Hello fellow sinners,
This episode is based heavily on a religious doctrine. I shall not give you a biblical lesson, if thou wants to know, thy shall ask thy mother and father or a search engine. The 8th commandment in this case, is “Thou Shall Not Steal” though depending on your faith it might fall on a different numbered placement.
I shall not steal anymore of your time, so here it is:
“Homer Vs. Lisa and the 8th Commandment”
Lisa wants to coax Homer away from his illegal Coax-Cable hookup
Cable television came into the U.S.A. in 1948 and pay-per-veiw boxing came in 1972. This episode premiered on February 7th (not 8th) 1991. Season 2, Episode 13. The 26th episode of The Simpsons.
FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING: Drederick Tatum, Golden Calf Idol (decoration), Springfield Grocery Store, and though there is a Don King look-a-like it’s too soon for me to claim him to be Lucius Sweet.
There are also characters and items that appeared for the first time that Could come into TSTO in the future maybe. OH THE POSSIBILITIES:
Some previously requested Characters: Troy McClure (COME ON EA! I think it’s a Sin that he is unavailable, you are Stealing so much joy from us)!!!!!
Possible NPC/decoration: Moses and Mt. Sinai
Possible Skins: Homer the (ancient) Thief, Zohar (ancient) Jacques? (if we ever get him in our game. come on EA! I think we need to command him to come into our game too). Casual Reverend Lovejoy, Sunday Best Martin and Milhouse, Top Hat Bart (though I’d rather have magician Bart from a future episode), four-fingered-discount Jacket Jimbo, and maybe a barred-windows Simpson Home facade.
Possible Events: Hebrew/Jewish event, Heck-of-a-Good event, Boxing mini-event, Tv personalities event, night time blackout event (different from THOH event).
Characters and Things I didn’t mention because I personally have no interest in them joining the game Don’t Mention It: Hezron the carver, other ancient times people, standup comedian, Hear Me Roar Channel women, Springfield Grocery Store customers and staff, Tina the infomercial woman and audience, other power plant workers, unknown TV watchers (including kids), Tatum fight people (Watson, announcers, fans, entourage).
some Highlights:
It’d be a sin not to show more highlights:
Some other things to think about:
Phil Hartman also voiced the Cable Guy and Moses in this episode. The Cable Guy actually first appeared in S1E10 “Homer’s Night Out” (I tossed him into the “background people” description in the Don’t Mention It section), the character was voiced by a different actor then. But though Phil Hartman put a little life into the character, the Cable Guy faded from the series after this episode aired. I have debated whether the character is worth representation in our game and I figure I would have a hard time accepting him if we can’t get Lionel Hutz, Troy McClure (and full character Lyle Lanely) in first.
The woman from “Hear Me Roar” network was seen in the grocery store, along with a skinner lookalike I mentioned in a previous post. Though that probably isn’t baby Gerald in the same picture, I like to pretend it is I:) And finally it is a bit odd that Bart had questions about Hell considering he has already been there in S2 E10.
(New feature) My Pointless Opinion: Troy McClure’s first appearance along with Dr. Nick’s “Hi everybody” catchphrase, makes this a great milestone. The subject matter of Sins and how seriously we take the commandments is a great moral dilemma. The Simpson’s house being a gathering point of various characters was fun. Cable TV (free or not) isn’t the magical entertainment cure we hoped it would be. Guilt seems to be the best moral rudder, Yeah GUILT! Who needs commandments as long as you have someone to make you feel bad enough to stop whatever it is you were doing guilt-free?
*the following pointless opinions do not reflect those of the admin of the site, nor exactly reflect Totbox’s since it was done just to seem like I (Totbox) put some extra thought into the episode outside of some facts and some event ideas. Some opinions were used for humor and ridiculously rhetorical-esque purposes to excite you (the reader) to leave a scathing rebuttal/comment. If it wasn’t enough there are some other questions below that may also inspire you to leave a comment (and a few of them are carved in stone).
Do you like the new “My Pointless Opinion” feature? Do you remember this episode (S2 E13)? What was your favorite moment? Any of the Possibilities that you Really do/don’t like? Is there a commandment you break more than another (or worry about)? Can you name all Ten Commandments? Ever have a grocery store embarrassment (yourself or children)? Do you have cable TV? Can you imagine a world without the Ten Commandments? I command you to sound off in the comments and have a sinless journey back to your current space/time 🙂 (you aren’t mooching wifi are you?)
Love these posts and sorry that I didn’t comment sooner – was camping.
One of my favourite episodes and loved the ‘My Pointless Opinion’ segment reminded me why.
Really good posts and I can’t wait for the next ones!!
I think the bible is a strong text that I often refer to, being a bible, and it was great to see the Simpsons put a deep think into it along with the Simpsons humour and family love.
Thanks Totbox – a great read as always!
However…. I have a bone to pick with you!
You just had to mention a ‘night time blackout event’, didn’t you?!? 😄 Of all the things I would like to see in my SF, night mode is probably top of the list!
I don’t know the Simpsons well enough to know which characters I would like (apart from those I’ve been introduced to in the Bracket Challenge & your Throwback Thursday posts) but I want nighttime mode soooooooo badly!
Come on EA, make it dark!
😃😃😃
I need a price check on 2 grapes…
I need a price check on 2 grapes…..
I definitely remember this episode, simply because I was a little confused by it. Being raised in a largely secular household, this was my first exposure to the ten commandments, and quite possibly my introduction to the concept of hell. It’s also odd to look back on the events of this episode now, with “Lisa the Skeptic” airing a couple decades ago, and her practice of Buddhism being ongoing canon as far as I can tell. This is definite Early Insallment Weirdness in that respect.
