This article includes a brief reference to fictional sexual harrasment.
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While The Simpsons has a lot of episodes that have been called the show’s worst outing ever, one Thanksgiving special was a new low for the long-running show. The Simpsons has been around for a long, long time. The show has been on the air for 35 years and, in that time, the anarchic animated family comedy has aired over 770 episodes. Even with The Simpsons season 37’s renewal unconfirmed, the show has already broken numerous records thanks to its historic longevity. As such, it is inevitable that some episodes of The Simpsons just don’t work.
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From season 11, episode 13, “Saddlesore Galactica,” to season 19, episode 11, “That ‘90s Show,” The Simpsons has plenty of infamously flawed outings. That said, there are some episodes that stand out as uniquely bad moments in the show’s larger critical reception. The end of the Golden Age of The Simpsons is often credited to season 9, episode 2, “The Principal and the Pauper,” even though the show aired bad episodes before and after that outing. Similarly, articles like WhatCulture’s “The Exact Moment The Simpsons Lost Us” pinpoint the show’s decline to season 12, episode 5, “Homer Vs Dignity.”
Homer’s “Prank Monkey” Plot Was A Uniquely Unpleasant Simpsons Story
The Infamous Episode Was Bizarrely Unpleasant

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As surprising as it may sound, “Homer Vs Dignity” is technically the second Thanksgiving episode of The Simpsons. Despite how uniquely American the show is, The Simpsons hasn’t focused on Thanksgiving anywhere near as often as the show has centered on Christmas and Halloween. There are over 38 Christmas Treehouse of Horror Halloween specials and over twenty Christmas episodes but, as of season 36, only seven Thanksgiving episodes of the series have aired. The first of these, season 2, episode 7, “Bart Vs Thanksgiving,” centers squarely on the holiday itself. The second, “Homer Vs Dignity,” had a markedly more complicated plot.
From throwing pudding in Leany’s face to getting sexually harassed by a panda, Homer’s new role deprives him of his dignity.
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When Homer asks Mr. Burns for a raise, his villainous boss instead hires him to be his “Prank monkey.” This role involves humiliating himself and others with embarrassing pranks, and Mr. Burns’ pranks cross the boundary into mean-spiritedness almost immediately. From throwing pudding in Leany’s face to getting sexually harassed by a panda, Homer’s new role deprives him of his dignity. This horrifies Lisa, who loses her respect for her father despite how much money this new venture earns him. In the episode’s ending, Homer turns down Burns’ offer of a million dollars for one last prank.
The Simpsons Adapted An Unpopular Comedy For This Hated Episode
“Homer Vs Dignity” Was Based On An Obscure 1969 Comedy Movie
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Burns offers Homer the exorbitant sum to dress as Santa and toss fish guts at children in the Thanksgiving parade, but Homer refuses since he can’t ruin Santa Claus if he wants to regain Lisa’s respect. In an ending that is as dark as any Treehouse of Horror gag, Burns simply dons the Santa suit himself and throws fish guts at the horrified spectators. This ending is a fitting denouement to an episode that is uniquely unpleasant and tasteless throughout, although the source material of “Homer Vs Dignity” may explain some of its inscrutable storytelling choices.
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Directed by Joseph McGrath, 1969’s The Magic Christian was an early John Cleese movie that also starred Ringo Starr and Peter Sellers. Adapted from Terry Southern’s novel of the same name, the satirical farce sees a billionaire hire an unhoused man to play tasteless, cruel pranks on others. Like “Homer Vs Dignity,” the adaptation was largely panned by critics even before The Simpsons revisited its story decades later. The Magic Christian’s unpopularity makes the decision to adapt the movie into a Simpsons episode bizarre, but there is one motivation that could have shaped the choice.
The Simpsons Thanksgiving Episode Highlighted Season 12’s Problem
The Long-running Show Struggled With South Park and Family Guy’s Success
By the time The Simpsons season 12 rolled around, the show was struggling with its position in the adult animation landscape. The Simpsons was met with a slew of imitators when it first became a global success, and none of these shows lasted long. Capitol Critters, Fish Police, and Family Dog were all swiftly canceled, but the next generation of shows inspired by The Simpsons weren’t so easily ignored. 1997’s South Park and 1999’s Family Guy became genuinely popular in their own right, offing an edgier, darker alternative to The Simpsons.
Season 11, episode 15, “Missionary: Impossible,” and season 11, episode 10, “Little Big Mom,” featured similarly out-of-place shock humor and disjointed plots,
Outside of The Simpsons’ Treehouse of Horror specials, the show wasn’t especially violent or shocking and generally remained family-friendly. In what may have been a misguided attempt to compete with South Park and Family Guy, The Simpsons produced weirdly dark, unpleasant episodes like “Homer Vs Dignity” that appeared to ape their competitors. Season 11, episode 15, “Missionary: Impossible,” and season 11, episode 10, “Little Big Mom,” featured similarly out-of-place shock humor and disjointed plots, although they had more redeeming moments. In contrast, the worst Thanksgiving special in The Simpsons history highlighted the worst elements of this era.
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New episodes of The Simpsons air Sundays at 8pm on Fox.
Source: WhatCulture

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