209. AABF02 (SI-1002 / S10E06) D'oh-in' in the Wind
Homer sets out to determine what his middle initial stands for, but in the process, delves into the old free-spirit ways of hippies, inspired by his mother's radical past and former associates. Guest starring George Carlin as Munchie and Martin Mull as Seth. (originally in Pool 40)
290. DABF16 (SI-1316 / S13E21) The Frying Game
Homer is sentenced to community service after nearly killing a rare insect found in his backyard pond. While working in a Meals on Wheels program, Homer befriends an elderly old woman. When the woman is thought to be dead, Homer and Marge become murder suspects after being named the sole beneficiaries of her will. Homer is convicted and sentenced to the death penalty, but just before he is scheduled to die in the electric chair, it is revealed that he's a contestant on a new reality show called "Frame Up" and the old woman is alive and well. (originally in Pool 21)
254. CABF02 (SI-1202 / S12E06) The Computer Wore Menace Shoes
After realizing that he's missing the cyberspace boat, Homer plugs into the internet and builds a web site. But when low traffic hits him where it hurts, he resorts to spicing up his cyberslab with damaging gossip concerning fellow townsfolk. Guest starring Patrick McGoohan as Prisoner #6. (originally in Pool 33)
318. EABF19 (SI-1419 / S15E05) The Fat and the Furriest
After another failed Mother's Day gift, Homer takes the kids to Sprawl-Mart and ends up buying a Kitchen Carnival for Marge. Homer uses the Carnival to create an edible candy man, but Marge finally forces him to take it to the Springfield Dump - where he's promptly attacked by a bear. When he's labelled a coward by the media, Homer builds a bear-fighting suit, and after some Jackass style testing antics sets out to confront the bear. (originally in Pool 55)
The order here seems obvious to me but I'll be verbose anyway.
I'm told by fans of "The Prisoner" that the parody in "Menace Shoes" is actually hilarious, and not just randomly confusing (as it was to me when I saw it without ever being exposed to "The Prisoner"). It's obviously the least bad of these four.
"D'oh-in'" is somewhat cringe-inducing but only somewhat. It would be second-worst in some pools.
That stupid episode with the bear would be worst of a lot of pools and it's certainly worse than at least two of the Season 15 eps that hit worst-of-the-worst status almost by default -- but here it's in a pool with a especially noxious bottom-5 candidate.
1. The Computer Wore Menace Shoes
2. D'oh-in' in the Wind
3. The Fat and the Furriest
Worst. The Frying Game
Wow, for the second time today I'm agreeing with your rankings. FWIW, as a Prisoner fan, the parody in Menace Shoes is pretty good.
Posted by: Mark at November 4, 2005 05:10 AM