The commandment I break most often would depend largely on interpretation. I mean, other than the murder one, it’s tough to find a commandment I haven’t broken by someone’s interpretation, but in terms of the sheer numbers… If, for example, you think “the name of the lord thy God” is the word “God,” then I’ve broken that one literally countless times. If, on the other hand, you think “the name of the lord thy God” is “Yaweh” or “Jehovah,” then it’s way less times. Similarly, if “graven images” could apply to photographs, then I have made a ridiculous number of graven images, breaking the second commandment thousands of times. Then there’s the one about observing and keeping the sabbath. Open to some interpretation, but I’ve literally never done any level of “keeping the sabbath holy” in my life, so that’s roughly 1,650 instances of breaking that one. So, yeah, it’s one of those three. Probably. I’ve also coveted rather a lot in my life, would be tough to give a count of that….
You know, there might be someone out there who would interpret murder as killing any living thing, so every time I wash my hands I’m committing millions of tiny murders. Yikes. Doubt that’s a very common interpretation. (Although it might explain the people who seem to hate bathing and deodorant. Hmmm.)
Thank you DrTyler, 🙂 Yes, as an over thinker I have dwelled at those interpretations and more, and what the Bible seems to teach is that everyone is guilty of something and we may break commandments time after time but luckly we can confess or just say “Jebus has my back” 😜
To quote Rev Lovejoy from a later episode, “Marge everything is a sin. Have you ever sat down and read this thing? (holds up the bible) -Technically we’re not allowed to go to the bathroom.”.
Thanks Tot. I enjoyed reading that. Remembered that episode too. 🙂
All 3 devices I’m getting that it’s asking me to sign in again then not accepting my password which is correct.
Your opinion is never pointless!! 🙂
Is this the first episode that puts Simpsons family characters (or their look-alikes, at least) in a Biblical story? They’ve certainly done that plenty of times since….
I miss Phil Hartmann’s characters, too, although I understand the reason(s) why they’re not in the game (and they definitely wouldn’t be right without being voiced).
Sandra thanks for commenting (I believe this is the second time you’ve commented in my Throwbacks – the first being the First episode S1 E1, if I’m not mistaken, but whose keeping count?) 😜
🤔 Yes I believe these are the first Biblical skins (outside of “One of Us” evil demon family skins, or angel/cherub versions but that doesn’t really count as biblical).
Though Bunny has claimed to have written posts about the Phil Hartman debate I searched and could not find them and have long planned to dive into the topic with a special post but haven’t gotten around to it, and honestly might not understand all the legal facts involved.
There may or may not be an actual legal aspect (certainly likely wrt using his voice and, honestly, those characters just wouldn’t be the same without it), but I think it’s also being done out of respect. You’re familiar with the circumstances of his untimely death, no? It’s an incredible sad story wherein his wife committed a grisly murder-suicide. And the sadness is compounded by the fact that the had children, as well (although, thankfully, they were unharmed, physically).
You mentioned a couple of my favorite moments. Marge telling Bart not to swear, since he’s not in Sunday school and the checkout guy asking for a price check on two grapes. A couple others I like are when Homer says about Lisa, “something’s wrong with that kid. She’s so moral. Why can’t she be more like…well, not like Bart, but there has to be a happy medium.” And when Bart says, “man, I wish I was an adult so I could break the rules.” Me too, Bart, me too.
I may or may not have broken any of the commandments. But none of the “big” ones. 😏 I’ll admit to coveting my neighbor’s premium items (that I don’t have) or items from before I started playing. Oh, and their designs. I’m a sinner! 😛
If I’m attracted to the gravatar of my in-game neighbour, does that count as the tenth commandment – Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour? Or what was written on those tablet doesn’t apply to electronic neighbours you have on your Apple tablet?
That’s a new commandment for the digital age. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s gravatar. Or is that covered with the graven images?
Yeah Two Comments!! And from the same person, thanks Safi. Yes the “My Pointless Opinion” feature was my solution to the “why doesn’t anyone comment?” Question. Since TTT S2 E12 got a whopping zero comments (shaking my head)
It’s got 1 comment on it 🙂
http://tstoaddicts.com/2016/10/20/totboxs-throwback-thursday-s2-e12-the-way-we-was/
Thanks for letting me know, I added a “My Pointless Opinion” in the reply/comments. 🙂
The Way We Was is an all-time classic. Watching it still leaves me speechless.
You probably got a lot of comments on that post, but all blank speechless.
OM(Simpson’s version of)G! I want to reply but don’t want to turn into a religious debate (which I personally enjoy) but it’s not right for this site. Thou shall shut up for now 🙊😶😇
After Homer mentions 68 episodes (as seen in one of your screenshots), he goes on to state they have “1,600 hours of quality programming a day”.
For all my fellow number geeks, if you divide 1,600 by the 24 hours in a day, it actually comes out to 66.6 (recurring) channels. 66.6 (or 666 if you will) seems like a fitting number given the heavy emphasis on religious doctrine in this episode. As Miss Allbright says, “Today’s topic will be Hell”.
Wow, that is a fun fact! and that’s another cool thing about sharing these old episodes everyone has their unique observations that even I could pass by.
I didn’t mention it but there are some note worth programming that Homer saw while flipping through the channel – I’ll rather let others trying to figure them out but my favorite is one where right afterwards Homer said “Seen it” (gotta love reruns/Easter eggs) 🍋
I can’t decide what I like more: The new ‘My Pointless Opinion’ feature OR The hilarious disclaimer that follows it.
“nor exactly reflect Totbox’s since it was done just to seem like I (Totbox) put some extra thought into the episode”. LOL!