Episode 13 - Homer vs Lisa and the 8th Commandment
22 June 2010
Synopsis: Homer gets an illegal cable hook-up and Lisa thinks it is stealing. After a Sunday School lesson about hell she determines to do something about it. Meanwhile Homer invites everyone he knows over to watch a big boxing match so Lisa stages a non-violent protest.
The Good: This is a very simple and very effective morality play. The cable theft is an excellent choice to start a good debate about stealing because it's not a very direct crime and it has a timeless quality to it. Going forward into ever increasing technological complexity the possibility to steal or just not pay for certain forms of entertainment remains very relevant.
The cable theft is far from the only crime going on though. The writers really give the plot some depth by showing Homer having also collected mugs from Moe's and stationery from the power plant. Again excellent choices as they are relatable and again seemingly harmless acts on their own. This is also extended to Marge eating a couple of grapes at the store. No one at the store even cares but again the writers find a way to make you think about the ways you may be stealing in everyday life. It's also worth pointing out the negative moral effects of the cable elsewhere in the family's life. Homer becomes even more slothful and Bart begins to watch porn.
This thorough moral examination is focussed on Lisa's reaction to it. Lisa is simply frightened by the thought of going to hell and her childhood innocence inoculates the story from becoming preachy or judgmental. Instead she decides to simply not watch the television anymore. This simple break from Homer's routine forces him to acknowledge her worries and begin to feel guilty himself. Even then it's not simple conscience which works but Homer too being afraid of the consequences (prison) of this sin.
The justification pamphlet for stealing cable was a fun idea including the claim that since only bad movies are available that somehow justifies the theft. Apu gives a glimpse of what a fun character he can be with a simple one-liner here. He is shocked at Homer asking if he stole snack food from work to bring along to the fight. Apu is outraged and with his delivery and odd phrasing, his response of "Certainly not! What has been implied here?" was pretty funny.
The Bad: Following the Ten Commandments is not the way to avoid hell, as any Christian Sunday School teacher ought to know.
Best Joke: The opening scene was really funny. The Jews wait at the bottom of Mount Sinai for Moses to return. They address one another with name and job title and also seem oblivious to the consequences of one another's jobs. With the names Hezron, carver of graven images, Homer the thief and Zohar the adulterer, you can imagine what ensued.
The Bottom Line: The simple exploration of the morality around theft is very well written. Not a lot of laughs but a well told story.
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