wife's Sunday dress.
On the day of the tournament, Homer threatens Bart to win no matter what. In an extremely close match, Bart and Todd each do well, and tie by the time they reach the eighteenth hole. Bart and Todd agree that the competition is not worth the stress, that they are equally good and that they should call it a draw, splitting the award evenly. Since neither of the boys won, Ned and Homer are forced to wear their respective wife's Sunday dress and mow each other's lawn. People around the neighborhood laugh at them and Ned actually enjoys it (commenting that it reminds him of his fraternity days), much to Homer's consternation.
Accessed from Wikipedia on Feb. 24, 2010